Hindsight

Chapters

Chapter one: Eavesdropping a Bombshell
Chapter two: Thoughtful Stroll
Chapter three: Hindsight
Chapter four: Laid Bare
Chapter five: From Bitter to Sweet

Chapter one: Eavesdropping a Bombshell

Ting!

Cheerilee tapped the bell on the front counter of Sugarcube Corner for a third time, craning her neck to try and see into the back room for some sign of activity. She could hear Pinkie Pie chattering away somewhere back there, but she didn’t seem to be hearing the bell.

“Hello?” Cheerilee called towards the back room.

A bit of commotion on the order of a pot falling to the floor and a shout from Mr. Cake signalled that they had probably taken note of their waiting customer. A second later, the swinging doors to the kitchen blasted open as Pinkie herself came bounding out to the front room with a bit of flour in her mane and a stained apron hanging from her neck but not attached around her barrel.

“Hiya, Cheerilee! Sorry about that; I didn’t hear you out here.” Pinkie punctuated her sentence with a giggle as she crossed to the counter.

“It’s fine, Pinkie. I understand things can be busy.”

“I know, I know! Things have been crazy without Mrs. Cake here to help. Me and Mr. Cake have been chasing our tails all day!”

“Oh really? Where is she today?” asked Cheerilee.

“She had to take the twins to the doctor to get their shots. She shoulda been back two hours ago!”

“I’m sure they’re just stuck in the waiting room,” Cheerilee offered. Her smile faltering slightly as she took a closer look at Pinkie. There were noticeable lines around her eyes, and her mane was a bit more frazzled than usual.

“Yeah, I hope so. You’re here for that big cupcake order, right?”

“Yes I am. Is it all ready to go?”

“Yep-aroonie! I’ll go and get that for you.” Pinkie turned face and raced back into the kitchen.

With Pinkie gone, Cheerilee took a moment to inspect the case of sweets that made up the main counter. Several cakes for sale by the slice were present, one labeled “Luscious Lemon Layers” and another that caught her eye called “Chocolate Overload”. A rack of chocolate chip cookies filled the shelf above the cakes, and they looked to still be warm from the oven.

Feeling her sweet tooth beginning to awaken, Cheerilee tore her gaze from the racks of treats. She didn’t need any of those sweets, no matter how delicious and enticing they may have looked. Instead, she chose to search for something else to distract her from her hunger.

The first thing she noticed was the return of Pinkie’s chatter coming from the back room. She turned her head and cocked an ear towards the doorway, trying to focus on what was being said.

“...the boulder took forever to push back up that hill! I almost pulled a muscle in my back from that. Can you believe it?” said Pinkie.

Was it wrong to eavesdrop on them? After all, she might wind up hearing about something she really didn't want or need to know.

A well-timed growl from her stomach told Cheerilee to keep listening to forget about that tantalizing chocolate cake with the chocolate mousse layers and chocolate shavings sprinkled on top…

No, no, no! Focus on the eavesdropping!

“...got the boulder up the hill, we were all reeeaaally really tired, so we all went in the house and rested for a while.”

“So I take it that you all got along well after that?” asked Mr. Cake.

“Things went super-duper after that! Ma and Pa really started hitting it off with Granny Smith, and I think my sister Marble Pie finally found herself a stallion!”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, she and Big Mac kept looking at each other and hanging out a lot after that...”

Wait a second…

Big Macintosh was getting a crush on Pinkie Pie’s sister?

“...while Maud was singing her Hearth’s Warming carols, I noticed two certain someponies leaning up against each other! It was sooooo cute!”

So, Big Mac had a special somepony now?

Hoofsteps approached the doorway, and a moment later, Pinkie emerged through the swinging doors, though this time much more carefully due to the large, flat box perched on her back. Cheerilee put on a smile and tried to give the air that she hadn’t been listening in.

“So, did everypony get good grades on their tests?”

“Wait, how did you know about that?”

“Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo came in here two weeks ago and told me about how you promised you’d buy everypony cupcakes on the first day of school if the class test scores averaged out to a B.”

No wonder. Pinkie always remembered little details like that. “Yes, they did it. The class averaged to eighty-four percent,” Cheerilee answered.

“Maybe you should do that more often! Everypony works harder when there’s cupcakes involved!” Pinkie gave her trademark chirp of laughter to end the sentence, though it seemed a little less enthusiastic than usual. Probably from how hard she’d been working.

“Maybe so,” Cheerilee agreed, giving a chuckle of her own. “How much do I owe you, Pinkie?”

“For the cupcakes, that’ll be thirty-two bits. Since you’re a totally awesome teacher and even better friend, I can knock it to thirty flat.”

“Oh, Pinkie, you don’t have to.”

“Nope, you’re getting this deal based on article fifteen, section three of the Pinkie Pie Friendship Plan.” Pinkie produced a ridiculously thick book from somewhere behind the counter, flipping it open and turning to a certain page with astonishing speed and precision. She tapped a hoof to the page and began to read aloud, or rather recite since she wasn’t even looking at the book. “It specifically states that any pony who is deemed eligible of the titles of both an awesome teacher and awesome friend is entitled to a discount of six-point-two-five percent on any bulk orders from Sugarcube Corner. This discount does not apply to orders that include white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.” Pinkie promptly closed the book and replaced it down below the counter, leaving Cheerilee with her brow furrowed and her ears laid back on her head.

“Uh…” Cheerilee started, her tone thick with confusion.

Pinkie didn’t even allow a second for awkward silence to develop. “So, thirty bits for the cupcakes. Can I get you anything else?”

Cheerilee stared at the pink mare for a few moments, her mouth hanging just slightly open as she tried to process what exactly had just happened. Her thoughts finally began to gather themselves together again, and she managed an answer.

“And a slice of Chocolate Overload cake, wrapped up to go.”

Cheerilee sighed as she walked through the front doorway and into her foyer, kicking the door closed with a hind hoof while carefully maintaining control over the box perched on her back. She immediately took a left into the kitchen, where she slid the box on her back onto the closest available countertop space with practiced ease. The paper plate and foil that housed her slice of Chocolate Overload cake was perched on top of the box, which she immediately took and placed in the refrigerator, making sure to partially hide it with some of the fruits and vegetables already in the shelf. Satisfied that she wouldn’t come running to that piece of cake anytime soon, she flipped the door closed and exited the kitchen, kicking off her snow boots and draping her scarf on a hook on the wall before she climbed the stairs.

She and dropped her saddlebags near the door to her room. She looked at the stack of assignments that stood proudly on her desk, all squared away and ready to go for class tomorrow. The clock on the wall above the desk read seven o’clock.

For the first time in a week, Cheerilee could safely say that she had nothing to do. The long-unfinished book on her nightstand seemed to call her name, beckoning her to curl up and read more about the adventures of the shipwrecked family of ponies. She could hardly wait to get started, and she plopped on the bed with a content smile on her face.

Before she picked up the book, Cheerilee decided to run through her mental checklist one last time. The students’ assignments for tomorrow were ready to go, she had gotten the broken magilight in the den replaced, the bathroom had been cleaned yesterday, and she had gotten the cupcakes for the students’ party tomorrow.

With that last thought, Pinkie Pie’s voice played through her head. “While Maud was singing her Hearth’s Warming carols, I noticed two certain someponies leaning up against each other. It was sooooo cute!”

“So, Big Macintosh found himself a very special somepony,” Cheerilee muttered, leaning her head back into her pillow and staring up at the ceiling. It was amazing how fast things moved. Just a little under a year before, she had almost wound up married to Big Mac because of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

I wonder what this Marble Pie looks like, anyway. Come to think of it, Cheerilee hadn’t ever seen a picture of this mare. Was Marble Pie one of those mares that was just beautiful by nature? Was she headstrong? Timid? Cute?

Judging by the way Pinkie is, I’m going to guess headstrong and cute. Big Mac always was sort of a shy stallion, so it made sense that the mare he was going for would be of the stronger, more independent type. Opposites attract, after all.

But what did this mare look like? What were her special talents? Was she nice? How about her—

Cheerilee blinked, suddenly realizing where her thoughts were going. Why did it matter so much to her what Big Macintosh’s girl was like? They were just friends, so she should be happy for the fact that he was getting out there and finding himself somepony special.

I bet she’s not so great. Cheerilee’s eyes widened after that last sentence crossed her mind.

Was she… jealous?

No, no. Cheerilee decided that she wasn’t even going to go down that path. She picked up her book and flipped it open to the marked page.

Chapter Seven. The storm raged through the night, lashing the island with its howling winds and boiling surf. It almost seemed that the shelter wouldn’t hold up under the storm’s assault.

Though the shelter seemed rickety, it held. The storm began to wane, and by sunrise, it had largely subsided. The rain was still coming down in sheets, but the winds had died down to below a gale. The waters of the ocean around them were much less turbulent, and it seemed as though the danger had passed.

And Big Macintosh was falling for another mare.

Cheerilee shook her head, rereading the last line. She had started thinking about Big Mac again. Resolving not to think of the new couple anymore, Cheerilee dove back into the story.

But the knot she felt deep inside her chest would not go away. It was a feeling all too familiar, one that worried Cheerilee deeply.

Author's Note

Eavesdropping is a dangerous game. You might gain valuable insight into something, or you might just learn something you would have been better off not knowing.

