The Loudest Sound

by Sunka

Rating: teen
Tags: Big Macintosh, Fluttershy, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad, Romance
Length: 6187

Big Mac finally asks Fluttershy out, only to be shot down.

Life on the farm is hard on the body. Loneliness is harder on the soul. Big Mac finally screws up his courage to ask Fluttershy out before he's a broken down nag. Luckily for him, five of the Mane Six are supportive of the idea. The bad part is which one of the six disagrees.

Published 2014-07-05 05:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-06-01 00:33:43 UTC

The Meaning of Love

“Rarity!” squeaked Sweetie Belle.

Rarity didn’t have time for her sister’s nonsense today. She was late to see Fluttershy. Her dear friend had sequestered herself away after that absolute fiasco at the Shindig. She had buried herself in helping her woodland friends and refused to engage in any sort of social interaction with her friends. It was one thing to put work ahead of friends when it was crunch time, but Rarity knew crunch time when she saw it. This was not crunch time. This was Fluttershy hiding and that simply would not do.

Some sort of beastly dog thing pounced her from behind. Vile, vicious, phlegm was dragged across her face. She screamed out in protest, only to be Frenched by the beast. Violated she tried to roll away.
“SIS! LOOK OUT!” Sweetie Belle tugged futilely at the leash attached to one of the heads. Scootaloo yanked on a leash around the other.

“Well, looks like we’re not gonna get our cutie marks in monster ranching,” sighed Apple Bloom.

Rarity kicked out, trying to push the brute off of her, all the while screaming her head off. The thing continued to plant slobbery kisses onto her with both of it’s heads, making it impossible to get away.

“Help!” she pawed futilely, “Oh won’t somepony please help me!”

Her plaintive cry was answered by a gentle voice. “Hey, girl, do you want a stick?”

The beast leaped off of Rarity and bounded to Fluttershy as she held a tree branch in her wing. She gave it a gentle toss and the monster dog bounded to the toy. The CMC dragged along with it.

“Oh, thank you, Fluttershy.” Rarity tried to get her mane back into some semblance of control.

“It’s okay.” Ever modest Fluttershy dismissed her friend’s praise.

“Let me treat you today.”

“Tha-”

“I insist, Fluttershy. It’s the only decent thing I can do after you rescued me.” Rarity ushered her friend into the spa.

The spa was quiet on a Wednesday. That’s what made it perfect for Fluttershy. Not only could she get the personalized attention she so desperately needed, but the lack of a crowd meant she was far more comfortable. Really, what was the point of going to the spa if you weren’t going to be comfortable?

Aloe had just shown them to the sauna room, to help open their pores and help their bodies expel all the toxins they’d built up for the week. The humidity began to make their bodies foam with sweat.

Poor Fluttershy. Rarity and her other friends had worked so hard to help her be happy when that...that...cad, Big Macintosh, had went and ruined it all by trying to take advantage of the sweet pegasi as soon as their backs were turned. It just went to show how even the most seemingly benevolent and amiable of stallions could turn into such a dastardly rake when given the chance. Really, given this situation was it even that surprising why she couldn’t find a stallion of her own?

“I’m so sorry about what happened at the shindig. Are you okay?”

“It’s okay, Rarity…”

“No, it’s not okay. I know you won’t tell us what he did to you, but please don’t let this harden your heart.” Rarity reached out for Fluttershy’s hoof. “I’m sure we can find you somepony nice who doesn’t make you cry.”

Fluttershy looked down. “Maybe...maybe I was the one that made me cry.”

“Nonsense, you were the victim. You must never think what happened was your fault!”

“But…” she squeaked.

“No! I will have none of this! You are an amazing pony, Fluttershy. You’re caring, beautiful, affectionate, any stallion would be lucky to have you.” Rarity pushed her friend out of the hot room to the cool of the mudrooms. “Wait, is that the problem? Do you not want a stallion? Are you more interested in mares?”

Fluttershy hid in her main with a “meep.”

“Well, that’s fine. We’ll still be friends no matter what, I promise.”

“No,” whispered Fluttershy.

Aloe and Lotus began to wrap the girls’ bodies in seaweed to help exfoliate and revitalize their coat before they stepped into the mud pit.

“Of course we will, I mean we’ve all had our phases so I couldn’t in good conscious-, wait, are you suggesting we should be more than friends?”

Fluttershy hid under the mud.

