//------------------------------//
// Conclusion 
// Story: A Family Rivalry 
// by Twogunkid 
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“Don’t come back till ya found tha perfect one” Applejack’s words echoed in Big Macintosh mind, as he trudged all over Ponyville in search of the perfect tree. He had been having little success. Mr. Piney, who he usually go a tree from, was low on trees, saying he needed to reseed his inventory this year. So after wandering around Ponyville and finding good strong pine tree scarce, it looked like the Everfree Forest was his only option.
He’d never actually visited the forest, but seeing as Applejack and Applebloom seemed to explore it on a regular basis, he felt fine exploring it.  The snow was thinner inside the forest, because of the dense tree cover. Other than the occasional cardinal tweeting the only sound was the gentle crunch of snow under his hooves.  Many of the trees were bare, and the occasional evergreen he passed was too small or not straight enough to be of any interest. 
Passing a large gnarled tree he saw  a steep cliff with a narrow path zigzagging up to the top. On top of the cliff was a magnificent pine tree, almost fifteen feet tall and perfectly straight.  He unhitched his wagon, and began making his way up the path. Reaching  the top he took hold of his axe tilted his head back and swung. A small scratch seemed to be all that came of Big Macintosh’s powerful swing, he repeated the process over and over. Finally the tree began to topple. 
Big Macintosh realized he may not of thought this out as well as he should of. The tree tumbled down the cliff, thankfully its near invincible bark kept intact. It crashed into the gnarled tree, he had passed on the up. He rushed down the path as quickly as he dared. It appeared the tree had been hollowed out. A sense of dread came over Big Macintosh “Somepony lives there” he thought to himself. He continued rushing down . He pulled the tree free and tied it to his wagon. It was remarkably undamaged. The gnarled tree however had a large gap in the walls of a bed room and a room filled with all sorts of strange plants and rocks Big Macintosh had never seen before. He began piecing bits of wood together in an attempt to fix the wall. He took off his saddlebags, placing the axe inside he looked around for anything that could help. He had some wood glue. “If it works on barns it should work on trees” he thought to himself, and even managed a decent makeshift repair. The problem was, he was out of wood. He had somehow used all the tree bark patching the hole to the main room. The bedroom still had a gaping hole in it. He began pacing back and forth in the snow.  How was he going to explain this to the poor pony whose home he had ruined?
“There is something quite wrong with my hall
Mainly the tree shaped hole in the wall.”
Big Macintosh gulped, he took a deep breath. He was responsible for this and he wasn’t one to shirk responsibility.  He would apologize to this pony…zebra. The zebra looked up and noticed him to. The zebra was wearing large golden earrings and wore a green cloak draped over her. Big Macintosh realized he was staring, he quickly opened his mouth and tried to talk.
“Ah’m real sorry m’am.  Is jus’ I was tryin’ to cut down this tree an it fell. Ah ruined ya beautiful  face-Ah mean house. That’s not ta say ya face ain’t beautiful. Ah mean-” Big Macintosh felt he must be turning a whole new shade of red. To make matters worse the zebra still seemed shocked by the hole in the wall. He hadn’t been this embarrassed since he lost the bet with Applejack and had to wear Granny’s girdle.  “Ah shoot ah am not good with words like Applejack is” he muttered to himself. It wouldn’t be so dang awkward if the zebra would stop staring at him.
The zebra’s ears perked up at the mention of Applejack’s name.
“Applejack is my friend who lives on a farm
Who are you who does me harm?”
Big Macintosh could swear he was turning redder. This must be that zebra Zecora who Applebloom went to visit so much. “Uh-Ah-”
“Do not stand there yammering like a fool
Tell me who you are who could be so cruel”
Rubbing his hat against his head Big Macintosh tried to speak again
“Mah name’s Big Macintosh Miss Zecora. Ah’m Applejack’s big sister… Ah mean brother!” He was beginning to sweat and almost wished he hadn’t draped a blanket over his flanks. “Ah’m real sorry bout your house. Ah swear ah didn’t mean no harm”
“It is alright Stallion with coat of red
One question. Where am I to lodge without my bed?”