Can you guess which one it is for Cheerilee?

Next chapter posts tomorrow! Be on the lookout!

Revised 12/12/15

Chapter two: Thoughtful Stroll

“What do we have, an hour left?” Cheerilee craned her neck to look at the clock. “Right then, instead of the science lecture, I have a surprise for you!” Cheerilee couldn’t help but be amused at the way the faces of eighteen foals all simultaneously lit up.

“I knew it! We all got A’s!” said Sweetie Belle. The low din of anticipation grew in time with her comment.

Cheerilee went behind her desk and uncovered the box from Sugarcube Corner. To be truthful, she had been looking forward to the cupcake party just as much as the children, but she was happy to see their excitement at getting the treats, knowing that they had worked so hard for them. She lifted the box to her desk with her front hooves.

“Now I know the agreement was that if the class averaged out to eighty-five percent, I would buy cupcakes for you on the first day back. You actually averaged eighty-four percent.” A few disappointed sighs came from the class. “But I figured, ‘why not?’ You all worked so hard, so I put a two-point curve on the grade that pulled that average up to an eighty-five. So, as promised, here are your cupcakes! Everypony line up single fil—”

The sudden rush of students bursting from their desks was enough to end her speech early. Despite the fact that they all rushed from their seats, they still formed a semi-orderly line. One by one, they took their cupcakes back to their desks, and the line shrank with them. Finally, the last foal went through the line, leaving behind two extra cupcakes.

Cheerilee watched the children begin to socialize amongst themselves, the different friend groups forming up in different corners of the room. Twist, Featherweight, Pipsqueak, and Truffle Shuffle were near the front of the class, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Diamond Tiara were along the far wall. The fact that Diamond was no longer antagonizing the trio was going to take some getting used to. Still, it was what it was, and it seemed that Diamond was getting along with Apple Bloom the best out of the three.

I wonder what Apple Bloom knows about Marble Pie.

Cheerilee blinked in surprise and scrunched her muzzle at her own thoughts. Why in Equestria would seeing Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara being friends trigger that whole chain of thinking?

But what if she did know something more about it?

Cheerilee shook her head, blinking hard in an effort to get the thought out of her head. She and Big Macintosh were just friends, and the fact that he had found somepony for himself was a good thing. There was no use being jealous over this. Nothing good ever came from a love triangle.

No matter how hard she mentally scolded herself, the pang in her chest wouldn’t go away.

“Miss Cheerilee?”

The voice of Piña Colada snapped Cheerilee out of her rapidly snowballing train of thought.

“Yes, Piña?”

“Is there anything to drink?”

“Oh, yes. Of course.” Cheerilee stood up to address the class at large. “Would anypony like some milk?”

The party ended with the final bell, and the students all said their thanks as they frantically put on their winter gear and left for the day in their usual stampede. The room was empty, save for Cheerilee, and she too was preparing to leave.

Truth was, she needed to leave. The classroom was beginning to feel like a prison cell that she couldn't wait to spring free from, and a nice, long walk around town sounded like the best medicine. Ever since the thoughts of Big Macintosh suddenly invaded her mind, she’d been moving with nervous speed, and the mere thought of talking to anypony seemed like a monumental proposal. She thanked the Sun above that the students hadn’t taken notice of her state, lest she have a panic attack in the middle of class.

She didn’t even bother grabbing her bags, instead just throwing on her scarf and locking the door behind herself; she could come by later to pick up her stuff. For now, she just needed to get away and get Big Macintosh off of her mind. After she locked the classroom up behind herself, she took off down the dirt path in front of the school, her hooves crunching in the little bit of residual ice left in the wake of the previous week’s snowstorm. A left turn would take her back towards town, and a right would take her to Sweet Appl—

No, not even thinking like that. She turned left, starting down the hill that separated the town proper from the schoolhouse. Ponyville was covered in a sheet of snowfall, though it was starting to become more sparse than it had been the day before. The weather team had another snowfall scheduled for that evening, and another cold front would probably be required to keep things chilled for the ongoing winter season.

Only two more months until Winter Wrap Up. You can make it, Cheerilee. She crossed the small bridge over one of the town’s creeks, taking care not to slip on the ice on the bridge. Cheerilee picked up a steady lope after she crossed the bridge and took a moment to admire the town’s scenery. Ponies were out and about today, enjoying the very minor relief of the slightly less chilly day to go out and run errands. A few buildings were still decorated from the holiday season, and coupled with the snow on the roofs made them look reminiscent of gingerbread houses at Hearth’s Warming.

Big Macintosh and Marble Pie probably enjoyed themselves at Hearth’s Warming.

Cheerilee made a mental note of how easily her thoughts were provoked today; it was taking nearly anything even marginally related to the… news to kick loose her brooding.

But what was it that was making her so jealous in the first place? She’d never really felt this way about Big Macintosh before now, so what was different? Was she seriously getting possessive over him just because he’d found another mare?

That made it sound as if they’d been an item before. Aside from nearly getting married while under the influence of love poison, there was never any relationship between them. They’d just stayed friends since that nearly fateful day, plain and simple. So why here? Why now?

Now that she thought of it, what exactly happened on Hearts and Hooves Day? Could it be a subconscious jealousy implanted because of something she and Big Macintosh had done under the influence of the love poison? Did Sweetie Belle casually omit something in her explanation when she and Big Mac were cured of the potion’s effects?

A small shiver ran down Cheerilee’s spine as she ran a few possible scenarios through her head. It didn’t last long, though, because she probably would have found out about anything like that long ago. She sighed in relief at having ruled that possibility out; She definitely didn’t need something like that hanging over her head.

Funny thing about that love potion. It really doesn’t have anything to do with love at all, Cheerilee thought. It basically forced two ponies to be madly in love with each other regardless of how they might have felt before they drank it. It was powerful enough to turn mortal enemies into lovers. It was actually a little frightening to know that three school-age fillies could create something with that kind of power.

Cheerilee’s hoof caught a crack, tripping her up just enough to jar her from her musing. She looked around and realized that she was out in front of the former site of the Golden Oaks Library, which was now just a patch of bare earth after Twilight’s friends dug up the remaining stump to use as a decoration for the new castle.

I wouldn’t hang a massive tree root from my ceiling even if I had the space to do it. She hadn’t really thought about it before, but tree roots hanging from the roof seemed that they would have an almost creepy look. She could understand the sentimental value that the tree would have held, but that still wouldn’t have swayed her personal tastes in decor. To each their own, she supposed.

Cheerilee walked on, not really picking a direction so much as just continuing in the same direction she was already pointed.

Could I even see myself with Big Macintosh? Would we even work as a couple? Cheerilee formed a mental image of Big Macintosh, making sure to give him a warm smile like he always had around her. He was a very handsome stallion, to say the least. Broad shoulders, thick and rippling muscles from working the fields, green eyes so deep and thoughtful that she could just lose herself in them...

Where did that come from? Cheerilee blinked, letting herself forget Big Mac’s physical appearance. Instead, she tried to focus on his personality. He was always kind, helpful, an excellent listener, and…

He’s probably here.

Cheerilee's train of thought derailed yet again as she rounded a corner, this time ending up in the Ponyville marketplace. It was a much less active place than it was during the growing season, but there were still a number of goods for sale. Some of the growers still had some stock left to sell, and craftsponies were unhindered by the onset of the winter.

The Apple family was one of those vendors still with some stock. A number of preserves, were set on top of the family’s counter, including one rare leftover jar of Zap Apple Jam that hadn’t sold in the usual rush to buy them right after harvest.

And behind that counter was none other than the object of her thoughts; the Apple of her mind’s eye himself, Big Macintosh.

Cheerilee froze, her eyes fixed on him. He was currently busy with a customer, so he didn’t notice her staring at him like he was Death himself coming to reap her soul.

What do I do? Should I go talk to him? What will he say? Her legs suddenly felt weak, as if her knees could go out at any second. A swarm of butterflies formed in her stomach, though they felt intense enough that it could have been called a swarm of parasprites. She was starting to become aware that she was staring at him, and it was only a matter of seconds before he noticed her and her ship was sunk.

Buck up, Cheerilee! You can do this! Just go talk to him, see what the situation is, maybe catch up a little....

...and run. Running is a much better option. With that, Cheerilee turned tail and left the marketplace as fast as her wobbly legs would carry her. Despite her mind running at fever pitch, one single thought stood out to her:

I need advice.

Author's Note

You readers of Learning Curve might have an idea of who is getting ready to make an appearance.

Next chapter posts tomorrow!

Revised 12/12/15

Chapter three: Hindsight

Cheerilee pressed the button for the doorbell, prancing in place as she waited with bated breath. Surely her best friend Nook was home. It was past six, and Nook was always home at five-thirty sharp on Mondays. She had to be home. There was no way in Equestria she wasn’t home.

The seconds continued to tick by, and Cheerilee was acutely aware of each and every one as she waited, biting her lip with worry.

Could Nook be late? Where was she? Why wasn’t she here to—

The door opened, revealing the cream-coated unicorn mare. “Sorry, I was just finishing a son—oh. Hi, Cheerilee!” Nook’s smile faded as she looked Cheerilee up and down, and she cocked an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“Can I just come in? It’s a long story,” Cheerilee said.

