Fluttershy’s POV
Fluttershy stretched her wings out as she woke up, her mane a little frizzy. A yawn escaped her, and she would have slept in if Angel Bunny hadn’t been the one to wake her up. She got out of bed, and followed an impatient Angel downstairs. Without even thinking about it, her body slipped into its regular morning routine – feed the animals in her home, feed the animals around her home, feed herself (Well, eat breakfast), brush her teeth (which was a struggle, considering she had hooves and no magic but she managed… somehow), brush her mane and tail…
As she finished her breakfast, there was a loud knock at the door. Slowly, Fluttershy looked out her window, and saw that Rainbow Dash was at the door, impatiently shifting her weight from side to side.
“Good morning, Rainbow,” Fluttershy began, letting her friend in, but Rainbow interrupted.
“Guess who’s in town. Guess!” Rainbow was wearing a very wide grin.
“Um…” Fluttershy thought hard. “…The Apple family? Is it time for another reunion?”
Rainbow gave an annoyed sigh. “No, the Wonderbolts! I wouldn’t get all excited and run over here to tell you over the Apple family reunion.”
“Oh.” Fluttershy wasn’t sure of what to say, other than that. “…”
“Yea! They’re having a show tonight, and it’s gonna be here!” Rainbow gave a very fangirly squeal. “And it’s gonna be spectacular! I got my hooves on two tickets, so d’you wanna go with me? It wouldn’t be the same without my oldest friend from Cloudsdale!”
“Well, I’ll check and see if I have any plans tonight…” Fluttershy said.
Rainbow groaned exasperatedly. “Forget whatever plans you have, this is the Wonderbolts! You can just feed your animals before we go!”
“Oh, um… Okay?” Fluttershy hadn’t been to many Wonderbolts performances, and as such wasn’t quite a big of a fan of them as her prismatic friend was.
“Yea!” Rainbow enveloped her in a tight hug. “It’ll be awesome, trust me!” She galloped out, still wearing that eerily wide grin.
Fluttershy waved a farewell to Rainbow’s quickly retreating back. “She does seem rather excited, but then again, it is the Wonderbolts…”
She walked to one window, gazing into the sky. One cloud lazily floated by. Something inside – an instinct that her mother had drilled into her, hoping that her daughter would be a splendid housemare – told her that it would be a good day to bake something… something that involved apples. Maybe an apple pie?
The yellow Pegasus checked her pantry. She had every ingredient for a fragrant apple pie, except for… Oh dear, I’m out of apples… again. I’ll just have to go and get some more from Applejack today.
Big Mac’s POV
Thump.
The red stallion bucked another tree, the apples falling neatly into the baskets. Normally, his mind was on his work, but today, it was on a mare – which was a rare occurrence.
Fluttershy, to be exact.
Thump.
How did that mare manage to be so, well, cute? She was exactly his type – shy, sweet, caring, kind, beautiful… She was like an angel, living on the edge of the Everfree forest and taking care of countless animals.
Thump.
And yet… Big Mac knew that most mares in Ponyville had some kind of a crush on him, whether it was full-on lust or sigh and watch from afar. All he had to do was walk down the street, a cart of apples following him obediently, and giggles would erupt from many mares present.
Thump.
But did Fluttershy?
Thump.
He bucked another tree, but no apples fell. Applejack trotted over, giving him a quizzical look. “Big Mac, yeh’ve been buckin’ the same tree for… fifteen minutes, Ah’d say? Anything wrong?”
Big Mac glanced behind him. The tree in question looked like it could be used for firewood, ready to collapse any moment. He could see his hoofprints clearly imprinted on it. “Eenope.”
“Is that a No, nothing’s wrong, or a No, something’s wrong?”
“Eenope, nothing’s wrong.”
“Better get back to bucking, then – those apples ain’t gonna buck themselves.” Applejack walked away to another tree, and bucked it.
Thump.
Thump.
Big Mac did the same, apples falling from a different tree into the baskets.
The Apple siblings (except for Apple Bloom) bucked for hours, apples falling from the trees like a yellow/green/red storm. Why was it that Fluttershy was the mare who’d caught his attention? There were prettier mares around – Rarity, for example – but those other mares just didn’t have the same caring soul like Fluttershy’s, or that sweet laugh like Fluttershy’s.
Thump.
“Big Macintosh?”
