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: For those of you who pay attention in this episode, there are some hints to the fanfic I want to write as soon as I finish Romancing Quest. I also rip off a few lines from Chameleon Circuits song "Awful Lot of Running To Do". Please to enjoy, and agonize over exactly what kind of shipping this story is about.

…

Chapter 8

…

It was Crunch Time for the team of pegassi and earth ponies busting their flanks to get Long-Grass Fields prepared for the race in just a little more than two days. Work was only just now beginning on the Mine Field now that the specially designed Magic Mines had arrived from Twilight Sparkles house just that morning. The ponies involved were more than a little nervous handling the oddly glowing discs covered in runes.

"Careful…careful…" One pony said to another as they very carefully began covered a mine with dirt. Too little, it would be obvious on the course. Too much, and the weight would set it off…

"Hey! Are you guys done on that corner yet?" Rainbow Dash hollered from where she was monitoring goings on. The sudden shout caused the pony with the dirt to slip, hoof landing directly on the mine. There was a loud 'poof' sound and a blast of purple smoke. When it cleared, two chickens sat there in place of the two ponies, whom looked up at Rainbow Dash with angry glares, as did the rest of the minefield team.

"Eh…heh heh…My bad?" Rainbow Dash hunched her shoulders, giving a feeble and apologetic smile before excusing herself.

…

"So my idea is then to take the ol' girl up on that cliff to go along those roads there. You know, let the weather team work their magic on them up there. Then I'll pick them up…here, and then bring them back to the trail." The Doctor pointed a hoof to some points on the map spread out between him and Twilight as they sat about at the base camp of the operation. Twilight nodded and took some notes.

"Good, that covers my portal idea…Now all we need to do is wait for Pinky Pie to finish the-"

There was a distant boom, both ponies looking towards what appeared to be a pink missile clearing the tree's.

"…The Pony-Cannonball course…" Twilight sighed and took down a few more notes.

"Ah, Miss Sparkle, I hope you don't mind my saying…isn't this course…" The Doctor clicked his teeth, trying to find the right term. "Eh, needlessly complicated? I mean, I know this is your virtue on the line here, but…"

"It is a bit much, isn't it…?" The spark of organized thinking in Twilights eyes faded almost immediately. "…I've just been keeping myself so pre-occupied with designing this race to keep my mind off other things, that I guess I just got carried away. "

"Ah, don't be so hard on yourself, Miss Sparkle." The Doctor looked over the grounds. "Magnus Curriculum. The Great Race. Sport of sports in Equestria, you know. A match of honor and skill amongst equines. Used to be used as non-violent means of settling civil disputes…Political unrests…even the settling of suitors vying for a maidens hand. "

"But am I right to do this?" Twilight asked.

"You didn't choose it, they did. Remember?" The Doctor tucked his front hooves underneath him, looking more towards the sky. "You're letting them decide this for themselves. Over who's worthy, or at least who's the faster runner. A lot of uses, a good set of feet."

Twilight hung her head some. "I'm not worth all this attention…Half of Ponyville will be there…"

"Well, obviously you're worth some attention, you know, if people are willing to give it to you."

"Doctor?"

"Hm?"

"Are you…jealous that you aren't in the race?"

"Welllll…" The Doctor chuckled dryly. "…It's for the best, Miss Sparkle. I'm rubbish when it comes to relationships. Even my own. Besides. There's a certain someone in my life who would be very cross if me and you had gone any farther."

Twilight tilted her head curiously. "Who would that be?"

Before the Doctor could answer, they were interrupted by a sudden arrival of Rarity, looking very excited to the point where she was almost hopping in place, a behavior usually associated with Pinkie Pie.

"Twilight! You must come with me! This instant! Now! Right now!" Rarity exclaimed in a tone that matched her excitement. Twilight was no stranger to it, it was the look Rarity got when she found a particularly large gem, or someone had written a good review of a dress she had made.

"Why? What's wrong, Rarity?" Twilight asked. "We still have some work to finish her, if-"

Rarity was already gripping a hold on Twilights tail with her teeth, uttering that it absolutely had to be now.

Twilight sighed after being dragged a few feet. "Fine, fine, I'll come with…I can walk myself, you know!"

…

Twilight stared at her cross expression in the floor-length mirror in Rarity's boutique, dressed in a rather ornate, frilly purple and blue gown decorated in star patterns. The seamstress herself was busy taking some measurements around her flank.

"…You're making me a dress."

"Mm hmm." Rarity murmured affirmatively, wilst holding some pins between her teeth.

"Why are you making me a dress?"

"Because I asked her to." A new but familiar voice answered.

Twilight turned and sputtered as Princess Celestia stood in the doorway to Rarity's den, tall and slender, the afternoon light coming through Rarity's window causing sparkles to cascade through her fluorescent rainbow mane.

