//------------------------------// // Snowfall // Story: Melting Snow // by Storm butt //------------------------------// Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I just want it to end.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Melting Snow Chapter 2: Snowfall Big Macintosh found his eyes following a single speck of snow as it fluttered down from the gray sky above. His mind began to wander, thinking back to the past few weeks, wondering if this was truly the first snow of the year. It would be the first snow of many, considering Ponyville was plopped dead center of the seasonal changes. The blazing summers seemed to pass so quickly, returning to a dead season of bitter cold. “Say, Mac, ah don’t think we’ll get much more outta these for a good while.” The loud voice of Applejack rang from a good twenty feet away. As Big Macintosh turned his head to glance at his sister, he found her looking up at the treetops. He turned his head back, turning his mind from the speck of snow that diverted his attention. The trees were bare. They always looked so cold; their life lost this time of year. Some were shimmering in an odd glow, caked in an icy rim of frozen water, sunlight bouncing back in any direction it saw fit. The apples were all rotted, even then there weren’t many to spare, for most had been picked and stored already. Big Macintosh twisted his face into an odd shape. It was a mixture of both disappointment and irritation. “No...” He agreed; turning his head from the trees and back to his sister, face reverting back to a blank poker face. “No, ah reckon we won’t.” “Well, shoot.” Applejack said, giving off a small chuckle as she began to shake her head, moving her hooves to trot back to her brother. “Gosh darn, who would’ a thought that Cloudsdale would be so early this year with the cold weather. Think Rainbow has it out fer us, sending us all the icy breezes?” His sister chuckled once more. Big Macintosh glanced downward to the ground. Another flake of snow fell down near his hooves. He stared at it for quite some time. He briefly wondered if this was the last time he would see the grass until spring. He blinked his large green eyes several times, eyes shifting slightly to the end of the red and black scarf tied around his neck, its end drooping down halfway towards the ground. “Mac?” Applejack’s voice called to the red steed, who found himself jumping out of surprise. Big Macintosh gave a rather audible sigh before bringing a hoof to his temple and rubbing in circles, attempting to clear his thoughts. “Ya okay?” Applejack inquired. “Ya didn’t lie ta me did ya?” She worriedly asked, quickly moving her hooves to her brother’s side. “The doc did say ya could work again, right?” She placed her hoof on his side of bandages rather roughly, a few weeks ago the steed would have winced and glared at her, however by now the pain had died down considerably. Big Macintosh shrugged her off, taking two steps to the side. “Eeyup.” He answered. “Just... don’t like this time of year, that’s all.” Applejack’s face split into a smirk. “Oh, right,” She began. “You hate the boring season, dontcha?” Big Mac paused briefly. Boring season seemed like an oddly good way to describe it. The time of year where everything just seemed to die down, where the only thing left to do was stand around and sell apples for hours on end in the freezing weather. The red stallion’s face twisted for a brief moment. As it returned to a normal poker face, the steed shook his head. “Eeyup.” he answered. Applejack kept smiling at her brother. She seemed to be enjoying his irritation as she began to walk around him in circles, examining his body. “Ah don’t see why ya hate this time of year so much, ya can finally go and do yer own things!” She said, her voice rising with excitement. “Go on a trip; read a few books... find a mare friend.” She said that last word with a hint of teasing mixed with sincerity, dragging it out longer than needed, raising her eyebrows as she looked directly into his eyes. Big Macintosh rolled his eyes, turning away. “Don’t need those things.” He quickly answered before closing his mouth once more. He began to trot to a tree, placing his hoof against it and looking upward, watching more snow begin to fall. “Come on brother, you deserve some downtime, you work the hardest out of all of us!” Applejack called, trotting up to him once more. “When in the hay was the last time you did any of those things, especially have a mare friend?” Big Macintosh shrugged. “Four... five years ago? Maybe a little more.” He answered, raising his brow as he began to truly wonder. He hadn’t really thought about anything as silly as romance for quite some time, not since he was younger than Applejack. “And how many mares try to get a piece of that plot every day? Heck, even