Big Mac Writes a Love Letter

by HiddenMac

Choose Your Own Ending #7: Black and White and Red All Over

Author's Note:

I'll be writing different endings with my favorite Mac ships in countdown order.

Zecora searched through her cabinets, trying to find the last ingredient she needed.

"Ah! Here we are!

This will make it better, by far!"

She grabbed the bottle in her mouth and walked it over to Apple Bloom. The tiny yellow filly had made significant progress in her potion making. In fact, she would now voluntarily come to Zecora to help hone her skills. Zecora set the bottle on the nearby table for Apple Bloom as she gave the eager filly one last instruction.

"Very powerful, this ingredient does taste,

use only a drop, or else all is a waste."

Apple bloom picked up the bottle and very carefully added a single drop to the small mixture being heated in the pot. She made an effort to lean back, just in case the concoction exploded or had another undesirable effect. Once added, the mixture did nothing other than smell nice. Confused, the Cutie Mark Crusader looked back at the Zebra, wondering if she did something wrong.

"Zecora," Bloom asked, "what kind of potion is this? Nothing happened!"

The Zebra chuckled in response, "A powerful potion this was not meant to be, for you have only made our tea."

The zebra delicately poured the mixture into a teapot and walked it over to the table where she had already placed the settings while Apple Bloom was preoccupied. She took a seat filled both cups with the relaxing brew, inviting the tiny filly to join her. Still perplexed, Apple Bloom slowly made her way over, asking why she spent the effort on just making simple tea.

"Ah appreciate you teachin' me and all, but shouldn't we have tried something a little more advanced than jus' tea?" she sat and swirled the tea around her cup.

"Calming tea can be a potion too,

it really is a wonderful brew.

The relaxing outcome is quite effective,

after all, is that not the objective?"

It was hard to argue with that. Though it was too simple a formula, Apple Bloom acquiesced and took a sip. It did seem to have a quick effect as her body relaxed and she slouched down in her seat. Perhaps this wasn't so much a lesson as much as what both equines really needed after the events of the past few days. The entire town still seemed to be recovering from the Anniversary and Big Mac had never even left his farm. Today would be his first venture out so he could escort Apple Bloom home without her trying to brave the Everfree Forest alone. Applejack brought her here, but she had a delivery to make and couldn't return until tomorrow.

Now a little more relaxed, Apple Bloom asked a question that she always wanted, but was too afraid and polite to do so for fear of insulting her teacher.

"Zecora, why do you always rhyme? Ah mean, it's not weird or anythin', but is that how all zebras talk?"

After finishing her sip, Zecora responded as she often does: with an ambiguous and confusing riddle.

"If the only zebra you have met speaks in rhyme

does that mean we do it all the time?

Do you think it can be exotic

or maybe you assume I'm just psychotic?

Or what if the rhyming is just for show?

whatever it is, you'll never know."

That's no answer; but Apple Bloom didn't want to argue. She took another sip and dropped the issue. After a few minutes of enjoying their tea, their time together would soon come to an end as her brother knocked on the door. Apple Bloom jumped off her chair and rushed over to let her big brother in. Zecora also stood up to formally invite the stallion into her home. This was the first time she had seen him since his humiliation at the celebration, but her heart still fluttered at the sight of the large stallion. She nervously offered him a snack as she welcomed him.

"Welcome, Big McIntosh,

may I offer you a treat: an apple or squash?"

She cursed herself for sounding so stupid; he's an apple farmer and has no need for apples. As he made his way over to the table she quickly thought of something else to recover from the lapse in judgment.

"Or how about some tea... or an orange!

It's sure to...uh...taste better than a... door hinge?"

Oh, the humiliation! Not only did she foolishly fail at a rhyme, but she did so to the stallion she desired. Her black and white face flooded in a sea of red as she recoiled in shame. She wanted nothing more than to repeatedly bash her head against a wall. Zecora turned back to her cup and timidly took a sip in a feeble attempt to hide her embarrassment.

Apple Bloom watched in confusion as she had never seen her teacher behave so uncharacteristically. Zecora had always been so confident; so in control. To see her behave like Fluttershy was disconcerting. She had to help.

"Uh, yeah," she tried to lighten the mood, "nothing like a rusty door hinge!"

Big Mac and Apple Bloom chuckled at each other, though it actually made Zecora feel worse and more humiliated about her linguistic error. She held her cup and looked away, desperately hoping to change the subject. Now she was too petrified to speak, much less speak in rhyme. She wished for them to leave so she could hide under something and never come out.

Big Mac finally noticed the flustered zebra and fell silent, fearing he insulted her while she offered him hospitality. Once again, he felt he acted ungentlecoltly and hurt the feelings of a beautiful mare. Not this time; he was going to make it right!

"If Ah have offended you, I must apologize,

I meant to be polite, not demoralize!"

He rhymed in her style to show humorous sincerity, something she appreciated as she cracked a smile while looking back at him. He continued on:

"You missed a rhyme, but you should feel no shame

for you are the best at playing that game.

Of all ponies Ah know, you are unique,

is it any surprise I am drawn to that mystique?"

Zecora raised her brow, her heart quickened at the compliment. She wondered if he was saying what she hoped he was saying as he finally conveyed his feelings directly to her.

"Fear kept me silent, but it shall no longer,

in your presence I must become stronger!

It is you that I love, these words I speak true,

this confession is surely long overdue!"

Humiliation gone, Zecora now sat in shock as the giant stallion suddenly laid his deepest feelings and desires right out on the table in front of her. Her heart raced in a mixture of trepidation and serendipity. It WAS her; she was the "pony" for which his letter was intended. Before, she found herself unwilling to speak; now she was simple unable. She could only stare as the stallion concluded presenting his heart to her.

"Your heart and your mind I do admire;

you alone are the object of my desire.

Mah previous actions have torn my feelings asunder,

but will you take a chance on this poor farmer, I wonder?"

Apple Bloom sat amazed; she would have never thought his hidden love could be Zecora. But now she was here, witnessing her brother declare his love for her potions mentor. She grinned as she glanced back and forth between the two, hoping she could still be an indirect catalyst for their relationship. Perhaps she will be a mare of honor after all! She just had to find out what Zecora's response would be.

The zebra sat in stunned silence as the tension built in her hut. She would have never imagined to find love in a distant land; and with a pony no less. However, here sat the most attractive and sincere stallion she had ever come across, from any race, and he was bearing his feelings out just for her. How could she not be intrigued? She finally admitted her true feelings using the only thing she could say:

"Eeyup"