"Don't worry Applebloom, We'll be fine." Applejack ruffled Applebloom's hair, and wiped away some wayward tears. "This ain't nothin' The Elements can't solve."
"You promise?" Applebloom embraced her sister tightly, "If anything happened to ya-"
"That's silly, Sugar Cube. Right, Big Mac?"
The red Apple nodded, "Eeyup."
"Just watch over Big Mac for me, ya hear? Don't want him gettin' into any trouble." Applejack chuckled, holding her sister's hug. Big Mac rolled his eyes, smiling warmly. Applejack released Applebloom who clung steadfast. A short shake and pry released the embrace. She took in a deep breath of her home; the air crisp and refreshing, like the apples that dangled from their multitudinous trees. The sky was recently cleared by the pegasi, it blanketed all the farm in warm sun rays. Applejack refocused on her brother who provided his usual silent facade. "You'll watch over them, right? The Crusaders are bound to be runnin' round here lots more since I ain't gonna be."
"Eeyup." He responded, they shared a short but warm embrace. Applejack turned around, hugged Applebloom one last time, and set off down towards the exit to the farm.
"I'm gonna go walk her down." Applebloom muttered, and dashed off to her sister's side. Big Mac raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and made his way to the plow. Old and rusted, but reliable. It was the only thing he trusted to plant the tomatoes with. For some reason, they fared better come harvest season when he used this piece of junk. Hitching himself up, he pulled it along in the dirt, cleaving perfect rows for the plants to grow in.
Time passed, and before Mac knew it the job was done. "Eeyup." He nodded, admiring the handsome rows of soil. A familiar rumble distracted his view. Dinnertime rolled around quicker than he thought, but he could smell Granny cooking inside. Wind carried the intoxicating scents all across the farm, drawing all to its call. The sun started to wane, melting the blue sky with tinges of orange and red. Following his nose, he nearly reached the house when a voice behind called out.
"Big Mac! We found something!" The squeaky cheery voice of Sweetie Belle begged him to turn around.
"Yea, it's really cool!" Scootaloo replied, the CMC were definitely here for the night.
Seems Applejack was right about sis being lonely. He thought, standing yet staring towards dinner inside.
"Ain't ya gonna look, big brother?"
The rumble returned, alerting all around to Big Mac's hunger. "After dinner, girls." He said, and proceeded through the door.
"Why is he never interested?" Applebloom blurted in frustration.
"He's plenty interested, he's just, uh-"
"Got a funny way of showing it?" Sweetie proposed, her and Scootaloo gave reassuring smiles.
A bountiful feast lie upon the Apple family table, Granny stood proud, as proudly as she could considering her time-weathered muscles.
"Saw you using that rusty plow out there, tomater season must be comin' round." Granny speculated. Big Mac nodded, eyes fixated upon the mountain of food before him. "Must'a stirred up a hunger something fierce," The Crusaders shuffled in, Applebloom leading them. Sad disappointment twisted her face, she watched as her brother dug into dinner. "Lookie here, if it ain't the Crusaders themselves. Go on, have a seat! There's plenty to go 'round." Granny smiled, beckoning them to join. Two seats were quickly filled, and the grinning pegasi and unicorn quickly found themselves facing mountains of food on their plates. Only Applebloom declined, she made her way to the stairs. Granny called out, "Applebloom, ain't ya gonna eat with yer friends and family?"
"I ain't hungry right now, Granny." She mumbled, and ascended the staircase. Into her room she hid, sitting in her bed. Shadows grew around her as night took hold. "Big Mac doesn't care about anything I do." She grumbled in darkness, occasional tears falling from her cheeks. Seething in frustration, she shoved her face in her soft downy pillow.
"Now that ain't quite fair to me, don't you think?" Someone said from the door. Applebloom pulled herself from the pillow, Big Mac stood in the doorway. "I'm sorry about earlier, Applebloom. I've had to drag around the old rusty plow all day. Tired and hungry, and I ignored you." Pulling herself from the bed, she embraced her big brother. "Now, let's go take a look at what you found." Her demeanor instantly brightened, and dashed down the stairs to the other Crusaders.
