//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Untitled BigDerp Story 
// by CreativeChaosStudios 
//------------------------------//

It was Saturday, so Ditzy remained comfortable in her bed for a few hours longer than usually. It was actually rather nice, but it was probably because of how her body felt from her activities the previous night. She stirred, her legs moving to stretch out slightly, and she was awaken by a tingle between them. "Ah~"

She bit her lip and sat up, laughing as she ran a hand through her hair. "Oh, Celestia, that feeling is welcomed back anytime..."

Getting out of bed, she slipped on a large T-shirt over her bare body before walking out of her room. To her surprise, Dinky was awake and watching TV, a bowl of cereal in front of her.

"Good morning," Ditzy greeted Carrot as she walked into the kitchen, seeing the woman on the couch beside Dinky. The smell of muffins filled the air and Ditzy looked to Carrot. "Did you buy me some muffins?"

"Yep," Carrot replied, dropping her head back to look at the half-awake woman. "You usually bake muffins Friday nights, but we went to dinner. I decided to make it up to you and bought some."

"Thanks, beautiful." Ditzy replied with a wide smile. She made a mental note to bake some with Dinky later that afternoon, since Dinky loved helping her so much. Lifting one of the muffins, she took a bite and welcomed the flavors with a small 'Mmm~'. Finishing it a few minutes later, she walked over to Dinky and kissed her head. "I'm going to take a shower, Muffin. What do you want to do today?"

"I wanna see Applebloom again!" Dinky cheered, turning around to look at her mother. Ditzy could see the excitement and eagerness in Dinky's eyes and tilted her head some. "Alright, Dinky. I'll see what we can do."

Carrot smiled and looked to Ditzy, as if hoping she'd make the right choice. Ditzy returned her gaze and shook her head with a big smile as she walked towards the bathroom.

"I know that look!" Carrot cheered, earning an audible laugh from other woman.

The water began to run and Ditzy undressed herself, tossing her panties and T-shirt into the hamper. She looked at herself in the mirror again, her hand running against her cheek as she examined those eyes, those damn unfocused eyes. Then it hit her: he never mentioned them. Smiling to herself once more, Ditzy actually felt...giddy. Big Mac, at least last night, saw her for her personality rather than her appearance. Getting into the shower, she quickly washed her body and hair, eager to fulfill Dinky's wish to see Applebloom.

Soon enough, Carrot Top and Ditzy were in the car, heading towards Sweet Apple Acres. A phone call to AJ by Carrot Top let Ditzy talk about the girls playing with one another today, and without hesitation AJ welcomed the young Dinky over. It would help her and Big Mac take care of work without the distractions seeing Applebloom would have some company. Arriving at Sweet Apple Acres, Dinky was welcomed by sweet little Applebloom, and Ditzy (alongside Carrot Top) was welcomed with the sight of a shirtless Big Mac working the fields. She imagined what he would look like shirtless, but seeing it was a lot better. His chest and abs were chiseled, obviously toned by the years of work he had gone through, and his arms were toned, biceps visible as he lifted bales of hay onto the cart.

"Wow..." Carrot Top whispered before patting Ditzy's shoulder. "Go get 'em, Tiger."

"C-Carrot Top?!" Ditzy called out, watching her friend getting into the car. 'Oh no.' She thought to herself. 'She's leaving me here with him. No hope of escape. He'd have to drive me home! Wait. Celestia, Carrot, just...Celestia.'

Ditzy took Dinky by the hand and looked to Applebloom, still blushing heavily at Carrot's intention to force a ride home from Big Mac. "Care to take us inside? I want to thank AJ for letting Dinky come over."

"Sure thing, Miss Doo. This way!" She replied happily, waving an arm to signal 'Follow me'. As the three walked to the house, Ditzy looked over to Big Mac and discovered him returning her gaze. He smiled some and gave her a small wave, a stock of straw between his lips. Ditzy bit her lip and followed Applebloom to where AJ and an elderly woman, Granny Smith, were discussing something about the harvest. Farming wasn't Ditzy's strong suit, so she couldn't really understand the topic thoroughly, and besides, her mind keep going to Big Mac.

"AJ, Miss Doo's here!" Applebloom called out as she and Dinky went upstairs to her bedroom to play. AJ walked out, dressed in a flannel shirt tied at the stomach, her flat midsection visible, and a pair of daisy duke shorts and cowboy boots. "Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres, Miss Doo. Or back, if Ah remember correctly."

"Back," She answered politely, smiling to the blonde woman before her. "Thank you for letting Dinky come over. She doesn't have many friends..."

AJ nodded in understanding. "That's the word through the grapevine, Ah hear. Applebloom said she gets picked on a lot..."

"Because of me," Ditzy added with a heavy sigh. "My eye condition. It makes me look...disabled. The kids tend to tease her, bully her, about it..."

"Well, Miss Doo, Ah'm glad she found a friend in Applebloom and the girls. And don't worry, we here at Sweet Apple Acres judge people by character, not appearance." Applejack said in hopes of easing her feelings. "Your daughter was all Applebloom talked about last night, and Ah can tell ya treat her right."

Ditzy couldn't help but smile and wrote down a phone number for AJ. "Here, I know you have Carrot Top's number, but here's my cellphone number if you need to contact me."

"Of course, Miss Doo. Is there anythin' y’all be needin'?" Applejack asked with a warm smile, beginning towards the door. She made no effort to kick Ditzy out in a hurry, but rather to look outside at Big Mac and see how the work is coming. She also noticed no car or Carrot Top. "Where in tarnation...?"

