//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Under the Snowstorm // Story: Bright Winter Nights // by InlustriusGhost //------------------------------// “Land’s sake, Big Mac! It’s so cold today!” Applebloom complained as she and Big Mac left the farm early the next morning. She had bundled up as best as she could with her pink sweater and hat, yet was still feeling chilly. “Applejack told ya you’d need those clothes,” He chuckled. He was still dressed in his sweater and scarf from yesterday. “Can I ride on you to school? Ya always feel so warm.” She pleaded, looking up at her brother with big sad eyes. It wasn’t necessary because Big Mac was quick to scoop Applebloom up with his teeth and place her on his back. She smiled as she wrapped her forelegs around Mac’s thick neck and nestled against his comfy body. The snowfall had stopped sometime during the night before, but the skies above Ponyville remained very dull and grey. It was still as cold as a Wendigo’s gale and Cloudsdale’s weather forecast in today’s newspaper reported that a snowstorm was scheduled for tonight. “Sweetie Belle said that she has a lot planned for our sleepover! We’re gonna play some board games and watch movies and have lots of fun!” Applebloom chimed in excitement. “Sounds like an amazin’ time, Sugarcube.” Big Mac smiled softly. The walk to the schoolhouse wasn’t a long one, as usual, since the school stood beside the road just before entering Ponyville from Sweet Apple Acres. The two siblings arrived with time to spare. “Hey, Applebloom!” A bright young voice called out. It came from Sweetie Belle, who was galloping over from the playground with Scootaloo, both of them beaming at the sight of their remaining Crusader. “Hey, girls!” Applebloom waved before she hopped down from Big Mac’s back. “Thanks fer walkin’ me, big brother! I’ll see ya at home!” She hollered back to Mac as she ran off to the playground to enjoy the time she had with her best friends before their class started. Big Mac inhaled and sighed in content, happy to see his little sister joining with her tightly knit circle. Then after a minute of watching Applebloom play, he turned around to head back to the farm. “Oh, Big Mac! Good morning!” Big Mac’s ears perked as he shifted his sight back to the schoolhouse, following the voice of an adult female. It came from a purple mare, who was waving at him from the door. He gave a smile as he trotted over to greet her. “Mornin’, Miss Cheerilee.” “My apologies for stopping you, but I wanted to give you some little Hearth’s Warming presents to deliver to your family. I hope that’s no trouble.” She offered. “Nnope. That’s alright.” Big Mac accepted with a nod. “Wonderful! Just let me grab them.” She trotted inside the schoolhouse and then quickly returned with a stack of three tiny boxes, each one decorated with some festive wrapping paper and all neatly tied with a bow. The three gifts had a tag, listing who each was for: one for Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and Applejack. “And don’t worry about Applebloom’s. I’ll give her gift to her tomorrow with all the gifts I have for the class.” She grinned. “Thank ya kindly, Cheers.” Big Mac welcomed the generosity as he took the gifts with a hoof. “You’re welcome...Sugar Bear.” Cheerilee teased with a smirk curving her lips. Big Mac could feel his cheeks grow red from slight embarrassment, being reminded of that love poison incident. “Aw, shucks! Don’t joke about that.” He laughed, pressing his free fetlock on his forehead. Cheerilee held a hoof to her mouth as she giggled. “Have a great day today, Big Mac.” She bade farewell as she trotted back into the schoolhouse. Big Mac was still chuckling to himself as he started walking back home to the farm. He thought back to that Hearts and Hooves Day. Heh. What a day that was. Big Mac remembered being absolutely head-over-hooves in love with Cheerilee, unable to keep his eyes off of her, feeling his heart flutter and skip when she smiled, even calling her a whole catalogue of extremely saccharine-saturated names. Ugh...Schmoopie doo… He cringed at the thought. Big Mac was definitely glad the poison wore off before they actually had gotten through with that marriage. Cheerilee was a fine and beautiful mare, of course, but she wasn’t the “one” for him. Just a friend. Though, he wondered when he’d know who that “one” was. Big Mac knew there was certainly a pick of some attractive fillies in town and