//------------------------------// // 280. High Noon Nonsense - Part 1 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// Wiping the sweat from his brow, Big Mac phew'd after having just completed his morning chores, and as the sun was climbing up towards it's noon-hour apex the day was becoming increasingly hotter, which contrasted with the breezy autumn air. Taking a break, he went home to find `Shy had prepared a pot of gumbo and was already pouring a bowl. Her ears perked to the sound of her husband's hoofsteps and she smiled at the sight of him while holding out the bowl with her wing. Big Mac eyed the bowl with a lip-licking smile before giving his wife a warm thankful look and coming over as she set the bowl down on the table. Their lips met in a soft and tender kiss before they gazed into each other's eyes while nuzzling noses. Theirs was truly a close and beloved connection that they hardly needed to speak to each other when they were alone, able to read each other so well and easily that oftentimes they communicated without words. It was usually when something pertained to the world outside of their house or someone that they wanted or needed to discuss. It was no surprise when the farmer was usually a stallion of few words and the mare timid and soft-spoken. She gestured for him to seat and eat while she got some apple juice from their fridge, and the smell tickled Big Mac's nose with a delectable aroma that his belly rumbled with excitement as he sat down and held his spoon to take his first bite... only for a shuddery sensation on his flanks to startle him so that he dropped his spoon. He heard Fluttershy gasp and saw she was pointing at his flank and they saw it was glowing, and they both knew what that meant. The Map was calling him. Fluttershy insisted (in a worried wife kind of way) on accompanying Big Mac to the Castle of Friendship. When they arrived, Fluttershy almost knocked until Big Mac cleared his throat and she saw him gesture towards the distant silhouette of Canterlot on Mt. Canterhorn, and she remembered. Midnight, Twilight, and Spike had gone to the royal capitol to attend the Grand Equestria Pony Summit. Fluttershy hesitated to enter the castle without Midnight, Twilight, or even Spike present until Big Mac stepped up beside her and opened the doors, saying, "Map's callin', `sides, we got permission." Her husband's reminder caused Fluttershy to remember that Midnight and Twilight told their friends they were always welcome in the castle, even if they weren't home. Not to mention the map calling Big Macintosh gave them just cause to enter even if the master and mistress of the abode were not present. Entering, they made their way to the Map Room and saw an image of Big Mac's cutie-mark circling over a small town way out in the San Palomino Desert, far south of Las Pegasus, not too far from the south-western coast. "Only you..." Fluttershy didn't like that, "So far away." "Sumpin's goin' on tha' needs muh help, `Shy," Big Mac held her close to him, and welcomed the feeling of her wings wrapping around his shoulders, that feeling that he was hers, hers to never let go. "Ah don' wanna go either, but somepony needs help an' we Apples don' turn away those who need help." "i know. That's just one of the reasons why I love you so much," Fluttershy smiled before giving her her husband another warm kiss when they noticed a strange light and looked to see it was Big Mac's hoof. The red pony held his hoof up in confusion, feeling a strange sensation, almost like a high circulation of blood... when his hoof flashed with light and in it appeared a sword! The blade gave off a ruby sheen while the handle was a deep green, and on the pommel was a piece that resembled Big Mac's sliced green apple cutie-mark to a tee, including how it sparkled. Big Mac found himself in awe as he recalled the story Thunderlane had shared with them about his adventure the map had sent him on and how his sword became a bow that shot arrows of lightning, how it had the name Skystrike. Was this sword in his hoof like that? Did it have another form and a name all its own, waiting for Big Mac to discover that for himself? He was both enthralled and put off by the sword. On one hoof, it filled him with a familiar excitement he'd often dreamed of as a colt, yearning for adventure, but on the other, he was never fond of weapons and saw their only redeeming trait in that they could be used to protect those that mattered to you. Otherwise, they were just tools for destruction, causes of pain and suffering. Enders of life. It was in that moment Big Macintosh made a vow to himself that he would only ever use this