He knew that voice, and turned to face its owner – a dark magenta mare with a two-tone light pink mane. “Yes, Miss Cheerilee?”
“Would you like to go to Sugarcube Corner with me for lunch?” Cheerilee asked. “I’d like to discuss something with you.”
Big Mac fixed his green gaze on her. “An’ it’s something we can’t discuss here?”
“Well, yes.” Cheerilee shot a glance towards Applejack, who was watching the scene with one eyebrow raised.
“Eenope.” He walked to another tree, and bucked it, hard. It cracked a little, but he paid no mind. While she was pretty,Miss Cheerilee ain’t got anything on Miss Fluttershy.
Thump.
“Why not?” She followed him.
“Eenope.”
“Big Mac…”Applejack warned.
He glared at his sister. “What, Ah can’t choose for mahself who Ah can and can’t go on a date with?”
Applejack and Cheerilee were silent, but it was quickly broken when Cheerilee stamped a hoof. “Am I not good enough for you?” She glared at him in an attempt to intimidate him, but it flopped.
Uh oh. Either agree and insult her – which Ah’ve been taught never to insult a lady – or disagree and go on the date. And Ah’m not going on a date with any mare unless it’s Miss Fluttershy.
“Eenope.”
Cheerilee strengthened her glare, but it did nothing to him. “There’s somepony else, isn’t there?”
“Whoa, Nelly.” Applejack stepped in between them. “If Big Mac doesn’t want to go on a date, ya can’t make him. This is Equestria. Equestria’s a free country.”
“No, but I can certainly ruin his reputation!” Cheerilee’s glare was replaced with a sinister grin; while she wasn’t one for blackmail, it would be worth it on the date.
“And who are they gonna believe – two honest workhorses or a schoolteacher?” Applejack challenged. At first, she’d been on Cheerilee’s side – but her threat had changed that. Anger glowed in her green eyes. “Git on outta here, Cheerilee. Ah didn’t think such a sweet soul like you was one for blackmail, but Ah guess ya can’t judge a book by its cover.”
The teacher gasped, offended, then turned away in a huff and stomped away, her two-tone tail flying behind her.
“Good gravy, Big Mac.” Applejack sighed. “Ah’m real sorry you’ve got mares like her chasin’ you.”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac sighed. If Miss Cheerilee was Miss Fluttershy, I’d have agreed…
“You know you can trust me. If there’s a reason you didn’t want to go on a date with Cheerilee, of all mares…” Her voice trailed off, and he knew that she was basically inviting him to tell her why. And she was right – Big Mac did trust her.
But he said nothing.
“Alrighty then, if that’s how you’d like to play this,” Applejack eyed him suspiciously. “Is there another mare?”
“… Eeyup.” Big Mac didn’t like playing Applejack’s variant of the Twenty Questions game, but it was the only way that Applejack could get a straight answer out of him. He would’ve lied to her if he hadn’t been strictly taught by Granny Smith to never lie.
“Would Ah happen to know her?”
“Eeyup.”
“Can you describe her for me?”
“Eenope.
“Is she…” Applejack took a wild guess. “Beautiful?”
“Eeyup!” This ‘eeyup’ was much more enthusiastic.
“Does she visit her often?”
“…”
“Is she a Pegasus?”
“Ee… Yup…”
Applejack took a random shot and hoped for the best. “Is she a shy, kind, light yellow Pegasus with a cutie mark of three pink butterflies and a long pink mane and tail who goes by the name of Fluttershy?”
“…” Silence greeted her, and she was certain she’d got it. Just one more question…
“Well?” Applejack didn’t like playing the Million Questions game either. “Am Ah right?”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac sighed.
Applejack gave her brother a nuzzle. ‘Don’t be ashamed, Fluttershy’s a right pretty mare, both inside and out. How else could she have caught your eye? Granny Smith’d approve. Better her than, well, somepony like Cheerilee.”
Big Mac nodded in agreement. “Eeyup.”
“We’d best get back to buckin’.” Applejack turned away, and trotted to another tree.
Thump.
“Eeyup.”
Thump.
Fluttershy’s POV
She turned on the path, continuing up the road to Sweet Apple Acres. There were muffled thumps coming from the southern orchard – they were barely able to be heard, but still there – so she flew into the sky to get an aerial view to pinpoint exactly where they were. “Applejack or Big Mac’s probably over here…”
After a small while, she saw them – Big Mac and Applejack, talking together. Cheerilee stomped away in the opposite direction of them, nostrils flaring and ears back.