he did catch himself glancing their way a few times, but he didn’t have much courage to ask for the time of day. He shook his head as he continued on, returning to the farm. One day, Macintosh. One day… Even if the wintertime was the slowest season for the Apple Family, Big Mac was at least grateful that he could have some more personal time to hang out with Spike whenever he wasn’t busy assisting Twilight. It was good fun to hole themselves up in his room and play some Ogres and Oubliettes. Perhaps today would be a good day for a few hours of adventure. It was still mid morning and Big Mac didn’t have anything else to do until the late afternoon. Trudging through Ponyville was a bit of trek with all the snow that fell overnight. Half the town was blanketed in slush that was half a foot tall. The other half only barely had the streets plowed. With the winter starting this heavy, Big Mac wondered if he should have worn snow boots today, thinking that his hooves might go numb if he stayed out any longer. Luckily for him, he saw he was already nearing Twilight’s castle, which made him sigh in relief. Big Mac stepped up the golden stairway to the front door and stomped the snow off his fetlocks before he gave a few knocks on the door. In not much time, the door was answered by Twilight. “Good morning, Big Mac.” She greeted with a smile. “Are you here to see Spike?” “Eeyup.” He nodded in reply. “Well, come on in. He’s helping out in the library.” Twilight invited as she stepped aside to allow Big Mac inside. The first thing he noticed was that Twilight’s horn was carrying a few large stacks of books with her and as the two of them walked down the hallway, he saw her organizing each stack very intricately. Big Mac thought that she and Spike must be really busy getting everything ready before opening next week. Then he remembered that Bright should be here too. Big Mac felt a warmth melt away the frigid cold that lingered on his fetlocks. He couldn’t help but let a small smile curve the corners of his mouth. Then he paused. He remembered having this feeling before: during the love poison incident. However this time, it was a simple flutter of the heart, and not as wildly intense as it was then. Big Mac pondered. ...What am I feelin’? He liked Bright. He was the first new friend Big Mac had made in a long time. But was it possible that he was starting to have a crush on a stallion? Big Mac snapped out of his thoughts when they arrived at the library. Twilight let Big Mac enter first before following suit. He looked up and around at the shelves. Most were stocked and organized, leaving only a few empty ones scattered around. However, it didn’t seem like Bright was anywhere to be found. “Hey, Big Mac!” Spike waved from across the room. He was in the middle of helping Starlight Glimmer with another stack of books, but he was quick to scurry over to him. “Did you come for another one of our…” Spike turned his head and glanced at Twilight and Starlight. “...super top secret meetups?” Both mares smirked and rolled their eyes. Big Mac snickered and crouched down to whisper to him. “Eeyup.” “I’d love to play!” Spike chimed as he hopped in excitement, but quickly, that energy subsided. “Well, I would, but Twilight and Starlight really need me to help with the library.” “It’s true, Big Mac.” Twilight stepped in. “I had to send Bright, our librarian, home today. You’ve met him, right?” Big Mac’s ears perked. “Eeyup. Why?” He asked. “He’s not really well today. He came in feeling somewhat okay, but within the hour, he was sniffling, coughing up a storm, and stumbling from dizziness. I had to call for a carriage to take him home.” She explained. “Best not to spread germs on the books before opening.” Starlight added, while she used her aura to lift a row of books into another shelf. “But he has already done most of the work over the week. We can do the rest.” Though his face didn’t show it, Big Mac dampened with concern. “Anyway, I’m sorry that we can’t hang out at the moment, Big Mac.” Spike apologized. “Need help? I ain’t got much to do anyway.” He offered. “That would be great! With four of us, we could finish shelving the rest of these books.” Twilight smiled, clapping her hooves with delight. The four split up into two teams: Spike and Big Mac working on organizing the books into stacks and Twilight and Starlight lifting the stacks onto the shelves with their magic. With still hundreds more books left, the work was