Chapter 10 - Happy Ever After?
Chapter 10 – Happy Ever After?
Big Mac sighed to himself once again as he plodded along the dirt track leading to Sweet Apple Acres. So much had happened in just a few short days and despite his best efforts to work past them, so far he’d only managed to dig himself deeper into the trench.
He was the stallion of the house, the one who needed to be strong for the rest of them. But now, he was stuck acting like a downtrodden colt pushing his family away from him. Applebloom would be too young to hear about his ordeal. He didn’t even want to hear what advice Granny Smith might dump on him, and Applejack… It just seemed wrong to go telling his sister tales about her best friends. And so he’d unloaded his problems onto Cheerilee. An’ look how that turned out, he mused regrettably.
Were they still friends, or had things been changed forever? Was there any way of going back? Did he want to go back? All in all, just trying to make sense of his feelings gave him a headache. He was hungry, too. On any other day he might consider stopping off at Sugarcube Corner for a bite to eat, but that would probably be the stupidest thing possible. In actual fact, he’d purposely taken an alternate route from Cheerilee’s house in order to steer well clear of there.
Big Mac swung open the wooden gate and trotted along the path up to his front door. If he was lucky, he’d have still made it in time for breakfast. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door slowly with an annoyingly loud creeeeak signifying his return. Much to his expectation, he heard Applejack mutter something about his arrival and come pottering on through. The door to the living room opened and out she walked, looking a little dishevelled.
“Mac?” she remarked, wearing a half-smile.
“Eeyup. Breakfast ready?”
To his surprise, Applejack crept forward and wrapped a hoof around his neck caringly. “You coulda told me, ya big lout,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “What did ya think Ah was gonna do? Flip mah lid?”
“What do ya mean?” Mac asked anxiously.
“Ah know what’s been goin’ on,” Applejack replied, her smile fading as she regarded the state of her brother. “You forget Ah’m here to support you? Ya need to talk, we can talk.”
“How did you find out?”
“Ya got a visitor.” Applejack gestured towards the living room doorway. “Ah wouldn’t keep her waitin’ if Ah were you.” With that said, Applejack stood back, waiting expectantly for him to comply.
Pinkie came here? Oh, darn it… Mac thought to himself. His head was already screwed up, and seeing Pinkie again would surely make things worse. Then again, given that he’d run out of places to escape to, there wasn’t much of a choice. Realising it was probably for the best that he did as his sister told him, he hesitantly moved into the other room. To his surprise, Fluttershy greeted him with a warm smile.
“Hey,” she said softly, just as Applejack closed the door behind him.
“Hey,” he echoed, mimicking the mare’s smile as best he could. He knew that it was fake for the both of them, but perhaps things could get better. “Didn’t expect to see you here. How ya been?” Darn it, what kinda question is that? How do ya think she’s been?
“Well, not so great,” Fluttershy muttered predictably, her grin fading. “And I can’t imagine you’ve been doing so great either.”
Big Mac sighed, awkwardly brushing a hoof through his mane. “Eeyup,” he agreed glumly. “Listen, Fluttershy. Ah’m real sorry about what happened. Ah shouldn’t have just run off like that an’ Ah… Ah can’t apologise enough.”
“It’s alright,” Fluttershy replied sweetly, smiling once again. “You can’t control the way you feel just like I can’t control how I feel.”
Big Mac took the seat next to her, feeling guiltier than ever at the sight of such a beautiful, innocent creature in the throes of heartbreak at his own hoof. The desire to comfort her with a hug sprung up, but he didn’t want to do any more harm than good. Her emotions had been toyed with enough.
“Pinkie told me what happened,” Fluttershy muttered, twiddling her hooves awkwardly. “She told me a lot of things. In fact, that’s… why I’m here.”
Earlier that day
Fluttershy’s eyelids creaked open. She drifted in a semi-dreamlike state for a few seconds, trying to make sense of her surroundings. The first thing she became aware of was the mare led beside her, sleeping soundly. Fluttershy noticed that her hoof was wrapped around Pinkie’s midsection, and she couldn’t help but smile. She’d never felt close to any of her friends before. Does this mean that Pinkie is now my best friend? she thought. She realised that she’d never had a ‘best’ friend before, and considered that Pinkie had more in common with her than she’d ever realised.
Straining her eyes, Fluttershy looked around the room, confused by how dark it was. It never mattered from which direction the sun rose; the cottage’s open plan and numerous windows practically made it glow whenever light was introduced.
It’s not morning yet, she realised, peering out of the window at the twinkling stars above. It was odd for her to wake up so early, but she guessed that given the circumstances, sleeping soundly wasn’t as easy as usual. She took a deep breath and sidled up to Pinkie again, grateful to have someone with her at such a time.
Seeing Pinkie at such a peaceful rest reminded Fluttershy of how much she had wrongly assumed of her friend. Pinkie was always so energetic, excitable and over-the-top friendly that it was often difficult to remember she was just like every other pony. She could feel happy, sad or guilty, even if it didn’t always show. She was capable of truly altruistic acts of kindness, putting others needs before her. As much as it might not seem it, she also knew when she’d gone too far, when her behaviour was just too much for other ponies to bear. And she had her own dreams and desires…
Fluttershy sighed. It was an awkward situation to be in, but maybe Pinkie was right. Maybe pretending that none of this had happened was the right thing to do. If Pinkie really had such strong feelings for Mac, why would she have gone to so much effort to set her up with a friend? Pinkie said that she didn’t think Big Mac could ever like her, but surely even then Pinkie would have made an effort to impress him. This was Pinkie Pie for Celestia’s sake — the most extrovert, confident mare around. There was no way she’d hold back if she really liked him. If all she’d done was compliment his looks it was probably just a fleeting crush or natural attraction to a handsome, well-built stallion. There was nothing wrong with appreciating the attractiveness of other ponies, so that was probably all it was.