"Oh, right...Carrot Top had something come up. I need a ride home, if you could spare it..." Ditzy informed, her eyes looking down, as if in embarrassment.

"Aw shoot, that's no problem. Big Mac!" She replied before calling out for her older brother. "Ah need some things from in town anyway, so Ah'll have Big Macintosh take you home and take care of that for me. Come on, let's step outside for a second."

Ditzy followed her onto the porch and watched as AJ took a deep breath of the afternoon air. When Big Macintosh got close to the house, he threw on his A-shirt and looked to AJ. "Eeyup?"

"Ah need ya to take a break and run some errands for me. Also, can ya escort this lovely young woman home? Carrot Top was needed elsewhere." Applejack informed him. Big Mac looked to Ditzy and smiled some before nodding. "Eeyup, Ah can take care of that."

"Thanks, Big Mac." AJ replied, walking back inside. "Take care, Miss Doo."

"You too, Applejack." Ditzy replied before looking back to the man in front of her. She blushed some and smiled. "Thank you, by the way."

"It's no problem, Miss Doo. Shall we?" He asked, motioning his hand towards his pickup truck. The two walked over to the truck and Big Mac unlocked the door on Ditzy's side first, opening it for her. She was surprised at the notion and smiled as she stepped up into the truck. "And who said chivalry is dead?" She teased gently to Big Macintosh.

"Well, Ah don't know much about chivalry, but my Pa taught me how to respect a lady." Big Mac replied. Ditzy smiled at the answer and waited for him to walk around to the driver side. He opened the door and grabbed a small towel from the seat, wiping his neck down before pulling his flannel shirt out of the back of the truck. Throwing it on over the A-shirt, he climbed in and started the engine. "So, Miss Doo, where are ya headed?"

"Ditzy," She said to him, smiling. "Just call me Ditzy. And we're going to Buckingham Street, the apartment complex there."

"Of course, Miss Ditzy." Big Mac replied, pulling out of the ranch as the two headed into Ponyville. Ditzy wasn't going to argue names anymore, and she was actually rather fond of 'Miss Ditzy'. For the first few minutes, the ride was absolutely silent. Ditzy was about to speak when she heard the gentle, yet deep voice of Big Mac. "May Ah ask you a question, Miss Ditzy?"

She looked at him with a puzzled look for a moment and nodded. "Of course, Big Mac. What is it?"

Big Mac appeared to blush, which made her feel kinda giddy. It was cute. "Well, Ah'm just curious about...Well..."

There was another period of silence in the truck, which felt like it lasted an eternity, and Big Macintosh only grew redder. "Actually, it's no business of a simple farmer like me."

"No," Ditzy replied, shaking her head to reassure him. "It's fine, Big Mac. What is it?"

Truth be told, she simply needed to know what got him so flustered. Big Macintosh looked to her and rubbed his neck a little as he drove closer to Ponyville. "Well, Miss Ditzy, Dinky talked an awful lot about you last night, but Ah find it awfully strange she didn't say anything about her Pa."

The question cut deep. Ditzy grew quiet and tried to collect herself as the memories flooded her mind. "Well, Big Mac...it's complicated..."

Big Macintosh noticed the change in her and brought the car to a stop at the traffic signal. "If ya don't wish to tell me, Miss Ditzy, Ah understand. It's simply not my business." He was being sincere, and it brightened Ditzy's mood slightly. She shook her head though, wanting to tell him. "No, it's fine Big Macintosh...I just thought I'd be used to that question."

Big Macintosh listened intently as they waited for the traffic light. Ditzy composed herself and looked to him. "She doesn't know her father and, quite frankly, I'd rather keep it that way. He...really wasn't what he appeared to be."

Taking a deep breath, she told Big Mac something she only told Carrot Top and Sparkler in the years since. "I meet a gentleman in Manehattan a couple of years ago. I was young, fresh out of high school, and decided to take a trip around Equestria to celebrate. I lost my wallet in Manehattan, miles away from any family, and met he who took me in. He gave me a roof to stay under until things got sorted out and let me eat his food, at first simply out of kindness. However, like any gift, there's the expectation of a return...And when he didn't get it, he got violent..."

Big Macintosh knew where this was headed and placed a hand on hers as he gave the truck some gas, the light having changed. "Ya don't need to say anymore, Sugarcube..."

Ditzy took a deep breath, holding back tears of the memory, and looked to Big Macintosh with a sincere smile despite it all. "...In the end, I found out I was pregnant with his child. I had to keep her, because she was my child regardless and I was gifted with little old Dinky Doo." She smiled brightly at the end, and Big Mac knew she absolutely adored her daughter. "Every rain cloud has a silver lining, you know?"

"Eeyup. That Ah do, Miss Ditzy." Mac replied with a small smile. "That Ah do."

Big Macintosh pulled up to the apartment building of Ditzy Doo and put the car into park. "Here we are, Miss Ditzy."

Ditzy smiled, looking at her small home, and leaned over to Big Macintosh, kissing his cheek gently. Leaning back, she opened her door and looked to him. "Thank you, Mister Apple. If only there were more gentlemen like you in Ponyville."

"Oh, Ah'm nothing special, Miss Ditzy." He replied casually, smiling and blushing faintly from the kiss. Such a humble individual, this Big Macintosh. Ditzy smiled at his words. "I'll be by later this evening to pick up Dinky. Hopefully, I see you there..."

"Eeyup."