Some times, it's hard to please everyone around you. Everyone works so very hard just trying to make sure others have a good opinion of them. But the real issue is, at the end of the day, are you pleased with yourself? Is what your doing here and now leading to your ultimate happiness? Should it displease even those closest to you, will what you choose be right for you?

This sort of thinking was not in Big Macintosh's mind, as today had actually gone rather well for him. Aside from a few quick chores, today was a good calm before the storm of harvest. Especially with The Harvest Feast following soon after, the next few weeks were looking fairly hectic. And so, he was going to spend this free day with Fluttershy.

Walking up to her cottage door, he'd barely knocked when she yanked him inside. She looked panicked... well, more so than usual. She was peeking out the window, whimpering and muttering to herself.

"Sugarcube, you alright? You look like yer expectin' company, and not the good kind."

Fluttershy bit her lip, still looking out between the curtains.

"Well, I am expecting bad company, but it's also very good. Especially with you here. I um... well, you and my father haven't met yet."

Big Macintosh grinned sheepishly.

"Ah, well I could see how this could all be awkward then. I'm sure my Pa wouldn't be too happy about just now meeting the stallion who um... sowed the seed before the land deeds were signed with Applejack."

Fluttershy froze and bleated, tipping to the side in a faint. Big Mac rushed to catch her before she fell over. Oof, the filly's getting some weight to her with the two little ones growing in there...

"Fluttershy, sugar? You alright?"

"I completely forgot about that! Father's not going to be happy about that at all. Quick, you need to go! Hide at Zecora's! I'll come get you when it's safe."

Big Macintosh furrowed his brow in frustration.

"Now hold on an apple pickin' minute. I'm not some yellow bellied, pardon the expression, coward. Any who, it'd be best to settle this, stallion to stallion."

"No! You don't understand! Bad things happen to-"

There was a polite knock at the door, though it proved to only to a courtesy as the door swung open. In stepped a pair of pegasi that seemed to be Royal Guard material, or would have been if they had passed the intelligence portion of the recruitment.

"Ey, Red. You go along home, her daddy's here to visit."

Fluttershy gripped Macintosh's leg, holding him back.

"Don't. Just leave before Father-"

"Oh, what's this? Company, when I was expecting some alone time with my daughter? You boys stay outside, I'm sure she can explain herself."

A yellow and gray maned stallion stepped into the room. He wasn't very tall, in fact he only came up to about Fluttershy's shoulder, yet between the tailored suit and the air of confidence, he seemed to fill the room himself. Though the considerable girth he had might have had a factor in all that as well. He walked over to the nervous mare.

"Mio fiorello, come, hug your papà."

Fluttershy let go of Big Mac, noticeably relaxed now that the others were gone, though still on edge. Father and daughter embraced, and despite himself the big red stallion couldn't help but smile softly at the sight. Her father did not miss this.

"What's so funny big guy? Never seen a father show love before? It amuses you I'm secure enough to let my masculine visage down a bit around family? Chi è?"

Fluttershy stood between them. She spoke softly, but at length, a stream of perfect Istallion unlike anything Big Mac had ever heard her say before. Her father's expression changed a few times during the course of the speech, going from confusion, to anger, to shock, and then a beaming smile. The smaller stallion stepped forward and stared at his daughter's stomach as if he noticed it for the first time.

"Gemello? Aha! Oh, you are a wise stallion, promising to tie the knot. If I found out some teppista broke my little flower's heart and left her with two babies to raise by herself? No, I won't say."

The stallion kissed Fluttershy's bowed head, then began to walk around Big Macintosh.

"Yeah, buono. Hey, I'ma short one eh. You mind bending down so I can get a good look in the eyes? Bravo ragazzo. Now let's see..."

The stallions faces pressed together, though to Macintosh it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the stare he was receiving. But if he's trying to bluff me, well, Pawpaw taught me better. Macintosh squinted his eyes, a subtle shift from the normally half lidded look, but it completely shifted the father's expression. A cold smile spread on his features.

"Heh, guardate a lui. Fluttershy, I like him. Iron in his heart and fire in his eyes. Reminds me of me at his age. But from what you told me he's a good and honorable type, so I guess that's where the comparison stops. Sounds like he'll be a bene papà himself."

The suited pony released Big Mac, and pulled out a cigar. Walking over to the stove, he puffed it to life, snorting out a big steam of smoke. Fluttershy nuzzled Macintosh, beaming, though he could only stare in confusion. I guess I passed some kind of test, but I still don't get why she's so high strung.

They talked idly, and finally shared proper introductions. Fluttershy's father revealed his name to be Devastating Gusts. Big Macintosh was glad for his stoic looks, as on the inside he was laughing at the irony of the name. Little fella barely looks able to devastate anything but the pasta buffet.

As the sun was setting, Gusts snuffed out his cigar. He cracked his neck as he stood up, then stared right at Big Mac. The casual tone of the last few hours was torn away. The voice was calm, yet the touch of iron made them fall like hammer blows.

"Now, you listen up and you listen good. It'll save you some grief in the future. Fluttershy is mio baby. Mio mondo. La mia unica famiglia. My only family, ever since her mother left for The Greener Pastures, rest her soul. And now, to my pleasant surprise, I find out I'm getting two little bambinos too. You realize how happy this makes me? Very. Nod like a nice boy, and show you're listening still."

Despite his urges to disobey, Macintosh complied. This earned a grin from the father.

"Bene. Now, you're not family yet, but you will be. So I'm gonna bend the rules a bit. Nopony is going to complain if Gusts wants his daughter happy. Not anypony who wants to taste anything ever again, hehe. You ever need help keeping the apple business up, just ask the family. Arrivederci, Mio fiorello."

With that, Gusts left, and in the stunned silence, they could hear the flapping of wings and a chariot's take off. Macintosh stared at Fluttershy in shocked silence. She just heaved a sigh of relief and rested her head against his chest.

"I'm so happy he liked you. I was worried he wouldn't approve..."

"Yeah, me too. I'd have hated to be disappoint a Don..."

Fluttershy blinked in confusion.

"A what?"

"A Don. A crime boss. Why didn't you warn me about this sooner? I mean, I still wouldn't abandon you but if he talks about killing other apple farmers... And why are you laughing?"

The yellow mare pushed him, wiping away a tear of mirth.

"I didn't know you were the joking type Macintosh. My father, crime lord?"

Big Macintosh flushed at the indignity of having his worries laughed at.

"But what about, you know, the tasting thing? It sounded like he.. cuts out..."

The look of horror spreading across his fiance's face took all the drive out of questioning.

"He runs a restaurant in Cloudsdale. I... I know some ponies do use it as a meeting place, but I don't think anything illegal happens there except maybe using the five second rule. Which, on a cloud, isn't as dirty as you're use to down here. He does punish bad customers by serving them something really spicy so they can't feel their tongue though..."

"What about the guards?"

"Some bad customers need more than a few spicy peppers to understand they're not wanted anymore."

Creatively, I've felt drained lately, unable to think of anything entertaining enough to bother. Wind taken out of my sails, if you will. Today, I had a nice little Gust to move me along, but tomorrow is uncertain.

Kyle