//------------------------------// // Trip down memory lane // Story: Big Mac's Confrontation // by GroanyBrony //------------------------------// Big Mac's Confrontation Chapter 4: A trip down memory lane The cool evening air was tranquil, filled only with the sounds of the nocturnal critters as they began to awake from their slumber, and the hoofsteps of Big Mac as he grudgingly set out to find his once-best-friend, Caramel. Celestia's sun was just about set as Equestria welcomed the blissful peace of Luna's moon. However, a dark cloud hung over Big Mac that night as his thoughts kept turning to the events of that evening. Why am ah even doing this? Ah din't do nothin' wrong. What am ah even gonna say if'n ah find the guy? Sorry you turned out to be a coltcuddling wierdo! Big Mac trotted into town to begin the search for Caramel only to find that he doesn't have a clue where to start. Now where in the hay could that guy have gott'n to? His head swivelled left and then right for a sensible place to start when he saw the small, cosy-looking house on the corner of the marketplace. "Guess his house is as good a place to start as any" he muttered to himself, silently hoping that Caramel would be in there so that he could end his crazy search and get back to his little farm house and rest his sleepy head. Heh, been a while since ah visited this ol' place As he stepped towards house and began to enter, memories of times he wished were forgotten, washed over him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Big Mac sat on the end of Caramel's bed sobbing into his hooves as his friend tried his best to console him. "I'm so sorry Mac, I..." Caramel stammered as the words he sought for were lost before they could escape his mouth. "She's gone Mel. She's really g-gone." "I know. I...I know." "How? How c-could they l-l-let this h-happen? She w-w-was fine y-y-y-yesterday and the d-day b-before and n-n-now..." Caramel just looked down onto the floorboards, not knowing what he could do or say to cheer up his friend, if it was at all possible. Even at that young age, as innocent as the two colts were, they understood loss just as well as a fully grown colt or mare could, and it hit them like a tonne of bricks. "Was...was there nothing they could do Mac?" "Ah d-dunno. Ah don't think so...ah don't...ah don't know Mel. Ah...AH didn't even g-g-get to say g-g-goodbye..." Suddenly, as Big Mac continue to sob into his hooves, anger swept over him, and he felt that the blame must be placed somewhere. Unfortunately for Caramel, he was right in the firing line. "Ah wasn't there when she passed because ah was with you..." "Mac what are you-" "This is yer fault! If ah was there...Ah coulda....She might not have...." "You don;t know what you're saying Mac" "You and yer damn...damn coltcuddlin'! Ah hate it! Ah hate you!" With his teeth clenched and his mind in a state of disarray, Big Mac fled from his best friends room, out into the markets of Ponyville and back to his own home, into the arms of his father and his sister. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ugh ah can't think of things like that right now. Ah gotta search for Caramel. With that, he stepped into the home of the pony he once considered his best friend. "Uh Mel...you in here?!" No response. As Big Mac stepped in further, hbe took a moment to take in the sight. Wow...It's...just as ah remembered it...not a thing outta place. He ran his eyes over the sparkling tiles of the kitchen, the spotless floorboards of the hallway, the pristine carpets of the lounge and the stainless leather of the couch on which he and Caramel had spent many nights playing games and chatting. The scent of fine pastries caught his attention and his gaze was brought to the kitchen. Stepping in, he was greeted by the site of Caramel's pride and joy. Upon the spotless countertops of the kitchen lay a mountain of sweet and sugary goods. There were cakes and chocolates, pastries and presents, balloons and birthday decorations galore. It was as if Pinkie pie had walked in and exploded all over the kitchen. However, what caught his attention the most, was the banner that hung lazily above him. Happy Birthday champ...aw shucks ah guess ah was a...little harsh on the little guy. Big Mac walked back out of the kitchen and up the stairs leading to the second floor. Before he knew it, he was in Caramel's bedroom, staring at the spot in which he had abandoned his friend all those years ago. He looked around at the room that hadn't changed a bit since that day and he found himself almost...upset. The walls were adorned with pictures of family and friends but mostly, and unsurprisingly, Big Mac. As disturbing as he found it that the coltcuddler had so many pictures of him, he was flattered and at the same time, concerned for his friend. There was one picture in particular that he found of more interest than any other. The sight of it brought him back to fonder days; years before the passing of his mother or the ending of their friendship, The picture that captivated him, bringing a single tear to the hardened stallion's eyes, was a crudely drawn, child's drawing of two friends under a blossoming willow tree. