Apples and Magic
A Trip to Remember
by Gallifrey
Chapter Twenty-One
Apples and Magic
Twilight Sparkle woke up later than she wanted to the next brilliantly sunny morning. She looked at her clock and it told her it was half past ten.
“Shoot! Just my luck!”
She tried to scramble out of her bed but her hooves got tangled in her sheets and she tumbled to the floor.
“Why do I have a feeling today just isn’t going to be my day?”
She walked cautiously to her desk to make sure nothing else happened.
“Right, checklist!”
She took a fresh piece of parchment and set it down in front of her. Her horn glowed and her quill levitated in front of her, she used it to brush some hair out of her eyes as she thought.
The quill then met paper as she started writing:
One: Have breakfast
Two: Have shower
Three: Brush teeth (could use in conjunction with Two for maximum efficiency)
Four: Wake Spike up
Five: Check library returns
Six: Quickly make sure I have no new assignments from the Princess
Seven: Run to Sweet Apple Acres
Forty minutes later, Twilight was bidding Spike goodbye, who was at a loss as to why she was in such a hurry.
“See ya later Spike!” she called as she left the house.
“‘Kay, where are you going?”
He turned to find that Twilight had already left. Spike huffed and went down to the basement for a nap.
Twilight trotted through Ponyville quite quickly, and was too absorbed in her own thoughts to notice Applejack and Rainbow Dash drinking milkshakes together outside Sugar Cube Corner.
“Lookee here Rainbow,” Applejack said, nodding at the lavender unicorn.
Rainbow could only snicker.
-------------
Twilight was hurrying to Sweet Apple Acres, she had just crossed the boundaries of their lands when she slowed down; she was hot from the combination of the journey and the hot sunshine, and she didn’t want to look all sweaty.
She didn’t see anypony as she approached the house, which struck her as a little odd. She left the dirt track to inspect her appearance in the pond just to the side of the house.
She leaned over the water to look at her reflection and inspect her appearance. She noticed her hair was a little untidy, so she used her magic to try and flatten it. What she didn’t notice was that somepony was approaching her from behind.
“You okay there Miss Twilight?”
Twilight started, squeaked and fell straight into the pond.
She floundered for a few moments under the surface, accidentally inhaling some water. She was disoriented and couldn’t tell which way was up. All she knew was that a few seconds later she had been hauled out of the water and laid gently on the grass. She blearily opened her eyes and the face of Big Macintosh swam into her view, his face full of concern.
Today definitely isn’t my day…
“Goodness Miss Twilight, are you okay?"
“I’m fine,” said Twilight, but she immediately started coughing violently.
She was lifted up by the stallion who firmly, but not painfully patted her back as she coughed up the water she had inhaled in her panic. Once she had stopped, Big Macintosh looked at her, his big green eyes looking… apologetic?
“Ah’m so sorry Miss Twilight, ah shouldn’t have surprised y’all like that. Ah understand if you’re mad at me righ’ now.”
“Mad?” said Twilight, puzzled, “Why would I be mad? You probably just saved my life! Thank you!”
“Ah’m kinda the one who caused you to fall in though,” he said sheepishly.
“Not on purpose though, I hope,” she said, flashing him a smile.
Sweet Celestia, that smile.
“O’ course not Miss Twilight! Ah was jus’ wondering what you were doin’ is all.”
“Well, I was, um… just admiring the, um, pond,” she said lamely.
Big Macintosh was confused, but decided not to question the poor mare.
Twilight looked down at her body and saw that weeds were on her coat and in her mane and tail. She felt intensely embarrassed. All her hard work that morning making sure that she looked good and clean had been for nothing, now she was sitting in front of Big Macintosh, soaking wet, covered in weeds, and probably not smelling too great either. The heat rose to her cheeks and she began to blush.
Oh, can it get any worse?!
“Ya know you're more than welcome ta use our shower,” said Big Macintosh, seeing Twilight’s face as she looked herself over.
