My Little Pony-Friendship is Magic

The Romancing Quest

By Doctor Scraps

Disclaimer: My Little Pony- Friendship is Magic is property of Hasbro and all affiliated parties involved, and the author claims no rights to any characters, settings, or events. This story was written for entertainment purposes only.

A/N: I want it said upfront that this chapter, no matter how many times I spun it in my head, is probably going to be considered by the lot of you as filler, with some Twilight/Big Macintosh shipping. Thus far, this chapter took me the longest to write...if only because I took two hours to watch Doctor Who, writing in between commercial breaks. Enjoy.

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Chapter 5

…

As late evening fell over Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle trotted along her way to attend the social gathering being held at Sugarcube Corner, for what she was certain pertained to something Pinkie Pie related, as well as to meet her Secret Admirer. She was positively giddy, reflected in each spring of her step, the midnight blue hooded cape she wore bouncing with her. Her mane swaying as she hummed along, the gold star hairpin catching the light of streetlamps as she passed.

As she drew closer to her destination, she spied a large group of people gathered outside, and the high pitched sound of Pinkie Pie herself addressing the crowd in song. Pinkie Pie was dressed in a dress coat, red cummerbund, bowtie, and a fake moustache. Twilight also noticed Mr. and Mrs. Cake by the doors, dressed just as fancily, Mr. Cake in a bowler hat and tie, and Mrs. Cake in an evening dress.

"—And there's one more rule, to tell the truth, so as to not look so uncouth!" Pinkie Pie sang, bouncing around with all the style and dynamic energy she was known for, "When you eat, please don't pout! Alwayyyysssss stick your pinkie ouuuuuttttt!" She finished by sliding on her knee's across the step, and taking a bow.

The crowd applauded, and Pinkie sprang up, announcing that the festivities had begun with a verbose "Let's PAR-TAY!" The crowd filed in after her, Mr. and Mrs. Cake passing out monocles and top hats to everyone. Twilight could only smile and shake her head.

"Good evening, Miss Sparkle!" Mr. Cake said cheerily, offering a monocle and top hat to the Unicorn. She politely declined.

"Thank you, but I'm waiting for my date to arrive…He might not see me in this sea of…" Twilight glanced past the door, seeing the crowd of black and grey head adornments. "…Top hats…" Mrs. Cake laughed softly seeing her confusion.

"Pinkie Pie met our cousin from Manehattan yesterday, and decided she wanted to try throwing a high class affair. It's a lovely change of pace, don't you think? You look lovely yourself tonight, as well! You'll fit right in."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cake…I'll be by the punch bowl in case someone comes asking for me, okay?" Twilight trotted in, glancing around for anyone that might take notice of her, almost crashing directly into a smartly dressed Applejack.

"Whoa there, filly! Where ya goin' in a hurry?" Applejack asked., smoothing out her red vest and bow tie.

"Ah, Applejack! What an outfit…" Twilight tilted her head, seeing other ponies dressed similarly.

"Nice, ain't it?" Applejack beamed. "Pinkie Pie said she was short handed for Metro D personnel, whatever that is. Fancy talk for Waiter? So, me and some others are pickin' up the slack."

"Wow…I didn't think Pinkie Pie had this kind of class in her." Twilight didn't want to admit it, but this sort of fancy soiree was not the sort of thing that came to mind when she thought of the ex-rock farmer-turned full time party organizer. Firstly, there wasn't a pink balloon in sight…

"I think it's a sign of maturity." Applejack nodded in an approving manner. "Now what's with you comin' in lookin' all spiffy and sparkly? Here on another date, I reckon."

"Well…Yeah, you could say that. I…Got a secret admirer letter inviting me out here tonight!" Twilight explained.

"Fancy that. Big Macintosh had a last minute somethin' er other tonight too. Well, I gotta get back to work! Have fun now…Oh, and Twilight?" Applejack leaned close. "Pinkie Pie means business when she says ta stick out yer pinky…"

"…But…" Twilight was about to note that ponies didn't have pinky fingers.

"Business." Applejack said with a deadly serious tone, before smiling brightly. "Enjoy yerself, y'hear?"

…

Pinkie Pie was in full mode, bouncing from wall to wall, keeping a sharp lookout for anyone who might be losing any levels on the fun meter. Also to snag the odd cake and cookie spread out. She could not have been more pleased with her first Fancy Party. Top hats for as far as the eye could see. Then she spied the un-hatted head of Twilight Sparkle, one of her many friend of friends, standing alone by the punch bowl, looking around with intent and searching.

"Twilight! How ya doin'? Whatcha doin' standing here all by your lonesome? Are you lonely? How can you be lonely with some many fancy people around?" Pinkie Pie sprang upon Twilight.

