Episode 26
Hearts and Hooves Day
It Hearts and Hooves Day here in Ponyville, a day where ponies all over Ponyville get to spend time with the ponies they care about.
For stallions and mares it means a nice romantic day with each other. For fillies and young children of Equestria and the Pride Lands it means a showing their teachers of how much they value the time and effort they put in ensuring they get a proper education. And that’s what the young ones are doing right now.
The young Lion Guard fans have gotten together some of the special fruit that Rafiki usually likes for his bakora staff while the girls are making a valentine for Miss Cheerilee. They now have got their gifts ready to go as they as head on over to the Cutie Mark Crusaders tree-house so they can head on to school together.
They arrived just in time to see the three fillies put the finishing touches on their gift to Cheerilee.
“Hmm... I just don't feel like it's quite finished.” Apple Bloom voiced as she forward some glue.
“I know what you mean. If it's for Miss Cheerilee, it needs to be perfect.” Sweetie Belle agreed. “Hearts and Hooves Day only comes once a year, after all.”
“I say we add a little more ribbon!” Scootaloo proposed before setting off to do so.
“Mm-hmm, yeah, yeah. And just a tiny bit more lace.” Sweetie Belle added.
“A few more hoof-prints.” Apple Bloom placed purple paint on her hooves as she made her mark on the valentine.
“Glitter! It could definitely use just a little more glitter!” Scootaloo voiced another proposal as she held up the bucket of said glitter.
“Now that'll show Miss Cheerilee how much we care about her.” Apple Bloom voiced as they looked on at their massive success literally. Because the heart is so big it covered most of the floor of the clubhouse. “Just have to get it to the Hearts and Hooves party at school.”
“I think we're gonna need a bigger envelope.” Scootaloo said as she placed a hoof on the back of her neck seeing how big they valentine is.
“I think you girls need a lot of help.” Mtoto spoke up to them as the three turned to see their friends at the doorway waiting for them while giggling at the sight.
“Oh, hello.” Apple Bloom greeted rather surprised by their appearance. “How along have you all been standing there?”
“Long enough to see that you all made an amazing gift for your teacher.” Kwato answered.
“It’s really lovely.” Kambuni admired. “Cheerlie will definitely love this.”
“At least it’ll show that you three have a big heart.” Gumba made a pun which was met with chuckles and giggles as the Pride Landers walk over to each and every corner of the valentine. “Anyways…let’s us help out there.” He then offered.
“That would be great, thanks!” Scootaloo thanked as they all proceeded to walk to school together while carefully carrying the fillies gift on over to the school.
At the schoolhouse, everyone is in the spirit including the classroom with decorations all over the room and every student has their valentines to give to their teachers just as they started off with the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the honorary Lion Guard fan since they were the last to arrive in class.
“It's lovely. And so... big!”
“Thank you so much! It’s just what I needed.”
The two teachers thanked their students.
“We just wanted to let you know that we think you're the best teacher in the whole wide world!” Apple Bloom expressed as she and the girls struggled to keep their big heart up to which their friends were quick to help support it. “And we think you're super! And that we love you so so much! And we want you to have the best Hearts and Hooves Day–“
“Ever!” The girls all finished together.
“Thank you so much, girls. I love it. I really do.” Cheerlie repeated.
“I'm sure it's nothing compared to the gifts you've gotten from your... very special somepony.” Sweetie Belle suggestively said to her to which struck a personal chord with her.
“Oh, I don't have a very special somepony at the moment.” She replied while still smiling as the girls all sported sudden looks of shock hearing that.
“Really?“ Apple Bloom asked.
“How could somepony as amazing as you not have a very special somepony on Hearts and Hooves Day?” Sweetie Belle also inputted as Cheerlie looked uncomfortable when they tried to press the subject with her back turned.
“Now, now, little ones…” Rafiki urged them that’s enough. “…some questions are better left unanswered.”
“Rafiki please…” Cheerilee gently insisted it’s okay as she turned to face the girls. “It's alright, Sweetie Belle.” She assured. I have lots of good friends and wonderful students who care about me very much. I'm gonna have an absolutely terrific Hearts and Hooves Day.” She told them as she called out to the rest of her students. “Alright, everypony, who's ready to play "Pin the Heart on the Pony"?”
Everyone all expressed volunteered interest as Cheerlie turns to the eager children leaving the girls still feeling she deserves better than what she currently has.
“If anypony deserves a very special somepony, it's her.” Apple Bloom voiced to the others when Sweetie Belle sports an eager grin at her direction to which slightly creeped her out. “Uh, you all right?”
“I'm more than all right. I've just come up with the best idea ever.” Sweetie Belle excitedly answered. “We're gonna find Miss Cheerilee a very special somepony.”
“That is the best idea ever.” Apple Bloom agreed.
“Tooold yooou!” Sweetie returned in a sing-song tone.