“That would be wonderful,” said Twilight gratefully and she followed the stallion across the grass and inside the house.
“Take as much time as ya need,” he said kindly to her, handing her his towel.
Their eyes met for a second and neither of them moved, until Big Macintosh coughed slightly and gave a shy grin.
“I won’t be too long,” said Twilight as she slipped into the bathroom.
Big Macintosh walked back to his room, feeling slightly lighter on his hooves than usual.
He opened a drawer and took out a small piece of parchment. He sat down on his bed and put it next to him.
I think now is as good a time as any really…
He waited patiently, tapping his fore hooves together nervously. Eventually his door creaked as Twilight Sparkle entered the room. She almost seemed to actually sparkle to Big Macintosh she looked that clean.
Twilight looked curiously around Big Macintosh’s room. It was a simple room, with walls of an appropriate red colour. The furnishings were wooden; wooden desk, wooden shelves, wooden bed. The stallion was sitting on the bed, his expression looked tense to Twilight, she wondered why.
“Are you alright Big Macintosh?” she asked kindly.
He tried to answer, but found his voice was stuck in his throat. He coughed and tried again.
“Ah’m fine Miss Twilight, really.”
She made to sit next to him on the bed but paused when she saw the piece of paper.
“What’s that?” she asked curiously.
“Oh, it’s um, nothing,” he said, losing his confidence and picking it up.
“You sure?”
The stallion took a deep, calming breath and slowly held it out for Twilight, his hoof shaking slightly.
Okay, it’s over now mostly, all you have to do now is wait, he thought.
Twilight took the paper and unfolded it. She then read.
Imagination
A poem for Twilight Sparkle
There is a shining place,
Where your heart can run free,
That can be explored to no end,
And is always part of ye,
Where dark oceans and white mountains,
Will fashion themselves to your designs,
Where no dark cloud will ever mar the perfect Sun,
There is a place of endless time,
Storms can rage, more terrible than any before,
But you know they can be quelled with a whim,
A place where evil can reign,
Or good can win,
Eternal adventures await you there,
The stars sparkle with words never spoken,
The Moon and Sun watch the events unfold,
As dreams are both made and broken,
A place where laughter and pain,
Joy and fear are sharpened a thousand fold,
Rivers can flow liquid silver,
The sky can shine molten gold,
It is amazing to me,
A place with boundless fascination,
But a place that you alone can see,
This wonderful place is your imagination.
Twilight folded it back up and looked at Big Macintosh who looked more scared than Twilight had ever seen him.
“You wrote this for me?” she asked softly.
“Eyyup,” he replied, his voice sounding higher than usual, “every word fer you Miss Twilight.”
“Just Twilight is fine,” she said warmly.
“Twilight…” he said slowly, looking into her purple eyes.
“That’s so… sweet of you.” She moved up the bed, closer to him. Big Macintosh’s heart started hammering harder than it already was. “Nopony has ever written me a poem before.” She smiled at him and he felt his heart melt in that smile. She moved closer still.
This is what you want isn’t it? He asked himself. So why are you so nervous?
“I just wish there was something I could give in return,” she said with a grin.
“Well, I, ah—” he stammered as Twilight pushed a hoof to his chest and gently pushed him back onto the bed.
“What’s wrong?” asked Twilight, inches from his face, “You seem nervous.”
Big Macintosh mumbled something unintelligible.
“Hmm?”
“Ah’ve… never kissed somepony else before…”
“Never?”
“Nope.”
He looked ashamed of himself.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” said Twilight.
“It’s not?”
“Of course not, it means you’ve been waiting for a special pony to come along doesn’t it?”
“And that pony is you,” he said, smiling warmly at her and rubbing his nose with hers.
The stallion worked up some courage inside of himself.
“Ah really like you Twilight,” he said as the unicorn lay down next to him.
“I really like you too,” she said, closing the distance between their lips.