“Dear?” Rarity reached under the mud and pulled her friend’s head out. “I mean this certainly could explain a few things.” Fluttershy smiled. Rarity held her friend up. She wasn’t sure where this was going. Sure, Fluttershy was her best friend, well, her and Twilight Sparkle. But she’d never really thought of the pegasi that way. Should she kiss her to make her feel more comfortable or would that just be leading her on?

“No,” Fluttershy said again. “I mean, I like you, but as a friend. I mean unless you like me some other way, then, I’m sorry, uhm, but, uhm, I do like stallions.”

“Oh,” Rarity sighed, relief removing a huge weight from her back as she released her friend back into the mud who landed with a “flump.”

“Rarity,” Fluttershy cleaned the dirt away from her muzzle as she got back up, “do you really think I’m beautiful?”

“Of course, Darling. You were a professional model. They don’t let just anypony do that. Photo Finish has only the most beautiful of models for her lines.”

“Oh,” she blushed through the mud.

“Now, just to be perfectly clear, we’re also talking about pony stallions and not some sort of weird zoophilia thing with one of your critters, right?”

Fluttershy hid under the mud again. “Yes,” said a bubble.

“It’s okay, Darling. I just want to help you find your somepony special. Somepony that will make you smile instead of cry. Somepony that will be there for you every night to hold you in his hooves. Somepony who will bring you home griffonese after a hard day of work.” Rarity swooned, backflipping into the mud as she melted with it.

“That sounds amazing.”

Rarity stood back up. She released the telekinetic bubble around her mane that kept the mud away. “Yes, yes it does. That’s why we have to find you some pony.

“Have you ever had a somepony special?”

Rarity smiled at the fond memories. “Well, you see dear, men are like gems. Most of the ones you find are common and severely flawed. It’s only rarely that one finds a true gem. Too bad my magic won’t let me find those kinds of jewels.” She winked at her friend who smiled back. It was so good to see her smile again.

If she ever found that oafish lout who hurt her again, well, she’d turn him over to his sister. She’d known him for far too long to have any illusions that she could affect him. “Some ponies, like Pinkie, uh, how does she put it? She ‘licks all the lollipops’ to decide what flavor she likes best. Personally, I prefer to look for someone of quality. Even if I have to do a little polishing I want somepony that’s going to be my one and only. Someone who will shine and reflect my love back.”

“Like Spike?”

Rarity immediately came back to Earth. “Really, Fluttershy, I’m not a pedophile.”

“But he loves you like you want.”

“He’s a child. He also likes to occasionally eat crayons. I mean, sure if he were in the right age bracket and the size difference wouldn't be so..., then maybe, I could consider such a thing, but there’s boundaries on what is right and what’s not.”

“But, love is all that matters, right?”

“No! Fluttershy, that’s not what that phrase means. He’s a child. With him it’s more like a nephew and in no way like a colt friend. He doesn’t understand what it means to be in a relationship. He can’t. He’s still got so much to learn about himself that he can’t be an equal partner.” She walked over to her friend as she splashed about with her wings, soaking the tired muscles in the soothing muck.

“Granted” she continued, “I do want to see him mature into a man of quality, but not for my own sake I do care about him and I want him to be happy. Learning what to expect and how to treat a lady will help him avoid scandalous mares out to hurt him. I’m not trying to groom him into something for me, but to help him be the best Spike he can become.”

“And get some free labor.” Fluttershy almost seemed to try to try to defend something about her view of Rarity and Spike’s relationship.

“Oh, a little physical conditioning never hurt a stallion, hmm?” The two tittered, despite Fluttershy’s trepidation.

“So, tell me, what did you like about Big Macintosh?”

Fluttershy settled back into the mud. “Well, uh, he was very quiet, and smart and gentle.”

“Really, sounds more like you need a puppy.”

“Oh, I have three of those, I guess I should be good.”

“You need somepony who’s not going to bite you. In the wrong way, of course.”

Fluttershy only submerged herself back into the mud. Great. She’d dealt with this type of clientele. She would just have to use her skills at leading questions in order to paint herself a picture of what sort of final product would please her friend.

“Okay, so you want a big puppy. Believe it or not, it’s not that hard to find. Now, do you prefer he be a pegasi?”

“Uh, I don’t know,” bubbled the mud again.