“So what are we waiting for? Hearts and Hooves Day is almost over! Let's get out there and find somepony special for Cheerilee already.” Apple Bloom urged the other Crusaders as they shared a high-five together.
“Yeah!”
“Let's do it!”
As the girls head out to do so when school ends, their friends had nothing to say because they aren’t sure if this is something worth their time but none of the less follow after them.
“Now it can't be just anypony. Miss Cheerilee is one of the best mares in Ponyville. She deserves to have one of the best stallions as her very special somepony.” Sweetie again voiced as she began singing.
“Cheerilee is sweet and kind,
She's the best teacher we could hope for.
The perfect stallion you and I must find
One to really make her heart so-o-oar.”
She sang as she trotted with the others split up and search for the special somepony while turning to a few ponies herself such as a filly playing an arcade game, an elderly pony walking with a hand cart, and a ill pony.
“But...
This one's too young,
This one's too old.
He clearly has a terrible cold.”
“This guy's too silly.
He's way too uptight.”
She sang as she walked by a clown and an upper class pony.
“I say!” The latter voiced slight offended.
“Well nothing's wrong with this one,
He seems alright...”
Sweetie Belle sang as she comes across a potential match.
“His girlfriend sure thinks so.” Scootaloo quickly shot it down as they both see his special somepony nuzzling nose to nose.
“How 'bout this one?”
Sweetie proposed one with a mustache, sunglasses, wearing a green disco jacket with a very fitting cutie mark to match.
“He's much too flashy.”
Apple Bloom shot it down immediately before coming across a pony running by while accidentally splashing mud on the other two Crusaders before resuming their search.
“He might do!”
“If he weren't so splashy!”
“Too short.”
“Too tall.”
“Too clean.”
“Too smelly.”
“Too strangely obsessed with tubs of jelly.”
The girls sang as their search was running thin at this point as they all regrouped.
“I don't think that we're mistaken,
It seems all the good ones are taken.”
Apple Bloom sang as she lamented.
“I really feel that at this rate,
We'll never find the perfect date.”
Sweetie Belle sang hopefully as they leaped up the nearby haystack courtesy of Apple Bloom’s big brother, Big Macintosh.
“Don't wanna quit and give up hope!”
“Doing anything special for Hearts and Hooves Day?” Scootaloo asked him when they spotted him.
“Oh please, oh please oh please say—“
Sweetie pleaded as he said…
“Nope.”
Seeing this gave the girls the idea and the pony they have been looking for.
“We did it girls,
We've found the one!
Who will send our teacher's heart aflutter!”
Sweetie Belle sang in a celebratory manner with the other girls hopping and skipping on their tippy toes to which Apple Bloom questioned when she realizes what she is suggesting.
“Wait a minute. Lemme get this straight. Are you talkin' 'bout my brother?”
“Sweetie Belle is right.” Scootaloo confirmed while making their way back to Sweet Apple Acres where they watch him perform his chores unnoticed by the large stallion. “Big McIntosh is the perfect match for Miss Cheerilee. He's really nice, super hard-working.”
“Hmm...” Apple Bloom understood why but still isn’t sure about the idea. “But he's also pretty shy. He's never gonna ask Miss Cheerilee to be his very special somepony.”
“Maybe he doesn't have to.” Sweetie Belle then thought of an idea.
“Huh?”
“If we can get Big Mac and Miss Cheerilee in a really romantic setting, I bet she'll ask him.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Scootaloo liked the idea as she turned to their friends. “Don’t you agree?”
“I don’t know…” Mtoto voiced otherwise as the girls returned rather shocked looks. “Maybe we shouldn’t.”
“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked.
“What if they don’t want us meddling with their personal life?” Mtoto explained. “What if what their special some ponies are someone they’d rather met on their own?”
“Aw, come on now, of course it’ll work.” Scootaloo shrugged off their worries. “How could it not?”
“I think what Mtoto is trying to say is that maybe we are better off not getting involved in this.” Kambuni spoke up. “Cheerlie said herself that she is happy with what she has right now.”
“She was just saying that to put a smile for us.” Sweetie Belle replied. “Because she’s really hiding with how dissatisfied she is with her current life.”
“But girls…” Kwato disagreed. “…even though we may not know love full well, I’m sure we are better off not doing it. I mean like Rafiki said it’s like forcing two positive ends of a battery to attach to each other.”
“But like Cheerlie said two positives do still make a right.” Scootaloo interjected.
“Isn’t that really two wrongs don’t make a right?” Gumba questioned.
“Whatever, because point being is we know this is going to work.” Scootaloo shrugged it off while ready to move their shipper plan forward.
“So? What are we waitin' for? Let's get out there and create the perfect date!” Apple Bloom voiced to the other girls while sharing a high five together.
“Yay!”
“Count us in.” Gumba voiced his and Shakku’s support.
“We’re right behind you.” Shakku supported as their wiser friends could only sigh seeing they are getting themselves into a potential mess of trouble that only the Lion and Pony Guard would fix if word got out.
