//------------------------------// // Pie for Tomorrow // Story: Melody for my Dear // by FerociousCreation //------------------------------// Melody for My Dear Ch. 2 Birds flew over the hospital as a new day began for the small town of Pony Ville. Very few clouds were hovering in the air and the skies were fresh and clean from another spring rainfall. Two months have passed since Big Macintosh came to the hospital after the tree branch pierced his hind leg. During his time being injured, he was stuck in a wheel chair until his leg made a full recovery. The poor stallion has not been able to stand for the past two months and was eager to get out of the chair he sat in. Applejack wanted to bring Big Macintosh to town and the farm to ease his boredom, but he scooted away from her every time she brought it up to him. The only thing the stallion wanted to do during the time being at the hospital was to read the Pony Ville newspaper in the cafeteria. Once ah get out of this wheel chair, ah will be ma good old self Big Macintosh thought with a bit of a smile. At the front desk of the Pony Ville Hospital, Applejack and Applebloom were waiting for the doctor to see if Big Macintosh’s leg would be healed to the point where he could walk. “I wonder why you couldn’t use crutches big brother,” said Appebloom looking up to her older siblings. “Well the doctor said that he needs to make sure the wound heals all the way before he could walk again. Don’t want to open it up and stay in that chair any longer, right Big Mac?” “Eeyup,” replied Big Macintosh a bit slumped in his wheelchair. He was becoming impatient with the doctor because of how long he was taking. Even Applebloom was becoming impatient as well and started to make faces in the reflection of the tile floor. The reflection was very blurry, but doing anything but waiting was keeping her entertained. After what seemed like a long apple buck season, a nurse came from the left hallway and approached the three ponies. As she approached, the three siblings had a look of anticipation, ready for the news to be given. The nurse pony stopped in front of the desk and said, “The doctor said it is okay for you to no longer use your wheelchair.” “Yea hear that big brother,” said Applebloom with joy. “Eeyup!” “That is mighty fine news. Thanks for caring for my brother sugar cube,” said Applejack. Before the happy siblings could turn around and leave, the nurse quickly walked over to Big Macintosh and handed him a small container filled with pills. The look on the stallion’s face was a bit of a sickened look and glanced at the nurse. “I know you don’t like these, but when you take them, your leg will make a quicker recovery.” Despite the nurse’s fact, the red stallion hated taking the pills. When he would take them, his leg would fall asleep and have an uncomfortable feeling in his leg. It felt like ants were crawling inside of his leg as if a colony lived inside of his bone marrow. Then the white colored nurse opened the jar of pills and took out a yellow pill. The now cowardly stallion puckered his lips as he did not want to take the pill. “Now come on,” the nurse beckoned, but Big Macintosh turned his head and tightly closed his eyes. The white pony sighed, looked at Applejack, and said, “If he does this behavior, you can always do this…” She then lightly poked Big Macintosh in the ribs and caused him to yell “AH!” and crammed the pill in his mouth. A very bitter look fell on the red stallion’s face as he painfully swallowed the pill. “There, was that so hard,” smiled the nurse. “E…eyup,” he coughed and stuck out his tongue, trying to rid of the pill’s disgusting flavor. Great, now I can’t even walk home and stuck in this confound chair. Least this is the last day in this worthless contraption with wheels… thought the stallion. “Well, your brother has been checked out and all of the paperwork has been signed.” “Alright, thanks again for being mighty kind to my brother and healin’ up his leg,” smiled Applejack and the three siblings started to walk out of the hospital and out the doors. Before the door closed, the nurse called out to them, “Hope to see you again soon!” Applejack turned around, smiled, and tipped her cowpony hat to the nurse as the glass doors closed themselves, and the three ponies then started to head back to the farm. “What an awful thing to say,” shouted Applebloom, looking up at her siblings as Applejack