Chapter 8: Wild Blaze

“Pick up the pace, Wild Blaze! We got to get another cart full of apples for Apple Bloom!” Little Macky cried as he flew a few feet in front of Mac.

Mac just shook his head as he kept following the small Pegasus through Ponyville, barely even straining to pull the cart of apples trailing behind him. It had been an entire week since Mac had come back to Ponyville in search of the Demon Soul, but so far he had no luck, much to his and the Rider’s displeasure.

It almost felt like the old days when he was still Big Mac: taking apples into town for his sisters to sell, mending anything that needed mending on the farm or in town, and, of course, the glances he was given by the mares in town. He was not sure where the Rider was getting dark souls to eat, but he was more than happy to have him asleep for these times, otherwise Rider would be talking his ear off.

While he pulled the cart through town, he did not notice six sets of eyes focusing on him through the windows of the Golden Oak Library. Watching his every movement as he walked past the library and back towards the farm.

“So, what do you girls think of him?” Applejack asked as she moved from the window and back into the main part of the library, taking a seat in front of the many full bookshelves.

“I definitely think he might be coltfriend number fourteen material,” Rarity said with a smirk, as she followed suit, adjusting the glasses she had with her magic. She had been called out of her busy work schedule for this impromptu meeting to discuss the new stallion. Rarity was using her magic to keep a clipboard in front of her, sketching out the designs for next spring.

“Coltfriend number fourteen?! What is so wrong with Hoity Toity that yer all ready to switch out?” Applejack asked, her eyes now fixed on Rarity.

“Oh, nothing is wrong with Hoity Toity. Well, not yet, anyway. But seeing that I am not committed to any stallion yet, it does not hurt to have a backup plan.” Rarity gave a coy giggle. Applejack just rolled her eyes.

“He seems to be a nice stallion, just very reserved.” Twilight spoke and took her own seat a little bit away from the others as she scribbled some notes down from a open spell book. “He came in the other day and took out a map of Ponyville and the surrounding area. He didn’t say much while he was here, but when I asked him about the map, he just said he was looking to see where he could go next.”

“But there is no place after Ponyville! It’s the best place in the world!” Pinkie Pie announced, as she bounced away from the window, bouncing over Rainbow Dash, who had only taken a few steps from the window before laying down with a grunt. “Everypony here is so friendly, nice, and wants to be your friend! Then we have the best food, the best entertainment! We are just the best place you can be!”

“Ah take it ya like Wild Blaze, then?” Applejack laughed, watching Pinkie Pie as she bounced around.

“I like everypony! Though, every time I see him, I get the weirdest sense of like there are two ponies there, and then I want apples!” And with that, Pinkie bounced happily into Twilight’s kitchen, to reappearing a few moments later munching on the biggest, shiniest red apple she could find.

“Well, Ah like him. Gives Little Macky another stallion to look up to. Celestia bless his father, but a colt needs more than one stallion to look up to in life.”

“Please, like Macky needs some drifter to look up to. He has all of us, the Wonderbolts, and royalty even! Wild Blaze could just leave and no pony would care.” All eyes turned to Rainbow Dash, who was digging at the hardwood floor with a hoof, her face scrunching up as if she had tasted something disgusting.

“Yer still just mad because somepony finally beat ya,” Applejack groaned, prompting Rainbow Dash to get to her hooves.

“First off, they didn’t beat me! I beat them! Second, it wasn’t somepony. The guy had a flaming skull for a face and was riding a flying motorcycle!” Every pony there, except for Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, rolled their eyes, knowing what was to come. It had been almost a week since all of them had been woken up by a infuriated Rainbow Dash telling them all of her strange encounter with the mysterious motorcycle pony.

“You were just dreaming, darling. You ate way too much junk food and then fell asleep reading one of those stories about the Ghost Rider.” Rarity sighed dramatically, as the sound of her quill scratched against the paper.

“Who?”

“You know, the Ghost Rider. The Manehatten Times is always writing stories about him. Some kind of vigilante that is going around killing ponies. The crimes have become so gruesome and horrifying, if murder was not that already, that Celestia has actually created a separate part of the police force to capture him,” Twilight added, looking up at Rainbow. “Are you telling me you’ve never heard of Ghost Rider?”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Why would I read anything not relating to the Wonderbolts or the next Daring Doo book?”
With her horn glowing purple and a loud sigh, Twilight levitated a old newspaper and pushed it towards Rainbow Dash. The headline read,

The Ghost Rider Has Returned! Five Found Dead In Alleyway!

