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Just a Little Fun741 words

Chapter 9

The next two days passed without incident. Luna still took meticulous care of the usiku trees and sat at Big Mac's side for every moment she could. When she awoke on the third night she did so with a measure of excitement. She had spoken to Applejack about the night apples and was told that they would be ripe for the picking tonight. She flew to the garden, faster than she had ever flown before, after she had raised the moon for the night.

Landing with a rather audible thud, she rushed through the fog, mindful of the fence. As she entered through the gate, she spotted the glowing trunks and looked for the fruits that had begun to glow in a similar fashion the day before. But as she neared the trees her heart sank.

The apples were gone. All of them. She ran from tree to tree, her heart breaking a little more with each one she passed. She finally flopped to the ground, leaning back against a fence post she held her tears at bay. She wondered if they'd had a perfect moment and only lasted so long after they reached that peak. She stared blankly at the trees unsure of what to do.

"Princess Luna?" The voice belonged to Twilight Sparkle.

Luna rose slowly, wiping her eyes. "I'm here, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight burst through the fog and gate panting heavily. "There you are!"

Luna nodded slowly. "Yes, here I am. But Twilight, the apples," she turned and motioned to the trees behind her, "they're all gone."

"No, they're not, Princess. Applejack harvested them all at sunset and brought them over to the hospital."

Luna's heart jumped into her throat. "The hospital? Does that mean...?"

Twilight barely had a moment to nod before Luna teleported the both of them right in front of the hospital and Luna rushed inside. She stopped short just outside Macintosh's room. Reminding herself that he was still unaware of her feelings. She entered slowly and was greeted with smiles from the entire Apple family. Even the one laying in the bed.

Luna nearly broke down and rushed to him when she saw him sitting up, but she maintained her composure and smiled sweetly at all of them. Celestia was also present, as were the rest of the Elements of Harmony. The hospital room was much too small for all of them but no one complained.

Luna approached the bed. "Glad to see you're finally back with us, Macintosh. And I see our apples are looking very delicious," she said, indicating the small bushel of glowing apples next to Applejack. "Have you all tried one yet?"

Applejack shook her head. "Big Mac wouldn't let us, Princess. Said he wanted you to be here."

"Well, it just don't seem right to eat without you when you helped to raise them just as much as I did." Big Mac spoke softly. He was still a bit drowsy.

"Then let us all enjoy them now." Luna tossed one to Celestia while Applejack and Apple Bloom handed out the rest. When everyone had one, they all looked at each other, wondering who would be the first to try it.

Being ever the brave and adventurous pony she was, Rainbow Dash took the first bite. As she chewed slowly her eyes went wide and she spoke around the apple. "This is the best thing I have ever tasted!" With such a glowing review, everyone else took a bite. The yummy sounds that filled the room made Big Mac chuckle.

"What's funny, Big Mac?" Applejack asked.

"The apples taste better based on how much I like you. In a room full of ponies I love, I expected this kind of reaction." He chuckled again and everyone else joined him.

Each of the Elements of Harmony gave him their best wishes before they left and the Apple Family left soon as well, they did, after all, have to rise early in the morning. Only Celestia and Luna lingered. "Well, of all the ponies I ever expected to see in this room, I certainly didn't expect the rulers of Equestria."

Celestia chuckled. "Yes, well, you have touched a great many lives, Big Macintosh. If the hospital had the room I expect there would be many more ponies here."

"We don't have nearly enough apples for all of them, Princess."

They shared another laugh before Celestia wished him a speedy recovery and retired for the evening. She gave Luna a look as she left.

Finally alone, Big Mac smiled at the Luna, but his smile faded when he realized she hadn't eaten her apple yet. "Why haven't you tried your apple, Princess? Don't you want to know how it tastes?"

Luna inspected the apple before setting it down gently on the table beside the bed as she sat down next to Macintosh. "I would very much like to know how it tastes. But I am afraid of how it will taste as well."

"Why's that, Princess? You don't think I don't like you, do you?" His voice sounded worried. Like he'd never really encountered someone he didn't like.

"Of course not, Macintosh. You are truly the kindest stallion I've ever met. I am simply afraid that.." She paused, gathering her courage a bit, "I am afraid it will not taste as good as the other ponies described."

Big Mac felt his heart sink a little that she would think he didn't like her as much as the other, but her fear of that was curious. "I assure you, Princess. It will taste just as good as, if not better than, how the others described."

Luna glanced at the apple. She wanted to taste it. To be sure of his feelings before she confessed her own but her heart told her that was not the way. It wasn't the way life worked. You weren't allowed an insight into another pony's soul unless they offered it to you freely and of themselves. She accepted that sometimes in life things did not go your way. Ponies didn't always feel the same. Some love was meant to be unrequited. That was the risk anyone took in bearing their soul. A high risk situation in which the reward could be nearly anything.

