The Farmer and his Flower

by Absolom

Odd methods

CHAPTER 4. June 7th/02/3:42 PM/3rd person.

Big Macintosh was working hard around the farm, picking up the slack from yesterday and keeping an eye on the position of the sun. He had worked so much out in the fields that he learned how to tell time just by looking at where the sun was in the sky.

He realized that he should probably head out now, lest he be late to pick up Fluttershy.

After a few minutes of walking he made it to the house and quickly getting himself a glass of sweet tea to help cool him down.

"Hey Big Mac!" he heard his youngest sister call from behind him, startling him slightly.

He turned around to see his sister standing only a few paces away from him.

"Howdy Apple Bloom," he said simply and continued. "How was school?" he asked curiously and took a quick gulp of his tea.

"It was fine..." she said in an un-enthused voice.

"Jus' fine?" he asked with a curious look on his face.

"Well it ain't like Ah like goin' ta school," she said with a slightly furrowed brow.

"Ah understand, school wasn't that fun fer me either," he said slightly empathetically and continued. "But, it's somethin' ya jus' gotta do," he said as he shrugged slightly.

"Ah know."

"Well, at least y'all have friends ya can spend time with, right?" he said with a curious grin on his face.

"Yeah, that's true," she said, thinking about her friends.

"See? There's always a bright side," he said cheerfully and finished off the rest of his tea.

"Yer right. Thanks, Big Mac!" she said as she gleefully hugged her brother's waist.

"No problem," he said with a genuine smile plastered on his face as he hugged his youngest sister affectionately with one arm.

After they finished their hug Big Mac put his cup away and prepared to leave to go pick up Fluttershy.

"Ah gotta go sugarcube. Ah'll be back soon, so stay outta trouble," he said as he gave a slightly stern look.

"Goin' ta go pick up Fluttershy huh?" she said with a raised eyebrow and a sly smirk on her face.

He froze for a few seconds before responding. "How did y'all know that?" he asked with obvious confusion.

"Granny told me," she said simply as she shrugged with a "what're ya gonna do" look on her face.

"…Well, Ah did say don't tell Applejack, Ah didn't say nothin' about tellin' y'all..." he said as he silently loathed his grandmother's craftiness.

She giggled lightly before responding. "Don't worry, Ah won't tell Applejack!" she said in a seemingly honest tone.

"Promise?" he asked with a very slightly stern look across his face.

"Ah Promise," she said as she raised her right hand, signifying she was telling the truth.

"…Pinkie promise?" he asked jokingly with a raised eyebrow.

She then performed a series of motions as she chanted. "Cross my heart an' hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" she finished and quickly started giggling followed by Big Mac's hearty chuckling.

"Alright, Ah gotta go or Ah'm gonna be late!" he said as he began walking away briskly.

"Bye!" she called after him.

"Bye," He called back as he lifted his right hand to signal goodbye.

Fluttershy was pacing her living room nervously, wondering if making plans with Big Mac was a good idea. She didn't have any other plans but if word got out that she was spending time with Big Macintosh people could very easily get the wrong idea. What if Rarity caught wind? She knew if it came to that she'd never hear the end of it.

"What should I do!?" she said to herself with a distressed and panicked look laying segue to her soft features.

Angel sat on the couch watching Fluttershy pacing worriedly around the house; in mild amusement.

"Angel! What should I do!?" she asked the small white rabbit.

He shrugged in response with a seemingly bemused smile on his face.

"Angel this is serious! I don't know what to do..." she said, going from panic to sadness.

His features softened slightly at seeing her upset. He then reluctantly made a set of gestures that she might listen to.

"You…think I should go through with this?" she asked the rabbit.

He simply nodded in response.

"But!..." she said before actually thinking about what she was going to say. "…I guess you're right…why would I make plans with someone and not follow through? Let alone a few minutes before we're supposed to meet up…that would be so mean," she said and nodded slightly as she came to a new decision.

Angel nodded as well in agreement.

"Angel, do I look ok?" she asked as she twirled slowly, showing off her simple yellow sun dress with small white frills at the bottom and three pink butterflies on her left hip.

He simply shrugged and nodded slowly, probably not caring about fashion.

"Oh, ok…I hope this is appropriate for whatever Big Macintosh has planned," she said after giving herself another once over. "But what if he thinks I look bad?" she said more to herself than Angel.

He simply shrugged again, not possibly having experience with her dilemma.

"Maybe I should go change into something more…conservative," she said to herself as she headed toward her staircase.

Before making it to the first step, there was a few solid knocks on the door, causing her to jump and yelp quietly.

