//------------------------------// // Big Macintosh's Decision // Story: Macintosh of Arabia // by Crisis_Vyper //------------------------------// Big Macintosh rushes towards the frontline together with Abu Hamza, not really knowing what to expect and honestly he does not really want to know either. Unfortunately his eyes betrayed his desire and greeting him is a sight that he is not familiar with at all. Injured ponies, some having more grievous wounds than others are everywhere and some ponies are just lying down on the ground not moving at all. Big Macintosh dared not look at those that are not moving, for he still want to be ignorant of the truth around him. Suddenly he could hear a loud yell from behind him and by instinct he ducked, and he could hear the sound of something sharp slicing through the air. Surprised at this turn of events, Big Macintosh dropped the scimitar from his mouth and as his body reacts to this sudden intrusion, Big Macintosh did the only thing that he could do; he bucks. The red stallion could feel that his hooves have made contact with his assailant, and soon enough a yell louder than before rings through his ears told him that his aim is true. However, before he could turn around to see his assailant, a wet slice with the audible sound of something cracking can be heard. Soon enough, the Sheikh returns to his side, the Sheikh's robes and his scimitar now drenched in blood. Before long another assailant came to attack the Sheikh, but the Sheikh is already swinging his scimitar at the unfortunate soul. Big Macintosh managed to close his eyes before he heard that wet slicing sound with the sound of something cracking again. "Are you alright my friend?" The Sheikh said, though his gagged speech. "Eeyup." Big Macintosh said, his eyes still closed. "Good. You need to open your eyes if you want to see the dangers coming at you. There is more to slay my friend. Rejoice!" The Arabian stallion gallops onward to the chaotic melee that is going on around them. Big Macintosh's mind is utterly blown out of the water, as he could not fathom how somepony could rejoice at the taking of another life. But alas, he is now in a land where such brutality is a necessity for staying alive. But then, he could hear another though in his mind telling him something. Yer fool! Ya don't have to slice them! You just have to buck them! Just remember what you did with the mares and Mr. Smartypants! And if that fails just buck them like the apple trees back home! With a smile on his face, he realized that he could take the third option, and he decided to follow the Sheikh. As Big Macintosh make his way through the melee, he realize that everypony is taller than he is and they are indeed intimidating. But he shelves that fear and use his smaller size to his advantage and zigzagged among them. It was then that he saw one of the Janissary swinging his scimitar around, felling many of the raiders around him. The camel is a large one, even larger than the usual camel, and unlike his brethren his fur is black instead of brown and he has two humps rather than one. The camel has a scar across his eye, and he is wearing a blue turban with a white feather on it. However, despite the camel's martial prowess it appears that he failed to see a raider coming from behind him. Big Macintosh could only run towards that raider and shouting out a warning to the black camel. "WATCH OUT!" The black camel turned around, only to see Big Macintosh bucking his would-be assailant into a bunch of other raiders charging towards them. Like bowling pins, they all fell down only for the other defenders to jump upon them to do what savage things that they do to their attackers. The black camel looks upon this little red stallion, and acknowledges the little red stallion's help with a nod. However, before Big Macintosh could leave the side of the black camel a loud guttural shout froze the red stallion in place. Big Macintosh turns around to the source of the sound, and then immediately regrets doing so. A large and bulky creature unlike he seen before is now walking up slowly towards him, its height dwarfs even the black camel. The creature is virtually hairless, with skin that looked like plates of armor at the shoulders and thighs. Unlike that of a pony, the legs of these creature are pillar-like and indeed looks more like trees than legs. The most intimidating part of this creature is that it has two wicked horns on its snout, one above the other. "Sweet apples......" Big Macintosh muttered. As if to accentuate the situation even more, the juggernaut gallops towards him at full speed, aiming its horns at the red stallion. With every step that the large creature takes, the ground trembles in protest. The farmpony and the black camel look at each other, and then as if on cue, each one of the leap aside with Big Macintosh going to the left and the black camel going to the right. Soon enough, Big Macintosh could hear many shrieks and bone-crunching sounds, glad that he is not those ponies. However, he could now feel the ground shaking below him below him once more, and immediately realize that the juggernaut is now making a second run. Big Macintosh could now see the blood-soaked juggernaut running towards him, bellowing with rage and Big Macintosh needs to think of something fast. There's no way Ah am gonna take that full force, it would kill me! Ah need to think of something, something, something, something..... But all he could do is to dodge the second attack from this mad thing, and as he rolls down on the ground, he could hear another choir of shrieks. Big Macintosh would have to think of something fast, as he can't keep this up forever and he would succumb. It was then that Big Macintosh realize the linear fashion of the juggernaut's attack.Suddenly he is met with a stroke of inspiration, but it is definitely a risky one. "HEY YER DUMB FOOL!!!!!! CAN'T EVEN GET A RED OBVIOUS TARGET LIKE ME, YER A DISGRACE!" Big Macintosh have no idea if the juggernaut knows any Equestrian, but from the looks of it the juggernaut took the bait. Soon enough, the thundering behemoth is now charging towards him again. Alright Big Mac.....ya got one shot at this......ready......steady.........steady......, Big Macintosh said in his mind as it gets closer. As the ground trembles with every step that the behemoth takes, the red stallion's heart pounds just a little more