a bit dull and repetitive, but Big Mac was content with having Spike’s company. They talked and laughed amongst themselves about the upcoming hoofball season and about their next Guy’s Night. “It’s going to be busy for me every day up until after Monday. Maybe we can have our next Guy’s Night on Tuesday night. Twilight’s going to be going out to dinner with the other girls before Hearth’s Warming.” Spike suggested as he tossed a tome to Big Mac. “Sounds good.” He nodded, placing the book on another stack. “I’ll be sure to ask Discord-I mean, ‘Captain Wuzz’, if he wants to join us.” Spike giggled a bit. “Eeyup.” Big Mac grinned. Then, Twilight and Starlight approached the two for another set of books. “Here you go, ladies! Another row of mystery novels, organized and alphabetized!” Spike presented with a pat on the bindings of the stack. However, he wasn’t prepared for the books falling over, messing up his and Mac’s last bit of work. “Whoops…” The two mares laughed a bit and Twilight swiftly picked up the fallen novels, restacking them. “That’s alright, Spike.” She assured before turning her head to Big Mac. “Big Mac, there are some spell books on the main desk. Could you pick those up too?” “Eeyup.” He accepted as he stood up and walked over to the desk near the entrance. Sure enough, there were some scattered tomes resting on it. He gathered them together, one by one, with his hooves, though he wished he could just levitate them all at once with a unicorn horn. He internally sighed. Then, as he pulled in another book,… PLAP! ...something fell to the floor. “Hmm?” Big Mac looked down and saw a small blue faux leather journal. It must’ve been caught under the book he reached for. What’s a journal doing with a buncha books? He picked up and inspected it. It appeared to be worn and weathered a bit, with ink blotches splattered on the cover and some scratches and tears on the hard edges. Big Mac opened the journal to the first page. On the backside of the cover was some writing. “This jernle journal is popurty property of Bright Galileo Sight. Poems of a Stargazer” This is Bright’s. Big Mac thought. Must have forgotten it when he went home… The writing looked like a foal’s scribbling, however the misspelled words were crossed out and revised. The last phrase seemed to have been added slightly more recently, judging by the not-as-faded ink. “Age: 7 8 9 10...” The crossed chronology of his age continued and with each year gone, Bright’s quillmanship gradually transformed from a little colt’s scratches to some very neat strokes. “...20 21” Big Mac felt himself smile a bit as he looked to the first page. “August 26th, 1002 Dad’s took me with him to the ozervatory tonight. He wanted to show me the shooting stars. There were so many in the sky and I made a wish on one. I wished I could meet Mom. Dad said she was in the stars watching me. I blew her a kiss.” He felt a pang of sympathy in his heart. He remembered his conversation with Bright the night before and couldn’t imagine what he must have felt growing up without a mom, though he could relate. Big Mac was reluctant to page through more of Bright’s personal thoughts, but he was curious about what was the most recent thing he wrote. He flipped the journal up to the last written page. “December 16th, 1016 Clouds hide the night sky And I wait for the snow’s end Winter, be merciful” Big Mac didn’t know too much about poetry, but he believed this one was a haiku. Bright wrote it just recently, on this past Tuesday. It seemed like he’s patiently waiting for a clear night to stargaze. “Big Mac! Where are those books?” Spike shouted from across the room, pulling Mac back to reality. He pulled the rest of the books together and balanced them on his hoof before walking over. “Sorry.” He apologized. Thinking more about the journal, Big Mac figured he should walk to Bright’s home later and return his journal. Maybe, he could also check and see if he’s feeling okay. That wouldn’t be too strange, right? After all, Bright shouldn’t be alone sick during this harsh winter. Then came a thought. A memory. Big Mac remembered standing at the doorway of a bedroom in his home. The air was especially frigid. As cold as death. It brought a shiver down his spine, as if his body would freeze solid. He looked on at the bed, seeing two ponies resting. He wanted to walk closer, though his hooves were shaky and wanted to turn and run. Macintosh persevered and stood at the bedside. He