sword to protect all he held dear and to defend those who could not defend themselves. "Mackie?" He looked to see his wife, her face slightly worried when the sword gave off a strong glow as the blade became transparent, the edges appearing as outlines of light, before it all collapsed into formless energy that seemed to get sucked up into his hoof. He took a deep breath and said, "Ah gotta go." "I know," Fluttershy nuzzled up to her stallion before looking up at him and saying, "But not until after you've eaten." The train ride was a long one, but Macintosh always enjoyed those calm periods where he could ponder his thoughts without interruption. After enjoying the meal his `Shy had prepared him, Big Mac grabbed his saddlebags, packed a few things, and went back to the castle where there was a safe that contained bags of bits or some gems that could be used to buy tickets on airships, trains, or taxi-wagons. Prince Midnight had taken the idea from a mystery novel, which turned out to be a good idea. It made grabbing money easier and even prevented runarounds at the bank with tellers and lapses in judgement. Kissing his 'Shy farewell, and taking a closer look at the map, Mac took the next train to the nearest station to his destination, a town way out in the San Palomino Desert called San Clydesdale. He didn't know much about it, so he took the time to read a travel guide and saw San Clydesdale was founded over two hundred years ago after a sizable deposit of coal was discovered by frontier ponies and it became a successful coal mine that was still going strong to this day. Mac wondered, what sort of problem could be happening there that it needed his particular help? He was a farmer, a provider, a hard worker, a husband. He was apparently the Harmonic embodiment of Devotion, a Guardian. He could recall the moments, far in between as they may have been, when the red earth pony would pause to wonder, what did that mean? What did it mean to be a Guardian of Harmony? What did it mean to represent Devotion? Sure, he'd found an answer in that question when he'd unlocked the Element of Devotion but what did that mean for him specifically? Thinking about it, Mac had had to step up after his ma and pa were gone. Granny Smith raised him and his sisters well but even she couldn't have done it so well on her own. When he'd gotten a little older, he'd turned out to be quite the blabbermouth, going on and on about his opinions and hardly letting anypony else get a word in edgewise. After a lie told by his sister Applejack that he contributed to almost got him dissected as part of a medical demonstration at Ponyville Hospital (that was a harrowing moment of his life he'd rather not think about again) he'd learned to be a better listener and not only the importance of honesty but also that actions could speak louder than words. Another thought that crossed his mind was how he was on this train, headed towards a town he'd never been to, to help with a problem supposedly he was best suited for among the Council of Friendship to tackle. His brother, Midnight. Sure, the brotherhood they shared was honorary but Mac had grown to love and respect Midnight that as far as he was concerned they were family in all the ways that truly mattered. Twinken and Faerie Tail too. He loved having two little brothers, and Faerie Tail becoming a part of the family had brought back a feeling of maternal affection he had long missed since his ma had passed and hadn't even realized how much he'd craved. Sure, Granny Smith was his grandmother and he loved her so dearly, but there was just some distinction between the love of a grandmother and the love of a mother. Faerie Tail enjoyed Big Mac's company and he hers. She loved to read stories to the family and was such an amazing storyteller that whenever he listened Big Mac couldn't help but feel as though he were living the story Faerie Tail read to them. It felt a tad silly, him, a grown stallion enjoying story time, but there was just something about it that felt so special and nostalgic that it reminded him of how his ma used to tell him stories as a colt. He also enjoyed being a big brother to Twinken. Sometimes, when Midnight was busy or away Big Mac would spend time with Twinken. He'd taught Twinken things about farming, how to navigate his surroundings if he ever got lost, played hoofball with him, shared comic books, and encouraged Twinken in his magical studies even though Mac was an earth pony. In some ways, Mac was fascinated by magic that there had been times he'd wondered what it would have been like if he'd been born a unicorn instead of an earth pony. He'd had dreams about