"Come, Crusaders! Onward to our discovery!" Rallying the troops received mixed results, Scootaloo's stomach bloated and she waved them off.
"You guys go ahead, I'm too full to move" She groaned, a belch ending her statement. Sweetie and Applebloom led Big Mac to the barn. Night claimed the light, Applebloom rummaged through the barn and hastily emerged, producing a lantern. She ignited the oil within, illuminating a small area around them in an yellow-orange glow. They dashed out the door, Applebloom prompter her brother to follow. The lantern light faded as they trotted down the hill. Big Mac followed, hoping they didn't find something that would destroy everything.
Where are these nutty fillies taking me? He thought as the Everfree Forest came within view. Shadows danced around the trees, forming figures of strange creatures that may lurk within the forest. Green glowing eyes of prowling timberwolves shifted between hidden viewpoints, monitoring the ponies' every step. He cautiously approached where the two crusaders stopped. A large wooden crate, taller than the fillies, sat anchored in the ground.
"The cool thing is inside!" Sweetie whispered, peering back at the eyes staring at her. A raised eyebrow was all the reply he needed.
"From what we saw, it's safe. Nothing explosive." Applebloom insisted, only serving to increase the look of scrutiny upon her brother's face. "Really, it didn't blow up or anything."
"Yea, it doesn't even look like the thing from last time." Sweetie Belle said.
Big Mac recalled their last discovery. They insisted it would help with planting the fields, it was near planting season at the time. His eyebrows took quite a while to grow back, and he still finds small crops growing by the apple trees which are across the farm from the planting fields.
Awkward silence pervaded the area as he contemplated the crate before him. The crusaders exchanged nervous glances. "If you insist." Big Mac sighed, and lifted the lid of the box.
A bright persistent green glow shot from the cracks and the top as it creaked open. The light source levitated out of the crate, pulsing as it dimmed slightly. Big Mac attempted to scold the crusaders for yet another dangerous discovery, but his limbs didn't respond. Eyes locked with the dimming light source, an emblem burned into its front side. An image of a planet, presumably Earth, appeared with a horseshoe overarching it. Out of this image, light poured in ribbons. The ribbons began to wrap around Big Mac, these ones encompassed his hooves. The next wave overtook his legs, the next his torso and tail, the next his neck.
"Applebloom-" He managed to say before the ribbons covered his entire body in the pulsating green glow. The crusaders could only sit stunned as Big Mac was lifted into the sky, hovering as high as the barn is tall. He shone brightly, the light growing in strength, almost becoming the farm's personal sun. This caught the attention of those inside.
"It's nighttime, right Scoot?" Granny asked, looking at the gleaming window.
"Should be, why-" She turned around, "What." Wide eyes met the light.
Granny and Scootaloo rushed towards the others after a short time, the light growing brighter with each passing second. Panic overtook them, both only spewing out gibberish and pointing towards the house. Scootaloo blathered the first coherent statement, "Inside!" She pushed Applebloom's backside, fluttering her wings as mightily as she could. The four, not wanting to argue, ran inside as the light grew brighter still. On their way in, they saw the painted wood of the house singe, and some nearby grass followed suit.
The took cover underneath the Apple family dinner table, a mighty wooden creation of Big Mac's. Granny said once it could withstand the house falling on it, so she assumed they might have sanctuary under its protection. Minutes passed without a word, they felt like hours as the light grew only brighter and hotter. Everyone shared stares of terror, Sweetie rocking back and forth, cracking under pressure. Large wind gusts battered the house, the gusts drawn to the new sun. Granny and the crusaders hugged, huddling together as noise and light increased. This amassment proved to be short-lived. A large boom exhaled the wind from the farm, blasting the leaves from the entire apple orchard and flinging shingles and siding from the house. The light suddenly disappeared, shrouding the farm in rightful night once more. A massive crash rocked the house, and silence befell all.