“Sure, come on in!” Nook stepped aside, and Cheerilee slipped in. She followed the entry hall down to the small lounge near the kitchen and took a seat on the sofa .

“Nook, how did you meet your coltfriend?” Cheerilee asked as Nook approached the sofa. The purple-maned unicorn pulled a rocking chair over from across the room and took a seat facing Cheerilee.

“That’s a little bit of an odd question,” Nook commented. “Let me guess, relationship trouble?”

“Something like that,” Cheerilee answered, laying her ears back.

“Well, you’ve come to the right place!” Nook leaned back in the chair, looking up at the ceiling as she rocked backwards. “I met Emerald Green during that huge contest Pinkie Pie had with that Cheesy Sandwiches pony. We just happened to be standing next to each other while all of that was going down, and we started talking. Next thing I knew, he walked me home and the rest is history.”

“If only it were that simple,” said Cheerilee.

“I’m gonna assume you’re talking about your problems there.” Nook leaned back forward, fixing her gaze on Cheerilee. “Alright, so tell me. Who’s knocking on your doorstep?”

“That’s just the thing. Right now, there technically isn’t anypony.”

“So it’s a crush?”

“Yes and no. I really don’t know what it is.”

“So what are—” Nook stopped herself, closing her eyes. She clasped her hooves in front of her face and blew a puff of air into her bangs. “Okay, you tell me what the problem is.”

Cheerilee sighed, closing her eyes and hugging her tail to her chest. “Alright, here goes. You remember how Big Macintosh and I nearly got married after three of my students used magical potion to get us to fall in love?”

Nook couldn’t help but giggle. “How could I forget? That was one of the highlights of last year’s gossip.”

“Well, yesterday I happened to overhear Pinkie Pie talking, and apparently Big Mac had a... thing with her sister over Hearth’s Warming.” As Cheerilee revealed her point, Nook rocked back in her chair and hummed to herself. “I never really considered Big Mac as anything other than a friend, but yesterday I felt a little jealous. Today it just got worse and now he’s all I can think about!”

“I hate to make things so simplified for you Cheerilee, but why not just go talk to him and see what’s up?”

“I don’t think that’s the best way to do things. I’m still not even sure if I could see myself in a relationship with him,” said Cheerilee.

Nook shook her head. “That’s fear talking.”

“Yes and no. Sure, I’m nervous about going and having that sort of conversation with anypony, but I don’t even know if this is me feeling this way.”

“Not following you there,” said Nook.

Cheerilee paused, trying to gather her thoughts. “What if it’s just a leftover sentiment from that love poison? Could it have lasting effects like that?” The room stayed silent for a few moments, neither mare having a response to the question.

“I don’t really know what to say for that,” said Nook, breaking the awkward silence that was trying to develop. “Look, uh, I can see we’re gonna be here for a little while. Do you want some tea or hot cocoa?”

“Hot cocoa sounds great right now. Thanks, Nook.”

“No problem, I’ll be right back.” Nook rose from her chair and trotted into the kitchen, leaving Cheerilee alone in the den. Taking advantage of the short intermission, Cheerilee decided to try and think of anything besides her current dilemma. Nothing came to mind, so she decided to just start counting up from zero.

“Alright, the water’s heating up now,” Nook announced as she returned to the den. Cheerilee’s count had barely gotten to twenty before she got back. She plopped down in her rocking chair, which creaked faintly in response. “So, where were we?”

“Ethics,” said Cheerilee. “Or rather, would it be ethical for me to even consider a relationship with Big Mac?”

“You know, that makes me think. There’s two ethics questions you should be thinking about here.”

“What’s the second one?” asked Cheerilee.

Nook’s eyes narrowed slightly, her expression becoming a bit more serious than before. “What does Pinkie’s sister think?”

Cheerilee opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. She slowly closed her jaw and chose a spot on the floor to rest her gaze. She stayed silent for several more moments before she simply hummed in reply.

“Tell me, Cheers, what exactly did you hear about this new relationship of his? Do you know all of the facts?”

Cheerilee’s response was again delayed as she reminisced about what she heard Pinkie say the day before. “I… I really don’t know much. All I know is that Big Mac and Marble Pie had a ‘fling’ of some sort over Hearth’s Warming.”

“Oh, Cheerilee!” Nook picked up a magazine from the coffee table, rolling it up tightly. “I have half a mind to smack you over the head for that!”

Cheerilee merely laid her ears flat and looked away, a feeling of warmth rushed through her cheeks.

“What happened to the rational, level-headed mare I knew yesterday?” Nook dropped the rolled-up magazine on the table, where it slid on the smooth surface and fell to the floor. “You’re starting to act like me when I was in high school!”

Cheerilee stayed silent, more content to look at her hooves. She suddenly felt about the same as her students likely did when she caught them misbehaving on the playground.

“I never expected you to start letting emotions make your decisions! You of al—!”

“I would appreciate it if you stopped talking to me like that,” said Cheerilee. Though she didn’t raise her voice, her expression made up for it. She was looking Nook dead in the eyes, her mouth twisted into a tight-lipped frown and her eyes beginning to tear up despite the intensity of the glare she was giving.

Nook stayed silent, clasping her hooves over her mouth. Several moments of tense silence followed, persisting until Cheerilee broke eye contact with Nook and returned her gaze to that spot on the carpet.

“What am I doing, Nook?” Cheerilee asked, not looking for an answer. “I’ve never gotten jealous of my old coltfriends. I’ve always been rational, logical. Heck, I’ve always been the sane one between you and me.”

Cheerilee frowned, thinking over her options and her time with Big Mac. “I never even had a relationship with Big Mac that I can remember. I know we almost ended up married to each other, and if the potion effects hadn’t gone away, who knows where I would be now?”

“Cheerilee…” Nook began.

“I remember a conversation we had the same day as the incident…”

“Ready to go, Sugar Bear?” Cheerilee asked.

“Eeyup, Pumpkin Pie!” Big Mac replied, a bit of extra sappiness to his voice. He and Cheerilee watched as the Cutie Mark Crusaders pupils all simultaneously shrank to pinpricks.

“Nooooooo!” the three fillies cried in terror. Big Mac and Cheerilee smiled and exchanged a wink, each suppressing their giggles as they walked side by side towards the setting sun.

Once they were out of earshot, Cheerilee was the first to let loose her mirth. She first let out a giggle, but the guffaws soon won out, leaving her clutching at her barrel as she rode out the wave of laughter. Big Mac was a little more reserved, but he was belly-laughing all the same. It took the better part of a minute for the giggles to run their course

“Great idea for that prank, Big Mac!” Cheerilee said, the last few residual chuckles escaping her.

“E’yup!” he agreed, still not quite done laughing himself.

“I’d say that’s the most terrified I’ve ever seen those three, and after some of the trouble they’ve gotten into, I’d almost expect them to be fearless!”

“E’yup,” said Mac, wiping his eyes on his fetlock as the last of his mirth faded. They hadn’t stopped walking while they laughed, and Sweet Apple Acres was now a good distance behind them. They were now out in the middle of the orchard, completely alone. Silence took hold on the two ponies as they walked aimlessly through the trees. The sun was just starting to kiss the horizon, the day preparing to transition to night.

“We’d best not get too far out this late. It’s hard finding your way back in the dark,” said Mac, bringing them to a stop. All around was nothing but apple trees, like they were completely isolated from the rest of the world in this one little spot.

“The sunset is beautiful here, Mac. Why have I never come out here to see it?” Cheerilee asked.

“I like thinking of it as my little secret. No better way to end the day than watching the sun go down out here in the orchard.” Big Mac plopped himself down in the grass, resting on his haunches. Cheerilee followed suit, choosing a spot right next to him.

“Big Mac?”

“E’yup?”

Cheerilee hesitated for a moment, looking up at Mac. She tapped his hoof, getting him to look her in the eye.

“I think we need to talk about a few things.”

“E’yup.”

Cheerilee stopped, trying to find the right words. “Oh Celestia, this is a little harder than I thought it would be.”

“E’yup.”

“I, uh… Big Mac, as funny as this sounds, we need to talk about us.”

Cheerilee waited for a response from Big Mac, but he remained silent. He broke eye contact and instead returned his gaze to the sunset. Cheerilee frowned; surely he knew that they needed to talk about this subject. She was about to tap his hoof again before he finally broke the silence.

“Miss Cheerilee, I don’t know what to do. I’ve been thinking a lot after we woke up in the pit, and I just keep getting all mixed up.” Big Mac paused, taking a deep breath before he looked Cheerilee directly in the eyes again. “I figure this’ll come out soon enough anyway, so I’ll be honest with you. I think you’re right pretty as a mare can be. You’re sweet, great with the kids, and I realized this afternoon that I enjoy being around you.”

He looked away again. “But when I start thinking about if you’d want to start a real relationship with me, it scares me. I can’t help feeling like that potion might still be making me crazy when I think about you like that. How’d I know if I’m thinking right?”

Cheerilee sat there and looked out into orchard.The sun was more than halfway across the horizon now, and the entire area was beginning to lose the light. The darker colors of the sunset painted the trees in the orange hues of fall as time kept slipping further and further away from the two

“Big Mac, I… I agree,” said Cheerilee. “I had a few thoughts like that earlier too, and I don’t feel right about them. I just don’t think we should take our relationship in that way, especially after what happened today.”

