Melody for my Dear

by FerociousCreation

Nervous Exchange

Melody for My Dear
Ch. 3

Morning seemed to be brighter than usual as the sun glared over the hills as it came up to start a new day. It seemed that Princess Celestia wanted to say hello to Sweet Apple Acres, but the welcome was too bright for Applebloom’s face and woke her like an obnoxious wakeup call. The little filly and her friend Scootaloo were both lying next to each other, back to back as the sun light bled onto Applebloom’s face. The discomfort caused her to clench her eyes shut and turn over, waking up the yellow filly. Now that Applebloom was awake, she let out a big yawn, inhaling the morning air of the farm; yet, something smelt sweet in the air.

“Hey Scootaloo, wake up,” spoke Applebloom in a whisper.

“No… no more autographs please,” said Scootaloo as she was still in her dreams. “I know I’m awesome but Rainbow Dash is more awesomer.” A goofy smile was on Scootaloo’s face as the words slipped out of her mouth.

Applebloom picked up her pillow and plopped it on her friend’s face and said with a giggle, “Ya mind signing my pillow.”

“That’l be two bits,” said Scootaloo in a muffled sound, still in her dream.

“Wake up ya goof ball!” Startled, Scootaloo shot her head up and the pillow flew off her head and onto the floor. “Good you’re awake.”

Scootaloo was not happy with the rude awakening and turned her head to face her friend had an annoyed look on her face. “Would’ve been nice if you hadn’t done that; I was having a great dream.”

“Sorry Scootaloo,” Applebloom chuckled.

In retaliation, Scootaloo rubbed her hoof in Applebloom’s hair. “It’s alright as long as there is some retaliation.”

“Hey not the bow! Ya know how hard it is to get this thing in my mane?”

“Not really,” Scootaloo shrugged. She then smelled something in the air; something sweet and delectable. “Hey Applebloom, what is that smell?”

“I was trying to wake you up because I think I know what that smell is,” said Applebloom in delight.

After adjusting her dark pink bow, Applebloom jumped out of bed and Scootaloo followed behind as they walked out of the bedroom.

“So what is this delicious smell,” questioned Scootaloo in curiosity. “Is it an apple pie?”

“Oh, it ain’t any ordinary pie,” replied Applebloom. The two of them reached the stairway and headed on down the stairs as Applebloom continued, “My brother makes this pie every so often, with the best assortment of apples and finest cinnamon in all of Equestria!”

“Mmm, sounds yummy!”

They reach the bottom of the stairs and walked towards the kitchen. “Oh you bet! He calls it the…” She was about to finish when the two fillies heard a voice in the kitchen. As they approached, Applebloom and Scootaloo saw Big Macintosh in the kitchen holding a mixing spoon and what looked like a pony ragdoll in one hoof. It was a gray colored doll with dark blue trousers with polka dots, buttons for eyes, and had black wool for a mane and tail.

He then put the spoon in a large bowl and started to mix an assortment of ingredients and started to talk to the doll, “I know it’s been a mighty long time since we have cooked together Smartypants. But don’t you fret; you get to help me make the second pie that I’m makin’ for Fluttershy.” After the stallion finished mixing, he then settled the spoon down and had the doll wrap its arms and legs around the spoon. “Now just hold on to that spoon there while I go get the cinnam…”

“What are you doing big brother,” questioned Applebloom, interrupting his time alone with the rag doll. Unaware of their presence, Big Macintosh’s eyes widened and looked in the entrance of the hallway. His sister had a confused look on her face, while Scootaloo was smirking, finding it ever so difficult not to laugh. On the stallion’s face, shock was the only expression that could be found. Even though he was caught in the act, he snatched the doll quickly and hid it in the sink filled with soapy water and hoped the two fillies did not see anything. “You hiding something Big Mac?”

“N…nope,” replied the brother nervously. He rose his hoof to the spoon he was mixing earlier and resumed stirring.

“Umm… is Applejack awake?”

“Eeyup.” Big Macintosh pointed to the window and outside was Applejack pulling a wagon full of apples and a broken down stand. It was the time of the week that she goes to town and sells some produce at the market. Silence in the kitchen was interrupted when a “ding” from a timer that sat on the stove went off. When Big Macintosh walked over the oven and opened it, it released a beautiful aroma of apple and cinnamon.