"P-Princess Celsti-OW!" Twilight jumped, shooting a glare at Rarity.

"Sorry…" Rarity apologized, sticking the offending needle for the time being back into her pin cushion, trotting off to measure and cut more fabric, but not before bowing to the princess. "If you will excuse me, your majesty…"

…

Once they were alone, Celestia smiled and gave Twilight a warm and friendly nuzzle. "My ever faithful student…"

"Princess…But why?" Twilight asked., blushing some at the sudden show of affection from her superior. As she always did when Celestia was affectionate.

"I wanted you to look splendid on your special day, my student." Celestia said.

"No, no, I mean…Why are you here?" Twilight asked, shaking her mane. Not that she was unappreciative. It was just unexpected. And no matter how relaxed the Princess was, Twilight walked on eggshells so as to never disappoint her mentor.

"I felt perhaps it was time we talked." Celestia said, sitting down so as to be at least eye level with Twilight. "So…Tell me about them."

Twilight swallowed, feeling her throat go a bit dry. Would Celestia approve? Certainly she had approved of her friends, even Pinkie Pie. However this was her future beau she was about to describe.

"Well…" Twilight sat beside the Princess in her half finished dress, thinking on how best to describe Big Mac and Trixie. "…Big Macintosh works at the local apple farm. He works hard all year, and takes very good care of his family."

"And what is it you like about him?" Celestia asked, her eyes aglow with an almost childish curiosity.

"You wouldn't think to look at him, but he's very deep. He's big but he's also really gentle…He's a perfect gentle pony to boot…"

"Is he cute?" Celestia asked with a soft giggle, a question that made Twilight blush a little harder.

"…Well…He isn't hard on the eyes. He was…also my first kiss"

"And the other?"

"Ah, that's Trixie…She's that magician from the Ursa Minor incident…"

"I remember her…" Celestia nodded.

"Well…I…She was the first real magic user I had met in Ponyville. A sorceress, just like me. I felt bad that we ended on such a sour note, but when I tried to make amends, she pushed me away…Until a few days ago…She wanted to be with me, just as I was starting to see Macintosh…"

"Do you like her, Twilight?" Celestia asked.

"I…" She remembered how Trixie had looked at the café in Canterlot. That sheepish shy expression when Twilight talked about how she had felt a connection between them, even if it had only been to settle matters. She recalled how hurt she looked when she accused Twilight of setting her up for a prank.

'Are you trying to make a fool of me?' She had asked.

"…I want to make things better for her…I've seen the real Trixie under all that boasting and outlandish talk…" Twilight looked up at Celestia, trying to convey what she meant, what she was feeling when she thought of Trixie. The warmth of her lips, the cuteness when she was bashful. "There's more to her than everyone see's…"

Celestia nodded. "I understand. I hope that whoever wins, that you both make each other very happy…" The princess lowered her head and leaned against Twilight. Twilight in turn leaned against her.

"…Princess…Have you ever been in love?" Twilight asked.

"Once." Celestia answered, smiling happily in fond remembrance. "…He was like fire…burning through time. I was but a filly when we met…But he was always there. Always watching."

"Who was he?" Twilight tilted her head, having never seen such a look of nostalgia on Celestia's face before, not since Princess Luna had been freed from Nightmare Moon.

"Oh…" A soft chuckle emanated from Celestia lips. "I don't know. I never thought to ask him for his name…But to be honest, I don't think he would have told me the truth anyway…But that's okay."

Twilight smiled up at her. "You really must have loved him."

"I still do."

"Ahem…" Rarity meekly cleared her throat, returning with her cloth. "Your Excellency, I hate to interupt, but may I…?"

"Fine…" Twilight got back up and backed her half-finished flank up to Rarity, huffing lightly. Celestia just smiled gently.

…

Trixie hummed to herself as she strolled the mountainside that normally would have taken her back home to Canterlot. Her spirits were high, as they had been for the last few days. Her confidence in her victory had only swollen. She not only cleared that gap, she dominated it. She dominated that whole makeshift course until the security ponies ran her off the field.

She met a few passersby on her little stroll, and all had to pause and watch in awe as she passed by, her head lifted high. Well, as high as one's head gets when their walking the vertical mountainside just above the actual road, her horseshoes glowing a green hue as they met with the rock.

Certainly, there were some ponies in Equestria that would have frowned on the use of enchanted horseshoes to gain an upper hand in a race. Trixie, however, saw it as making use of one's talents over sheer strength and endurance. If you can't beat them, outwit them. That was her motto, right next to "if you can't dazzle them with skill, baffle them with horseradish."

