Love, Equestria Style

by Bluecatcinema

Big Cheer!

(Note: This takes place a little while after "Heart Over Hooves")

The annual Ponyville fall fair had come once again. Every pony in town was in attendance. Cheerillee was no exception. She was walking side by side with Big McIntosh.

The two had become good friends since the "love poison" incident the Cutie Mark Crusaders had incited. While Big Mac wasn't much of a conversationalist, he was a very good listener. He would provide a sympathetic ear to all of Cheerilee's woes, and with nothing but "Eeyup"'s and "Nope"'s, he could assure her of anything.

Cheerilee felt lucky to have a friend like him. A minor irritant of their relationship was that many ponies assumed they were dating. Cheerilee would often scoff at how a stallion and a mare couldn't be seen together without others assuming they were together.

She didn't know how Big Mac felt about the rumors, but she can only assume that he felt the same irk as well.

As they walked through the fair, Big Mac accidentally bumped into somepony.

"Easy there, pardner." The stallion declared.

Cheerilee did a double take. The stallion was as tall as Big Mac, and a similar shade of red, but he had a bushy brown beard and was wearing a Stetson hat similar to Big Mac's sister, but more faded.

"Sorry." Big Mac apologized.

"No prob." The stallion shrugged. "Ah'm Big Red." He turned to Cheerilee. "And who might you be, pretty lady?"

Big Mac frowned for a moment.

"I'm Cheerilee." Cheerilee declared. "And this is Big McIntosh."

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded.

At that point a trio of ponies joined them; A male Pegasus with a silvery mane and white coat and a Cutie Mark that looked like a solar eclipse, with a blue eye in the center; another notable thing about him was a silver heart locket he was wearing around his neck. Beside him was an Earth Pony mare with a black mane and a light blue coat, and a young Pegasus colt with a black mane and white coat, who was no older than five.

"There you are, Big Red." The stallion smiled. "Who are your friends?"

"Ah, White Knight, this is Big Mac and his marefriend, Cheerilee." Big Red smiled.

"No, no!" Cheerilee said quickly. "We're not dating."

"Eeyup." Big Mac agreed.

"Really? I only figured since you two were walking side by side…" Big Red began.

"We're just friends." Cheerilee finished for him.

"Sure… Ross and Rachel said the same thing…" Big Red chuckled.

Before Cheerilee could interject, White Knight stepped forth.

"Nice to meet you. I'm White Knight Paladin." He stated. "This is my wife, Silver Wind, and our colt, Shine Paladin."

"Hello." Silver Wind smiled.

"Hi!" Shine waved.

"Hi." Cheerilee chuckled. "I don't recall seeing you around. Are you new to Ponyville?"

"Kinda." Silver shrugged. "We're just here for the day. Visiting the fair, you know?"

"Well, if you want to get the most out of it, we could show you the best parts." Cheerilee offered. "Right, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded.

"How kind of you." White Knight smiled. "Alright, lead the way."

Big Mac and Cheerilee showed the family around. Their first stop was a 'test your strength' game, where ponies bucked the target as hard as they could.

"Ah, here we go!" Big Red smirked. "Watch and learn, everypony!"

Big Red bucked the target, easily triggering the bell.

"Whoa." Cheerilee gasped.

"I know. Big Red here has to be one of the strongest cherry-bucker this side of Equestia." White smiled. "If not the world."

"Shoot, Ah doubt Ah'm that strong… though that tatzelwurm back in the desert might agree with ya." Big Red chortled, "Anywho, why don't ya give it a whack, Big Mac?"

Big Mac silently walked over, took a deep breath, and struck the target just as hard, ringing the bell.

"Well, Ah'll be..." Big Red stared, "You ain't half bad yerself."

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded.

"You know, Red, I never thought I'd see another pony who can be your equal... that Big Mac feller even looks a lot like you." White declared.

"Yeah... except he doesn't have a bushy beard." Shine chuckled.

"True... remind me one day to challenge 'im to a buckin' contest. Then we'll see…" Big Red chuckled.

"Nice shot, Big Mac!" Cheerilee smiled. She had never really considered how impressive his strength was, until now. "Now, let's move on!"

As they walked through the fair, Shine hovered up on his little wings and landed on Big Mac's head.

"Can I have a ride, Mr. McIntosh?" He smiled.

"Eeyup." Big Mac smiled.

Cheerille chuckled lightly. As a teacher, she liked children, and it warmed her heart to see Big McIntosh treating one so well.

'He'll make a wonderful father someday...' She thought. 'Wait, where did that come from?'

Their next stop was the spinning teacups. The ride was packed, and Cheerilee and Big Mac wound up sharing a cup. As the ride spun around, the centrifugal force caused Cheerilee to press against Big Mac's side, prompting a powerful blush from both of them.

After that, they stopped for toffee apples.

"Mm-mmm!" Shine smiled. "These are good!"

"Those are Sweet Apple Acres apples, Shine." Cheerilee smiled. "Best in Equestria. Right, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded.

"Well, Ah don't mean to toot mah horn, but me an' Whitey here happen to work on the ranch that grows the best cherries in Equestria." Big Red modestly boasted. "Ah happen to be the guy to make the best cherry wine there is."

"And the guy to drink the most." White teased.

"Oh, Shine look at you." Silver frowned at Shine's toffee-smeared face. "You're a mess."

"Aw, mom!" Shine protested as his mother wiped his face with a cloth.