it, and even once dreamed of being an alicorn prince, which had turned out to be strange yet enjoyable. But his unicorn dreams were more interesting and frequent. Then, his thoughts turned to his `Shy. Oh how he loved her, in a way more special than he'd ever loved anypony else. Including his sisters, his grandmother, and his brothers. Fluttershy was beautiful, kind, compassionate, demure, loving, and as timid as she typically was he knew she had a backbone when it counted and could express her opinions strongly if she felt it necessary. It was that inner strength of heart the butter yellow pegasus carried inside that Big Mac most admired about her, but everything else along with it was why he loved her. Even though their work, his taking care of Sweet Apple Acres and her taking care of her animals back at her cottage by the Everfree Forest, tended to take up most of their days that just made the time that they spent together, whether it was at home or otherwise, after a good day's work all the more rewarding. Not to mention, she could be quite the fox in bed and always gave him a good workout that left them sweaty but perfectly satisfied. Somehow those thoughts of doing the hanky-panky with his `Shy made Mac wonder of what could result of their nightly escapades. Somehow the picture of his mare fat with foal made itself known in his mind, and he couldn't help but think how naturally radiant his `Shy would be while she was expecting. The idea of her giving him the greatest gift a mare could give her stallion, a foal. Although he rarely did, the thought of becoming a father and raising his foal to be a good pony was one of his lifelong hopes and dreams, to be as good to his child as his own parents had been to him and his sisters. To see his child grow up happy and have a good life would be his greatest hope. Of course, Mac had no plans to be a parent just yet and he wasn't sure if his `Shy did either. But he knew that one day, maybe sooner rather than later, they would take a moment to talk about it before they decided it was time. The train's screeching breaks snapped Macintosh out of his thoughts and he looked out the window to see they had just arrived as he hurried to his destination. Granted, taking an airship might have been faster but Big Mac wasn't a big fan of the airships following an incident on one that left them stranded in some tall pine trees for well over eight hours before being rescued. The journey had swung through Cloudsdale Lower and ran near the seaside before curving away towards Dodge City and Appleloosa. At Dodge City, the line split and ran, as a goods line, to the Macintosh Mountains and to the slate quarries in the area. Continuing straight lead the line into the San Palomino counties and the towns beyond. It was an open secret that these areas contained the most natural coal deposits anywhere in Equestria, so it had the most employment, in the form of coal miners. However, it was also a hotbed of trouble and chaos. It was this train of thought Big Mac had as he disembarked his train and stepped onto the platform of the station. Maybe it's all a load of horse apples, he thought. It wouldn't be the first time he or any of the others were sent on a wild goose chase, thinking it was serious, only to find it had been a wild goose chase after all (The Trouble Shoes incident with the CMC being the most prevalent). He moved away from the past and hoped his mind would conjure something tangible. It was no good at all, but then again, he didn't have much information to go off of. Just mah luck, he thought. He saw the train station was set in the middle of scenic nowhere but a quick question to the ticket counter told him that San Clydesdale was just a few miles to the east but there was no wagon service. Sighing, the red pony thought, Guess Ah'm walkin'... The thought of walking through the desert to his destination, even if it was only a few miles, was uninviting to Big Mac but nothing ventured nothing gained. Stepping off the platform, he saw the sign that pointed directly east and read 'San Clydsdale - 4 Miles' before taking a deep breath and making sure the canteen he'd brought was full. Even though the sun was beginning to set it was still uncomfortably hot out. Thankfully, there was a path so Big Mac wasn't worried about getting lost. He could tell it was a path due to the hoof prints and wagon tracks and how beaten the path was compared to the ground framing it. He wasn't walking long when he noticed somepony headed his way, an earth pony with a funny hat and overalls, saddlebags stuffed with clown shoes and a wig, and a sour look on his face. Noticing Big Mac, the pony