Caramel, Carrot Cake, Braeburn, and Applejack waited for Big Macintosh as he recovered from the incident. They worried for the stallion’s health, but a lingering thought still consumed their minds; the proposal failed.
“So lemme get this straight,” Applejack didn’t have a firm grasp on the situation at hoof. In fact, the only reason she knew about the incident was because Caramel rushed to Sweet Apple Acres and told her. She had only heard the gist of the predicament so far.
“Mah brother tried to propose to Fluttershy, but he had a few apples missing from his tree and accidentally ate cucumber, which he's allergic to. Big Mac’s tongue swelled up, and he couldn’t spit out the message. Then, y’all rushed him to the hospital when he had trouble breathing.”
Caramel solemnly looked down. “Yeah, that’s basically it.” He felt awful for ruining the most important moment of Big Macintosh’s life. If only I had remembered. If only I warned Big Macintosh that the ratatouille contained cucumber. If only I didn’t act so careless. It’s all my fault. Tears started dripping to the floor. I’m sorry.
“Caramel, don’t worry.” Big Mac entered the waiting room.
“Big Macintosh!” Everypony hugged the stallion, glad that he was finally okay.
“Caramel, it ain’t your fault, it’s mine. Ah should’ve looked at that rat-patooty before eating it. Ah was being stupid, so don’t worry about it.”
The tears started to dry up. “Thank you,” was all the amber pony uttered.
The moment touched everypony’s heart, but Braeburn disrupted the spell.
“Gazooks! We sure were worried, BM! It’s a good thing we got ya to the hospital! This reminds me of the time when…” Applejack stuck a hoof in the cowpony’s mouth.
“Quit yer yammering! Big Mac, Ah’m so glad you’re okay. Ah’m gonna head back to the farm and tell Granny Smith and Apple Bloom.” Applejack trotted to the exit, but abruptly stopped on the way there. “Two more things before Ah go. First, Ah want to congratulate ya on finally decidin’ to settle down with Fluttershy.”
“Thanks, AJ.”
“Second, Mr. Cake, don’t ever wear that again.”
Realizing he still wore the dress, the baker blushed at the statement. “I was forced to wear it!”
With her message sent, the orange mare left the hospital with a chuckle.
“Your turn, Carrot.”
“My turn for what, Big Mac?”
“Unfortunately, Ah messed up the last plan, so Ah need another proposal idea.”
Braeburn swung his foreleg in defeat. “Aw shoot! Ah wanted to give the next one. Oh well, as long as BM gets married, Ah guess.”
Carrot, content that he finally got to share his wisdom, held his chin up high. “As you all know, I’m the only pony here that’s married, so that means my proposal to Cup was successful, and we’ve been living happily ever since. You see, I asked her to marry me by putting the message on a cake. She thought it was so romantic that she said yes.”
The cross-dressing stallion raised a hoof. “That’s what you should do, Big Mac! Ask her with a cake! I’ll make the cake for you, BM; all you gotta do is show it to Fluttershy. Heck, I won’t even charge you for it!”
“That plan ain’t so bad. It’s simple, easy, and delicious. Make the cake later today, Carrot.”
“Sure thing!”
Caramel interjected. “By the way, you’ve been here waiting for Big Macintosh with the rest of us all night, Carrot.”
“Yeah, so?”
“Does your wife know that you’re here?”
“........ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!”
-------
“Where have you been?!” Cup Cake lashed out her complaints as her husband quivered in fear. Clearly, she remained awake for multiple hours. Her eyes were a combination of both fury and drowsiness. The rage of Cup had enough force to cause an earthquake at Cloudsdale, and Cloudsdale was on freakin’ clouds.
“You have the audacity to come home after disappearing all night, leaving me home with the twins and Pinkie Pie! Freakin’ Pinkie Pie! You know I love that filly, but sometimes, she drives me crazy! Do you have any idea how chaotic it was here without you holding down the fort?! And why are you wearing a dress?!”
“Now, honey bun, I have a good reason why, just calm down.”
The irritated wife gritted her teeth. “What would that be?”
“Well, Big Macintosh wanted to propose to Fluttershy, so the gang and I helped him out. I wore the dress to watch and make sure the proposal went well, but the plan failed.”
