#macdash

[kindheart525]

What do the Thirdverse Mane 6 couples do for their dates, when not preoccupied with work and their kids?

Twilight Sparkle x Sunburst: They have a sort of book club that’s just the two of them, where they both read a book and then take one or two days a month to write a thesis together on it. They get extremely passionate and in depth about it, with a number of papers easily exceeding 50 pages. I would imagine they publish some that they especially want the world to see but not always; it’s all in good fun as an intellectual bonding activity. It really brings them closer together as they engage in healthy debate and learn more from and about each other. Also they still love to go antiquing together just like in the show!

Applejack x Sugar Belle: They send the kids on a few days away with Big Mac or Apple Bloom and they take the kitchen to themselves for a baking weekend! It’s a passion both of them share and I think they’d spend the time not only discussing different recipes but also the goings on of their life and their personal values and whatnot. Much like when they were dating; it makes for a healthy and communicative relationship. The kids would certainly come home to tons of apple-flavored treats to enjoy (and even some with other flavors thanks to Sugar’s more varied palate)!

Rarity x Filthy Rich: Rarity would 100% love to take extravagant trips so she and Rich would absolutely go on a lot of those, distinct from obligatory travel for business or other high society commitments. They do bring their kids along, not wanting to leave them to miss out on any once-in-a-lifetime memories, but they hire a babysitter/nanny to come with them so they can reserve some of the itinerary for just the two of them. There are pretty much endless opportunities for what they could do together, depending on where they travel to. Rarity and Rich thrive on these experiences giving their relationship so much variety, but with how busy they are all the time, I imagine they’re also happy to spend a date night alone at home with wine and rose petals.

Rainbow Dash x Big Macintosh: I can see Big Mac loving nothing more than to lie back against a sturdy old tree and watch his radiant love perform dazzling tricks in the sky. Rainbow Dash loves the attention of course, knowing she’s admired so much for her talents, but I imagine she would also wish he could join her up there. Thus leading to her trying to carry him with her (she’s so strong yet so small - would she succeed?) or otherwise looking for some other way to get him up there. Big Mac would appreciate that even more than the stunts she performs, the fact she thought about him. If not that, they might race around with Dash flying through the trees and Big Mac running along with her, letting loose for some good lighthearted fun.

Fluttershy x Quibble x Pharynx: Nature hikes or weekend camping trips would be their favorite pastimes; they sometimes go with the kids and sometimes without. Fluttershy has lots of fun talking about all the fauna and flora while Quibble is enjoying learning new things, definitely taking notes along the way. All the while Pharynx is playfully joking about being their bodyguard, even going so far as to stand outside of the tent and keep watch at night. (I’ve recently developed the headcanon that only juvenile changelings need regular sleep and that adult changelings can stay up for days).

Pinkie Pie x Tempest Shadow x Luna: Since all three of them have a sense of humor in some way, I think they might enjoy lighthearted, harmless pranking sessions even as grown middle aged mares. Or they’d have dates at Sugarcube Corner, like Pinkie and Tempest before they became official, which holds even more meaning because Pinkie no longer lives there so it’s nostalgic for her. They would also love stargazing or watching fireworks (created by Tempest herself). Luna would love their nighttime dates the most, and she and Tempest would both find it adorable how enamored Pinkie gets with the colorful lights or how she always seems to find unexpected and unique constellations among the stars.

[allonsos-evil-lair]

“Atlas”

Yikes. 75 days since I last posted something of substance. December ate my time up working full time between my two part-time jobs and then January got eaten by settling in to going full-time at one of those jobs. I did manage to post a couple of sketched journal comics on my tumblr, but that was it. I’m starting to get the hang of things and working on my work-life balance now, though. I feel like I should put some profound quote about fatherhood or a particular quote I know about gentleness being strength under control, but I think the title says it all. Atlas, the man who carries the whole world on his shoulders. It seemed fitting when the idea for this drawing came to me. I also finally got around to designing Rainbow and Mac’s second kid. I had to play around with the color wheel for a while for her. It is impossible to find a good color scheme with more than three colors. At least one of the colors that matches is always some ugly shade of green. In the end, I made her look a little closer to her her daddy.