was pushing Big Macintosh’s wheelchair. “Eeyup.” “What are you yammerin’ about Applebloom,” said Applejack in confusion. “Did ya hear what the nurse said?” “Yeah, just wishin’ us well and sayin’ her farewells.” “No, how she said…” Applebloom now changed her tone and said in a deep silly tone, “…Oh, hope to see you again.” “Yeah… what about it sis?” The filly’s voice returned to normal and responded, “Shouldn’t they have been more caring and say something like…” Once again, Applebloom’s said in a sarcastic deep voice, “…Live long and prosper,” holding up one hoof next to her face as she pretended to be a nurse. “Eeyup,” spoke Big Macintosh agreeing with his little sister. Applejack smiled and said, “It’s just their way of sayin’ be healthy is all.” The three ponies were walking through the town of Pony Ville. The straw top villa homes surrounded the siblings as they continued through town. All kinds of ponies walked past them, doing whatever they need to get accomplished before the day’s end. Some pegasi flew overhead while earth ponies were on the ground, tending to their homes or shops. “Quite the hustle and bustle today,” said Applejack. “Eeyup.” After walking for some time, the three of them approached the hill in town and started to walk up the hill. There were homes still around them, but significantly fewer because of the incline of the hill. After walking up the hill for a short while, a short figure was starting to approach the three ponies at an extreme rate of speed. As it got closer, the figure started to show that it was a short pegasus filly wearing a helmet, on a scooter. “Hey, it’s Scootaloo,” said Applebloom in excitement. She waved at her friend with her hoof, but the orange filly didn’t acknowledge because of the rate of her speed. Scootaloo’s dark pink hair fluttered in the wind and her wings flapped at a fast rate, propelling herself to go even faster. After zipping past the three ponies, Scootaloo was approaching something that appeared to be a wooden ramp from the perspective of Applebloom. The pegaus filly looked up at a cloud that was directly above the ramp. After looking up for a short time, she then looked down at the ramp, squinting her eyes and grinning, ready to take off from the ramp. The ramp was curved at a ninety degree angle, so she would shoot up towards the cloud. Body crouched down and hooves on the handlebars, Scootaloo took off from the ramp and shot towards the cloud. Applebloom awed at how high her friend went up, but Big Macintosh and Applejack were more concerned if the pegasus filly was going to make it. Flapping ever so hard, Scootaloo reached for the cloud and tried to make a grab for it. Despite how fast she was going, it was not long before Isaac Hoofton’s law of gravity took effect. Settling in the air for a moment, Scootaloo flailed one of her arms, reaching for the cloud with one arm as she held onto the scooter handlebar with another. Despite her valiant effort, her reach was not enough to catch the cloud. Scootaloo flapped her tiny wings violently, hovering in the air for a brief moment trying to grab onto the cloud, but even that was fruitless. Watching helplessly, Applejack, Applebloom, and Big Macintosh gasped as soon as Scootaloo began to descend slowly. “Ah can’t watch!” Applebloom buried her face into her sister’s mane, because she did not want to see her friend’s fate. Blinded by her sister’s hair, all the filly could think about is the outcome her friend was about to face. But instead of hearing a blood curdling scream from her friend, Applebloom heard a sigh of relief from her brother and sister. “What is it Applejack,” said Applebloom as she removed her face from her sister’s hair. Applejack pointed in the direction of the cloud that Scootaloo was trying to grab onto. Looking very closely, the filly could see her friend in the sky, holding onto her scooter, and dangling from something that looked like a blue arm. Scootaloo was then pulled up into the cloud and after a brief moment, she was up in the air, flying on the back of Rainbow Dash, a light blue pegasus with a beautiful rainbow mane for hair. The filly pegasus was holding onto her scooter with one arm, and another arm a bit around Rainbow Dash’s neck. Seeing her friends looking up at her and Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash flies down towards them and lands next to them, letting down Scootaloo from her back. “Hey