“Mmm” was heard from the two fillies as they licked their lips.

Scootaloo saw that Big Macintosh was getting the pie out of the oven and wanted to get a better look at the doll. She walked over to the kitchen sink, dipped her hoof into the soap water, and tried to fish out the doll. A feeling of fabric brushed Scootaloo’s hoof and she picked the doll out of the water. It was all soggy from the water and some soap suds were in its mane. “Is this Twilight’s,” said Scootaloo in question.

Big Macintosh did not even realize she took Smartypants out of the sink while he was taking out the pie. He frowned at the fact that the doll was all wet, but was more concerned in getting the doll back. When he walked over to her and reached for it, Scootaloo reached back and said, “So it is Twilight’s huh? You have a crush on her?”

“No,” he blurted before he snatched the doll out of her arms. Red blush was visible on his cheeks, embarrassed from the filly’s question.

“Oh, come on Scoot, you know my brother is shy about that stuff,” Applebloom said still standing in the doorway.

“Sorry, I was just teasing him,” replied Scootaloo with a bit of a smirk.

Sure you were, Big Macintosh thought glaring at her as he turned away, resuming what he was doing. Bet yer gonna tell Twilight that I play with her doll.

His little sister approached to his left and said, “Don’t worry, she won’t tell, Pinkie Promise.” Everypony knows that when a Pinkie Promise is made, it is something that cannot be broken. Big Macintosh nodded and resumed making his second pie.

“Well, me and Scootaloo will go an’ get ready.”

Applebloom and Scootaloo were about to go back upstairs to get ready, when Big Macintosh pointed at the table. In the center, there were six pancakes stacked on top of each other with two tiny cups filled with syrup. The two of them ran over to the table and began eating the pancakes. It didn't take long for the fillies to finish their breakfast. With sugar in their bodies, Applebloom and Scootaloo were full of energy and after putting their dishes in the sink, they went upstairs to get ready for a day at Fluttershy’s cottage.
***
“Come on slowpoke,” called Applebloom as she and Scootaloo were standing outside of the door to the house.

While Applebloom was scraping her hoof on the ground impatiently, Scootaloo adjusted to her cape, identical to the one Applebloom was wearing. The cape was crimson and had a blue circle patch near the back sides of the cape. On the blue patch was an image of a yellow pony lifting a front leg. The underside of the cape was a smooth, golden silk. Unfortunately, Sweetie Belle made the cape from Rarity’s golden silk that took her hours to make, and almost made Rarity to lose her nerves.

After what seemed like hours, Big Macintosh finally emerged from the home with Fluttershy’s basket in his mouth. Inside the basket were two pies and five apples that surrounded the pastry.

“Wow, those look delicious,” said Scootaloo in delight.

“Eeyup,” he replied with a muffled sound.

Alright Scoot, today is the day we will finally get our own cutie marks,” said Applebloom confidentially.

“You bet,” replied Scootaloo.

Applebloom looked at back at her brother and said, “Don’t worry big brother, we will make sure you get to Fluttershy’s safely. And this time, we will make sure no trees fall on ya this time.”

“You ready…” said Scootaloo said in anticipation.

“CUTIEMARK CRUSADERS PERSONAL ESCORTERS ARE GO,” the two fillies yelled in unison as they gave a high hoof.

Big Macintosh smiled at their silly attempt of trying to get their cutie marks; and this time, “escorting” him to Fluttershy’s cottage. I thought you asked me to walk you to Fluttershy’s, ya little numskull, thought Big Macintosh as he chuckled.

At long last, the three of them headed into town to get Sweetie Belle before heading to the cottage. Moments seem to pass by quickly as they walked through town to obtain the final filly. They finally arrive to a large house with the most exquisite decorations: a light blue color on the outside walls with a bit of diamond patterns that surrounded the oval windows, yellow striped curtains on the inside of the windows, checkered light pink and light purple on the roofing part of the home. At the top are a balcony with several purple iron bars, two smaller windows and a large one between the two and two purple pony figures that are on the outside of the balcony. Above that, is a set of blue-violet iron bars and resting on top of them is a crown shaped surface, with a striped orange and light orange cone.

Big Macintosh approached the door to the home and knocked at the doorway.