Fluttershy spent a few minutes trying to fall back asleep but failed miserably. Admitting defeat, she sat upright. Her mind was swimming with thoughts, and drifting off just didn’t seem possible. With nothing better to do, Fluttershy crept out of bed and downstairs, grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen. Passing the mantelpiece clock she saw that it was barely four o’ clock in the morning, not nearly late enough to start the day.
She sat down on her sofa, taking a sip from her drink. What am I even doing? she asked herself. I should be happy right now. All that time I was depressed because I was alone, and now Pinkie’s proved that I’m not alone at all. A family of my own? I have that already. My friends are like a family to me. They’re closer than I ever knew, especially Pinkie. Fluttershy rubbed her forehead, feeling an aching pain resonate through her. So why do I feel like something’s wrong? Why am I not content?
Sitting alone in the dark, Fluttershy watched as the sky outside slowly started to brighten, nothing but the steady tick-tock amidst the overwhelming silence. She wondered how different things could have been. Would she have been better off if she’d never made a move on Big Mac in the first place? Pinkie was the one who’d instilled her with hope that she had a chance. Before any of that, the idea of being with Big Mac was a ridiculous fantasy that seemed impossible. Was it enough to know that she’d given it her best shot but failed, or would it have been better to never make the attempt in the first place?
All these thoughts swam in Fluttershy’s mind until finally, she remembered something. She got up and slowly paced her way back upstairs, moving as quietly as she could. She slinked up to Pinkie’s side of the bed, brushing the mare’s mane away from her face. As soon as she’d done this, Fluttershy clutched a hoof to her heart.
She’d remembered that Pinkie had felt just the way she had. They’d both believed that Big Mac could never love them, that they weren’t good enough for him. Believing that you were doomed to fail was awful. Finding out for definite that you were doomed to fail was terrible. But discovering that you could’ve succeeded all along if only you hadn’t believed in failure was even worse.
Pinkie had the duvet held tightly to her chest, two thin lines leading down from her eyes. Her face bore no smile, just a look of despair. Fluttershy’s eyes began to water. Gently, she kissed Pinkie’s forehead, the mare squirming slightly in her sleep. It’s okay. You don’t have to cry again. I’m going to do the right thing, Pinkie.
For the both of us.
“No, Ah can’t.”
“Why not?” Cheerilee whispered, stroking a hoof through Mac’s mane. “I know how you feel, Mac. I’ve been through it myself. You’re rejected by the one you want most and you feel unloved, maybe even unlovable. You don’t deserve to feel that way, Mac.” Cheerilee kissed his left cheek, bringing her mouth to his ear. “Just let me be there for you. It’s the least I can do.”
“This ain’t right,” Big Mac protested. “Don’t make this harder for me. Ah just can’t… Ah can’t deal with…”
“Can’t deal with what?”
Mac lowered his head. “Ah can’t deal with breakin’ another heart. ‘Specially not one that belongs to mah best friend.”
Cheerilee bit her lips, feeling the onset of tears. “I can still be your best friend. I can be anything you want. Just… please. I want to make you feel better.”
“Well this ain’t the way to do it,” Mac replied matter-of-factly. “This ain’t what Ah want at all. No good could ever come o’ this. If Ah’ve already screwed with your emotions there ain’t no point takin’ it any further. Ah’m sorry.”
“I figured as much,” Cheerilee muttered, forcing a smile. “It was worth a try though, right?”
“Ah didn’t want it to be this way. If Ah’d have known—”
“If you’d known we wouldn’t have become friends in the first place.” Cheerilee laughed nervously, resting her head on Mac’s shoulder. “And I still am your friend, regardless of my feelings for you. You know that, right?”
Big Mac nodded, feeling every tremble in the mare’s body as she held him close. “Ah know it.”
“But if you ever change your mind,” Cheerilee said softly, “You just let me know, okay? I’ll still be here if you need me.”
“Ah’m sure you will,” Mac uttered in response. “But Ah only need you as a friend.” Carefully, he lifted the sullen mare’s hooves from his shoulders and picked himself up off the sofa. He gazed deeply into her eyes, seeing clear as day just how much she yearned for him. “If doin’ that is too painful for you, Ah’ll understand. Ah won’t bother you again. Ah hope you can find a way past it so that we can go back to bein’ the best friends we once were, but… You can’t do it for me. You gotta do it for yourself.”
Cheerilee, wiped away at her eyes, struggling to keep herself composed. “I’ll let you know,” she said solemnly. “I just need to figure it out for myself.”
“Take as much time as you need. Ah hope you make the right choice.”
Cheerilee smiled. “Me too, Mac. Me too…”
Big Mac said his goodbye and closed the door behind him, leaving Cheerilee alone once again. She stepped towards the window, watching the one she loved most trace his steps back towards Sweet Apple Acres. Without warning the floodgates opened, and Cheerilee fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, clutching at her chest. “I just wanted you to be happy,” she sobbed. “That’s all I ever wanted...”
Pinkie opened her eyes and let out a weary yawn. Noticing that her hair was poking every which way she shook her head madly, her mane springing back to its usual bouncing curls. Clicking her neck for good measure, the energetic earth pony leapt out of bed.
