Winter
But not just an ordinary winter, but an unsually harsh one because of the freezing tempratures. In Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle struggles in the cold as she uses her magic to open the door to the library, carrying several saddlebags on her. She finally enters, only to be greeted by Time Turner who is sitting in front of the fireplace, and Spike who is in the kitchen cooking some dinner.
"I'M HOME!" announced the purple unicorn as she takes off her hat, scarf and saddlebags. Time Turner gets up and gives Twilight a deep hug. "How's Dash doing?" asked Twilight.
"In the basement as always." stated Turner, pointing to the basement door. Twilight takes her saddlebags and walks to the basement. She opens the door and walks down the stairs, only to be greeted by the sight of Rainbow Dash, wearing a black hoodie, busy painting a large canvas in deep concentration. "Dash, I'm back from the store and got the art supplies and migrane medicine you requested." announced Twilight to her pegasus friend.
Dash finally stops her painting and turns to face the unicorn. "Oh thanks Twi, I was running out of paint." stated a greatfull Rainbow Dash. Twilight just looks at her with concern, knowing full well that Dash is using drawing and painting to fill in the void that flying left behind.
"Look Dash, I know you enjoy painting now, and I find it great that you finally found another talent, but you've been living here in my basement for three months already, when are you planning on getting a job or your own place?" stated a concerned Twilight.
"Once I get money from my comission." stated Dash, having already explained her friend about this.
"I know that, but last time I checked, working on the weather team earned you a much better income."
"And I would love to do that job again, but you heard the doctor, flying for long periods of time brings a risk of permanent damange to my wing." explained the pegasus. "If I can't be the best flyer in Equestria, then I might as well try to be the best ARTIST in Equestria."
Twilight just sighs, finding it pointless to argue with Dash any further. "Dinner is almost ready, so get cleaned up and meet us at the dinning room." stated Twilight heading back upstairs, leaving Dash alone in the basement turned art studio.
"Ah, isn't this relaxing." mused Rarity, enjoying the hot tub at the local spa, Fluttershy is at the other end with a gloomy face. Rarity notices the pegasus not responding and sees that Fluttershy is still depressed, she hasn't seen her smile since she broke-up with Big Mac. "Don't tell me you're still thinking about HIM!" commented Rarity, careful not to say the stallion's name around her. Fluttershy blushes and hides her face further behind her wet mane. "How can you still think about him after what he did to you? He played you and broke your heart!"
"No...it's not that." mumbled Fluttershy, loud enough for Rarity to just make out. "It's just that I'm worried about my future, that's all."
"What about your future?" asked Rarity, deeply intrigued.
"I'm worried about having nopony to share it with, I always thought Big Mac was my destined special somepony, but now after what he did, I'm now certain he's not." explained Fluttershy.
"And now you're desperate to find your TRUE special somepony." completed Rarity. Fluttershy just nervously nods. "Okay then, besides HIM, who else did you have feelings for?"
"Well, there was a pegasus named Rapidfire, but he's married with kids on the way, and then there was Time Turner, but it's more because my animals like him, and...that's it." explained Fluttershy. "Sorry."
"Don't worry darling, As a friend, I'll never rest until I find a new special somepony for you! Mark my words Fluttershy," Rarity starts get dramatic. "That with this spa and you as my witness, you'll NEVER! BE! LONELY! AGAIN!"
Fluttershy just gives her a blank stare.
"Twilight, are you okay?" asked Time Turner letting himself into Twilight's bedroom. Turner sees his fiance curled up on her bed. He goes up to her, gets on the bed and wraps his forelegs around her. "I know things seem bad, but they'll improve eventually, you'll see." whispered the stallion to the unicorn.
"Why are you so optimistic?" asked Twilight, sad.
"Because someone has to in this relationship." grinned Time Turner. Twilight smiles, knowing that even though things are falling apart around her, Time Turner will always be by her side, she flips over to face the stallion.
"I know, it's just that, with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's recent depression, I can't help but feel that things will never be the same." stated the unicorn, looking into Turner's blue-gray eyes.
"You still have me, because no matter what happens, I'll always be there to provide a shoulder to cry on." stated the stallion. "I love you Twi, now and forever, you're my lover, my life and companion through the good and bad, and I want to be there through all of it."
