It was thirty past two, the train was going to reach its destination in about half an hour and Big Macintosh couldn't wait.
Not only did he had to sit on his rump for a day and a half but he had to cope with a strange unicorn who spent the whole trip staring at him, asking him strange questions and looping back to those same questions ten minutes later.
He thought there was something wrong with the poor mare, aside from her narcissism.

''Sooo you're a farmer huh?''

The crimson farmer inwardly slammed his head against the walls of his mind as hard as he could.

''Eeeyup...umm ya know its the twelfth time y'all are asking me this question right?''

Trixie had to admit, he didn't seem like the dishonest type of pony plus the resemblance with his sister Applejack was quite striking, only he was a billion times better to look at...if you are straight...or a colt cuddler...
Many images came to the blue unicorn's mind as those thoughts occured to her, naughty thoughts.

Come on Trixie! You are the greatest and most powerful unicorn in all of Canterlot, you can't have those kind of thoughts for a simple and powerless earth pony like him, he's a famer a dumb, a dumb...muscular sexy stallion noNONONONO ABORT ABORT ABORT!

Macintosh's right eyebrow rose to the mare's strange look.
Was she just another one of those mare who spent all her time with him looking at him in strange way?
She seemed like one of them: googly eyes, slow and sense lacking responses, she had all the symptoms.
Another one, great, why can't anypony some up and talk to him normaly, that is all he really asked for.
Why can't he have a converstion without anypony's eyes wandering off and drooling on the ground?
How he longed for a mare to talk to just talk to him or even stand up to him: just to have a mare not nodding blindly at everything he said, Faust only know what kind of mare that took.
He wanted a mare that would be more forward and straight with him.

Big Mac concentrated on the scenery that was rushing out behind the window, he forgot how fast the train was going untill now, the conductor must've been in a hurry or something.
After two more unnecessary and overused question by the unicorn, the intercom finally rang out its tune.

''Attention to all passengers, we will arrive in Canterlot in about five minutes, please check your cabins for personal effects and thank you for partonage.''

Oh thank Calestia! destination reached; this was the longest day and a half he ever had to spend EVER.

''Sooo you said you were working for the Grand Gala Dome construction right? what a coincidence!
I recieved a letter two days ago about that effect, The Great and Powerful Trixie is required to make an outstanding show for the Grand Gala! maybe we will see each other in the future right?''

The gala was her chance to impress him, otherwise she'll have to wait to her next tour in Ponyville, which she certainly could wait forever for.

''So I guess I'll see you in the castlegrounds right?...right?''

Trixie turned around only to find the cabin empty of its original occupant gone.

''Oh so that is how it is right? RUN ALL YOU LIKE TRIXIE WILL GET YOU!''

--

Big Macintosh felt awful running away on a mare like that, his mind yelled at him to go back and apologize but his guts told him to run as far away as possible from that unicorn.
He was out of the station and he was already feeling like it was another world.
What was a crowd of ponies to him was now multiplied exponentially, he was almost lost in a sea of rude ponies.
Not only most of them would bump into him without excusing themselves but a lot of them would aggressively reply to him, where have they been raised?

Look on the bright side Macintosh, it could be wor-

*BUMP*

Macintosh slammed full force into a random mare.

''Hey! why don't you Watch where you are-''

''Sorry miss! ah ain't exactly from-''

''My oh MY! Where are you from handsome?!''

Nnnope, nnnope NNNOPE! not another one...

''Umm well, ahm from Ponyville and ah ain't never been to Canterlot...do you think you could tell me how to get to the cas-''

The mare he bumped into was dangerously close to his face, smiling coyly to his rahter innocent answer.

''What a specimen you are! Ponyville huh? I bet ladies nerver leave you alone.''

As much as he didn't like the overly seductive tone of her voice, he couldn't deny that what she said said was mostly true.
He's been hit on by Cheerilee, secretly by Rainbow Dash, awkwardly by Derpy Hooves, and a LOT by Rarity, he knew her origins could be traced back to the city but dear Faust could she be unladylike when she really wanted to, Big Macintosh was one of the few who saw what city mares could be like but did he pay attention?
No he didn't, now he had to find a way out of this before it went out of hand.

''Dear Celestia, Sue, who is your new friend?''

Oh no...