guys, how’s it-” Rainbow Dash spoke but was interrupted by Applebloom. “Ya nearly gave me a heart attack Scootaloo,” she yelled as she hugged Scootaloo tightly. Scootaloo looked at her worried friend and said, “It’s okay Applebloom, I’m fine.” Applebloom mustered up a smile and looked at her friend, tears welting up in her eyes. A light blue arm fell on Applebloom’s shoulder and Rainbow Dash said with a smile, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to my biggest fan.” “Oh, hehe,” giggled Scootaloo, folding her ears in embarrassment. From Rainbow Dash’s complement, Scootaloo could not doubt that she was her biggest fan; after all, she is the president of the Rainbow Dash Fan Club. The cowpony looked at looked at Rainbow Dash and said, “Bit of a warnin’ woulda been nice Rainbow.” “Eeyup,” replied her brother. “There’s no need to fear when Rainbow Dash is here,” said the rainbow maned pegasus, raising a hoof to her chest. “Just don’t let yer stubborn pride overcome yer senses, ya hear,” Applejack chuckled with a smile. “Are you forgetting who won the Iron Pony Competition,” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Well maybe if ya didn’t use yer wings, it woulda been a fair match.” “Oh yeah?” While the two mares were getting into each other’s faces, Applebloom looked at Scootaloo and said, “Hey, wasn’t Applejack holdin’ onto mah brother’s wheelchair?” “Eeyup,” cried Big Macintosh as his wheelchair accelerated down the hill. The slope had a bit of a steep decline, so the speed of the poor stallion’s wheelchair rapidly increased velocity. To make matters worse was that he was headed in the direction of a watermelon stand. The ponies running the stand scrambled to get out of the way, waiting for the inevitable. Rainbow Dash was about to take off to save Big Macintosh when she realized that Scootaloo was on her scooter, revving her way to the helpless stallion. When the filly caught up to him, she grabbed onto one of the handles and steered the wheelchair out of the way of the stand. She then pulled back and flapped her wings to create drag and slow down the two of them to ensure a safe stop. Soon the slope of the hill became flat ground and the two of them came to a complete stop. Suddenly, there was an uproar of cheering ponies because of Scootaloo’s daring rescue. She blushed and her ears folded from embarrassment. Applejack, Applebloom, and Rainbow Dash ran down the hill, happy to see Big Macintosh out of harm’s way. Rainbow Dash then put her head from beneath Scootaloo and lifted her up with the filly on her head. The rainbow maned pegasus then shouted, “Let’s hear it for Scootaloo!” The ponies around Scootaloo once again cheered in applause as she sat up on Rainbow Dash’s head, proud of her accomplishment as well as flustered from all the attention given to her. *** “Ah never thought you would be so brave Scootaloo,” said Applebloom with a smile on her face. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were following the three siblings back to Sweet Apple Acres and were almost to the farm. Resting on Rainbow Dash’s head, Scootaloo replied with a bit of disappointment, “I wish I got my cutie mark by doing something crazy today and saving your brother sure was crazy.” She looked at her flank but saw no cutie mark. Every other pony seemed to have one but her and her two other friends, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. “Wonder what that cutie mark would be, savin’ my brother an’ all,” said Applejack in curiosity. “Maybe the look on your brother’s face,” laughed Rainbow Dash. Big Macintosh was in his wheelchair with a frozen frightened face with one of his eyes twitching. Just the thought of him crashing into the melon stand still frightened him. Everypony laughed at Rainbow Dash’s remark, except for Big Macintosh who exaggerated a chuckle. “Oh hush big brother,” said Applejack as she pushed his wheelchair. “At least yer safe from harm.” “Eeyup,” the red stallion replied with a sigh because she was right. Applejack chuckled and looked at Rainbow Dash and said, “Thanks for helping me out for the past few weeks at the farm Rainbow.” “No problem! Can’t leave my best friend hangin’.” Rainbow Dash put an arm around Applejack with a smile as they walked to the farm. Because of Big Macintosh’s injury, work around the farm would be very slow. So Applejack asked Rainbow Dash and her other friends to help out on the farm