When he awoke, his entire chest and flank were on fire, the pain lanced through his side and sent him screaming back into unconsciousness. The second waking was slightly more peaceful, his chest still hurt but his ribs no longer felt like they were red hot irons under his skin. He tried to shift but a black and white striped hoof pushed him back into the bed.
"Injured you were quite severely today, for you to move yet there is no way. Lie still and rest your head, and stay put within that bed." The sing-song voice belonged to the Zebra Zecora. Big Macintosh had never personally met the Zebra, but Applejack's description of her had been adequate enough. He rested his head back into the bed as she lifted her hoof off of his chest.
"How tha hay am ah still alive? Where is Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie? How long was ah out?" His questions were stopped by a gentle hoof upon his head.
"It's true that you lost a lot of blood, me and Pinkie found you face down in the mud. I am a healer and by trade, so Miss Fluttershy requested my aide. Though you defeated a dragon it is true, it was very nearly the end of you." With this she turned a stern eye his way. "If I had not chanced upon Pinkie amongst the trees, you would have been in quite a squeeze. Though in Fluttershy you should take some pride, not once has she left your side."
Big Macintosh looked beside the bed and he saw that Zecora had indeed told the truth. Fluttershy was asleep with her head on the bed. But something wasn't quite right with the scene around them. Then it hit him, it was night time outside. "Aww Hay! What time is it?"
"Worry not my large red friend, for it is only just the day's end. In truth I believed you would sleep till dawn, but it appears a wrong conclusion I have drawn. Your body is fit and strong, and that has helped your healing along." She began to mix a series of ingredients that he couldn't place in a large pot in the middle of the hut.
"Did Fluttershy tell you tha reason we came to tha forest? We were looking for you in particular." He lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. How the hay had he come back from death in the space of one day?
"Of your friends plight I have been told, by our friend so pink and bold. Help has already been discussed, but we decided that your healing was a must."
"Now how did you come to that conclusion? Ah though ah was dead. How did you heal me so fast? Ah was pretty sure I broke most of ma ribs when ah bucked that dragon." He looked at his side where the bandages were clean and crisp and he no longer felt any pain from the wounds.
"A unicorn is not the only one, through who magic can be done. My magic comes from plants and roots, leaves, nuts, buds and shoots. The magic of the earth is pure, and often the better cure." she finished with the cauldron and ladled a small amount of the potion into a small bowl.
"Let me guess, ah have ta drink that...Looks kind of...green..."
"Oh my goodness this is not for thee, have you never heard of 'Tea'?"
"...Well I guess ah need to be a little more open minded then! Hahaha...oww." He grimaced, it hurt to laugh.
"Well my magic can do many a thing, but I cannot fix everything. You must now rest and heal, and for it the better you will feel." she sipped the tea and leaned against the wall of her house.
Big Macintosh looked at the sleeping pony next to him and a blush spread across his face. Had he really confessed to her after all that, he chuckled and immediately regretted it. "Ah guess losing that much blood can do some strange things to a pony. But ah'm glad ah said it at least, cause ah meant every word." he lay his head down next to hers and let sleep overtake him once again.
"Spirits of love, peace and rest, make sure that their love is blessed. Watch over them from now till the end, as an offering of peace I send." the rest of the potion in her bowl evaporated into a cloud of green mist and resolved itself into a symbol of a heart.
"Perfect." She placed the bowl on her table and eased herself onto the ground; she would need her rest, and tomorrow would be a big day.
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The Next day Big Macintosh woke feeling much better, he still couldn't believe that yesterday he had been dying. He rubbed his chest experimentally but there was no pain, only three pink scars running down his chest and side. He cast his eyes over to a mirror he saw in the corner of the hut. A Red scar ran over his left eye and halfway down his muzzle. It didn't look all that bad.
"Umm...it kinda suits you..." The voice startled him; he still wasn't used to Fluttershy's quiet movement. "It makes you look...strong."
"Ah'm not that strong, ah just had something ta protect. Ah pony can do a great number of things when something they love is threatened. From what ah heard from ma sister, you're no weakling yerself. Ah pretty sure ah couldn't stare down one ah those things if ah tried. Hehe."