gazed down at the bed and his parents were there, looking up at him. Their eyes were tired. Their complexions pale as ghosts. And yet, they both smiled at him, at peace. Big Mac shook his head. His whole body quaked as a burst of a emotion rocked his core. That winter was the worst of his whole life. He wasn’t going to let this one be just as bad. He had to see Bright and make sure he was okay. Winter, be merciful… As much as Big Mac wished to head straight to Bright’s home, he couldn’t really shirk on his responsibilities. He still had the apple stand to run, but maybe he could have Applejack stay longer to run the stand the rest of the evening. Snow had been falling from the sky since Big Mac left Twilight’s castle that late afternoon. It wasn’t hard falling, but it certainly was a warning of what was to come later tonight. He sped into a brisk trot as he entered town, making his way down to the marketplace. Icy flakes and slush crunched under his hooves and made his unshorn fetlocks soggy. It was cold and slightly uncomfortable for each step. That was one downside of a pony not grooming their fur regularly, but Big Mac wasn’t one to to give a horseapple about how his fur looked. Among the hustle and bustle of ponies in the market, Big Mac weaved through the busy street as best as he could, but with his large frame, he couldn’t help but bump a mare or stallion with his broad shoulders every so often. After a few occasional apologetic nods, he found Applejack, running the stand. “Heya, big brother!” She brightly sang with her usual enthusiasm. She waved to Big Mac as he approached. “Made some good sales today. Everypony’s in the holiday spirit! Gotta say, it’s pretty contagious.” Applejack started, leaning against the stand. She was usually the one making most of the conversation between the two of them. “AJ, I wanna ask a favor.” Big Mac said, wanting to cut straight to the point. Applejack’s attention was divided when an earth mare came up to the stand to buy. Still, she listened to Big Mac. “Well, shoot.” “Will ya cover me the rest of the day? I got a friend who’s sick from the cold and I wanna check on him.” He explained. “Spike?” Applejack guessed while she grabbed a half dozen apples from a barrel behind her. “Nope.” “Caramel?” “Nope. New pony. Name’s Bright.” “Oh, yeah! From that party Pinkie threw a couple weeks ago. Hey, look at you, Mac, makin’ new friends!” Applejack bumped Big Mac’s shoulder playfully before tossing the apples in a paper bag and giving it to the mare, who promptly paid her bits. “Thank ya kindly!” Applejack waved. “I guess I could keep on workin’ the stand. Might not be open too far into evenin’ anyway, what with tonight’s snowstorm and all.” “Thanks, Applejack.” Big Mac smiled in thanks. “Aww, it ain’t nothin’, Big Mac. Jus’ be back home before the blizzard gets real bad.” Big Mac nodded and wrapped his foreleg around his sister for a quick hug before parting. He began to trot again down the road that he and Bright shared to get home a few nights. He remembered that he had only ever seen Bright’s home once: at the welcome party. If memory served, his house should be a simple walk following the path opposite of the road to Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac thought back about the party. It was a pretty standard affair...Well, “standard” being used very loosely when it comes to one of Pinkie Pie’s parties. He met Bright only once then, greeting him with nothing more than a simple hoofshake and a smile. The rest of the time, Big Mac remained off to the side, watching Applejack, Applebloom and their friends. Big parties weren’t really his cup of tea and, at the time, he didn’t really think much about Bright, seeing him as just another neighbor. He certainly never thought he’d be so anxious to make sure he was okay only a few weeks later. Big Mac then realized he was on the outskirts of Ponyville and was able to see a lone house by the road. He recognized it as the one from the party and continued through the snow until he reached the front door. Without hesitation, Big Mac knocked four times. He tried listening hard to whatever was going on inside, but couldn’t hear anything over the whistling of the icy wind. After a few more seconds, he was tempted to knock once more before there was a heavy coughing coming from within and the lock rustled. The door opened and there was Bright, bundled tightly in his jacket. That may have been because he was wearing