So the kids set up a simple romantic picnic in the park with apple treats, special Hearts and Hooves treats, nice soothing music from a record player.
“Flowers. Don't forget the flowers.” Sweetie Belle reminded her friends.
“Oops. I'm on it!” Apple Bloom quickly rushed over to get them while their friends are on the lookout for the two ponies they have requested to the park little to their knowledge of the attempted setup.
“They’re coming.” Shakku alerted everyone.
“This is gonna be perfect.” Scootaloo gleefully said as she briefly flapped her little wings into the air. “Miss Cheerilee is gonna have the best Hearts and Hooves Day ever.”
“With her new very special somepony.” Sweetie added as she and the other girls giggle before greeting their teacher while the others just rolled along with it because they made it perfectly clear they don’t agree with the approach.
“Hi, girls.”
“Hi, Miss Cheerilee.”
“So you three said you needed help identifying a tree you found here near the gazebo?” Cheerlie asked them with the three fillies directing their attention to said tree on the horizon “...That's an apple tree.” She responded rather dully.
“Is it?” Apple Bloom asked with faux surprise before giggling just as her big brother arrives ready to get to work only to find that the job is already finished.
“Oh, sorry, big brother.” She apologized. “We went and fixed up the gazebo all on our own. See?” She showed him while nudging him closer to their teacher with Scootaloo nudging Cheerlie closer to Apple Bloom’s brother.
“As long as you're here, why not have a bite to eat from this romantic-looking picnic?” Scootaloo gestured them to the spread in front of them. “Oh gosh, seems like there's only room for two.” She pretended to realize.
“I guess we'll just be goin' then.” Apple Bloom added just as surprised before quickly dashing away from the scene and to the nearby bushes but not before turning on the music to leave the two confused ponies be while wondering what that was all about.
“You really think this'll work?” Mtoto questioned the girls.
“Of course it will work. They're perfect for each other.” Sweetie Belle replied very certain it will.
“Okay.” Kwato accepted.
“If you say so.” Kambuni added in the same tone as they watch the two converse.
“Beautiful day we're having.” Cheerlie awkwardly began.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac stoically replied.
“Any big plans for tonight?”
“Nnnope.”
“Oh, come on, Miss Cheerilee, ask him to be your very special somepony.” Apple Bloom pleaded with her to take the bait right in front of her.
“Ohmigosh, look.” Sweetie voiced seeing the two getting a little close to each other.
“Big Mac...”
“Eeyup?“
The girls widen their smiles as the other watch on thinking their plan is actually going to work when Cheerlie then speaks…
“You have something stuck in your teeth.” She pointing to said piece of food stuck to which Big Mac quickly pulls a toothpick to dig it out while the music abruptly stops.
“Aw, come on!”
“Really?!”
Sweetie Belle and Gumba exclaimed loudly before being quickly pushed down before Cheerlie could spot them.
“Well this has been... strange.”
“Eeyup.”
The two expressed with how awkward this whole meeting is.
“I need to get going, but it's always great running into a good friend.”
“Yup.”
They politely went their separate ways with friendly smiles in opposite directions which left the previously hopeful kids in deep disappointment.
“Well, no use letting all of this go to waste.” Shakku commented before he and Guma ran off to the display of treats and ate them up along with Mtoto albeit reluctantly helping himself to a few treats for the sake of not wasting a good spread.
Shortly after cleaning up the setup, the girls trotted off ahead back into town with their friends following after them.
“Do you think it just wasn't romantic enough?” Apple Bloom asked the others with a sigh.
“Maybe it was too romantic.” Scootaloo responded.
“Or maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.” Kwato suggested otherwise.
“Either way, we failed.” Sweetie Belle voiced it didn’t matter in defeat.
“It least it was worth a try.” Kambuni tried to make them feel better to little success.
“There's gotta be somethin' else we could…” Apple Bloom wished before bumping into Twilight and Kion who were both so deeply focused on the book the former was showing the latter.
“Oh my goodness, we didn't even see you there.”
“We’re so sorry.”
The two apologized.
“Aw, it's okay, Twilight, Kion. It was an accident.” Apple Bloom immediately forgave them.
“Kion! Twilight!” The Pride Lander friends greeted them.
“Hey!” Kion returned. “Did you all have fun at school today?”
“Sure did!” Mtoto answered.
“We played pin the tail on the pony, had snacks, and gave our teachers thoughtful gifts. It was so fun!” Kambuni added rather gleefully.
“Glad to hear.” Twilight said to them. “I've just been reading the most fascinating book about Hearts and Hooves Day and I was just showing Kion about it.” Twilight explained as she picked up the book she was reading with her magic while Kion helped the girls to their hooves. “Did you know that this holiday got its start because of a love potion?”