“I’m coming,” sang a harmonious voice from inside the home. A humming sound came from inside the house and grew louder as it came closer to the entrance of the door. Perfume seemed to fill the air when the door opened and the gorgeous looking unicorn, Rarity, answered. “Ah Big Mac darling, it is ever so nice to see you again.”

“Eeyup,” he nodded.

Raritiy’s purple hair seemed to flow so gracefully when she turned her head and called to her sister, “Sweetie Bell, your friends are here to you up.”

Wind rushed out of the doorway as a short filly unicorn zipped her way to the doorway to greet her friends, “Scootaloo, Applebloom! Glad to see we have an escort to Fluttershy’s!”

“Yup, and we need to make sure my big brother doesn’t have any trees fall on him today,” said Applebloom with a smile.

“And no trees are in sight,” Scootaloo replied, hovering an arm over her eyes and looking around.

“Oh girls,” Rarity intercepted the girl’s conversation. “This daring stallion did a brave thing to save Fluttershy and unfortunately he got hurt in the process. Please try and be more polite.”

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh replied.

“Oops,” spoke Sweetie Belle when she realized her cape was not on like her two friends. “I’ll be right back girls.” Dashing inside and returning in a matter of seconds, Sweetie Belle now had the cape just like Scootaloo and Applebloom. Her swirly pink and light purple hair was entwined with the knot of the cape when the filly rushed to get her cape on.

“Oh Sweetie Belle,” sighed Rarity as she untangled her sister’s hair from the knot. “I just curled your hair this morning. I don’t want all my efforts go to waste.”

“You worry too much Rarity,” shooed the unicorn filly.

“I just want you to look your best when you finally get your cutie mark.”

“Really?”

“But of course; what are sisters for,” Rarity complimented and her arm fell behind her sister’s neck.

“Aww, thanks sis,” smiled Sweetie Bell, pressing the side of her head against Rarity’s chest.

After the feelings were exchanged, Applebloom began to get anxious and spoke, “Come on yall! Time’s a wastin’ and we haven’t gotten to Fluttershy’s.”

“Alright, let’s get going,” replied Sweetie Bell. “Bye Rarity.”

“Have fun,” waved Rarity as the four of them turned around and walked away. Closing the front door and trotting up the stairs, the purple maned unicorn was thinking about her little sister. “Oh Sweetie Bell, I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have you as a sister,” she said out loud as Rarity approached her bedroom door. “After all you are the most…” Rarity was cut off when she realized her room was a mess. “…Ungrateful little mess maker!”

Afar from the boutique, Scootaloo heard a scream from a distance and asked, “Did anypony hear something?”

“Umm… I heard nothing, but I think we should walk faster,” scurried Sweetie Bell as she walked ahead.

***
Stretching its wings, a hummingbird slowly opened its eyes when a gentle knock came from the outside of the hummingbird’s home.

“Time to get up little one,” came a gentle voice into the bird house. A sudden rush of joy came to the humming bird and flew out of its home to greet Fluttershy hovering in front of the red roofed bird house. Nestling itself against her cheek with a smile, the bird then pointed its wing into the opening of its house. With concern, Fluttershy closed one eye to look into the birdhouse and saw two tiny eggs resting in a patch of twigs.

“Oh, that is wonderful Mrs. Hummingbird,” smiled the pegasus with delight. Nodding after Fluttershy’s congratulate, it flew off to a patch of flowers that were right at the edge of the pathway that led to the cottage. Fluttershy then landed onto the bridge that leads to her home and looks to the sky to see a hawk flying high above.

“Do you see them,” she called up to the winged creature. Streaks of brown and white darted down to the pink maned pegasus and a gust of wind blew into her face as it landed. The hawk then pointed a wing to its left. A good distance away was the red stallion and three small fillies. “Thank you Mr. Hawk.” Before walking to the four of them, she then said to the hawk, “I have a fishing line in the backyard,” she gestured her arm behind. “There should be a yummy fish on the hook, but make sure you don’t eat the hook.”

Somehow the hawk felt the need to salute the pegasus before taking off. As it did, the two of them went their separate ways when Fluttershy went to go and greet her visitors.

“Hey Fluttershy,” the three fillies said to the pegasus as soon as they approached her.

