//------------------------------// // Chapter Two - Macintour // Story: Leap of Faith: Shyness Vs. Kindness // by Wolokai //------------------------------// Macintosh sat at his usual place at the Apple Family table in their farmhouse, a mildly annoyed expression etched on his face as he listened to Braeburn go on and on about the town. "Yes siree-bob! Appleloosa's got itself a big bumper harvest this year! The buffalo have been helping us a lot with their stampedin' as well, shakin' all them apples outta the trees! It's been friggin' AAAAAAAAAAAAPPLE-RIFIC!!!" From across the table, Applejack smiled a little, being polite as Appleboom munched loudly through her Apple Fritter. The country mare looked over towards Caramel and frowned, asking "You alright cous'? You barely ate a bite!" Caramel jumped a little at the mention of his name, looking down towards his uneaten fritter and frowning. He looked up, an apologetic look on his face as he muttered "Oh...um, sorry Cousin Jack'. It's just that...um...me n' Braeburn were waitin' for a while for Macintosh to come back so...I helped myself to a few apples..." Big Macintosh's eye twitched, his nostrils flaring a bit. If there was anything Macintosh hated, it was people taking his apples for 'Freebies'. Just as he was about to open his mouth however, Applejack gave him a swift kick from under the table, making him yelp loudly. Everypony at the table jumped a little, eyes locking onto Macintosh in confusion. Applejack chuckled nervously and said "Oh...don't mind Mac'...he got into a bit of a scuffle down at the club he works at...fraid' the wound's still buggin' him." Macintosh shot her a dark look, making the apple mare clear her throat and look towards Applebloom, praying for some kind of subject change. "So Applebloom..." Applejack said with a forced smile, trying not to appear nervous under Macintosh's glare "What uh...what ya'll do today down at the school?" Applebloom looked up, swallowing her fritter and exclaiming "Oh ah had loads of fun today! Arts n' crafts was fun, and we even got an extended recess. Ah had to use the inside bathroom though...ah don't know why ah couldn't use the outside one..." Applejack frowned and muttered "What was wrong with the outside bathroom?" Big Macintosh looked over as well with concern, taking a large bite out of his apple and staring towards his little sister. Applebloom shrugged, saying simply "Ah don't know, Silver Spoon kept saying the bathroom was being used, somethin' bout a 'Hornjob' or what not. What exactly is a-" Macintosh sucked his apple back into his throat, gacking as Applejack's eyes widened and Braeburn spit out his apple soup. Caramel blushed like mad as Macintosh desperately tried to punch himself in the stomach, trying to dislodge the apple piece. With a quick leap, Applejack hopped up onto the table and kicked her two back legs into Macintosh's stomach, giving him a powerful buck. The apple piece came soaring out of the stallion's throat, crashing into Braeburn's soup and splashing it up in his eyes. "BUCK! MAH EYES!!!!!" The Appleloosen colt screamed, flailing his legs about and falling backwards out of his chair. As he flailed however, he smacked his cup of apple-cider to the left, splashing the substance right into Caramel's eyes. The orange colt screamed as he pawed at his eyes "ARGH!!! NOW IT'S MAH EYES!!!!" Applebloom was wide-eyed throughout the whole scene, watching as Applejack turned and spotted a few hand-towels hanging from a nearby wall. "Hold on ya'll!" she shouted "Ah'll get ya'll a towel!" Just as she started to gallop across the table, her hoof hit Caramel's uneaten fritter and caused her to slip backwards, her back hitting the table with a thunderous crash and splitting it in half. Applebloom looked down, blinking for a moment before simply saying "O...k. Ah'm gonna go play with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo for awhile...um...see ya'll later!" She galloped from the kitchen, rushing past Granny Smith who took one look at the mess and sighed. She walked slowly towards the group, speaking in a scolding tone "Come on now ya durn kids...ya'll know yer supposed ta eat the food, not go uh wearin' it!" Macintosh merely held onto his stomach, letting out a deep groan and glaring down at the floor towards his two cousins. Today was going to be horseshit, he could tell. ~~~ "Why do ah have to take them into town again?" Macintosh groaned, his belly still aching from the buck Applejack had given him. Braeburn and Caramel were sitting near the gate, waiting as Macintosh talked to Applejack. "Well we need to clean up the farmhouse, and besides, them two are yer cousins! They don't come round these parts very often and it's only neighborly that we show em round! Quit bein' so...so...mean or whatever!" Macintosh scoffed, whispering "Ah wouldn't have to be if they weren't stealin' apples!" Applejack narrowed her eyes and shook her head, letting out a frustrated sigh "Lam sake's Mac they're family! We can regrow five apples easy! Quit being such a snob over it and go spend some time with yer family! Go on, get!" She slammed the farmhouse door in his face, the stallion rolling his eyes and letting out an aggravated sigh. Caramel was practically bouncing with excitement as Macintosh approached them "Aw yeah! Ah can't wait to go into town, there's so much to do from all them travelin' guides ah been readin'!" Macintosh sighed, nodding and pushing past the gate with a simple "Eeyup..." They made their way down the roads, Caramel practically bouncing with Pinkie-Pie like excitement. Braeburn had a wide smile on his face, his own eyes lit up with excitement as Macintosh hung his head slightly. 