“Ponyville never ceases to impress me with its sunny days.” Twilight said to herself “Maybe it’s just the fact that I grew up in Canterlot, but the open skyline is just beautiful.” A smile was plastered proudly on her face as Twilight made her way through the Ponyville market with Spike in tow. “What’s next on the list Spike?” She asked the purple dragon who scanned a long piece of parchment he had been dragging along.
“Apples, that’s a rare one.” Twilight agreed, usually Applejack would offer the cream of the crop when Applebuck season was over. Even if Twilight didn’t take her up on that offer there was always a surplus Applejack was more then happy to get rid of. This meant Twilight and her friends rarely went without a pantry full of the little red fruits. “So what happened? Is Sweet Apple Acres going to close if we don’t stuff your saddle bags?”
“Nothing that drastic, we just ran short of supply. You know what they say Spike, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and with fall not to far off we’re going to need a few more.” Spike rolled his eyes.
“You and I both know that Apple thing is just an old ponies tail.”
“That’s what you said about Nightmare Moon, and if you could recall who was right about that…”
“Well excuse me Miss. sarcastic.” Twilight located the Apple family stall and returned a wave from Applejack.
“Well ain’t this a surprise, you know I’d love to chat but I got’a get the rest’a this cart sold a’fore we head back to the farm.”
“Well maybe we can help with that,” Twilight said. “The last batch I got from you was so good, it seems I need a few more before you pack up for winter.” Applejack’s face perked at Twilight’s offer.
“Well you came to the right pony. Ya know Apples are my specialty…” Applejack started to go off on a tangent about her apple prowess that Twilight tuned out, almost laughing at the fact it was her for once on the receiving end of a lecture.
Twilight knew she had a minute before Applejack finished up, so she let her eyes wander around the market quickly turning back to Applejack whenever she would look up from the cart to indicate a particular apple. Applebloom and Big Mac had apparently accompanied the cart today as they stood in the distance to Twilight’s left. Applebloom was trying her hand at juggling, and Big Mac was catching the Apples before they hit the ground.
Applebloom was doing surprisingly well at getting the apples into the air, but she apparently hadn’t yet mastered the catch, or staying balanced on two legs. Spending most of her time on four Twilight couldn’t blame her for being a little wobbly, with a little practice she could probably…
“…In fact you can even use em to make wrinkles disappear if you work em right, so what can I get ya?” Twilight turned her attention back to Applejack.
“Just a dozen or so, I don’t care what kind.”
“Don’t care what kind! Why that’s like say’n you don’t care weather you’re cook’n with a pan or a jar! You need the right apple for the right moment or your go’n to get a sour taste, unless you’re look’n for a sour taste to start with that’s not a good place to be. Believe me, I know.” Twilight was about to simply point to one of the apples to speed this up when she heard a familiar voice call out to her.
“Twi! Heads up.” Twilight turned just in time to duck below an apple zipping toward her. The apple bounced off a lose beam supporting the roof of Applejack’s stand with just enough force for it to topple over causing the roof to swing forward and hit Twilight in the face as she raised her head.
Twilight, temporally dazed by the blow took a step back and stumbled on the apple that had come to rest behind her. Twilight closed her eyes and with a loud scream felt herself fall into the stand. When she opened her eyes again she was looking up as the thin legs supporting their heavy load buckled on their hinges. All Twilight could do was curse the stand design and squeeze her eyes shut again so she wouldn’t see it hit her.
When a couple seconds past and Twilight didn’t feel herself turn into a purple paste on the ground she opened one of her eyes. Before her stood the form of a strong red stallion, the apple stand leaning on his back. With a strong shove he pushed against it, causing the legs to pop out and after a slight rock back the stand landed firmly in the place it had stood before.
Twilight didn’t know how to react. She had so nearly been crushed and it had all happened so quickly the world almost moved in slow motion. The stallion moved beside her and lifted Twilight to her feet with barely any effort.
“Did…I…What…”
“Eeyup.” The stallion said making sure Twilight could stand before stepping aside.
“Twi I’m so sorry!” Applebloom started. “I was just try’n to get my cutie mark in juggl’n but I wasn’t very good at it and one a the apples flew off wrong! Are you ok? Please say yes, I didn’t mean to do it honest.”
“I’m…I’m fine, just a little stunned is all.” Twilight said as she listened to the sound of her heart pounding her ribcage.