louder. Soon enough, Big Macintosh's heartbeat drowns out all the noise. Steady...., The juggernaut is now coming even closer to the farmpony, and as Big Macintosh stood there all he could do is to try and calm his nerves for the inevitable moment. Soon enough, the thundering brute is but a few feet away from Big Macintosh. "NOW!" Big Macintosh takes a large sidestep, and as the brute passed by him Big Macintosh is now ready for his attack. With all his might he bucked the brute. "Where is Big Macintosh?" Abu Hamza asked himself. As he looked on the battle, he could see that his forces are being pushed back, and he is forced to pull them back. Suddenly two of his Janissary came up to him, his eyes filled with panic. "Milord, The raiders have a Rhinoceros mercenary among them!" one of them exclaimed. Abu Hamza immediately started to think about the news of a Rhinoceros mercernary. A single Rhinoceros is a force to be reckoned with, and once goaded they will never stop until whatever it is that it is targeting is dead. He pities the fool that is targeted by this Rhinoceros. "And it is targeting the foreigner!" Abu Hamza is now staring at his subordinate, with daggers in his eyes. "WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" Fearing the anger of his lord, the Janissary led the way and Abu Hamza followed closely behind. As he hack and slash his way through those raiders foolish enough to come to his path, Abu Hamza started to pray and hope that he is not too late to save the red pony. Soon enough, Abu Hamza could see the red pony standing still and the Rhinoceros mercenary thundering towards him. As hard as Abu Hamza gallops, he know that he could not make it in tome to save the Equestrian. But then to the surprise of Abu Hamza, at the last possible moment, the red pony step aside and use his hindlegs to kick the Rhinoceros straight to the head. As if not letting the Sheikh to even take time to let the surprise settle down, another surprise took hold of the Arabian as the Rhinoceros is launched up to the air flying towards him. It was only with years of fighting in the deserts of Saddle Arabia that Abu Hamza manage to duck. He pulled down the Janissary that is leading him down along with him, and soon enough a large moving shadow looms over them before disappearing entirely. Abu Hamza then stand up and look behind him, and he manage to see the large brute crashing down onto the ground with an audible crash into one of the tents. It was then that he turns his attention to the red stallion and gallops towards him. Big Macintosh turns around, and he sees the large brute flying across the air screaming. Immediately the entire melee started to die down, and all the combatants are now watching the flying brute crash into one of the tents. The combatants that are closest to the scene of the battle are now staring at the little red pony. This is not lost on Big Macintosh, who immediately recognize a turning point when he sees one. For some reason, the farmpony decided to say out a line. The sentence is simple, but it was heard by all the combatants. "How do you like'em apples?" Big Macintosh has a rather big smirk on his face, and his apparent confidence radiated out from him, But the truth is that Big Macintosh is scared out of his own apples. It was then that Big Macintosh eyed a familiar Saddle Arabian galloping towards him with a Janissary in tow. Immediately, Big Macintosh could sense that the tide has turned. Immediately, the raiders all started running away, their morale broken. The Sheikh also noticed this change, and immediately cried out something that causes the defenders to launch a counterattack and chase the raiders out of their camps. It was here that the legend of the Big Macintosh, The Rhinobucker is born. It was late in the afternoon when the battle is over, and the camp is now treating its wounded and burying its dead. As Big Macintosh watches, he could not believe that he had just participated in this battle. His body feels so numb that he feels no pain of his emotions seeing the grief and despair running throughout the camp. It was then that the Sheikh appears beside him. Big Macintosh now looks at the Sheikh, who managed to change into something cleaner and blood-free. His face is now that of a concerned and caring pony. "Abu Hamza, is this what ya have to deal with all the time?" "Yes, my friend. But the attacks are becoming more frequent now that I have announced to all strata of Saddle Arabia of my plans." "Yer plans?" Big Macintosh raise one of his eyebrow "Of becoming Emir. This means that all my rivals want me dead." "Why do they want to kill ya?" Big Macintosh asked, shocked of the fact. "Many reasons. Bad blood, perceived slights, you name it they have it." "If that's the case, why ya wanna be Emir?" Big Macintosh asked. It was then that the Sheikh's face hardened, and he waves his arms to illustrate his point. "I want something better for my own people my friend, where everyone can live in peace and harmony as that in Equestria. This is the choice that I have made a long time ago, and this is why I need to become the Emir of Saddle Arabia. I want a better world for Fatimah, where she will no longer need to cower in fear against unknown threats and violence. Of course the other Sheikhs have something else in mind, but of what I am uncertain." "Is this why ya wanted mah help?" "I will be honest with you and say yes. Of course, I gave you the choice of whether you would like to help me or not. No matter what you choose, I will still go on with my dream of a better Saddle Arabia.Since you have made your choice, you may leave as soon as you are ready as I have promised." "If that's the case.....Ah changed mah mind. Ah'm comin' with you." The Sheikh was shocked and surprised with Big Macintosh's answer, for he did not expect it at all especially after being in a harrowing experience of battle. It was then that the Sheikh, felt something on his shoulders, and he soon notice that Big Macintosh's foreleg is the sensation that he is feeling on his shoulder.Big Macintosh gives the Arabian stallion a warm but resolute smile. Abu Hamza could only smile back at the red pony. Both of them looked at each other for a while and then laugh. "Thank you, Big Macintosh. "A true friend helps a friend in need. A friend will be there to help them see the light that shines from a true friend." Big Macintosh said confidently.