“Oh, hello girls,” replied Fluttershy with a smile. Red was the next color for the pegasus to see when Big Macintosh approached. “And hello Big Macintosh.” She smiled but her yellow ears shied back.

The basket shook a bit as Big Macintosh nodded with a smile to greet Fluttershy. Looking at the basket, Fluttershy asked,
“Oh, is that my basket?”

“Eeyup,” replied the red stallion with the basket still resting in his mouth.

“Come on girls, to the back yard,” cried Applebloom and the two other fillies shouted “Yeah!”

Dust was kicked up as the three sprinted towards the cottage and around to the back. Now that the fillies were gone, the two older ponies were finding it hard to find something to say. Only the sound of the girls faint giggling pierced the awkward silence.

“Umm…” Fluttershy was glancing around, trying to find thoughts in her head until she saw a pie resting in the basket. “Oh, is that a pie,” finally squeezing out words from her tight throat.

“Eeyup…,” Big Macintosh choked as a lump formed in his throat and he had to swallow it before he can continue his thought. “And I made it for you,” he blushed and his ears folded. Why do I feel so nervous all of a sudden? It’s just a pie I made for her. Flashes of her comforting him were stained in his brain, as if he missed the feeling.

“Oh, really,” she questioned with delight. The pie was still warm even after the long trek from the barn and the sweet smell tickled her yellow nose. Before coming to the cottage, Big Macintosh had to deliver one pie to Applejack, on behalf of a special order. Some special celebrity wanted to try one of his pies.

“Why don’t you come to the backyard and stay for a while, I mean, if you want to,” Fluttershy turned and looked back at the flustered stallion.

“E…eyup,” Big Macintosh replied as he shook his head, trying to remain his cool.

Both of them walked over the bridge and around the green hedge covered house. Not only was Fluttershy’s home was full of nature, but there were also birdhouses in some of the trees that surrounded the pegasus’ home and small woodland animals wondered around in the grass. Rounding the corner, Fluttershy and Big Macintosh arrived to the backyard, where the Cutie Mark Crusaders were sitting around the hawk that aided Fluttershy in scouting for her visitors. The hawk somehow did not take her caretaker’s advice and had a hook caught in its beak. Lucky for it, was a mouse standing inside the hawk’s mouth, carefully removing the hook.

A brief moment later and the mouse finally removed the hook from the winged animal and the three fillies cried out “Yippy” for the rodent’s success.

Before the white mouse could jump out of the mouth, the hawk snapped its beak shut and made the girls shriek. “Let em’ go you rapscallion,” yelled Applebloom as she shook the hawk violently.

At this point, Fluttershy and Big Macintosh were already nearby to see what had happened. “Mr. Hawk,” Fluttershy said with a concerned look at the bird. Even though the hawk knew it was guilty, it shrugged nervously as if to say “I didn’t do anything.” Pokes and squeaks came from inside the hawk’s beak and clearly told everypony that there was something in its mouth. “Now Mr. Hawk, you know as well as I do that Mrs. Mouse has a family and I told you not to eat her.” Sweat was now starting form on the hawk’s face, and Fluttershy was getting slightly irritated. She walked in front of the hawk and widened her eyes, and glared into the now defenseless bird. Her stare frightened the hawk and spat out the mouse onto the floor. “There we go, thank you Mr. Hawk,” smiled the pegasus.

But the mouse was not happy about almost being the bird’s next meal. It jumped up and waved its paw angrily and threw a pebble at the hawk’s head before scampering off.

“How rude of you,” scolded Sweetie Bell at the hawk. Ashamed, the bird lowered its head and slowly walked away.
Before it could fly away, Fluttershy spoke, “Oh don’t be sad Mr. Hawk.” Turning its head to his caretaker, she continued, “I hope you learn from this okay?” The pegasus then scratched the hawk under its chin and brightened the bird’s attitude. It then flew off into the forest, behind the backyard.

“You handled that well Fluttershy,” complemented Scootaloo.

“Oh, it was nothing,” the yellow pegasus smiled.

“So what are we going to do to get our cutie mark girls,” Sweetie Bell said as she to her two little friends.

“Fluttershy said we can do whatever it may be, so long as it doesn’t have anything to do with the Everfree Forrest,” said Applebloom.

“As long as it is safe and nowhere near the forest, you girls can do anything today. Pinkie Promise,” smiled Fluttershy.
The three fillies thought for a moment and Scootaloo shouted, “How about camping?”