layers of sweaters underneath. His forehooves were trembling a bit and he was looking slightly pale through his blue fur. His nose looked moist and his eyes were tired. “Big Mac?” His voice came out nasally. “H-Hey! What are you doing here?” Big Mac scratched the back of his head with a hoof, then immediately regretted it when he felt his mane grow cold and wet. He forgot his fetlocks were still soggy. “I...Uh...I heard ya weren’t feeling good…Mind if I come in?” He asked. “Well, I wouldn’t want to get you sick, but it can’t be much better outside. Come on in.” Bright invited, stepping to the side before he had another coughing fit. It sounded phlegmy and unpleasant. “H-How did you hear I was sick?” “Twilight told me.” Big Mac answered as he entered. He looked down, seeing a rug to wipe his hooves on. “Also, ya left somethin’ at the library.” Bright closed the door and then watched Big Mac pull his journal out from his sweater. Bright’s eyes grew wide and his heart leapt into his throat. “Sorry. I didn’t have anywhere else to put it.” Big Mac apologized. “A-And I sorta peeked inside…Again, sorry.” “Y-You...I-I..” Bright suddenly felt lightheaded. His body ached and his hooves felt like they were tied to hundred pound weights. He shuffled over to his couch to sit down and he rubbed his forehead with a shaky fetlock. “Y-You okay, Bright?” Big Mac hesitated, unsure of what he could do to help him. “I-I’m fine…” Bright took a deep breath. Big Mac passed the journal back to him and Bright held it with his magic, gazing at the cover fondly, but internally cursing himself. He coughed. “How much did you see?” Bright asked, embarrassed, his eyes shying away from Big Mac. “Not much. Honest.” Big Mac assured, sitting down on the recliner by the sofa. “Jus’ the first page and the last thing ya wrote...I liked yer poem.” Bright skimmed through the pages of his journal to his last entry. He sighed softly and relaxed with a smile. “Thanks for bringing it back. You know, I don’t mind anypony reading the poetry I have here, but there’s just a few pages in between that are...a bit more personal.” “I understand.” Big Mac nodded. “...Do ya write a lot?” “On occasion. Mostly when I’m stargazing. I always feel something whenever I’m looking up at the night sky. Something that’s hard to describe, but writing poems helps me express it.” Bright explained with a raspiness in his voice. He felt another tickle in his nose and his eyes darted around wildly before he found the box of tissues he kept on the table by the couch. He was quick enough to pluck up two tissues and bring them to his muzzle before he sneezed. “AH-CHOO!” “Bless you.” Big Mac said. “Ugh...Thank you…” Bright muffled a reply through his tissues. His nose was so stuffy that he needed another pair to blow. After clearing his nostrils, he tossed his waste over to a trash basket in the corner of the living room. “I guess I’m not quite used to the weather here. It doesn’t get this cold at my old home.” Big Mac thought for a moment. “I know something that might help with yer cold. Mind if I look ‘round yer kitchen?” He asked. “Um, sure. Are you going to cook something?” Big Mac stood up and could easily spot the kitchen just beyond the staircase to the second floor. “Eeyup. I know a recipe from my Granny that she cooks whenever my sisters or I catch somethin’.” He said as he walked over and took a look around and instantly noticed the refrigerator in the farthest corner. “You have a refrigerator?” Bright turned in his seat and covered his mouth with his hoof as he coughed again. “Y-Yeah. You don’t?” He asked. “Not for our kitchen at home. Just a bigger one in the barn for storin’ the harvest.” Big Mac replied as he searched the refrigerator. The recipe was pretty simple as far as what ingredients were needed and Big Mac didn’t have too hard a time finding everything that he needed. He was glad that he didn’t have to make a trip back to the market. Meanwhile, Bright lied down on the couch, feeling too lightheaded and dizzy too stay up. His head throbbed and his nose felt like it could drip for hours. He used magic to grab more tissues for blowing. He pulled his legs closer to his body. Even with all the sweaters he was wearing, he was still shivering. He wished he had the strength to walk upstairs to the closet where he kept his extra blankets. Then, while he rested his eyes, he felt a thick sheet of warmth fall over him. He opened his eyes and saw a blanket