“Honestly, I just want to forget all of what happened today.”

Another long pause took hold, leaving the breeze to fill the void. Finally, Cheerilee tried to continue the conversation, but only one word managed to make it out. “Agreed.”

“It’s getting late, so we should start moseying on back,” said Mac, lifting himself back to his hooves. He offered a hoof to Cheerilee, which she took. They started back towards the farm in silence, and she was more than content to let the crickets do the talking for the time being...

“Cheerilee? Hello?” Nook waved a hoof in front of Cheerilee’s face. She blinked, her mind rushing back to the present.

“Nook, I just realized something. Big Mac and I always avoided talking out how we felt about Hearts and Hooves Day!”

“What do you mean?” Nook asked, taking a seat on the couch next to Cheerilee.

“We only ever really talked about it once, and all we ever really got out in the open was that we both wanted to forget that it had ever happened.” Cheerilee leaned back into the couch, blowing a puff of air into her bangs.

“That’s it? It never came up after that?”

Cheerilee shook her head. “Never.”

Nook hummed to herself, examining a hoof thoughtfully. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Okay,” said Cheerilee. Nook surprised her by taking one of her hooves and looking her straight in the eyes.

“If you only see him as a friend, why do you think you feel this way?”

The question brought everything to a standstill. Cheerilee stared into Nook’s eyes for a few seconds before she looked away, pulling her hoof out of Nook’s grasp. She looked down at the floor, her ears splaying back.

Nook waited patiently for Cheerilee to mull over the question. Finally, after several minutes, Cheerilee looked back her way, which Nook took as the signal to proceed.

“Do you want to hear my advice?”

Cheerilee nodded. A faint whisper came from the teapot in the kitchen.

“Talk,” said Nook as if it was the simplest answer in the entire world. “Go talk to Big Mac, let him know that you feel this way. Don’t force things, but lay the whole situation bare.”

The tea kettle’s whistle grew more insistent, and Nook rose from her seat. “Heck, you don’t even know for sure if he really is going somewhere with Marble Pie. Maybe there’s a chance it could work out after all.”

“But I can’t just go up there and ask him about that! I don’t want him to get the idea that I’m trying to steal him away and then get him angry at me for trying!”

Nook shook her head fervently. “If you want to get this weight off of your shoulders, you’ll go talk to Big Mac. Even bad closure is better than no closure at all.” Nook walked towards the kitchen, “I‘ll be right back,” she said, exiting the room.

Cheerilee slowly leaned back into the sofa, letting its cushions support her weight entirely. She mulled over the idea of going to talk to Big Mac, and the mere thought made butterflies fill her stomach. A few nervous jitters made their way to her hooves as her heart fluttered.

There was no way she was going to be able to do it.

Cheerilee pushed the front door open, letting it swing unchecked until it hit the doorstop. She stepped into the foyer and draped her scarf on the hook before shuffling slowly into the kitchen, where she flipped on the lights with little enthusiasm.

She made her way to the fridge and pulled the door open, peering in with bleary eyes. She was after the one thing that had a remote chance at cheering her up: Chocolate Overload cake. She pushed the strategically placed fruits and vegetables to reveal her prize, which she carefully pulled out and set on the countertop before she closed the door with a kick of her hind leg.

She retrieved a fork from the drawer and took her cake to the small table that served as her personal eating space. The fork clinked on the plate as she set it down and she took a seat without much regard for being gentle to the furniture. With a single lunge, she scooted herself in and hunched over her dessert, resting one elbow on the table top. She picked up the fork with her hoof, making sure that it was firmly in the grasp of the magic in her hooves.

She peeled the foil wrapping back from the slice of cake, revealing it in the same glory it had been in the day before. The cake was quite generously cut, and though the chocolate shavings had migrated away from the surface, they still sat ready for enjoyment. The layers of mousse had stayed fresh, and the very thin layer that made up the bottom of the cake drew her attention. Cheerilee wondered what that part would be like.

No point sitting around wondering what it’s like. Cheerilee carved into it with her fork.. She caught a bit of the middle, the mousse, and most importantly, the curious base. She didn’t hesitate to take the bite once she had it.

“Mmmm! No wonder they call it Chocolate Overload!” Cheerilee exclaimed. That base layer seemed to be a chocolate cookie of some kind; crunchy, and it blended with the smooth cake and creamy mousse to create a wonderfully rich sensation of chocolatey splendor. As the taste of the first bite faded, Cheerilee found herself less distracted, and her thoughts circled back to the same loop they’d been making ever since she’d talked to Nook.

There’s no way in Equestria I can go talk to Big Macintosh about this. Cheerilee felt her face heat up again at just the thought, and took another bite of the incredibly richcake to calm her nerves. There was no possible good outcome for that scenario. She would go to meet him, she would speak her mind, he would interpret it as an attempt to crush his budding relationship with Marble Pie, and then their friendship would be at the least strained, but more likely, it would be over.

I can’t risk it. His friendship is much more important to me than these impulsive feelings. Cheerilee had been through crushes before. They always passed in a few weeks if she didn’t decide to make a move on them. This too would pass if she was strong.

Weeks of feeling internal torment. Weeks of getting nervous every time I hear his name or see something related to him. Weeks of feeling jealous about his new relationship. Cheerilee took another bite of cake. Weeks of needing comfort food to help mitigate the stress.

Cheerilee had to fight the urge to drop her face into the cake. There was no way she was going to make it through and let this infatuation go by the wayside without it hurting her somehow other than just emotionally. I can either go talk to him, or I’ll gain ten pounds from the cake.

The Chocolate Overload cake suddenly looked a little less appetizing. More than half of it was left, so she covered it back over with the foil and rose from her seat. She pushed the cake into the first open space she saw in the fridge and dropped her fork in the sink on her way out of the kitchen. She climbed the stairs slowly, trudging her way to the top with heavy hooves.

At the top of the stairs, she turned to enter the bathroom, but stopped short of the doorway. Her line of sight came to rest on the bathroom door’s hinges, and another memory kicked itself loose…

“Hold it steady,” said Big Mac, holding the hammer tight in his teeth. Cheerilee held the door firmly, keeping a careful eye on how it was lined up. He dropped the hinge bolt into place on the top one, giving it two light taps that sent it down into place. He did the same with the middle and bottom hinges and then stepped back.

“E’yup, let’s try it out,” Mac said. After two hours of work, the moment of truth to see their efforts come to fruition was here. Cheerilee stepped back, letting the door stand under its own weight. Mac carefully placed a hoof in the center of the door and gave a gentle push. It swung silently on the well-oiled hinges, and it slid perfectly into place, the latch giving a resounding and satisfying click.

“It’s perfect!”

“Eeyup!”

Cheerilee pulled Big Mac into a hug, “Thank you so much, Mac!”

Big Macintosh chuckled, “Aww shucks, Cheerilee. It wasn’t no trouble. Always happy to help.”

Cheerilee broke the hug. “Are you sure that you don’t want me to give you some money for the work? I paid for materials, but it feels like I should reimburse you for your time.”

“Eenope,” Mac said, shaking his head. “I did this because you’re my friend, and friends help friends out.”

“Are you sure you don’t need something? I’d hate to not give something back.”

Big Mac shook his head again. “Nope, I’m sure.” He picked up his hammer from the sink, but immediately paused and set it back down. “Tell you what. If you really want to repay me, would you mind cooking us up something to eat? All that work made me hungry as a rabbit in a carrot patch.

“Sure! I’ll go get started on that right now!” Cheerilee pushed the lever down and opened the door, which swung so smoothly now that it fit the frame properly, and waltzed down the stairs, running ideas of what she could make through her head…

The memory faded, and Cheerilee blinked, finding herself staring at that same door. A part of her wished that Big Mac was still in that bathroom, gathering up his tools, there so she could just tell him how she felt and get it all over with.

As far as stallions go, he sure is something special. How many boys around town would spend an entire Saturday afternoon helping me fix up a sticking bathroom door? Cheerilee broke her stare from the bathroom and shifted it to the closet that was the second door down the short path towards the guest bedroom.

Something special was stashed in there.

She opened the closet, pulling a small folding step stool out and opening it up. She climbed the step, reaching up to the top shelf. She pulled a box down, taking care to not jostle it as she set it on the floor. She lifted the lid and there on the very top, laid carefully over a bed of books purchased from Princess Twilight herself, was the wedding veil she had worn on Hearts and Hooves Day. She picked up the delicate piece of fabric, letting it drape over one hoof as she caressed the beautifully intricate, personalized designs that only a seamstress of Rarity’s caliber could make on such short order.

Would I have kept this if I didn’t feel something for Big Mac deep down?

Cheerilee sat on the stool, admiring the piece of fabric for several minutes. She remembered all the times they’d shared like how she’d helped him harvest apples one day while Applejack was busy with some sort of business that the Map had called her to do. How he’d come over and had a visit with her parents one day while they were waiting for her to return from work; Her mother had given her a little bit of a ribbing over that as well. He’d been there for her birthday this last year, and she’d done the same for him. Every now and again they would just go out to some place in town to catch up and hang out a bit...

Cheerilee blinked, and she nearly dropped the veil as she realized where her thoughts were leading. Am I... falling in love with Big Macintosh?

She replaced the wedding veil into the box and returned it to its shelf. As she stepped down from the stool and put it back into the closet, Cheerilee finally resolved to do exactly as Nook had told her.