She looked up at him, and his puzzled look, and she took a deep breath as she reached up, wrapping her hooves around his hoof. She stared him in the eye and took another deep breath but as she opened her mouth Big Mac squeezed her hoof. Tightly. Tightly enough that her words caught and she just stared at him as his smile widened.

"Please, try the apple, Princess."

She removed one of her hooves from clasping his and gently picked up the apple. She took a very ladylike bite and Big Mac watched her intently as she stared at the apple, then at him, then back to the apple. She chewed slowly and swallowed, staring at him dumbfounded.

"Well, how did it taste?" He asked. Suddenly, she lunged forward and embraced him tightly. He sat in shock for a moment, before returning the embrace. Luna pulled back and looked at him, her forelegs still on his shoulders. "Does that mean it was good?" He joked.

Luna just smiled at him and nodded. "I do not know what to say, Macintosh. I have never dreamed of a moment like this. I am not usually such an emotional pony."

Big Mac shrugged. "And I never dreamed I would fall I love with a princess."

His simple statements made her smile every time. She leaned forward and kissed him gently. He was all too eager to reciprocate. As they parted, they simply smiled at each other. There was nothing left to say. They sat holding their hooves together and feeling like school ponies with their first crush.

After a time Luna asked something she had been pondering, "Macintosh, would you be willing to grow usiku trees for us all every year?"

"Eeyup. But you have to promise me something."

"Anything."

"Please call me Big Mac. I hate being called 'Macintosh.'"

Luna giggled, thinking back to just how many times she had called him that. "Very well, Big Mac. But only if you will call me 'Luna' instead of 'Princess.'"

"You've got yourself a deal." He winked at her.

-----

Big Mac and Luna enjoyed a long and happy life together. Every year the crop of usiku trees grew and grew until they were forced to hire extra ponies to help care for the trees. Big Mac always planted all the seeds himself and always gave the first apple off the trees to Luna.

Big Mac lived longer than most stallions due to his amazing work ethic, and having a goddess to come home to didn't hurt his drive to want to stay alive, either. But, as is the case with all mortals, Big Mac did die one day. Luna had been devastated, just as Celestia had warned.

"Lulu?" Celestia entered Luna bedroom slowly and quietly. She had been raising and setting both sun and moon for nearly a month.

Luna lay on her bed staring at the ceiling, dried tears staining her face. "Why did he have to die? We are the most powerful of all the ponies in the world and yet we cannot keep them alive no matter how much we want to."

"Lulu, you knew this day would come. You enjoyed many years with Big Macintosh. More than most get. Your love for one another never faded. All those years ago, I cautioned you against your feelings, and even I am glad you ignored me. Big Macintosh brought more sunshine into our lives than even the sun could, and for that we will forever miss him.

"But lying in this room, killing yourself over his death does his memory no justice, sister. You must have the strength to press forward. You must take all of that sunshine that he gave to you, all that happiness he blessed you with, and find a way to give it back to the world. Find a way to make his memory, and the mark he left on you, a part of other ponies.

"I know the prospect of a life without him scares you, Luna. But you are strong. As strong as Big Macintosh himself. He made you that way. Do not let his absence control your life. There are many of us here to support you, Lulu."

Luna closed her eyes on her bed, biting back another wave of tears. She was so tired of crying. "Thank you, sister." She sniffled. "I will raise the moon tomorrow night. But for now I have something to do."

Celestia nodded and left Luna alone.

Luna rose slowly. Sniffling again, she made her way out to the small garden she had been keeping since Big Mac had moved into the castle with her. As she wound her way past all the flowers and crops she kept, she came to the very edge of the garden, that had an overlook down to Ponyville.

In front of the railing sat Big Mac's gravestone. After a request from Luna, the Apple family had been more than happy to allow him buried there. As she stared at his name on the stone she charged her horn and added an engraving below his name.

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

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Diamond Sparkle

Diamond Sparkle #1 · Nov 8th, 2012 · · ·

A happy ending.

RangerBeef

RangerBeef #2 · Nov 8th, 2012 · 1 · ·

For all of you who enjoyed this, liked it, favorited it, or commented, I want to thank you. Your support made this story exactly what it is. If I hadn't received much in the way of attention this would've taken much longer and probably been a very different story. I hope you all had as much fun reading this as I did writing it. I'm gonna leave you with a song that I had playing in my head on this last chapter. The video is a little weird but the lyrics of the song are the important part. Again, thank you all for all of your support.