Suddenly, the girls quickly rushed over to Twilight seeing this as another opportunity to try to play matchmaker with the potential information on the book she has in her possession.
“Did you say... a love potion?” Sweetie eagerly asked.
“Huh?” The Lion Guard fans quizzically questioned.
“That's right.” Twilight confirmed while flipping the book to said page. “It even has the recipe.”
“I... don't suppose we could borrow that book for a little while, do ya?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Before Twilight could answer, Kion quickly spoke up wondering why.
“Girls…” He suspiciously asked them. “…what are you three up to?”
“Nothing.” Apple Bloom quickly denied leaving the lion prince unconvinced.
“Oh my goodness…” Scootaloo suddenly gasped “…is that a pony stuck in a well again.”
“What?!” Kion questioned as he and Twilight quickly turned in that direction and saw no one is stuck inside the well but right when they turned their backs to tell them there was nobody stuck the girls were already gone with the book in tow.
“What in the Pride Lands just happened?” Kion asked rather baffled while the young ones were left knowing with what bad things are in store for Big Macintosh and Cheerlie.
“Kids.” Twilight turned to the kids that didn't run away along with Kion. “Would you kindly tell us what’s going on?”
“Well…” Mtoto hesitated before confessing. “…the girls heard about Cheerlie’s single life and that she doesn’t have a special somepony in class the other day…”
“…so they came across Big Macintosh as the only pony who also didn’t have a special somepony…” Kambuni added albeit reluctantly.
“…before deciding to pair them up feeling they’d be a perfect match for each other…” Kwato took a turn in explaining honestly.
“…so they tried to set up a romantic picnic in the park but it didn’t work out…” Gumba further confessed.
“…so now after coming across you two and that book they are now getting the idea to put together a love potion to push them more together.” Shakku finished.
“It’s not like they are trying to force it upon them.” Mtoto quickly defended to assert that they had good intentions for doing so.
“Yeah I mean their hearts are in the right place.” Kambuni added. “But it seems they have the wrong idea of playing match maker.”
“Very wrong.” Kwato emphasized as the two leaders of the Guard shared a knowing look.
“I understand.” Twilight gently responded as she leaned down to their eye level to let them know that everything's all good since they were clearly weren't very comfortable with having to fess up their friends shenanigans even when it was the right thing to do. “It’s okay. You all did nothing wrong and we greatly appreciate you all brought this to our attention.”
“Really?” Kwato said in relief.
“Of course.” Kion replied. “And you all did what you could while trying to be good friends to them.”
“But what about the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” Shakku questioned.
“We’ll deal with them when things get out of hoof.” Twilight assured him. “But in the meantime you can help us out by keeping an eye on them. Tell us immediately if something comes up.”
“You heard that?” Kion asked them to make sure they understand that’s an order.
“Yes, sir.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Both Shakku and Gumba saluted to them.
“Come on, everyone…” Mtoto quickly led the way. “…to the Pride Lands and Equestria’s end…”
“Lion and Pony Guard defend!” The other’s finished together to which the two were left chuckling in amusement of their adorable antics bright down to sharing their battle cry together.
Meanwhile the Cutie Mark Crusaders are currently making their love potion by following the instructions from the book they snagged.
“Take a tuft of cloud.” Sweetie Belle read the next instruction from the book to which the girls managed to fetch said item from the closet cloud from the highest cliff in Ponyville.
“A bright rainbow's glow…”
They managed to fetch it from a nearby rainbow while literally sucking out all of the color from it.
“Stir with a Pegasus feather–“
Easy to obtain with Scootaloo’s back.
“Hey!”
“Fast, not slow.”
“Serve to two ponies who aren't in the know.” Apple Bloom finished seeing their purple colored brew is now finished with two cups ready for two ponies for another attempted gathering at the gazebo with their friends secretly following them.
“I feel kind of bad trickin' my brother and Miss Cheerilee this way.” Apple Bloom expressed having second thoughts.
“What's the problem? We all agreed these two are perfect for one another.” Sweetie Belle questioned and pointed out while adjusting the flowers.
“Yeah, they just need a little nudge.” Scootaloo added.
“And what could make them happier than being together, right?” Sweetie Belle reminded.
“Right!” Apple Bloom smiled as she remembered why they are doing this before noticing something. “Huh? Has any pony seen the other kids?”
Before any of them could figure that out and answer Scootaloo spotted the two arriving at the gazebo.
“Oh, oh, here they come.“
“Hiya, Miss Cheerilee.” Apple Bloom greeted.
“Hello again, girls. Hello, Big Mac.” Cheerlie returned with a smile. “Would you three like to tell us why it was so very important that we meet you here–“
“Punch!” Sweetie Belle interrupted.
“Excuse me?”
“Punch! We made punch. We were gonna set up a stand and try to sell it but, heh, we needed somepony to taste-test it first.” Sweetie Belle explained.
“Yup.” Apple Bloom nodded.