[loopingdreams]

MacDash?!?!

Where are all the fan-art, fanfictions etc about them?!? Almost nothing on tumblr :< I ship them, but mostly people ship big Mac with Flyttershy ;_; More MacDash I say!!!

[lapislazulilynx-blog]

I've always loved <3 the ship MacDash and had been meaning to do something with them for a while. And I know that FlutterMac is really popular too so I thought I'd do a mix of the two. I'm trying to express the untainted love between Big Mac and Rainbow and their ignorance to hurting Fluttershy. At the same time I hope Fluttershy's bitterness in her expression is evident.  

So the story is that Fluttershy's been mustering up the courage to tell Mac she has a crush on him. The night she's heading over to Sweet Apple Acres to confess she notices a pair of ponies in the park. It's Big Mac and Rainbow Dash! :iconlegaspplz: (shocker right?) They are meeting for a midnight rendezvous. They had been in a relationship for a while, but kept it a secret. Fluttershy is devastated that she lost her chance with Big Mac and was "betrayed" by her childhood friend. 

[ohthehypocrisy]

You ship MacDash? OH GOSH I CANT CONTAIN MY GIDDINESS!! I had no idea that shipping was so frowned upon. It only strengthens my love for it.

We're growing out of our minority status as more people like you are coming forward with it.

Here, follow my group for the time being. You won't regret it.

[ponyconfessions]

Part of the reason I ship it. :P

[kindheart525]

Name: Earth Day Nicknames: Purple Dart  Age: Not Born Yet Parents: Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh Siblings: Evergreen Blaze, Moonray Chill, Lantern Glow, Strawberry Breeze Personality: Earth Day won’t be joining the family until later in the story, but when he does, there’s a big personality in store! Right from his youngest days they’re a lover of attention, just like their mom, and luckily there’s a whole family to dote on him! As he grows up, Earth Day develops a particular interest in fashion and makeup despite it not being their Mom’s thing, although their Pa has certainly dabbled in it once or twice. It certainly helps him bond with Princess Cut. His friendly demeanor as a baby grows into good pony skills which will do him good in whatever endeavors they choose in the future! Cutie Mark: N/A

Adopted from @glitterfleshgum

[allonsos-evil-lair]

“Family Walk”

I wanted to get this done for my birthday yesterday, but shading took longer than expected. 

The Apple family going for a nice constitutional on a sunny afternoon. They’re taking a leisurely pace, as Applejack is pregnant with her and Soarin’s daughter Apple Medley. But Apple Cobbler and Reinette quickly turn to running as a game of tag ensues, or Cobbler egged his younger cousin into anger, as boys are wont to do. Part way through drawing, I realized that MacDash’s second child would be born by this time. I thought of having Mac carry her in a papoose or stroller, but it seemed too much to give him more to carry. She’s probably at home taking a nap. 

This is also the debut of my machinations for how magic works with my humanizations. In the case of pegasi, as demonstrated by Rainbow and Mac’s daughter Reinette, the wings are summoned when needed and a pattern appears over the skin of the face, shoulders and back. Reinette’s facial pattern was inspired by a peacock and I intend to model Rainbow’s after a peregrine falcon and Soarin’ after a blue jay. 

I’m still working out specifics with the other pony races and you can look forward to designs for non-ponies soon as well. 

I got a lot of help with the posing of the characters from a wonderful software I discovered called DesignDoll. It is fantastic and, more importantly, free! You can make custom dolls to view from any angle and change them to suit any body type, as well as pose them any way you need, right down to fingers and toes. For those like me who have a hard time drawing hands without modeling with your own, it’s a great reference tool. 

[allonsos-evil-lair]

“Cryin’ Roaman with a baby.”

AAAAAAUUUUGGHH!!

Mac grimaced as his wife screamed bloody murder barely a hoof’s length from his ear. His world had long since descended into madness, ponies running to and fro as he was forced to stay rooted where he sat. He opened his mouth, attempting to bring the pegasus on the bed beside him some measure of peace and comfort and show his support in her hour of pain.

