//------------------------------//
// Unexpected Bonus 
// Story: Boss Macintosh and Just Twilight 
// by AcidGreen 
//------------------------------//

Considering her extremely disturbed mind state, Twilight fared well working in Sweet Apple Acres for the rest of the term. Given Big Macintosh's taciturn nature, it was not difficult to keep communicating with him at minimum level.

Twilight gradually come to see the futility of denying her princesshood. She is a princess. Nothing can change it. So only logical conclusion she could come up was live with it as best as she could. 

It didn't mean the pain was bearable, though. So, when Big Macintosh stopped Twilight from walking home after her last dinner at her workplace, she had to take seconds to swallow the overwhelming bitterness before looking back to him.

"Yes, Big Macintosh?"

The former boss was waving a familiar little poach. "Ya forgot the money. Again."

"Oh." Twilight barely remembered bits were the reason she was going through all the troubles. She already earned much more than she initially hoped, and after the relief that she doesn't have to see Big Macintosh anymore regularly until she will become mentally stable, that coins didn't have any major place in her mind. 

"Thanks." Twilight magically grabbed the poach and put it down in her saddlebag, and begun trotting towards the castle again. 

"Wait." 

Twilight span around again and venomously responded. "What!?"

Twilight was inwardly both horrified at and satisfied with the hostility of her attitude, which was much stronger than she intended. Big Macintosh clearly got the message and was taken aback. She considered apologizing , but quickly crushed the thought. How could she? He hurt her feeling more than anypony ever done in her life.

She knew it was shameful, but she begun to hate him.

If Big Macintosh was aware of this intense atmosphere, he seemed to ignore it. 

"...Just Ah'd like to say thanks again. Ah knew yer the one to get things done, but ya really did good. If ya ever need a job again, ask me again."

"You are welcome." Don't think so.

"One more thing." Before Twilight could try leaving, Big Macintosh insistently continued. "Ah wanted to say this earlier, but Ah had to wait until when Ah'm not yer boss anymore." 

Twilight raised one of eyebrows as a response.

Big Macintosh lifted his hoof. Twilight noticed it held two... scrap of papers? Noting her confusion, Big Macintosh deeply inhaled, exhaled, less deeply inhaled again, and opened his mouth.

"Tomorrow, four o'clock, in front of the theater. After the movie, we take dinner. Whatcha say?"









"...Huh?!" Twilight finally managed to utter after good ten seconds of standing like a statue. Then she realized what Big Macintosh was holding were indeed two theater tickets.

"Wha, what!? Is this like a da, da, date?"

"Eeyup."

Swirl of unidentifiable emotions destroyed Twilight's self control, and before she knew she was screaming at the top of her lungs.

"YOU! You are the one who said nopony's going to ask me out!"

"Ah regret it. Sorry Ah said that but... Ah realized Ah could change that."

"Sorry?" Twilight narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Are you doing this just because you are sorry?!"

"No!" Big Macintosh's voice was uncharacteristically forceful. "That was why Ah decided to do this, not why Ah wanted to do this."

"What... do you mean by that?"

"Ah always wanted to... get to know ya more, if Ah had a chance. Ah knew Ah didn't have any. Especially after ya became a princess." 

Twilight glared Big Macintosh as he uttered the taboo word. However, when she did so, with relatively calmed composure, she discovered an obvious but precious phenomenon she overlooked.

Big Macintosh was blushing and sweating furiously.

"...But when Ah said things like yer too much for anypony, it felt wrong. It was honest, but sounded like a pathetic excuse of me being a coward. And, it doesn't do you any good. Yer... beautiful, smart, trustworthy, diligent, and everything that shouldn't make ya a wallflower. Ah know this is ridiculous... but... Ah think you deserve somepony wooing ya, whatever the outcome is."

Big Macintosh was unable to set his eyes on his crush during his confession, so he was completely unprepared when Twilight crash into his chest and hugged his neck with all her might. Physically, the action hardly budged Macintosh, but it send his mind into complete blankness.

They stayed like that for a while.

"Um..." Finally Big Macintosh found his voice. "So, about the date..."

"YES!" Twilight abruptly screamed. "YESYESYES! I'll be definitely there!"

"Really? Ah was ready for nothing more than 'thanks, sorry'." 

"Oh, Big Macintosh, seriously. Do you have any idea what you are to me?" Twilight hesitantly made a space between them, so they could look each other face to face. "This is too wonderful to be real. I was the one going crazy thinking how to win... your..."