“We thought you two would be perfect together.” Sweetie Belle added then corrected herself. “To test it. Together. So, uh, we'll just leave you two alone. Together, to test it.”
The girls then quickly ran off together leaving the perplexed ponies alone with the cups of potion.
“I'm very sorry about this.” Cheerlie apologized. “I mentioned to the girls that I don't have a very special somepony, and I believe they're putting us in these awkward situations because they've decided it should be you.”
Both adults shared a laugh over it before deciding to drink the punch.
“I suppose we should just humor them for a moment. This punch does look delicious.”
“Eeyup.”
“I think they're gonna drink it.” Sweetie eagerly anticipated.
“To good friends!” Cheerlie said cheers while sharing a toast with Big Macintosh.
“They're drinking it. They're drinking it!” Scootaloo exclaimed seeing they’re buying it. After a hiccup, the two then gazed into each other’s eyes with purple swirls in them. “They're looking into each other's eyes.”
“They're about to be in for a big surprise!” The three said in unison seeing their plan is working.
“Big Mac?”
“Yup?”
The girls again buttoned up their eager eyes and smiles when she then popped the question.
“Will you be my very special somepony?”
“Eeyup.”
“YES!” Sweetie exclaimed again before being quickly pushed down by Scootaloo.
“He's her special somepony! She's his special somepony!” The girls celebrated in a sing-song tone while prancing around the love-gazed ponies.
“He's my special somepony.”
“Eeeeeyup.”
“Aww!”
The others hiding in the bushes could not believe what had just happened. The girls plan worked even if it resorted to dubious means to force the bond together.
“He's my shmoopy-doopy sweetie-weetie pony pie.”
“You're my shmoopy-doopy sweetie-weetie pony pie.”
The two traded to which immediately raised red flags in the girls minds from the overly-affectionate gestures.
“Did he just say–“ Apple Bloom asked.
“You're my cutie-patootie lovie-dovie honey-bunny.
“You're my heartie-smartie smoochie-woochie baby-waby.”
They traded again as their eyes glowed the purple swirl again.
“Big Mac! Hey! Hello! What's going on?”
“Miss Cheerilee, are you alright?”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle checked up on them.
“I have a special somepony.” Cheerlie answered not even paying attention to the girls or even the Lion Guard fans approaching them. “A kissy-wissy snuggy-wuggy sugar bear.”
“Girls, what did you all just do?” Mtoto asked them very worried with what they had just did seeing the two share a nose kiss with each other.
“I think we may have given them too big of a nudge.” Sweetie admitted.
“You're my cuddly-wuddly boopsie-woopsie pumpkin pie.” Big Macintosh shared with Cheerlie to which the kids cringed seeing another overly-affectionate gesture
“Oh you think.” Gumba remarked while resisting the urge to throw up.
“Care to explain what kind of potion you girls gave them?” Shakku questioned to which the girls immediately retreated to their clubhouse to find that out.
“As soon as we find out we’ll let you know.” Apple Bloom answered before pulling out the book they used once they all managed to make it back to the clubhouse.
“What have we done?!” Apple Bloom expressed as she paced around while the other Crusaders looked at the recipe they used. “My brother's actin' like a grade-A goofball!”
“Maybe we added too much rainbow.”
“Or maybe not enough cloud.”
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo suggested before Sweetie Belle realized something.
“Or maybe... uh-oh.”
“Whaddaya mean, "uh-oh?!"” Apple Bloom inquired.
“We might not have given Big Mac and Miss Cheerilee a love potion. We may have given them a love poison.” Sweetie Belle explained.
“What?!” Everyone exclaimed as Sweetie Belle continued.
“Apparently, some prince a long time ago whipped up this recipe and gave it to this princess he liked. He meant it to be a love potion, but things didn't turn out so well.”
“How "not so well" did things turn out?“ Kwato asked.
“Well, there's something here about a dragon, the kingdom falling, chaos reigning...” She read from the book word for word while the others clench their teeth while cringing at the implications. “Okay, apparently it was all because the prince and princess were so lost in each other's eyes that they couldn't perform their royal duties.”
“Oh sweet Simba.” Kambuni said in horror. “You girls are so dead.”
“Great! We've not only turned Big Mac and Miss Cheerilee into a couple of nonsense-spoutin' nincompoops, we may have put all of Ponyville in jeopardy!” Apple Bloom lamented as she smacked her face into the nearby table.
“Come on, Apple Bloom. Miss Cheerilee and Big Mac don't have any royal duties.” Scootaloo tried to assure.
“But they still got responsibilities. If we don't fix this...” Apple Bloom greatly feared the worst while wildly swinging her arms around. “Oh no, Miss Cheerilee won't be able to teach. Big Mac won't be able to harvest any apples, and before you know it... Ponyville will be overrun with uneducated little ponies starvin' for apples. Oh, it'll be chaos! It'll be chaos!”
“There's an antidote!” Sweetie Belle immediately pointed out.