Big Macintosh’s eyes widened. He felt lighter than air once Twilight’s lips met his for the first time. Not entirely sure what he was supposed to be doing, he followed her lead, Twilight moved so that she was over him and he experimentally ran a hoof through her mane. The unicorn sighed so he thought he must be doing something right. They broke the kiss and the lavender eyes met the green.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” said Big Macintosh.
Twilight grinned and blushed slightly.
He looked out of the window at the warm, sunny afternoon. “Would you like to take a walk with me Twilight? I’d like to take you to dinner, my treat.”
Twilight’s eyes sparkled at his generosity.
“Yes please, you’re honestly the kindest stallion I’ve ever met.”
“Ah do try,” said Big Macintosh wryly.
-------------------
Applejack and Rainbow returned to Sweet Apple Acres in the orange splashed evening and searched for Twilight and Big Macintosh.
“Granny, you haven’t seen Twi or Mac about have you?”
Granny Smith closed her eyes for a second, in apparent concentration.
“Granny?”
She didn’t respond.
Applejack rolled her eyes.
“Granny!”
“Hewha?" she said as she awoke. "Oh, no… Miss Twilight was here?”
“Never mind,” said Applejack. She looked at Rainbow, figuring now was good a time as any to make a very important announcement to the elderly mare.
Rainbow nodded to the earth pony with resolve. Applejack took a deep breath, a bead of sweat forming on her brow.
“Granny, we have somethin’ important to tell you.”
“Ah’m all ears,”
“Well, ya see, um…”
She shifted nervously on her hooves.
Rainbow noticed Applejack’s distress and stepped forward.
“Applejack and I are… together.” She said the last word with pride, almost as if she was daring the matriarchal mare to disagree.
“Well o’ course you are!” she said, waving a dismissive hoof.
“What?’ said both mares at once.
“Ah may be old, but I’m no fool,” she said steadily, “it’s not difficult to see the way you two act around one another.”
“Are we that obvious?” Rainbow asked Applejack, “Your brother noticed too!”
Applejack still looked a little troubled.
“Are you um, okay with it Granny?”
“Well, I must admit, when I first had my suspicions, I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but who am I ter stop you? Ah’ve always told ya to do what makes ya happy, and if this is what makes you happy, then I fully support it.”
Applejack’s beam was one of the widest Rainbow had ever seen.
-----------------
Princess Luna was sitting in her bedroom window, watching the Sun sink beneath the world. She turned away once the last ray of light slid from her face and made towards her soft purple bed. She lay on her back on top of her covers and levitated a bowl that had cake and ice cream in it.
“We do love pudding,” she said to herself as she ate a spoonful of it, a spot of it dripping onto her chest, evading her notice.
There was a gentle tap on her door.
“Enter,” said Luna, with a mouth full of cake, knowing who it was.
Celestia opened the door and smiled at Luna.
“Good evening Luna, it’s nice to see you looking so regal and graceful.”
She sat down on the bed, next to Luna and tutted at the drops of melted ice cream in her coat and the ice cream all around her mouth.
“Goodness gracious, you’re as bad as Twilight when she was a filly!”
Luna tensed almost imperceptibly at the mention of the purple mare, but did not escape Celestia’s notice.
Should I tell her? Thought Celestia. I suppose she deserves to know. “Twilight wrote to me about an hour ago,” Celestia began.
“Oh?”
“Yes, she tells me that she has found a colt friend.”
“Really?” she asked curiously, not sounding bitter like Celestia might have expected, which made her smile. “Who is it?”
“Big Macintosh, she informs me that he is Applejack’s brother.”
“Is he a nice stallion?”
“I’ve never met him, but if he’s anything like his sister he will be good for her.” She paused. “I’m sorry, Luna, for not letting you know about Twilight’s feelings for him sooner.”
“What do you mean? You knew?”
“Yes, Twilight told me in confidence her feelings about a month ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” asked Luna, confused to why Celestia would knowingly let her get her hopes up and even send them on a trip together.
