//------------------------------// // Night of Celebration // Story: Big Mac Writes a Love Letter // by HiddenMac //------------------------------// Big Mac spent the last few nights isolated in the farmhouse of Sweet Apple Acres. With all the crazy mares pursuing him, he couldn't get around to doing his chores and the farm was falling behind. Today was finally the day of Ponyville's anniversary and now he was expected to give a speech professing his love in front of the entire town. His friend Caramel stopped by to check on him and to inform him that the Town Hall has been set up so every mare could hear first-hoof for whom Mac's letter was really intended. Pinkie Pie and his sister Applejack have also returned from their quest to Yakyakistan, where it was their duty to build and open a comedy club to bring laughter and cheer to the humorless and short tempered inhabitants. Upon return, Applejack made it her personal mission to berate and discipline her elder sibling for the lack of production during cider season. "Consarn it, Mac!" AJ yelled at her brother, who was still carrying their luggage inside. "We're now days behind 'cause yer scared of a few fillies!" Mac stood under the doorframe to the kitchen, still holding the bags with one in his mouth as she never told him where to put them. Their younger sister Apple Bloom also came to greet the return of the hero of Equestria, but eventually found herself defending her brother from Applejack's tirade as she still felt it was mostly her fault. "Ease up, Applejack. It weren't just a few fillies; it's the whole town!" "That's no excuse!" Applejack snapped back. "He's a strong stallion; he needs to learn tah take care of 'imself!" It might have been the long trip or maybe some of the Yaks' attitude had rubbed off on her, but Applejack was laying into her brother far tougher than normal. She was always the vocal and dominant one, but now she acted so aggressively that it made Pinkie hide in the next room under the couch cushions. "Ah'm gonna have to work triple-time jus' tah make up for yer cowardice!" Apple Bloom would speak up for Big Mac, even if he wouldn't for himself. "Well, what'd you WANT him to do?! Start beatin' up every pony in town?! They wouldn't leave him alone! Even here on thah farm!" Big Mac continued holding all the luggage while his sisters went at it. Pinkie still hid in the couch, and Granny Smith slept right through the routine shouting match of the sisters. "Then call Twilight, or Rainbow Dash! They'd get rid of 'em sure 'nough!" the orange sibling ignorantly roared. "It WAS Princess Twilight, and Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, and Fluttershy, and every single mare in town!" That turned Applejack dumbfounded, if only momentarily. Her friends have mentioned the attractiveness of her brother, but have never openly expressed an interest...except for Rarity, but that was years ago. Her sister must have been mistaken; Applejack had a bone to pick with Big McIntosh and was determined to find the fault with him. "Well, he must 'a done sumthin' , 'cause the girls Ah know wouldn't be interested in the lout!" she pushed Mac to the side and headed past Granny Smith and the hiding Pinkie Pie as she stomped toward the front door. "Now Ah'm gonna have to fix everythin' again!" "Nope," Mac dropped the bag to finally speak for himself. "Don't you 'nope' me! Ah'm gonna..." "NO!" She stopped right in her tracks and spun back to the unwavering stallion. The angry look on her face instantly changed to one of worry and confusion. Apple Bloom slightly recoiled and Granny Smith instantly jumped from her nap. Even Pinkie popped up as she knew this was something unusual. It wasn't his request or the volume of his voice they reacted to, it was the word. Instead of his routine "nope", he simply used..."no". The large stallion, whether from anger or fear about how she would act, finally grew enough confidence to stand up for himself. All eyes in the room stared in stunned silence, waiting for what the large pony would say. "Ah'm not gonna have you apologizing for me! Blunt honesty can be a great, but this requires more tact than stomping around and insulting me. Ah'm not blamin' anypony, 'cause we all had a part in this, but goin' 'round and telling them all to 'buzz off' just ain't the right call. Ah'm gonna do this my way; on my terms! And yer just gonna have tah let me do it!" --- The Ponyville Town hall had once again been set up for a ceremony, only this time it was for Big McIntosh's announcement and not a wedding ceremony. Most ponies now knew about the postal mix-up, but still attended for the hope of being Mac's special somepony. Some stallions had also arrived, but most were just to ensure their own mares would remain unnamed in his proclamation. The entire day was a joyous celebration; Pinkie had once again outdone herself. But the highlight of the night would surely be Big Mac declaring his love to the luckiest mare in Equestria. Silver Spoon entered the town hall. Many mares and fillies were already here in anticipation. Like many fillies her age in Ponyville, she had an innocent crush on Apple Bloom's older brother. She snuck away from her family after the normal celebration in the tiny hope of hearing Big Mac romantically professing his love. She'd never vocally admit it, but teasing the Cutie Mark Crusaders behind Diamond Tiara was sometimes just an excuse to get near and catch a glimpse of the hard-working stallion. She walked through the hall, avoiding eye-contact with the more mature mares already there until she found a seat next to another filly roughly her own age. "Silver Spoon?!" the pink filly screeched. Silver Spoon popped up at the very familiar voice of her best friend Diamond Tiara. Both eyes widened at the shock of Silver Spoon being discovered with romantic feelings for Apple Bloom's brother. Her head lowered as Silver Spoon pointlessly attempted to hide her shame from her dominant best friend. "Silver Spoon, what are you doing here?!" Diamond Tiara mocked. "Don't tell me YOU'RE here to make googly-eyes at Apple Bloom's brother like all these stupid mares here!" "Well...I-" she had trouble explaining. Even though they were all getting along now, it still wasn't easy trying to speak well of the Cutie