asked, "Don' tell me yer headed t' San Clydesdale because if'n you are Ah recommend ya turn right around and join me on th' next train outta here!" "Why do ya say that, partner?" asked Big Mac, wondering if this had anything to do with why the Map had sent him here. "Ooh, a heap of trouble's pilin' up in that town over yonder," the pony explained, shuddering, "Ah'm a clown and just quit mah gig workin' fer Buffalo Bull an' his Amazin' Wild West Show." "Buffalo Bull?" the name rang a bell before Big Mac remembered, "Muh sister Applejack helped him an' Miss Cherry Jubilee out a while back." "Uh-huh. After Miss Applejack helped Bull and Miss Cherry make up, hoo boy did the love come back for those two," the pony sighed, "Bull asked Cherry to marry him and she said yes. But first, he's gotta finish a tour `afore he heads back to Dodge Junction so he an' Cherry can tie th' knot. San Clydesdale's actually th' last stop before he goes back but... bad things have happened, partner. Problems around town and somehow Bull and the troupe are gettin' blamed! It got so bad Ah couldn' take it no more. "So... shames me to say it, but Ah quit the troupe an' Ah'm headed home. Lotta bad's goin' on over there and you'd be wise t' steer clear of it. So long, gotta get mah ticket before th' counter closes." The pony trotted past Big Mac and looking onward, Mac could see the town becoming visible in the distance. Sounded like the Map had sent him to help out Buffalo Bull but something told him there was a whole lot more to it. Moseying into San Clydsdale, Mac was reminded of Appleloosa but saw and felt none of the welcoming charm his cousin Braeburn's town gave off to visitors. He noticed several ponies were eyeing him suspiciously but none said a word or made any other acknowledgement of his presence. He also noticed several of these ponies were big and tall, much like how the Crusaders had described their friend Troubleshoes. They were mostly earth ponies, but he saw a few pegasi but no unicorns. But the most unusual locals were a few bulls, none of whom looked at all friendly, what with their nose rings and sharp horns, their black hats and other features made them look like varmints who didn't belong. He saw the sheriff's office, a hotel, a general store, a post office, a diner, a few wagons parked here and there, a distant wind mill, a radio tower even, and of course there was the saloon. Been a while since Ah've had a strong drink, Big Mac thought and decided he may as well wet his whistle. But as he approached the establishment he could hear a ruckus that didn't sound too friendly and before he realized it a large form was thrown out the swinging doors, going '"Wh-wh-WHOAOAOAOHOHOHOOAAAGHHFGH!!!" The form was sent a'tumblin into a some barrels, and an ornery mare stepped out, glaring at the form as she shouted, "An' YOU STAY WELL AN' FAR AWAY FROM MAH SALOON, YA WRECKIN' BALL WITH HOOVES!! Hmph!" She whipped her tail back before gathering her dignity and stepping back into the saloon while Big Mac went over to help the poor hombre, pushing a barrel off of him, asking, "You alright, haystack?" The form groaned and sat up, revealing himself to be a large brown earth pony with a white muzzle, and it was the upside-down green horseshoe cutie-mark on his rump that caused Big Mac to realize who this character was as he said, "Jus' mah luck... ya try an' stand up fer somepony an' ya get th' heave-ho." Noticing Big Mac for the first time, the big brown pony smiled, "Thank ya kindly, stranger. Least some o' th' folk around here got a lil' decency!" Big Mac could tell Trouble Shoes was shouting towards the saloon but said, "Now c'mon, lemme help ya out." It was strange to be looking up at somepony and it not being Princess Celestia or Prince Sombra. Here before him was maybe the biggest and tallest earth pony Big Mac had ever met, and he used to think that would never happen to him, of all ponies. It sorta made him feel like a colt looking up at his daddy again. "Nice t' meet'cha, Trouble Shoes." "Well, shucks, partner, ya got me atta disadvantage. Ya know me but Ah don' know you." "Ah reckon you've met mah brothers an' sisters," Big Mac explained, "Apple Bloom, Applejack, Twinken, and Midnight." "No kiddin'?!" Trouble Shoes smiled which made his sullen face brighten up considerably, "So unless Ah'm mistaken, tha'd make you Big Macintosh! Lil' `Bloom's told me lots about you." The two earth ponies shook hooves before Big Mac asked, "So... what was tha' all about, you gettin' tossed onto yer ass from th' saloon?" Sighing, Trouble Shoes put his hat back on and said, "C'mon with me t' th' hotel, Ah'll tell you th' whole story."