“I don’t know about you, Fluttershy, but I slept like a…”
Pinkie trailed off as she noticed the empty bed. Somehow unconvinced, she threw back the covers and dived under the pillows. Once that proved fruitless, she crawled under the bed, almost sending it sky-high with a sneeze from the surrounding dust.
“So it’s a game of hide and seek, is it!?” Pinkie called out playfully, pulling a set of goggles from behind her back marked with the word ‘X-RAY’. “I hope you’re ready! They don’t call me Pinkamena Diane Find-You-Quick Pie for nothing!”
In a flash, Pinkie had searched through all of the drawers, the wardrobes, behind the curtains and even under the mat of Fluttershy’s room. Satisfied that she’d left no stone unturned she crept downstairs as quietly as possible, keeping a keen eye out for any wings or tail that might be sticking out from somewhere. In a sudden move she leapt towards the sofa and pulled back the cushions, only to find nothing.
She’s good at this, Pinkie thought to herself, flicking the switch on her x-ray specs. I’ve gotta hand it to her. Or should it be ‘hoof it’ to her? I’m not physically giving something, but I’m certainly not using any hands since I don’t have any, but saying I ‘hoof it’ to her sounds kind of weird. Maybe I should have studied more in English class. Or would that be Equestrian class? I don’t live in England, so wouldn’t it be… Wait, where was I? Oh yeah!
Pinkie searched every corner, cupboard, shelf, closet, nook and cranny for her beloved friend but turned up empty hooved. Needing some time to come up with a new strategy she plopped herself onto the sofa and brought a hoof to her chin, mulling over what possible places she could have missed. After a few moments she was approached by Angel holding out a slip of paper eagerly.
“A letter? For me!? Thanks, Angel!” she cried, grabbing the note and reading through.
Good morning, Pinkie.
Sorry for not telling you this but I didn’t want to wake you. I have some important things that I need to take care of in town. Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon enough. However, I don’t suppose you could do me a favour and feed my animals? I’m sure Angel will be willing to help, and you can have some of my chocolate truffle as thanks.
“Way ahead of you there!” Pinkie exclaimed, cramming the last piece into her mouth and licking chocolate from her lips. The rest of the letter comprised of feeding instructions for Fluttershy’s many critters, starting with the chickens. “Well, this’ll be a walk in the bwark, right Angel? Get it? Because that’s the noise chickens make! Bwark!”
After a moment’s face-pawing Angel followed after Pinkie, who was now bouncing along with a sack of grain.
Upon reaching the chicken coop Pinkie gave a silent salute and combed back her mane, quickly restyling it to resemble Fluttershy’s. As far as she was concerned, if she wanted to act like Fluttershy she needed to do everything in her power to ‘be’ Fluttershy. With a pair of paper wings tied to her midsection, Pinkie set out to follow her friend’s instructions down to the wire, carefully measuring out the contents of each food bowl with obsessive accuracy. When the chickens gave each other a confused look at the sight of their new ‘owner’ Pinkie did her best to employ Fluttershy’s famous stare tactic, but this didn’t do much except cause the chickens to back away warily. Thankfully, they soon chowed down on their breakfast and Pinkie breathed a sigh of relief.
Next on the list were the ducks, to which Angel helped out considerably. Considering how lazy and grumpy the bunny usually was it came as a surprise to Pinkie, who hadn’t really seen him act this way. He didn’t make an effort to communicate as such, but stayed at her side, dishing out the necessary meals before hopping off to the next animal. In a sense, Pinkie found it somewhat unnerving, but she was appreciative of his help.
Feeding Fluttershy’s animals was harder and took far longer than Pinkie had anticipated. It didn’t help that many of them were caught off guard by the pseudo-Fluttershy (since Pinkie was adamant about keeping up the pegasus’ appearance) though Angel did enough to bring them around. While filling up seed dispensers for a group of songbirds Pinkie’s curiosity got the better of her.
“So… Angel? Do you always help Fluttershy with this stuff?”
The white rabbit shifted his gaze away, shaking his head solemnly before looking to the next item on the list. Pinkie put the list to one side, however, and brought his attention to her.
“You don’t need to worry about all this, you know. Take a seat! Relax! Auntie Pinkie has this all under control! Haven’t you eaten yet?”
Angel shook his head and eagerly leapt back to the list, grabbing it in his paw. Without turning back to Pinkie he bounded away angrily, making a quiet ‘humph’ sound as he left.
“It’s okay, Angel,” Pinkie said, raising her voice as he hopped further away. “You want to help her any way you can, don’t you?”
Angel stopped in his tracks and looked to the ground, his ears drooping behind his head. As Pinkie approached he slowly looked up and nodded sadly.
“And you are,” Pinkie assured, running a hoof across his back. He held onto her hoof, appearing to be on the verge of tears. “And things will get better. You’ll see! The worst is over for Fluttershy. From here, things can only get better!”
Things can only get better, Pinkie repeated to herself mentally. It’ll all go back to normal soon and this will all be just a distant memory. In time… In time…
As Angel continued to stare into the dirt, Pinkie grabbed him and placed him on her back. “Come on,” she said, a little more reservedly this time. “We’re nearly finished. We wouldn’t want to disappoint Fluttershy by doing half a job, would we?”
Soon enough, the rest of the work was done. It had taken roughly two hours from start to finish, which had even managed to take its toll on the usually energetic party mare. Pinkie breathed a sigh of relief and slumped into the sofa as Angel sat next to her, slowly munching on a ripe, orange carrot. Pinkie shook her head, returning her mane back to its usual state in mere seconds.