“Well, I’ve heard what they say about earth pony stallions, but I didn’t know if that was what you were looking for.” Rarity rolled her eyes slightly while putting her hoof up to her chest. “And really, would it kill anypony if we could get some unicorn stallions in this town?”

“I’m sorry, Rarity.”

“Oh, it’s not your fault, sweetie.”

“Do you not like earth stallions?”

Rarity sighed. “Well, it’s just...I don’t mind them, but I...Let’s just say...Rainbow Dash were to date an earth stallion. How would he get to visit her in her home? She’d have to give up flying or watch him as he helplessly watched her do things rather than doing things she would enjoy. It’s not a question of ‘does she not like earth stallions’ but of ‘how would they live together?’ Now to somepony like Twilight, I really don’t think she would care so long as he was literate and probably well read. Hmm, yes, she’ll likely be the next project after you.”

“What?”

Rarity gave her friend a winning smile. “Nothing.” The mud made that squeaking sound. Her shy friend pulled herself up as they exited the mud and rinsed themselves off. Rarity floated a soft towel over to her friend as they dried themselves. Thick, white, fluffy robes wrapped them in luxury and comfort.

They laid down on the tables as the masseuses began to manipulate their soothed and relaxed bodies.

“Rarity?”

“Yes, dearie?”

“...uhm, nothing.”

“Ahh okay,” she said as Quake started working a knot out of her neck from her being bent over her workbench for a prolonged time. “Well, let’s start with colors. Do you have any color preferences?”

Fluttershy squeaked as Lotus worked at the base of her wings. “Well, uh, if it’s okay, I do like green eyes.”

“Okay, a stallion with green eyes can be any race. Oh, what about that nice new mail pony? He seems rather dashing.”

Fluttershy blushed and stuck her face further down into the hole in the table. Okay, whoever it is going to be they would have to have chaperoned time around Fluttershy until she was comfortable with him. Then he could be allowed to ask her out.

Green eyes. There weren’t that many around town, but she’d seen several around in the Apple family, including Big Mac. That would not do.

“So tell me, do you have a preference in what he does? Do you want somepony to help you with the critters, or would you rather he do something different to help complement you in other areas of life?”

“Uhm, well, it doesn’t matter, but he probably should like animals.”

“Hmmm, should he maybe be an earth stallion that grows food for critters?”

“Well, if he did, that would probably be okay.” She was relaxing now. The hooves of the masseuse were working the deep tissues in her back. Her eyes were rolling back slightly.

“Alright, I’ll see what we can find around.”

“Oh Rarity, I really appreciate it, but it’s okay.”

Rarity pouted slightly. “I just hate to see you so sad and alone all the time. It’s almost like you hide with your critters just so you don’t have to interact with other ponies. I’m worried about you. You are my very best friend and I want to see to it that you’re happy.”

“Thank you, Rarity. But, I am happy, really…” She tried to give a sincere smile to her friend but she could tell that it was forced. The lines of her face simply didn’t form correctly when she forced it rather than when she rarely genuinely smiled.

They got up off the table, their bodies limp but refreshed. They wrapped their soft robes around them again and escorted them to the hooficure room.

“Fluttershy...you know that you really shouldn’t allow somepony to hurt you twice.”

She looked over at her friend then squeaked as she soaked her hooves to make them more soft and manageable. Hiding in her mane she automatically responded: “Yes, Rarity.”

“Darling, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just, I really don’t want to see you hurt.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

They started to lay back and let them reshape their hooves and make sure their shoes were secure before sealing them. Then they touched up their manes and tails. The friends were silent towards themselves. They were busy instructing the fine tuning to their looks to the staff.

Finally finished, they walked out into the sunshine, smiling at the warmth and radiance of the day.

“Rarity?”

“Yes?” Rarity turned to look at her friend.

“Thank you for paying today. I appreciate it.”

“You’re quite welcome. Would you like to get some lunch?”

“No, thank you. I need to get back to my cottage, Angel needs a bath today. Rarity?”

“Yes, dear?”

She fidgeted slightly, before blowing out her courage. “Sometimes, something hurts no matter who does it.” She turned quickly and trotted home.

Rarity also walked away, thinking about what her friend had said. Where would she find somepony for her? Absently she turned down the road to Sweet Apple Acres. Her hooves taking her where they will.

She heard a familiar “yep” from an outbuilding. There he was. Rarity carefully dodged the mud as best she could while walking to the tiny storage. It was a simple three-walled, roofed structure facing away the lee of the pegasi’s preferred wind patterns. There was another voice there to Rainbow Dash.