She was going to see tomorrow.

Author's Note

If you remember me mentioning that this story takes place in the same universe as Learning Curve, then you know exactly who Nook is. This is the biggest reason that I recommend familiarity with LC in the story description. And no, she is not an OC! Here's her picture!

So, what do you think? How will all of this play out? Tune back in tomorrow for the next chapter!

Revised 12/12/15

Chapter four: Laid Bare

Cheerilee didn’t get much rest that night. Between her thoughts of what was coming the next day and her fevered dreams about Big Macintosh waking her up on one occasion, she was forced to rely on caffeine to get her through the day.

It was horrible.

Cheerilee yawned as she stood up from her desk. Her back was stiff and her eyes a bit bleary. Despite the fact that she had already had three cups of coffee, her fatigue was far from mitigated.

“Alright class,” Cheerilee said, pausing to yawn. “There’s one more minute before the bell, and I don’t think it’ll make much difference either way. You’re free to go.”

The excited rush was a little more enthusiastic than usual today. The foals cascaded out the door, leaving Cheerilee alone in the classroom.

Cheerilee stood at the front of the room for a long time. The door was starting to look a little more ominous, and she was having a bit of trouble forcing herself to press onward. However, she finally willed her hooves to unstick from the floor, and she turned back to her desk and set about gathering up her belongings.

A stack of papers yet to be graded glared up at her, but she didn’t care. She picked them up and dropped them in the drawer; it wasn’t like she was going to be in any mood to work later that night anyways. She gathered up a few pens and a notebook into her saddlebags before giving her desk one final inspection. Satisfied that she had everything, Cheerilee slipped the bags over her back and again faced the doorway.

“I’m not asking him out. I’m just going to talk to him and see where we stand. Nothing to be afraid of,” Cheerilee said to herself, closing her eyes. She walked forward a few steps with her eyes closed, opening them just as she came face to face with the door. Up close, it didn’t seem all that scary. She pulled it open and stepped through, flipping the lights off with her tail as she passed by.

Fresh snowfall coated the ground, covering the entire area in a pristine white sheet. The clouds from the overnight snowstorm lingered, with a few random flurries still drifting down from them. According to the weather bulletin posted in The Ponyville Express, they were supposed to stick around for the rest of the day. Cheerilee shivered, the chilly breeze cutting through her fur. Her hooves crunched in the ice on the dirt path as she stepped off of the porch.

A big part of her wanted to turn left, to go the safer route and just leave things be. A left turn back towards town would be so much easier, no uncertainty and no friendships to be put in jeopardy.

But that would mean cake, and waving goodbye to the figure she worked so hard to maintain. She arrived at the fork, and her force of will won out. She turned right, starting down the path towards Sweet Apple Acres.

The tracks in the snow had almost all taken a left turn back towards town. However, one set of hoofprints had taken this same path. As she rounded a bend in the trail, she could see the red dot of the filly’s tail far up ahead. Cheerilee picked up her pace to try and catch up to Apple Bloom; after all, walking with her would look much less suspicious than following along behind her.

Suspicious? What am I, robbing her? Apple Bloom wasn’t really moving along very fast, so it wasn’t long before Cheerilee began to catch up.

“Apple Bloom!” Cheerilee called. The filly stopped dead in her tracks and whirled around to face her teacher as she approached.

“Miss Cheerilee? Did I leave something at school?”

Cheerilee chuckled. “No, I was coming out to Sweet Apple Acres so I thought I would walk there with you. Is that okay?”

“I’m not in trouble, am I?” Apple Bloom asked, her face markedly apprehensive. Cheerilee understood, because after all, it wasn’t every day that her teacher decided to come home with her.

“No, you’re not in trouble. I just needed to talk to your brother about something we have planned,” said Cheerilee, smiling to try and ease Apple Bloom’s suspicion. While not entirely a lie, it surprised her how easily the half-truth came out.

“Alright then,” Apple Bloom agreed, some of her unease fading. With that, they began walking again.

“So,” Cheerilee said, trying to keep the conversation going. “I don’t think I ever asked you. How was your Hearth’s Warming?”

Apple Bloom’s face lit up a bit. “It was interesting for sure, but I had a lot of fun!”

“Oh? How was it interesting?”

“We went with Pinkie Pie to celebrate Hearth’s Warming with her family, and let’s just say that they have some funny traditions.” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “They eat rock soup for their feast, they only decorate by covering the place in crystals, and they hide their presents from each other and search for them. Usually they hide them so good that nopony ever finds them.”

“Rock soup?” Cheerilee asked.

“It’s exactly what it sounds like,” answered Apple Bloom, her voice deadpan. She mimed gagging to accentuate it.

“Wow, maybe that’s why Pinkie’s the way she is.”

“Actually, no,” said Apple Bloom. “Pinkie’s probably more different from them than we are. They’re all kinda… what’s the word?”

“Bland?” Cheerilee suggested. It was one of the few antonyms for Pinkie Pie she could think of.

“I guess that works. It was a little disappointing at first, but I got to having fun doing something different.” Apple Bloom paused for a second before she grimaced. “Applejack wasn’t so easy to come around though. She tried to completely change all of the Pie family’s stuff into regular Hearth’s Warming stuff. I still don’t know where she got all of those decorations, but she nearly got us kicked out of their house.

“What happened?” Cheerilee asked.

“We left for a little while and then went back to apologize, and then we got everything going again. We might do something like that again next year, but I want to do it the normal way next time!” Apple Bloom grinned.

Should I ask her about Marble and Big Mac? She quickly decided against it. That would be quite the pointed question, and then Apple Bloom would probably figure out why she was really coming to see Big Mac.

“So, did you get any presents?”

“I found one for me eventually. Turns out me and Maud got along real nice, so she hid one in a pretty easy spot for me. Of course it was rock candy, but I can’t complain”

Maybe I can get her to mention something about them without just asking her directly, thought Cheerilee. “So how did Granny Smith and Big Mac like it?”

“Oh Granny and Big Mac had a great time! Sure, they took a little bit to get used to all of it like I did, but they started making friends real fast. Granny hit it off with their parents, and Big Mac was hanging out with one of Pinkie’s sisters. Did you know Pinkie has a twin?”

That must be Marble. “Really? What’s she like?” asked Cheerilee.

“Quiet. Now that I think of it, she’s a lot like Fluttershy.” The path curved, and around the bend was the first glimpse of the farmhouse. Cheerilee’s stomach suddenly dropped into her hooves as she realized how she’d gotten involved in the conversation enough that she didn’t keep track of where she was. The barn loomed, looking as imposing as an enemy fortress ready to attack her as soon as she neared it. There in the deepest recesses of the impenetrable compound was the stallion she had to meet with, and the journey there was sure to be a harrowing one. What if he just refused to talk to her? What if—

“Uh, Miss Cheerilee?” Apple Bloom asked, pulling Cheerilee back to the present.

“Oh, yes. Sorry, got... lost in thought.”

“Okay then,” said Apple Bloom, though her tone still told Cheerilee that she didn’t quite buy it.

“I’m glad you had fun there. Now, do you know where I can find your brother?”

“He’s probably still in the barn,” replied Apple Bloom. “Our wagon’s been having problems and he’s been out there working on it for the last couple of days.”

“Thank you, Apple Bloom.”

“Bye Miss Cheerilee!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. Cheerilee slowed to a stop at the diverging path, and Apple Bloom continued on towards the farmhouse. Taking a deep breath, Cheerilee started forward once more, taking the path towards the outlying barn.

The barn itself was only a short distance from the main path. The doors were wide open despite the chill in the air, and the wagon Apple Bloom had mentioned was sitting in the center of the doorway, and surely Big Mac was right there with it, though she couldn’t see him yet.

Last chance to turn back. I can still give up and make it easier!

Cheerilee frowned. That little nagging voice in the back of her head suddenly spoke loud and clear. She stopped in her tracks, her heart beating audibly in her ears. Was turning back a better option at this point?

Of course not! I’m going to get this over with so I can get it off my chest! Cheerilee’s determination came back with fervor, and with renewed confidence in her step, she continued pressing on towards the barn.

I’m going to ruin everything! Her pace slowed.

No! Keep going, for your own good! Her speed picked up again.

He’s going to hate me! I have to turn back now while he’s still my friend! Cheerilee shut her eyes, desperately trying to shut out the turmoil in her mind.

“Enough is enough,” Cheerilee muttered under her breath, still conscious enough of her surroundings to suppress the urge to scream. She looked up at the barn, which she was now standing immediately in front of. Her knees felt weak, but she pushed forward despite it. Using sheer force of will, she stepped across the threshold and into the building.

The wagon stood in the center of the floor. One of the front wheels was missing, replaced by a rusty jack-stand. A bit of hay was scattered around the floor, and a number of apple harvest buckets laid about, stored due to the winter season. A red toolbox sat next to the remaining front wheel, and next to that were two hind hooves sticking out from underneath the cart. The faint chatter of a ratchet turning came from under the wagon.

Cheerilee cleared the rather large lump in her throat. “Big Mac?”

The ratchet stopped cranking, and the wagon creaked as Big Mac pushed off of it to roll himself out from under the cart. A number of oil and grease smears were smattered across his coat, and he was wearing a set of goggles similar to what the weather patrol used to shield their eyes from the wind.

