Red, White, and Blueblood

by kingtiger666

Chapter 1

The radio was loud, static clear in the background of whatever dime-a-dozen pop tune was playing, but Big Macintosh didn’t care. It helped to drown out Applejack’s droning voice as she lectured Applebloom on her most recent misadventure with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Something to do with industrial cleaners and Granny Smith’s best china. Nothing to worry about.

Big Macintosh, Mac to his friends, was just a humble farmer. He wasn’t ambitious by any stretch of the word, content to live out his days in the orchards he was raised in, with a steady routine and little-to-no outside interference. Sure, there was the occasional mad goddess or spirit of chaos (Contrary to some opinions, this was a common occurrence even before that purple unicorn came to town. Something in the water, maybe), but on the whole it was a peaceful existence.

Applejack, on the other hand, was his little sister. Orange, element of honesty, likes apples. Terrible liar, great athlete, just friends with Rainbow Dash or so she swears, I’m sure you know all this already, so I’ll just skip to the important part.

If she knew who the lazy stallion next to Mac was, she’d probably blow a gasket. Let her, he thought, if she has a problem she knows where to put it.

The stallion, a white unicorn with flowing blond locks tied back in a ponytail, was reclining on the ground next to the radio. He peered through dark sunglasses to read a brightly-colored magazine, the cover of which featured a mare scantily clad in velvet stockings stabbing a curved sword into the belly of some great tentacled monstrosity. Mac turned his head and shut his eyes against the bright sun.

The two of them were sitting on matching lawn chairs, the unicorn supposedly helping Mac with his work. It didn’t matter much that he wasn’t, really. This pony was special.

The special pony flipped his page and looked over to Mac. “You know,” he said in a cultured voice, “I used to think farmponies were inferior, in some way, to unicorns.”

Mac was laying with his eyes closed, just on the edge of sleep, but he answered anyway. “An’ by farmponies, you mean earth ponies in general?”

“Quite. But now I see, I understand. We all have our places in the world, yours is no less important than my own.” He flipped the page again.

“Ah’d answer that if it didn’t sound so pompous.” Mac said. Looking over his shoulder, he could see Applejack had finished her lecture and was heading towards the barn, axe in mouth. Apparently she’d finished her field work early, since she didn’t need to chop any wood for another- His eyes widened, and he looked to the sky. It was sunset already!

He nearly jumped from his seat, stretching his back and revelling in the pops as it fell into place. Well, look on the bright side, my back is just about heal-- *crack* Mac gasped in pain and fell to his knees. In an instant, the unicorn was upon him.

A hoof around his back, the other on his leg, he held him close. “Are you alright? Where does it hurt? I’ll get help, you just wait right--”

“Blue,” Mac held up a hoof, “Ah’m alright, jus’ pulled somethin’ in there.”

‘Blue’ was unconvinced. “Are you sure? The doctor said--”

“Ah know what the doctor said, but Ah really am fine, honest!” He waved him off and braced to get up. “Urf!”

Wobbling for a moment, he braced a hoof on Blue’s chest to steady himself. Blue ran a hoof through his own hair, then magically began to fold their chairs.

“Lemme help with that.” Mac gripped one by the legs, pushing and folding it back into a compact state. Mac held it out, and with a flourish the unicorn took it in his magic. Off to the side, he could see Applebloom giving him a dirty look. Out of sympathy, he extinguished his magic, instead placing the chairs on his back.

“Oof! I wonder why it is your sister has such a grudge against magic?”

The earth pony nudged his own chair into place. “She likes doin' it th' hard way.”

“She is rather stubborn.”

“Eeyup.”

They walked towards the barn in silence, only stopping to pick up a stray apple or kick a rock her or there. Finally, Mac spoke.

“Blue, Ah was wonderin’ ‘bout her,” he started.

‘Blue’ looked up. “What about her?”

“Well… Ah wanna tell her ‘bout us.”

That’s one way to get a reaction. “What?! Mac, are you insane? You really want to tell her about us?!”

“Eeyup,” he said resolutely.

“Eeyup! That’s all you have to say? Just ‘eeyup, I want to tell my bigoted earth trash sister that—“ he lowered his voice, realizing somepony might hear, “That you’re dating the most powerful stallion in Canterlot?”

“Eeyup,” he repeated.

“Why would you want to tell her anyways?”

“Tell me what now?” It seemed they had reached the barn without realizing it. The speaker was Applejack, who was currently bucking blocks of wood. Not chopping it, but literally kicking it so hard it split into pieces. She was strong like that.

This display of strength changed Mac's mind rather quickly. “N-nothin’!” he stammered out, sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

“Oh why don’t you ask her, Mac? What’s she going to do, eat you?” The unicorn nudged him in the ribs, but still cast a nervous glance Applejack’s way.

“Mac?” Applejack

“Well, AJ, Ah was wonderin’, whatchu think ‘bout Canterlot ponies.”

