Chapter 32: Dusk the Matchmaker

Dusk wakes up early in the morning as per usual, and gets out of the bed, without disturbing Fluttershy. He walks towards the bathroom, and starts to take off all of the bandages on his back, and on the side of his body. All of the smaller cuts have healed perfectly, as expected. He threw all of them in the nearby bin, and he looks at the mirror. There is almost no evidence of the scratches that were once there, besides a few scabs where some of the wounds were. He kept the bandage around his side though, for two reasons:

1- Better to be safe, than sorry and...

2- He likes the look for some reason. Maybe a pride thing?

Dusk like it that all of the bandages are off now. He was sick of constantly seeing the small spots of the medical fabric all over his body, as it made him look utterly ridiculous. (Speaking of which, he also wanted the cast off. Even though he is used to doing things with the cast on, it makes him feel uncomfortable, when the occasional pony stares at it.)

Dusk walks out of Fluttershy’s, and goes in the direction of the apple farm, for the day of work ahead.

----------

He sees Big Mac, preparing for the day of work, as per usual. Dusk looks up at the sky, and sees that Celestia’s sun is just about to creep over the horizon, and to give light to all of Equestria.

“Heya Big Mac.”

“Hello Dusk, I reckon that you’ll be working with me today with the apple bucking.”

“Alright then Mac.” Dusk then thinks of something, that he wants to ask Big Mac. “Sooo... Big Macintosh, I’ve wondered something for a while, after noticing something about the town a few days ago. I’ve seen how many more mares there are in Ponyville, than stallions, and I’ve been wondering, how many times has a mare asked you out on a date?”

Big Mac was surprised with Dusk’s question, and he began to blush. Dusk could see the slightly different shade of red in Big Mac’s face, and he patiently waits for an answer.

“Eeyup.”

Dusk facehoofs, at Big Mac’s choice of answer. “Yes?! That doesn’t answer anything! It also makes no sense whatsoever. So from what little information I have gotten for that inspirational and informative word, it seems that you have been asked out before. Am I right?”

“Eeyup.”

“I knew it, so that means that mares have asked you before, but you’re still single, right?” Dusk is on a roll, and he was rivalling Pinkie in terms of how fast he is talking, and also by how much he is talking.

“*sigh* Eeyup.”

“Excellent, not in the you not having a marefriend bit...sorry, but in the time for me to get you one bit.” He says excitedly.

“...What?”

“Oh Celestia, I’m sounding a bit like Rarity right now. Anyways, I was thinking maybe setting you and a mare that I think is suitable on a-”

“Dusk, stop.” Interrupts Big Mac, which grabs Dusk’s attention. “I have been asked out by about ten different mares, and I’ve said no to all of them. Do you know why Dusk?”

Dusk thinks about this for a little bit, until he gives up. “No Macintosh, I don’t know.”

“It’s because I like Cheerilee, not any of the other mares.” He says in an annoyed tone.

‘So that’s why he kept saying no to the other mares. It’s so obvious.’

“Who’s Cheerilee?” Asks Dusk.

“A teacher who works at the nearby school.”

[Dirty image time D:]

‘You’ve been a very bad student Big Mac. I think that you’ll have to stay here after school and get... punished...'

Enough said.

“Mac, maybe I could try and get Cheerilee on a date with you. I’ve already gotten Zephyr and Twilight to be in a relationship, and I reckon I can do it again with you two.” Says Dusk, with an air of confidence.

“Alright then Dusk. I trust you, as a friend, to do the right thing for me.”

“Thanks Big Mac. I’ll start after work.”

----------

Big Mac had woken up his sisters, and everypony had started doing their various jobs around the farm. Big Mac and Dusk were talking while they were applebucking. Dusk continues to talk about Macintosh’s longing for Cheerilee.

“...So does Applebloom go to her class?” Asks Dusk.

“Eeyup.”

“So maybe you could pick your sister up, and use it as an excuse to get closer to Cheerilee.

“...That doesn’t really sound like such a bad idea Dusk. I think that it could work.” Approves Big Mac.

“Remember, that you can’t just rush into things here. If you do things too quickly, you could scare her away, which is the opposite of what you want.”

“Eeyup.”

“Just take things nice and slow. The only reason I got Zephyr and Twilight on a date so easily, is because they bonded beforehoof. Just make sure that you become friends first. You got that?”

“Eeyup.”

---------- (Much Later)

Dusk is inside the farm house, waiting for his pay for the day. Applejack walks into the room with a sack of bits, and begins to get some bits out.

“So Dusk, Big Mac told me that ya bucked 43 trees for today, before he left ta pick up Applebloom. So that leaves ya with 107 bits for today.” She give him the bits, which he accepts.

“Thanks Applejack. You know, I’ve never been introduced to Applebloom.” States Dusk.

Applejack looks surprised, “Really? Well maybe ah can introduce both of ya tomorrow before work.”

“I’d like that.” Says Dusk. “I heard she part of something called the Cutie Mark Crusaders, what’s that about?”

“Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are all trying tah find their cutie marks, so they like tah try and do things that’ll give them their cutie marks. They often end up breaking things.”

“I can imagine. Did you know that I don’t even know what my special talent is?”

“Are ya serious Dusk?”

“Yeah, completely serious. I got it when I got into a fight on my first day at the Cloudsdale Flight School. I don’t really know what the shield signifies though.” Says the disappointed Dusk.

“Were there any parts of the fight, which could of been ah clue tah what it means?”

“None.” He answers. “Just out of curiousity, how old are the three fillies?”

“They’re all eight.”

“Well, they might not get their marks for a long time, because I was 13 when I got mine.”

Applejack’s jaw drops after hearing the final bit. She had never heard of a pony getting their mark so late in their lives and she knows that Dusk isn’t lying, being the Element of Honesty. Dusk finds Applejack's reaction amusing.

‘Cutie marks are over-rated anyway.’ Next Chapter: Chapter 33: His Special Talent Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 26 Minutes