As Rainbow Dash began to read the article containing the Ghost Riders doings, Applejack turned to the last of her friends who had not yet voiced her opinion on Wild Blaze. She was still gazing out the window, not seeming to have noticed anything had happened yet.

“So Fluttershy, what do ya make of Wild Blaze?” Applejack finally asked. Fluttershy gave out a soft yelp of surprise, as she was pulled out of her own little world. Turning around, a beam of sunlight shone perfectly on a small golden ring that was hanging from Fluttershy’s ear, making it sparkle beautifully in the light.

“Wh- what was that Applejack?” Fluttershy asked, a light blush now forming on her face.

“Ah said what do ya make of Wild Blaze? By the stars above, Fluttershy, it’s been two weeks since he proposed! You can stop actin’ like a lovestruck filly.”

“Applejack, if I remember correctly, you did the exact same thing when Soarin proposed to you.” Applejack and Fluttershy both turned a shade of red as Rarity spoke. “There is no need to be embarrassed about it. You found that special somepony that will make you feel loved forever!” She let out a dreamy sigh, thinking about it. “To have a big strong stallion there to hold you, comfort you, and make sweet, sweet lo-”

“It was him!” Fluttershy let out a louder yelp as Rainbow Dash started to pound the paper with her hoof, a grin of pure delight spread across her face. “It says here, ‘The would-be-victim described her rescuer as a pony with a flaming skull with a metal horn, wore a leather jacket, and rode off on a black motorcycle!’ That’s the pony! This Ghost Rider is the guy I raced and beat!” She had taken to the air, her discovery filling her with a sense of victory. “I am totally the fastest pony in the universe! I beat a demon in a race!” She cheered to herself, Twilight using her magic, took the paper and placed it in the appropriate spot where it belonged.

“I still think you were dreaming, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said carefully, bringing the pegasus to a full stop. “I’ve been reading everything about this Ghost Rider since Celestia first announced she was making plans for a special unit to arrest him. He seems to only be in larger cities like Manehatten, Stalliongrand, and Canterlot in pursuit of criminals. Why would he come to Ponyville? What criminals could be here?” The question seemed to make everypony stop and think, except for Pinkie, who was happily eating another apple.

“I don’t know why, but the fact is he was here and I beat him in a race!” Rainbow declared, as she started to hoof pump. “I beat a demon in a race! I beat a demon in a race!” she started to chant, as if she was trying to mimic the roar of her fans when she was still a Wonderbolt. The others just ignored her chanting.

“Well Ah don’t care about some Ghost Rider. Ah just wanted to know what you girls thought of Wild Blaze. Ah’m thinkin’ about tryin’ to convince him to stay in Ponyville.” Applejack looked out the window again. Off in the distance, a little red dot was zooming around a bigger maroon one. “Little Macky will be so heartbroken if Wild Blaze left,” she said, her voice softer as she spoke.

“Applejack...” Twilight chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, “I think this is less about a role model for Little Macky, but a almost replacement for Big Mac.”

“What ya mean by that?!” Applejack snapped, turning to face Twilight and the others. “This ain’t about Big Mac! This is about Little Macky!”

“Applejack, darling, please we know you still miss Mac. We all do. Wild Blaze is the same size of Mac, and roughly as strong, it only makes sense that you would want to keep him around. Seeing him with Little Macky, I bet you can’t stop seeing Mac there in his place.” Rarity walked over to the farmer, patting her shoulder. “You're giving Blaze all the same chores Mac used to do.”

Applejack looked at her friends, all of them seeming to be agreeing with what had just been said. Yes, she still hurt about losing her brother. She had made her peace about Granny years ago. As horrible as it sounded, she was more braced for her death, even in that horrible way, than Mac’s. Mac was always so strong, durable, just a mountain of a pony, it was just hard to accept he was dead. It seemed like every other day she was just waiting for him to come down those stairs, say ‘Eeyup,’ and get going on his chores.