“Oh howdy, Cheerilee. What brings you out here?”

“Oh, I just came by to ask you something. Is that alright?” Cheerilee answered, rubbing the back of her head.

“E’yup. Just gimme a sec,” he said, pushing himself back under the cart. A number of sounds of tools came from under the wagon, and after about a minute, he rolled back out.

“Did you fix it?” Cheerilee asked.

“E’nope, just got to a stopping place. And that’s two questions,” Big Mac answered, laughing at his own joke as he flipped himself off of his roller, climbing to his hooves.

Cheerilee laughed as well, but hers could hardly be called genuine. “Who’s counting, anyway?”

“So,” Mac began, throwing his back into a stretch that concluded with a loud pop and a sigh of relief. “What brings you by?”

“Well, I was just in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop in and say hello.” Cheerilee mentally smacked herself. That wasn’t a question at all. “What’s wrong with the wagon?”

“She threw a wheel yesterday on the way back from the market. I started there but then I found suspension problems. I swear, one more thing goes bad on this wagon and we’re just gonna buy another one.” Big Mac peeled the goggles from his eyes, which had left a notable impression on his face.

“How much more do you have to go before it’s fixed?” Cheerilee asked.

“I might be done by the time I go to bed.” He afforded a look at the wagon, which creaked loudly as a gust of wind blew through the open breezeway. “Or maybe not. What were you gonna ask about?”

Cheerilee’s stomach flipped upside down as she opened her mouth. She was going to be sick. “Uh, right!” She cleared her throat and licked her lips. Wow, when did my mouth get so dry?

“I wanted to ask you, um… Right, I wanted to ask you if you were busy later this week, and if you could help me organize a fundraiser for The Foal Free Press!”

Where did that come from?!

“A fundraiser? I thought the school board funded the school paper.”

“Oh no, the students are trying to get a… newer, improved printing press! That’s just not in the budget, and then we decided to hold a fundraiser to come up with the extra money! Can you help us?” Cheerilee laughed, perhaps a little more than she intended to, and gave a wide smile to accentuate herself.

Oh Celestia, I’m floundering. Luckily for Cheerilee—or perhaps unluckily, she still couldn’t decide which was better—Big Mac hadn’t seemed to notice her odd behavior. Stick with it. Maybe I can pull it off.

“E’yup. What do you need?” Big Mac offered a gentle smile, and Cheerilee felt her heart beginning to melt.

Sun above, with those rugged oil stains on his muzzle… no! Hold it together!

Cheerilee cleared her throat forcefully, “Let’s start with figuring out a good idea for the fundraiser! The children and I racked our brains for a long time and we just couldn’t seem to figure out anything good to do. Do you have any ideas?” She made a point to give him a hopeful look, but she doubted her ability to pull it off.

“E’nope, nothing special. What about a bake sale?” His tone was becoming a little less confident, Cheerilee noticed. He was starting to sense something was up. Maybe it would be best to—

“That sounds like a wonderful idea! I’m sure the children will love it!”

“E’yup,” said Big Mac. Silence took hold on the barn, and Cheerilee’s heart truly began to race. It was coming. Her disguise had worn thin. He was onto her.

“Cheerilee?” Big Mac asked, finally breaking the silence after thirty seconds of stifling quiet.

Here went the last stand of their friendship. “Yes, Big Mac?”

“Are you alright?”

“Of course! Why do you ask?”

Big Mac paused, like he was considering his answer. Instead, he merely shrugged. “I dunno. If that’s all you needed, then I’m gonna get back to work.”

Yes! He bought it—oh no. No! He’s brushing me off!

“Okay! Thank you for your help!”

No! Pony up, Cheerilee! You’re missing your chance!

“Glad you stopped by. See ya later!” With that, Big Mac walked around to the other side of the wagon, disappearing behind it.

Alright, it wasn’t meant to be. Time to head back… No! Go over to the other side of that wagon and come clean! He’s a nice stallion, he’ll be understanding!

No he won’t. He’ll reject me and throw me off the farm for even suggesting that we should be together! He’s taken. End of story.

Cheerilee, if you don’t go talk to him right now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!

Just walk out of the barn and leave the farm. Sugarcube Corner should have plenty of cakes available if you hurry out.

Walk over there and confront him! The worst he can do is say no.

“Uh, Cheerilee?”

Cheerilee’s eyes flew wide open. She hadn’t realized they were closed in the first place.

“Yes, Big Mac?” Her stomach dropped again. Her head felt a little light.

“You sure you’re okay? You don’t look so good,” said Big Mac.

“I’m fine, really! I was just about to take my leave.”

Am I really going to back out now? After all of that?

Big Mac took a step forward, eyeing Cheerilee carefully. He was trying to read her. “You should probably take a seat. You look a little pale.”

“Oh, sure. Okay,” Cheerilee agreed, dropping back onto her haunches where she stood. Big Mac sidled over and sat down next to her. He wrapped a hoof around her shoulders, but drew back a bit as soon as he made contact.

“Cheerilee, you’re shaking,” he said. He pulled her in closer with his powerful foreleg. “Are you cold? Scared of something?”

This is it. Let it out. Don’t hold back. Cheerilee sighed, shuddering as she let out the breath. “Big Mac,” she started, though she hesitated. She could still play this off and not go through with it.

I’m going for it. “Big Mac, do you remember anything about what happened while we were under that love potion?”

Big Mac seemed to tense up. “E’nope.”

“Are you sure? We never really talked about it afterwards.”

“What makes you ask?” asked Big Mac. He let go of Cheerilee’s shoulders and shifted away from her.

“It’s been weighing on my mind lately,” Cheerilee clarified, though she bit her tongue. It wasn’t the whole truth, but that would come out in due time. “To be perfectly honest with you, that’s why I came out here. There never was a bake sale.”

“I could figure that much,” Big Mac muttered, making Cheerilee’s cheeks burn faintly. “I don’t think there’s much to talk about there. It’s over. Finished. Nothing we can do, so we don’t need to waste time worrying about it.” He pushed away from Cheerilee a bit and stood up, walking over to his tool box.

This isn’t off to a good start. “Big Mac—”

“So, how about this weather, huh?” Big Mac cut in. “I don’t particularly like winter, but it’s kinda nice to be able to do things besides harvest apples all day.”

“Big Mac, would you come back over here and talk to me?” Cheerilee asked.

“What? I’m talking to you right now.”

Oh great, avoidance. “Big Macintosh, don’t do this to me. I really need to have this talk with you, and I think it would be good for you too.”

Big Mac didn’t say anything. His ears splayed back and he crossed the barn to the workbench on the far wall. Cheerilee rose to her hooves and followed him across the room. He had taken a seat at the stool there and was tinkering with a part that looked like it belonged to the wagon.

She stood there and watched him for a moment. She could tell that he knew she was standing right next to him, but he was doing his best to pretend not to notice. She rested a hoof on his, and he froze, back stiff as a rail.

“Big Mac, this is hard for me to talk about too. But I really need us to have this conversation right now.”

“Cheerilee, I think I see where this is going,” said Big Mac, staring straight ahead.

“No, I don’t think you do,” said Cheerilee. “Look, I know you don’t want to talk about it. It’s an awkward subject, and to be honest, it was traumatic. But I’ve been bottling all of these things in for a long time, and I think it would be best for us to talk this out. Get it all out in the open.”

Big Mac sighed, relaxing his back. “E’yup.” He hopped down from his stool and plopped down on the floor right next to it.

Cheerilee took a seat as well and smiled. Gosh, that floor’s cold. She adjusted herself to where she was sitting on her tail, and once she was situated, she was surprised to see that Big Mac was finally making eye contact with her. She froze for a moment, searching for a way to continue the conversation. “Remember how we pranked the Crusaders with dopey talk that evening?”

“E’yup,” Big Mac chuckled, smiling at last. “I loved the looks on their faces.”

“That was probably the best part of the whole day,” said Cheerilee with a laugh. She could feel that the conversation was beginning to stall already. Why do things always get tougher when you try to make them happen?

“Big Mac, have you ever thought about the... implications of what happened that day?”

He didn’t answer.

“I have. I’ve thought a lot about it, and it frightens me to think of what might have happened if the girls hadn’t been able to fix their mistake. We nearly entered a marriage together without even being able to think for ourselves. Can you imagine the nightmare that we’d be in if we’d managed to actually get married like that?”

Mac remained silent.

“Imagine if we’d had a—”

“Cheerilee, stop.” Big Mac was staring straight into her eyes, like he was trying to analyze the depths of her soul. He looked away, locking his gaze on the far wall.

“You know, I’ve thought about it too. I’ve thought about what those fillies might not have told us about what happened. I’ve thought about what I—” He choked up, tears forming in his eyes. He looked away from her. “What I might have done to you with my head the way it was.”

“Oh Mac,” Cheerilee said. She grabbed his hoof, holding it tight. The stallion shuddered as he inhaled; he was trying desperately to hold himself together.

“I don’t think it happened. Heck, I’m probably just getting worked up for nothing, but I kept thinking about what might have happened.” The emphasis on the last word caught Cheerilee’s attention, and she couldn’t help feeling her cheeks heat up from the implication. He looked to her again, and his eyes were clouded with tears. “I wouldn’t never do something like that to you, Cheerilee. I care too much about you to ever hurt you like that.”