Twilight couldn't help but be touched with what Turner was saying and smiles. "I love you too." She then envelopes the stallion into a hug and kisses him deeply, she then breaks the kiss to speak. "Now and forever." The couple then precedes to make-out with each other, not careing about the harsh weather outside.
At Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack is laying on her bed, alone, just looking at the ceiling. On the ceiling is a poster of the Wonderbolts, something that she got from the garage sale Dash held after moving out of her cloud mansion. She and Applejack haven't spoken to each other since Dash left the hospital, the pegasus blaming her for ruining everything in her life. At the same time, Applejack just can't stop thinking about Soarin, she loves him very much and misses him badly.
"Dinner is ready sis." announced a cheerful Apple Bloom from outside Applejack's room. Applejack just reluctantly gets up from her bed, not in the mood to face the world today, and walks down the stairs into the dinning room.
Applejack takes her seat at the table, just as Apple Bloom and Granny Smith do the same, the three of them trying their best to ignore the empty fourth chair at the table.
"Granny? When is Mac comin' home?" asked Apple Bloom, missing her big brother dearly.
"When he feels ready t'come back." stated Granny Smith.
Applejack then thinks back to what happend three months ago when she found out that Big Mac cheated on Fluttershy. Mac felt so ashamed at what happend, that he felt he couldn't show his face in town anymore with the reputation of being a philanderer he built up catching up to him. He skiped town the next morning, not telling her nor Granny where he's going. He hasn't been heard from since.
"Don't worry sugarcube, ah's sure wherever he is, he's in a happier place." assured Applejack to her younger sister, trying to cheer her up.
"AND STAY OUT!" yelled a bartender as he and four other stallions throw out with difficulty a large red stallion. The red stallion hits the cold pavement of outside hard as the back door to the bar slams shut behind him.
Big Mac has been in Fillydelphia for a week already, doing any part-time job he can possibly do and then spend almost all the bits he earned in lodging, food or to drown his sorrows at a bar, although no matter how much he drinks, his mind still thinks about Fluttershy, she refuses to leave his head.
"Well, well, well, I'd never thought I'd see another Ponyville citizen here." said a smug feminie voice. Big Mac gets up from the pavement and sees a white coated unicorn with a spiky blue mane, a scarf and sunglasses smiling at him.
"Who is yo'?" asked Big Mac, not really familiar of the unicorn.
"The name's Vinyl Scratch, I'm the DJ from your hometown." greeted the unicorn to the red stallion. "I've seen around town sometimes, mostly standing behind a booth selling apples." explained Vinyl. "What are you doing all the way out here in Fillydelphia?"
"It's personal." was all Big Mac says, not wanting another pony to be involved with his personal problems.
"Let me guess...it involves heartbreak." mused Vinyl, being smart-alecky as usual. She can tell from Big Mac's look of surprise that she's right.
"How-?"
"Trust me, I've been through what you're going through before, you fall in love with a mare, have many great romantic times together, but then you end up making a big mistake and ruin everything, and you start blaming yourself and runaway so you don't have to face it." stated Vinyl.
Big Mac just lowers his head in sadness and shame. "Ah can't stop thinkin' about her." mumbled the stallion.
Vinyl just walks up to the stallion and wraps one of her forelegs around him. "Listen, I'm currently going on tour across Equestria, and I need someone of your size to haul my equipment and to help me set up you know, since you look like you have nowhere to go or be." offered the DJ to Big Mac. "Plus, we Ponyvillians need to stick together in times of personal crisis."
"Ah don't know..." mumbled Big Mac, unsure on whether or not to take that offer.
"Listen, if you're intrested in taking up my offer, I'll be waiting at the train station for the 10:15 to Manehatten, I have a show there tomorrow night and I'm planning on staying there for Hearth's Warming and New Year's. If you don't show up, I'll understand." explained the unicorn, she then takes out a business card and marker and begins writing on the back of the card with her magic, she then hands Big Mac the card. "It was nice seeing you, bye!" and with that, Big Mac finds himself alone.
Big Mac reads the back of the card:
10:15 train to Manehatten
TOMORROW!
He puts down the card and begins to think about the offer, but instead he begins to think about the last thing he wants to think about; Fluttershy. "Why won't yo' leave mah mind!" exclaimes Big Mac to the night sky, nopony hears the frustrated screams that came after.
To be continued...