Without a cloud in the sky, the ever-burning Equestrian Sun shone down on Ponyville as bright as ever. It was scheduled to be the hottest day of the year if things went as planned, and it was indeed very hot. The only refuge that could be found from the relentless heat was indoors or beneath the orchards of the Sweet Apple Acres. Even the Apple family had decided against applebucking for any length of time. Mayor Mare had gone out of her way to send word to the parents of every colt and filly to make sure that nopony succumbed to dehydration that day; It just wasn't a good idea for anypony to expose themselves to the blazing elements.

Even at the peak of Celestia's solar fury, our kindest Element wasn't feeling very warm inside...

Chapter 1

Fluttershy's cottage was unusually quiet; The creme colored mare spent the majority of her time caring for the sick and injured animals of Equestria. Many of these creatures, big and small, saw her cottage and the surrounding area as their own home. Fluttershy could never turn away a living thing in need, and this often lead to a great lack in sleep... but she didn't mind a bit. Nothing could make her happier than giving her time and resources to others. The Element of Kindness was indeed a caring soul, and she wasn't unappreciated. Her friends were nearly as willing to help her as she was to help them... Still, Fluttershy couldn't help but feel a bit lonely, despite the hours she spent with her friends. With all the love she radiated and surrounded herself with, she still felt empty. She had felt this way for several weeks after her time at Sugarcube Corner.

Five weeks ago, Pinkie Pie had thrown yet another exhausting and exhilarating party at the bakery. The colts and fillies of Ponyville were elated to attend a party once again, and Fluttershy was equally happy to see them prancing and laughing together, enjoying their party games. This time, however, she wasn't the only pony who was particularly inactive in the festivities. In the corner of the room sat two children who seemed totally entranced, locked in each other's embrace. They seemed oblivious to the incessant din of music and laughter that filled the air around them. Fluttershy couldn't help but wonder what it felt like to have somepony that close, and not just physically. She was the Element of Kindness, and in turn, the Element of Love. Ironic, then, that she of all ponies wouldn't understand what affection felt like. It was even more ironic that a pony with her cutie mark wouldn't understand the expression "butterflies in your stomach."

The two couldn't have had a care in the world, and Fluttershy wanted that too... But she didn't know what to do about it. She didn't really like anypony, not that way... She just didn't want to sleep alone anymore after devoting hours upon hours of her time to her friends... and that really hurt her inside.

Here she was, laying in bed at 11:00am, staring at her ceiling. Still, she didn't know what to do about the way she felt, and that made her feel even worse. She shut her eyes and began crying to herself, almost silently, until her tears were wiped away by a familiar soft paw. "Oh, Angel, what can I do?" Her faithful companion gave her the best sad puppy look a bunny can give, and hopped onto the floor and scooted to the other end of the room where a small, ornate chest sat beside the medicine cabinet.

"Angel, I'm not sick... I'm just... Heartsick..." With that, she began crying again. Angel was frantically scratching at the chest now, willing Fluttershy to get the message. Angel knew he couldn't speak pony, but still thought Fluttershy could be pretty dense sometimes. It was astonishing that she hadn't managed to attract some sort of attention from a stallion... She was adorable. Perhaps he would be able to help her yet.

Angel shook his head and pointed at the chest one more time. Inside, he knew that Fluttershy kept a small photo album of all her friends. This was what she wanted her to see so badly.

Holding back more tears, Fluttershy cantered over to the chest to retrieve the album, only to have it snatched away by angel. "Hey! Careful with it! You'll bend it..." Angel took no notice as he hopped back up on the covers of Fluttershy's bed, rapidly rummaging through the laminated sheets of photos. Fluttershy looked over his shoulder and already knew what Angel was thinking.

"Oh, Angel, no, no, no! I can't talk to him, I just ca-" Fear and fantasy battled in stalemate for supremacy in Fluttershy's heart as Angel turned to the last photo in the ablum: Big Macintosh, carrying Applejack home after a hard day of Applebucking.

With a stern, yet triumphant expression, Angel rested her paw on the picture and looked Fluttershy in the eyes.

Her heart was already racing as fast as her mouth. "Angel, I just can't... He's just so... Oh, what will he think, what will he do? He'll laugh at me and he'll hate me and-" Angel put his paw to her mouth, once more resting his paw on the likeness of Fluttershy's dream stallion. "I... I guess I can talk to him..." Angel was nodding furiously now, hoping he could get her going long enough to get her out the door. "Alright... Just don't tell anyone, okay? Please?" With arms crossed, Angel gave Fluttershy a Stare of his own.

Fluttershy had stopped crying, but she was still shaking like a leaf. Angel soothed her by petting her nose, and that seemed to work. "Okay... I just have to get ready. I haven't bathed today." Fluttershy was pacing back and forth rapidly. "I'll have to brush my mane and brush my teeth, and I just COULDN'T forget about..."

Angel held his face in his paws. This was not going well. At this rate, she might be outside by dawn. At least the air outside would cool off enough for her by then.

Later, in the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres...

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh was a hard worker, and a buckin' good one at that. No matter how tiresome his task, he would never willingly stop until he was finished. Not even for a moment. However, there was a regular exception to this.

In only ten minutes of applebucking, Big Mac managed to gather two extra large bins of apples, one on either side. This was no burden to him, being as strong as he was, but the stallion didn't see any harm in stopping atop one of the uniformly shaped hills that dotted the outskirts of the orchard. On this very hill one could see the one of the most beautiful sights Equestria had to offer.

To the west, you would see Ponyville, and beyond that were snow capped mountains dotted with trees. To the north was several acres of apple trees that comprised the Apple Family orchards, and that in itself was a beautiful thing to Big Mac. He didn't tell anyone, though. He was a bit of a softy. He still had Twilight Sparkle's stuffed toy, and it was the only material thing he had that meant anything to him.

To the east was what topped it all off: Celestia's Sun shined in a dim shade of orange, giving the mountains and trees the same look of the Gold Delicious apples he worked with day in and day out. Far above his head was Cloudsdale, and what little he could see of the structures above that celestial nimbus were given a reddish tint.

You'd never guess by looking at him, but Big Mac was actually a poet. He kept a small journal behind a loose panel in the barn with entries that he had written over the course of his entire life, almost always about the scene he was graced with at this exact moment.

It was so relaxing that he stallion didn't react to the footsteps behind him. It sounded a bit like apples falling off of the trees, and a small whisper in the breeze... But that only added to the lulling effects of the nature around him.

He was in no hurry to get home, and the rest of the Apple Family would be getting supplies and a few treats at Sugarcube Corner. With that in mind, our favorite red farmer dropped to the soft grass beneath him for a short nap, sleep overtaking him almost instantly.

In his head, he knew he was dreaming, but didn't really care. He was watching himself from above, almost like seeing another stallion between the two bins of glossy apples. A butterfly landed softly on his flank, and it tickled a bit. A shy voice said, "Oh, I'm sorry..."

Big Mac woke up and rubbed the slumber from his eyes. He turned to see who had spoken to him, but could see nothing. The Sun had completely set, and he was alone again.

"Eeyup..." Lowering himself underneath the metallic band that connected the two bins, Big Macintosh set off along the path back to the barn, a path he had walked so many times before.

~~~~~~~~~~

If I get some good constructive criticism (praise doesn't hurt, either,) through comments, I'll release Part one of three in Chapter 2 very quickly. Comments, comments, comments, everypony!