“She said that? Okay, I can understand. Do you have any critter issues upcoming?”

What was this? Suddenly things started falling together. She was still missing several pieces, but she now had the border done. This problem was far larger than she had thought, and the picture wasn’t what was on the box.

Clearing her throat as she walked into the storage shack she drew the two ponies attention. “I don’t know what you two are planning to do to sweet Fluttershy, but I want in on it.”

The two conspirators looked at each other, then back to the newest member of the club.

Enjoy the Silence

Enjoy the Silence

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS SHINDIGERERERS!” squeaked Sweetie Bell.

“It's not a shindig, it's a hoedown!” corrected Scootaloo.

“It's the same thing!” Sweetie shouted back.

“No it's not!”

“Is too!”

“Hey! We can be the Cutie Mark Crusaders Hoedownerers!” offered Apple Bloom.

They all beamed at one another: “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS HOEDOWNERERS!” they shouted in unison.

“We're sure to get our cutie marks at the Fall Hoedown.” Apple Bloom wistfully ruminated. “We just have to-”

“Oh no you don't.” came a crotchety voice behind them. Dejectedly they turned to Granny Smith. “You fillies listen here now. Your sisters need some time to be aroun' adults. The last thin' they need tonight is you three gettin' under hoof.”

The trio “aaawwwwwwhhhh”ed together.

“I'll have none of that sas! You three get wuarshed up for supper. Get!” she commanded. Scootaloo and Sweetie dashed off to the sink while Apple Bloom took one last look out the window at her older siblings getting to go out and have fun.

_____________________________________________________________________________
Pinkie Pie had “borrowed” one of their largest barns for this. Most of Ponyville would be here and their barn added the perfect atmosphere for the Fall Hoedown. Big Mac had pulled most of his plow implements out and lined the way coming into the building. Pinkie had then created a walk way by linking them with orange and yellow streamers. The band inside the bar was starting up, playing a series of high energy songs to get everypony's hooves a moving. A sizable crowd was already here and more were coming.

There were picnic tables outside with places for tired ponies to sit and refreshments for them to enjoy themselves with. Her “Fall has Fallen” punch was on the center table. Big Mac could smell the roasting corn on the cob from the fire pit nearby. There were big bowls of coleslaw, freshly fried potato chips, jalapeno hush puppies, and several apple based confectioneries his sister had provided.

He looked down at his sister. Her friend, Rarity, had demanded that she wear “something” so she'd worn a simple red and white checkered shirt that gathered at the waist and shoulders. She'd braided her ponytail and left her hat at home. She looked nice. It was too bad she didn't dress up more often. While he hated the idea of pimping out his sister, he did wish she found somepony.

Not that he had much room to talk. The jacket he was wearing was at least ten years old. It didn't quite fit around the chest and the sleeves were at least an inch too short. He was also wearing his Jane Doe bola tie. He'd gotten it free when they'd bought his old plow.

“Now, you don't go drinkin' too much. We don't want you makin’ a scene now.”

He gave his bossy sister a look, reminding her that he wasn't usually the one that trouble occurred around.

“OGMYGOSH! AJYOUCAME! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!” Pinkie suddenly appeared beside them. One of his sister's fried pies in each hoof. She looked at them and shoved both of them into her mouth at the same time. Not for the first time Big Mac was impressed how good her control of her gag reflex was. At least it'd shut her up for a second.

“Well, of course we'd be here, Pinkie,” his confused sister said, “we live here. Are the rest of the girls here yet?”

“Oh sure!” She bounded off, pulling his sister away. This left Mac alone.

He mingled in the crowd, looking for his friends. Mr. Cake was there, but Mrs. Cake was not letting him go. This was one of the few nights they had together in a social setting, since his sister catered this one. Caramel was having some success chatting up a pegasus. He didn't see Lucky yet. He wandered around his grounds, nodding to ponies as they said hello.

Over by the punch table he saw the most beautiful mare in Ponyville. Rarity was attempting to get some punch. Every stallion in Ponyville knew about Rarity. Yes, she was beautiful. Yes, she knew it. She never really rubbed it in your face, well, not since school. She just looked you over and rejected you. Her sights were set on something “special.” What that was, nopony really thought she knew. But they were all sure she'd know it when she saw it. Well, most stallions did. Some were too conceited, and some, like poor Hayseed, were just too friendly.