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Hey isn't this amazing!" The young Caramel exclaimed as he bounced happily under the tree that he had just discovered, far out of the reach of the prying eyes of his disapproving neighbours in Ponyville. "I foundit the other day while i was out on a school trip. Ain't it the best thing you've ever seen?!" "It sure is Mel. This has to be like the biggest tree in the whole world! And look at that!" Big Mac pointed to the sea which was just below them. The tree stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking he ocean, facing the sunset. The sea breeze washed over the two colts as they basked in the dwindling sunlight, relishing the peace and quiet that tjey so rarely obtain in their hometown. Big Mac lay down, his front hooves behind his head, as he breathed in the smell of the sea. He had always loved the ocean. The wide expanses of the open sea called out to him whenever his family visited the beach. He loved to just take in the beautiful sights and scents as much as he loved to swim and play in it! "Hey Big Mac...I think we should keep this a secret. Just you and me." Caramel whispered to his friend as he lowered himself next to Big Mac and joined him in relaxing. "And you need to promise that we'll come here every week. We don't even have to talk...just...lay here. okay?" "Sure Mel...that sounds...just great". And so they did. Every week for the next few years they visited their new secret "hideout" and just lay there. Sometimes they would talk about their days and other times they would just relax, but it was a tradition that was swiftly broken by the passing of Big Mac's mother. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Aw buck! Ah've gone an' done something stupid ain't I?! Big Mac left Caramel's room and went downstairs into the lounge where he sat on his haunches and, to his bewilderment, sobbed. He couldn't understand it. He should hate Caramel for what he was yet now, when he thought of what he had lost, he could help but feel a pang of guilt over what he had done. He sat on the floor and sobbed for the better half of an hour, before he regained his senses and steadied himself, before walking to the front door. He was determined to find Caramel if it was the last thing he did and now that he had realised just how much of a fool he'd been, he was even more determined to put things right. With his regained composure, Big Mac noticed the small, unassuming slip of paper on the mantelpiece, held firmly in place underneath yet another photo of the two colts in their youth. Big Mac couldn't explain it but he was drawn to this piece of papre, like a moth to a flame, and his curiosity got the better of him as he slipped the piece of paper from underneath the picture, unfolded it and began to rea the hastily scrawled note that was written on it. Toffee: I'm really sorry for doing this but I can't stay in Ponyville any more, not after...well you know. I told myself that I would be able to handle rejection; that I could come out of that situation and be fine, but I can't. It's too much. I'm sorry. Don't look for me, I'll be long gone before you could even find this. Just know that I love you. Goodbye sis. Already, Big Mac had found the letter too much to handle. He had just gained the will to look for his friend and now his hopes were dashed before they could even surface. However, as much as h wished hat it did, the letter didn't stop there. and Big Mac: If for whatever reason you find this, whether my sister found it first and forced you to read it, or you came to spite me, only to find this in it's place, I want you to know that I don't hate you. I mean I hate you for what you have done and how I tore my heart open for you, just for you to throw everything back at me. At the same time, I hate myself more for caring so much. It must be my weakness...I care too much. Either way I hate that I can't bring myself toi hate you. I loved you and in a strange way I still do, but it's over now. It's too late. I hope you don't feel the need to find me but I won't stop you. This may be foolish of me and it may prove my downfall, but on the off chance that you grew a heart back there, you know where to find me...just look in that heart of ice...I'm sorry. With that, the composure, the will to carry one, the determination to find his friend and the small sliver of hope that he still contained from the moment that he saw his name was mentioned, were all gone, and Bug Mac was left shocked and distraught at the thought that he had lost his friend; his only true friend, for good.