Twilight's words trailed off as she realized they were not alone. Rest of the Apple family was blatantly watching through the windows of their respective rooms. They were not even trying to be covert. 

"You know what." Twilight swiftly made a natural distance between Big Macintosh, snatching one of the tickets in the process. "We really have a lot to talk about, but let's save them for tomorrow."

"Eeyup." 

Big Macintosh made the biggest smile Twilight had ever seen, and she couldn't resist doing the same.

"See you!"  

Careful not to eye towards the peeping Apples, Twilight turned and skipped towards her castle. She was grinning so madly that it would disturb Pinkie Pie.





"The ticket, check. Brush teeth, check. Brush tongue, check. Concealing bags under eyes, check. Going over this checklist for five times... this is the third time, so 2 more to go. Bath, check. Brush mane and tail, check. Saddlebag not smelling weird, check. Perfume, check. Not too much perfume, check. Hooves..."

"GAH!!" Spike screamed out of frustration and throw a bloom over his head. "You are driving me mad, Twilight! Would you quit already and get going?!"

"NO!" Twilight adamantly refused. "This must be perfect! Now, where was I? Hm, practice greeting. Ahem. Hello Big Macintosh! Nice weather today! ...this will do. Next..."

"How about being on the time?"

As if she just broke a trance, Twilight opened her eyes wide, realizing she had totally lost track of time. She followed where Spike's claw was pointing to. She saw the clock, reading 3:58 p.m.

"AHHHHHHHH!!" was the only thing she could say before bolting outside, not even caring to close the door.

"Not drenched in sweat and out of breath, unchecked." Spike mockingly muttered.

Indeed Twilight was drenched in sweat and out of breath when she reached the Ponyville Theater. She easily spotted calmly waiting Big Macintosh, and approached with poise she could muster in such state.

"Hello *cough* Big Macintosh! Nice... weather today!"

"Eeyup." 

Big Macintosh cleverly avoided asking if something wrong with his date. They just entered the theater together and took seats placed back of the room, so Big Macintosh's large figure wouldn't get in the view of others.

The theater was crowded. Twilight was too excited by the idea of having date with her crush to pay any real attention to what they were going to watch, but this one was the most anticipated blockbuster of the season. Twilight felt her heart warmed realizing Big Macintosh acquired hard-to-get tickets, even though he didn't believe she would go with him.

The movie was good, both objectively and subjectively. It was a straight-forward action & romantic comedy, a story about a self-willed girl from very minor pony tribe called Bat Ponies joining the Royal Guards. She battles against cultural difference and prejudice with her wit and courage and causes all the troubles. But soon she meets a stoic but understanding (and absurdly handsome) pegasus guard and... eventually they fall in love with each other, the end. The movie director knew what she was doing and audiences had to be entertained at some point. Twilight would have enjoyed this even if this had nothing to do with Big Macintosh.

After the movie was over, Big Macintosh led Twilight to the small restaurant she'd never visited. It appeared slightly classier than the cafè. Big Macintosh already reserved a table in the second floor, from where they could see nice view of Ponyville in the end of sunset.

Then they ordered their menu. 

"All right." Suddenly Twilight broke their lingering silence with energetic smile. "The movie was great, and dinner seems nice, but I was dying to get to this part. We have to talk."

"Well... yup."

"Do you even know what we are going to talk about?"

"...The movie?"

Twilight grinned wickedly. "Ohoho, no. Yesterday, you told me you always wanted to know me more. Tell me about it! Everything!"

"Ow." All of sudden Big Macintosh became interested in the outside view. "...Do Ah have to?"

Twilight inwardly squealed like a foal when she could see her date's cheek becoming redder, even through his crimson coat and burning sunset. She couldn't remember times she felt so flattered.

"Yes. This is a date and you are supposed to make me happy, right? Please?" 

Big Macintosh sighed in defeat. He didn't look thrilled at all, but he let out small smile to prove he knew what he was supposed to do. 

"All right, Ah'll do it. But Ah can't promise nothing about making ya feel good."

"By Celestia I won't complain. So now, go, spit it out!" Twilight rubbed her hooves in anticipation.

"Well... hope this doesn't creep ya out. To tell the truth, yer kinda special to me from the start."

Twilight tilted her head. "What is 'the start'?"

