Big Macintosh sat at Granny Smiths grave paying his respects to his grandmother. She past quite a while ago but still liked to go visit every now and then, especialy with Zap Apple season coming to an end. Thankfully she taught Fluttershy before hand when Apple Bloom decided to move to Fillyfornia to build sets. He was just glad that Granny Smith was in a better place with his parents and Apple Bloom was fallowing her dream. He, Applejack and Fluttershy can tend to the farm no problem.
"Ya ain't nothin' but a yeller' belly!" came a shout from the club house.
Big Macintosh rolled his eyes wondering what was going on this time. He made his way towards the club house. At the bottom of the tree there was a light green earth colt with a light brown main yelling at a light golden Pegasus filly with a light pink main, an orange strip going down it.
"Cider what have Ah told ya about fighten' with your sister?" Big Macintosh asked.
"But Pa she's such a scardy cat!" Cider complained. "All Ah did was toss an apple at her and she started gettin' all worked up fer' nuttin'!"
"Ah don' like bein' scared Cider an' ya know it," said the little filly.
"Why do I have ta have Sweet Pea as my older sister Pa?" Cider asked a bit upset about his family as usual. "Why can't she be more like Aunt Applejack?"
"'Cause she wouldn't be yer sister," Big Macintosh explained. "Son the ponies in our lives are the way they are fer a reason."
"Then why is she like that?"
Big Macintosh shrugged before lying down and letting his two foals climb on his back.
"Maybe we need more ponies like your mother. Only Celestia and Luna know that answer," He said as he got up and started walking to the house.
"Alright then why did ya have ta go an marry Ma? Couldn't ya have found somepony braver?"
Big Macintosh just shook his head. He understood Cider being an adventures colt but he couldn't understand why he had such a grudge against Fluttershy.
"Ya watch your mouth! She is yer Ma an' if it wasn't fer her ya wouldn't be here taday!"
Cider pondered this for a second before going on.
"Ah would too! Ah'd just have somepony else as my ma!"
"If it were up to yer aunt Apple Bloom you'd be Miss. Cheerilee's son."
"What?" asked Sweet Pea.
"Ya sain' that Aunt Apple Bloom tried to get you and the school teacher hitched?" asked Cider.
"Eeeyup," Big Mac said with a chuckle. "Fixed up what she thought was a love potion too."
The two foals stared at their father baffled. Why would Aunt Apple Bloom use a love potion on their pa? They thought she liked ma. They pondered this so much they didn't even realize they made it back inside till they toppled on the couch.
"Pa?" Sweet Pea asked quietly.
"Yes Sweetie?"
"Why did Aunt Apple Bloom use a love potion to make you fall in love with another mare?"
"She was a little filly back then, forgot yer ma and Ah were courtin'. So when Ah told her and her friends Ah didn' have plans fer Hearts and Hooves day they thought my an their teacher shoud get tegether," he explained. "Accidentally gave us love poison an' we got all loopy. Not sure the details but after that yer ma was angrier than a wild hog with Hydro."
"Well she must not have been too mad," Cider said. "Ya still got married."
"Actually she was infuriated," Big Mac explained. "We almost didn' even get married."
~
Big Macintosh ran at full speed towards Fluttershy's cottage, he had over slept and felt exhausted, most likely from his antics while under the influence of the love poison. He had promised her they would spend the day after Hearts and Hooves together due to his chores preventing them from doing so. He slowed down on the bridge and walked up to the cottage.
Fluttershy was already outside on the patio waiting for him. However, this time something about her seemed of. She looked like she hadn't slept and like she was crying.
"You alright Sugar cube?" he asked worried.
"No, I am not!" she snapped. "To busy to spend time with your own girlfriend on Hearts and Hooves day but you can run all over Equestria chasing after Cheerilee?"
"Sugar cube Ah-"
"Don't 'Sugar cube' me! I saw you two making puppy dog eyes and calling each other sickly pet names! Do you think I'm stupid?"