“Oh!” Cup’s voice settled down and decreased to her normal tone. “That changes everything! Poor Big Macintosh, I can’t believe that Fluttershy said no!”
“Actually, she didn’t say no. Big Mac simply couldn’t get the message out.”
“Then we should help him!”
“That’s why I’m here. I was going to make a cake that had ‘Will you marry me?’ spelled out on it.”
The female baker put her hooves over her heart. “Awww, just like how you proposed. Oh Carrot, can you forgive me for being so brash at you?”
“I don’t have to forgive you. It was my fault that I was gone.” Carrot walked up to his wife and gave a warm embrace, letting her know that everything was okay. “Besides, it’s probably just your time of the month again.”
“…….. GGGGGRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”
-------
After surviving his wife’s rage, Carrot Cake slipped out of his dress and finished baking the cake he promised Big Macintosh. While spelling out the message with strawberry icing, the earth pony began singing a verse from his favorite song.
If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone
Carry on
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground
Carry on
Carry on, carry on
“Done! Now, I should probably go check on Pound and Pumpkin.” The lanky pony ignored the cake and trotted up the stairs, confident that his plan would be a success.
-------
Big Macintosh, along with Fluttershy, headed to Sugar Cube Corner to pick up his proposal cake.
“So Big Macintosh, what was the problem that Granny Smith called you for last night?”
What should Ah say? Ah don’t wanna lie to Fluttershy, but Ah can’t let her know what happened either. Why does my family have to be so darn honest? Ah blame AJ. “It’s nothin’ ya need to worry about.” Ah’m pretty sure that ain’t a lie.
“Okay then. So why are we going to Sugar Cube Corner?”
“We’re goin’ to pick up a special cake.”
Before they knew it, the couple already arrived at their destination.
“Hey there, Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie greeted the two with her usual excitement. “Where have you two been?! Big Mac, your cake was finished a whole ten minutes ago!”
“Really, that ain’t a lotta time.”
“It is to me! Have you two been making out the whole time?!”
A large blush consumed the lovebirds’ faces.
Fluttershy looked away and hid behind her mane. “No, we were just walking too slowly. I’m sorry for making you wait.”
“It’s fine, I’m only messing around. Here’s your order, Big Mac; Mr. Cake told me everything.”
“Thanks, Pinkie Pie. Let’s go, Fluttershy.”
“Okay. Bye Pinkie.” With the cake perched on Big Macintosh’s back, the crimson stallion and the yellow pegasus waved good-bye and departed the bakery.
“See you later! Good luck!” yelled Pinkie Pie, hoping the best for their relationship.
-------
Roaming to Sweet Apple Acres for dinner, the loving couple had another conversation on the way there.
“Big Macintosh, what did Pinkie mean by wishing us good luck?”
“She’s just being Pinkie Pie.” Sometimes, Pinkie’s mouth is too big! Ah think Fluttershy is getting suspicious. Maybe Ah should just tell her now. “Fluttershy?”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Ah love you.”
The timid mare reddened. “I love you too, Big Macintosh.”
“That’s why Ah want you to open the box on my back.”
“Sure.” Fluttershy stood on her hind legs and flipped the container’s lid. Her eyes focused on the cake, inscribed with a message. Surprised, the pegasus simply let out, “I guess I can do that.”
Ecstatic. The farm pony simply felt ecstatic. “Fluttershy, right now, you made me the happiest pony in all of Ponyville!”
“You don’t have to say that, I’d do it for anypony.”
Excitement transformed into confusion. “Say what now?”
Fluttershy beamed an innocent smile. “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. If anypony asked, whether it be Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Caramel, or you, Big Macintosh, I would always say yes.”
Confusion became depression. Big Macintosh swung his head in defeat. “Ah can’t believe it.”
“After all, it’s just carrying a cake.”
“Huh?” And back to confusion.
“Well, that’s what the cake said. Honestly, you didn’t have to go through so much trouble to have me carry a cake. I’d gladly carry it if you were tired.”
Ah don’t get it. Why would Fluttershy want to carry the cake and ignore my proposal? Unless… “Fluttershy, lemme see that cake.”
The caretaker picked up the box from Big Macintosh’s back and gently placed it on the ground. His eyes widened. In strawberry icing, the cake displayed an unexpected question:
Will you carry me?