“Ah’m real sorry Miss Zecora. Y’all could have my room. I could sleep in tha barn till Ah can fix your roof.” He felt himself blushing. Did he really just invite a mare over? He could hardly believe he had said that. Applejack was never going to let him hear the end of this. Part of him hoped she would decline his offer. No such luck.
“A most generous response
For I  am at a loss.
Lead on pony with hair that’s  red
So that might find a spot to rest my head.”
The zebra gathered a few things, and loaded them into a small cart. Despite her insistence Big Macintosh hitched it up to the wagon he had loaded the tree on and pulled both. He amazingly kept an pace fairly close to a normal trot. Years of hard work had enabled him to pull the heavy load with ease, he could easily outperform applejack, but he kept that to himself knowing how competitive his younger sister was. The walk out of the forest was marked by an extraordinarily awkward silence. Big Macintosh had tried to break the ice now and then, but all his small talk had been politely responded to and then the conversation stopped. 
Exiting the forest Big Macintosh came to the large hill that separated his family farm from the forest. His hooves dug into the snow. He worked to keep his grip digging through the thin snow and into the dirt. Zecora easily ascended the hill and offered to take her possessions.  Mac would have none of it. With a great burst of effort he reached the crest of the hill and walked on the even terrain towards the homestead. Unhitching himself from the first cart the Red Earth Pony began carrying Zecora’s things in.
“Mac-ie? Issat you?” The elderly voice came from the kitchen. 
“Yes Granny. Ah brought company.” Big Macintosh’s voice carried through the house. It made him sound far more assertive then he actually was. The Ancient Green Earth Pony ambled into the den.
“Mac I didn’t know you  were bringing home a Mare friend. Ah would have made pie.” Big Macintosh started to interject but his Grandmother was already offering Zecora  the Grand Tour. She disliked the idea of simply being Mac’s Mare Friend and shot him a look that would freeze Applajack’s Famous Hard Cider.  Mac began trying to explain the problem away when he noticed the clock was at half past two. Excusing himself, and hoping Granny would not embarrass him too much he went to pick up his little sister from school. 
The air was pleasant in Ponyville. Big Macintosh had subconsciously hooked himself back to his now empty wagon. He wasn’t quite sure why he needed it, but he had a nagging feeling that he did. He made his way to Ponyville Elementary School when he came upon a familiar face headed the same way. 
“Howdy Mister-” The Unicorn in the Hawaiian Shirt cut him off. Mac found the unicorn always wore the same flamboyant shirt no matter the weather.
“How many times do I have to tell you Mac? Call me Magnum. So hows your lil’ sis doing?”
“Which one? Tha’ one that’s friends with your daughter or tha one that’s friends with your daughter?”
“Ho Hahaha!” The unicorn began laughing louder and longer than Mac expected his small joke to warrant. “You always know how to crack me up Mac. I guess Applebloom first, then Applejack.”
“Applebloom is tha’ same ol’ same ol’. Always trying ta earn her cutie mark. Almost broke my neck when tha’ attempted to be Cutie Mark Crusader Figure Skaters and froze tha’ area right in front o’ tha’ barn.” Magnum began laughing, again more than one would expect “an AJ’s hanging round Carousel Boutique with your Daughter t’day.” The two stallions continued trotting towards the schoolhouse. Reaching their destination, Big Macintosh stopped as three all too familiar fillies swarmed around. 
“Hiya Bro! What’s with the wagon? Are we picking family up from the train station?” That was it. That was why he got the wagon.
“Eeyup” Big Macintosh swiped his hoof over his brow. Knowing why he had the cart was a load off his mind. Scootaloo was waving goodbye and was off on her scooter in a flash.
“Ready to go Sweetie Belle?”
“Sure thing Dad! Bye Applebloom!” Sweetie Belle and Magnum began their trek home. Leaving Big Mac and Applebloom in the schoolyard. 
“So Applebloom how’s mah favorite football filly doin’?” Big Mac asked as the two made their way to the train station.
“Aww shucks Big Mac. I didn’t even earn my cutie mark for it. You don’t have to keep complementin’ me on it. Applejack says my head will swell up!” Applebloom seemed genuinely frightened by this idea.
“Ah think yah sis’ said y’all would get a swelled head. It’s an expression for when a pony gets too fulla themselves. Your head ain’t actually gonna swell.”
