//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Big Mac's Carnival Ride // by CrimsonRose97 //------------------------------// The early morning sun rose over Ponyville. The rooster cawed loudly to wake every pony in Sweet Apple Acres before going into a coughing fit, hacking up some ball of feathers from his beak. The sound of a bell rang outside. "BREAKFAST YA'LL!!" AppleJack called out as she rung the bell with her hoof. Sun peaked from the apple curtains, shining in Big Mac's face, he grunted, hearing the bell and the sun in his face. he moved Smarty Pants Doll to cover his eyes and tried to drift back to Luna's dream world. But that won't be the case. Sounds of hooves galloping down the hall, a swift kick at the door before a doing a grand leap on his bed. "Get up, Bro!" Apple Bloom jumped up and down. "It's Pancake day!" Big Mac slowly moved Smarty Pants out of his face and opened his eyes, he smiled when seeing his baby sister. The little filly had the same color scheme as their father, to the yellow fur and red mane and tail. A giant pink bow in her hair and the biggest smile he'd ever seen in a little filly. "Come on, Mac, we won't eat without you." Apple Bloom giggled, continuing to bounce before Mac sat up and she leaped off of the bed with grace and runs off. He caught a glimpse of her cutie mark and sighed. Remembering how proud he was when she and the other girls, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, got them at the same exact day. He was in tears when he saw her get it. "If mom and dad were here, they would've been so proud." Apple Jack had told her on that day. They would've been proud of her. Oh how she worked hard to earn such thing. They would've been proud, he was, is, proud of her. With a sigh, Big Mac pulled the covers completely off of him before climbing off of bed, pulled the covers right and made sure Smarty Pants was comfortable, giving the raggity doll a kiss on the muzzle before trotting downstairs to the kitchen. His little sister Apple Jack was just putting a jar of pear jam on the table. "Mornin' Mac." Apple Jack greeted him. He replied with a nod before walking to the table and climbing on the chair. "Granny Smith is gonna beh sleepin' in this mornin'," The element of honesty said as she took her spot at the table along with Apple Bloom. "She an' GrandPear been up playin' cards most of the night and she be worn out." Big Mac chuckled softly at that. He was glad those two were able to get along after so many years of the feud between the Apples and the Pears. What he didn't think of was the two playing late night card games in the barn. He played a few times before realizing Grandpear was gonna clean him of his bits so he quit. "Say, Big Mac, isn't Sugar Belle coming over from Starlight Glimmer's old village this weekend?" Apple Bloom asked him as she poured some of the jam onto the pancakes. Big Mac grinned at the thought of his marefriend coming to Ponyville. Usually he would be making deliveries, even making unnecessary ones just to see the beautiful unicorn baker. Now that she had free time, Suger Belle was coming over to spend the whole weekend with him. "Heh, Eeyup." He then replied to his baby sister with a smile before applying jam to his pancakes and began eating. "Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and I had helped Ganache get her cutie mark and as a result her parents, who owns one of the fanciest restaurants in town, said that we can eat there for free for one day. The girls and I think you two should have that reservation." Big Mac was touched by her offer. He'll have to think of something to repay her and the girls later. "Aw, shucks, Bloom, that was mighty fine kind of ya to do that." AJ commented, reaching over and ruffled her red mane. Big Mac nodded in the same response. "Hey, it's the least we could do. We did almost cause you two not to be together." Apple bloom giggled. That was the understatement of the century Big Mac's inner voice spoke with an actual chuckle. At least you girls didn't use a love poison on us "At least ya three didn't use that potion on them like ya'll did with Cheerilee." Apple Jack chuckled. Mac looked at his sis and smirked. I just said that sis He said before eating dem delicious pancakes. After getting his early morning chores done, Big Mac went to the market, sold a half of dozen bushels of apples, went a walk around town, grabbed himself a cupcake from Sugarcube Corner. Upon going to the town square, he spots a rather familiar stallion fixing up an old wagon. Mac grinned and trotted up to him. "Morn' Burnt Oak, sir." Mac presented himself. Burnt Oak turned his head and