“It’s okay, Big Mac. You didn’t do anything wrong,” Cheerilee whispered.

“That don’t make it okay! I could’ve easily hurt you, and I can’t forgive myself for that.”

“Big Mac don’t, please. Don’t feel bad. There’s no way either of us could control what happened. We can just thank Celestia that nothing bad happened. You’re talking like we could be parents right now, but nothing happened!” The look on his face told her that she hadn’t exactly worded in the best way. She was just going to keep digging a hole if she kept talking, so Cheerilee pulled Big Mac into an embrace, which he was hesitant to return. However, after a few seconds, he hugged her tight. He nuzzled his snout into her shoulder, and for the first time since Cheerilee had known him, he began to sob quietly.

Cheerilee didn’t know how long they stayed locked together, but she didn’t care. She was lost in the sensation, the softness of his fur overlying the firmness of his toned muscle underneath, the warmth of his body against the cold barn, and even the gentle rocking movements from his sobbing. She closed her eyes, content to be his shoulder to cry on.

“It’s okay, Big Mac. It’s okay,” Cheerilee whispered, gently stroking his mane. His quiet sobs had stopped, but he didn’t move from the hug. Perhaps he was enjoying it as much as she was.

Wow, he’s been holding a lot in, Cheerilee thought. Come to think of it, it was rather surprising. He’d seemed so ready to forget it, and yet here he was, bottling all of it up and hoping it would go away. It was astonishing that he was able to even look at her, let alone stay good friends after that.

Big Mac sniffed heavily. “You know, I do feel a lot better after that.”

“It always feels good to let things out,” Cheerilee said quietly, running her hoof over the yoke around his neck.

“Thanks, Cheerilee. I didn’t even know I needed to do that.”

“I’m happy to help, Big Mac,” Cheerilee soothed. Big Mac shifted a bit in her hooves, and she held him tighter in response.

“Uh, Cheerilee, you can let go now.”

Cheerilee’s eyes shot open, and she immediately let go of Big Mac, clamoring to her hooves and taking a few steps back.

Big Mac looked at her with his mouth twisted in confusion. “What was that?” he asked.

“It was nothing! Well, glad you’re feeling better, Mac, but I’d better get going so I’ll see you—”

“Wait a minute,” Big Mac said, interrupting Cheerilee as she tried to slip away. He rose to his hooves. “Are you sure that potion ain’t still messing with your head?”

Oh no, here we go. “Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.” Cheerilee mentally cursed herself. She was getting nervous butterflies, and now it was infecting her speech as well. How did the tables turn so fast?

“Cheerilee, you mind telling me what’s going on?”

“There’s nothing going on. Nothing at all!” Cheerilee started trying to back away, but Big Mac kept edging forward.

“Cheerilee, don’t lie to me. What’s going on here?”

“I told you, nothing! Everything’s fine!”

“You don’t seem fin—”

“Okay, fine! I like you!”

The barn went silent, save for the faint whisper of the wind through the old rafters. Cheerilee’s heart was beating a mile a minute, and the blush on her face was rapidly matching Big Mac’s coat color.

“What?” asked Big Mac. He looked at her with the most incredulous stare she’d seen in a long time. The type of stare that a pony gave when they couldn’t figure out whether to feel happy or upset.

“I said I like you! There, you happy?”

“Since when?” he asked, a slight blush of his own coloring his red cheeks a little brighter.

“I don’t know, since three days ago.” Cheerilee sighed, dropping back onto her haunches. “Three days ago, I overheard Pinkie Pie talking about how you and her sister were getting... involved with each other.”

“Who, Marble Pie?” Big Mac asked. He also took a seat on the floor.

“Yes, her. It made me start thinking about Hearts and Hooves Day again,” she replied. “I got jealous, and then I started realizing that I really care about you, and… well, here I am.”

“Cheerilee, I don’t know what to say.”

“It’s fine. I won’t get in the way of your relationship with Marble. Just, please, promise me we can still be friends after this?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it, Big Macintosh?” Cheerilee shouted, causing Mac to reel backwards ever so slightly.

“I-I just…” Big Mac stammered, losing his place. “It’s just that, I don’t know if I can like you that way.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you know if that potion can keep making ponies crazy after the spell breaks?” Big Mac asked.

Cheerilee deflated a bit, looking down at the ground. It was the same question she’d asked Nook the day before. “I don’t know. They didn’t say anything about lingering effects.”

Big Mac sighed. “If I was to like you back, how’d I know if me loving you wasn’t just that potion making me cuckoo again?”

The barn went silent again, both ponies unable to look at each other. Finally, Cheerilee rose to her hooves.

“I’m glad we had this talk,” Cheerilee said, all of her enthusiasm drained from her voice. She took a deep breath and turned around. Her hoofsteps echoed through the rafters of the barn as she walked out, her head held low, and her tail dragging on the floor behind herself.

It was going to be a cold, lonely trip back to town.

Author's Note

Sometimes, the truth can be painful...

I apologize for the delay, but Chapter four is here in better shape than originally intended! I'm looking forward to hearing discussion on this one, so be sure to hit up those comments!

Revised 12/12/15

Chapter five: From Bitter to Sweet

“Class dismissed!” Cheerilee announced. The students needed no further signal, and they raced to leave in their usual fashion. Cheerilee watched them rush out the door, and she sighed. With the departure of the class, she was left with little to keep her busy for the rest of the evening, little to keep her from dwelling on the previous day.

Cheerilee stood up and grunted as she stretched her back out. Her eyes still felt heavy from all of the crying she had done the night before, and she sighed as she pulled her scarf down from the wall with what little enthusiasm she could muster. She threw her bags over her back and plodded towards the door, not caring enough to do her usual check back over the classroom to make sure things were in order.

She wasn’t looking forward to going home. That meant time to think, to feel bad, and the inevitable comfort food that came with it.

The weather team still hadn’t gotten rid of the clouds from the day before, and the thick blanket of overcast was keeping the sun from warming anything. It was a dreary, depressing day over Ponyville, and it almost made Cheerilee feel like the weather was mocking her.

She trudged down the slope that led back towards town, her head held low and her eyes downcast, as if the weight of the entire world was pressing down on her shoulders. Her hooves dragged with each step, lazily scuffing across the frozen dirt beneath her hooves.

As she made her way through town, she was beginning to draw some attention from other ponies. Roseluck passed by in the opposite direction, staring at the way Cheerilee was holding herself. Lyra and Bon Bon weren’t far behind her, and they began whispering to each other after she passed. Cheerilee normally would have been embarrassed by the sympathetic attention, but at the moment, she didn’t care.

She just needed some cake.

The bell over Sugarcube Corner’s front door jingled cheerily, quite unlike the pony of similar name walking through it. Mrs. Cake was standing at the counter this time instead of Pinkie Pie, just completing a transaction with another mare whom Cheerilee did not recognize.

“Thanks for stopping by, dear. Have a wonderful day,” she announced, sending the mare on her way with a doggie bag in her mouth. “Hello, Cheerilee. Gosh, you look like you’ve had it today.”

Cheerilee grimaced, and Mrs. Cake took notice and quickly moved the conversation along. “What can I get for you today?”

“Do you have any Chocolate Overload cakes in the back?” Cheerilee asked.

“The whole cakes?” Mrs. Cake asked.

Cheerilee nodded.

“I’m not sure, let me go check on that. Just a second.” With that, Mrs. Cake disappeared through the swinging kitchen doors. Cheerilee took the time that she was gone to fish her bit bag out and count out exact change. Mrs. Cake returned barely thirty seconds later with a cake box balanced on her back.

“We had two of those left. Will that be everything today?”

“Yes, that’s everything.” Cheerilee barely even made eye contact with the baker, and she placed her pre-counted money on the counter.

“Alright, twenty-three bits,” Mrs. Cake muttered to herself, sliding the cake across to Cheerilee and swiping the bits off the counter and into a waiting cash drawer on the other side. Cheerilee picked the cake up by the ribbon on the box and placed it on the small of her back.

“Cheerilee,” Mrs. Cake said, making eye contact for the first time. “From one mare to another, I get what you’re going through. I’ve been there plenty of times myself.”

“Thanks,” muttered Cheerilee, turning to leave.

“Let me finish, dear.” Mrs. Cake leaned across the counter, close enough to whisper in Cheerilee’s ear. “Before you go, I have one piece of advice that I know works for whatever it is that’s bothering you.” She kept her voice hushed, despite the fact that there weren’t any other ponies in the store. Cheerilee perked up a bit with interest.

Mrs. Cake smiled, “Don’t eat too much of that cake at once. You’ll wind up regretting one more thing than you already do.”

For the first time that day, Cheerilee smiled.

“Thank you, Mrs. Cake,” Cheerilee said, walking out of the bakery with perhaps just a tad more pep in her step.

The clouds were still blocking the sun’s exact position, but the entire scene seemed a little darker as Cheerilee stepped back out into the street. Dusk wasn’t too far off, and she would be spending the rest of the evening curled up on the couch with cake and a book of whatever kind her fancy decided on when she came to it. A particularly sharp gust of chilly wind cut around the corner of the building, and Cheerilee nuzzled into her scarf, immediately starting down the short walk towards home.