some stallions give it a shot.” Applejack said, nodding towards Big Macintosh’s backside. Those words did manage to get a reaction out of the steed as he covered his backside with his tail, his blank expression changing rather quickly. “N-No they don’t.” Big Macintosh stuttered out. He began to twirl the scarf in his hoof around, twisting and pulling at it. “B-Besides,” The red stallion struggled to regain himself. “Ah don’t even know any of them, why would ah jump at them?” He shook his head. “Look, ah don’t really want to talk about it.” Applejack sighed, her face showing obvious concern for her brother. “Look, we obviously ain’t got anything to do around here for the rest of the day,” She said while resting a hoof on her brother’s side once more. “Just... just go into town for a while, do something other than sittin’ ‘round here bored outta yer skull.” She glanced at the sky, looking at the sun dead in the center of the sky. “And if ya really hate havin’ a life, ya can at least pick up Apple Bloom from school in a few hours.” Big Macintosh breathed in slowly. He thought about asking what it was Applejack even expected him to do while he was out, or even why she cared so much about him, considering she was the younger sibling. However he kept his out shut for his own good. The red steed glanced down at the scarf again, thinking briefly to that pony from a few days prior. He didn’t think long about him, or anything about him in particular. It was simply the image of the shy little stallion that popped right into his mind before popping back out. Oddly enough, his mind only snapped back to reality when yet another snowflake caught his attention, landing right on the scarf before melting into nothing put a droplet of water. “Alright?” Applejack inquired, her voice becoming agitated with her brother’s lack of compliance. The stallion let out a sigh. “Eeyup.” He answered. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Big Macintosh began to feel oddly grateful for the scarf tied tightly around his neck as he looked up into the sky, feeling the unforgiving icy winds flick and yank at his orange colored mane. His gaze up towards the sky began to linger, the few snowflakes from earlier were now sprinkling down to the equestrian ground in pairs. The steady increase of the fall was oddly slow considering Cloudsdale’s usual speedy weather. Perhaps it was meant for the simple changes of the season. The large red steed averted his eyes from the gray sky above, blinking his green eyes half a dozen times to rid them of their dry nature. He began to breathe in, taking a glance at the hay covered roofs of the households surrounding him. His hooves simply kept trotting as he glanced around him, looking at the identical houses and admiring their simple yet effective work. Big Macintosh found his hooves beginning to slow as his eyes caught a glimpse of a large clearing of houses, save for a rather large building in the center, that being the mayor’s office. It instantly rang in his mind that his hooves had taken him to the center of town. As the earth pony came to a calm stop, he began to look around the center of the town. He spotted many places he recognized, yet never went too. Sugar Cube Corner, the local spa, and several restaurants, each seemingly lively despite the gloomy weather. What exactly did Applejack expect him to do here? Big Mac flicked his eyes to the first mare he saw. The thing that stood out about her in his mind was her blue and pink curls of a mane and tail as she trotted by about thirty feet away. Her vanilla coat would soon blend in well with the soon to be snow piles around the town. The steed turned his head, giving off a small shrug just for himself. Nothing compelled him to go and talk to her the way he had seen so many stallions do to similar mares in the past. Much of it could be compared to a foreign language. The stallion let loose an audible sigh, lowering his head to the ground. A mare friend seemed like nothing more than a chore. He could remember his last one being nothing but a chore... Celestia, he couldn’t even remember her name. Big Mac picked his head up, staring at a small fountain with a solid stone Princess Celestia spurting water out of her horn on a pedestal. He began to trot towards it with little thought, swerving out of the way for random mares and stallions walking in the opposite direction. As he approached the fountain, he was glad to find benches surrounding each side were in fact not occupied. He turned to plot his backside on the cold wood, letting his weight settle on the old wood. Another sigh escaped his lips as he pressed his hooves together, rubbing up and down as he let his cloudy breath warm his icy hooves. While the scarf and bandages did seem to help his heat issue, he still found himself