It was starting to get late, and she figured it was about time she headed back for Ponyville. She trotted down the side of the mountain and onto the road proper. She scratched at the ground some and bent down as though preparing for a sprint…And was off like a flash. Well, not literally like a flash. But noticeably faster than your average pony at full gallop. Her legs barely felt any strain at all. She felt like she could race all the way across Equestria if she wanted to.

Eventually, she reached her camp on the outskirts of Ponyville, maybe a short fifteen minute jog from where she began up the trail towards Canterlot, in which had been maybe a two hour stroll to begin.

"Your shoes are smoking." A voice called to her. Trixie turned and saw the face of that blue unicorn from a few days ago standing right beside her. She almost let out a squeal of shock, before her showpony pride kicked in.

"Ah, it's you again." Trixie then noticed she smelt burning hoof…She looked down and indeed her feet were smoking. She yelped and rolled onto her back, kicking her feet, frantically reaching out with her magic to pull the horseshoes off.

…

The unicorn in the cloak poured more cool water into the bucket as Trixie sat there, looking very annoyed, soaking her hooves, the enchanted horseshoes resting on a stool nearby, their green glow tarnished by scorch marks.

"It's still an ingenious enchantment…" The stranger tried to sound consoling. "If not a bit obvious…"

"The great and powerful Trixie simply pushed it a little too far…She will not make the same mistake during the race." Trixie maintained her pride.

"I would certainly hope not…Someone who makes the same mistake twice hardly can qualify as great and powerful." The unicorn took a seat across from Trixie, using her own magic to stoke the campfire. Trixie narrowed her eyes at her. The great and powerful Trixie did not need to be lectured so.

"So then…To what does the great and powerful Trixie owe this sudden visit…?" Trixie asked coolly. She wasn't exactly in the mood for company, and she was certain this unicorn had a reason for just appearing out of thin air.

"What is it about Twilight Sparkle that fascinates you?" The stranger asked, peering out at Trixie from under her hood. "Why do you pursue her after she supposedly shamed you?"

Trixie blinked at the sudden inquiry as to her pursuit of Twilight Sparkle. She was starting to wonder just what this unicorns game was.

"Not that it is any of your business… But, why should the great and powerful Trixie not be fascinated by her?" Trixie said, her eyes flickering with a sense that she was not going to tolerate her motives being questioned. "I love her, that is all there is to it."

"Will those feelings remain if you lose?" The stranger asked.

"Ah, but you fail to see, the great and powerful Trixie WON'T lose. Not to some common grade workhorse." Trixie smirked, but it soon turned suspicious. "Why? What do you know?"

The stranger shook her head, "The same as you. Uncertainty. I know what that feels like, Trixie. To be alone. To want to cling to anything that might give you solace. "

Trixie drew back some, giving her a curious stare. "…What in Celestia are you talking about?"

The stranger sighed, and looked towards the sun. It had been still for a while, but was now beginning to sink in the horizon. Her time was up.

"…Know this, that if you do lose, do not seek vengeance against her. She is protected, and your life will be made miserable beyond compare of the humiliation of your previous defeat." There was a dull dread in the strangers voice as she got to her feet.

"…Are you threatening me…?" Trixie asked, a hint of venom in her tone.

"I am." The stranger said coolly, and turned to leave.

"Yes yes, be gone. " Now Trixie was just annoyed, waving a hoof in the direction of her uninvited visitor. Who was she to threaten the great and powerful Trixie? And what reason would she have to seek vengeance against Twilight? Even if she did lose, her ire would not be on her. Then again, she had no intention of losing, so it was a waste of thought to think about it.

Her hooves still a bit tender, Trixie pushed all thought of the matter out of her mind as she turned her attention to more important matters- her stomach.

"Curses, out of muffins…Looks like the great and powerful Trixie is eating out tonight."

…

Down on Sweet Apple Acres, Big Macintosh's training continued well after dusk. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had been diligent in their training regimen. First was the rocks, then was the boulders. Then it was with rocks and boulders on his back. Then they lost a day when Big Mac threw out his back. By then it was just decided that they had endurance down pat.

Big Mac stood ready as Scootaloo fixed a rope around his midsection, fixed to a tree. Once the knot was secure, Big Mac strained against the rope to create tension.

"A'ight, Big Brother!" Applebloom held a clipboard and Sweetie Belle had the stopwatch. "On your mark…get set!"

"Alonsi!" Scootaloo cried out as she bit the rope, setting Big Mac loose. The red stallion was off like a shot down the trail, leaving the three in the dust.

Coughing and swatting away the dirt, Applebloom looked at Scootaloo.

"Alon-what?"

Scootaloo shrugged. "I hear that pony who lives in the blue box say it all the time."

