//------------------------------// // Chapter nine: under the tree // Story: Little Mac and Cannotfly // by Akataja //------------------------------// The fields of Sweet Apple Acres were a mess after that storm. Uprooted trees, some landslide, a lot of displaced rocks and the barn was also damaged. Luckily the main building was unharmed. Big McIntosh was satisfied, his preparations were good and the damage was clear. McIntosh had some help from Hooves, his nerdy friend spent the night on the farm and wanted to help with the damage. They started right after the breakfast with the trees. Any single tree on Sweet Apple Acres was a holy treasure, just wrecking them or selling were no options. McIntosh was strong enough to pick them up and place them back in the earth while Hooves used the shovel to cover them up with earth. Hooves was impressed how easy McIntosh moved this trees, each of them weighed more than 250 pounds. McIntosh moved them like toothpicks and he seemed to have no problems with that. McIntosh was even smiling and humming as he worked. Hooves put the shovel aside after the roots were covered and Mac started to use ropes and tent pegs to fix the tree, it would take some time, but this tree will be healthy again. “I am surprised by your good mood.” Hooves drank some water out of his field bottle “The whole farm is a huge mess and you are humming?” “Am I?” It seemed like Mac did not notice it. “Yes, you are. But maybe I would be in a good mood too.” he smirked, “I mean, I would be, if I were in love with a nice mare.” Mac raised a brow and looked confused to his friend. “I never thought you had it in you, but man this Pegasus looks really nice. No wonder we never found a nice marefriend for you, we were just looking for Earthponies in school. You should have said that you are into Pegasi. We would have introduced you to some of the girls from the weather teams trainees.” Mac could just chuckle and shake his head with a light smile “Nope.” “You can't hide it from me LilMac, you are in love.” “Nope.” “Nope?” “Nope!” “Then explain it to me. Explain why you risked your life for her.” “Nope.” “Do you think I wouldn't understand it?” “Eeyup.” “I have a doctorate in physics and finished my tests with an average score of ninety-seven percent! I was the student of my year! And you think I can't understand a simple thing like relationships between two ponies?” “Eeyup.” “You are kidding!” “Maybe.” Both had to laugh, it was just like old times. Hooves had to admit Mac's poker face “alright, alright, this seemed to be very important, and maybe it is too private. Hey, I am just happy for you.” Hooves slowly stood up with a sigh “Well, I have to go now, there is a lot to do at my place.” Hooves wanted to work in his parent's old workshop, but the little house needed a lot of work itself before he could start his research about the black matter and Time Space Displacements. “Hey man”, said McIntosh after him “If yah' need help, ya know...” “Yes, I know. Hm! It is great to be back.” Mac took a little break, sitting under this tree and looking over the orchards; he enjoyed the fresh air and the blue skies. He was ready now, ready to speak with his family about what happened and his feelings and it was like losing half a ton from his heart. He could look at the world with all new eyes and saw this world like never before. It was a good world, even without his parents. His hoof slowly glided into his already open lunch box to get his lunch, a nice little daisy, hay and lettuce sandwich. He was still enjoying the sight when he raised the bread and wanted to take a bite, but he did not, because he noticed that his sandwich was moving. He looked down and saw little, white Angel Bunny, the rabbit, was between the two slices of bread and munching on his lettuce, looking up to Mac like nothing ever happened. This moment he heard something, McIntosh's ear twitched a little and he looked around. He saw another apple tree and the yellow little mare hiding behind it. She let out a little “Eeeeep!” when she was discovered and Mac had to chuckle a little. Fluttershy took a deep breath. Her plan was to wait a little more, she wanted to speak to Big McIntosh when he was alone. His friend left and she still wanted to wait a little, just look at this red stallion from her hideout. He was tall, more than her father and he had a lot of muscles, he was able to move these trees without any problem and all these things made him scary. But then he was just sitting there, under this tree, looking around with this calm, peaceful smile. Some birds were already building a new nest in the tree he just built up again, they were not afraid of him. And even little Angel Bunny wasn't afraid, the bunny just jumped from Fluttershy's head and made its way to McIntosh's lunchbox. Fluttershy wanted to stop the poor little thing, but she was too afraid and the rabbit was too fast. She closed her eyes and was expecting the worst when the red stallion moved the sandwich to his mouth, she had to shut her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she saw McIntosh looking at her. Angel Bunny was sitting on his head, munching the lettuce. He smiled at her, with his calm, peaceful smile, he looked at her and nodded in her direction. Did he want her to come over? Fluttershy was captured in a little dilemma, she wanted to withdraw because this was a big, scary stallion, but she also wanted to be at his side, because it seemed warm and safe. She needed some time, she always needed time, but the most ponies were unable to give it to her. Maybe Mac would just stand up and go away, or even come over to her, she was sure about that, but he did nothing like this, he waited.   Angel Bunny was already done with the lettuce and asleep on Mac's head when Fluttershy moved on. She came to his side. Fluttershy could not believe it herself, but she was really walking toward him, sitting next to him and looking together with him at the orchards. Her feelings were spinning around, her insides were moving, she could yell all over the place and jump up and down. What should she do? What was happening? What was she feeling? Why was she here? Should she say something? “Yah' wing?” he asked after a while. He was worried about her, he wanted to talk and know how she was feeling. Does that mean that he wanted to be her friend? Or was he even in love with her? Or was he just polite? What should she do? Should she run for her life? No! She had to hide right now! But where? He was looking at her. He was looking at her with his green, calm eyes, somehow it gave her strength, it calmed her down. So after a few minutes, she found the strength to speak, “it still hurts a little bit.” she was whispering, but Mac could understand her. After that they were again just sitting there, looking at the orchards. Her heart was racing, she never spent so much time with a stallion. She didn't want to let this moment just pass by, so she had to speak again. “I wanted to thank you” she could not look at him and hide her face behind her mane, she could not see him. “You saved me and Angel Bunny. I owe you so much.” “Nope.” he looked at her again “I owe you a lot. I will help you.” “Help me? With what?” “Whatever you want.” She lowered her head, she could not understand what was happening. Maybe it was like Applejack said, maybe the Apple Family just like to make new friends? There were a lot of things Fluttershy needed to do. It looked like she had to build up a whole new life, here on the ground, so she needed a home, a job and maybe she also needed friends. She looked up to him, still hiding half her face behind her mane. She had this lovely cute red on her cheeks and her big eyes seemed even bigger than usual. “Are we friends?” she asked. He looked back at her, still with these calm, green eyes and his smile. She was right, she felt all safe at his side, like nothing could ever reach her here. Was this the feeling of having friends? Or even a family? Was this the feeling of being happy? “Eeyup.”