“So what if Ah am?!” Applejack shot back, a noticeable crack in her voice. “He needs work and he does the job just fine! Ah just wish, Ah just wish that he was…” Applejack slammed her hoof into the ground, and ripped herself away from Rarity’s grip and marched over to a corner to the library, her head low and her back to the others.

She was not going to cry in front of her friends again. She just needed to get her head on straight, that was all. Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm herself, thinking of only farming, her husband, her sister, and her son, just to avoid the painful memories of her brother.

This sight was not too unfamiliar to her friends, though it was not as common anymore. When Mac had first died, Applejack would try to seclude herself from them when the memories and pain felt like they were going to break through.

"So Fluttershy,” Rarity said quickly, “have you and Braeburn decided on a date or venue for the wedding?" She moved towards Fluttershy as she spoke, flipping to a new sheet of paper to take notes, and making Fluttershy jump in the process.

"We were thinking maybe fall or spring," Fluttershy said quietly, her wings fluttering slightly. "Braeburn wants to do it in the fall during apple bucking season because, well he says that, I'm th...the apple of his eye... " she mumbled out, her face growing redder and hotter by the second. This was only amplified when her friends broke into a chorus of 'Aww.’

"That Braeburn, always trying to go the extra mile for you. You’re so lucky to have him!" Rarity sighed, jotting down notes at a speed that even Rainbow Dash would call impressive. "Now you also said spring, right?"

"Ye-yes. A spring wedding was my idea. Spring is a time of new beginnings and well we would be starting a new beginning… with each other " Once more, all her friends cooed at the idea. Fluttershy grinned at the responses her friends were giving her; even Rainbow Dash seemed to like the idea of it all.

“That would also be just fabulous! Oh I can already see the designs in my head!” Rarity squealed as she kept on writing down notes, “Between your colors and cutie marks I can make anytime work for you two love birds. Before I forget, Fluttershy, have you chosen your maid of honor?” At once, Fluttershy retreated behind her mane. Her face turning a deeper red as her blue eyes moved from each one of her friends, biting her lip.

Obviously, this was the point she was hoping to hold off for as long as possible. Rubbing her foreleg with her hoof, she kept looking to all her excited friends. Even Applejack had rejoined the group to hear who she was going to pick.

“N-now I wan’t y-you all to know I love each and everyone of you. You're all my be-best friends and-”

“Fluttershy, none of us are going to be angry with you on who you choose. It’s your special day. No matter who you choose, we will all enjoy it more than anything,” Twilight said with a warm smile. All the others gave a nod of encouragement.

“None of y’all got mad when Ah chose Rarity ta be ma maid of honor,” Applejack wrapped her hoof around Rarity’s neck and gave her a hug. “We had known each other the longest, and before all of us became the best of friends she was ma only friend.” Rarity giggled at the comment, returning the hug.

“Go on, darling, we will all support you.” Fluttershy looked at her gathered friends and smiled warmly at all of them. She really did have the best friends in Equestria that anypony could have asked for. Sitting up a bit straighter and feeling her face finally begin to cool down she turned and faced Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow Dash, would you be my maid of honor?”

“Buck ya, I will!” Rainbow shouted, lunging forward and wrapping Fluttershy in a bone crushing hug that made Fluttershy give such a sound of shock that she almost sounded like a squeaky toy. “I’m going to throw you the best bachelorette party ever! But you better tell Braeburn that his best stallion can’t be that weird cousin of his. That one with the almost puke green coat. He would not stop staring at me, kinda gave me the creeps.” At once, Fluttershy broke into a fit of giggles as Rainbow Dash loosened her grip on her. She knew she had made the right decision of asking her to be the maid of honor, she was always there to give her confidence when she needed it.

“I get to plan the reception, right?! Everything is going to be super special awesome! Ten times bigger than Applejack’s reception! More party cannons, confetti, and definitely more cake!” Pinkie shouted, bouncing up and down like a maniac as she planned the entire reception in her head. Her tail and mane seem to get even more puffy about it, and bounced around the library with ever increasing speed.

“Of course, but please don’t overdo it. We just want everything to be simple as can be.” Fluttershy had second thoughts about having her friend plan the reception, she was known for taking things to the extreme, and while her husband to be could handle such things, she would rather have a nice quiet party.

