Applejack's room was small, yet her room seemed spacious enough to hold each of her friends. She wasn't that messy of a pony, and most of her things were set up in shelves or tucked into a closet or dresser. She only really went into her room to sleep, so it was fitting that there wasn't much to see in there. Her bed was big and comfy, her quilt sewn of comfortable cloths and warm old blankets. She kept a window cracked open at night, and she fell asleep to the sounds of crickets and owls. She slept deeply, and it was rare for her to wake up.
But that had changed.
Her eyes slowly cracked open, familiar muffled sounds cutting through her thin wooden walls. There was a slight chill in the air, and anypony else would definitely go back to sleep, regardless of the noise. The noises only grew louder and more frequent, and the orange mare started to get out of bed, flinging the blanket off of her. Her stetson was left on the hat rack next to her door, and she didn't grab as she walked out. Her door creaked gently, and she followed the noises as they echoed down the hallway.
The Apple Family kept only a single lamp burning on the wall to help those who needed to find the bathroom in the middle of the night. It was dim, but Applejack could still make out the shape of the large door that the sounds were coming from.
Standing before it, she remembered how big it looked when she was just a filly. Her big brother was the kindest pony that she knew, and on scary stormy nights he would let her in with him. He had done that ever since their parents had passed away, and although he spoke few words he meant much. He had helped her through her times of need, and she had always wanted to return a favor.
But how could she now?
She cracked open the door lightly, the moonlight showing the form of Big Macintosh on his bed. The red stallion was grunting and panting, his body covered in sweat as he thrashed around his bed. His hooves were shaky, his breathe shallow. It was as though he was trapped back in the war, his eyelids shaking as his eyes moved rapidly.
Big Mac had been like this ever since he came back. At first, Applejack convinced herself that he was just having simple nightmares. But as they continued, her concern grew more and more. Heavy bags were underneath his eyes in the daytime, and she knew that he rarely got sleep. She would hate to wake him now but...
It was just painful to see.
She heard a light creaking behind her, and the orange mare looked back to see her little sister, Applebloom, emerge from her room rubbing her eyes. In her mouth she held her favorite stuffed animal, and her tired eyes had to sweep up from the floor to Applejack's sad eyes. She looked at Big Mac's door before shuffling towards her sister.
"AJ..." Applebloom yawned, dropping her stuffy, "...Why does Big Mac do this everynight? Is he scared or somethin'?" Applejack's lips quivered, looking back at her brother.
"Maybe he has a sort of disease...I'm worried...." Applebloom said quietly, looking into the room.
"I'm worried too..." Applejack said, her voice shaky, "Just try and go back to sleep. He'll be fine."
Would he be fine?
Applebloom nodded before picking up her stuffed animal, closing the door behind her silently. Applejack shut Big Mac's door, her back to a wall as she sat down.
Big Mac had always been strong. He had always been decisive, smart, clever, and brave. Back when Applejack had been a young filly he had done all of the farm work. He had to do more when their parents passed away. Granny Smith was too old, and the sisters were way too young. He had taken the extra jobs without complaint. Every night he plopped down into his bed exhausted, and each morning he woke up tired.
He had worked through it all, though. And it really helped to have Applejack being able to do some work around the farm. The load on him had lessened, and she was proud to help her brother.
And when he had gone off to war to fight the changelings, he had given her his usual smile and nod before taking off. She loved her brother, and knew in her heart that he would come back to them someday. And two years later, when the day finally arrived, she was overjoyed. Pinkie threw a massive party for the entire town, and Big Mac didn't seem different besides that scar over his eye.
But he did change.
Applejack was too deep in her thoughts to notice that the noises stopped, and jumped in surprise as Big Mac's door swung open, nearly hitting her. The massive stallion walked out, his yoke off of his neck. He hadn't noticed her, and the orange mare watched her brother carefully as he walked slowly downstairs, the floorboards creaking under his weight. She knew what he was going to do.
She snuck after him, peering her head down from the staircase to watch him. The big red stallion opened up the fridge, pulling out a large bottle of cider that was mixed with alcohol. He plopped down onto the table and popped it open, gulping it down within seconds.
Big Mac never used to drink so much, and he only did at parties and rare events. But ever since he had gotten home, he had a few bottles every night. Maybe even half a dozen.
Applejack knew he did it to forget. Big Mac wouldn't speak of his days in the war, and she knew that she shouldn't ask him. It was just something that he wanted to put behind him, and maybe in time it would get better.