She was trying to disengage herself from his overly friendly conversation. Mac decided to come to the fair maiden's rescue.

“Hayseed.”

“Weeeell Big Macintosh! This here's a plum dinger of a hootananny!”

Big Mac nodded. He shot Rarity a quick glance as she grinned and ran. Mac nodded while Hayseed droned on and on. He had some idea about going to the Big City of Canterlot and starting a window washing business. With all those windows there that needed washing it was just a matter of time before he was swimming in bits. Eventually he saw another of his friends and ran off to say hi. Hayseed wasn't bad, you just had to have a little extra patience in dealing with him.

“Thank you ever so much. He...”

Mac only nodded while he got them some punch.

She floated her cup to her lips while inspecting his outfit. There was a “tisking” sound. “That is most unflattering. Maybe you should come by the boutique sometime next week. I just got in a shipment of suede from the Griffon Kingdoms that would be positively smashing on you.”

Big Mac looked away, he just didn't have the money. He took a sip of his punch. It was mostly pumpkin with some pear juice, with slices of apples and oranges. There was a hint of clove and cinnamon.

Rarity quickly picked up on his agitation. She'd lived her entire life around him and knew him well. It was one of the advantages of living in a small town. “Oh don't worry, Dearie. For the brother of my friend we can work something out. Oh, I'm repainting the boutique, I could use a strong hoof to help me move the furniture, maybe do the ceilings?”

Big Mac nodded in agreement. Charity always sat wrong with him. It violated his strong work ethic. Trading work for work was how he accomplished most things in his life. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of yellow.

His heart thumped. This was going to be it. This was the night. Before they'd left the house Granny had sat them down and had “The Talk” with them again. The Apple family was a long and proud line. Farm work was hard on a body. Sure they were at their prime now, but soon their bodies would begin to break down. She knew she wasn't going to be around for much longer and the longer she was around the less help she could be. There was more to life than just plowing and bucking and seeding and reaping. There was love and family and all the joys that came with them.

Ever since their own parent's death, they'd never really reached out. It wasn't healthy. It wasn't good. But it was okay because this time he was taking it to heart. This time his heart was set on a certain somepony very special.

They'd met several times in the past. She was one of his sister's friends so she was over sporadically. She didn't live that far away. In fact she was closer than the vet, so when they had a problem at the farm with the critters then AJ would run and get her first.

It was one such time that she'd caught his attention. The sheep had spotted a snake and burst out of their corral. The first three had hurt themselves badly. He'd repaired the damaged fence while Winona and AJ rounded up the rest of the flock and AB had ran to Fluttershy's.

He watched as she tended to a hurt lamb. She was so gentle. His whole life he'd tried to be that gentle. Ever since he was a colt he was huge. Things, ponies, he never meant to hurt them. Well, not usually anyway. To be as gentle as he could was always a constant lesson. Yet, here was a soft yellow pegasus who was the personification of gentle. He had pulled her mane out of her face and wiped her tears while she worked. All the while silently watching her bandage the baby sheep. The lamb eventually returned to normal, but that image of her was with him always.

He watched her as she walked along the edge of the property. She was wearing a wreath of clover leaves on her head and a soft, filmy, green dress. She was looking at an owl decoration Pinkie had put on a tree branch. The decoration moved to look at her. She squealed and hid under the table. It was so adorable it made his heart hurt.

“So, taken Granny's carryin' on to heart, have ya?” Big Mac turned to look at his sister. “I won't say it won't be a bit off, you goin' on with a friend of mine. But you two deserve to be happy.” AJ had a soft smile on her face that quickly turned sour. “However,” she planted a hard hoof into his chest. “If you hurt her, if you make her cry,” She got up nose to nose with her brother before pointing at his flank “I will make apple tarts out of your cutie mark! Do we have an understandin'?”

Big Mac nodded.

“Alright then.” AJ went back to her normal smile outside his personal boundary, “go get 'er.”

His heart jumped into his throat. This was it. He walked up to the table she was hiding under. Slowly he held out a hoof. She looked up at him with those huge, aqua eyes. Timidly she reached her hoof out to his. As gently as was possible he pulled her from her place of refuge. She smiled at his chest. His heart almost stopped.

He nodded to the dance floor in the barn, his mouth too dry to talk. She looked away. He looked over at the punch bowl. She looked down. He pointed out away from the festivities. She looked at his hooves. Barely, she shrugged. Elation flooded his body.