After gaining her composure she walked to the door and hesitantly opened it to reveal Big Macintosh on the other side.

"Howdy Miss Fluttershy," he greeted simply.

"O-oh, hello," she said in response.

"Are y'all ready ta go, or do ya still need time ta get ready?" he asked her curiously.

"I think I'm ready to go..." she said, unsure if she had everything she needed.

"Are ya sure? Ah'll wait if y'all need ta get somethin'," he said, making sure she was ready.

"No, I'm sure I have everything I need," she said honestly.

"Alright," he said as he stepped to the side, making room for her to pass.

"Bye Angel, watch the house while I'm away," she said to the intelligent rabbit before exiting.

He simply batted his paw in response.

She then walked past Big Macintosh who (like a gentleman) was holding the door for her.

"Thank you," she said after clearing out of the way of the door so he could close it.

Big Mac then closed the door, following up with his typical response of "Eeyup."

She waited for him to take the lead and start walking before she began speaking. "So, where are we going?" she asked curiously.

"Sweet Apple Acres."

She was caught off guard by his answer and took a moment to compose herself before responding. "Sweet Apple Acres? Why are we going there?" she asked with somewhat alarmed confusion.

"Well, y'all said ya didn't care where we went, an' that's probably the best place ta learn how ta be strong...that Ah know of at least," he said making a good point.

"Well, I guess you're right, but what if Applejack sees us?" she asked.

He looked at her with a somewhat confused expression tilting his head slightly as he did so and responded. "What if she does, Ah don't see how that has anythin' ta do with y'all learnin' ta be stronger," he said with a hint of confusion lingering in his voice and continued. "Besides, Applejack's one of yer best friends, right? why wouldn't y'all wanna see her?" he asked curiously.

"Well, yes, she is one of my closest friends. But if she sees us together she might tell Rarity," she said, leaving Big Mac even more confused.

"…Ah don't see the problem," he said with obvious confusion.

"If Rarity hears about us being together, regardless of the circumstances, she's never going to let me hear the end of it," she said clearing up some of his confusion.

"Oh, alright, Ah think Ah understand now," he said, not bothering to ask what it is Rarity would be saying, as he had some idea, but deciding to say something anyway. "Does Applejack gossip?" he asked more to himself than to Fluttershy.

"No, she really doesn't…but when it comes to something like this. I'm not sure how she would react," she said with honest uncertainty.

"Well, if we run into her, Ah'm sure we can explain the circumstances ta her," he said, not worrying about it, but bringing up another potential problem. "Now Granny on the other hand, there ain't nothing ya can say ta her ta make her change her mind," he said with a somewhat distressed look on his face.

"Granny Smith?" she asked curiously.

"Eeyup. Jus' try ta ignore anything she says, because it's more than likely she'll say somethin' rather…abrasive," he said, giving her a quick heads up.

"Oh, I doubt she'll say anything too bad," she said optimistically with a pleasant smile spread across her face.

"Well, jus' be ready in case she does," he said plainly.

"Ok." nodding as she said so.

After a number of minutes, they arrived at the farm, walking up to the front porch where Big Mac opened the door for Fluttershy and himself, following her inside after she passed. He wasn't prepared for what he saw next.

Applejack was waiting for them, sitting on a couch in the living room. "Well howdy you two," she said in a tone that Big Mac found very odd, it was like she was feigning excitement, or something along those lines.

"Applejack? Ah thought y'all was selling merchandise today; why are y'all here?" he asked with obvious confusion.

"Oh, no reason really, Ah jus' wanted ta say hi ta my brother and my friend," she said continuing her odd mannerisms.

Big Mac was put a bit on edge from her current behavior, he hadn't really seen her act like this before, so he wasn't sure how to react. "Applejack, Ah don't know why yer actin' like this, but Ah assure ya, there ain't no reason why y'all should be," he said cautiously.

"Really?" she said as she stood up and began walking toward them, causing Fluttershy to back up a few steps. Big Macintosh wasn't so easily moved. As she stood only a couple feet from Big Mac she continued. "Tell me...why did y'all want ta keep yer little meet up with one of my best friends a secret from me?" she asked with a threatening undertone.

Big Mac was still confused, but he stood his ground, knowing full well that Applejack wouldn't try anything. "Maybe because Ah knew y'all might respond like this?" he said, still trying to stay on the safe side.

Fluttershy was silently freaking out as she watched the two powerful farmers stand off only a few feet from her.