“What a relief.” Applebloom let out a huge sigh before talking about the activites she had planned with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle for the break. Big Macintosh listened occasionally advising against things like “Cutie Mark Crusader Rodeo Clowns” and “Cutie Mark Crusader Demolition-Mares” He tried exposing the virtues of doing something safe like making Gingerbread houses. The two eventually coming to a stop at the Ponyville train station. The board said the train from Appaloosa was delayed because of the snow, the one from Manehattan should arrive shortly though. 
Applebloom and Big Macintosh began building a snowpony.  It wasn’t the greatest snowpony ever constructed, it fell over a few times, but the siblings were pretty proud of it in the end. Applebloom decided it needed something and ran around the station gathering random items that had been discarded. She arrived first with a beat up moth eaten scarf. The red scarf was hastely wrapped around the snow pony’s neck as Applebloom ran off looking for things to adorn her snow pony.  She returned and spat two pieces of lost train coal out. She stuck her tongue out and began making gagging sounds. After licking a little snow she decided to use her hooves to give her snowpony eyes. 
“It needs somethin’” Applebloom tapped her hoof to her chin as she thought aloud. 
“Eeyup.” Big Macintosh placed his hat, the symbol of his long awaited victory over Cousin Braeburn atop the snowpony. 
“Perfect!” Applebloom began walking around appraising her snow pony. Then she span around seeing if she had earned a cutie mark for “snow architecture.” Big Macintosh let her down gently and distracted her from her disappointment by pointing to the incoming train from Manehattan.  Applebloom jumped up and down and excitedly greeted her Aunt, Uncle, and the now walking albeit a bit wobbly cousin Tangerine.  Big Macintosh loaded his family’s luggage into his wagon and the group waited for the Appaloosa train, which pulled into the station not long after.
The extended Apple family did not exit the platform right away, rather Big Macintosh saw Braeburn hitched up to a wagon exit on the other side of the platform. He glanced at the snowpony and a look of disgust flashed across his face. He let out an impressive shout
“Race y’all to Sweet Apple Acres!” Braeburn left at a full gallop before Mac could even respond. Grabbing his hat off the snow pony he hitched himself up to the wagon and began to pull. 
“C’mon Big Bro. You’re not gonna let him beat us are you?”
“Nope.” Braeburn may be faster, but he forgot one thing. Mac was a work horse, he was used to pulling heavy wagons. His endurance would let him beat his cousin with ease he figured.  The wagon bounced up and down on the half snow covered streets of Ponyville. Though his Aunt and Uncle were complaining, his cousin Tangerine thought this was the greatest thing since sliced apples.  In the home stretch Big Macintosh saw Braeburn’s cart. He grinned to himself. There was no way Braeburn would beat him on his own farm road.
“You got this Big Mac!” Applebloom’s cheers and Tangerine’s laughs almost drowned out the panicked voices of his Aunt and Uncle. Neck and neck the two crossed fence line and slid to a halt in front of the farm house. 
“Looks like I win Little Mac!” Before Mac could respond himself his little Sister was there defending his honor.
“No way Braeburn! We won that race!” While Braeburn tried to find a way to argue against a filly. Mac started unloading the various pieces of luggage. He was taking Aunt and Uncle Orange’s things up when he heard a voice he had hoped to avoid.
“Big Macintosh. Ah think we need to have a little talk.” Applejack had her dead serious voice in full swing. Big Mac gulped and tried to play innocent.
“Bout what sis?” Big Macintosh gulped and let his eyes wandering away from his irate looking younger sister.
“You know darn well what. Y’all ruined one of mah friend’s homes” That was a relief at least she wasn’t mad about Zecora moving in temporarily “and then you invite her to live here. When we’re s’posed to be havin’ company.” Spoke too soon. “Ah like Zecora and it was sweet of you tah give uo yer own room, but c’mon Mac we need all hooves on deck when we’re havin’ so many guests.” 
“Ah know sis’ and ah’ll be givin’ one hundred and ten percent fer ya.” Applejack seemed reassured, two traits both she and her brother had in common were honesty and a tendency to work themselves half to death. 