“Well, why didn't you say so?” Apple Bloom immediately berated. “Didn't you see me gettin' all panicked back there?”
“Apple Bloom…” Mtoto urged her to calm down. “…please. She just found it out. Please don’t give her a hard time over this.”
“I’m sorry, Mtoto.” Apple Bloom apologized after calming down a little. “I just really don’t want my big brother’s to be ruined because of me.”
“We’ll fix this no problem.” Kambuni gently said before turning to Sweetie Belle. “What’s the antidote.”
“If we can keep Miss Cheerilee and Big Mac from looking into each other's eyes for one full hour, the love curse will be broken.” She explained while showing them the highlighted page.
“Only an hour?” Scootaloo thinks this shouldn’t be a problem. “We can pull that off in a second.”
“You sure about that?” Mtoto questioned not so sure it’ll be easy. “Your brother is very strong.”
“Of course.” Apple Bloom replied.
“Even when he is capable of carrying three tree loads of apples.” Gumba added to agree with Mtoto. “Doesn’t sound like a pony to be underestimated.”
“Absolutely!” Scootaloo again scoffed. “I mean how hard can it be to keep them separated?”
“So true.” Sweetie agreed without second thought before leading the other girls out to do so. “Let’s go!”
“We’re telling Twilight and Kion about this right?” Kwato asked the others.
“Eeyup!” They all said in unison before they set out to do so because even at a young age they are smart enough to know when to ask for help.
Meanwhile the two ponies under the effects of the love poison have retreated to Sugarcube Corner still gushing over each other with a milkshake while Mrs. Cake is clearly disturbed by their interactions.
“You take the first sip, snuggle-wuggles.”
“No, you take it, schnoodle-dumplin'.”
“No, you, shnooky-lumps.”
“No, you, pookie-pie.”
They traded with each other while pushing the float towards each other insisting they take a sip from it just as the Cutie Mark Crusaders arrive.
“I'm all for romance, but this has been going on for hours.” Mrs. Cake voiced her subtle disgust at the two biting onto the same cherry. “What's happened to these two?”
“Who knows?” Sweetie responded with a nervous chuckle.
“Well, these lovebirds will probably be planning a wedding soon.” Mrs. Cake then thought nothing of it as she walked away. “I can always use the catering business.”
“A wedding! That's it!” Sweetie spoke up of another idea. “Miss Cheerilee and Big Mac should get married!”
“How is gettin' hitched gonna keep them apart?” Apple Bloom questioned.
“They aren't really gonna get married.” Sweetie clarified. “They're just gonna get ready to get married.”
“No, you, biscuit-wiscuit bear!”
“Nope, you, huggy-wuggy snuggy bunny!”
The two traded as Sweetie Belle approaches them.
“Hi, Miss Cheerilee, how are you?” She asked her teacher.
“I have a very special somepony.” Cheerlie answered still not taking their eyes off of Big Mac while holding up a portrait of her stallion.
“I have a very special somepony.” Big Macintosh expressed while holding up a portrait of Cheerlie.
“Yeah, we noticed.” Apple Bloom noted in a flat tone when they share another nose kiss before Sweetie got in between them to which the two ponies struggled from the brief moment of separation.
“Gosh, you two are so in love, the next thing you know, you'll be getting married.”
“Married?!” They expressed with stunned surprise.
“That's right. Maaarriiied.” Sweetie emphasized as she repeated.
“Married...” They found the idea intriguing to which Apple Bloom resisted the urge to throw up before pushing her brother out the door.
“'Course, if you're gonna get married, you wanna pick out a really nice diamond for your” Apple Bloom nearly threw up again. “shmoopy-doopy, uh, pookie-pie.”
“Diamond!”
“Shmoopy!”
The two expressed sudden shock and desperation of being forcibly separated while futilely trying to reach out to each other.
”Don't you think you should start looking for your wedding dress?” Scootaloo playing along with Sweetie’s plan. “You'll wanna look your best for your...honey-bunny snuggle-baby.” She added the last part rather reluctantly.
“Oh! Dress!” Cheerlie immediately went off to do so while busting a hole in the wall when she makes her leave.
“Now we just need to keep them apart.” Sweetie Belle voiced of what must be done. “I'll keep Miss Cheerilee occupied. You two do the same with Big Mac.”
“No problem.” Apple Bloom agreed.
“And you two have extra help…” They heard a voice just in front of them from Twilight accompanied by Kion along with the Lion Guard fans. “…Because we’re going to help to make sure of that.”
“Twilight! Kion!” The girls exclaimed in shock upon seeing them and they know about all of this. “What are you both doing here?”
“Helping fix the mess you three made.” Kion answered with the girls expressing surprise directed at their friends for telling them about this.
“You told them?” Apple Bloom questioned them feeling slightly betrayed.
“Sorry girls…” Mtoto apologized on behalf of the team. “…but with what we need to pull this off, we needed some help here.”