swaddling him and Ivory hovering over him. She smiled and placed a hoof over her mouth, making a shushing gesture. She left Bright with a wink and phased through the ceiling to the second floor. Bright managed a smile, happy to know that Ivory was always around to look out for him. He bundled up in his blanket and grew comfortable. His eyes fell closed as he began to rest. It felt like only a few minutes, but when Bright opened his eyes again, the living room was dark, with the only light coming from the fireplace. His nose felt stuffy again and he blew his nose into yet another tissue. With his passages cleared, he was able to smell something in the air. It was an aroma that took Bright back to when his dad was cooking in the kitchen and he was standing on the side watching. Another focused inhale helped him pick up the distinct scent of steamy vegetables in a robust broth. Bright sat himself up with a bit of difficulty. Now his head was heavy and throbbed with a slight headache. He touched his forehead with his fetlock and felt his fur was moist with sweat. Then, he heard a faint howling of wind coming from outside the warm walls of his abode. The blizzard was raging. Bright stood up from the couch and saw Big Mac standing at the stove within the lit kitchen. He was stirring a pot of simmering stew before he looked over at Bright, seeing he was up. Big Mac then blurted a short laugh. Bright cleared his throat. “What’s so funny?” He asked. His voice was a little hoarse. “Sorry...Just your mane.” He apologized. Bright brushed his hoof over his head, feeling his mane was a bit wild and stiff. “Heh...Bed head...How long was I out?” “...Bit over an hour, I s’pose.” Big Mac answered after thinking about it. “But ya woke up in time to have some of my Granny’s stew. I’ll serve it to ya.” Big Mac had found where Bright kept his plates and bowls and took a bowl out of the cupboard, scooping a healthy bit of stew. Bright sat himself down at the dining table right by the kitchen. Then, Big Mac walked over and set the bowl before Bright, along with a spoon. “Hope ya like it.” He said, returning to the kitchen to wash the utensils he used. “Thanks.” Bright smiled a bit at Big Mac before looking down at his stew, a collection of chopped carrots, potatoes, celery, and other vegetables in a thick red blend. One more whiff of its savory scent made his stomach grumble, which reminded him that he hadn’t eaten at all since having a small breakfast this morning. Bright didn’t wait another moment and scooped a hearty spoonful into his mouth. In an instant, a zesty sensation bounced around his tongue, perking him up. Bright couldn’t help but smile again as he chewed, closing his eyes and savoring the flavor. “This is great!” He chimed after swallowing that first mouthful. He was quick to enjoy another spoon. “Yeah. First bite always made me feel better too.” Big Mac replied as he scrubbed down the cutting board. “I can’t say ‘thanks’ enough for this. You really didn’t have to go to the trouble.” “I wanted to.” Bright felt his insides jump in delight. He couldn’t remember the last time somepony did something so kind for him. There certainly wasn’t anybody like Big Mac and Bright was more than glad to have him as a friend. After a few minutes, Bright was able to finish the rest of his bowl. Getting up from his seat at the table, he carried his dish with his violet aura and walked over to the sink, sniffling a bit since his nose became stuffed again. “I can wash that for ya.” Big Mac offered. “No no, it’s fine. I can do it.” Bright assured, his voice slightly nasal. He had to rip a paper towel from a roll to blow his nose clear before he could start washing. “Yer cheeks are lookin’ a little red. Are ya sure yer okay?” Big Mac asked. Bright wasn’t feeling too feverish at the moment, but after a second of thought, he realized he might have been blushing. “Y-Yeah...I promise.” He nodded, turning to the sink to wash. He coughed a bit. “Besides, you should have some of the stew too.” “It’s gettin’ awful late. My family’s gonna wonder where I am. ‘Sides, I jus’ wanted to leave you some for the next couple days. It helps to clear up yer cold faster.” “I see.” Bright finished cleaning his bowl and spoon. He took a breath and returned to face Big Mac. “Let me show you to the door then.” He beamed softly. “Thanks again for everything.” He added as the two of them made the short walk to the front door. “Anytime, Bright.” Big Mac smiled