“Rainbow-”

“NOT. A. WORD!!” She bellowed.

Mac’s mouth closed, letting silence fall between them. The good husband in him wished there was something he could do to help. He couldn’t even go and see if he could get the doctor here any faster with how tightly, and painfully, his wife was holding his hoof.

But the worst of it was that he had to endure everything while wearing a bedsheet and a hat made of twigs.

The night had started so well; a perfectly normal nightmare night. They had tried to get matching costumes, but Rainbow had really wanted to be a roaman and they couldn’t find armor in Mac’s size at the costume shop. They had barely been able to get Rainbow into her costume, but she had had her heart set on it, so Mac jerry rigged a longer stomach strap, then donned a bedsheet and a laurel wreath so their costumes would at least have the same theme.

Of course, Rainbow had to go out and have fun with the girls. That had probably been the cause of her going into labor. The walk from Sweet Apple Acres to town had been rather long. They’d removed Rainbow’s costume long ago and left it sitting in one of the bedside chairs.

The doctor stepped in, wearing a brightly colored wig and makeup. Mac immediately feared for the stallion’s safety. Why, oh why did the foolish sap have to pick this year of all nightmare nights to dress as a clown?

“Hello,” the doctor greeted, his voice more full and brimming with cheerfulness than anyone had any right to have.  “And how are we doing?”

Mac gave the doctor a look, hoping to somehow communicate that his wife was all kinds of pissed off and a clown was the last thing she needed.

The stallion didn’t seen to pick up the message and punctuated his overly jovial greeting by giving his large, red nose a little toot toot.

Mac hung his head. That poor soul was doomed. He had just enough time to brace himself before Rainbow screamed, her eyes alight with pain and impatience. Mac didn’t blame her. They had been sitting there for hours. He was almost ready to go down there and deliver the baby himself if it meant that his wife would quit trying to break his hoof.

The doctor went down to the other side of the barrier. “Alrighty then, let’s have a look here...” He made a series of thinking noises and peeked over at Rainbow. “OK, you’re about ready to pop, little lady! How’s about you give me a nice, big push.”

The pain in Mac’s hoof flared as Rainbow pushed.

“Don’t forget to breathe,” the doctor reminded in an agonizingly happy sing-song tone.

Mac thought he saw the doctor duck, and wondered if Rainbow had kicked him. Another iron squeeze brought him back to the matter at hoof. His went through her staccato breathing, just like she had been taught.

Another shockwave hit, rolling over his wife like a tidal wave. The vice holding him tightened as she screamed.

Internally, Mac cried out to his forefathers, asking for the strength to withstand his wife’s bone-crushing grip.

“We’re almost there, Miss Dash. Keep breathing.”

Rainbow let loose with a string of expletives that Mac dared not repeat in polite company. Her chest heaved, inhaling and exhaling rapidly.

“You’re doing super, Miss Dash. Keep pushing.”

The minutes passed, and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Mac sat helplessly as his wife went through agony. Finally with one final push, Rainbow’s screams were joined by the screams of a newborn foal.

“Congratulations, folks!” the doctor said. “You’ve got yourselves a filly.”

The new parents waited with baited breath as their daughter was cleaned and wrapped in a blanket. The doctor passed the new bundle of joy to her mother.

Rainbow gasped slowly, staring down at her daughter. Her yellow coat was matted, the tiny feathers of her wings ruffled. Her mane, tri-colored magenta, green and blue was short and mussy. The filly slowly opened her eyes, revealing magenta irises that shone with the light of a new life. Rainbow felt herself become quickly overwhelmed.

“H-hey there,” she greeted the filly, her eyes starting to water. “Hey.”

She held the child close. “She’s...she’s so little.”

“Eeyup,” Mac whispered as he came closer to see her.

“She’s perfect,” Rainbow added.

“Congratulations,” said a nurse, standing nearby with the paperwork. “Have you decided on a name?”

Mac ran through the long list of names they had considered. Nothing either of them had come up with had appealed very much. Rainbow, of course, wanted a name that befit the offspring of a Wonderbolt, a proud pegasus name. The only suggestions from his family had been Apple names.