“Well, I didn’t exactly want you to be rejected by Twilight, but I felt it important that you understand that just because you are not in a relationship, you can’t be happy. I’ve seen you over the long years sister, I’ve watched you chase countless ponies around, it always broke my heart as much as yours to see you so miserable. I thought that if there was any pony who could ever show you that you can still be happy,it would be Twilight Sparkle."
Luna’s mouth hung open slightly.
“I, um, thank you sister! She definitely did show me.”
“I knew she would, she is quite a unique mare after all. I find that I miss her running around the Palace when she was a filly.”
“Time makes fools of us all,” said Luna, slightly sadly.
“And we know it more than anypony,” said Celestia solemnly.
----------------
Twilight Sparkle and Big Macintosh entered Sweet Apple Acres together after a wonderful meal together at Ponyville’s most prodigious restaurant, DeCanter's. Twilight had a delightful time talking to the stallion all about her adventures, unaware that Rainbow and Applejack had already done so. Big Macintosh didn’t mention this, not wanting to hurt her feelings, besides, he heard some new stuff, most notably the Luna incident.
They walked under the early evening stars, which were slowly swimming out of the depths of the sky to twinkle over Equestria.
Twilight took a deep breath and yawned in her contentment, smelling the fragrance of the apple trees on the air.
“Ah hope ah’m not boring ya Twi,” said Big Macintosh jokily as they reached the house.
“Oh no no!” said Twilight earnestly, “I just feel so calm right now. It’s weird.”
“Ah know what you mean, ah feel it too.”
He nuzzled her and opened the door to the house, holding it for her.
“Who’s there?” came a sleepy voice from the living room.
“S’me and Twilight Granny, don’t you worry none!”
“Where have you been young man?” she asked, creaking her way into the kitchen.
“We’ve been in Ponyville, ah took Twilight to dinner.”
“To dinner ya say?” asked Granny Smith curiously.
“Eyyyup! Me an’ Twilight are—”
“You too?! Goodness me, it’s certainly been an eventful day for the Apple family ain’t it?”
“Oh, did you hear about AJ then?”
“Aye, I did, I can only wish y’all be as happy as you can possibly be.”
“Thanks a lot Granny.”
She bade them goodnight on the upstairs landing, entering her room at the top of the stairs.
Big Macintosh and Twilight crept down the corridor quietly, though not quietly enough, because Applejack’s door opened and the earth pony’s head stuck out, expression neutral. Her eyes trained onto Twilight, awaiting an answer to a question she hadn’t asked. The unicorn flashed her a smile and nodded.
Applejack’s face broke into a wide grin.
“Congratulations!” she said in a low but excited voice. Rainbow Dash popped her head around the corner.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Twi and Mac are together now!”
“Really? Awesome!” she said, punching the air with a hoof.
“You best treat her right,” said Applejack light-heartedly, giving her brother a friendly punch on his shoulder, “same to you too lil’ missy,” she said to Twilight, repeating the gesture.
“Thanks gals,” said Big Macintosh, desperately supressing a yawn, “oh my, seems mah bed’s callin’ me.”
“I bet it is,” said Rainbow with a sly grin to the stallion.
“Fer sleep Rainbow, I’m not that type of stallion.”
“I know I know, heh, I was kidding.”
“Ah know you were kiddo,” said Big Macintosh with a wink. “Well, night y’all, have fun!”
“G’nigh—Have fun?” said Applejack.
She turned to ask her brother just what he meant by that, but his door was already shut, his name plaque wobbling slightly.
“Mac, you shouldn’t tease her like that,” said Twilight playfully.
“Ah, she knows ah don’ mean it, it’s quite funny too,” said the stallion, getting into his bed, inviting Twilight to join him.
“It is pretty funny,” Twilight admitted, lying next to him.
He drew the covers up and rested a foreleg over her. She felt warmth radiating from his muscular body and felt so secure to be close to him. He nuzzled her mane, smelling lavender, and kissed her cheek gently.