“You only get married once Fluttershy! Unless you get a divorce and remarried. I could throw a party for that as well! That would be a party I never planned before, but it would be great!” Fluttershy’s eyes widened in fear as she contemplated the possibility of divorce, while everypony glared at Pinkie, who seemed not to notice a thing.

“The two of ya would never get a divorce, Braeburn is too crazy over ya to ever think such a thing. Why Ah remember when he came back from yer first date, it was as if he was walkin’ on air and could only talk about ya. Reckoned Bloom and em’ love poisoned the two of-”

“Twilight!” Once more Fluttershy gave out a yelp, as all heads turned towards the entrance way to see a teenaged Spike run through it. He was now a good head taller than Twilight and all her friends, with what looked like the starting of his wings coming from his back. He had lost much of his baby fat, and had grown a bit more muscular, but all the muscle and sharp teeth in the world couldn’t hide his youthful demeanor.

“Spike! No shouting in the library!” Twilight snapped, stomping her hoof on the ground, glaring at her assistant. Spike seemed to pay no mind to her outburst as he handed her a scroll that was a bit charred at the edges and what seemed to be a bit of spit as well.

“I just got this, it seems to be really important. Celestia didn’t put a seal on it or anything. I didn’t peek, I promise!” Spike put his large claws up, as if to protect himself from the accusing stare Twilight was giving him. “I Pinkie promise!”

Twilight merely nodded to him, using her magic to take the scroll from him and began to read it. As she did so, Rarity gave a flirty grin to Spike, whose purple scales could not hide the growing blush on his face.

“So Spike, how are things with Rumble going? From what Sweetie Belle has told me, things might be getting serious between the two of you.” Spike’s face turned such a shade of red, one could swear they could cook an egg on it.

“Well, uh...things are...well you know they're, going,” Spike chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head as all eyes, except for Twilight’s, descended upon the teenaged dragon as sweat started to drip down the sides of his face. It had been a few years since the dragon came out of the closet, and it did not take him much time to find out that a certain young stallion had eyes on him.

“Oh, do you think there is going to be another wedding soon?!” Pinkie questioned, getting to her hooves and bouncing over to Spike, who looked about ready to faint.

“Wh-what?! We have been going out for a few months! We are no way ready to-”

“Celestia’s mane!” Twilight gasped, as she looked down at the scroll, her eyes already darting across the page again, making sure that she understood what she had just read and that her eyes had not deceived her.

“What’s wrong Twilight?” Rarity asked, getting to her hooves as if some great calamity was about to set upon them.

“Is Canterlot under attack again?” Applejack questioned, as she and Rainbow Dash got into what looked like fighting positions.
“Is there going to be a free cupcake day?!” Pinkie asked hopefully, bouncing up and down excitedly once more.

Twilight looked at her gathered friends, her face going a bit pale as she looked down at the scroll once again, her forelegs trembling slightly as if the news she had read was of death. Clearing her throat, she decided the best way to approach this subject was to read what Celestia had sent.

“Dear Princess Twilight,

I am sorry for giving you such news so late, I have only recently learned of it as well and I began writing to you as soon as possible.

As you know, there has been a string of murders across Equestria for the better part of five years, all of them linked to a vigilante known as the Ghost Rider. Since these murders became more public and brutal my sister and I have assigned a team of special agents of to look into the matter.

I was just informed that one of our top agents just got on a train for Ponyville. I do not know what is bringing him there, but I am certain that if he is heading to Ponyville, there is a very good reason why.

He is one of our top agents, and I ask that you help him in any way possible. He is Special Agent Bentgrass and he will be there tomorrow morning.

Yours sincerely,

Princess Celestia”

The Ghost Rider was in Ponyville.

Author's Notes:

Sorry about the delay in update, just a lot of shit hit the fan in these last few weeks so it was to be expected. Now I think I know some of the questions you are all going to ask, so I am going to answer them right now.

1. I started to write this before Season 4 ended, so to me the library is still the library. I just want it to be, and thus it shall be.

2. Yes, I am making Spike gay in the story. Why? Because I wanted to, and wanted to give a whack at writing a gay pairing.

3. I have no idea when the next update will be!

Thank you Jake and Jzellmer for the help as always! Best of bros!