Rainbow’s eyes never left the child. “Not really.”

“That’s alright. Still plenty of time for you to get to know each other and think of something.”

The nurse started to leave.

“Wait.”

The nurse turned back.

Rainbow Dash smiled, still trying to hold back her emotions, but Mac could tell it was a losing battle. Her voice shaky, she sniffled and named her daughter.

“Reinette,” she squeaked. “Golden Reinette.”

The nurse wrote it down. “What a pretty name.”

Rainbow looked up at her husband. “It’s an apple. She’s an Apple.”

Mac smiled, wrapping a hoof around her shoulders. “Rain for short.”

“Yeah.”

When the nurse had left, the dam broke.

“She’s beautiful,” Rainbow whispered as the tears fell. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I’m supposed to be the cool mom and here I am getting all sappy.”

“Shh,” Mac whispered, giving her a kiss on the forehead. “You’re alright. I won’t tell nobody.”

Getting an idea, the red stallion let go of her and grabbed the helmet from her costume, placing it on her head.

“There you go. Now you’re a roaman holdin’ a baby. That oughta be cool whether you’re cryin’ or not.”

Rainbow laughed, looking up at him again.

“You did great,” Mac assured her.

“We did great,” she corrected. Reaching out, she took his hoof in hers. “I didn’t hurt you too bad, did I?”

Mac shook his head. “Nope.”

“Liar.” She squeezed, making him flinch. “Thanks. Having you here beside me really helped. I wouldn’t have made it without you.” She snickered. “And all while wearing a dress.”

“Robe,” he corrected. He came closer, holding her hoof to his chest. “And I’ll always be there.”

Leaning in, he gently kissed his wife. “Always.”

He planted another soft kiss on the forehead of his daughter, extending the promise. “Always.”

[allonsos-evil-lair]

MacDash--”Heartbeat”

If you asked them, neither Mac nor Rainbow can really remember when they started dating. They met after the longest night in a thousand years and their connection to Applejack brought them together with some frequency. At first, Mac was just Applejack’s brother and that was it. She would try to get a rise out of him sometimes, egg him on, things like that.  Conversations over drinks at Apple Farm parties and stopping to chat as they ran into each other brought them closer. Rainbow used Mac kind of like a diary, telling him about things. Even if he didn’t say anything, it felt good getting it off her chest. When Rainbow hit the peak of her Wonderbolt career, seeing most of her friends getting married and starting families made her start thinking about that kind of thing. When she decided to ask Mac out on a date, she realized that was what they were basically doing already, sort of. They just had to make it official. A short time later, Mac proposed. 

They have two daughters. I haven’t really developed them a lot yet. The first is about as girly as you could possibly get, the second is ADHD enough to give Pinkie a run for her money. 

I was inspired for this style of humanization by this piece by ThePandaCaffe. However it’s actually the second time I’ve drawn using this humanization style. I drew a quick SoarinJack at work recently, but I wanted by first posted work to be MacDash. No, Rainbow’s wings aren’t missing. I like the idea of wings just magically being summoned. I’m sure they’ll pop up when he kisses her shortly. 

[allonsos-evil-lair]

Mini fic below the break

“AJ, you home?” Rainbow called out, hobbling in through the side door to the Apple’s dining room. Practice had been a little harder on her that day, leaving her a little worse for wear.  Her body sported a number of scrapes and bruises and she had a nasty looking gash on the inside of her left front hoof.

   The prismatic pegasus glanced around, sighing with relief that no one would see her in such a state. Not that she really cared what she looked like, it was more of a matter of avoiding pesky questions.

   Rainbow headed straight for the cupboard with the bandages, grabbing the roll in her teeth and promising herself to resupply the Apples later. The fur on the back of her neck bristled when she heard movement behind her. She jumped, whirling around to face the entrance into the living room.

   She breathed a sigh at the sight of Big Macintosh standing there, his massive form leaving a long shadow from the light in the living room.

   “Mac!” she exclaimed, “Jeeze, you almost gave me a heart attack!”