“Applebloom what have I told you about play’n with our inventory! Somepony could’a got hurt! You’re just lucky Big Mac was here or we might have been mak’n an unscheduled visit to Ponyville Hospital!” Twilight turned to the stallion only now realizing it was Big Mac that had saved her.
“You,” Twilight didn’t know what to say, somehow thanks for saving me didn’t seam sufficient. “Thank you, I guess I wouldn’t be standing here if you…” Twilight trailed off, she was never very good with stuff like this.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac said, which somehow saved Twilight from saying anything more.
“Twilight I’m awful sorry about this.” Applejack said. “Why don’t you just take what you need, on the house.
“Applejack I’m perfectly able to pay…” Twilight started.
“Twilight I insist, it’s the least I can do.” It was fruitless to argue with Applejack’s stubborn pride, so Twilight loaded a couple of apples into her bag and turned to leave. “I know this might not be the right time to ask this but are you still free tomarra. We could really use your help but I guess we could…”
“Of course Applejack, I’ll be there.” Truth be told Twilight couldn’t remember what she was agreeing to be there for, but right now she had a strong urge to get home before something else happened. Not to mention her occasional glances at the silent Big Mac to see him staring down at her with worry made her increasingly uncomfortable. Twilight started off in the direction she had come followed closely by Spike.
“That was a close one,” Spike said. “Applejack should really check that cart after she sets it up. But did you see how fast Big Mac was? I mean he saw the cart was going to fall and in the blink of an eye sprinted his way underneath it.” Twilight blushed as she stole another glance back.
“No I didn’t see, but right now I think it would be best if we just finish our shopping and head back to the library. What’s next?”
* * *
The rest of the day passed without incident, but Twilight couldn’t help but think back to what had happened at the apple stand. Lying on her bed waiting for the embrace of sleep she tried desperately to collect her thoughts. When she had seen Applebloom practicing her juggling she was a fair distance away. So far away in fact a warning, and then a reaction on Twilight’s part could precede a flying apple. How did Big Mac reach her so quickly?
Twilight didn’t know why she cared, Big Mac found a way to save her and for that she was grateful. However it was to him her thoughts turned. In order to reach her in time Big Mac would have to of realized what was about to happen in seconds. His focus was on Applebloom juggling wasn’t it? Maybe he was simply following the apple. But that didn’t make since, in order to get there in time to save her…he must have already been looking in that direction.
Twilight felt herself blush in the darkness. She was reading to far into this, wishful thinking as the princess would have said. There had to be another explanation then that. But the more Twilight thought about it she couldn’t find anything else that would explain it. Unless Big Mac had developed the ability to predict the future, (or Pinkie was around to tell him what was about to happen.) he had been watching the stand.
So that meant one of two things, Big Mac was watching his sister make a sale like he had seen a thousand times and had done himself on multiple occasions, or he was watching her. Twilight knew he couldn’t of been looking at something behind the stand because adding in the time it would take to focus on the stand and realize what was happening would add just as much time as if he wasn’t looking at all. It was also very unlikely he was watching his sister given what was going on.
Twilight’s blush deepened, she must have gotten something wrong. Somehow this didn’t seem right, maybe he was closer then she thought or somepony else was walking by. Maybe Big Mac caused Applebloom to trip and knew where the apple would end up before it ever found it’s way out of her hoof. Why would Big Mac be looking at her?
Twilight knew a few reasons, but none of them seemed very likely. Back in Canterlot Twilight had run into a few less then high-class stallions that she caught staring at her. Growing up without any friends means Twilight was almost like the ultimate challenge to them. They treated it like a game, who could be the first to “sleep with the Sparkle.” Ponies like them where part of the reason Twilight didn’t have much of a dating life in Ponyville.
If that was Big Mac’s aim he hadn’t shown it till now. The quiet nature he had meant Twilight never really did much with him, despite the fact she spent a huge amount of time with Applejack. She had to be over thinking this, and even if she wasn’t what did she care if he was looking? Rarity always said she took it as a compliment when ponies gawked at her.