“Camping? You mean camping outside,” whimpered the yellow pegasus.

“Yeah, camping,” agreed Applebloom.

“And camping in the… dark,” shuddered Fluttershy.

“I’ve never camping before,” said Sweetie Bell with glee.

“Oh, well… I’m not so sure about that…” Fluttershy was not too happy with the suggestion from the girls.

“But you Pinkie Promised…” frowned Applebloom with glassy eyes.

“Yes I did… okay girls, camping it is.” Forcing a smile on her face, Fluttershy accepted her fate with camping with the fillies.

“Yeay,” cried the three of them as they ran off around the yard, exploring what they haven’t yet.

A laugh came from behind Fluttershy and she looked to see Big Macintosh still standing behind her but the basket was no longer in his mouth. Instead, it was on the bench near the back door to the cottage. He was smiling at all of the commotion that had just happened but Fluttershy looked and said to him, “Oh, I’m sorry… did I keep you waiting?”

“Nope,” Big Macintosh replied, bringing a hoof to his jaw. His jaw ached a bit from carrying the basket for too long.

“Well, would you like to share the pie you made for me Big Mac?”

“Oh, umm… sure,” he awkwardly replied.

“Okay, I’ll go get some plates and forks.” Fluttershy walked into the cottage while Big Macintosh sat at the bench, with the pie steaming in the woven basket. Over his shoulder were the fillies running about, chasing each other with a simple game of tag. It took little time for Fluttershy to emerge from the cottage and had two plates, a knife, two forks, and napkins. She then placed a plate and fork in front of Big Macintosh and then sat on the other side of the wooden bench.

“So… umm…,” began Fluttershy but was interrupted by a tug on her pink tail. Two white ears and a mean glare looked up at Fluttershy when the pegasus looked down at what was trying to get her attention. “Now Angel, I have a guest and it would…” Grumbling came from the rabbit’s belly and his angry look turned into an uncomfortable expression. “Angel, you didn’t finish your carrot and you threw it away. I told you you would be hungry lat… OW!” A violent tug on Fluttershy’s tail made it clear that Angel was not going to take no for an answer. “Okay Angel, I’ll go get you another.” Before walking away, she looked at Big Macintosh and sadly said, “Oh, I’m so sorry Big Macintosh, but I will be right back.”

“Mhmm,” Big Macintosh nodded before she got up and walked inside. Fluttershy disappeared into the home and Big Macintosh glared at the rabbit that was sitting on the ground, smiling with his eyes closed, and arms crossed as if he accomplished something. Lil runt being all rude to Fluttershy like that, he thought grinning at Angel. Then an idea sprung to the stallion and a small grin came across Big Macintosh’s face. He reached over into the basket and removed one apple from it; then he placed the apple on the table and rolled it towards Angel. The apple fell off the table and made a loud thump on the wooden seat and caused Angel to look up at what made the sound. Before he could see what made the sound, the big red round thing bonked on his head, dazing him. It rolled away while the rabbit sat in the grass, dizzy from the fall of the apple and it took a while for Angel to regain his vision. When he came to, the rabbit looked up and saw Big Macintosh with a grinning smile, laughing. Of course, Angel knew that Big Macintosh had the apple fall and wanted some retribution, but Fluttershy appeared once again and this time, with a carrot ready Angel.

“Okay, here you go,” she approached the rabbit and handed the carrot to him. Angel snatched the carrot out of the pegasus’ grasp and rubbed his head from the pain the apple caused. “I’m so sorry again Big Mac,” Fluttershy apologized again and sat at the bench. Looking shyly at the ground and then up to him she questioned, “Did I keep you waiting?”

“Nnope,” smiled the red stallion and he then started to divide the pie into eight slices. Using the fork and knife, he reached over to her plate. Before the pie arrived to the plate, something sharp jabbed at Big Macintosh’s knee, and his reflexes had his knee slam under the table. The pie fell next to the plate making a light splat.

Fluttershy shrieked and drew her hooves up to her chin and asked, “What was that!?” Glancing under the table, she saw Big Macintosh rubbing his knee and heard him grunting in pain. “Why did you hit your knee?”

“Something poked my…” Big Macintosh saw Angel walking away twirling the carrot and gave the stallion a snickering glance to him. Why that little white rat!