Cheerilee noticed a blob of toffee on Big Mac's chin. She moved to wipe it off, freezing mid-way as Big Mac stopped and looked at her.

"Sorry." Cheerilee blushed. "Bit of toffee there."

"...Thank you kindly." Big Mac smiled, also blushing.

As they moved on, they reached a 'throw the darts at the balloons' booth.

"I'm pretty good at this." White smiled. He hit three balloons in a row, earning a dragon plushie. "Here you go, son."

"Thanks, dad!" Shine smiled.

"Wow, you weren't kidding. How you learned to do that?" Cheerilee mused.

"You pick up a lot of things when you tour Saddle Arabia with the Royal Defense Legion for a few years before being discharged with honors." White shrugged.

"Yeah, Whitey here is a bon-a-fide war hero." Big Red chuckled, slapping him on the back playfully.

"Yeah… hero…" White repeated, before letting out a sigh.

"Wanna give it a shot, Mac?" Big Red asked.

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded.

The big stallion stepped up next. He too scored three balloons in rapid succession, winning a Breezie plush. He gave it to Cheerilee.

"Oh... thank you, Big Mac." Cheerilee smiled, awed by his generosity.

"No prob…" Big Mac shrugged.

The day soon came to an end, and White Knight and his family prepared to leave.

"Thanks for showing us around." White smiled, a drowsy Shine riding on his back. "Hope we didn't put you out or anything."

"Oh, it was no trouble." Cheerilee smiled. "Right, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup." Big Mac smiled.

"If we're ever in Ponyville again, we'll be sure to look you up." Silver Wind smiled.

"Happy trails!" Big Red declared.

"Bye..." Shine yawned.

The family walked away, Big Mac and Cheerilee waving them off.

"Mah, those two'd make a wonderful couple." Big Red declared.

"They sure would." White agreed. "Now, if only you would just propose to Cherry..."

"White, Ah will say this one more time, Ah will propose when the time is right." Big Red said testily.

"Right... maybe when my son marries a princess or something..." White smirked.

"Ah won't take that long!" Big Red protested. "Who do ya think Ah am, chicken?"

"If chickens are red, and have big, bushy beards..." White joked.

Meanwhile, Cheerilee turned to Big Mac.

"Big Mac, I have something I want to tell you." She declared. "Today, I realized how much I admire about you. You're strong, you're kind, you're caring... in fact, what I feel for you has gone beyond simple admiration. I think... I love you."

For a few moments, Big Mac stood still, his face impassive.

"Ya know something'?" He smiled. "Ah realized I feel the same way."

"That's good." Cheerilee grinned. "I'd hate to think I confessed all that for nothing."

"Eeyup. Guess since the whole deal with the love poison and all, I hadn't really found the guts to tell you without things becoming… well, awkward." Big Mac shrugged.

"It's alright, Mac." Cheerilee smiled. "Now, what do you say we go on a real date sometime?"

"Eeyup." Big Mac planted a kiss on her cheek. "How 'bout we go on the ferris wheel before the fair closes?"

"With pleasure." Cheerilee grinned.

They made their way to the ferris wheel, Cheerilee leaning against Big Mac as they walked.

Twenty Years Later...

Not long after Big Red finally tied the knot with Cherry Jubilee, he had the luck of running into Big Mac after twenty years while he and Applejack were visiting Dodge Junction. Following through on his word, Big Red had decided to challenge Big Mac to an apple-bucking competition, and Big Mac accepted with a mere "Eeyup".

The contest was to be held at Sweet Apple Acres, and witnessing it would be the two stallion's families. Shine Paladin, who wouldn't miss the chance of Big Red going against a stallion who could match him in a bucking contest, managed to find time from his schedule as prince of Equestria and come down to Ponyville to serve as referee for the contest.

Right now, the two wives of the stallions, Cheerilee and Cherry Jubilee were making their way to the area of the contest.

"Hard to believe they're actually doing this." Cheerilee gaped. "Big Red mentioned challenging Big Mac twenty years ago. That he would remember after all this time..."

"That's Big Red for you." Cherry chuckled. "When he sets his mind on something, he doesn't quit until he gets it."

The two mares arrived at the top of the hill where the contest was to begin, as Big Mac and Big Red were warming up.

The rest of the Apple family were cheering Big Big Mac on.

"Go, Big Mac!" Applejack called.

"You can do it!" Caramel smiled.

"Go, big brother!" Apple Bloom cheered.

"Yay, dad!" Apple Polisher yelled.

Mist was also there, cheering on her surrogate father.

"Yay, Big Red!" She whooped.

"Show 'em what you've got, big buy." Shine told Big Red.

"you know it." Big Red chuckled.

Cheerilee and Cherry walked over to their husbands.

"Good luck, dear." Cheerilee kissed Big Mac on the cheek.

"Better luck." Cherry Jubilee kissed Big Red.

"Ready?" Big Red asked Big Mac.

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded.

"Then may the best stallion win." Big Red smiled.

"Okay, you both know the rules." Shine declared. "Whosoever bucks the most trees clean in five minutes wins."

"Let's just hope we don't run outta trees before the time's up." Big Red joked.

"And... go!" Shine yelled.

The two burly stallions reared their legs and began bucking.

It was an exciting contest, to be sure, but the results will have to wait until another day...

Comments

[SageBrony07]

You are a big teaser you know that. Man. Great job with this chapter. I enjoyed it.

[Symyon]

White knight hit it right on the ball with shine marrying a princess.