Maybe.
"...And then before he even could take another breathe, I swooped passed him, spiraling over the finish line! Applejack, you should have seen it! In one fell swoop, I came back and won the race! Cool, aren't I?"
"Sure, Rainbow Dash." Applejack rolled her eyes with a smile, the two friends walking down the streets of Ponyville, "But wasn't that the time when you couldn't stop flyin' and smacked right into Fluttershy?"
"Um..." Rainbow scratched her head, "I um...don't know what you're talking about!"
"About what?" The yellow mare asked, flying up with a light smile on her face. Applejack blinked, seeing the remnants of a light bruise on Fluttershy. She gave Dash a big smile, and the blue pegasus looked away with embarrassment.
"So..." Fluttershy asked, plopping down into a walk beside her two friends, "Hey, um...Applejack..."
"Yes?" The orange mare asked, her eyes being caught by a hat shop they were passing. Her attention was specifically grabbed by a black cowpony with a silver lining.
"I...uh...was just wondering...well...if you don't mind me asking...um...."
"You wanted to ask about Big Mac?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking at the other pegasus suspiciously. The yellow mare blushed a little bit before shaking her head. Applejack's stare was torn away from the store, her heart sinking in her chest.
"Well um no!...But...yes...if you don't mind, I mean..."
"Well...." Applejack bit her lip, growing a bit silent.
"Ha! Fluttershy, its obvious to everypony that you have a huge crush on the big stallion!" Rainbow Dash laughed, flying over and punching her friend lightly in the shoulder, "And now that he's back, are you going to keep staring at him from a distance?"
"Well...um....y-you see...."
"Fluttershy..." Applejack swallowed, her eyes glistening with growing moisture, "Big Mac...ever since he got back...well...he hasn't been himself..." The two pegasi looked at their orange friend, their eyes filled with concern.
"But he looks just fine when I see him...and he even has that wicked cool scar!" Rainbow exclaims, pointing her hoof to her eye, "I mean...he's just as hardworking as he was then!"
"I...I know but..." Applejack started, looking at Fluttershy. The yellow Pegasus was looking straight ahead, her eyes wrapped in a mess of emotions. Applejack followed her gaze, finding Big Macintosh. The red stallion was running the apple stand, handing a nice bushel of apples to a grey pegasus with crooked eyes.
"Applejack..." Fluttershy started, "Do you mind if I stay the night over tonight?" The orange mare blinked, looking up at her friend. What did Fluttershy have in mind? It was something to do with Big Mac, that was obvious. But...but maybe her friends could help. Big Mac was tearing himself up, and she wanted to do something about it.
"...Sure, sugarcube." Applejack smiled, "I don't have much work tomorrow mornin' and it's been a while since my friends have been over."
"What?! You can't leave me out!" Rainbow Dash cried out, "You can just have a sleepover and night invite ME!" Applejack blinked, before laughing, "Okay, fine! You can come too!"
"And me! Pick me! Me me me me me me me!" Pinkie Pie cried out, emerging from a nearby alley and scaring the life out of the three mares.
"Um...well...I guess I can't say no..." Applejack blinked, scooting back a little.
"Yay! Now we need to invite Rarity and Twilight!"
"Wait, what?! Well...I guess we should-
"Okie Dokie Lokie! See you at Sweet Apple Acres in two hours! PINKIE PIE AWAY!" The pink mare dashed away, dodging through the crowd of ponies, weaving through as though they were water. Applejack blinked, looking up at Fluttershy. Her yellow friend looked sad, but maybe also a bit relieved?
"Well...I guess we're going to have a little party going on?" Rainbow Dash asked, shrugging, "Well, that sounds fine with me!" Applejack was happy her friends were going to be over, but was it the right thing to do? Each of them would know of Big Mac's sleepless nights, his horrifying nightmares. But...she was hoping that in someway they could help.
Each of them sat in Applejack's room, almost being crammed in there. Pinkie was hopping up and down on her bed, Rarity was checking how she looked in a mirror, Rainbow was trying to fly around in whatever space she could, Twilight was looking over Applejack's book shelf, and Fluttershy was on the floor nervously rubbing her hooves together.
"I've never read western books before!" The purple unicorn exclaimed, flipping through some pages, "Wow!"