“Whaddya mean?” Applejack’s kick missed the wood by inches, sending her sprawling to the ground.

“Sis! You alright?” Mac said, rushing over.

Propping herself up with her hooves, Applejack grumbled as she stood up. “Ah’m okay, it’s jus’ this darn cast. Now, you were askin’ ‘bout what Ah think of Canterlot?”

“Ah cain’t say Ah’m a fan o’ the town nor the ponies, no. Pompous and arrogant, the lot of ‘em. ‘Course, that’s their business an’ Ah’m none too inclined to go buttin’ around with them. Why d’ya ask?”

“Uh...”

“Have you met somepony?” Applejack asked jokingly, “Some rich an’ powerful unicorn sweep ya off yer hooves an’ take ya on an adventure to faraway lands?”

Mac swallowed his fear and simply replied, “Eeyup.”

“Ah... What? Wow. Ah... Ah was not expecting that, no siree,” she whistled and shook her head, “So who is he?”

At this point, the white unicorn trotted up beside Mac, patted his neck with a foreleg, and said, “That would be me, ma’am.”

“An’ you are..?”

The unicorn removed his sunglasses, pulled out his hair tie with his magic, and flashed his best smile. Applejack's eyes widened, and for a moment everything was still.

Then Applejack slapped him hard across the face.

Prince Blueblood, to his credit, barely flinched.

Applejack’s fury was palpable. “You no-good Canterlot scumbag!” She shouted, “You insult mah family an’ hurt mah best friend an’ now yer here for mah brother too? Not gonna happen! Git!”

Blueblood shrunk back from Applejack’s wrath, slinking backwards towards the doorway. Mac stopped him with a hoof, then took a step forward.

“Sis, what’s the matter?”

Pointing at the cowering unicorn, she shouted “He is!”

Mac moved forward dangerously. “What, you some kinda’a bigot or somethin’?”

Applejack froze. “Wait... You think that’s what I’m mad about?”

“It... Isn’t?” Mac was stunned.

“No! Ya darn lug, Ah’ve knew you swung that way since that family reunion when Ah caught you an’ Pokey kissin’ behind the barn!”

Mac blushed and stammered, “That was, uh, Ah...” That was supposed to be private, is what he thought. Just a little fling with a local pretty-boy, nothing serious. He’d wondered why Applejack invited him to dinner that one time. Thick as a brick sometimes.

Applejack shushed him. “Yeah, Ah saw you two,” she poked him in the ribs, “Jus’ about the cutest couple Ah ever did see. Ah figured you’d come out when ya were ready.”

“So why are you so upset?” Blueblood ventured.

“Mac, it’s not that you love a stallion, it’s that you love this stallion,” She said with a gesture, “Ah mean, surely there’s a better pick out there? Someone who’s humble, principled, hardworking...”

“An earth pony.”

“Well, er, Ah don’ mean...”

Mac smiled and nudged her gently. “Ah know what you mean, sis. But me an’ Blue, we got somethin’ special.

“If it weren’t for him I’d be dead, sis,” Applejack’s eyes widened and her expression shifted towards confusion. “Jus’ give him a chance. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Well, it’s clear you care about him a lot. Bring him to dinner. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

“Thanks, sis.”

←-----------------------------------------------------------------------------→

Later that evening, the Apple family was sitting around the table. Dinner had been served, paltes heaped with macaroni and applesauce. This may seem absolutely disgusting, but I assure you, it’s the best thing since the peanut butter-and-banana sandwich. Granny Smith was at the head, Applejack and Applebloom were next to each other on one side, and everypony’s eyes were on the two stallions who sat trying to ignore them and eat quietly.

“So, Mac...” started Applejack, “You an’ Blueblood, huh?”

“Eeyup,” he said, not looking up.

“He treat you right?”

“In the room,” grumbled Blueblood.

Ignoring him, Mac replied. “Eeyup.”

“How long?”

“Coupla months,” he said, spearing a couple of noodles on his fork.

“But he’s only worked here a couple weeks,” Applejack pointed out, “Where did you two meet?”

Mac stopped chewing and, swallowing heavily, looked over to Blueblood, who shrugged.

After a moment, Granny Smith spoke. “Why doncha start from the beginning?”

Blueblood smirked and stood up. "In the beginning," he said with a solemn air, "There was darkness..."

Applejack cut him off. “You know what she means!”

With a bemused expression, he sat back down.

“Well now that’s just rude.”

Mac spoke up. “What he means to say is, we met on the train to Nagdad back in June.”

“So start there.”

With a breath, Mac began to speak.

Author's Note:

If and when you notice any glaring errors, or even minor and unimportant errors, please point them out. I may do a lot of editing, but all authors are blind to the failings of their own work and I'm no exception.

Comments

[Tony Flash]

well, at least I'm not the only one that thought Bluey was a closet case. Mac is the perceived gay guy for the fandom.

[Themaskedferret]

*Grins* cute start. Only typo I saw that really jumped out at me was palte rather than plate.