during her brother’s absence from work. Before the ponies could realize it, they were already at the entrance to the farm. A white fence surrounded the entire farm and the ponies walked through an opening of the gate. A vine of flowers were hanging onto the overhand as they entered. Chickens were pecking at the ground, hoping to find something edible. There was a corn field to the left of the dark pink barn house, and to the right was a large field of apples as far as the eye could see; some of the trees even wrapped around the neighboring hill that was nearby. After entering the farm, Rainbow Dash flew up into the air and round the barn with Scootaloo still on her head. Rainbow Dash then sat onto a cloud, next to the wind dial that was at the point of the house. She saw from above Applejack pushing her brother to the front window of the barn and heard Applejack sigh in relief, “Glad to have you home.” “Eeyup,” said Big Macintosh with a smile and he turned his chair around to see what was behind him. Only thing that Big Macintosh could see was how scattered things were around the farm. Nopony was keeping the chickens near their coops, some barrels were lying in the corn field, some were filled with ears of corn, and there were messy chunks of straw everywhere. He wanted to see if the apple tree part of the farm was a mess, but he decided to stay put. “Sorry ‘bout the big mess Big Mac,” Applejack chuckled nervously. “Don’t you worry big brother, we will spruce up the place in a jiffy,” Applebloom spoke in a cheerful mood. “Eeyup,” smiled the red stallion. After Applebloom’s determination to clean up the barn, Applejack called out to the others and shouted, “Then let’s get to it yall! Applebloom, you and Scootaloo go round up them chickens. After that, go clean up the corn field and set the wheel barrels next to the farm shed. Rainbow Dash, come help me in the apple field!” “On it,” said the now- working ponies. Rainbow Dash flew off of the cloud she was sitting on and let Scootaloo on the ground so that the filly pegasus could help Applebloom. Applebloom and Scootaloo ran off to the chicken coops as Applejack and Rainbow Dash went into the apple fields. Unfortunately for Big Macintosh, he was restrained from leaving his chair because of the medication that he had taken earlier in the day. Gosh darn nurse cramming that capsule they call a pill thought the stallion as he sat in the wheel chair. He would rather put in a hard day of work than to lie around and do nothing. At least this is the last day to be constricted to this confound pair of wheels he thought again as he let out a heavy sigh. But for some reason, Big Macintosh felt drowsy, as if the cool shade from the overhang of the kitchen window was giving him an intoxicating sense of tiredness. Soon, vision in the stallion’s eyes began to get blurry and his head began to droop down slowly. The last thing that Big Macintosh saw was Applebloom walking on a barrel backwards and Scootaloo was rolling on the inside of it as the two of them were laughing. It seemed only a matter of seconds when he closed his eyes and felt a violent rattle from his wheelchair and heard Rainbow Dash say, “Wake up ya lazy colt!” Time somehow flew by as Big Macintosh slept. It was late afternoon as the sky was very orange from the sun heading in the west. Shaking his head, Big Macintosh saw that the chickens were not walking around the farm and the corn fields had no more barrels sprawled out by the stocks and instead, were inside of the barn shed where it was supposed to be. “That was some mighty fine hard workin’ yall,” called Applejack to the others. Applebloom and Scootaloo ran over to where Big Macintosh was still sitting. “Hey big sis,” said Applebloom looking up at her sister. “Ya think Big Mac can get off his wheelchair” “I don’t see why not lil’ sis. The medicine the doctor gave us should’ve worn out by now.” Before Applejack can try to help her brother out of the chair, Big Macintosh threw his arms forward to gain momentum, took a stand upwards for a brief moment, and then fell forward to stand on all four hooves. He scraped the ground with his front hoof and shook his back hind leg that was injured by the tree branch. No pain, no aching, but a sudden rush of joy. “Feel any better brother,” said Applebloom in concern. “Eeyup,” said Big Macintosh with a very happy and energetic tone. With all the energy he had, Big Macintosh