Applejack didn't address his question as she asked him another question. "What were y'all plannin' on doin' with my friend?" she asked still adopting a threatening tone.

"Ah was and still am plannin' on makin' her a stronger person," he said, trying to keep it brief.

"An' why do y'all wanna do that!?" she asked accusingly.

"Maybe 'cus she wants ta be?" he said plainly.

Applejack seemed at a sudden loss for words before responding. "Why'd she ask y'all fer help an' not me?" she asked him curiously.

"Why are y'all askin' me?" he asked in response.

Applejack was then at another loss for words, before changing her view to Fluttershy, who still looked terrified.

Applejack immediately changed the way she was acting and softened her features. "Ah'm sorry sugar-cube, Ah shoulda been more sensitive about this...Ah don't think Ah need ta ask why y'all didn't come ta me fer this..." she said with an expression of regret on her face.

Fluttershy hesitated in her response. "It's alright Applejack," she said simply, choosing not to elaborate.

"Ah'm really sorry sugar-cube…Ah'll stay out of yer way now," Applejack said apologetically as she headed for the door.

"Wait! Applejack," Fluttershy said to her friend.

"…Yes?" she asked hesitantly.

"You don't have to go."

"Actually, Ah do sugar-cube. Ah've slacked off enough fer one day, Ah have ta get back ta work," she said honestly and continued shortly after, shifting her view to Big Mac. "An' Don't y'all try anythin', or Ah swear Ah'll-" she was saying before Big Mac cut her off.

"Ah know."

"Good, Ah gotta go, see y'all later," she said as she hastily exited the house and quickly shut the door.

Big Mac then looked at Fluttershy with a somewhat shameful look on his face. "Ah'm sorry about that…Ah didn't expect her ta be here, or to act like that," he said apologetically.

"…It's ok," she said hesitantly, still slightly shaken up from what just happened.

"…Well, Ah guess we should go get started. Follow me," he said as he began walking toward the back door. Fluttershy following close behind. Exiting the building and heading in a seemingly pointless direction, before Big Mac suddenly stopped, almost causing Fluttershy to run into him.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked curiously.

"There's no need ta go any further, here's fine," he said and turned around before uttering a very unexpected combination of words. "Now; hit me." he said plainly, causing an extreme wave of confusion to assault Fluttershy.

"W-what!? Did you just say what I thought you said?" she asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Eeyup, hit me," he said again, still adopting a simple tone.

"You can't be serious! Why would I do that!?" she asked, still utterly confused.

"'Cus Ah asked ya to, would y'all prefer hugging me? Or perhaps kissing me?...No?, Alright then. Now hit me," he said, confusing Fluttershy even more.

She then began blushing slightly before responding. "I can't."

"Why not?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"…I just don't hit people, it's not something I've ever liked or been comfortable doing," she said honestly.

"That's the point. If Ah asked y'all ta do somethin' y'all was comfortable with, it wouldn't make ya stronger, you'd just stay the same. Now hit me."

"I don't get it, why would making me do something I'm not comfortable with, make me stronger?" she asked with curious confusion.

"Ah'm not makin' y'all do anythin', choosin' ta do something y'all ain't comfortable with, will eventually make y'all more comfortable with doin' things you don't like doin', which will make y'all more comfortable with yerself," he said, making a seemingly decent point.

"But I don't want to be more comfortable with hitting people," she said, still resistant on Big Mac's method.

"It ain't hitting Ah want y'all ta be more comfortable with, Ah want y'all ta be more comfortable with the concept."

"…I think I understand, but I still don't want to hit you," she said honestly.

"Ah know y'all don't wanna hit me. If y'all really are adamant about not hitting me, do something else, Ah just want y'all ta throw yer reluctance out the window an' do somethin' y'all ain't used ta doin'."

She didn't respond, she obviously wasn't very comfortable with this method and process, but she knew Big Mac knew that and that's why he was trying to teach this way. So Fluttershy took a leap of faith and did something that did indeed catch Big Mac off guard.

She lunged forward quickly and hugged him tightly around his torso. How she managed to get her arms on the inside of his, was a mystery to him.

He was stunned by her actions, but not entirely surprised, it was after all, a good alternative to hitting him. He initially decided against hugging her back, as that would force her to do something she wasn't comfortable with for a longer duration. But to his surprise, she continued hugging him, continuing her actions for much longer than he was anticipating. So after a few more seconds of contemplating, he hugged her back gently.

Author's Note:

A/N: Hey look, notes that mean absolutely nothing...Nothing to say here other than; thanks for reading. (I do wish my like and dislike meter would balance out though).