"No, Ah can explai-"
"I'm not going to listen to your dumb excuses!" she yelled starting to cry. "You said you only loved me, just the other day you proposed! Then yesterday I see you chasing after another mare! What, am I not smart enough? Too stupid?"
"No, Ah love ya!"
"Yeah right. I'm done. Have a good life with Miss. School Teacher!"
~
"She really did that Pa?" Sweet Pea asked. "But Ma is so nice."
"Something ya'll will learn, a mare scorned is the one thing ya don't want to go against."
"But Pa, Miss. Cheerilee isn't that bad," Cider interjected.
"No she ain't, real nice mare, but yer ma was mad."
Sweet Pea, a little damp from the bath she just took, snuggled up next to Big Mac as if she was to blame for the whole thing. Big Macintosh simple nuzzled her gently.
"Yer a big stallion Pa, Ah'm sure ya handled it real good," Cider said.
"Ah actualy didn't. Ah was so upset I quite workin' and moped around. Yer aunt Applejack talked our cousin Braeburn into comin' in from Appeleosa just to get me right again."
~
Big Macintosh was in the local pub, stairing at his cider. He was upset about how his life turned so drasticly. Everything was perfect and he blew it. All because of a miscommunication.
"Hey! Equestria to Big Mac! Helloooooooo!"
Big Macintosh snapped out of his thoughts to see Caramel waving a hoof in front of his face.
"Thinkin' about her again?" Braeburn asked from across the table. "Wow, your a lot worse than Cousin Applejack's letter said."
"Drink your cider," Caramel said. "A couple cups of hard cider will make anypony forget anything."
Big Macintosh decided to fallow his advise and started to drink. Unfortunately, three went to five, then to seven, and then to thirteen. Caramel and Braeburn eventually lost count and at that point the large stallion was hammered. Deciding he had enough, the two smaller stallions lead Big Mac out of the pub.
As they started off towards Sweet Apple Acres Big Macintosh turned the other direction and started walking.
"Where ya goin'?" Braeburn asked.
"Ah jus' gotta clear ma head," he slurred.
"Okay," his cousin said worried as he and Caramel fallowed a distance behind the drunk stallion.
Big Macintosh stumbled around Ponyville going through his plan in his head several times.
"Ah'll go to the cottage and explain everythin'. Ah know she'll understand this time. An even if she don't she'd see what a mess I am without her. Ah don't care what anypony says, Ah need her, Ah ain't better off without her!"
When he got to the cottage and saw Pinkie Pie, hair straight, fire in her eyes. He knew what had gone wrong. He broke a Pinkie Promise.
~
"Why is that such a big deal?" Cider asked.
"Sugar cube, unless you want ta skip town an' run fer the hills you do NOT break a Pinkie Promise," Applejack said coming in the room. "Looks like yer princess is fast asleep."
Sure enough, Sweet Pea was cuddled into her fathers berral fast asleep. He smiled and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
~
Pinkie ran up to Big Macintosh like a mad pony madder than mad.
"You broke a Pinkie Promise!" she yelled. "You said you wouldn't do anything to hurt her you lier mc menie pants!"
Her words stung. He did break a promise but not intentionally. He tried to push past her but in her current condition and in his drunken state she ended up pushing him off the bridge and into the icy cold water. He sat there for a little bit, not really sure what had just happened. When his mind finally caught up it was to late, he had already blacked out.
~
"Woke up in the hospital next day. Aunt Apple Bloom explained everythin' ta yer ma and things have been good ever since," He finished tucking Cider in, just as he snoozed off.
Big Mac gave Cider a quick kiss on the forehead and got out as quickly and quietly as he could. He made his way into his own room and saw his wife fast asleep in their bed. He smiled and climbed in next to her, pulling her close to him.
"Ah love you, Fluttershy. You'll always be my special somepony."