He escorted her away from the noise, over to a copse of apple trees. As they walked under the branches he stopped her. As gently as he could he took her hoof then slowly rotated it. She looked at his huge hooves. He watched her eyes as he kicked behind him, not looking. The tree vibrated and a single, ripe apple dropped directly into her hoof. There was a look of amazement but she quickly pulled her hoof back when he let go.

Together they walked to the other edge of the tree, to look up at the night's sky. Side by side they sat together in silence, passing away the night. It was heart revving, yet so comfortable being around her. It almost felt like there wasn't even a reason to speak. He looked up at the stars. She looked down, nervously pawing at the ground. The silence between them was suddenly the loudest sound he'd ever heard. Slowly she started looking up.

Softly he put his foreleg around her. She flinched, but didn't pull away. He looked at her and smiled. She blinked. Then, ever so slightly, leaned in. It was all he could do to keep from jumping and shouting in excitement. He leaned into her. Everything was right in the world.

The wind shifted, it started blowing from the party, bringing the music from the barn. The band was playing a romantic, slow song. Mac looked up to see Rainbow Dash hovering above them. She winked at him and gave him a “hoofs up.”

There was an explosion ahead of them. Fluttershy squeaked and hid in his chest. He grabbed her in both of his hooves, pulling her in front of him. There was another explosion. Slowly she turned to see the fireworks going off just for the couple. Mac looked around to find Twilight softly working her magic, creating the show. They watched her work for some time, “ooh”ing and “aah”ing together. Fluttershy squeaked at an especially loud one, her muzzle right below his. This was his chance. He looked down, gentling lifting her chin with his hoof. Softly they kissed.

“Aahh yeah!” stage whispered Rainbow Dash.

Twilight hissed at her and motioned her back, ready to give the couple time alone.

“Hey guys! Did it work? Did they like the song I picked out?” Pinkie popped out of a bush beside her friends. The two hushed her and tried to usher their obtuse friend away.

“She's been pining for months now. It was so hard to drag it out of her at the spa, I don't know why she didn't say something sooner.” That was Rarity, waiting for them at the edge of the barn’s light. Apparently they'd all worked on this. Big Mac was just grateful. They left and the two were alone.

Fluttershy pulled away. “no” she said softly.

Big Mac gave her a confused look.

“I-I-I'm sorry,” she whispered as she untangled herself.

This was not looking good. He shook his head.

“It's not you. I-I” she squeaked again. “I'm sorry.” It was barely over a whisper. Her body began to shake softly. Then she stopped, almost waiting for something. Mac sat there watching her. Slowly she turned slightly, looking back at his hooves. “Why'd you stop?”

Rather than putting it around her, instead he put his hoof on her back, between her wings and rubbed softly. That she allowed. “You told me to.” He could feel her body shaking in rhythm. Soon he realized that rhythm. She was crying. He shifted but she hid in her mane. His muzzle next to her ear he whispered: “I'm sorry.”

She turned to him. For the first time that night. She looked directly at him and broke his heart. Tears stained her cheeks all the way down. The capillaries in her eyes were visible even in the moonlight, and she was smiling at him. Not a tortured, sad smile. An honest, sincere smile that wiped at the tears in her eyes.

“Really?” she whispered. “You're amazing. You deserve somepony who's just as amazing. Not some broken, worthless pony like me. Maybe Cheerilee?”

Big Mac didn't laugh. She was still fairly new to Ponyville and apparently didn't know about all the drama that had gone on back in school when Cheerilee and he had dated. He'd learned a lot since then. Unfortunately he still hadn't learned to spot the crazy ones.

“There's nothing wrong with you.”

Her smiled turned sad, again looking down. “That's because you don't know me. You weren't there in Cloudsdale. You don't know how...damaged I am.”

He rubbed a little more firmer and she grunted in pleasure. He was slowly trying to work the tension from her body.

Gingerly he reached around her again, moving himself around her. He held his hoof to her muzzle, returning the world to stillness, less some word violently break the beautiful silence. The pain pierced him to his core. Oh, poor girl. She was all he'd ever wanted. Ultimately nothing mattered but the sensation of holding her, not what she had to say, not what had happened to her. If she could just let go of her past. He tried to enjoy this last moment as if it were the last in the world.