"Darling, your mirror is cracked....*GASP!* Did my fat ugly face break it?! Wait...no way! I'm too fabulous and beautiful for that! Oh, what's wrong with you today Rarity?!" The white mare cried, staring to refer to herself in third person.
"This...bed...is....so....BOUNCY! SO BOUNCY I COULD DIE!"
"How can you live in this room, Applejack?! There's like no place to stretch your wings! Wait...oh yeah, you're an earth pony! Sucks to be you!"
"Um...Applejack....well...as long as you don't mind...can I?....Well..." Applejack was worried that none of them would shut up, her attention being caught by Fluttershy.
.
"Yes, sugarcube? You don't have to be nervous to ask!" Fluttershy was rubbing her hooves together still, her gaze pulling itself from the floor.
"I was just wondering....could I...perhaps...see Big Mac's room?" Everybody stopped what they were doing, their attention on Fluttershy and Applejack.
The orange mare blinked, not expecting that question, "Well...um..."
"It's just so that I can see if I can help him....but that's only if you say yes..." Fluttershy squeaked in a small voice.
"Help him? What's wrong with Big Mac?" Twilight asked. Applejack took a deep breathe, her friends gathering around in a circle.
She began to explain everything. His thrashing in his sleep, the alcohol...Everything. As she spoke, her eyes were beginning to glisten and Pinkie Pie rushed up to give her a hug.
"Big Mac too...." Twilight bit her lip, "Ever since the soldiers have come back, none of them have been the same...And knowing Big Mac, he won't talk about anything about the war. I wish we could know of his experiences...so we could share his pain..."
"That's why I want to see his room..." Fluttershy said quietly, "Maybe we can find something out about him...And maybe we could help him..."
"It's worth a shot." Rarity said, standing up, "Besides, I've actually never been to his room. Wonder how big his bed is..." The six mares stood up, leaving Applejack's room and heading down into the hallway.
Applejack hesitantly opened Big Mac's door, and seeing it in the daytime was much different then at night. The sunlight came in strong through his window, his bed made all nice and neat. His room was cluttered, but it wasn't so bad as it could have been. He had a single dresser, and old pictures were set up on it.
The mess on his floor was a mass of boxes, old saddlebags, and random things. What he needed the boxes for wasn't clear, but she could tell that it was something strange.
"Odd..." Twilight said, pacing around the room, "Boxes? Why would he need these? It's like he was packing away his things." Using her magic, she picked up one of the old saddlebags. They each recognized it as military issue.
And it had a bloody tear in it.
Twilight dropped it in shock, and stepped back into something. Glancing at it, it was a strange black box. The box was pure black, and it had the insignia of a shining golden sun on the top. It was lined with gold, and even had a golden latch.
"What is this?" Rarity asked, her magic picking it up so she could take a look at it, "It...it looks glorious! Such a wonderful design! This gives me some new ideas!" She set it down at a nearby desk, and each of the mares took a look at it. Twilight stared at it carefully before her eyes widened, her mouth letting out a gasp of surprise.
"...No way..." She took a step back, "This is...."
"What? What?!" Rainbow Dash asked, fluttering next to Twilight, "What is it?! Should we open it up?!" Pinkie Pie was a step ahead, her hoof pulling up the latch. The small box swung open.
The box had a wonderful cloth that glimmered gold in the sunlight, and placed in the middle of it was a medal. It was in the shape of a spectacular star, the middle being the image of a sun. A blue ribbon was attached to it, a black moon being in its center.
"Whoa..." Rainbow Dash blinked, her breathe actually being taken away, "This is...whoa...."
"What is this for? Did everybody get it?" Pinkie asked, looking at it curiously.
"It's...beautiful..." Fluttershy stared at it, "But...it seems too special...."
"It is special." Twilight said, catching the attention of the other mares, "This...This is Celestia's star!" She had a huge expression of shock still on her face, "Do any of you know what this means?"!
"Um...not in particular..."Applejack said, her eyes now on Twilight, "What does it mean?"
"This..." Twilight walked up to it, "This is the greatest award that Celestia can bestow upon a soldier. It is given to one who is brave, risking their lives above and beyond the call of duty in combat against Equestria's enemies and for Celestia and their comrades."
"Wait...what are you saying?!" Rarity cried.
"This...This award has only been given twice..." Twilight looked up at Applejack, causing the orange mare's jaw to drop.
"So...so you're saying that my brother..."
"Yes. Big Macintosh is a war hero."