//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11:  Revelations 
// Story: Dreams of the Heart 
// by Dreadnought 
//------------------------------//

PART I: Shared Dreams
Chapter 11: Revelations

Bam! The sturdy apple tree shuddered from the sudden force, its overhanging limbs shaking. Snapping free from the branches, red apples fell neatly into awaiting baskets. Big Mac turned and looked happily at his work. Not a single apple remained upon the tree, both baskets brimming with bushels of apples. He gave a smile. He was tired of plowing the fields; it had been long, weary work. Not that he didn’t feel tired now. He still felt extremely exhausted from his sleepless nights, but the switch to applebucking reinvigorated him, as much as any chore could. No longer at the beginning of a job, now he could enjoy the fruits of his labor. Shortly these apples would be sold in Ponyville, earning the family money. It was an honest business – growing food to feed hungry townsfolk. More than that, it was essential work. Without farmers, society itself would fall apart.

“You doin’ alright Big Mac?” called Applejack.

“Eeyup” he said, before letting out a big yawn.

“Ah’m goin’ take a load in.”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac picked up his baskets and dumped them into a nearly full cart.

Applejack slipped into the harness and began to pull the cart back to the farmhouse. “Ya be sure to leave some trees fer me, ya'hear?”

“Eeyup.” There was no fear of that. For as big and strong as he was, Big Mac was simply too tired to buck all the trees. In fact, he knew he was bucking trees slower than usual. He watched Applejack disappear over the horizon. He turned to the orchard in front of him and let out a sigh.

Big Mac positioned two baskets beneath a tree. He walked over in front of the trunk, and turned around. Big Mac paused to gather his strength, then pushed off onto his forelegs. His rear legs flared backwards hitting the center of the trunk. Momentarily he could feel the tree give under his hooves, the impact spreading throughout and shaking every part of the tree, before the trunk ceased yielding and pushed back. Apples reigned down into the baskets.

Big Mac stood there, resting for a moment. He noticed a shadow moving upon the ground. Too large to be a bird, it was a pegasus shadow. Rainbow Dash looking for Applejack, he thought. He looked up in horror as he saw not the cyan pegasus but the bluish-gray sovereign of the night.

Luna came down and landed a few yards from Big Mac. She walked up to him, no smile but concern on her face. “Hello Big Mac,” she said with a sadness pervading her voice.

“Princess Luna ah’m so sorry ’bout ma dream. Ah tried to not dream ’bout you, ah really did. But ah don’t know what....” Big Mac’s voice trailed off. She was no longer looking at him, but hung her head low, her body burdened with a heavy emotional weight. “Princess Luna?” asked a worried Big Mac, hoping she was not upset with him.

“It – it was not your dream.”

Big Mac looked at her quite puzzled. “Not ma dream?”

“No – it was mine.”

If Big Mac was puzzled before, now he was completely bewildered. “Yer dream?”

“Yes,” said Luna quite softly and sadly. “I– I do not know how it happened. I was asleep in my bed, and somehow my subconscious used my magic to reach out and pull you into my dream.”

Big Mac stood there, trying to understand what she meant. Somehow he had entered into Princess Luna’s dream. She dreamt of the Gala. She dreamt of their dancing. She dreamt of their kissing. A small wave a shock passed through Big Mac. Slowly her words repeated in his mind: Dreams do not lie Big Mac. Luna looked up into his eyes. A look of understanding slowly spread across his face as the implication of her revelation dawned upon him: She was in love with him. Both stood there, looking at each other – one too stunned to talk and the other too afraid to speak.

Luna lowered her head. “I do love you McIntosh.”

A second wave of shock passed through Big Mac as he took a long, hard look at Luna. He had never seen her this – vulnerable. Sure he had found her near death, but that was after fighting a savage beast. Now she stood in front of him, her conflicted and tortured soul completely exposed to him. No longer was she a princess of Equestria, an immortal alicorn who raised the moon and moved the stars. She was a confused and frightened mare, torn to the very core. “So now what?” he finally asked.

“I- I do not know. Perhaps we could–.” She paused for a long moment. “Perhaps we should try –?” Luna’s voiced cracked and she couldn’t finish her sentence.

Big Mac took a deep breath, wanting his voice to be as calm and caring as possible. “What ’bout not fallin’ in love?”

Luna looked up, tears forming in her eyes. “I have listened so long to my sister, perhaps I should listen to my heart?” She lowered her head again and a tear splattered upon the ground. She felt like she was going to break down completely until she was surprised by a gentle embrace from Big Mac.

“We both have feelins’ fer each other. Ah may not have been all over Equestria like ma sister, but ah know that when two ponies feel love for one ’nother, it is somethin’ special.” Luna looked up to Big Mac, his eyes full of compassion and a sympathetic smile upon his face. “Would you like to take a walk Luna?”

She couldn’t speak, but softly nodded. Big Mac knew that she was not ready to face Applejack or the rest of the family, so he tenderly led Luna further into the orchards where they could talk about how to approach their relationship.

End of Part I