Chapter One: The Storm
Big Macintosh walked steadily onward, ignoring the pouring rain that seemed to come at him from all sides. Carrying two large baskets of apples on his back, he shook his head, flinging rainwater from his face. He could just barely see the warm glow from a window not too far away. With his last reserves of strength, he galloped over to the front of the structure. It was a curious thing, and without the windows, anypony could pass by and think it was a small hill. With one hoof, he tapped on the front door. Almost immediately, the door swung open and he found himself face-to-face with Fluttershy. Her beautiful azure eyes stared into his emerald green eyes.
"Omigosh, Mr. Macintosh, what are you doing here? You'll catch a cold if you stay out there. Do come in, quick."
Mac set the apples down on the ground and nervously shuffled into the house. After all, a little rain never hurt any apples. He stood in the main room, dripping wet and anxious.
"Miz Fluttershy, Ah shouldn't be in here. Ah'll git water all over yer floor."
"No, no, it's okay. You shouldn't have even tried to bring those apples over in this
weather. What were you thinking?"
Mac looked first at Fluttershy, then to the floor.
"Honestly, Ah wanted ta see you."
Fluttershy's normally pale yellow coat seemed to shudder, and her cheeks turned a brilliant red.
"Oh, Mr. Macintosh. Y-you don't really m-mean that... D-do you?"
"Eeyup. Ah know Ah've had feelins' for other mares, but Ah can't stop thinkin' 'bout you."
Fluttershy only seemed to blush more. "T-thank you, Mr. M-macintosh. Well, hurry and sit by the fire. I'll go get some t-towels."
Mac watched her walk out of the room, then seated himself by the fire. It was a merry blaze of small logs and it felt extremely good to the rain-soaked stallion. Fluttershy stumbled in with a small pile of towels on her back. She draped them over Mac's head and shoulders before sitting down next to him. Mac could barely look at the gentle pegasus, instead gazing into the flames. Fluttershy looked up at Mac's face. He did have quite the looks. She wondered why he had chosen her over every other mare in town. Clearing her throat, she nudged Mac.
"Mr. Macintosh, can you keep a secret?"
He glanced down and found himself staring into those azure eyes. He felt his heart melt as he replied.
"O' course, sugarcube. Ah kin keep a secret."
She felt that she could trust this simple farmer, the only one who had ever thought of her this way.
"Okay, um, well, here goes. D-did you ever notice me around town when you were younger?"
Mac thought for a moment, and then shook his head.
"Now that Ah think 'bout it, Ah don't recall ever seein' you 'round town."
"Well, t-that's mostly because I didn't live in Ponyville when I was younger. It was only after I got my C-Cutie Mark that I wanted to live here. I used to live in Cloudsdale, until Rainbow Dash knocked me off a cloud and I fell down here."
"How could Miz Rainbow do such a thing ta you?"
"Oh, no, i-it wasn't like that. It was an accident. I couldn't fly, so I stayed here. And when I saw all of the animals, I knew this was where I belonged."
Mac smiled.
"Well, Ah'm shure glad you decided ta stay."
Fluttershy moved closer to Mac and he put his now-dry foreleg around her shoulders. A sudden flash of lightning and clash of thunder caused Fluttershy to jump in fright. Mac pulled her closer as a parent would with a scared child.
"It's okay, Miz Fluttershy, jus' a bit of lightning. Won't do you no harm."
"M-Mr. Macintosh? W-will you stay here t-tonight? I'm very afraid of l-lightning."
Mac smiled. "Course Ah'll stay. Too rainy to go home."
"Oh, t-thank you so much. I don't know what I'd do if I were s-stuck in a s-storm alone."
"Wait a sec, where's that lil' rabbit you keep 'round here?"
"Y-you mean Angel? He's here somewhere. He hides from the s-storms too."
Mac chuckled at the thought.
"All right. We should probably git some shuteye."
"Oh, right. F-follow me."
He followed her up the stairs, admiring everything he saw. Such a large house for such a simple pegasus. She opened the door to her bedroom. He saw that it was a rather large bed.
"Miz Fluttershy, why d'you have such a big house if yer the only one livin' here?"
"Oh, I bought this house from a lovely elderly couple. They were moving to Canterlot for retirement, so I got it at a very reasonable price."
Mac nodded in approval.
"Well, it's all very pretty."
Just then, another flash of lightning sent Fluttershy dashing into bed, pulling the covers over her head in fear. Mac shook his head, trying not to laugh. Then he realized how insensitive that would be. Fluttershy was such a kind and gentle pegasus. It would break her heart to laugh at her. Mac climbed into the bed next to her and pulled her close.
"It's alright, Miz Fluttershy. It's alright."
"Th-thank you, Mr. Macintosh."
"Please, Miz Fluttershy. Jus' call me Mac."
"Only if you call me Fluttershy."
"Alright, Fluttershy. That's reasonable. Well, g'night."
"Good night, Mac."
They fell asleep, Fluttershy in Mac's embrace.