…

The trail was nothing now. Barely three minutes in and he was already halfway through the trail. Macintosh spurred himself harder on, hooves pounding the dirt road. He kept Twilight in his thoughts. Imagining her just ahead of the trail. He kept telling himself he had to get to her, that he had to push himself harder.

He was so deep into his meditation, he almost didn't see the dark figure in the middle of the road, but a bright blue blast hit him, and he stopped completely.

Macintosh felt his legs lock in place as though frozen, stopped in mid-gallop. Under the light of the full moon, the figure in a dark cloak approached.

"Macintosh."

"…Luna?" Big Mac's voice was labored while still catching his breath. "What in tarnation…?"

The figure drew back her hood, revealing the Alicorn underneath, soon releasing Macintosh from her hold.

"…It's been a while, hasn't it?" There was a soft coyness in her voice as she circled him, playfully flicking her tail against his flank. "You don't dream of me anymore."

"Luna, I-"

She put a hoof to his lips. "…I know. I've known for a while."

Big Mac lowered his head, closing his eyes. "…I'm sorry…"

"I understand…We come from two different worlds…" Luna smiled gently. "You always asked yourself that right before you went to bed…'would it work?'"

A smile cracked across Big Macs face a little, eliciting a soft chuckle. "…It was only a matter'a time."

"We had fun though…Always sneaking around under the cover of night. It was romantic…" Luna said, remembering the many nights of taking off after raising the moon to meet with Macintosh in the back of the property. "She's a good choice though…Twilight…"

"Luna…"

"She's here for you, day or night. Unrestrained by status. She can be everything I can only be in your dreams otherwise." Luna leaned up against him, enjoying the warmth of his coat.

"I still have to win the race…" Macintosh grumbled, kicking at the dirt some.

"Do you love her, Macintosh?" Luna asked., still nuzzling against his side.

Macintosh was quiet, turning to look up at the moon and the stars. He asked himself that many times since that date and the eventually challenge. Was Twilight worth all this? No answer came to him…just a smile.

Luna looked up to him and smiled as well. "I see…'an lo, shall it be said that true love is begotten, when no words exist in any language to express how one feels'. "

"…'For there exists no phrase more powerful in all Equestria, than the unspoken value of ones confession of love, not through words, but in deed and thought.'…Princess Celestia, from On Treatise of the Equine Soul, right?" Macintosh murmured.

Luna giggled some. "Sister always loved such prose."

Off in the distance, they could hear the calls of worried foals and a mare, and could see the distant light of Applejacks lantern. No doubt coming to find the long delayed stallion.

"I will see you at the race, dear Mac…" Luna gave him another affectionate nuzzle before drawing her hood. "And…Macintosh?"

"Yea?"

"…Should things…not end well, between you and Twilight…I'll still be here for you…"

Macintosh smiled, nodding. "But…would ya hold it against me if'n I hope it doesn't come to that?"

Luna giggled as she stepped into the shadows. "It would be an insult to Celestia's dear student otherwise…"

…

The Day of the Race…

…

All of Ponyville had shown up. Or so it seemed. The last time Twilight Sparkle had seen so many ponies was at the young fliers competition in Cloudsdale. Why were there so many? She supposed it really should not have surprised her. If they were willing to dedicate a day and a trophy to Applejack for staving off a stampede of cattle, then it only made sense that a race to determine her announced lover would attract just as much attention.

Near the race line, a special platform had been erected for the guests of honor, which included Princess Celestia and her entourage, Princess Luna herself making a rare public appearance. All this attention on her made her feel silly as she stood beside her mentor on the platform, dressed as though she was herself of royal descent.

"Nervous?" Celestia asked softly, noting the almost permanent blush on Twilights face.

"…A little." Twilight said sheepishly. "…I shouldn't, I know."

Celestia gave her a reassuring nuzzle, which made Twilight feel a little bit more at ease. It was almost race time…The knot began to tighten in her stomach again as the contestants arrived at the track. Oddly enough, they had arrived together, not meeting each others gaze. Macintosh had his gaze of determination in play, taught and serious. Trixie had an air of unrivaled confidence as she trotted beside him, her nose turned up in the air.

Both racers stopped and bowed before Twilight and the others.

"Now that the suitors have arrived…" Celestia announced in a clear declaration. "We shall begin the event. The challenge is a single lap race across this track…and to overcome all obstacles set before you. The one who returns to us, shall earn the favor of my protégé', Twilight Sparkle. There is to be no magic at play during this event. Madam Trixie, do we have an accord?"

"Yes, your Majesty." Trixie bowed with a flourish.

"Then, if the contestants are ready, Twilight Sparkle shall fire the starting shot."

Twilight was handed a starting pistol, taking it in hoof nervously. She was almost visibly shaking. All week had been building up to this, and all her anxieties were about to be played out.

With the crack of the pistol…The race began…

…

To be continued.