“G’night Twi,” he whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
“Goodnight Mac,” said Twilight, closing her eyes in contentment and smiling.
-----------------
Applejack frowned as she returned to her room.
“S’up?” asked Rainbow.
“Nothing, just Mac teasin’ me like he always does.”
She got into bed next to Rainbow, then leaned over the pegasus to retrieve something from her drawer.
“What you got there?” asked Rainbow curiously.
She held out a small piece of paper to her.
“Tickets to the Thunderway 500?!” she squealed, “How did you get them? They're so hard to come by! Expensive too!”
“Well, it’s amazing what a few kind words and free apples can do for ya,” said Applejack. “The fastest fliers in Equestria will be there, including Soarin’ and Spitfire.”
“I should be there too,” growled Rainbow, as the earth pony put the tickets back in her drawer, “I overslept the qualifiers, heh.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Always next year I s’pose.”
“And I’ll be there, cheering you on sugar cube.”
She drew Rainbow into a warm cuddle, kissing her softly.
“Thanks AJ. I love you, so much.”
“Ah love you too firefly, with all my heart.”
The two ponies shared their tender embrace, as they sank into sleep together.
The End
Whew! That was a lot of fun to write, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I should give special thanks to Alex and Reevsie for their copious amounts of advice and corrections. Also Tim for the excellent pun of DeCanter's restaurant. And thank you for taking the time to read! <3 X
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So, that's it! Hope you enjoyed it!
And if you didn't like the TwiMac, you're gonna have to suck it.
i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/178/550/Discord_Haters.gif
I may write TwiLuna yet though...
We'll see.
Thanks again!
X
I wouldent mind a TwiLuna
A nice happy ending.
493534
Oh c'mon, TwiLuna's a dime a dozen.
Ship Celly with an OC. That's something you rarely ever see. That'll get everypony's attention.
Awww so well written a fitting ending! Awesome work I won't mind a twiLuna...cuz Luna is just the best
along with RBD ofcourse 
I thought it was a nice story, and I shall be on the lookout for more!
Yaaaaaaaaaaay!!! Awesooooome!!
So, when should we expect your next story?
494834
If I'm fast enough, tomorrow!
I have a one shot I started today and will finish tomorrow or day after.
You sir are good at this, no question about it. Cause I don't usually read shipping fics, and I enjoyed this. I may read your next story if it isn't too sad.
576845
*Dances* Thanks again!
It is kinda sad, not gonna lie, but the degree of how sad it is rests with the reader's interpretation really, but I did intend it to be sad.
This site requires more TwiMac.
AND YOU HAVE DELIVERED!
802048
Dont blame yourself :) Your writing style is good and the story itself is good as well. You just made so many approaches for a TwiLuna and the plot was very intersting and gripping that you broke me as it came clear that there is no chance for it to come true xD It's hard, almost painful to keep reading it after chapter 17. Twi dreams about BigMac, BigMac about Twi. It is pretty sweet, sadly I cannot forget Luna. I cannot enjoy it. You wrote it so fantastic that it hurts so badly seeing Luna torn away from Twi.
As I said: you played a dangerous game; I don't think anybody here got a problem with TwiBig, but TwiLuna, especially due your amazing writing skill, was that what everbody expected and hoped for, and you crashed it like a boss :3
Btw, I guess this plot was not scheduled as you started writing it, becouse there are some things that are a bit..odd. Maybe you could do an alternative end. Just for the broken souls this story left behind :3
But that is your choice. I like your writing style, I liked most of the story, just the twist is not my type. Don't blame yourself for that.
So, sorry for my english -> ain't my first language; hope you can understand it^^
Sincerely
Galicorn
802585
Ah, I see. :) Your English is excellent, just so you know. :D
And no, the plot was not scheduled, I had no idea where I was going with it to tell the truth from the beginning.
