Big Macintosh took a deep breath stepping in the cabin, it was quite luxurious.
Amongst the few times he took the train he always took third class wagons so he wasn't expecting this.
The cabin was spacious, giving plenty of room to move even for a pony like Big Macintosh, two very comfy looking beds and is that a crystal chandelier? hell, he reckoned even Celestia herself would enjoy this.
Its not that he hated luxury, he just tought he didn't belong to it.
When the time to show his ticket came it felt like he got slapped across the face; he was holding a first class ticket...Applejack...
His stubborn sister must've bought a ticket and swapped them when they were waiting on the platform.
Anyway it was too late now, he was going to have to live a day and a half in luxury.

''Good evening sir, am I disrupting you?''

Big Mac slowly turned to the voice that interrupted his strain of thought.
There stood an attendant with a cart on wheels filled with tasty looking food.
However the attendant seemed surprised to see a farming pony riding first class.

''Eeenope''

Macintosh's short and direct answers confused the pony even more; he looked like he's seen an alien.
Focusing back to his job the attendant pushed a large stainless cart to the red stallion.
Everything that was presented on the cart was expansive, quality food and nothing was missing; imported coffee and chocolate, wines and champagne.
Big Macintosh diverted his attention from the cart to the pony next to it, he was still trying to compute how did a farm pony ended up here.
After finally processing the information the uniformed pony remembered his job and presented his cart to Macintosh.

''Uhmmmm...AHEM!...G-Good evening sir, I will be your attendant for the remainder of your travels...wou-would you like something to eat or drink sir?''

There was a hefty amout of contempt in the attendant's tone but the farmer didn't even pay attention to it.
The farming pony took a second glance at the cart until something cought his attention, there was a basket filled with tastly looking fruits of all sorts all juicy and ripe for eating but one fruit in all of them cought his attention.

''Eeeyup! Ah'll take three apples an' a glass of cider please''

After handing what Big Mac ordered the attendant turned to exit the cabin but was startled by the passenger.

''Ahem! Ah think y'all forgot something sir.''

The small pony's eyes widened upon seeing Big Macintosh's hoof extended towards him with bits in it.
A tip? now that was unusually pleasent, very pleasent indeed, most ponies riding first class were so rich and full of manure (or themselves it dosen't matter) they thought they were above friendliness and generosity; he was absolutely wrong about this pony.
Grinning to his teeth and still staring at his hoof full of bits the crew member clumslily pulled his cart out of the cabin.
Taking another deep breath Big Macintosh took off his yoke and let his back flop onto one of the beds and took a bite out of an apple.
Eeeyup! Sweet Apples Acres's golden harvest apple they were at their best this time of the year.
Now he only had to lay back and enjoy the ride...

''FINE! KEEP YOUR STUPID CABIN THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE DIDN'T WANT IT ANYWAY!''
*SLAM*

Well so much for a peaceful trip.
Whoever this Trixie was she sure had a thing for causing ruckus.
You could hear her hooves from the other end of the hall and the knocking and the clanging of her luggage raised a trail discontented voices as she went.
The door to Big Macintosh's cabin almost slammed open, revealing a unicorn, a really cute one at that.
She wasn't even looking at him.
Big Mac usually didn't let those thoughts wander around, he was a gentlecolt, but it was only natural for a stallion to have perverted thoughts.
He spoke before she could even open her mouth.

''Somethin' ah can help ya with miss...?''

''Finally some competant servant!''

''The Great and Powerful Trixie requires a cabin to the level of her greatness''

She was now walking around the room, moving Big Macintosh's belongings and replacing them with her own.
She acted like she owned the place and that quickly got on Macintosh's nerves but at the same time interested him; he was sure he knew her from somewhere not making him realize he was staring.

Trixie....trixie, TRIXIE of course! how could he forget his sister's screeching about this 'would be' magician, boy his little sibling could be harsh sometimes.

''Are you even listening to Trixie?!''

''Uhmm, ahm not an attendant, nor a servant missy but ah guess ah can share mah cabin with ya.''

Sharing? SHARING!? what was this peasent thinking? the Great and Powerful Trixie does not share! She was going to give that filthy idiot a piece of her mind.

The unicorn finally layed eyes on the stallion who didn't leave his bed.

''THE GREAT AND POWEeerrrful trixie does...not''

Her eyes widened to the sight of the stallion laying in the bed; he was certainly bigger than most ponies she saw and the afternoon light coming through the window shone on his muscular frame.

''Somethin' wrong miss...Trixie was it?

There was something about this stallion that intrigued Trixie; he looked very familiar to her.
Wait a second! Green eyes, freckles, southern accent and an apple cutie mark...Applejack!

''YOU!''

''Me?''

''Yes, YOU! you know Applejack don't you?!''

''Eeeyup, that's mah sister.''

Trixie let rump fall on the unoccupied bed.
This ignorant little hayseed was related to this...this...THIS!
She didn't even know how to react, should she hate him?
Her guts told her so, he was her enemy's brother but at the same time there was just something about that pony.
First of all he was handsome as hell, princess Cadence would have married him if he had asked she was sure of it.
And unlike almost every other pony she encountered in her life, he was kind to her, he didn't scream her out of his cabin or treated her with hostility so far.

Was she blushing? oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh! she had to hide it.
Thank Celestia he was looking out the window
She quickly restored her Great and Powerful self and tried to get what was going on in her mind out of it.

