Day 1
It was the dog days of summer in Equestria and Big Macintosh was out in the apple orchards harvesting the fruit. It was times like these when the apple family made most of their bits for the year, as it was so hot around these times that ponies would pay nearly anything for refreshment. Cold apple cider and apple accessories were perfect for this kind of oppressive heat.
Big Mac trotted over to the barrel of water located just outside the barn and took a deep drink from the barrel, somehow managing to keep the sprig of wheat in his mouth as he did so. It was hard work he was doing, but it would pay off. Mac gazed out towards the rolling fields of apple trees. The trees had been in his family for generations, the whole farm had. They'd been there since Ponyville was founded and would probably be there for generations to come.
Mac cast his eyes towards his namesake fruit as he noticed something off in the distance. The trees had begun to shake. A Shaking not brought on by the wind, as there was no breeze to be found, but by some creature rushing through the orchard.
Great, timberwolves getting' ta the orchards 'gain, Mac thought to himself, ready to buck the critters off of his farmland. But as the rustling became nearer and nearer, he picked up on something he had not before. It was distant then, but it had since grown louder, shouting. The creature barreling through the orchard was shouting. Shouting something and sounding as panicked as panicked could be.
What in the tarnashion? 'haps them timberwolves gone and chased some pony up inta the fields, he thought to himself, getting ready to save some helpless pony.
Suddenly, bursting out through the treeline he came, cousin Braeburn. He dashed up to Macintosh and nearly collapsed at his hoofs.
“Mac, it's here! ah sweet Celestia, Mac. It's here!” He cried, sweat pouring down his features.
“Hmm?” Mac questioned, brief with his speech as always.
“The Heat!” Braeburn exclaimed, terror in his eyes.
Mac chuckled to himself. “Well, a'course it's here. It's been here. Summer, afta all”
Braeburn took his hat off, shaking “No Mac, it's not that kind of heat. IT'S NOT THAT KIND OF HEAT”
Mac looked at him flatly for a moment when it dawned on him. The sprig of wheat fell to the ground as his jaw dropped. He looked to Braeburn and searched his eyes. Could it be true? Could the heat have come this early? They weren't ready for the heat, THEY WEREN'T READY.
The mares of Ponyville had much planning to do for when heat came. Preparations such as spells being cast to prevent desires becoming to strong were placed on most mares, as well as sequestering stallions for the duration of the heat as an extra precaution. The heat coming this early was something Ponyville had never dealt with. Sure, being a few days early was fine, as preparations were made a week in advance, but this heat. This heat was three weeks early, nothing was prepared.
Mac turned his fearful eyes towards town. “May Celestia have mercy on'r souls.”
Braeburn looked up at Mac once more, “What're we gonna do, Mac?”
Mac tried to think of something, anything they could do. “ah dun know, cousin. Ya sure chose a rotten time ta visit,” Mac paused, “Cousin, howdya know that the heat's gone and started?”
Braeburn shook his head. “I was in town, helpin' AJ with the stand, as ah do and sud'ly she din' seem too right. Jus' looked at me all funny like. An' ah asked her if'n she was alright an' she said... welp. She said she'd be right as rain soon as she le's her rut me silly”
Mac blinked, then cleared his throat. “Now, ya sure it's heat? Ah mean are ya sure, ya sure? Maybe AJ just ain't right in the head!”
Braeburn shook his head, “Ah know a heat when ah see a heat. This wa'nt AJ jus' embracin' her heritage, this here was a heat. An' ah know ah saw that Noteworthy fellar gettin' all kinds a uncomftable when some mare tried'a grab hold'a his tail”
Mac trotted back and forth. “Nah that don't make a lick'a sense. A heat don' just set in all sudden like!”
“Well this one did!”
Mac stopped his pacing and sighed. “Well, if yer right, an' I hope you ain't, we're inna whole heap'a trouble. We ought to head inta town an' find out,” Mac turned to start walking to town when Braeburn jumped on his back, not slowing him down in the least.
“ARE YA OUTTA YA APPLE-PICKIN' MIND?! WE CAN'T GO DOWN THERE! I AIN'T READY TA BE A PAPPY,” Tears began to form at the corner of his eyes.
Mac shook Braeburn off and picked him up, bringing him face to face. “Ya ain't gonna be a pappy, not yet, ya ain't”
Mac dropped Braeburn and began his trot to town, not acknowledging Braeburn not moving.
“But... ah.... dern it Macintosh Apple,” Braeburn chased after Mac until they were side to side, “Ah certainly hope ya right 'bout this'n ya dern daft horse!”
Mac chuckled, “Ahm sure ahm right,” Mac said, ah hope.
They trotted down the dirt road together until they reached the town center, all had gone well so far. The strangest thing about it was that they had not seen a living creature the entire trip there. The walked to the Apple's farm stand to check on Applejack, who was nowhere to be seen. Mac and Braeburn had not spoke since they left the farm, Mac because of his naturally quiet self, Braeburn because of the fear in his heart. Mac looked around the area for any sign of life. Braeburn sided up against Mac.
“Ya see anythin'?” Braeburn asked in a near whisper.
Mac looked at the farm stand and then back to the rest of town. He shifted around the new sprig of wheat he picked on the way to town. “Nnnnope,” Mac said. Braeburn covered Mac's mouth with his hoofs. “Not so loud!” Braeburn whispered into Mac's ear, causing it to twitch. Mac looked at Braeburn, then pried the hoofs from his face. “Why?” He asked, Braeburn looked at him harshly, “They might hear us!” Braeburn whispered again.