"When ya came to Ponyville for the first time. Ah was there when yer golden flying carriage hit the street, with Royal Guards and a baby dragon. Ah knew the new comer was some important figure from Canterlot but didn't imagine to be a girl as young as AJ."

"Huh? You knew I was coming?"

"Eeyup. Ah was wondering who was gonna be living in Golden Oak Library when Ah was hollowing it out."

"What!?" Twilight's outburst gathered all eyes (in addition to already prying eyes) in the restaurant, but she cared none of them. "You are the one who built the library?!"

"Nnope. Ah just took a part of the project,  just a one of those odd jobs. Ah only did rough digging inside and carrying that telescope." 

"Wow...I had no idea." Twilight longingly eyed the castle through the window, imagining how Golden Oak Library would look from this angle. 

Well isn't that fateful? Of all the time I lived there, I was being enveloped by his handiwork...

Twilight blushed at such a maudlin thought, and decided not to word it aloud.

"...I must say thank you, Big Macintosh. I really loved it as my home from day one."

"Don't mention it. Shame it's gone."

A waiter served glasses of water. Big Macintosh immediately grabbed one and gulped it. 

"Buh, Ah'm talking too much..."

Twilight giggled. "We are far from done! So... you liked me from the beginning."

"Wait, Ah said ya were special, but didn't mean Ah liked ya. Honestly, Ah didn't like ya back then."

Even with him reassuring smile, Twilight's smile varnished as if she was slapped on her face. 

"Aw... really? Why?"

"First, I felt yer putting AJ in danger. Just day one yer here, she became Element of Honesty, and started to follow ya wherever whenever Ah thought she didn't have to. That worried me. Ah came to admit AJ was much more than just mah little sis, but it wasn't easy."

A reflexive objection choked in Twilight's throat. She held it there.

"But one of the worst was when ya girls helped AJ when Ah was injured and she was totally beat. Ah wasn't there, but heard from AJ that you grabbed apples from like hundred trees in just one go. She was really embarrassed and upset, and Ah was like, darn, what a show off..."

"Wait wait wait!" This time, Twilight was unable to contain. "I remember that incident but what are you talkin... Applejack was upset? She never said that!" 

"AJ can keep secret if no one ask about it. And we were grateful to you, really. But that doesn't mean she wasn't bitter that she couldn't meet her goal and some Canterlot noble unicorn girl with no farming experience could've done better."

"You guys are totally mistaken!" Twilight barked with the face mixture of indignation and horror. "I did NOT do better than Applejack! She must have been too tired to see things correctly. There was no way it was hundred trees, it was like forty at most. And it was not 'just one go'! It was 'Mass Telekinesis on Uniform Objects'! This spell needs preparation and elaboration and rest afterwards, you know, not something I can keep casting continually. You should already know that magic spells can be powerful but almost never meant to be for long term uses and that's why unicorns could never replace Earth ponies. It's historically proven over and over and If you are not convinced I can show you books on..."

Twilight's rant slowly died down as she saw her date laughing.

"...What's so funny?"

"Ah thought we've done this already."

Twilight chuckled and blushed and coughed. "Right, sorry again."

"Don't ya worry again, that's just back then and we have nothing to hold against ya now."

"But you were not fond of me. What have I done to change your mind?"

"Ah don't know."

Silence remained for several seconds. Twilight deliberately made a face which screamed "Annoyed!".

"Sorry, but it's true. Ah don't think one big event snapped how Ah felt about ya. It was more like, a lot of small things moved me, bit by bit."

Twilight leaned forward over the table. "Give me the every details, please."

"All right, but where to start... okay, Ah start with yer eyes."

"My eyes?" 

"Eeyup. Ah couldn't help but notice how yer eyes shine whenever something positive happens. Like, when ya learn something new, when ya help yer friends or yer friends help ya, when ya eat something delicious... Ah saw sparkles in yer eyes. Ah see why yer parents named ya so. It's very beautiful and captivating."

"...Woooow. That's so... sweet. No one ever told me such things... just... wow..." 

"Another things... oh, do ya remember when Pinkie Pie got... multiplied and we had to seal the way to the pond with a rock?"

Twilight giggled. "How could I not! I was impressed how you pulled it like nothing."

"It was really nothing. By the way, at that time Ah saw yer knees were shaking. Ah heard what ya did to send those clone Pinkies back to the pond, and that scared ya. Right?"

"...Yes." Twilight nodded solemnly. "I knew what I was doing and I trusted Pinkie, but there was a chance I may send the real Pinkie away. That was... ugh, still a thing I don't want to recall even now."