The girls still couldn’t believe it but didn’t have time to say a word about it.
“We’ll worry about all of this later.” Kion quickly spoke while turning to the others. “For now let’s just focus on keeping them separate for the next hour. Girls you’re with Twilight and Cheerlie and you guys are with me. Got it?”
“Right!” Everyone all stated.
“We’ll meet you back at the clubhouse in an hour when this whole mess is over.” Sweetie Belle called out to the other girls while she and Twilight lead the way in Cheerlie’s direction with Kion leading the guy’s in Big Mac’s direction.
The girls caught up to Cheerlie currently going through wedding dresses at Rarity’s shop with the fashionista and is frantically rushing through the process by just pushing aside every dress given to her.
“Easy Cheerlie…” Twilight placed a stopping hoof on her shoulder. “Take a deep breath…” Cheerlie did so… “…and let it out slowly…” Cheerlie again did as she was told to which Sweetie Belle hands her one dress before forcing her into the fitting room.
“This one looks nice. Better try it on though.” Sweetie Belle suggested while handing her the rack of dresses to try on along with barricading the door to keep her locked inside for the rest of the hour.
“Ten minutes down, fifty minutes to go.” Kambuni reported to the other girls while looking at the clock tower from outside.
“Okay, good.” Twilight felt pleased to see and hear that.
“Although I would have greatly appreciated it if you hadn’t me bring out my finest wedding veils and dresses to serve just as a distraction to fix another one of your silly mistakes, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity chided her little sister.
“Sorry sis. But how else we’re we supposed to get them apart for one whole hour?” The little unicorn apologized.
“It’ll be okay Rarity.” Twilight reassured her friend. “We just need to keep her until the love poison wears off.”
“Hopefully, the guys aren’t having too much trouble with Big Mac.” Kambuni hopefully added.
“Some things easier said than done.” Rarity grumbled accepting the decision but not liking it.
Meanwhile, the guys along with the other Crusaders are helping the stallion look at wedding rings. Of course, the large stallion really wants to make this quick so he can reunite with Cheerlie. So he tries to agree to accept the first diamond he sees leading to the others to make the decisions for him to stall him.
“No.”
“No.”
“Not that one either.”
Kion, Gumba, and Apple Bloom all immediately waved off much to both the vendor and the buyer’s disappointment while the former presents a diamond-encrusted gem to the red-coated and muscular pony.
“No.” Shauku quickly rejected. “Too shiny.”
“Yeah…” Apple Bloom quickly agreed. “…He’s need something a little…You know, somethin' less... shiny. Miss Cheerilee deserves the best.”
The shopper obliged without question to which she turned Scootaloo eyeing the clock tower from the window. “How much time is left? I'm runnin' out of ways to make diamonds sound bad.”
“We still have twenty five minutes.” She reported before seeing Big Mac and Kion have both left the building. “What happened and where's my brother?”
“He quickly made his purchase and departed out the back. Said something about needing to see his... shmoopy-shmoo.” The vendor answered to which the kids all groaned in disgust hearing the sickening nickname display.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock the kids all followed after Big Macintosh who is currently hopping on over to find Cheerlie with Kion quickly following after him.
“Okay, Kion and I will see what we can do to slow him down. You all go on to Carousel Boutique and warn Twilight and the girls.” Apple Bloom told the others to which they quickly did so before focusing on the lion cub trying to tackle and stop the stallion in his tracks.
Even though he was able to tackle and force him to the ground, Big Macintosh was just too strong to stop him in his tracks
Apple Bloom then tried to drag him by both his back then his front heels to stop him but it was no use. The adrenaline in his blood was too much for him to be stopped so easily.
Until she came across another idea when it came walking by…spotting a nearby couple of bulls struggling to carry anvils on their cart she quickly placed a rope around her big brother’s saddle with hopes it would be enough to stop him. But even that was not enough to even remotely slow him down because the bulls were dragged by their hooves.
Apple Bloom could only watch in dismay seeing the big half of the problem is starting to come too close to the smaller half with only five minutes to go.
“Don’t worry, Apple Bloom. We’re way ahead of you.” Kion told the filly while quickly making their way the shop where the other members of the Guard have a trap set out for the overly strong pony.
At the same time, Scootaloo along with the other kids have arrived while catching their breath to which the other girls took notice of.
“What's wrong?”
“Where's Apple Bloom?”
“Where's Big Mac?”
Twilight, Kambuni, and Kwato all asked.
“On…his…way.”
“Gotta…keep him…out of boutique.” Scootaloo and Gumba explained in between breaths.
“Not a problem.” Twilight spoke up to them while pointing her hoof straight ahead. “We’ve already got it covered.”
“Huh?” The kids questioned until they saw the big hole in the middle of the pathway dug up by her big sister Applejack along with Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Beshte, and Bunga. “Oh!”