The lamp over the far end of the sofa was the only light on in the house. Cheerilee sat under the warm glow, curled up in her blanket and reading away on a particularly cheesy romance novel called A Whisper in the Wind. The classic, completely unrealistic male love interest had just been introduced, and Cheerilee found herself a bit surprised that the author had waited at least three chapters to bring him in.

Maybe this one won’t be quite as goofy as I expected, she thought, turning the page. Her hopes were immediately dashed when the next paragraph was entirely devoted to listing off all of the incredible physical attributes of the stallion in question. It’s like the author has no idea what she’s doing.

A knock at the door pulled Cheerilee’s attention away from skimming past the wall of pointless description in the novel, and with some difficulty, she kicked the blanket off of herself and climbed to her hooves. Without her book to occupy her mind, the cake sitting in the fridge was starting to sound like it was ready to be eaten.

It’s probably Nook. Maybe she can sit down and have a piece of cake with me. Cheerilee ran a hoof through her mane to at least help make it more presentable and she gripped the door handle. She braced herself for the imminent hug coming when Nook would burst through the door, and she pulled the door open to greet…

Big Macintosh.

On reflex, she immediately slammed the door closed again before he could even speak, and her heart immediately began racing a mile a minute. What was he doing here? Was he coming to apologize? Why did he have to come back just when she was well on her way to feeling better?

Why am I letting him think that I’m angry with him? With a deep breath, Cheerilee steeled her nerves and pulled the door open just enough to speak through the opening.

“Yes, Big Mac?” she asked, doing her best to retain a calm tone.

“I...uh,” Mac stammered, scratching at the back of his head. “I figured on having something to say when you opened the door, but all’s coming to mind is that it’s cold out here. Can I please come in?”

“Sure,” Cheerilee said, opening the door wider so he could enter. As he walked in, she flipped on the entry lights so the house wouldn’t be so dark.

“Thank you.” Big Mac stamped his hooves on the mat, knocking the snow from them. Cheerilee closed the door behind him, the cold getting to her just long enough to get her to shiver.

“The weather team sure has outdone themselves this winter,” Cheerilee offered in an attempt to start a conversation of some kind.

Any other kind than what I think you’re here for.

“Applejack said that Rainbow Dash is gonna start warming things back up tomorrow. I hope so, ‘cause I hate the cold.”

“I feel the same way. Can I get you something to drink?” asked Cheerilee.

“Do you have anything hot?”

“I can brew us some coffee if you’d like.” Cheerilee started making her way to the kitchen, and she noticed that Mac was following her a bit closely.

“That’d be just fine, thank you.” Big Macintosh went over and took a seat at the breakfast table, his large frame not fitting very well in the more mare-sized chair. Cheerilee turned the stove on under the already-prepared kettle.

Here it comes. Any second now, thought Cheerilee. She glanced over at Big Mac, whose gaze was on the window, watching as the view outside slowly darkened. She felt a pang of sadness in her stomach that nearly demanded she get out the still-untouched Chocolate Overload cake in the refrigerator.

“You know, I’ve always sorta wanted to live in the middle of town for a while,” said Big Mac.

“Oh? Why do you say that?” asked Cheerilee. It wasn’t quite the way she’d expected him to start the conversation.

“I’ve always liked watching ponies,” said Big Mac, looking out the window. “I’ve always liked going to work the market so I can just sit there and see other ponies go by. I always wonder where they’re going, what their day’s been like…”

“Sometimes I like to do that with Nook, but she usually tries to judge other ponies by their appearance, and then it doesn’t last too long after that.”

Big Mac didn’t reply other than laying his ears back. Silence tried to take hold again, and Cheerilee could almost feel what was going to pull them out of the lull.

“Cheerilee, I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.” Big Mac didn’t look at her, instead keeping his gaze on what was outside of the window.

“Big Mac, I thought you made it clear about how you want to be with Marble Pie.” Cheerilee watched him grimace, and she felt another pang deep inside her chest.

“You left before I got to speak my mind,” said Big Mac. Cheerilee crossed the room and took a seat at the chair across from his.

“You made it pretty clear to me, Mac.” Cheerilee reached over and brushed her hoof against his own, causing him to jump a bit, but it worked in getting him to glance at her. “It’s okay, really! I understand how you feel, and I’m fine with it. You don’t have to—”

“You’re doing it again,” he said, pulling his hoof back. “Cheerilee, please, just let me talk.”

“Okay,” Cheerilee said quietly, sitting back in her chair.

“I guess I’d best explain the situation with Marble Pie a little better.” Big Mac shifted in his chair, which squeaked under the strain of his large frame shifting. “Marble was just a little crush. We got to liking each other a little while I was there, but we just live so far away. It can’t work over that distance with a mare who can barely talk for herself without Pinkie doing it for her.”

Cheerilee stared on in disbelief. Was this going where she thought it was going?

“Heck, she’d probably not even write me back if I sent her a letter,” added Big Mac. “I appreciate that you were keen on letting her take priority, but there just wasn’t nothing much there in the first place.”

“Oh,” Cheerilee said quietly. She looked down at the table, avoiding eye contact at Big Mac. She blushed a bit as she reflected on her overreaction from the day before. The room went silent for a few moments, neither pony sure what to do next.

“So,” Big Mac began, starting the conversation forward once more. “I did a lot of thinking about what you said yesterday.”

Wait… is he?

“I always wanted to forget about Hearts and Hooves Day, but after yesterday, I started thinking real hard on it. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” BIg Mac stopped, flattening his ears and biting his lip as he blushed ever so slightly. “Drat, how do I say this?”

Cheerilee looked up at him, her eyes brightening faintly. Is he really going to do it?

“I was thinking about how much Apple Bloom always talks about how great you are in class. It seems like she’s always got a story about something she’s learning, or what you did to make her smile, and whatnot. And then I remembered how much I liked spending time with you. Remember when I came over and helped you fix the bathroom door?” Cheerilee nodded.

“I guess I just chalked it up to us being friends back then, but I really liked helping you out that day. Maybe I just didn’t realize how much I enjoyed being there because how scared I was of that danged potion.”

“Big Mac—”

“Cheerilee, I decided that I shouldn’t let that potion keep messing with my life, and if you’d be willing to have me, I’d like to give... ‘us’ a shot.”

“Uh,” Cheerilee gasped, unsure of if she’d heard him right. “What?”

Big Mac sighed. “Cheerilee, I’d like to go out on a date with you.”

Cheerilee’s eyes widened as a deep blush colored her cheeks. She sat there in silence for several seconds, mouth agape.Finally, after her brain spun itself around a few times, she managed to squeeze out one cohesive thought.

Say yes.

Without thinking to do it first, Cheerilee jumped up from her seat and ran around to the other side of the table, locking Big Mac in a hug from behind.

He chuckled, “I take that as a ‘yes’?”

“Yes, Big Mac. I would love to,” Cheerilee whispered in his ear. She rested her head on his shoulder, a deep warmth in her chest replacing the pangs of sadness that had been there just moments ago. Three days before, she hadn’t even had an inkling of an idea about what would happen. If I hadn’t made that bet with the students, I might not even be here right now.

The kettle on the stove began to whistle as the water boiled, and Cheerilee reluctantly released Big Mac from the hug. “So Mac, do you have anything in mind for a date?” Cheerilee asked, unable to suppress a giggle. After all, she was talking about going out with perhaps the nicest stallion she’d ever met.

“Well, how about something simple? Does dinner sound good?”

Cheerilee smiled as she turned the stove off. “Yes, Big Mac, that sounds lovely.”

“How about Friday at six?” he asked.

“That works well for me,” said Cheerilee.

“I figure I should probably take that coffee to go. It’s getting late.”

“It’s awfully cold, Mac.” Cheerilee’s voice took on an almost playful tone. “Maybe you should stay a while and see if it gets any warmer. Have you had dinner yet?”

“I ate before I came over. Why?” asked Big Mac. He wasn’t quite picking up on what she was going for.

“I’ve got a really good cake that we could try together. Ever had Chocolate Overload cake from Sugarcube Corner?” Cheerilee poured the water into the Prench press.

“I can’t say that I have,” said Big Mac.

“Well stick around for a little while. I’m sure you’ll love it,” said Cheerilee.

As she pressed the plunger to make the coffee, the window suddenly lit up with orange light. Big Mac gasped in awe, and Cheerilee scampered over to the window to look out and see what was happening.

On the edge of the horizon, the clouds had parted just enough for the last of the day’s rays of sunshine to break through and bathe the underside of the cloud layer with light, causing the entire sky to come to life with brilliant shades of scarlet, orange, and yellow. It was one of the better sunsets she’d seen in years, and she turned to the stallion sitting in the chair next to her. The stallion that she had a date with on Friday.

Tomorrow was going to be a beautiful day.

Author's Note

This story marks a number of milestones for me.

With the posting of this final chapter, I have now published over 100,000 words to Fimfiction.

This was my first ever attempt at writing romance.

And finally, this is the longest story I have ever brought to completion.

It's been quite a journey, and one not without its bumps in the road and rough spots. It has been a learning experience to write this, and I hope that you all enjoyed the ride as much as I did. Thank you for reading, thanks to Lord-Commander, Kestrel, and FamousLastWords for their support with getting this story polished and ready for you all, and I hope to see all of you next time!

Revised 12/12/15