"Ah!" Twilight nearly spilled her punch, the pink earth pony leaning in a little too close than she was comfortable with, a total invasion of the personal bubble. "Pinkie Pie, hello, I-"

"Ahem…"Pinkie Pie stood on her tip toes, turning her nose up.

"Pinkie?" Twilight blinked. Pinkie Pie turned her head away. Twilight scratched her head a bit, before it dawned on her. "Miss Pinkamena?" Pinkie Pie's smile returned in full force. "Er…Yes, I'm actually waiting for someone…I have a date tonight."

"A date?" Pinkie nearly exploded with enthusiasm. "Oh wow! I've never had a date at one of my parties! Is he cute? Are you gonna marry him? Can I cater your wedding? Can I be the minister at your wedding? Can I be your foals godpony?"

"Er…" Twilight glanced around, looking for an exit. Fortunately, Applejack was en route to intercept.

"Pinkie, will you leave…" Applejack then received a glare from Pinkie. Applejack sighed and spoke in a dull montone. "Miss Pinkamena Diane Pie, you're presence is required over at the DJ table."

Pinkie Pie squealed when she saw the time. "It's time for me to bust some jams! Talk to ya later, Twilight! Have fun smooching your date!" And with that she was gone, a few eyes falling on Twilight who put a hoof to her forehead.

"Oi."

It was then, Twilight looked over and saw Big Macintosh at the door, protesting the receiving of a top hat to replace his white Stetson hat, looking sharp in his tan, polished boots. He and Mr. Cake talked for a moment, before Mr. Cake looked in and nodded in Twilights direction. Twilights eyes lit up as hers met Big Macs. Both looked to each other with a curiosity, and suddenly a realization. A smile cut across Macintosh's usually docile face as he entered, straightening back his hat.

Applejack followed her friends suddenly dumbfounded gaze, and saw Big Mac making a line straight for Twilight. "Oh, my tarnation of tarnations…"

"M-Macintosh…Good evening." Twilight lowered her head in greeting.

"Miss Twilight." Macintosh nodded. He smiled at Applejack. "Li'l Sis."

The two looked at each other for a moment, unable to find what to say.

"So, I…" They both said in unison.

"I was just…" Again, in sync with each other. After a moment, they just chose to laugh.

"Well!" Applejack cleared her throat. "Macintosh, where's yer manners? Go fetch yer lady friend something to nibble on."

"Ah, right." Macintosh nodded to the both of them, turning to trot off towards the tables of treats, almost being swallowed by the sea of top hats. Once he was out of sight, Applejack put a leg over Twilight.

"Can I have a moment to bend yer ear…?" There was something just a touch too sweet about her voice that made a shiver go up Twilight's spine.

"S-sure…?" Twilight walked to the corner with Applejack.

"…Now, ya know yer mah friend and I love ya dearly…" Applejack began. "See, I know you're really into this dating scene right now, but…That's ma brother there, sugarcube…I love him more than life itself."

Twilight just nodded. "I know…"

"That means…That it will not settle well if you go and fiddle faddle with him like you've been doin' with some of these other boys…Savvy?" Applejacks voice was touching on creepily cheerful.

"Absolutely." Twilight nodded with enthusiasm. "No fiddle faddle whatsoever."

"Good. Y'all have a good time." Applejack ruffled Twilight mane and turned to leave. She paused and glanced back, her tone deadly serious like before with the warning about the pinky finger. "…I'm serious. Do him wrong, and I'll shave the mane off yer head."

…

Macintosh returned with two plates balanced on his back, finding Twilight fidgeting nervously back by the punch. She was rather cute when she was nervous, he reckoned. She fit the shyness she mentioned in her letter.

Well, lets just set her at ease… Macintosh thought as he set her plate aside. "Well, then…You look mighty pretty tonight, Miss Twilight." Twilight blushed some and shyly swayed the hem of her cape.

"Oh, this? Well…I wanted to look nice for tonight…You look pretty sharp yourself. Ooh...These cupcakes look delicious…" Applejacks threat was quickly forgotten when Twilight eyed the baked delights Pinkie Pie had prepared. She was about to help herself when she noticed said earth pony watching her intently from under the table. With a nervous laugh, she twisted her hoof slightly before taking a bite. Satisfied, Pinkie Pie vanished.

"Hm?" Macintosh tilted his head curiously.

"Oh, uh…Pinky out." Twilight said sheepishly. Macintosh smiled and gave a soft laugh, however he made sure the coast was clear as he deftly defied the laws of Pinkie, and popped a cupcake into his mouth without the required gestures. Twilight snickered.

"Keep it up, big boy, and you're going to get it." She warned with humor.