“Who?” Mac asked.
“Maaaares,” Braeburn hissed.
Mac could not help but laugh. He laughed a hearty laugh that echoed in the seemingly empty town, reverberating off the storefronts. In the ensuing silence after his laughter, there was a rumble. A rumble that started off quiet and then became steadily louder, as it did with Braeburn not so long ago when yelling about the so-called 'Early Heat'. The rumbling became louder and louder, so loud that Braeburn had to hold his hoofs over his ears to keep them from hurting. As the two looked towards the rumbling, they saw a cloud of dust. It stopped no less than 100 yards from them, a hoofball field's length away.
As the dust settled down, they saw it. Dozens upon dozens of mares. The mares were of all pony kind, there were earth ponies, pegasi ponies and unicorn ponies, all standing together in a mass, there was even a griffin.
“Sweet apples and oranges,” Braeburn whispered to himself.
Mac cleared his throat as he looked out at the wave of mares in front of them. They watched as one mare daintily trotted towards them, stopping less than 20 yards from them. She was lavender mare with a darker man and a stripe of pink in it, she also bore a unicorn's horn and a pegasi's wings. It was Twilight Sparkle. She cleared her throat and spoke loudly enough so that Mac and Braeburn could hear her from the distance.
“Hello, Big Mac. Hello, Braeburn. I am representing the mare populace of Ponyville as a whole when I say that we have suddenly been struck by heat and we intend to copulate with you, as you are some of the few stallions in town!” She ended her statement with a cheery smile, which unnerved Braeburn in it's niceness after she calmly told them of their plans.
Mac cursed himself that Braeburn was right. He looked out at all the mares and realized that they all looked incredibly vicious and seductive at the same time. Some snarled, while some threw bedroom eyes towards the stallions.
Mac turned to Braeburn, “Ah am so sorry ah didn't listen to ya, we better run, cousin,” Mac said, before braking into a spring away from the crowd of mares. Braeburn had to take a moment to process that they were fleeing, but shot after Mac as fast as he could. From behind them, they heard Twilight, who is a rather capable orator, tell the other mares that they should go after them. The crowd of mares immediately charged after the two with cries of “Get them!” and “Come rut me!”.
They quickly made their way down the road towards the stallions, some unicorns casting spells at them to try and slow them down, none being too effective. Mac and Braeburn were terribly lucky that the effect of heat on mares causes unicorns to not be able to concentrate on casting magic, making it very difficult for them to use spells while in heat. The same went for pegasi, the heat causing them to have a great difficulty with flight, due to their wings being stiff.
The stallions made a sharp right to try and evade the mares, going down a short cut-through, then taking a left onto Mane Street. The looked around frantically for anywhere they could hide. Mac gestured with his head towards a small establishment. They bolted inside and hit the floor, hoping that they made it into there before the mares came out of the cut-through. They waited for a few moments, they heard the thunderous pounding of hooves going down the street and then a cacophony of questions all in the same light as “Where did they go?!”, They then heard Twilight Sparkle, the assumed leader of the mob telling the mares to search the stores.
Mac looked around quickly, seeing a bar. He pointed towards it and crawled over, not wanting to be seen through the windows. He crawled behind the bar and indicated that Braeburn should, too. As Mac turned the corner of the bar, he came face to face with another pony. Mac gasped, the pony quickly putting his hooves to Mac's mouth to stop him from crying out. Mac looked him up and down and upon realizing that he was also a stallion, relaxed momentarily. Braeburn looked at the strange stallion, “Who are you?” He whispered.
The pony looked between the two, “I am Hooves, the town doctor. And you are?” The three exchanged pleasantries as they hid. The introductions were cut short, though, as the front door crashed open. The sound of hooves on wood filled the bar as a group of mares trotted in. Mac could not see them, but he could certainly smell them.
“Not in here,” One gruffly said to another.
“Horseapple! We need to find those stallions pronto, I need to get my rut on, and quick!” Another one said.
There were a few more mares with them, but they had not spoke up. They trotted out of the bar and gave Twilight Sparkle the “all clear”. Out in the streets, they heard the menacing calls of, “Come out, come out, wherever you are! We won't bite ya! Well, hard!” There was a wave of sinister laughs from the lust-mad ponies. Once the “all-clear” from a few more groups of ponies was given, they continued their search down the road.
The three stallions let out sighs of relief. Doctor Hooves crawled over to the window and peered out, he stood up and stretched.
“We're all good, they've moved on. I am sure they'll come back this way eventually, though.”
“Yer right,” Braeburn said, “We ought to barricade the entrances!”
“Good idea!” Doctor Whooves said, starting to push tables and chairs to the door and windows.
Doctor Whooves was a light brown earth stallion with messy dark brown hair and an hourglass as his cutie mark. He motioned for Mac and Braeburn to help him. After a few minutes of moving tables and benches, they sat on the ground.
“We'll just have ta wait it out, ah reckon,” Mac said, rubbing his temples with his hooves.
“That might be a while,” Doctor Whooves said, “A mare in heat without any spells placed on them will be in heat for around 20 days,” He said grimly.
Braeburn took his hat off and fiddled with it in his hooves, “This'll be a long 20 days”