“It's okay. Thanks.” Fluttershy pulled away again. She'd gotten her tears under control. “You deserve to know,” She sighed. Her chin quivered. It was hurting her, but she looked like she needed to tell him. “When I was a filly, in Cloudsdale. My mom, wasn't allowed to have a job. She had to stay home. Dad...Dad didn't handle stress well.” She stopped and shivered. He hugged her, giving her all of his strength that he could. “He had a-a really stressful job at the factory. He was in charge of a lot of ponies. If he didn't get things right, then there wouldn't be enough rain. Without that rain, earth ponies couldn't grow food. Without food, everypony would starve.

“Most days were fine. But when he came home mad,” she shivered. “We knew it was going to be a bad night. The only way to survive was to just let him vent.” She started curling into a ball. “If you disagreed, if you were contradictory, he'd kick, bite or stomp. During the spring was the worse time. That was when he was under the most stress. We dreaded it. Then, one spring Mom...didn't come home.

“Dad was furious. I was all he had, so I took care of him. It made him happy. So long as I took care of things...everything was okay. Making him happy meant he didn't hurt me. At least, until...” she was crying fully again. It was a cathartic cry. She looked at him. “Why am I telling you this? You don't really want to know.”

“Nopony knew? Nopony helped?” Big Mac pulled her mane back and once more wiped her tears.

She smiled again. “Rainbow Dash did. She called the cops on him. He got them to believe him over a filly. He was so mad afterwards.”

AJ had never told him about this. He was pretty sure she didn't know. Otherwise the two would have stormed Cloudsdale itself to deal with the monster. “Do the other's know?”

She panicked “OH NO! They couldn't, they-they shouldn't. They'd hate me.”

“Rainbow doesn't hate you. I don't either. It seems to me telling some pony is doing you some good. Maybe you should tell them.” And the guard he thought to himself. One step at a time.

“It helps you're such a good listener.”

“Ah still don't see why you think you're so damaged.”

She squeaked, pulled her mane away from his hooves and hid again. “Because of what my dad did.”

“Beating you doesn't mean you're broken.”

“no,” she whispered, barely audible. Big Mac tried to remember all she'd said. The final floodgates opened as she blurted out. “I-I had to take over ALL of mom's duties.”

Big Mac's heavy hooves slammed into the ground. It was all he could do to stop his righteous anger. Fluttershy screamed in terror, hiding her head under her front hooves, her rump in the air. “I'm sorry!” she squealed. “I-I-I'm sorry. You can if you want. Just, please...”

He stopped himself. The look of abject terror on her face brought tears to his own eyes. Gently he tried to comfort her.

“Just, don't hurt me.” she squeaked.

“Shhh.” He tried to rest his head between her ears.

She ran away crying. This was bad. Never would he have suspected. Yet, all the signs were there. They had been all along. How had he not seen it? He hadn't been around her that much. How did her friends not know? Wiping away his own tears he looked back to the barn, torn on if he should tell the others. He was met with five furious faces.

“How could you!” Rarity was incredulous. “You, I never would have thought you of all ponies to be such a ruffian.”

Should he tell them? No. It's her story to tell. If she and Rainbow had never told anypony, then he probably shouldn't either. There must be more to the story.

His sister stomped up to him. “What did ah tell ya?” Big Mac stiffened all his muscles as AJ's forehoof made contact with his jaw. He didn't move but he was sure they'd both be hurting when the adrenaline wore off.

Pinkie glared at him from a bush. He was going to have to take special caution with the critters for the next few days. The look she was giving him was telling him that one of them would end up boiled alive in one of Granny's soup pots...again. Cez, he really needed to learn to spot the crazy ones better.

“I think I need to write a letter...” Twilight turned around, storming away, “come on girls.” The others all turned and walked away. All but Rainbow Dash. She was facehoofing hard.

“Of all the stallions in Equestria, I figured you would be able to finally help her, and what do you do?” She got up in his face, glaring eye to eye.

“Ah listened.”

She blinked. Her anger turning to pain. “She told you?”

He nodded.

“That's why she was crying?” Her body slumped “Why didn't you say so?”

He gave her a pointed look.

“Okay, okay. You're right. She's not ready to tell the others. I learned my lesson on that already.” She looked up into his eyes. She was so different from the other pegasus. “I'm going to need help getting her ready to tell the others, building her confidence, motivating her. You in?”

He held his foreleg up. Her tootsie was tiny beside his massive hoof, but there and then they made an agreement together.