Mark Crusaders with her friend. Often they would slip back into petty insults behind their backs until they had to catch themselves from being mean. "I knew it!" Diamond Tiara pounded the seat of her chair. "You like that big gross stallion too! Is that why you always wanted to tease them at Sweet Apple Acres? Is that why you always played nice when he picked them up from school? Is that why we're even friends, because making fun of them and saying we're better was just a way to get close and impress him?!" Silver Spoon remained silent in shame. For all her rambling, Diamond Tiara was right on most points. She did like Mac and getting close to Apple Bloom meant also getting close to him. Diamond Tiara sure called her out correctly...a little too correct. "Wait a minute, Diamond Tiara..." Silver Spoon accused, "why are YOU here?" The rest of the ponies shortly took a seat waiting for the stallion of the hour to make his entrance. Giddiness, despair, anger, confusion, all emotions filled the room as the ponies sized up their competition. Many remarked on how three Alicorn princesses were also in attendance, though most incorrectly assumed it was just to keep order. Rarity had fulfilled her promise as the mailmare wore a simple, sleek, but gorgeous altered teal dress. The commotion subsided when Applejack entered the room, followed by the object of all the fillies' desires. "HA HAAA!" a blue unicorn triumphantly jumped up from the crowd to be noticed, "The Great and Powerful Tr-r-r-rixie has arrived! Behold and gaze upon the visage of what a true mare looks...like......" she fell into an awkward silence as the only reaction she received were the sneers and raised eyebrows from surrounding mares. She lowered her head and sat back down, hoping to avoid the notice of any more ponies. At least her display wasn't noticed by the red stallion, who she admitted was alarmingly handsome, as he silently walked his way to the fore of the audience. Big Mac made his way to the podium, trying to avoid eye contact with the attentive crowd. His sister stood beside and slightly behind him, a supportive and compassionate expression on her face opposite to the one she greeted him with earlier that day. He took a quick look around the room to see who all was here, and most of the town did not disappoint. He saw many friends, some acquaintances, some strangers he doesn't remember meeting, and some faces who clearly surprised him as he had no idea of their interest. He also saw the one; the pony for whom his letter was meant. His heart leapt as he choked on a hiccup in his throat to realize that his love, at the very least, is interested enough in his affections to hear what he has to say. He had a whole speech prepared, though now that he was here he wanted to speak from the heart and not the impersonal words from a piece of paper; that's what got him in enough trouble already! He pushed the sheet aside as he looked out into the audience of eagerly waiting mares. "Ah'm sorry for bringing all of you into this. My heart was in the right place, but my head was not. I did not intend for that letter to get out and Ah certainly did not want the entire town to get it. I'll forever have to live with this humiliation and the guilt of building up the hopes of so many fillies of whom I do not deserve, only to inevitably disappoint them. It was foolish of me to pretend my desires could be satiated by a letter and not making them known explicitly. Unfortunately, it appears some of you might suffer for my shameful action, and for that I apologize. It is an honor to know many ponies, both friends and those from unlikely places, think so well of me to hear me out. I am greatly and undeservedly flattered. However, I cannot profess my love this evening, even though the pony for whom the letter was intended is here. In time, perhaps Ah will come to you and declare mah feelings honorably, but for tonight all I can ask is to be left to my shame." A hushed murmur filled the room as many hoped to be called upon presently by the gentle stallion. Some audibly answered "no" in quiet objection while others began muffled sobbing. Big Mac's heart sank to see he was already causing such despondency, but he felt it better than singling out his love in front of jealous and powerful rivals. "Please do not feel disappointed. The fault is mine and Ah would be lucky to have any one of you. In time I will work up the courage to ask the one I love properly; this Ah swear it! For now, I wish you all a pleasant evening and offer one last apology: good night and please forgive me!" Big Mac dragged his hooves as he trudged from the podium toward the back room with his sister Applejack. He thought it best if he were to let the congregation disperse before he made his way back home so there would be no disturbance. In time, his sister would check to see if the streets were clear enough to leave. The crowd slowly filtered through the doors of Town Hall as they all made their ways back to their respective homes. A quiet somber was shared with each filly hoping to hear their name chosen, but Mac was right, this is better than jealous conflict filling the streets. After about a half hour, each pony respected Mac's wishes and left the area giving him a clear path back home. The Apple siblings momentarily left the building as they made their way back to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack lead the way while her brother lagged behind, lost in his thoughts. "You okay there, Big Mac?" the concerned mare asked her brother. "Eeyup..." "Ah'm sorry for the way I acted earlier," Applejack apologized, "Ah'm also real proud of the way you handled it. Didn't know you had it in yah!" she nudged his chest hoping to lighten the dismal mood. He showed no response. He kept living the events over in his head and shamed himself for the distress he caused. He just wanted to be alone. Maybe eventually he'll share his feelings, but for now he just wanted to be left to himself. Applejack knew her brother well and picked up on this without having him talk. "You wanna be alone fer a while?" she asked. "Eeyup." "All right," she acquiesced. "Ah'll meet yah back at the farm." She trotted off ahead, leaving Big Mac alone to contemplate his actions and what he would do now.