''Look ahm just trying to get to the castle, can'tcha help me?''

''I don't know yet but I think I want to find out, don't you big boy?''

The poor farmer hummed and hissed, praying for anything to get him out of this situation.
And just like that, Big Macintosh heard that familiar voice from a couples minutes ago.

''There you are! You thought you could escape me, The Great and Powerful Trixie?''

Macintosh froze in fear.
The blue unicorn zoomed next to the poor farmer as fast as Rainbow Dash could fly and she was close to him, very close.

''Trixie has some business to attend to with this particular stallion, go bother someone else!''

''And who are YOU?!''

The expression on Trixie's face turned to pure anger.

''How DARE you not know who the Grea-''

''Are you his marefriend?''

''No and I-''

''Then MY business with this stallion can continue, you are not a colt cuddler are you big boy?''

Big Macintosh's eye twitched when he heared the words 'colt cuddler', he didn't have anything against it but he sure as hell wasn't one and one of the only thing that got his blood boiling was when his sister, or any mare for the matter, questioned him about his...orientation.

''No ahm not and before y'all ask me I ain't interested in any of y'all.''

The mare named Sue and her friend looked at each other before coming too close to him for his liking, that caused Trixie to step forth and face them.

''He just said he wasn't interested in you.''

''He also said he wasn't interested in YOU either.''

''We'll see about that.''

''Indeed we will.''

The three mares turned to where the stallion was, only to find out that he wasn't there anymore.
Trixie shook her hoof at the crowd.

''Next time stallion, NEXT TIME, Trixie will uncover your secrets!''

Leaving a mare hanging was bad enough for a gentlecolt, what would his father be thinking, seeing him running away from three mares like that.
Maybe he did deserve being rumored as gay...
Well no time to ponder on his misfortune with the ladies, the castle was waiting for him.

His arrival to Canterlot was not the most comfortable but the city was certainly one hell of a change in scenery.
Applejack was clearly exaggerating when she was talking about the capital but there was this strange feeling and he couldn't shake it off.
He felt like being watched constantly, effectively, when he looked around him he noticed somepony taking a quick glance at him.
It didn't matter where he went, somepony was staring or glaring at him.
A strong sense of discomfort hung over Macintosh as he noticed he was being followed by a bunch of mares and a few stallions.
The fact that he couldn't direct himself wasn't helping either, it was embarrassing for him to not be able to find the castle, according to Twilight Sparkle you can't really miss it, and he did.
Big Macintosh finally made his way to the main square.

Thank Faust he found a way point at least, now remember Mac, remember Twilight's instructions, there was the station, then that old wooden shop, yeah, after that there was the main square.
Eeeyup thankfully he almost reached the castle.
Now all he had to do was to-

*Ffwewwww*

Was that whistling?

''Look at what we got here gals!''

Oh Celestia please no...

Macintosh stopped and slowly turned his head to his right even though his mind screamed at him to run.
Up on the balcony of a restaurent was two mares and a stallion, they probably all had the same age as Applejack and her friends.
To his great discomfort, all three of them were eyeing him like fillies in a candy store and the one he really was not interested in was the one who was way to much into it.

''Look at that flank ladies! Hey handsome, do you work out?''

The young stallion's words froze him with discomfort on the spot.
He's been hit on by other guys before, awkwardly by Caramel too and he had his suspicion on the Flim & Flam brothers and that Blue-something but that had to be the worst.
The lack of response from the farmer fuled the cat caller even more.

''A shy one huh? You know what they say about the shy ones...''

''Oh come on, leave him alone silly, you're too forward!''

''Yeah! Give him a couple drinks and I'm pretty sure he'll loosen up.''

''I'm pretty sure he'll be loosening YOU up!''

The last comment made by one of the fillies left Big Macintosh embarrassed beyond bounds.
While his red fur could hide his enormous blush, his wandering eyes and blurting of incomprehensible half-words were a dead give away.

''Umm...Ah-ah gotta be somewhere else...scuse me...''

''Hey wait a second!''

Ah know you hate this Big Mac but don't turn around; ya know they'll keep making it worse for y'all.

*BUMP*

Again, something or someone just smashed into him.

Keep going Mac, you'll hate yourself later now y'all have to get to the castle, fast.

