//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Big Baby Mac // by Pensplatter //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Big Macintosh continuously looked around, hoping that he and the fillies wouldn’t encounter anypony else. Just as the group had left Sweet Apple Acres, Scootaloo said, “Whoops, we almost forgot something!” She sped back to the farm, and returned with the Smarty Pants doll that Big Macintosh had been napping with early. Big Macintosh grudgingly accepted the doll, but he knew deep down that it brought him a good degree comfort. He had just been glad that Twilight had not been around to ask why he had been holding on to her beloved childhood possession. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had decided to the take the scenic route to Fluttershy’s cottage, which basically amounted to travelling along the border of the Everfree Forest because Scootaloo believed that a variety of backdrops were good for stimulating a baby pony’s growing mind. Big Macintosh was simply grateful that not many ponies tended to travel along this path, and thus he was likely to be spared the humiliation of being seen in such a compromising situation. Unfortunately, Big Macintosh’s fortune was not meant to last as he and the fillies passed by the back of the Carousel Boutique. Rarity just happened to be in her backyard, hanging her freshly washed laundry to dry on the clothesline when she saw her sister and her friends push a large, strange bundle. Rarity set down the clothespins she had been levitating with her magic and said, “Oh Sweetie Belle, there you are! I say, what do you and your friends have there?” “It’s Big Macintosh! He agreed to help us see if we could get our cutie marks as mommies by playing baby for us.” “Play baby? Oh my word!” cried Rarity as she saw Big Macintosh trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible under his blanket. Rarity’s shock quickly gave way to amusement as she brought a hoof to her mouth to suppress her giggling. Big Macintosh’s cheeks once again flared a shade of bright pink as Rarity stopped giggling with a small, ladylike cough and approached the buggy to get a better view. “Forgive me if I sound callous, but I must admit that this all does seem a tad peculiar. Firstly, where did you all get such a large baby buggy?” Apple Bloom answered, “Twilight used her magic to transform our old wheelbarrow into a baby buggy. She also cast a spell that allowed us to do this…” Before Big Macintosh had a chance to protest, Apple Bloom scooped him up from the buggy, exposing his diaper and the fact that he was clinging to Smarty Pants as the blanket fell away from him. Upon seeing Big Macintosh’s diaper, Rarity resumed giggling, although she found it much more difficult to muffle this time around. Once again she took a moment to compose herself before she asked, “So Twilight decided to assist you all with this endeavor?” “Well, it was actually Twilight, Applejack, and Granny Smith. Applejack suggested the wheelbarrow, while Granny showed us how to change a diaper. Spike was there too, but he didn’t help us much with anything. We were hoping that Granny Smith would help us learn more about taking care of baby ponies, but she fell asleep and it didn’t look like she’d be waking up anytime soon, so we’re headed over to Fluttershy’s to see if she can teach us anything,” answered Scootaloo. “Goodness gracious, it seems like most of our friends have taken part in this little excursion. I would hate to seem rude by not offering my own expertise as well.” Big Macintosh’s face paled upon hearing this, but Sweetie Belle’s eyes lit up as she said excitedly, “Really Rarity? Thank you so much! But… what do you know about baby ponies?” “Well darling, I do know that raising a young pony requires instilling them with a strong sense of identity and self-esteem” “Um, how exactly are we supposed to do that?” asked Apple Bloom as she placed Big Macintosh back into the buggy and followed Rarity and the other fillies into the boutique. “In my humble opinion, there is only one answer to that question… fashion!” answered Rarity with an enthusiastic flair. She then continued, “Sweetie, take your friends to my creativity room and bring me a few basic supplies, I do believe I have an idea that will serve your little foray rather well… and do remember not to make a mess this time.” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom bounded with giddy anticipation to see what the older pony had planned, while Scootaloo trotted after her friends and muttered, “Why are we the ones who always have to run around and gather stuff?” Big Macintosh then saw his opportunity to finally speak to Rarity privately and beg for her to help him find some excuse to abandon this whole exercise in embarrassment. However, before he could speak, Rarity turned to address him, “Oh Big Macintosh, I must say that I am surprised that a quiet stallion such as yourself would put himself in a such humbling position just to help my sister and her friends. Then again, such a noble deed is a true testimonial to your generous nature and stature as a gentle-stallion. As you are probably aware, generosity is something that I value with a great regard, thus I shall help you and the girls in any way I can.” After hearing Rarity’s praise, Big Macintosh couldn’t bring himself to beg for her assistance. Such a request would totally negate every positive thing she had just said about him and would make him seem like a true lout. Just then, the fillies returned with Rarity’s supplies. Rarity used her magic to open a few drawers within the room and sorted through them before finding some fabrics that seemed to satisfy her. With unrivaled prowess, Rarity magically summoned a pair of scissors from Scootaloo’s hooves, a measuring tape from Apple Bloom, and a needle and thread from Sweetie Belle. Within a few minutes, Rarity levitated the newly created articles of clothing in front of the fillies for them to judge. Upon closer inspection, the fillies saw that Rarity had crafted a set of booties, mittens, a bib, and a baby pony bonnet, all of which were large enough to fit Big Macintosh. The fillies were all rather impressed by the quality of the garments, and even Rarity herself seemed pleased, although she admitted, “I don’t quite know if they’ll fit properly, since I mostly assumed Big Macintosh’s measurements.” “Well,” said Scootaloo, not missing a beat, “there’s only one way to tell for sure.” Catching her drift, Rarity levitated the garments in front of Big Macintosh. Big Macintosh knew that he should have still tried to be chivalrous based upon how Rarity had complimented him, but he just could not bring himself to accept such embarrassing attire. The stallion firmly tucked his hooves away and turned up his chin in resistance. Believing that Big Macintosh was simply playing the role of a stubborn infant to humor the fillies, Rarity thought for a moment before a devious idea entered her mind. From one of her unfinished hat creations, she magically plucked a large, decorative feather from the rim and levitated it directly in front of Big Macintosh. She then magically began to twist and turn the feather along the skin by his armpits and belly. Big Macintosh bit his lip in a desperate attempt to hold onto what little control he still had over the situation, but that was quickly lost as he burst out giggling from being tickled and threw his hooves into the air. Realizing they had their opening, Rarity and fillies charged Big Macintosh and had the babyish accessories upon him before the stallion could register what had happened. The mittens and booties fitted over Big Macintosh’s hooves perfectly, but Rarity noticed that the bib and bonnet needed some slight adjustments in being tied properly. Big Macintosh sighed in resignation as the unicorn made her adjustments, but upon looking at the finally product, she still found that something was off. Rarity examined the stallion very closely for more than a minute, and she even used her magic to shape a lock of Big Macintosh’s mane that was poking out of the front of the bonnet into a juvenile curl to see if it would pull the look together. Finally, Rarity cried, “Aha!” and summoned the scissors to her side. With great control, she carefully cut two holes at the tops of the bonnet that allowed Big Macintosh’s ears to pop out and wiggle about. Rarity tutted herself and said, “Dear me, how could I have forgotten such a simple thing!” Apple Bloom nodded knowingly and responded, “Don’t fret, Granny did the same thing with his tail and the diaper.” The fillies and Rarity all had a good laugh at that, while Big Macintosh inspected the fabric that his new baby pony clothes were made of. The material was fleecy and warm, but also silky and very smooth to the touch. It had a slight stretchy quality, but also made him feel kind of comforted, like how he felt clutching Smarty Pants at that moment. The Cutie Mark Crusaders then decided that they had better leave soon, for they still had to find Fluttershy. Rarity waved them off as they left, but not before telling Big Macintosh that he had inspired her to design a baby pony clothing collection. She noted that baby ponies did not tend to give the most intelligible feedback, thus Rarity said that if Big Macintosh ever wanted to play baby again, Rarity would have him field test some of her new merchandise. Big Macintosh groaned at the idea of having to wear anymore baby pony clothes after that day, but he soon realized that he had more pressing concerns as he and the fillies passed behind Sugar Cube Corner.