"Oh you mean...the Stare...it’s not that useful, I can't control it very well and I can't use it if I'm scared..." A small tear began to roll down her face. "Which is most of the time...I couldn't do anything when it attacked you...I just stood t-there l-l-like a-a s-statue...*Sniff* I almost let you die. You nearly died! And I couldn't do a thing!" She slithered to the floor and began to cry her eyes out, two small rivers forming down her cheeks and dripping to the floor.
"It's alright, ah didn't die and you're alright, besides if ah get hurt. You can just fix me up again, right?" He lifted her chin with his hoof, catching her eyes as he brushed her pink mane out of her eyes. "And you know what? Ah don't mind sacrificing myself for ya. Ah don't care if a dragon, a Ursa Major or Celestia herself was after ya. That wouldn't stop me throwing maself in front of ya to protect ya."
*Sniff* "R-r-really? You'd d-do t-t-that for m-me?" She looked him dead in the eyes and he saw disbelief in her eyes and...Hope?
"What did I tell you before ah fell?" he moved his nose closer to her and stared into her eyes.
"Y-you told m-me that...you had fallen for me..."
"And have any of tha Apple family ever lied to ya?"
"W-well, there was one time..."
"That doesn't count...Point is ah told the truth then and ah'm telling ya the truth now. Ah love ya Fluttershy." He gently moved forwards and planted a kiss right on the end of her nose. She immediately recoiled and he pulled his head back. "A-ah'm sorry...ah shouldn't have done tha-"
She silenced him by locking her lips with his and kissing him full on. He leant into the kiss and broke the kiss with a short breath.
*Cough* "While I am glad for you both of you, I find your flanks blocking my view."
"O-oh! I'm sorry Zecora! Did you need to need the mirror?"
"My mane is not always is like this, sometimes a new style is bliss." She walked to the mirror and began to brush her mane styling it into a different look.
"Ah’m Miss Zecora? Will these scars be permanent? Or will they fade?" he placed his head next to hers in the mirror and blew his mane off the scar running down his face.
"If your head you do not remove, upon it I will improve." She whacked him on the snout with the hairbrush and he recoiled sharply.
"OWW! Ah guess ah can live with them. Kinda make me look dangerous, huh?" he rubbed his snout as Fluttershy began to giggle. Big Macintosh couldn't help but join in and even Zecora began to titter a little.
"HAhahaha! Guess you shouldn't come between a Filly and her looks Mac! Teheehee." They both began to laugh until they were both on the ground gasping for air.
"Oh, sweet Celestia ah needed that. Guess we should head out soon tho. Miss Rainbow might not be doing so well." This notion sobered up the mood somewhat.
"Well all the things I need to cure, are prepared for sure. We can leave as soon as both of you are done, and finished with your 'fun'." she smirked at this because she had enticed blushes from the pair that would have heated her cauldron for days.
"W-well ah think ah'm ready ta go. Ah wonder how tha townsponies are gonna go seeing these?" He looked at the scars running down his chest.
"I think they are going to think that you are one of the bravest p-p-ponies a-a-around. *Yawn* Oh my goodness I am sorry, how rude of me *Yawn*." She looked smashed, she must have stayed up the majority of the night.
"Would ya like a lift back to the town Shy? Ah can take ya on my back again if ya wish?"
"*Yawn* B-but aren’t you still injured?"
"You're a Pegasus Shy. You don't weight a thing, besides you are tired and ah am fully rested, let me take tha weight for a bit." he crouched next to her and she beat her wings and settled on his back. "Now ya get some sleep miss, ah don't want ta hear a peep out of ya till we hit the edge of tha forest, ok?"
*Giggle* "Yes dad." She snuggled into his mane and closed her eyes, meanwhile Zecora came out of the huts carrying two saddlebags full of herbs.
"You heal faster than should be normal, your health is quite abnormal." she tilted her head at the pair and shrugged.
"Ah keep ma body in top condition working on ma farm. Now let’s go back to tha town. We have a friend to save.
As they set off through the forest Big Macintosh felt a small whisper in his ear.
"Thanks, Mac." Fluttershy moved her head forward and gave him a peck on his cheek.