"There. Ponies say ya have nothing to afraid 'cause ya can figure things out for anything. But there are actually things scare you, but you still face it and beat it. Sure yer powerful and smart, like everypony can tell, but Ah think yer brave, and that's the part I respect."

Twilight awkwardly returned shy smile, fidgeting around. At this rate I'm going to die of being too flattered. Don't regret a thing though. 

"Speaking of scare..." Big Macintosh again gulped water. "Ah found it cute that yer afraid of snakes."

Twilight frozen for a couple of seconds before she could response. "Wait, how did you—did Spike told you?"

"Eeyup."

"Agh, Spike, technically it wasn't a secret but still..." Twilight fumed, but soon smiled as she saw Big Macintosh again nervously consuming water. The fact that he was doing so much uncomfortable talking for her warmed her heart.

"Okay..." Big Macintosh sighed. "Aren't ya bored yet?"

"Nonsense. I can keep listening to this until end of the week. Go on, go on please." 

"Next one is kinda shallow. Ah like looks of yer long tail..."

They continued their conversation until their dinner was delivered. Big Macintosh found it as a good excuse to rest his throat and ate his cooked carrots and asparagus way slower than he usually does in home. On the contrary, Twilight hastily finished her salad as fast as possible without looking indecent, in order to restart the talk she immensely enjoyed. In addition to that, Big Macintosh's dish had much more volume. As a result, Twilight finished her dish before her date consumed half of his.

Big Macintosh snickered at this. 

"Well, Ah think it's yer turn to talk now."

"Aww... okay, it's fair." Twilight pouted playfully. "Is there anything you want to hear from me?"

"Absolutely. Ah was wondering... why did you agree to come?"

"You mean, this date?"

"Eeyup."

Twilight considered making this casual by just saying "why not?", but quickly mashed the idea realizing how Macintosh opened up his heart and how hers was warmed by that. She knew only right thing to do now was to return the favor.

"Well... for starters... I didn't have any reason not to. I admit I didn't... no, I still don't know you very well privately, but I've never heard anything bad about you from anypony, never witnessed anything bad myself. And sometimes I got glimpse of you helping around..."

Twilight's voice trailed off, as she couldn't help but feel her version of tale was bland compared to the one Big Macintosh gave her. 

She thought hard to find the better way to tell her feeling, but nothing came up, 

But just before disappointment and panic overtake her, she remembered one important lesson from their earlier communication: be yourself and let the heart speak, and he will always understand. 

So Twilight did so.

"I love you."

Wow this is hilarious.

Twilight inwardly snickered at her date's totally dumbfounded expression, feeling surge of confidence and contentment coming from nowhere. 

"I already did when you asked me for this date, so there was no reason to say no."

Big Macintosh was still speechless. Twilight enjoyed this precious, awkward moment for a while, then continued.

"I already had a positive opinion on you before I begun working for the Acres, but when you gently calmed down me and carried me on your back, I felt you were special. After I told you I saw you as an another guardian figure, well, it's still true, but soon I realized I wanted you to be more than that. Does this answer your question?"

Big Macintosh mumbled something unintelligible, and Twilight just smiled back.

The rest of the dinner continued in awkward silence, which was at least satisfactory for Twilight.

And it ended like so. Big Macintosh briefly offered to walk Twilight home. They walked to the castle, side by side, still not exchanging any meaningful words.

Twilight was not sure about this situation anymore. At first she felt relieved when she laid her heart blatantly, and found Macintosh's bewilderment cute. However, as time goes on, she begun to doubt her action. Had she gone too far? Doesn't he feel the same way? Wait. First of all, did this date mean to be romantic? What if this was just a casual friendly thing? She'd never read about how to classify date!

When they reached the castle, Twilight's smug smiling face was completely overwritten by fear and despondency. Seconds after they stopped front of the door, Twilight jerked her head towards her date.

"Big Macintosh, I—"

And their lips met. The kiss remained about three seconds, and Macintosh withdrew, with his face showing no less nervousness than Twilight's.  

"Well... Ah knew Ah shouldn't do this in the first date, but... Ah thought ya don't mind." Big Macintosh quickly turned around and walked to the Acre. "G'night."

Twilight froze in space for she felt like eternity. But as the night's chill sunk in the body, Twilight mindlessly walked into her castle. 

Then she startled every soul in Ponyville by giving them her victory cry from top of the castle.