rose on his hind legs, letting out a loud “YEEEHHHAAAWWW” call as he ran out of the barn and straight into the apple fields, leaving his sisters and friends behind. Nothing felt better than to feel the air rush in between his ears and the stallion’s heart raced and pumped all of the pent up blood that had been resting in his body for so long. After running for some time, Big Macintosh slowed down and walked out of the fields. From afar, he saw a familiar pegasus talking to Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and the two fillies. It was Fluttershy and she was looking bright as ever as she smiled and talked to the four of them. Beside her was a basket with something inside of it. Applejack then finished talking and pointed in the direction of where Big Macintosh ran off to and Fluttershy turned her head to see the red stallion. He waved at her with a smile, as she replied with a gentle wave, but shyly lowered her head and her ears folded. Before Big Macintosh could try to walk over to the group of them, Rainbow Dash was making her farewells to the fillies and Applejack, then flying off with Fluttershy trailing from behind. He wanted to call out, but somehow something held him back. Shrugging off from missing the farewell, Big Macintosh then walked back to the farm and approached the now three of them. As he approached, Applebloom walked over to him and said, “Big Mac, can you do me a favor for tomorrow?” “Eeyup,” he nodded with a smile. “Do you mind walking me and Scootaloo over to Fluttershy’s cottage tomorrow? We just have to pick up Sweetie Bell along the way is all.” “Eeyup.” “Yeay,” said Applebloom and Scootaloo in unison, both happy to have an escort to Fluttershy’s house. “Alright yall, get inside,” said Applejack instructing the fillies to get inside of the house. Jumping for joy, Applebloom and Scootaloo ran inside causing a bit of a ruckus as the two older ponies walked inside. They heard the hoofsteps of the young ponies running up and down the hallway from the second story. Applejack and Big Macintosh both laughed while they entered the home of the Apple Family. A yawn came from Applejack and looked at her brother and said, “Fewy, I sure am plumtuckered out Big Mac. Mind lockin’ up the house before comin’ upstairs for bed?” “Eeyup.” “Alright.” Applejack let out a long yawn and slowly walked up the wooden staircase. “Night Big Mac,” she called before Big Mac heard a door close from upstairs. Now the stallion was now alone, but the sound of the two fillies thumping the floor with their hooves and giggling seemed to keep him company. I always love the sound of my lil sis having fun with her friends thought Big Macintosh as we walked over to the door to close it and lock up the house. Before closing the door however, the basket that Fluttershy left was resting where she left it. Curiosity overcame the red stallion and he walked over to the basket to see what was inside of it. To his surprise, nothing was inside of the basket. However, the basket was covered in some green vines and leaves and some yellow flowers were attached to the basket. He looked from side to side to see if anypony was looking as he picked up the basket handle with his mouth. Walking inside of the home once again and locking the door, Big Macintosh wondered why Fluttershy left her basket at the farm. Did Applejack take whatever was inside of it? Perhaps Fluttershy just forgot the basket in the first place. It pondered the stallion on why Fluttershy left it. But then he started to think about her. Images of him stopping the tree from falling on Fluttershy flashed in his mind and thought about how she kept him company before help arrived. A smile fell upon Big Macintosh’s face and felt his heart warm up. Wish she would've visited me at the hospital he frowned. After spending all of the energy running around the farm, Big Macintosh found himself tired once again and decided to call it a light. Before returning upstairs, he turned off all the lights and placed the basket in the kitchen. He opened his door to his room to see that not much of his belongings have been touched other than his bed, which was made. The only thing left for the red stallion to do was set the alarm and hit the hay. All I got to do in the mornin’ is make the girls lunch for tomorrow an’ walk them to Fluttershy’s home, thought Big Macintosh as he drifted to sleep. Maybe make… a pie… for Fluttershy.