“What I want to know is, how does Fluttershy even afford to keep all these animals? Flying lessons?” Angel rolled his eyes in response. “Ooh, tough crowd! Okay, I’ve got a good one! Did you hear Rainbow Dash went on a cider diet? She’s lost three days already!”
Angel merely stared back blankly.
“Alright…” Pinkie said awkwardly. “I’ve got a better one! I went to the travel agents last week about my holidays and saw this big poster of the Crystal Empire. I said to the receptionist, ‘I wanna go there’, so she pinned me to the wall!”
Angel buried his face into his paw.
“Ooh! Ooh! How about this one? Last week I went to the doctor and told him that I’d broken my leg in several places. He said, ‘well you shouldn’t go to those places!’ Oh, and how about—”
Pinkie was cut off by the front door opening to reveal Fluttershy. Angel threw his paws into the air as if to say ‘finally’, and eagerly hopped to greet his owner. Fluttershy gave him a quick hug, shooting Pinkie a cheerful grin. “Sorry I left without saying goodbye. Did you manage to feed them alright?”
“You betcha!” Pinkie exclaimed. “And don’t forget Angel, he helped too. So… What super-important errand did you have to run? If you’re trying to organise another surprise birthday party for me you’re about seven months early, you know.”
“I know that, Pinkie. I went to see Big Mac.”
Pinkie’s smile immediately faded into a confused expression. “You… went to see Mac?”
“That’s right,” Fluttershy affirmed, still grinning. “I know you said we should just pretend nothing ever happened, but I don’t feel that way, Pinkie. Things being left unsaid… Well, that’s partly the reason any of this happened in the first place. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Pinkie hesitated to answer, instead taken aback by Fluttershy’s revelation. “Is everything okay, Fluttershy? You’re smiling, so does that mean… You two…?”
“No, Pinkie. That’s not why I even visited him.” Fluttershy took a seat next to Pinkie, taking a deep breath before continuing. Her smile remained present. “I refuse to let you do this to yourself.”
“Do what?” Pinkie asked nervously.
Fluttershy placed a caring hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “I know you’re doing it for my sake but… Maybe you shouldn’t.”
“But Fluttershy, I thought we said—”
“I know what we said,” Fluttershy interrupted with, shaking her head. “But what if I disagree? Pinkie, you tried so hard to bring Mac and I together, despite having feelings for him yourself. And now you can finally be with him. There’s nothing stopping you anymore.”
Pinkie’s ears drooped. “But what about you?”
“Me? I’m just some silly mare with a crush. Nothing more.” Fluttershy sighed and moved closer to her friend, who now appeared at a loss for words. “You should’ve heard the way he talked about you, Pinkie. He’s hurting too, more than you might expect. You could be there for him.”
“But what if I don’t want to?” Pinkie whispered, holding back the tears. This wasn’t what she’d expected. The last thing she wanted to do was cause any more pain, especially for Fluttershy.
“Then that’s up to you,” Fluttershy answered softly. “But you should still at least give him an apology. After what happened the other night he’s in a really bad state. I’ve already said you’d meet him tonight.”
“What!?” Pinkie cried out. “But… why?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do. You owe yourself this, Pinkie. If not for Big Mac or even yourself, then for me.”
“But it’ll upset you,” Pinkie retorted weakly.
“Do I look upset?” Fluttershy shot back, that same sweet Fluttershy smile plastered on her face. “No, Pinkie. What upsets me is the thought that I’m getting in the way of two ponies who want to be with each other.” To the pegasus’ surprise, Angel grasped onto her hoof, looking up to her caringly. “I mean it,” she reaffirmed, stroking Angel’s ears back. “I know I’ve cried. I know I’ve been through tough times, and I’m not saying everything has gone perfectly, but I’d feel a whole lot worse if I didn’t let you have at least a chance.”
Pinkie sighed deeply, wrapping her forelegs around Fluttershy in a warm embrace. “I guess I should at least tell him I’m sorry,” she muttered, burying her head into the pegasus’ shoulder. “What I did was really mean.”
“That’s good, Pinkie. That’s good.”
“But this is… I don’t know. After everything that’s happened, it’s all gone wrong, hasn’t it?”
“Then make it right again,” Fluttershy whispered. “Whatever you want to say to him, and whatever he wants to say to you, it needs to happen. I said you’d meet him on Wicker Hill tonight at nine o’ clock, so you’d better not be late. You’ll be free by that time, right?”
Pinkie paused for a moment, staring deeply into Fluttershy’s eyes. “You’re doing all this, Fluttershy. You didn’t have to, and I even said not to. Why? I… I don’t even know what to say.”
“You can say ‘thank you’, if it makes you feel any better,” Fluttershy replied. “And things will still be the same between us, maybe even better. And whatever happens between you and Mac? Well, that’s none of my business.” Fluttershy glanced over to the clock on the mantelpiece. “You might want to check back with Mr and Mrs Cake; I’d imagine they’re worried sick about you.”
“I guess you’re right,” Pinkie half-agreed, bringing her hooves to the floor. “They’ve got some big orders to fill today and they probably need my help. You know how it is.”
“Oh, but of course.”
The two mares trotted towards the door, Pinkie hesitantly so. She couldn’t help but feel something was wrong with what Fluttershy had said. And yet, the yellow pegasus might really be telling the truth. She was the Element of Kindness, so it was only natural that she would find joy in being nice to others. Pinkie stopped at the doorstep and turned to her friend.
“Thank you, Fluttershy. And… I really do mean that.”
“I know you do,” Fluttershy replied, giving Pinkie one last hug. “And it means a lot. Good luck for tonight, by the way. Not that I think you’ll need it, but… It feels right to say that.”