"I've had a good run." He grinned as he chewed.

Once they were done eating, and some mild chit chat later, they heard Pinkie Pie announce she was about to drop the phat beats. However, since this was a fancy hat and monocle party, the phat beats were set to classical music, and a laugh was had by all when Pinkie Pie worked the record player, scratching like a pro.

"So…Wanna dance?" Twilight asked. Macintosh shrugged a bit and got to his feet.

"T'aint no square dance, but I think I got some moves in me…"

And so, the ponies danced.

…

Twilight fell into her seat laughing and wiping a bit of sweat from her brow. "Oh, my goodness…I haven't danced like that since I was a foal…I am so going to feel that in the morning…"

"You cut a rug fine, Miss Twilight. Pardon if my big ol' flank knocked ya around some." Macintosh stretched and sat beside her, tucking his front hooves under him. The two sat there, catching their breath while all the couples enjoyed a slow dance…in which Pinkie Pie took to the dance floor with a broom she fondly called Brian.

"So…Twilight…" Macintosh cleared his throat, "That letter o' yours…must have been somethin' to get all that out." Twilight blinked.

" I was about to say the same about your letter. How you…Fancied me from afar?" Twilight leaned up against the red work horse, giving him a coy smile. She blinked and looked up at him. "…My letter?"

"Well, yeah, about you bein' too shy to ask me…Oh…" Macintosh began, it suddenly dawning on them. If she hadn't, and he hadn't…Both looked at each other and looked away sheepishly. Finally Macintosh broke the silence. "You wanna get outta here?"

…

Applejack peered out the window, watching as Twilight and Macintosh took their leave. Good luck, you two. She smiled and sighed, turning to suddenly see Pinkie Pie there.

"Hey, where's Twilight and Lover Boy?" Pinkie asked. "We're about to start the conga line!"

…

"So…who do you think did it?" Twilight asked as the two strolled along the lamp-lit path near the Ponyville pond. She was feeling sheepish, but not too sheepish. She was actually enjoying herself.

"No idear." Macintosh still had his humor about him as well. "Ah, Miss Twilight…your hair clip."

Twilight pawed at her mane, finding that her gold star had fallen off. "Oh no…It must have fallen off while we were dancing…It's probably gotten trampled by now…" It wasn't an expensive hair pin, but it was her favorite.

"Here, let's fix that real quick…" Macintosh trotted over to the edge of the path and returned with a yellow flower, placing it gently in her mane. "There. Much better." Twilight felt herself turn red and smiled thankfully.

…

"—And so she comes running in after all the animals, screaming YOU'RE ALL GONNA LOVE ME!" Twilight whinnied in a crazed shrill voice, making a face to match. Macintosh snorted as a laugh escaped, finding it near impossible to imagine someone as docile as Fluttershy snapping just because a fuzzy animal didn't show her the time of day.

Twilight herself laughed with him, pausing to look up at the full moon as it hovered over her home, a silhouette against a night sky that matched her cape. "Macintosh…even though tonight wasn't our idea…I had a really good time."

"It was my honor, Miss Twilight." Macintosh nodded to her. Twilight smiled and stood up on the tips of her hooves, kissing Macintosh softly. He was briefly taken aback by her sudden forwardness. Twilight simply smiled and lowered her head in another imitation of Fluttershy, another blush creeping across her cheeks.

"It's what you do at the end of a date…y'know?"

Macintosh smirked, bending down and returned the favor. This time, the kiss lingered. When they finally pulled apart, they gazed into each other's eyes; Macintosh's reflecting the shimmering stars shining in Twilights.

"Goodnight, Macintosh…"

"Goodnight, Miss Twilight…"

…

As the two parted ways, back to their homes for the night, both were too wrapped up in their own thoughts to give credence to the notion that they had been watched. A lone figure sat perched on the roof of a home not far from Twilights dwelling, a cloak imprinted with stars and a big floppy hat swaying in the nightly breeze.

"How adorable, the backwater workhorse thinks he has a hand to play against me?" Trixie raised a hoof to her lips to mask a chuckle. "One pony…two ponies…a hundred…It doesn't matter how many stand between me and you, Twilight Sparkle…The Great and Powerful Trixie shall have you!" She tossed her head back and laughed.

"Hey, Great and Powerful Trixie!" A pony stuck his head out the window just under her perch, "You mind keeping it down?"

"Shush you!" Trixie snapped. "I'm not done gloating." Trixie opened her mouth to speak, but found no words. "Alright, maybe I was…" She turned to the pony with a dignified countenance. "My good sir, the ladder I used to ascend your dwelling fell when I got up here…Might I beseech you to retrieve it so I may descend?"

…

To be continued.