''Macintosh Apple?''

The Crimson farmer gulped at the sound of the voice.
It was not a mare's voice nor a regular stallion's one.
While not as deep and low toned as his it had a lot of authority in it.
He slowly turned only to find himself face to face with a group of royal guards.

''E-Eeeyup?''

''Your appointment with the Princess is past due fifteen minutes, we were asked to seek and fetch you, please follow us.''

''O-Okay.''

The hulking stallion complied and tailed the marching guards not noticing the silence that suddenly hung around the main square.
Not even a second after everypony in the square saw Macintosh dissapear in the horizon, a silent uproar of gossip and whispers thundered through the streets.
The three cat-callers started gossiping out loud, making rumors like fillies making up stories.

''Did you see that? He must have real pull around here to get that sort of attention.''

''Have you taken a good look at him? Its obvious what kind of 'pull' he must have around the Princesses.''

The wild fire of rumors kept spreading through the city as the farmer nervously paraded in the streets.

--

Celestia sighed in relief.
A cup of tea a day keeps the sorrows away...temporarily at least, she constantly had this recurring dream and had the feeling something something was missing or off.
The sun princess looked calmly around the room while her sister trotted in circles in impatience.
Celestia didn't speak much to her sister lately, in fact, they both have been eerily silent with each other so she decided to break the ice.

''Is something bothering you Luna?''

Luna jumped a bit at her elder sister's sudden interrogation.
Her plan just came to be and it was already going wrong.

Curses! He was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago!

''AHH! OH! uhh sorry Tia, you startled me there...I uhh...I am waiting for someone.''

Celestia's brow raised to the response.
A little glimmer in her eyes paired with her signature smile left the lunar princess concerned.

''Another wooer?''

Luna's blush made Celestia giggle a bit, she had seen how Luna could act around stallion sometimes and she knew her sister would blurt an excuse in about three, two, one...

''N-no! a worker is late for an appointment and now I have to interview him during dinner.''

''Well, this should prove to be interesting, I always wanted to see how you interacted with normal ponies.''

''Huh?''

''I am just curious on how you are going to deal with the common folk after this little...incident''

''THOSE CROOKS DESERVED IT AND YOU KNOW IT!''

Luna's screaming was interrupted by the sound of the door opening.
A small group of lunar guards entered the room in line, halfway through they splitted the line in two revealing a stallion who appreared to be lost out of his mind before quietly leaving.
Celestia felt a little strange looking at him, he looked very familiar.

''Ah! There you are.''

''Ah-ahm mighty sorry for bein' late like that, ah ran into some trouble on mah way here.''

''Don't bother making excuses up, it is quite frequent to be late in Canterlot, even the city's elite is awfully late almost everyday.''

''Still, y'all are the Princesses, ah should've not kept y'all waiting like that, sorry.''

''No need, please take a seat and let's begin shall we mister Apple?''

''Eeeyup an' please call me Macintosh''

Celestia ears perked up after hearing the pony's name.

Apple...of course! Applejack's elder brother she knew he looked oddly familiar.
Plus the Apples are such a large family they were pretty much all over the map.

She couldn't get her attention away from him; he was an impressive sight.
He was as tall as her sister and that was something for an earth pony.
Plus his large and muscular frame was really hard to miss, her royal guards and her sister's seemed like wet noodles compared to him and he looked like he could handle their captain Shining Armor in hoof-to-hoof combat.

''And you possess multiple skills like carpenting, gardening, masonry, construction in various buildings-wow..the list just goes on,
You are a skilled pony aren't you?''

''Eeeyup''

The sun princess's attantion was now focused on the stallion rather than on her sister; Celestia sparked her magic and levitated the scroll closer to her.
Sipping her tea, she carefully read the whole content.
The lenghty list left the two princesses quite impressed.

''You do all of that?''

Mac's eyes slowly shifted from Luna to Celestia, she had a slight look of doubt in her eyes and she didn't expect Macintosh to pick up on that.
Silence broke into the room, making Luna both excited and nervous about how her sister and the bait were staring at each other.
She wasn't as good as her elder sister when it came to 'read' other ponies but she could tell it was not starting on the right foot; the two ponies she tried to match were looking at each other...and not in the way she wanted.
She could at least tell from their gazes that it wasn't love at first sight like she hoped, well she still had time.