before he opened the front door. What he wasn’t expecting was to be greeted by a wall of snow that stood nearly as high as the doorway. A small snowy gust burst inside. “Oh, horsefeathers…” “Aw, horseapples…” Both stallions muttered. Big Mac then closed the door to keep the cold out. Bright retreated to the kitchen, where there was another door, leading to his backyard. He peeked out, seeing another wall of snow trapping them inside. “...We’re snowed in.” “My family’s gonna be worried sick! I didn’t think the snow woulda piled up that fast.” Big Mac fretted as he paced around a bit. “I-I’m real sorry, Bright.” “N-No, it’s alright…” Bright had to pause to let out a sneeze. “A-Ah-CHOO!” “Bless ya.” “Thanks...Y-You’re more than welcome to stay the night. Call it my way of thanking you.” Bright smiled. “I appreciate it. Thank ya.” Big Mac returned the smile. Bright padded over to the fireplace and levitated another log into the pit to keep the flames going. He coughed rather hard and placed his foreleg over his mouth. “I don’t have much in the way of entertainment. I’ve got some books that I borrowed from the library...I mean, they’re mostly about astromancy magic so maybe you wouldn’t find it all that exciting.” Bright shrugged as he sat back down on the couch. “Actually,” Big Mac sat opposite of Bright. “I think magic is kinda interestin’. To be honest, sometimes I dream about bein’ a unicorn instead of an earth pony.” “Really?” “Heh...E-Eeyup.” Big Mac chuckled a bit. “I ain’t ever admitted this to anypony before, but I wish I could do magic, shootin’ beams and doin’ spells like some sorta wizard warrior.” He had a blush hidden under his red fur, feeling a bit exposed to Bright. “I bet that sounds kinda silly, doesn’t it?” “No, not at all!” Bright shook his head. He turned and leaned against the back of his seat, looking over at the bookshelf near his writing desk. Using his magic once more, he pulled out a couple of books and floated them over. “I think you’d really like these books. They’re a fantasy adventure series about a unicorn who runs away from his home planet to escape a big catastrophe and makes friends with a dragon, a wolf, and an owl. They all go on a huge adventure to save their solar system from an evil tyrant!” Bright explained as he lent the first book to Big Mac. Big Mac looked at the hardcover of the novel, which was illustrated with a sketched image of the unicorn protagonist and his friends against a backdrop of some alien planet. Huh…”Terrastra Legends: Ties of the Moonstone.” He read. He opened the book to the first page to begin reading. Bright grinned a bit and decided to reread the second book in the series. A relaxing silence fell upon the room as the two of them read, only broken by Bright’s occasional cough and sniffle. Big Mac was enthralled by the beginning of the story and found his eyes glued to every word. His imagination went wild visualizing each detail of the characters, the action, and the fantastical world. He even found ideas for some things that he could apply to his O&O persona, Sir McBiggin. Time slipped away from Big Mac as hours passed. Then he was broken from his trance when he felt Bright suddenly leaning against his shoulder. “Uh...Bright…?” He was about to tap him before he saw that Bright’s eyes were closed, he was snoring softly, and his book slipped out of his hooves. Big Mac was at a loss for what to do, though he felt his heart race watching Bright sleep. His eyes scanned the living room until he found a clock hanging from the wall near the front door. 9:22 PM. Bit late… He wanted to let Bright lie down, but he didn’t want to disturb his sleep. Big Mac set his story aside on the couch side table. He took great care as he slowly scooted away from Bright, holding him with his hooves and lowering him gently until he was lying down comfortable on the couch, with his head nestled on a throw pillow. Bright’s chipped ear twitched a little and he sniffled, hardly stirred. Then, Big Mac had him covered warm in his blanket. He sighed with the day’s exhaustion catching up to him. Big Mac heard the blizzard still howling outside. It was going to be a cold night. He wished he could have a blanket of his own to bundle up in. His sweater and the fire alone wouldn’t be enough to keep him warm. BUMP! Something upstairs clattered enough to make Big Mac’s heart jump, startled. It was quite a loud bump, which made him wonder if he and Bright were really alone. It