“All right Big Mac. That’s good enough for me.” Applejack went to greet guests in the parlor. Uncle Orange seemed to have taken a real shine to Zecora, giving Mac great looks of approval when he found out she was his guest.  Once the guests were settled in Mac took to walking the area looking for suitable trees to fix Zecora’s house. On a farm that grows trees one would think he find one that would be suitable for lumber. 
“You did not have to be so kind to me
Your conversation with Applejack I heard but did not see.”
Zecora had snuck up on him. Mac was flustered as usual he was having trouble even talking straight when an attractive mare was around.
“T’weren’t nothin’” He mumbled. Zecora walked around trying to get Big Macintosh to make eye contact.
“I heard you were shy of mares from your Uncle Orange
………” Zecora stood there thinking for a few moments while Mac continued to blush, silently thanking and cursing his Uncle at the same time. “I guess I cannot always rhyme. The point is: I am and a mare and I am here
There is no reason for you to fear”
Mac felt he might blackout from joy. For once things seemed to be going well with a mare and he wasn’t about to mess this up. He would be confidant. He would be assertive. He would…walk into an apple tree while thinking. Picking himself up he felt he was making a foal of himself again and hung his head in shame. Zecora kept cheering him up, laughing when his attempts to impress her backfired. She appreciated the gesture, and continued to keep Mac in good spirits as the pair wandered the farm.
By the time they returned to the farmhouse, the pair was having a wonderful time, and forgotten all about finding quality lumber.  Zecora made her way to her current lodgings while Mac sat down on the sofa.
“There’s the stallion of the hour. When can we expect grand-nephews and nieces?” Aunt Orange nudged her husband with her hoof. Uncle Orange gave a playful laugh “We’re happy for you Mac. It’s nice to see you happy.” Big Macintosh never understood why his Aunt and Uncle Orange were so estranged from the family. They lived in the big city, but they were some of the finest ponies Big Macintosh had ever had the pleasure of knowing. 
Big Macintosh embraced his Aunt and Uncle in an impromptu hug, both relatives laughed and returned the hug. The trio sat by the fire as various members of the Apple family talked, and laughed into the wee hours of the night. As his Aunt and Uncle retired Mac picked up the heavy blanket he wore as a coat, tossed it over his back and went out into the night.
It was clear and crisp, the snow made a pleasant crunch with each step.  Nothing could ruin the night, Big Macintosh was confidant everything was perfect. He was until he heard a sniffle coming from a nearby group of apple trees. There he was the yellowish earth pony sat there bucking at a tree.
“Braeburn?”
“Oh. Hi Big Mac.” Braeburn wiped his muzzle with his forehoof.  “I was just…just bucking some apples.” Maybe it was a trait the hole Apple family shared, Braeburn too was a terrible liar. 
“Braeburn what’s the matter?” Braeburn sniffled and mumbled. “Braeburn Ah couldn’t hear you”
“I said I’m jealous of you cuz. You always had everything. You had siblings to play with. It was just me and pa. You got the farm , I had to build everything from the ground up! Not just a farm. All of Appaloosa! Now you’ve gone and got yourself a pretty Marefriend without any effort. You’re just better at everything than me Mac.” Braeburn had begun sobbing. Mac was unsure what to make of this. One the one hoof his eternal rival had admitted he was better on the other his cousin was throwing himself a pity party. Mac put a hoof around his cousin and came up with an idea. Mac lead him over to the hole where they were going to use to base the tree Mac got. Mad tossed the hat of victory in.
“C’mon Braeburn” Mac lead Braeburn over to the tree. “Hitch up.” The two Stallions began hauling the massive tree, eventually getting the smooth base into the hole crushing the hat. Struggling the pair pulled the tree upright. Braeburn stopped to admire but Big Macintosh kept working bringing out a box. The two cousins began decorating the enormous tree. They worked all through the night, and by the first light of dawn. They stood before a beautiful festive tree.
“Cousin Mac. I’m sorry for being such a brat.”
“Braeburn I’ll let you know a little secret. I was always jealous of you. You always seemed to be King of the World.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope” The two cousins laughed and walked on into the main house exhausted but hungry. Applejack shot them a suspicious look.
“And what were y’all up to last night?”
“We buried the hat AJ” 
“You mean Hatchet Braeburn?”
“Nope He means hat.” The two cousins laughed at Applejack’s bewildered state and gave each other a friendly almost brotherly hug.