“Thanks, again. I guess I’ll see you around soon,” said Pinkie, finally breaking into her usual smile.
“Take care.”
Pinkie trotted down the path, turning back as she reached the small bridge to wave goodbye. Fluttershy waved back, and stepped back inside her home, shutting the door behind her and breathing a sigh of relief. She stopped for a moment to tend to Angel, who had been looking up at her expectantly since she’d arrived back. He smiled cheerfully at her, glad to finally see Fluttershy with her spirits lifted. However, his smile soon faded as the tears began to flow.
Fluttershy walked back to the sofa, visibly trembling with each step. She wiped at her eyes with one hoof and turned back to Angel, keeping her smile intact with the best of efforts. “I did the right thing,” she said under her breath, pulling Angel into a tight cuddle, her tears spilling across his coat. “And that’s what matters most.”
Later that evening
Big Mac sat alone at the dining room table, rolling the last few drops of cider around the base of his tankard. He’d been clock-watching for the past hour, unable to put his mind to anything useful. It didn’t help that there was so much he could be doing, but his earlier conversation with Fluttershy had given him too much to think about.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
Mac sighed, downing the last of his drink. It wasn’t long now before he’d have to make his way over to Wicker Hill. He struggled to consider that Fluttershy might be right. Pinkie might just have had feelings for him all along. But if that were true, why had all of this happened? She’d sworn that she could never love him to his face. Merely relaying that memory sent a chill running down his spine.
As Mac set the tankard aside, Applejack gently creaked open the door and took to the chair opposite. “How ya holdin’ up, Mac?”
“Fine, Ah guess,” he replied, rubbing his sleep-deprived eyes. “You?”
“Well Applebloom’s finally got herself to bed after the third darn story reading,” Applejack said with a chuckle. “Ah guess part o’ me wants her to grow up, but then Ah also guess part o’ me wants her to stay just the way she is.”
Mac nodded silently in response, not having looked up to his sister since she’d entered. Applejack startled him by bringing her hoof down onto the table.
“Ah think it’s high time Ah came out an’ said it,” Applejack said with a sigh. “Seems the best time as any.” The mare lay back into her chair as Mac finally gave her notice. “Ya know, Ah kind of thought all this was gonna happen. You an’ one of mah friends hitchin’ up. Seems obvious all things considered.”
Big Mac shrugged, feeling put on the spot. This was exactly the kind of conversation he didn’t want to be having with his sister.
“An’ yet, Ah never wanted it to happen,” Applejack continued. “Ah had a hunch you liked Pinkie, an’ it just made me angry, for no reason whatsoever!”
Mac furrowed his brow. “Angry?”
“Angry, annoyed… Heck, Ah don’t quite know what it is. It makes no sense, right? Why should any o’ that matter to me at all? But Ah guess the point is… Ah’m jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“Of you. Of everypony. Of the idea that you an’ mah friends can find love.” Applejack let out a weary sigh. “Ah ain’t got even the faintest idea of how to find that special somepony. Some days Ah feel like it’ll never happen. There ain’t nopony Ah like, nopony Ah could even think of likin’. But at the same time Ah want somepony. An’ seein’ this happen with you an’ mah friends… It’s as if everypony else is livin’ a life Ah’ll never have. And it hurts.”
“But AJ, you—” Big Mac was cut off as Applejack held up a hoof to him. Obediently, he shut his mouth once again.
“Ah know what you’re gonna say, but please, let me finish,” Applejack said sadly. “An’ so Ah started to think selfishly. When things didn’t go your way a few nights ago Ah was actually glad. Ah wanted you to fail since the beginnin’. That ain’t right, ya know.”
Applejack dropped down from her seat and trotted over to Mac, wrapping a foreleg around his neck. “But seein’ you the way you’ve been, how could Ah ever want that? It don’t matter how weird it might be for me, if bein’ with Pinkie is gonna make you happy, then that’s what Ah want for you.”
“Thanks,” Mac muttered, returning his sister’s hug. “Ah appreciate it.”
“Ain’t nothin’ to it,” Applejack said cheerfully, giving him a pat on the back. “Now you go out there an’ be the best darn stallion you can be. Ah’m expectin’ plenty o’ little nieces an’ nephews down the line, big brother!”
Big Mac blushed uncontrollably, averting his gaze away. “A b-bit too soon to b-be thinkin’ of th-that, ain’t it?”
Applejack let out a hearty chuckle and patted his back harder than before, almost winding the flustered stallion. “Ah’ll let you be the judge of that!” she said with a wink, and left the room, still laughing to herself.
No pressure then, Big Mac thought as he went back to staring at the clock. He considered that at least he could talk to Applejack about his worries and woes concerning Pinkie from now on. Before that, the only one who’d be truly willing to listen was Cheerilee, and after what happened that morning it just didn’t seem like an option anymore.
After a few minutes passed, Big Mac pushed himself back from the table and plodded towards the door. This would be it. Things could very well be different by the time he came back this way. Steeling himself, he opened up the door and trotted out into the night, not looking back. As far as he knew, this could very well be the beginning of his happy ever after.
Big Mac trudged his way up the side of Wicker Hill, wondering for a moment if he’d arrived too early. And yet sure enough, Pinkie Pie was sitting patiently at its summit, staring pensively at the night sky. Mac’s heart skipped a beat as she turned to him, that same sweet smile, dazzling blue eyes and beautiful pink mane. After spending the last two days feeling sorry for himself he remembered just what had drawn him to her in the first place.