couldn’t possibly be somepony breaking in. Not in this weather. Big Mac raised a brow and decided to investigate, walking to the stairs and stepping up to the second floor. It was darker and it got more frigid the higher he stepped, but he could see a corner turning to the left at the top. Upon finishing the climb, he was able to see a light switch on the wall and after flicking it with his hoof, the hallway was lit. Big Mac could see that around the corner was an open door and at the foot of it was a folded, yet slightly ruffled, blanket. He looked inside the door and it was just a closet, with blankets, boxes, and clothes. The blanket on the floor must have fell from the inside, but it couldn’t have made a bump that loud. Big Mac scratched his head in confusion, but was too spent to think much on it. At least, he now had something to keep him warm tonight. He picked up the fallen blanket, closed the door to the closet, turned off the light and returned downstairs. A silent yawn crept out of his mouth as he turned off the remaining lights in the kitchen and living room. Then, Big Mac finally rested on the recliner near Bright’s couch, wrapping himself up in the soft blanket. He sighed as he thought about how his family might be worried about him. He had to get back home first thing in the morning, as soon as the road was cleared of snow. Closing his eyes, he let himself relax and started to drift to sleep. “...Thanks…” Big Mac opened his eyes, hearing Bright mutter something. Bright was still sleeping, but he stirred in unrest, mumbling. “...Thanks...Ivory…F-For the blanket…” He coughed up some phlegm and sniffled his nose. That was the only coherent thing Big Mac could discern from his sleep talk. From then on, Bright would mutter random words in his feverish delirium. “...Ghosts…” “...M-Mom…” Big Mac wondered what Bright could’ve been dreaming about. He hoped that it wasn’t a nightmare, though dreaming about his mom sounded pleasant, at least in a bittersweet way. He smiled and rested his head on the armrest of the recliner, closing his eyes again. “…Buttercup…” “...Nngh...Pear...Butter…” Big Mac’s eyes shot open again, this time in a shock. He stared at Bright, confusion and disbelief prominent on his normally stoic face. That...can’t be a coincidence. How does he know Mom’s names!? Bright had a rude awakening the next morning when a sudden sneeze shocked him out of his slumber. He groaned while a headache made his head throb, prompting him to rub his temples with his hooves. His eyes slowly opened, still sensitive to the morning light from outside his window. He then noticed that he was sleeping on his couch in the living room. That was when Bright remembered what happened the previous night. At that instant, he sat up on the couch, wide awake. “Big Mac?” He looked around the living room after rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. No sign of his friend. Then, Bright felt some moisture on his fetlock and on his face. Tears. Was I crying? He asked himself. He got up to his hooves, wondering where Big Mac was. Then Bright noticed a plate of hay bacon and eggs and a tall glass of orange juice on the dining room table. He moved closer and saw a note sitting right by the plate. “Morning, Bright, Hope you slept alright last night. I had to leave as soon as the road was cleared to get home. I didn’t want my family to worry too bad. Thank you kindly for your kindness and hospitality. Take care of yourself and I hope you feel better soon. I’d like to talk more with you... Your friend, Big Macintosh” Bright smiled at the note and he sat down to the breakfast that Big Mac left for him. As he started to eat, his mind lingered on him. Bright was sure that Big Mac was in a dream he had last night, but he couldn’t remember the details. They fled away from his memory. Still, despite how much he trembled from his cold, Bright was warmed by the thought of how Big Mac cared so much to come to his home and check on him. He returned his journal and cooked him a delicious stew. It was also really nice to have him stay the night. He’s kind and caring. He’s a wonderful friend. Bright felt his cheeks grow warm and his heart beat free and gleefully. I...really like him… Bright paused. No… His breath hitched. I-I can’t...I can’t have a crush on him! Emotion began to shake him. Love. Fear. Joy. Sorrow. His eyes welled up and he cried into his hooves. Please, no! I don’t want this to happen! Not again...