   The red stallion brought a hoof to his lips, then pointed to the room behind him.  Rainbow leaned, looking into the living room and only now noticing the sounds of Granny Smith asleep in her rocker.

   “Sorry,” she apologized.

   Mac nodded, accepting her apology and moved toward her. Rainbow took a step back out of his way as he reached into the cupboard and pulled out a bottle, holding it out for her to read the label.

   “What’s this?” She read the label and grimaced. Mac pointed to her leg. “Oh it’s, uh, not that bad. I was just gonna wrap it to stop the bleeding. It’s not even that deep.”

   Mac gave her a look, one she couldn’t quite place, but one that still made her squirm, like when she’d used to get busted for staying out too late, or breaking something important when she was young.

   Rainbow sighed. “Mind giving me a hoof?”

   Taking the bottle, Mac walked to the kitchen table, offering Rainbow the stool next to him. She tenderly held out her hoof and looked away as Mac held a rag under it, preparing to pour the disinfectant.

   “Ow!” she yelled.

   Mac cleared his throat and Rainbow looked at her hoof. She blushed, seeing he hadn’t even picked up the bottle yet.

   “Uh, heh. Sorry. Go ahead.”

   The red stallion tenderly held her hoof in his right one, pouring a small amount of the disinfectant from the bottle. Rainbow flinched, hissing through her teeth. Mac held her leg a bit more firmly, reminding her to hold still as he cleaned the cut. Removing a strip of bandage from the roll, he began to wrap her hoof.

   “So, uh, where’s Applejack?” Rainbow asked, deciding to try and start a conversation. She vaguely remembered Scootaloo talking about spending the night with the crusaders. “Is she dropping Apple Bloom off with Scoots and Sweetie Belle?”

   Mac nodded. “Eeyup.”

   Rainbow realized that was the first word she’d heard him say since she came in the house. Also that word and its negative counterpart were the only things she ever heard him say. Smirking inwardly, she wondered if she could get him to say something longer than two or three words.

   “So, how is everybody? Everything going pretty good?” She internally slapped her forehead, already seeing his answer.

   “Eeyup.”

   ‘Open-ended questions only, Dash’, she chided herself.

   “Good. Uh, how about apples? How’s the apple business treating ya?”

   The stallion merely shrugged, grabbing the end of the bandage with his teeth and pulling it tight. Rainbow winced, though her pride was hurting more than the cut. She decided to try one more time.

   The stallion finished wrapping her hoof and released it. Rainbow examined his work, giving it an approving smile.

   “Hey, that’s pretty good. How’d you learn that?”

   The red stallion gathered up the roll of bandages and the disinfectant. He hesitated in replying, looking Rainbow directly in the eye.

   “Scouts,” he said simply.

   He smirked, his eyes twinkling in a knowing way that irked her. The pegasus realized he’d known all along what she was doing. His back turned to her as he got up and went to put the supplies away. Rainbow gave him the stink eye, then sighed in defeat.

   “OK, ya got me,” she confessed. “But come on, you hardly ever say anything. Can you really blame me?”

   He didn’t answer, just turned from the cupboard and looked at her across the room.

   “Come on,” she urged. “I’m curious. Honestly. How come you never say anything?”

   The stallion smiled, wordlessly conveying his appreciation of her finally being forthcoming with him.

   “Economics,” he replied.

   Rainbow blinked. “What?”

   Mac chuckled.

   “No, seriously, what?” Rainbow asked, making other sounds of disbelief.

   Still laughing, the apple farmer moved past her to the door, opening it.

   “Care to join me for a walk?” he asked.

   Rainbow’s confusion was all but forgotten. She silently patted herself on the back.

“Yeah, sure.”

[ohthehypocrisy]

  DID YOU SEE THIS

DID YOU FUCKING SEE THIS

THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER

AND LOOKED AT EACH OTHER

AND FUCKING SMILED

EXISTENCE ACKNOWLEDGED

SHIPPING STRENGTHENED

I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY. THIS IS CANON NOW.

AND DON'T RUIN MY FUN

*goes back to watching out for fanfics and fanart*