“I get it!” Scootaloo understood their angle when they see Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh heading their way. “Move away!” She called out to the filly who has resorted to hooking a house along with herself to her brother which did little to slow him down.
“He'll get to her! He's too strong!” Apple Bloom called back.
“Let him go!” Sweetie urged her to which she does without a choice in that regard.
Thankfully, the large red stallion wasn’t watching where he was going and ended up dropping right into the Guard’s trap.
“Shmoopy-doo– Whoa!” Big Macintosh shouted.
“I sure am glad you found those shovels.” Scootaloo expressed as they see the stallion buried deep in the hole unable to climb out in time especially with the strongest members of the Guard tackling the scrambling pony down.
“And I’m sure am glad you found the Guard to help us out.” Sweetie Belle gratefully added to their Pride Lander friends. “We would have had barely managed had it been just us handling this.”
“One more minute and the spell will be broken!” Apple Bloom excitedly announced when they turned to the clock’s attention.
“Shmoopy-doo!” Big Macintosh cried out to which caught the attention of the kid’s teacher who started bursting out of the dressing room and out of the building.
“Sweetums?!” She cried out while wearing a wedding veil on her head looking around for her special somepony.
“Shmoopy-doo!” Big Mac cried out while forced down back into the hole.
“Oh no you don’t.” Kyoga declared while working her magic from her paws to freeze the charging pony in place along with Twilight to keep her from advancing on Big Mac while the others block off the trapped pony’s view with the remaining seconds of the hour ticking away.
Finally, the clock chimed six o’clock meaning the effects of the love potion have worn off allowing the two to drop their magical grip on Cheerlie who then instantly dived into the pit and crashed into everyone inside the hole.
“Oh, please be normal, please be normal.” Apple Bloom hoped when she and the girls reach the edge of the pit to find the two looking up wondering what had just happened.
“Am I wearing a wedding veil?” Cheerlie asked while looking around to their surroundings.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac stoically answered.
“Are you sitting on a feather bed in a hole in the ground?”
“Eeyup.”
“And you guys and girls are in here too?” She asked the strongest members of the Guard.
“Eeyup.” Applejack stoically answered too.
“Girls! Can you explain why I look like I'm getting married at the bottom of a pit with the strongest members of the Guard presiding over it?” Cheerlie asked the Crusaders to which the three of them all did so upon being glared at by everyone from the Guard to do so with nervous grins.
“We may have given you the teeny-tiniest bit of love potion... that may have turned out to actually be a love poison, and you may have gone just a teeny-tiniest bit nutty.” Sweetie confessed.
“But we only did it because we thought you and Big Mac would be really happy if you could be each others very special someponies on Hearts and Hooves Day.” Apple Bloom added.
“Our hearts and hooves were in the right place.” Scootaloo also added.
“We appreciate that you care about us and want us to be happy but–“ Cheerlie began to respond but the girls weren’t finished yet.
“But no matter how good our intentions might have been, we shoulda never meddled in your relationship.” Apple Bloom continued.
“Nopony can force two ponies to be together.” Scootaloo added.
“It's up to everypony to choose that very special somepony for themselves.” Sweetie Belle finished before she and the others say in unison.
“We're sorry.”
“And you can think about how sorry you are while you're doing all of Big Mac's chores at Sweet Apple Acres.” Cheerlie responded in a tone that makes it clear they are stay getting a heck of a punishment for their actions before turning to Apple Bloom’s siblings. “Does that seem like a fair punishment to you?”
“Eeyup.”
“Sounds fair to me.”
Both Big Mac and Applejack nodded.
“Along with helping me repair the damage to my shop.” Rarity added pointing to the damage doors in her fitting room along with the entrance.
“Okay…” The girls accepted with closed eyes not even denying that they all had this coming.
After filling up the hole, the girls got to work at Sweet Apple Acres to start their punishment by filling apples into the large crate to which the girls found as hard work.
And it is made perfectly clear whether they did so or not will not go unnoticed by the Guard since they are supervising their punishment themselves. Thankfully, the Lion Guard fan group were kind enough to help them out. Especially, since they also have to tend to the repairs at Rarity’s shop.
Just as the kids sighed from the sweat accumulated on their faces both Big Macintosh and Cheerlie have approached the kids.
“Hey there, Miss Cheerilee! What are you doin' here?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Since you three are doing all of his chores, Big Mac and I thought we'd have a picnic at the gazebo.” Cheerlie answered while turning to Big Mac. “Ready, sugar bear?” She said in an overly affectionate manner.
“Eeyup, pumpkin pie.” Big Mac returned in a similar manner to which the kids gasped in shock realizing the plan to keep them away long enough failed.
Unbeknownst to them, the adults all shared giggles and knowing winks to each other since they know that they are actually trolling the kids before the two ponies set out towards the gazebo.
“NOOOOO!!!” The kids screamed together upon seeing the two walk off into the sunset together.