A work horse's beating heart

Big Macintosh was walking towards the market complex, pulling behind him a cart full of apples. He was exhausted, it had been a sweltering day and Mac wasn't in a good mood. Granny's words from this morning had echoed through his head as Mac had been bucking - "You need to find somepony special, and settle down. Or, you'll be as old as me with no pony to care for you!"

All Mac had replied with was a sigh. But now that he thought about it, Granny was right. One day

he’d be too old to buck apples, and that was the only thing his family built their career off of.

Mac exhaled slowly. It’s not as simple as that, Granny. he thought as he turned to head towards the apple stall. There’s no pony in equestria that would truly even like me.

"Oh, howdy Mac!" a voice called.

Having his thoughts interrupted, he turned towards the voice to see Applejack sitting in the stall.

Mac turned his head to pull off the cart and then he pushed it towards Applejack.

"I just came to give you these," he simply replied.

"Oh, thanks!" she smiled.

He responded with a simple "eeyup" and turned towards the exit of the market stalls. Hanging his head down, he walked out and was heading home when he heard somepony yell "Look out!" and then Mac nearly fell. He steadied himself, and looked down at the pony by his side.

"Sorry," the pony - a mare - said.

"I tripped, but I have to get somewhere fast!" Then with that, she flew away quickly.

Mac readjusted himself and thought, That was the Mailmare, Ditzy, I think. Yeah, she was the mare that always got teased for her eyes.

Mac himself thought her eyes were quite pretty. He was smiling at the thought as he went home. Problably making

it the most enjoyable trip on his list.

When Mac arrived at the Apple family's barn-of-a-home, he unlocked the door to the house using the key

Granny kept under the door mat. Walking in slowly, Mac had a little sigh of relief. Today had been hard, and Mac

was content to hit the hay, before a voice sliced through the air.

"What are you smilin’ about, youngin?" a voice soon recognized as his grandmother’s piped up.

Mac quickly jumped, and then replied with his quick signature nope.

Granny gave a questioning look

"You and yer sisters never tell me anything!" But then realized if Mac didn't say the first time, he never

would, and walked back to her chair

"Well, AppleBloom saved some pie that we had earlier for you. Its in yer bed"

Later, Big Mac was laying in bed, content to sleep… but he couldn't. Whenever he closed his

eyes, he saw the grey mare and suddenly started longing for her. Mac realized he wanted to see her again.

It was the darnedest thing too, he'd never felt that way about anypony

... accept his family. Was this what Granny was talking about? Liking another pony?

He thought about how maybe he could get lucky, and Ditzy would be the pony that delivers the free Ponyville news.Macintosh mentally shook himself,

I'm just tiredhe reassured himself, i don't... love ... anypony. I'm just not thinking straight.

But that grey mare was the only thing the big, red stallion thought about for hours, before he fell asleep. In this long time,

the temptation was to great. He had mentally recorded his sound plan to be the first one up and therefore, first pony

to meet the mailmare.

That morning, Big Mac dragged himself up to look out the window. Princess Celestia must have been working hard to make such a beautiful dawn. Then it hit him.

The mail! Mac thought as he quietly trotted to the door, opening it.

Then he saw the mail pony flying towards the house, Just in time!

Mac waited for Ditzy to land, and then he walked over to greet her.

"Oh, your that stallion from the market. Sorry about that, by the way." the grey mare said with a red face.

Mac gulped down his fears, and found the courage to reply with full sentences.

"Uh, yeah, it's okay. I'm just here to get the mail."

Ditzy looked at him, puzzled, only before she realized what he meant. "Oh, sorry," she said as she gave him the newspaper.

"It's just usually your grandma gets the paper-"

"I get what?" Granny interrupted as she slowly walked outside.

Mac felt a little uncomfortable.

"Hello, Miss Apple!" Ditzy said cheerfully.

Granny saw Big Mac, then said "Why are you up so early, youngin?".

This was very awkward for Macintosh, so he came up with the old "I woke up too early" lie. Granny was a bit puzzled at first, but then said

"Well, thanks for getting the mail!” in the sweet, clueless and cheerful way she always did.

Ditzy and Mac watched as Granny went back inside, and once she was gone, the mailmare was the first one to speak up.

"Your grandma is nice,” she said simply.

...But Mac was barely listening. What was that in Granny's voice?

Had Mac heard a hint of warmness? or even approval? But he dismissed the thought, and replied to Ditzy with his usual eeyup.

Content to get back to the "not-awkward situation", Mac pointed out the black band with a circle of metal attached to it around Ditzy's hoof.

"What's that?" Mac asked, pointing at the foreign object.

Ditzy looked surprised.

"Oh, it’s a special clock Time Turner made for me," she said with a smile.

Time Turner, Mac thought. Ditzy's only true friend that liked her for her personality, not because she was bullied.

Then the mare’s expression slightly faltered.

"Uh, I have to go. You know, mail to deliver," she explained.

Mac gave an understanding nod.

"Sorry, you can go-but wait! Could we, you know… see each other again?" he stuttered out.

This was a pretty foreign and awkward situation for both ponies, seeing neither of them have had friends meet them or gone on dates. Both ponies’ cheeks were flushed red.

Ditzy managed to sputter out - "Like, in the town? Tomorrow?"

Mac nodded and Ditzy started flying away, then she said

"Ok, I guess," and flew off.

But Macintosh stood in place for a few more second's, throat parched. He watched

the amazing Pegasus pony fly away quickly. As much as he hated to admit it,

Mac had a small grin spreading across his face. I really do love that mare.

If only I had met her sooner.