“Hi,” Pinkie said softly, blushing. “Long time no see.”
Big Mac took to a patch of grass a respectable distance away and smiled back. “Eeyup.”
“First of all, I just wanna say how sorry I am.” Pinkie’s smile fell for a moment and she looked to the ground. “What I said to you after the party… I can only imagine how much that hurt you. I was angry and scared. And even when you poured your heart out to me and I just… I should never have said those things. And I should never have resorted to violence, no matter how I felt.”
“Ah’m sorry things ain’t worked out,” Mac replied, shuffling a little closer.
“You’re not the one who’s at fault here,” Pinkie said with a nervous chuckle. “If anything this is all my fault. If I hadn’t played match-maker nopony would have gotten hurt.”
Mac shuffled closer still and put a friendly hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “We all make mistakes. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. An’ as far as Ah’m concerned, apology accepted.”
“Thanks,” Pinkie muttered. “That’s what I was afraid of most, you know. You never forgiving me. I don’t know if I could forgive me.”
Big Mac brushed a hoof through Pinkie’s mane, watching her blush as he did so. Seeing Pinkie in such a state made his heart melt. He always knew there was more to her than the outlandish party mare; she was a mindful, kind saint in her own right. And the way she looked in the faint moonlight… Mac was putting every ounce of effort into controlling himself. “You look beautiful, ya know.”
“You’re such a charmer,” Pinkie replied, giggling nervously and leaning into his outstretched hoof. “You always were kind of a mystery. I guess that’s why I got interested in you in the first place.”
“An’ you were always so happy an’ full o’ life. There ain’t much excitement to be had on the farm, truth be told. But when you’re around, all Ah wanna do is smile and jump around like a little foal.” Mac let out a sigh, wrapping his foreleg around Pinkie’s neck. “This could work. You an’ me, Ah mean.”
“I know…” Pinkie whispered, gazing away for a moment. “But it’s… It’s hard.”
“Sorry about that,” Mac said with a wink.
“No, silly!” Pinkie exclaimed bashfully. “I mean, it’ll never be easy. I just don’t know if I can… I keep thinking about Fluttershy. She’s been hurting so much over this.”
“She made as much clear this mornin’. But… She was also the one to get us seein’ each other. She did this for us.”
“But maybe I want something else,” Pinkie murmured.
Big Mac’s heart sank. “Somethin’… else?”
“You’re right. It could work. And I really do like you, Mac. I have for a while now. And maybe if none of this had happened I’d want to be with you more than anything, but…”
“But?” Big Mac felt a tugging at his heart.
“But maybe it’s for the best if it doesn’t.” Pinkie pulled herself into Mac’s warm embrace, resting her head against his chest. “I don’t know if I could deal with it. Seeing you on one hoof, hanging out with Fluttershy on the other, not while I’m doing the one thing that’d be hurting her the most. She may have said she wants us to have a chance, but it’s still too much for me to bear, Mac. I can’t do it to her. She… She means too much to me.”
Big Mac held Pinkie close, just barely averting a tearful outbreak. “Ah’ll still be thinkin’ of you.”
“Such a charmer,” Pinkie whispered, circling a hoof across his back. “I wish things could’ve been different. And maybe… Maybe someday they will be. But Fluttershy needs me right now. And I kinda need her.”
Before Mac could reply, Pinkie leant in and planted a kiss squarely on his left cheek. He rubbed against it with his hoof, wishing he could hold onto that kiss forever. “Ah understand.”
“I knew you would,” Pinkie said, staring up at him. “I... Goodbye.”
With that, Pinkie turned on her hoof and galloped off into the distance, leaving Big Mac alone once again. He toyed with the idea of racing after her for a brief second, but instead silently admitted his loss. And yet, it was neither a victory nor a defeat. At a loss for words, and even actions, Big Mac sat for a while atop Wicker Hill, trying to put his mind in order.
He’d been rejected. Again. That still hurt, no question about it. But there was still that glimmer of hope. It was like Pinkie said, maybe someday things would be different. Fluttershy meant more to her now, but maybe that would change.
How? Mac asked himself inwardly, laying back on the grass. What was to say Pinkie wouldn’t lose interest in him? She wouldn’t be hurting Fluttershy by dating any other stallions, so she could do so all she wanted. Mac slapped a hoof over his face, wishing that he could’ve convinced her otherwise. He could’ve kissed her passionately on the lips, held her close and begged for her to stay, begged for her to follow her heart. She could be with him and still show kindness towards Fluttershy. He could’ve told her that, letting loose just how much he needed her, how much he yearned for her.
Mac pounded at the ground angrily, annoyed at himself for not having the guts to do such things. He trudged back home, hanging his head in shame. Going for long walks in winter often did wonders when it came to easing his mind, but that didn’t hold much truth anymore. His sadness had been replaced by anger, at himself, at the world.
Upon reaching Sweet Apple Acres he pushed the door open quietly and crept up to his bedroom, not wanting to tell Applejack the bad news. At least, not yet. Right now, he wanted to curl up into his covers and let the day come to an end. There were events that needed organizing, chores that needed doing, and important tasks to carry out on the farm. They would become his main concerns from now on. Eventually, despite tossing and turning for a short while, Big Mac finally managed to drift off.
Big Mac opened up the door to Sugarcube Corner and stepped inside. Vinyl Scratch stood beside her decks, music blaring, while a disco ball spun from the ceiling. Strangely, the room was almost completely empty. In fact, besides him and Vinyl, there was no-one else. Confused, Mac trotted over to the table near the far wall and poured himself a drink. With nothing else to do he knocked it back. For something so brightly-coloured it was strangely bland and tasteless.