“A lady must be kind to the heads she turns, we both know they don’t have a chance so why not let them take a peak at the forbidden fruit.” As she would say. Twilight couldn’t put her hoof on it, but somehow this was different from the stallions in Canterlot. Everypony that had tried to court her there only wanted the challenge of dating the princess’s apprentice; every gift and act of kindness came with a request tagged on. Big Mac was the first stallion besides her father to do something like this and say nothing about it. And the way he had looked while he did it…
Twilight magically pulled the pillow from under her head and held it to her face with both hooves as her cheeks burned. It’s not true, that’s not how it happened. Why couldn’t she get that idea out of her head? An image of Big Mac helping her to her feet and the way he let her lean on him buzzed around her thoughts. Twilight could almost stand that though, if it wasn’t for the fact she had agreed to go to the farm the next day.
* * *
Twilight had left Spike in charge of the library and met up with Rarity and Pinkie Pie on the walk to Sweet Apple Acres.
“So darling,” Rarity began. “Applejack tells me you had a little mishap yesterday at her stall in the market, is this true?” Twilight blushed, her ears falling back against her head. She didn’t really want to think about it but Rarity would sooner die then take a dismissive answer on gossip.
“Yes, it is.”
“I also heard that a certain stallion came to your rescue.”
“Yes, he did”
“I also heard that this certain stallion displayed a special feat of speed in order to do this, is that right?”
“Yes, any other questions?” Twilight didn’t like how long Rarity was dragging this out.
“Oh I got a bunch of questions!” Pinkie said. “Like how many times can you eat a cupcake before you start craving pie and how long a mile would be if it was a circle and where IS the any key and…”
Twilight made a mental note to wave Pinkies next overdue notice as thanks for…being Pinkie, and getting a temporary silence from Rarity. When the trio arrived at their destination Applejack was standing outside the barn talking with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Applejack motioned them over when she saw them coming up the road.
“Well now that we got our full numbers anypony forget what we’re here for today.” Twilight raised a hoof and Applejack returned a kind smile. “Applebuck season always leaves a few apples on the ground for’a variety a reasons. Sometimes the apples don’t quite fall off the trees, sometimes they get thrown out’a the cart by mistake, but however it happens they need to be cleaned up a’fore they start to rot.”
“What’s going to happen to all the apples we collect?” Twilight said, ever inquisitive.
“Well most’a them are going toward fertiliz’n next years crop. But a select few will be turned into Sweet Apple Acres brand applesauce for the winter. Big Mac and I will show you how to sort the good ones from the bad. My brothers already set to work, so unless you need someth’n else let’s head out.” Twilight said nothing and the group headed toward one of the fields.
* * *
Big Mac stood behind several large carts used to transport apples. Most were filled with brown and mushy apples but others had relatively fresh looking apples, aside from the occasional spot making them unfit for sale. Big Mac handed out saddlebags while Applejack said to check each apple for bruises before putting them in a bag. Good ones in one, bad in the other, when a bag got full they where to take it back here and dump it in a cart for Big Mac to transport latter. Following these guidelines the ponies made there way around the field collecting the forgotten members of the crop.
Twilight tried unsuccessfully to avoid Big Mac; but somehow the two of them always ended up in the same area. She couldn’t stop herself from checking to see if he was watching her, but no matter how many times she looked he always seemed focused on the task in front of him. Twilight almost wished he would look over at her, at least then she could know for sure if she was right about what happened yesterday.
Big Mac had a strange way of sorting the apples. He could tell at a glance which where good and which where bad, barely letting a second pass before he placed them in one of the saddle bags he carried. Twilight wondered if this was some sort of minor Pinkie seance he had, could that of been what he used to save her yesterday?
“Whatcha doing Twilight?” Pinkie said, startling her. The pink mare had apparently appeared out of thin air behind Twilight, as if she knew Twilight was thinking of her. Twilight blushed a deep red like a school filly on the playground, wondering how she could convince Pinkie what she was actually doing was the truth.
“Hi Pinkie,” Twilight said. Pinkie looked around Twilight and noticed Big Mac sorting apples.
“Why were you staring at Big Mac?” Pinkie asked with innocence only she could conger up in this situation.
“Well,” Twilight began. “I was wondering how he could sort the apples so quickly.” That wasn’t a total lie, maybe Pinkie will buy it.
“Then why don’t you just go ask him, why are you just watching him?”
“Have you ever heard the phrase the act of observation changes the outcome of the experiment?” When Pinkie didn’t respond Twilight took that as a no. “It means if I ask him how he’s doing it he might change what he’s doing so that it won’t work anymore.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Well it might not be his fault.”