shivering the longer he sat still. Big Macintosh closed his eyes, letting his thoughts roam free. It was still quite some time before he had to go and pick up Apple Bloom... what was he meant to do for the remaining hour? The red steed snapped open his emerald green eyes, slowly taking his hooves apart. He looked around him once more. He looked from left to right, wondering just how lost he would seem from an outside perspective. Big Mac paused briefly as he spotted out of the very corner of his eye a pair of green saddlebags attached to a tan stallion walk by him. His head turned, watching the stallion with three horseshoes for cutie mark trot by rather quickly. He stared for a good three seconds before it clicked into place why this specific pony caught his interest. The stallion placed his hoof over the scarf warming his neck and chest, still keeping his eye on the stallion as he began to pass. Big Macintosh found his legs moving themselves from the bench underneath him, pressing against the cool ground once more. He took a very precise note that the stallion walking by him didn’t have a scarf. This somehow sent a twinge of guilt directly to the steed’s belly that he wasn’t able to force out of his system. He glanced to the scarf once more. It was only right to return something borrowed... correct? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It was only right before Big Macintosh found the tan stallion had led him directly in front of the library owned by his sister’s best friend did the red earth pony begin to wonder if his actions seemed at all creepy. Wasn’t following somebody for a certain length of time usually how horrible stories in the newspaper began? The steed began to look around himself for the first time in a while, knowing Caramel wouldn’t lose him being inside of a building, wondering if anypony was staring at him. When he found that nopony even bothered to give him the time of day, he let a sigh of relief escape his mouth. He began to trot his hooves forward, placing his hoof against the red door before him. For some strange reason, he found himself holding his breath. A tiny bell above rang, signaling his appearance to anypony inside the building. “Oh, Big Macintosh!” The voice of a distinct mare hit Big Mac’s ears almost as soon as his hooves hit the inside of the tree. He turned his gaze, watching a lavender mare by the name of Twilight Sparkle quickly walk up to him. He looked down at the mare blankly, eyes unchanging. “It’s so nice to see...” Twilight’s expression quickly changed to confusion. “Wait... I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in here,” The mare said this as she lifted her hoof, pointing to Big Mac’s chest. “Does Applejack need something?” She cocked her head to the side in question. Big Macintosh shook his head. “Enope, saw somepony come in here.” He said. “Oh!” Twilight replied, looking behind her. “Well... the only other pony that’s in here is a stallion, I don’t know his name, but I think he’s on the second floor.” The steed quickly gave Twilight a nod of thanks before shuffling around her and towards the staircase. He didn’t bother to hesitate as he trotted up the remaining carvings of wood, sticking his head out of the staircase hole in the wall. His eyes quickly caught sight of a small tan stallion in the corner. His eyes were dead set on a book in his hooves. It seemed different than the one he had previously, perhaps a different color, however he was scribbling in it all the same. His large blue eyes blinked every few moments, not seeming to catch a glance at the large stallion’s presence. Big Macintosh moved forward, eyes glancing to the open saddle bags at Caramel’s lower hooves. They seemed to be filled with nothing but colored pencils and a few bottles of medicine. “Caramel?” He let his voice out, fully prepared for the sudden jump that the tan stallion gave; his breathe increasing as he looked up with a puzzled expression. Big Macintosh kept his face blank, blinking a few times. “B-B-Big... Big uh... Macintosh?” The tan stallion questioned, pulling the book that he was holding to his chest with a hug, as if afraid the steed before him would tease him. “H-How did you find me?” “Saw ya come in.” Big Mac nodded, giving off a small smile. He wasn’t positive as to why, but the fact that Caramel had remembered his name filled him with gentle warmth. “And... erm...” He began to take his hoof to neck; pulling on the scarf until it came undone, falling into his hooves. “No better time to give this back Ah suppose.” Caramel’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he glanced away. “Ya... I mean... YOU don’t have to give it back.” He replied. “I have others at home, Sage even made me bring one, and it’s in the bag...” “But...” Big Macintosh glanced down into the saddle