"Ya welcome shy." He smiled and continued down the path after the Zebra.
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As they neared the town whispers and cheers rang out, it appeared that Pinkie Pie had already informed the whole town of the event. Everypony knew the danger surrounding dragons and the story had been a hard one to swallow. But when everypony saw the scars running down Big Mac's body they knew there was solid truth behind the stories and they cheered for the brave stallion and his Fillyfriend.
The two were blushing and grinning from ear to ear as they trotted through the crowd, Fluttershy stayed on Big Mac's back to avoid the majority of the crowd and Big Mac was paused by more than a few ponies wanting to see the scars or hear the story from him, but he waved most of them away. It was only when he had pushed his way through the crowd that they realised that Zecora had disappeared.
"Now where did she go? Did we lose her?"
"No, I just think she is worse with crowds than I am...She's probably watching us from the distance."
"Well ya sure seemed to be ok with them up there. Speaking of which are ya getting comfortable up there miss?" he smirked and nudged he with his snout.
"I think I am Mr Macintosh." She poked her tongue out at him and put her head down in his mane again as he continued towards the Apple Family Farm.
As he turned down the road towards the farm he was stopped by four mares standing in the middle of the road. He recognised two of them as Pinkie and Twilight and he raised a hoof in greeting.
The four mares immediately surrounded and welcomed the pair. "Fluttershy darling! What happened to your Hair!" A white unicorn was fussing about Fluttershy trying to fix Fluttershy's mane.
"Oh! I haven't brushed it for a while, so much has happened that I just forgot about it Rarity." Fluttershy flapped her wings and jumped off of Big Mac's back onto the ground and was immediately seized in a massive group hug.
"I have some good news you two, while you two were being paraded through the town I met up with Zecora, she is tending to Rainbow Dash right now. She says that thanks to your Intervention and my magic. She should be just fine." The two breathed a visible sigh of relief at this news. It was then that Big Mac noticed that the fourth mare was actually Applejack.
"When did ya get back sis? Ah thought ya weren’t due till next week at tha earliest." Big Mac trotted up to his sister and nuzzled her on the cheek.
"Now don't you start any of that mushy stuff on me big brother! Save that for your Marefriend over there." She spluttered and pushed him away.
"Now that sounds like an invitation to me sis, what do ya all think girls?"
"Totally darling"
"Sorta?"
"Yep"
"Ah think we should get her girls, Tickle time?" With that the five ponies leap on Applejack and began to tickle her mercilessly, with Big Macintosh causing the most damage by far. You didn't live with someone that long without knowing a few tricks.
'AH Hahaha SWEAR Heehee AH'M *Gasp* GONNA GET YA FOR THIS! Hahahaha!" She was totally helpless before the five before everyone collapsed into one big laughing group.
"Ahahaha, Now what’s the real reason ya came back sis. Would it have anything with Miss Dash being in danger and all." Big Macintosh smirked when he saw the slight blush spreading across her face.
"N-no, I was just worried that you would forget about the farm! And N-nothing else." He eyes started to wander and the blush became more pronounced.
"See what ah told ya about my family and lying Shy? Just plain can't do it." Everypony cracked up laughing again.
"Now how's about you tell us how ya got those fancy scars there. Ah reckon that's gonna be a story and a half."
"Oh yes dear! They suit you quite well might I add! Gives you an air of...Danger I suppose? Gives me an idea for a new fashion line."
"Well why don't we return to the Library and you can tell us the story. I have more than enough food for dinner for everypony, why don't we turn it into a sleepover? It would give Zecora the time she needs to heal Rainbow Dash and You two can get some rest for once." She turned and the rest followed her towards the Library.
"All I want to hear about is how you two got together."
"Rarity!"
"Hahahaha! Ya have ta ask Shy for that one Miss Rarity. Ah'm not at liberty ta say. Nor do I want repeat the lead-up any-time soon." *Shudders*
"Now I really want to hear about that part!" Rarity was practically skipping with joy, "Oh I can imagine it now..." As she continued with her wild fantasy Big Mac and Fluttershy laughed and walked down the road to the Library side-by-side.