'Just a quick tour and come home...' Macintosh thought to himself. 'What's the worst that could happen?' ~~~ "This is the worst thing that could happen" Macintosh sighed with aggravation, watching as Carmel ran about in the streets, trying to catch a butterfly and crashing into things while Braeburn yacked on and on about what they didn't have in Appleloosa. "Lam sakes! Ya'll have FLOWERS!? Shucks, we can't grow nothin' but durn Apple Trees and cactus out there! Oh sweet Apple-pie, ya'll have yer own weather team!? We have to pump our own water outta wells down in Appleloosa!" Macintosh groaned, closing his eyes and shaking his head. He shouted as they walked down Mane Street "For cryin' out loud Caramel, could ya'll act your own age fer o-" He stopped as he felt something hit his chest, the stallion opening his eyes quickly and looking down. A Pegasus mare had run into him by accident, a trail of tiny ducklings behind her and stopping as well. She was a canary-yellow color, her mane pink like cotton candy and her cutie-mark of three butterflies very prominent on her exposed flank. Macintosh blushed as he held a hoof out, speaking with concern "You alright? Sorry bout that miss...ah guess ah wasn't payin' much atten...atten.....a....!" He started to stutter as the Pegasus lifted her head, her eyes openly slowly and staring up into his. Her eyes were a beautiful, light blue color. Their shape soft and had a look of care and tenderness in them. Past this, Macintosh could only sum up the entirety of this mare in one word: Beautiful. The way her wings rested against her sides, the way she stood on those soft, slender legs, the way her mane cutely hid a portion of her face, all of it, just struck Macintosh as downright beautiful. She frowned a little and whispered, trying to get back up on her hooves "Oh...um, It's ok...I wasn't really watching where I was going either...it wasn't your fault..." Macintosh simply stared at her, his jaw slightly agape and his eyes partially widened. They looked at one another for a moment, the two of them oblivious to the sounds of Caramel getting scolded by a pony whose cart he ran into, and the words of Braeburn as he continued to contrast Appleloosa from Ponyville. The mare gently hid her face partially behind her mane and whispered "Um...I guess I should be...going now. B...bye..." She stepped around him carefully, the line of ducks following her as well as Macintosh's stare. He turned his head and watched as she walked down the street, her flank gently bouncing away. The blush on Macintosh's face intensified and he yelped as he felt Braeburn poke his injured side. "Ya'll alright!?" The Appleloosen colt shouted, cocking his head in confusion. Macintosh nodded quickly and stuttered "E...Eeyup! Ah'm fine!" Braeburn frowned and looked down the street in the direction Macintosh had been watching and watched as the Canary-Mare turned a corner, disappearing behind a few houses. He smiled and gently nudged Macintosh in the side, shouting "Aaaaah Cousin, ah think you got eyes fer a certain mare!" Macintosh blushed and shook his head furiously, turning and heading down the street, a red-faced Caramel following out of embarrassment, thankful the stall owner was done scolding him. Macintosh shook his head, partially whimpering "Ah...ah don't know what ya'll is talkin' bout'!" Braeburn narrowed his eyes, simply trotting up alongside the stallion and saying "Now don't you go givin' me that! Honestly runs deep in this here family and Applejack's livin' proof of that, being that element thingy and all! Ya'll was blushin' redder then a ripe apple in the heat o' July, wasn't he Caramel!?" Caramel lifted his head up, muttering "What?" "Exactly!" Braeburn shouted, giving Macintosh an intense stare and shouting "Come on cous'! Why don't ya'll go an talk to her?" Macintosh shook his head, muttering "Ee-Nope! Ah ain't got no time fer mares, ah got too much to do." Braeburn scoffed "Oh that there's horseshit and you durn well know it! Applebuck season is over and ah already heard from Cousin Jack that your other job is closin' for Hearth's Warmin'! Come on now...what other reason do ya have?!" Macintosh frowned and shook his head "Ah ain't got no reason to talk to her is all! It's just plain rude to go talkin' up a storm with somepony outta the blue. It's called manners Braeburn...learn em'!" Braeburn narrowed his eyes, shouting as they entered the town square "Oh yeah? Well I bet yer too shy! And let me tell ya, that right there is hilarious! Big Macintosh the work pony, too damn scared to talk to a tiny little mare. Oh what will Cousin Jack say!? Macintosh stopped in his tracks and shook his head frantically "N...no! Don't tell AJ she'll never let me hear the end of it! Ah think that mare is one o' her friends anyway, ah can't go gettin' into anything with that gal, AJ'll KILL ME!" With that he tilted his head up in a snobbish fashion, stuck his nose up in the air and proceeded through the square. Braeburn however, simply smiled and watched his cousin go, leaning over towards Caramel and whispering "Hey Cousin...ah gots me an idea!" At this, Caramel could only squeak with fright and whimper "Oh no...not again!!!" Whenever it came to Braeburn and his plans, Caramel could do only two things: Pray, and brace for severe pain.