“The stars are out and shining,/But all I really want to know,/Oh, won't you show me the way./I want you to show me the way.” –Peter Frampton, ‘Show Me The Way’

Sequel: "Vanilla Twilight"

Big Macintosh is dragged to a party where he feels out of place. It seems, however, that there is a pony there to keep him company. It seems to be the start of a great friendship between the red stallion and the purple unicorn.

Image created by DespisedAndBeloved on deviantArt.

Little Mac has always had a hard time in school. While reading and writing just seemed to come easy to other ponies, he had to struggle constantly and even then he didn't get it. Was he doomed to forever not be able to learn like the other ponies, or was it because he had never been taught the right way?

Thank you so much to Biker Dash,jszellmer, CptBrony, and Masked Ferret for the edits! Also thank you to Allonso Bronyguy and Shrapmo for reading it!

Hearts and Hooves Day was a whirlwind, especially for Cheerilee and Big Macintosh. They remained friends in wake of the fiasco that almost ended in hasty marriage, and Cheerilee never gave their friendship any further thought. They were just friends, nothing more.

However, when she learns of Big Mac and Marble Pie's fling over the Hearth's Warming holiday, Cheerilee begins to dwell upon her friendship with Big Mac. Could there have been something more to their relationship that she hadn't realized before?

After all, hindsight is 20/20.

Edited by Lord-Commander and Kestrel

Pre-reading by FamousLastWords

Cover art made by the talented Coffee Munch

Takes place in the same universe as Learning Curve. Familiarity with that story is not required, but I do recommend it!

Reviews!
Seattle's Angels
PaulAsaran
PCaRG

Big Mac is a wise stallion. Growing up in a house full of mares he had learned that secret language that mares use. Though as good as he is, Rainbow Dash is not like any other mare out there; can he figure out her issue? Hot chocolate and snuggles always seem to help. Join Big Mac as he tries to get to the root of his fillyfriend's problem, or die trying.

Thank you to Arbarano for all the edits!

This is for CategoricalGrant's snuggle contest. I hope I do well, but it was a good challenge to help shake off the rust that has been covering my fingers.

Art belongs to the very talented ArtistCoolPony

Featured 12/1/17

Winner of the CategoricalGrant's snuggle contest.

Applejack suddenly realises just how weird it is for a pony to milk cows - shell-shock ensues.

EDIT: Featured 24/3/19 to 26/3/19!

Big Macintosh had finally decided to trade in his yoke for a new one. The day didn't hassle him much compared to the time he went to the Summer Wrap-Up festival. He proceeded to head home to rest up for his chores tomorrow. On the way there however, he spots two ponies who had stoic expressions and oddly looked alike. He could tell that they weren't from around here because of their constant arguing and mindless walking. Big Mac thought of himself as a gentleman, and besides, it was the end of the day, so all he needs to do is help these two out and he'd be on his way.

"Was annoyed, is annoyed, will be annoyed. Wherever we are in time, I'm sure that this stallion would have still been hindered from ending his day."
"Ah, but at least he wouldn't have been annoyed at us."
"Well, look on the bright side, at least we aren't the version of us that ended up being annoyed is us."
"You know that we don't have time for this."
"Funny, I thought we have all the time we need. Still, I don't want to keep phasing in and out of this trade fair, it's tiring my legs, let's just ask him for directions already."

*With a heavy heart, I must declare this story cancelled. Though it lacks a true ending, I encourage each and every one of you to make your own. May your vision create something even grander than my own. -Derply*
After the events of Twilight's Kingdom, vegetation across Ponyville has been thrown into disarray thanks to Twilight's new unintentional death castle. But while some plants have been sucked dry, others have flourished, such as the infamous Poison Joke.

Enter Big Mac; a stallion of few words whose about to get a few dozen more whether he, or anypony else, likes it or not.

(WARNING: While it gets silly at times, this fic borderlines between needing and not needing the tragedy tag. Contains character deconstructions that may upset people.)

Editor: Thardoc, and help from TwelveFoot as well!

Every year for the last eighteen years, Mac has made a trip to visit his parents' grave. Every year he cries himself to sleep, waking up the morning after, feeling just as alone as the night before.

But not this year. This year Mac is going to take his new marefriend, Rainbow Dash, to meet his parents, and she intends to break the cycle.

Written for Captain Unstoppable's MacDash Challenge.

“The world was moving and she was right there with it and she was./The world was moving she was floating above it and she was.” –Talking Heads, ‘And She Was’

With applebucking season far off, Applejack plans to get her brother to take some time off to relax. So, she tells Big Mac that he will be spending time with Pinkie Pie, who will be helping him unwind. While Big Mac agrees to the idea, can he at least get a word in edge-wise?

A call for help from Cherry Jubilee brings Applejack back to a very different Dodge Junction. Its residents are fearful, a gang of kleptomaniacs has the full run, trolls are on the loose, and the sheriff's in a criminal's pocket.

Besides Big Macintosh, the only pony on Applejack's side is the most accident-prone being in Equestria. If the schemes of a psychotic but dainty griffon don't ruin things, Clutterstep just might. Applejack reckons they've got as much chance as a seed in a storm, but an Apple always honors her friends. It's a race to finish the harvest and save Cherry Hill Ranch while making it out alive back to Ponyville.