I know that lots of people wanted the TwiLuna to happen, myself included, that would have been sweet. So to compensate the people that were disappointed, I'm currently writing a TwiLuna.
Should make everyone happy hopefully. 
802621
Yay!
First of all: Thanks
I'm looking forward to it
Just finished reading this (I have way too many stories in my RiL menu
), and it was AWESOME! Loved the Owl City ref too! Faved and I am now watching your every move... dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Rainbow_dealwithit.png
Yay, thank you for the story,
Nothing wrong with TwiMac, (I wish more people wrote CaraMac but that,s just me...)
loving Incandious (sp?) by the way.
1321735
Because comments are awesome.
1370260
Ah, well, the Doctor is often referred as The Lonely God, and since he features in the chapter, I decided to name it that. :)
1370314 DUHHHH, how did i not make the connection. i love doctor who, yet it just slipped my mind somehow. btw very clever with the custard scene, i loved it!
1370323
Thanks! That was really fun to write as well!
This was a good read, almost as good as Twilight's Birthday. since for both i was expecting twiluna and one actually delivered, lol. well anyway i liked both of them, so it doesn't really matter. right? thanks for the awesome stories. glad to be following you.
That was so sweet!
I loved all the subtle pop culture refs. You have great writing style, I was really glad to FINALLY see a well-written Appledash multi-chapter!!! 
Overall, really cute! *Faves*
2134541
No, it's not fair.
(I LOVE that music.)
so great i loved this story loved how it wasnt automatically set up between big mac and twilight but sort of made you wonder about luna and twilight well played well played
2761681
Haha. The pudding is a little quirk that I like to give to Luna.
The pudding/dessert can be whatever you like anyhow, since I don't specify. :3
So i guess now we need to wonder who the other three end up with. I have a feeling you wrote them going somewhere else leaving Twi. Dash, and Applejack behind just so you didnt have to write them.
That. Was. Funny!
I liked the pacing, the adventures they've been through, the dialogues... though I still think the dragon was a bit out of place, somehow... felt unnecessary. Pretty cool, but unnecessary. Hm. Probably just me. And I always enjoy the bickering between AJ and RD.
I'm still not quite sure about TwiMac. I've read about it several times now, but I seem to be unable to decide whether I like it or not. What I do know is, that I like - and probably favor - Twilight being with Luna. Maybe that's also the reason why I still feel sorry for her. She's such a clever beauty and deserves so much more...
And although it's not my goal to argue here... I can't deny that I don't support Cellys lesson. Friends are undeniably important, in any phase of life, in almost any situation... but that's just the point: Almost. Maybe that's just my bitter point of view on life in general, but as far as I trust my friends... I don't trust them completely. Ever. The clock ticks and life changes. It changes circumstances, it changes people. This cool buddy of yours might not be that cool in ten years anymore and there's good chance that you just overlooked how he changed, being completely surprised when the moment comes that you have to realize it.
Of course, love isn't resistant to time. The one you love can change as well, but that's somehow at least one point of a relationship - getting together, bonding, finding a shared rhythm of changes. Changing together, as one. Evolving into one, shared direction. Withstanding the forces of time together, as they try to part one.
There will always be something you can't share with friends. It hurts to much to talk about. It's way to intimate. Anything like that. And, in some way, it just makes me sad, maybe even hurt a little, to think about Luna and how she tries desperately to find someone who helps her during her time. Someone how she can share her life with even more than with friends.
tl;dr - Luna deserves a special somepony as well.
Anyway - great story!
Thank you.
6093433
Dinner is the main evening meal at about 6-7pm, supper is generally before bed at 10-11pm, it may be a colloquial Northern thing though, I can't be sure, a lot of northern people say dinner is tea, and lunch is dinner. We need a national standardised nomenclature of meal names!
Rereading this story after such a long time made me realize that Celestia mentioned to Luna that she [Celestia] never met Big Macintosh. Stop lying to your sister Celly.
when you upload another appledash story?