Not wanting to get in Cheerilee’s way, Fluttershy dove into a tree, and hopped lightly from tree to tree until she could hear Applejack’s voice –
“… back to buckin’.”
Thump.
“Eeyup.”
Thump.
Fluttershy relaxed in a tree, trying to think of what to say to them, until –
Thump.
“Eep!” Fluttershy fell out of the tree, into a basket. Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh who bucked me out was it Big Mac oh I can’t tell oh gosh this is really awkward -
“Ah’ve never heard an apple squeak…” Applejack said, sounding confused. Fluttershy poked her head up, and Applejack chuckled. “Big Mac, Ah didn’t know you were strong enough to buck a Fluttershy out of a tree!”
“… Eeyup…” His trademark eeyup seemed much slower than usual.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I had no idea, was I interrupting something? I can always come back later - ”
“Did you come for apples?” Applejack abruptly asked.
“Oh, um… yea, I did.”
A sly grin spread across the Stetson-clad mare. “Big Mac, why dontcha head on back to the barn with Fluttershy, get her some apples and walk her home?”
“Oh, um, all that’s not really necessary… I mean, he’s probably got chores to do, and hehe,” Fluttershy said nervously, “and I wouldn’t want to inconvenience anypony…”
“No can do, sugarcube.” Applejack’s grin widened. “Go on, Big Mac. Ah’ve got the chores from here.”
Big Mac helped Fluttershy out of the basket. “If you insist, Applejack.” He and Fluttershy set out for the barn.
Behind them, Applejack muttered, “You’re welcome, Big Mac.”
Big Mac’s POV
As he walked alongside her, he felt the need to protect her. She was just so small and fragile and delicate and cute and cuddly and adorable and he’d bet any day that her wings were especially fragile and that her mane would smell like strawberries or something cute like that… wait, what?
“So, how many apples d’you need, Miss Fluttershy?” Big Mac’s voice wasn’t as shaky as he’d thought it would be.
“Oh, about a basket load. It’s not going to inconvenience you, is it?” Fluttershy asked.
“Not at all.” Big Mac surprised even himself. He normally didn’t speak in full sentences… so why was he doing so for this delicate, cute, snuggly-looking mare that he just wanted to snuggle after a long day’s work… Keep your mind off of that. Don’t think about that… too late. His hind legs shifted a bit to try and hide it, and his tail flopped down as well as it could to hide a growing erection. Consarnit, Mac Junior! He mentally scolded his boner.
“If you don’t mind me asking, why did Cheerilee look so mad? While I was coming to see you and Applejack, I passed by her and she looked furious.”
“She asked me on a date, Ah declined. Cheerilee threatened to blackmail me, but AJ sent her on her way.” Just thinking about the bitchy schoolteacher was making Mac Jr. shrink. He sighed.
“Oh.” They walked in silence a little while longer. Big Mac was the one who broke it.
“D’you like to bake?” Mentally, he facehooved. What kind of stallion asked a mare that?
“Oh yes, I bake apple pies and berry pies and lots of breads and…” Her voice trailed off when she saw Big Mac’s smile.
“Ah think your cooking would taste delicious.” Big Mac nuzzled her, an act that surprised even him.
“AHA!” Cheerilee leapt out from who-knows-where, one hoof pointed accusingly at him. “So this is why you turned me down!”
“Oh, hello Cheerilee,” Fluttershy began, but Cheerilee interrupted her.
“This fragile Pegasus is why you turned me down?” Cheerilee laughed. “She’s weak, she can barely fly – just look at her!”
“Cheerilee, please leave us alone.”
“I’ll be back, Mackie. If you ever want a stronger, prettier mare than her, you know where I live. My door’s always unlocked for you.” Cheerilee pranced past, taking care to wave her flank as she did so.
Big Mac sighed. “Ah’m real sorry about her, Miss Fluttershy.”
“It’s okay.”
After a few more minutes of uncomfortable silence while they walked, they finally reached the barn. Big Mac loaded a basket full of apples, pushed it onto his back, and they set out.
However, Fluttershy tripped over an unexpected tree root that had somehow found its way to the road. “Ow!”
“Are you okay?” Big Mac asked, glancing at her leg, which was awkwardly twisted. He swung her up onto his back.
“Oh my…” Fluttershy whispered. “You – you don’t mind carrying me too, do you?”