“Where is everypony!?” he called out, his voice sounding all too quiet.
“Don’t worry! They’ll be here soon!” Vinyl called back, seemingly too busy bopping her head to the beat.
Mac sighed, taking a look from one side of the room to the other. For somepony who was revered at planning the best parties, Pinkie’s current effort was far off the mark. Finishing his drink, he slammed the glass to the table and peered over towards what appeared to be a dimly lit kitchen area.
“Pinkie? You there?” he called.
Suddenly, the music stopped. Mac turned back to where Vinyl Scratch had been standing and found that the DJ had vanished. Confused, he trotted over to the turntable, but there was still no sign of her. Realising that he was alone, he turned on his hoof and walked back to the door, ready to leave. Just as he touched the handle, he heard a voice behind him.
“Don’t go yet!”
Big Mac turned around to see Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy stood back at the table, both smiling. He smiled back and began to trot over. “Hey.”
“Hello, Mac,” Fluttershy said bashfully. “We’re glad you could make it.”
“Well thanks.”
“No, Mac,” Pinkie grinned, letting out a giggle. “I mean we’re really glad you could make it.”
“Ah don’t get what you… mean…”
Big Mac trailed off as the two mares swaggered towards him seductively, their eyes half-lidded. He froze as Fluttershy leaned towards him and pecked his left cheek, her cheeks glowing red. Pinkie wrapped a foreleg around his neck and kissed his right cheek, staring deeply into his eyes.
“W-what’s g-going on here?” Mac trembled, taken aback by the mares’ actions.
“Oh, you’ll see,” Pinkie whispered, and pushed him away with one hoof. Despite his tremendous body-strength he toppled backwards, bracing himself for impact against the hard, tiled floor. However, something soft cushioned his fall. Looking around, he saw that he’d landed on a silky, white mattress. The two flirtatious mares loomed over him from either side of the bed.
“Look, Pinkie,” said Fluttershy, carefully examining Mac’s body from head to hoof. “I think I’ve read about this kind of behaviour in animals. It looks like he’s… presenting.”
“Oh, really?” Pinkie exclaimed, licking her lips. “Is there any cure for this condition?”
“Just one,” Fluttershy stated, shuffling on her hooves. “But I can’t possibly treat this poor beast with my best dress on. Why, I’m practically sweltering to death.” With a stomp of her hoof, Fluttershy’s silk red dress fell apart at the seams, nothing but strands of red ribbons falling to the floor. “Oh, that’s so much better,” she gasped with relief, flicking her tail from side to side.
Big Mac tried to say something, but no sound came out. He merely stared in disbelief as the two mares clambered up onto the bed, their eyes never leaving his. The disco ball began to spin again, a cascade of tiny pink hearts dancing across the walls.
Pinkie leapt forward suddenly, pulling her face close to his. Winking cheekily, she pressed her lips to his as they indulged in a deep, passionate kiss. Big Mac combed through her mane and proceeded to run a hoof along her spine. She giggled foalishly, breaking the kiss and resting her head against his chest.
“Is it my turn yet?” Fluttershy asked timidly, creeping towards him, her long, flowing mane spreading across his torso. “I’m the expert on taming animals, after all. In fact, I’m especially good at taming snakes...”
Big Mac gritted his teeth — his muscles tensing involuntarily — as Fluttershy moved in, looking at him with the eyes of a lost puppy dog. She smiled — pausing momentarily — and brought her mouth to his. She let out a quiet moan as their lips smacked against one another, her hoof meandering across his chest. Mac ran his hoof in circles across her back, relishing her uncannily soft fur.
“Sorry!” Pinkie called from down below, wiping sweat from her forehead. Somehow she’d managed to adorn a school-filly’s outfit in the few seconds Mac had been looking away. She ruffled a hoof across her skirt teasingly. “All this unnecessary foreplay is driving me nuts. Any objections to kicking this up a notch?”
Big Mac shook his head without hesitation.
“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie gave a salute, beaming from ear to ear. “Now let’s see here, where are those instructions?” Mac heard the shuffling of paper as Fluttershy’s tongue danced around his mouth. “Aha! Here they are! It says: Insert rod ‘A’ into slot ‘B’? Well I guess that makes sense! I hope you’re ready!”
Mac grunted in affirmation, his mind bereft of rational thought. Nothing made any sense at all but he sure wasn’t going to argue against it. Everything was just so…
“Damn it, Mac!”
Big Mac recoiled, turning his head towards the voice’s origin. His heart leapt audibly in his chest as he noticed Applejack at his bedside, wearing a frown powerful enough to tear down a brick wall.
“Ah know what it looks like,” he began nervously, his mind running through all kinds of elaborate and implausible excuses. “Ah was just feelin’ a little tensed up from workin’ on the farm and they just offered…”
As he looked back around, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were gone. In fact, the entire bed was gone.
“Dang it, Applejack!” Mac cried out in frustration, clambering to his hooves. “Ain’t ya got somepony else you could be cock-blockin’ instead?”
Applejack was now over by the table with Rainbow Dash, downing a shot of rum. “What? Oh, for Pete’s sake!” She shot him another stony glare. “Ah’m fine to stay here, Big Mac!”
“That’s what you said last time,” he said matter-of-factly. “An’ we all know how that went.”
“Alright… Alright!” Applejack slammed down her drink, rolling her eyes at Rainbow Dash. “Ah ain’t even drunk, but alright,” she said as she stumbled towards him.