saw large stallion and smiled. "Morning there, Macintosh. I haven't see ya around lately, how's everything going with you and your Grandpear?" "Doin' mighty fine, thank you." Big Mac said. "Grandpear is stayin' with us until he can get back on his hooves with the pear biz.", then looking over to the wagon. Seeing what damage was on it. The right wheel was completely broken and rotten out, reminded him of a rotten apple. A tarp covering various items were leaning to the right side Burnt Oak followed his look to his wheel and sighed heavy. "Yeah this old gal is about give out. Mind helping me get her up right? I have a delivery for Zecora." "Eeyup." Big Mac said. Going over to the tools and began helping Burnt Oak fixed up the wagon. It didn't take too long for it to get in tip top shape. and as an added bonus, Big Mac put on the harness on his beck and offered to drag the stuff for him. "Why thank you Big Mac." Burnt Oak tips his hat to the red stallion and the two set off down the Everfree. The two didn't talk for a bit till they were half way there when Burnt Oak started chuckling. "I remember Bright Mac and I dared each other to explore the forest when we were young. We both took our pistols with us as we ventured here. Spent the night to see if were brave enough to fight off the dangers." Big Mac looked at him if to asked what happened. "At first sound of the Timber Wolves, both of us ran off scared." Burnt Oak laughed. "Running through a patch of poison joke too. Oh boy it was a funniest sight. Bright Mac sounded as if he sucked down on helium and I was turned into a mare!" Big Mac laughed. He can't imagine him looking like a mare. "Your old stallion called me Crispy Spruce for weeks." Burnt Oak chuckled in memory. "Luckly my mother had a cure for the poison...after a week of staying like we were as punishment." Mah older sis had herself shrunk to the size of an apple, Big Mac thought with a chuckle. Remembering waking up to the shrieking sound of AJ finding herself small. As they talked, well Big Mac listening to the older stallion, they came to a stop when they noticed something in a pile of leaves. Burnt Oak approached it, wiped the leaves away and made a noise. "Huh, now that's odd." Big Mac tilts his head slightly, wondering what it was. Burnt Oak turned, holding what seemed to be an old piece in his hoof. It was rusted as it all could be. time and nature took a toll on the gun. "This looks like someting Bright Mac would carry." Big Mac approached him and grabbed it with his hoof and examed it closely. He remembers this gun, but it's been so long...so long. "It must've been dropped the last time he came here." Burnt Oak mentioned. A lump got stuck in Mac's throat, his hoof shaking. Last time Bright Mac was here... Voices from multiples echoed in his mind, along with a high pitching sound. His breathing heightened and his whole body shook, his fur turning white. Burnt Oak shook the red stallion. "Mac, you okay, boy?" He asked, worried when he saw Mac. Big Mac looked at Burnt Oak, taking a gulp of air. "E-eeyup." He said softly, taking the piece and putting it in his saddle bag and hastily trotted off to Zecora's hut. After making the delivery, Big Mac made a run for it out of the everfree. He ran and ran till he ran out of the forest, collapsing to the ground on his stomach. His head buried in the dirt and taking deep shallow breaths. "Don't you touch our boy!" Bright Mac's voice echoed loudly in Big Mac's ears. My baby! Don't hurt him please?!?" Buttercup's voice echoed as well. What overlaps the two screaming voices was that laugh. That loud, cruel, maniacal laugh. More chaotic that Discord himself. He hasn't seen this gun in years, it disappeared when they... He searched every inch of the forest to find it and he didn't. It shows up now... "Big Mac! Sweet Celestia, boy, what's gotten into you?" Burnt Oak shouted at Big Mac, causing the red stallion to jump. looking up at older sweaty stallion, dragging an empty cart behind him. "I am too dang old to be chasing after you." Big Mac gulped again, giving him an apology look before sitting on his haunched, breathing heavily still. "What's wrong? why are you freaking out?" he asked him. "You can tell me." Big Mac shook his head, rubbing his eyes with his hooves. The dark stallion sighed softly. "If you don't tell me, don't. I'll be in the Dancing Pony Inn in town for the rest of the week. If you need to talk, I'll be there." Big Mac nodded before seeing Burnt Oak off. If Ah tell ya...ya'll hate me forever.... everypony would. Big Mac thought. He looked back at the forest, shuddered before getting on his four hooves and trotted off.