“Not at all, Miss Fluttershy.” He smiled, and continued walking, but he was much more gentle as he walked now. “You hardly weigh more than a basket of apples.”
She blushed from his compliment. “And I think you’re one of the biggest, strongest stallions I’ve ever met.”
It was Big Mac’s turn to blush, although it wasn’t very visible through his red fur.
Trotting back, Applejack saw them. “How gentlestallionly, Big Mac,” she teased. “Don’t ya worry, Ah’ll take over your chores for today – but you gotta do yours and mine tomorrow, deal?”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac walked on.
Behind them, Applejack grinned. “Didn’t Ah say you’d be grateful, Big Mac?” she said under her breath.
Fluttershy’s POV
Big Mac was extraordinarily strong, this most of Ponyville knew. He often participated in rodeos that came into town when there wasn’t any farmwork to be done.
As he walked, she felt barely any jolts. If there was a turn in the road, it was gentle. If there was a slope, it was gentle. It was like he was trying to be as gentle as possible – much more gentle than if he hadn’t been carrying Fluttershy.
As with many things, it ended all too soon. They arrived at her home, and he helped her off.
“Enjoy your apples, Miss Fluttershy,” Big Mac advised.
“I will, thank you.” She smiled at him. “Have a nice day, Big Mac.”
“You too.” He began to walk away.
“I’ll, um, bring you an apple pie,” she called after him. What made me say that? She wondered. With a shrug, she pushed in the basket, and shut the dor.
That night…
Bang bang bang. “Come on Fluttershy, it’s time to go!” Rainbow called.
Fluttershy trotted out. “Oh, okay.” That afternoon, she had baked three pies – one apple, and two berry.
They flew to the place where the Wonderbolts would perform. Once they were seated, the show began. Fluttershy was barely thinking about ut, her mind on the red stallion who’d been ever so polite and helped her home. Sure, she could’ve flown, but she wasn’t strong enough to fly both herself and a basket of apples to her home. Of course, she’d returned the basket after she’d emptied the apples into her pantry.
There were whoops and cheers all around, jolting Fluttershy out of her thoughts. One of the Wonderbolts – light blue, with a dark blue mane, but that was all she saw of him – was flying straight for her, and she ducked. He managed to pull her up into the air with him and onto his back. She held on for dear life as he did a fancy trick with her on his back amid screams and whoops of approval, then he returned her to her seat beside Rainbow Dash.
“Whoa, Fluttershy!” Rainbow’s jaw was dropped in awe. “I’ve never seen Soarin do that!”
“Hehe…” Fluttershy sank deeper into her seat until she was barely able to be seen.
“Shy, what’s wrong?” Rainbow looked concerned.
“Nothing…” Only got flown up into the air against my will and did a nauseating trick and now I feel like throwing up! But she couldn’t voice that aloud – it wouldn’t be nice.
The prismatic mare pulled her shy friend back up. “Then keep watching! This is awesome!”
As they watched, Rainbow repeatedly cheered the Wonderbolts on, while Fluttershy just curled up in her seat. Why had he chosen her, and not a pony who would’ve loved to be spun around in the air, like Rainbow?
When the show ended, Soarin – he looked like the stallion who’d flown her up into the air – actually trotted up to them. Rainbow looked like she was holding back a very fangirly scream.
“Hey, I’m sorry if I scared you, but I’ve been wanting to do that trick for a while and I thought you’d like it.”
“Oh, no, that’s okay, I’m fine…”
“Well, if you say so. Hey, wanna hang out with us for a while?” Soarin glanced at Rainbow. “Hey, you’re Rainbow Dash! You can come too, if you like.”
“I can’t, I have other plans tonight…” Fluttershy began backing up.
“Who’d pass up a chance to hang out with the Elite Squad of the Wonderbolts?” Rainbow asked. She hooked her foreleg around Fluttershy’s, and beamed at Soarin. “No friend of mine, that’s for sure! Come on!”
“No, really, I have to go…” Fluttershy’s wings spread nervously. Oh, I wish someone would help me… like Big Mac…
“Fine…” Rainbow sighed. “Party pooper.”
Fluttershy’s wings launched her into the air, and she flew back to the safety of her home, where she locked herself in. It’s really late... she thought, glancing at the clock. Almost midnight? I don’t want to stay awake any longer… it’s a good thing I left when I did. Who knows what ‘hanging out’ would have turned into?