''Ahem! Trixie demands where are you going and how did a haysee- a farmer like you got to travel first class?''

''Volunteered for the Grand Gala Dome construction, heading to Canterlot, staying there for a few weeks.''

Well he was certainly not very talkative, that meant he probably had nothing interesing to talk about or that he had a lot going on in his mind.
WAIT! This could be a trap.
Maybe this hunk was just a bait for her to bite so his rascal of a little sister can use it as leverage...IF they are related that is.
The expressions on her face changed as her thoughts did.
It was then that she officially set her mind on uncovering the mysteries of this stallion.

''Ummm scuse me miss Trixie but i'll need to take a shower.''

''Wait, Showers? what show-oohhhh right this is first class, well go ahead.''

Trixie kept her eyes on the stallion as he got up and went to the bathroom.
She was going to keep her eyes on him.
Then her eyes wandered to his rump.
Oh she'll keep an eye on this INDEED!

--

Luna dragged her hooves through the hall.
Ruling half of a kingdom was a mess she didn't even want to think what must it be to rule an entire one.
With the construction of the dome behind schedule the moon princess had to deal with slimy contractors and crooks.
One of those dirty bast... bore kept eyeing her through the whole meeting and he dared to make rather rude advances, without focusing too much on the details he left with two black eyes and he was trembling like a little foal facing a mad dragon.
Now she understood what Celestia meant when she was talking about stallions.

''Dear FAUST was this what Celestia had to endure all the time?''

One of Luna's guards flew right through the open window next to her, handed her a scroll, nodded and left in a flash.
Luna sighed shortly after the guard left; they had their uses and they were loyal but frankly, they were boring.
This castle needed a bit more color.

''Well, more chores for Luna...Yay!''

She unenthousiastically opened the scroll only to discover it was a list of names.

''Pffffff! What is the point of telling me who is going to work on the construWAIT!''

A name caught Luna's attention as she read, a name she recognized.

''Apple...Macintosh Apple?''

Big Macintosh! Well this was going to be interesting, poor hunk will be a target for mares here, after all Ponyville mares gossip about how he's fit for a godeWAIT!
Luna's mouth slowly turned into a mischevious grin as plan started to form in her mind.
It was finally her time to pull Celestia's legs and embarass her.
She was given control over the Dome and its workers therefore he was her responsibility...
Plus her sister's dreams didn't lie; Celestia was longing for a stallion perhaps even craved for one.

Speaking of dreams, let's see if our poor sister is still having restless ones shall we?

Giggling coyly luna lit her horn an vanished in the air.
The dream world, Luna's true home.
She cherished the night, her first creation, but dreams were her beloved masterpiece.
Flying through the infinite space she looked all around her; she was looking for her sister's dream.
There it was.
Luna approached the golden lighted bubble and touched it with the tip of her horn, causing the bubble to burst and warp the princess into her sister's dream.

A slender figure sitting alone in the dark, sobbing echoed in silence.
A chandelier above, shining a faint light down of her, slowly expanding around the weeping princess.
Shadows of appeared from the darkness, dancing, laughing, loving.
Each had a parnter, a friend, a lover... except for the princess, sadly looking all around.
A strange light suddenly shone before her, at first unrecognizable took the shape of a faceless stallion, a pegasus.
The light approached the lonely mare, wiping her tears and stroking her mane.
They starting dancing as the shadows disappeared around them, their laughs and joyful voices still echoing.
The princess let her lips touch his.
It was cold.
Taken by surprise, the mare took a step back, still staring at her unknown lover.
He turned to stone.
In a desperate attempt for the warmth of another, the princess threw herself at the statue crying her heart out.

Luna left the dream.
Saddened to see her beloved sister in such a state, even if it was just a dream.
Only then she knew the extent of her sister's sorrow.
How long did she think she was the martyr amongst the two when she was the cherished one.
Luna had friends, time for herself and some decent stallions wooing her.
What did Celestia have?
For how long was she alone?

''Poor sister...all this time you...no...no I won't let you suffer like that anymore and I think I know how it shall be done.
Oh my little plan to tease you back will make you happy as well.
Tomorrow, the fun shall be doubled!''

Luna rushed back to her room, magically phasing the scroll she just got plus another blank one and some ink.
She wrote feverishly as she talked to herself.

''Let's see...hmm...AHA! volunteers must be interviewed in presence of the project's overseer meaning ME so all I have to do is to cancel the meeting with the FAUSTDAMNED contractors, I did prove my point already, and focus on bringing the stallion in somehow...I GOT IT!
Macintosh is skilled beyond just building and reparing, meaning that once the construction is completed he could be further required for handling heavy decorations and setting up the stage.
All I need to do is to keep that Apple in castlegrounds long enough so that he and Tia start to approach one another.
I can't just throw the subject at her, she'll find it suspicious; I shall deal with it as it comes.
Tomorrow the subject will arrive and my plan shall be put to action!''

Author's Note

Whew! had difficulties writing that one.
I am not entirely satisfied of this one but I still like it, stayed up till 2 A.M to finish it.
In the next chapter, Big Mac will confront...THE CITY! (tun! tun! TUNNNNNNN!)
Oh if you want to know, Trixie is more of a comic relief in this story.
Please comment and recommend, I like to know what to improve and what to keep.