Big Mac swiped a forehoof across his face, sighing in the cool evening breeze. All around he was surrounded by tall pines, their coverage dense and suffocating. He lowered his axe and dropped to all fours. It was time for a breather.
He emerged from the depths of the pine forest into a large clearing. To the left was a sizable pile of unsplit logs, a blazing fire nearby. To his right, a serene lake reflected the heavens. There he had a stellar view of the twilight sky. Twilight. The word left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Exhaustion creaked in his joints and he swayed on his hooves. He had been at it for hours already, and this was just one day of many over the last few weeks as he worked to reclaim a piece of Apple property from the passage of time. This particular piece of land hadn’t been cultivated since Granny Smith was a young mare.
It was a daunting task; pine tree invaders took up every inch of the area and it was strenuous work felling even one tree. Quite a few times other ponies had offered to help him, but he declined them all. It was his project. He had made up his mind to do it alone.
No matter how long it took.
Big Mac sat down by his fire, grateful for the bit of warmth on his aching forehooves. It was getting late; the sun had already set and the shadows were beginning to stretch and warp around him.
The family would be getting worried. He didn’t care. He had no plans to return home tonight.
But why? What was he doing here alone, so late? He didn’t want to think about it.
He took a deep breath and hauled himself back to his hooves. No time to dilly dally, there was work to be done. He lumbered over to a tree at the edge of the clearing, abandoning his earlier work in favor of staying within the firelight. Even from a distance he could hear the crackling.
He hefted up the axe and took the first swing at the trunk.
If only his family had shown a bit of consideration for his feelings, he wouldn’t be out here right now working himself to the bone.
He tugged it out and swung again.
If only he hadn’t gotten attached to a lie, he’d be able to live with himself.
He swung the axe over and over again, losing himself to the memories. The horror of Hearts and Hooves day flashed before his eyes, mocking him and taunting him with things that never would be.
The sting of sweat in his eyes broke him free. Blinking past the tears, he took in the sight of the tree trunk nearly cleaved through, and he shakily sunk to the ground.
Oh Cheerilee, Big Mac inwardly moaned, cradling his aching head. When he had been under the effects of the love poison, reality became warped and time passed by slowly. What was an hour or so for the others was years for him and Cheerilee.
After dating her for so long, it was about time they got married.
When Cheerilee accepted his proposal, he was the happiest stallion alive. The treatment he got from his family and friends right after was not only shocking and humiliating but traumatic.
Coming off of the poison and realizing just how little time had passed was even worse.
Now here he was, pining after a mare that didn’t seem to remember a thing about her time under the spell. Cheerilee continued on like nothing happened between them. She held no resentment toward the ponies that tied her up and locked her away, had no hard feelings against the fillies responsible.
Really, that was the way it should be with him, too.
But no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t shake off the poison-induced delusion, couldn’t forgive his sister for thinking that sneaking him a “love potion” would be an okay thing to do.
He could barely talk to his family anymore. Not that he did much of that before, but now he actively avoided being around them. They noticed, but all of them were respecting his space. Allowing the distance he wanted to keep.
Or at least they had, until earlier that day. Leave it to Applejack to shatter the fragile peace between them.
He was stuck in a place he didn’t want to be anymore. He needed to get away. But where would he go? The farm was all he knew, and he had been content until… it happened.
He had always thought he’d live out all his days on Sweet Apple Acres, even when Applejack left as a filly for the big city. She had left and saw what was out there, but he had always stayed behind.
Maybe it was his turn to leave the farm, explore what was out there for him.
Loud rustling sounded from the treeline, and the last pony Big Mac wanted to see stepped into the firelight, removing her stetson.
He turned away and gazed skyward, catching sight of the distant mountains. They seemed to call out to him, and in that moment he made a decision.
A delivery was overdue.