Big Mac shook his head and followed her outside, briefly catching a glimpse of Pinkie Pie smiling cheerfully at him. He wished for a moment that he could stay and maybe have a drink with her, but he had to get his sister home. The two siblings began their trek, Applejack acting the right honourable drunken chatterbox.
“Ah don’t see why she don’t just up an’ say it! Darn it, ain’t none of us gonna care if she’s a lesbian. But oh no, Rainbow Dash has it in her head that she’ll be cast out, called a failure an’ beaten to death by the Wonderbolts. She don’t seem to realise that Ah can see right through her fibs! Ah ain’t the Element of Honesty for nothin’.”
“Mm-hmm,” Big Mac mumbled, only half-listening.
“An’ Fluttershy? Boy, has she got issues. Ah feel real sorry for the poor mare. You know when we was discussin’—”
Cock-a-doodle-do
“—which Ah kinda had a feelin’ about before. Maybe she’d—“
Cock-a-doodle-do
“—seems to think Ah wouldn’t notice somethin’—“
Cock-a-doodle-do
“—enough o’ that. It ain’t mah business to pry. Anyway, you got duties this time around. Time’s a tickin’, Mac. When are you gonna…”
The dream slowly faded, the cottages and cobbled pathways of Ponyville disappearing before Mac’s eyes. He sat up, relaying what had just happened. It was all so vivid, memories from the past meshing with nonsensical, outlandish desires. And yet, something stuck out to him. Determined not to let the dream fizzle into the mental ether, Mac replayed it over and over in his mind. Was it a false memory, or did Applejack really say that? What was it she told me? There was somethin’ about mah duties and then…
“That’s it,” he said aloud, the answer finally dawning on him. “That’s it!” Not wasting another moment, he barrelled downstairs and got to work.
Applejack let out a yawn and pulled herself out of bed. She arched her back and stretched out her limbs, grabbing her Stetson from atop the chest of drawers. After straightening it and checking herself in the mirror, she deemed herself presentable and began trotting downstairs. To her surprise, Applebloom and Granny Smith stood in the hallway, looking confused.
“Well howdy,” Applejack greeted. “What’s goin’ on here?”
“Oh, Applejack!” exclaimed Applebloom. “Somethin’s up with Mac! He’s actin’ all crazy like. He won’t even take a moment to talk to us!”
Applejack raised her eyebrow and trotted on into the living room. “Mac? What in the hay is all this!?” she cried out.
Big Mac was scribbling furiously on a length of parchment with all manner of letters, envelopes, stationery, books and pictures strewn about. As Applejack stepped towards him he lifted his head up, a dumb grin plastered on his face. “AJ! Good mornin’!”
“Mornin’…” Applejack replied warily, taking a look at the mess before her. “So, uh… how did things go with you an’—”
“They didn’t,” Mac interrupted with, tossing the parchment aside and sifting through a book with worn edges.
“Well Ah’m sorry to hear that but—”
“S’alright,” Mac shot back. “Ah’ve got it all under control.”
Applejack frowned. “You sure everythin’s alright?”
“Eeyup. Ah’ve got a plan, AJ. A plan to straighten everythin’ out.” Mac chuckled to himself, looking to Applejack with a devilish expression. “An’ you’re gonna help me.”
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"Fluttershy walked back to the sofa, visibly trembling with each step. She wiped at her eyes with one hoof and turned back to Angel, keeping her smile intact with the best of efforts. “I did the right thing,” she said under her breath, pulling Angel into a tight cuddle, her tears spilling across his coat. “And that’s what matters most.”"
....happy outcome for fluttershy I hope?
THE FEELS!
Okay, Big Mac has lost his gosh darn mind.
And they all lived alone and unfulfilled for the rest of their days...
WHEEEEEE!
He was rejected by Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Cheerilee.
2787013
Uhh... No...
ah get the feelin' mac's up to somethin' no good
Nice to see Mac's subconscious has figured out a way to solve all this, however, it isn't shooting high enough. Foursome with Pinkie, Fluttershy and Cheerilee, that's the way to fix the problem.
"I can only image how much that hurt you"
So Pinkie willingly pictures it in her mind about how she rejected him?
Big Macintosh has begun a mysterious construction!
2787301
Damn! And I checked it so many times! Nice find, I will correct that straight away.
2787256
This isn't a clop-fic, you know. Don't go getting your hopes up for that kind of action.
A herd!!! HERD!!!!!!!!
what the fuck is his plan
if big mac decides to date all three of them i'm unfavoriting and downvoting
My brain is exploding from the uncertainty here
First Fluttershy decides to give him to Pinkie, then Pinkie decides to give him to Fluttershy, and then there's Applejack just doing her own thing. It's a long game of pass the Big Mac XD
And then there's no cock-block quite like the sister cock-block. And dang, Mac's brain really knows how to get a couple mares down and dirty.
While I am a huge advocate of FlutterMac this story's good enough to swing either way in my book
Keep up the great work
This was a very sweet, well-written chapter, and as hard as it is to see so many mares pining over Mac, you did a wonderful job expressing all of their feelings. I almost felt like this chapter was going to end things, and I'm happy it will continue. Excellent job!
Oh what a tangled web!
This story is making my mind explode too. It's like an emotional roller coaster and I want off!!
(okay not really)
2788110 Oh heeeeeeellllllll no!
But I guess that makes sense...
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw4569-1335606097859.png
I don't see how Fluttershy didn't find Big Mac down right away when she went to go look for him. All she had to do was follow the trail of mares drowning in angst.
Seriously dude, turn down the charm before ponies start hanging themselves in their bedrooms!