bags, spotting a green scarf underneath all the medicine, almost like a cushion. “Ya sure?” He asked. He waited a good thirty seconds for Caramel to respond, however he didn’t. Big Macintosh simply smiled “Thank ya kindly again, Caramel.” Caramel continued to avoid eye contact with Big Macintosh. Almost as soon as the stallion considered turning away, he watched the tan pony’s mouth begin to move. “D-Do... do you want to sit down f-for a little?” He stuttered, holding his book tighter to his chest, near stunned at what he had suggested. Big Macintosh felt himself be taken aback by this request. While he remained silent, pondering this thought, he gave off a shrug before plopping down next to the stallion, a small smile as he glanced over with a silent thanks. Caramel turned his sight once more, attempting to hide his embarrassment. Things were silent for a good thirty seconds before Big Mac worked up the effort to speak. “So... what are ya doin’ here?” Big Macintosh asked. Caramel’s flush seemed to fade as he regained his voice. “I-It’s nice here,” He began. “It’s a good place to come to when Sage is out, it’s nice and quiet, but still enough noise so it isn’t creepy...” The tan stallion rambled a little. “A-And usually nopony... erm...” “Nopony will bother ya?” Big Macintosh finished, pointing a hoof to himself in question. “N-No, not like that...” Caramel spat out quickly. “It’s... nice to have a little company once in a while I suppose... but I just like it because it’s quiet.” He settled on. “S-So where do you live at?” The tan stallion asked, turning to Big Macintosh. Big Macintosh nodded toward a window. “Sweet Apple Acres.” He answered. “Born and work there ma whole life.” “I like apples!” Caramel spoke up rather loudly for the dead silent library. As soon as he realized his mistake he lowered his head and began to hold his breath, as if containing the feelings he surely wanted to audibly express as he caved into himself. “I m-mean... who doesn’t like apples, right?” Big Macintosh gave off a light chuckle that seemed to relax the tan stallion, for he brought up his body, albeit slowly, to look into the red steed’s smile, giving off one of his own. He liked Caramel’s smile, it seemed to be held back, almost as if he were afraid to show his true enjoyment. “So how about ya?” Big Macintosh asked, nodding towards Caramel’s cutie mark. Caramel paused, his smile fading. “I... I used to work with metalwork’s...” The stallion twisted his face. “F-For a little while I mean.” He shifted where he was sitting, tightening his hold on the book in his hooves. “Until I...” The stallion trailed off, gazing somewhere Big Macintosh wasn’t able to see. Big Macintosh glanced back to the cutie mark on Caramel’s flank. He didn’t push the question any further. He simply watched the tan stallion glance out the window, looking at the position of the hidden sun. The tan earth pony looked at his bags before reaching in, pulling out a small and plastic orange medicine bottle from a pouch. “Ya sick?” Big Mac inquired. Caramel nodded before popping the lid off the bottle with his free hoof. “Something like that...” He mumbled, plopping a small white pill into his mouth, quickly followed by a gulping noise. “It’s just another two o’clock I suppose, right?” Caramel chuckled drily. “Two...” Big Macintosh mumbled to himself, Apple Bloom popping into his mind as if a memory smacked him right across the face. “Ah... Ah have ta go.” Big Macintosh quickly spat out, getting to his hooves rather quickly, attempting to tie the scarf around his bulky neck. “W-Wait!” Caramel called out, grabbing the red steed’s scarf in his hoof and pulling back. When Big Macintosh looked at him with a puzzled expression, the tan stallion snapped his hoof back, holding it with his other one almost as if he were slightly ashamed at what he had done. “W-Where are you... going?” “Ta pick up my sister.” He answered “School’s almost over.” “Oh...” Caramel murmured, his voice suddenly growing small. His eyes darted around from one side of the library to the other rather quickly. Confusion seemed to be swarming in his head, as if he wasn’t sure what he was about to ask. “C-Can I... see you again?” He asked, his voice actively attempting not to be heard. Big Macintosh let his smile show once more. He could distinctly remember Applejack telling him to try and make friends, as if he were some school foal. “Eeyup!” He answered. “You mean it?” Caramel asked, nearly hopping to his hooves as his eyes began to shine. “Eeyup.” Big Macintosh nodded. “Ya know where ah live.” He said. Caramel was smiling a genuine smile, his eyes showing a hint of relief. “T-Thank you.” He said. “I-I’ll stop by, all right?” Big Mac nodded once more before turning his head, beginning to trot away. Caramel... was oddly cute excited.