“I didn’t see anything…” Fluttershy looked behind her to see what Big Macintosh was looking at. She turned back and on her plate was another slice of pie. The other slice was still slowly oozing some of the apples out of the sides. “Oh, you got me another slice?”

“Eeyup.”

“Oh, but I don’t want it to go to waste. I’ll still eat it.”

She was going to pick it up, but the red stallion reached over and touched her arm and said, “Nope, I will.”

“Oh, okay.” The pegasus lifted her fork and scooped a piece of pie. Just as the pie touched her tongue, a low and cheerful “mmm” sang from inside. Big Macintosh was leaning over to scoop up the slice onto his plate when he saw a bright yellow smile on Fluttershy’s face. “Wow, this is the best of any apple pie I’ve ever eaten! Well… not to offend Applejack. I mean she makes good pies but…,” she poked at the crust and hoped that she had not offended her friend’s brother.

“Eeyup,” smiled the red pony. Now he began to eat away at the pie he scraped off of the table. To his surprise, it tasted better than he even anticipated.

Now that all the events have already occurred, the two ponies were having a hard time thinking of what to say. The two of them started to look in all directions and occasionally look at the other when the other was not looking.

Should I ask her why she didn’t visit me at the hospital? No… she might think I am mad at her, thought Big Macintosh. He looked back at Fluttershy and caught her staring at him, and she looked down in embarrassment with her pink hair shielding most of her face.

Maybe I should just tell him that I was afraid of him being… mad, gulped the shy pegasus. Her one eye that was not blocked by her hair slowly looked up to see the red stallion look into her and caused him to quickly retreat to another direction. I mean… he wouldn’t be here if he was mad…

The pie should be evidence that I have no anger towards you, looked back the stallion.

Now they were locked into a stare and could not look away. “So… umm, Big Mac…?”

“Eeyup?”

“Big Mac,” interrupted a voice from behind the back gate entrence. “We got trouble!” Applejack worked up a sweat as she panted at the gate.

“What is it sis,” questioned Applebloom.

“Gophers. They came back this year, and this time with a vengeance.” Dark looks came from Big Macintosh as his sister gave him the news the gophers came back. “Fluttershy, you mind giving me and Big Macintosh a hand?”

“Of course,” replied Fluttershy. She looked back at the fillies and called, “Come on girls.”

“Wait, where are we going,” questioned Scootaloo.

“Back to the farm. We gotta go whack some gophers and sent them on home.”

“What,” Fluttershy spoke with a shocked look on her face. She turned to look at Applejack. “You wouldn’t consider hurting such harmless creatures, would you?

“Oh, heh… of course not,” Applejack said nervously. “Well now, let’s get a move on sugarcubes!”

Comments

[BobtheLurker]

Great chapter and the dialog was very well done but there are some grammatical and spelling errors you might want to fix.

[For The Plot]

It's spelt Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle btw

[FerociousCreation]

1201054 well i know i have a few things to work on in terms of grammar, but at least the dialogue is good

[FerociousCreation]

1204836 okay thanks, i will fix those soon and note that

[FerociousCreation]

957387hay i made more just as you yelled at me... i mean asked

[Collins4112]

Good chapter and stuff, its spelled Equestria by the way.

[For The Plot]

1208094 *Equestria

[Fanskapet]

Raritiy’s purple hair seemed to flow so gracefully when she turned her head and called to her sister, “Sweetie Bell, your friends are here to you up.”

here to you up?

you forgot a word here i think

[DarthWill3]

You misspelled Scootaloo a bit at the beginning and it's spelled "Apple Bloom." Also, there should be an "e" in "Belle." Animals need some correct gender grammar. And you've got some question marks that need to replace some commas. Meanwhile, well done!
Scoot's oversleeping, Miss Smartypants, Sweetie Belle unintentionally leaving a mess to annoy Rarity, Mr. Hawk nearly eating Mrs. Mouse, Big Mac and Angel's fights...
Aw... Cute moments between Fluttershy and Big Mac!
Anypony up for Whack a Gofer?

[Sky Blazer]

As others say this chapter if not whole story needs a facelift because so many things scream "excruciating".

I can get through it all and keep focusing on Fluttershy/Big Macintosh but it's really not easy.