“Then whose fault is it?
“Pinkie, it doesn’t mater.” This was going to become a loop if Twilight didn’t think fast. Scanning the ground she found a particularly rotten apple and grabbed it with her magic. “Don’t you think we should be getting back to work?” She said, and then quickly added “Me to” before Pinkie could respond. Twilight then turned and began sorting the apples into the saddlebags she had been provided. Pinkie surprised Twilight and took the hint to leave allowing Twilight the opportunity to continue her observations.
Trading between using her magic to sort apples and glancing at Big Mac she began to admire just how strong the work hoarse was. As apple upon apple was piled into his saddlebag Twilight wondered if he would ever have to take the batch to be unloaded. While trying to estimate just how many apples he was carrying, he turned toward her. Twilight panicked, she turned back to the ground and grabbed an apple. She tried to toss it in her bag but when her mind suddenly slipped to Big Mac the apple flew from her.
Magic has a fatal flaw in that the more emotion you feel the stronger it becomes. The target you feel stronger toward is the target your magic will follow. Sometimes this is good, as a unicorn in a life or death situation can do things normally unheard of. However as was the case here, sometimes the wrong thoughts can throw off a unicorns magic making concentration crucial.
Twilight scolded herself as the apple raced toward Big Mac and hit him on his unprotected flank. Fortunately it was near completely rotten and exploded on impact. Big Mac didn’t even flinch, but after inspecting the bits of apple splattering his coat he turned to the speechless Twilight. Without a word Big Mac reached into his saddlebag and pulled out another apple. Tossing it up in the air, he spun around and launched it straight at Twilight. Twilight dogged the projectile and hid behind a tree.
“Big Mac!” She called out. “It was an accident I didn’t mean to…” Twilight’s plea was met with another apple slamming into a tree beside her. “Big Mac stop! I’m sorry!” When Twilight heard another apple hit the tree she was behind, she realized Talking probably wasn’t going to work.
Grabbing an apple from her own bag, Twilight peaked out from behind her hiding spot. Big Mac was tossing another apple, Twilight estimated he was thirty feet away, if she could just get out of his range…
An apple whizzing by her head at breakneck speed punctured that plan. Twilight realized if she could get close enough to lift the saddlebags off him he wouldn’t have any more ammunition to use. Deciding this was the best plan she could come up with she listened to the next apple zip passed and rushed behind the next tree in line toward Big Mac. Normally she would teleport, but she didn’t want to risk ending up directly in front of Big Mac’s bucking hooves.
Another apple flew past and Twilight advanced another tree. Estimating that each tree was four feet apart. She would need to advance about two more trees before attempting to lift off the saddlebags. The next apple almost made a hissing sound as it passed; Big Mac was really hitting these things! How hard did that apple hit him?
Another tree closer to Big Mac, Twilight let a few apples fly by to catch her breath, occasionally tossing one of her own. Twilight heard three apples in rapid succession that all hit her tree one after the other and then silence. The apples stopped flying, Twilight realized to late why. When she bolted out from behind her tree Big Mac stood directly in front of her, a stern look on his face and an apple in his hoof.
Twilight almost visibly shook as Big Mac tossed the apple into the air. When it came back down the stallion lightly tapped it causing it to bounce harmlessly off Twilight’s nose and onto the ground where it rolled to Big Mac.
“Tag,” he said, before picking up the apple and turning to leave. Twilight was flabbergasted, the apples Big Mac had flung toward her where going at breakneck speed, now he just bops her with one and leaves?
“Tag?” Twilight said. “That’s it?”
“Eeyup.” Came Big Mac’s response
“Then what was all that for! You nearly killed me with some of those apples!” Big Mac turned to Twilight, a smile on his face.
“Wouldn’t be as fun to just tag you, to easy.”
“So nearly killing me just now, that was all a game?” Twilight didn’t know if she was furious of confused.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac said. Furious, definitely furious.
“That wasn’t a game! A game involves a board, or points, or cards, not making ponies fear for their lives! Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to play tag or something? Granted that doesn’t sound like something ponies of our age usually ask but it’s better then what you did!” Big Mac’s smile dropped.
“I’m sorry Miss. Sparkle, I was…”
“It doesn’t matter what you where doing!” Twilight stormed off leaving Big Mac to stand alone amongst the trees.