'''Eeeyup!''

''As strong and healthy as you look, all this work seems to be a little too much for one pony...''

Again, the look on Macintosh's face made it clear to both sisters that he understood what they both implied.

''NNnope! when y'all are the only stallion on the farm, y'all are the one doin' most of the work.''

''But isn't that a bit much for one-''

''Nnnope!"

Normally, both princesses would have taken his answer as an insult but there was just something about him that intrigued Celestia.

Wait a second...

With Twilight's letters and other records they had they both knew he was not lying, they had reliable proof and his looks confirmed his abilities.

''He is right Luna, we've got Twilight's letters and her friends's 'testimonies' on his competence''

''Huhhh s'cuse me princess but...why would y'all have all that info on me?''

Celestia was about to speak up when she was interrupted by her sibling.
She shifted through the rest of the documents while her sister talked.
She definitely had something for that stallion.

''Well we had to be sure, you see, we've had a little ''problem'' with the employers and now many unqualified workers are on the field, we have to make sure you are not a liability or employed by one of the people we've had a problem with.''

''Nnnope.''

''Well, okay, I don't see any reason we shouldn't hire you, French Polish here will you show you to your quarters.''

Celestia and Big Macintosh's heads turned to Luna in complete sync, blurting out the same word at the same time.

''Q-Quarters?!''

''Well with the upcoming Gala and the construction of the dome the city's hotels are booked and we can't ask you to take a day and a half trip every day now can't we.''

''Ah know people in the city, ah can ask-''

''You will rest here at the castle, it would be unreasonable not to give you shelter''

''But Luna-''

''No buts from you Tia, you gave ME control over this situation and YOU are staying at the castle, royal orders!
French Polish here will show you to your quarters, you will start tomorrow as the master coordinator, I hope you are okay with ordering ponies around.''

The dining room was suddenly silent again only the sound of the french maid's hooves approaching Macintosh was present.
She greeted the farmer with a friendly smile and a thick French accent.

''Bonjour monsieur Maquinetoche was it?''

''Oh uhh Howdy!''

''Ha ha ha! Your accent iz awful mignon, you are from the souths oui?''

''Eeeyup, ponyville''

''Ohhh you know Rarity non? she iz a bonne amie!''

The princesses looked at the maid leading the stallion out of the room.

''That French Maid loves to make friends dosen't she?''

''Luna, we need to talk''

''About what Tia?''

''What just happened, now I know I just gave you power over the Dome and the events surrounding it but I can still revoke that power, now I won't say you are doing a terrible job, on the contrary you are doing great so far but it seems you have an...ulterior motive''

Luna panicked, did Celestia discover her secret motives?
She had to come up with something fast!

''You like him don't you?''

The princess of the night froze.
That was the second time her plan backfired on her, first the indifference of her sister towards the bait and now her older sibling thought SHE had a crush on HIM.

''WHAT?! NO! I don't have a crush on him you're supp-uhhhh...''

''I am what?''

''Nothing Tia, it is just my nerves talking I uhhh guess power got over my head a bit''

Celestia raised an eyebrow, power was something Luna had a little trouble dealing with, she didn't want to talk about what happened between them a thousand years ago.
However she couldn't stop thinking that there was something odd with Luna.

''All right Luna, I will give you the benefit of the doubt this time but I have something else on my mind, this stallion, you invited him for the month in the castle grounds, I hope you understand the consequences of having a commoner living with the elite Under YOUR invitation''

Luna's face went redder than the farmer's coat, now everypony would think he is her lover or something.

''Sweet Faust the media is going to be all over it now''

''Well, be a little more subtle about inviting a wooer next time''

Celestia smiled at the sight of her sister's reaction.

''I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH HIM!''

To Luna's dissapointment, Celestia already left the room but she kept on swearing revenge on her sister.

''Tomorrow Tia, I swear tomorrow you will fall in love with him or I will never raise the moon again, EVER!''

Author's Note

Heyyop! new chapter out, sorry for the delay, had a bit of a blank on what to write next.

Will Luna's plan succeed? It Macintosh actually capable of loving without a potion? Is French Polish really French?
Do I even know what I am doing?
Next time on the Royal Gala Apple...something will happen!