Macintosh and Dolphin - The Switch
Chapter 3: One day to go by...
Night fell over Ponyville as the search teams was called off and many ponies started to head back home, word has reached many of them that Big Mac was found and safe, Rainbow Dash was bring him back home, Applejack with Applebloom and Granny Smith was waiting at the ranch entrance for Big Macintosh's return.
Applejack noticed them in the distance coming towards the farm but Big Mac seem to slow to a stop while Rainbow Dash was talking to him then came up to Applejack and the others in a blitz of speed “Hey AJ”
“RD why is Big Mac not moving? What in the hay is going on?” Applejack staring at the rainbow mane pony.
Rainbow Dash sighed “You better listen to what I got to say, it not a joke either”
Wayne watched from a distance as Rainbow Dash was explaining to the three apples, he hoped this amnesia story worked or he was in serious hot water with only, stories, cartoons and ideas to go by he had no idea how they would be in real life. He was feeling really sick to his stomach more ways then one and spending almost the whole day in that field to make sure it was a dream didn't help matters.
'Lets think... I pick up some stupid crystal orb that I couldn't let go, it vanishes after the explosion of energy that knocks me into a tree, well with Big Macintosh, that was a apple cart... finally how can a human mind be in a pony head!? Seriously what the bloody heck is that all about... is this some sick magical beings joke? Or is this a realistic bad dream?'
Wayne mind was so drifted in thoughts he didn't realise that Applebloom had came up to him “Big Mac is it true what Rainbow Dash said, y'all remember me but can't remember where or how?”
He snapped out of his thoughts looking to the young filly, Wayne was amazed seeing her look at him but moved his tongue around in his snout along the inside of his teeth trying to think of what to say. “It true...” he finally replied. “Ah shouldn't of picked up that crystal orb... ah thought it was something Twilight Sparkle dropped...” 'Wait how can I possibly know that... unless...' he closed his eyes to think about and saw both innocents at the same time hearing the words of Big Mac and his own
“Y'all remembered that?”
“Eeyup” Wayne replied and was strange he recalled Big Mac's day at work. “Ah remember everything yesterday... the working on the books, tell y'all sister where y'all was, selling the spare apple cider...” Wayne was scared at this point sitting there with his head lowered with eyes closed. “Ma always said ah did things without thinking...” he whispered under his breath out of hearing of Applebloom whom wondered what he said.
Applebloom got up on his back and her head appear by his “Y'all don't worry big brother, Applejack will help ya out”
“That sure ah will Big Macintosh or my name isn't Applejack” Applejack came up to them and heard his stomach growl “Sound like somepony decided to not bother to eat while wondering around”
“Eeyup...” Wayne answer to it was as he rose his head with a slight smile.
“That the smile ah like to see, come on Big Mac, ah whip up ya favourite and Granny Smith can get out the photos so y'all can try to recall ya life” Applejack put her hoof to his left side with a warm smile.
Wayne noticed Rainbow Dash giving a wave before dashing off into the sky to let rest know he was fine 'Playing along might be easy with that one day worth of memoirs, feelings and life but why can I remember sudden everything that happened to Big Macintosh and myself... wait the time... what if right now was the time it happened yesterday...'
Big Macintosh...
He sat by the window with a hand resting on his chin seeing the storm was still in full blown down pour since the morning, the mother named Michelle of the person he was in had taken time to talk to him and see if he remembered anything at all about their lives and Wayne's life, Big Mac first said nothing about with his thoughts trailing to those back in Equestria and his true family.
Nigel came back into the room with a try of cup of tea and coffee “Here you go bro, two sugars as you like it” he put the cup down on the window seal “Bloody weather, last five weeks we have the hottest summer ever and now this...”
Big Macintosh took the cup feeling the warmth from it he took a sip of the tea, it was sweet to the taste but he guess that the way Wayne liked it. “Thanks Nigel...” he responded “I know your trying to help, it just a lot to take in”
“I know, just bear with it bro” Nigel put his hand on the shoulder and walks away sitting back down on the chair.
Michelle decided to ask again “So do you remember anything at all? Other then yesterday?”
Big Mac thought about it for some reason he could remember Wayne picking it up 'Eeyup, strange that ah remember his side of things yesterday... the work place selling...' the thought was shocking as he saw the memoirs as he closed his eyes. The place Wayne worked sold beef in term of cows this made his stomach instantly spin. “I think I am going to be sick...”
“Here” Michelle gives him the sick tub and he just throw up into it almost instantly.
“Gross...” Hazel covered her eyes.
Big Mac coughing a little feeling very uneasy “I remember working at a place called McDonald’s... they sold meat in buns... I'm sorry thinking about it made me really sick...”
Michelle was surprised to hear this but didn't seem to flinch “They do say when someone loses their memoirs, sometimes their taste in food and drinks change to as well the way they see things... I guess ham sandwiches are off the menu now”
Big Mac put the tub to the side as a nurse came in and saw what happened, she took it from him and put a fresh one out for him to use “Ma'am the doctor said that the neurological tests have been booked for three weeks time, all you need to do is sign the paper work”
“Three weeks? Seriously?” Michelle groans “I really hate hospitals with their waiting times...” she took the clip board and pen signing for it. “Will he have to stay here? During that time”
“No, after tonight he can leave with you and we will give you the time and date on the way out tomorrow” she replied taking the clipboard. “If you need anything else just push this button and someone be with you soon as possible” she point to the device by the bed side and leaves.
'Ah do not like the idea of working in such a place but to keep my cover...' Big Mac didn't like the idea but if he going to pretend he will have to try and live Wayne's life part from eating meat part, no matter what he will not touch the stuff. “Wayne you won't have to worry about work anytime soon, I called them and explained what happened and they given you sick pay this week but expect you in to see how you will cope by next Wednesday, is that alright with you?”
“Yes” a simple reply and got up walking over to the bed and sitting on it “Is it ok to be alone for a time, I like to be alone in my thoughts”
“Sure sweetheart” she stood up “If you need to talk, just call this number” she put a piece of paper on the table side. “Goodnight Wayne, sweet dreams” she walked out the room without saying another word.
Hazel knew that look and got up “I better go with mum... bro please get better...”
“I will try, no promises”
“Yeah all we need is Pinkie Pie to jump in” she joked and left.
Big Mac blinked “Did she say Pinkie Pie?”
Nigel rolled his eyes “Yeah it that show you and Hazel are into, I don't really like it myself but you two like what you like and I like what I like” he replied. “It called My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, I think you can easily find it on the channel HUB UK. If your lucky you be able to see it right now” Nigel took the control and gave it to Big Mac. “Anyway I'll be back with Mum tomorrow to pick you up, it be easier to drive you home then using the blood buses...” with that he left the room.
Big Mac sitting on the bed look at the controller Nigel gave him, he never held such a strange thing before, looking at the numbers, arrows and words he was puzzled over it looking under it and to the sides of it. 'How exactly am ah suppose to use this thing?' he nervously pushed one of the buttons that had a strange symbol on it and heard the large screen in front of him come to life showing moving images he never seen before. 'What in tarnation is that?'
He quickly push the button again and the screen turns off, he put the controller down 'Ah not doing that again... that was some form of magic ah never seen before...' he choose to just lay there on the bed and listen to the sound of rain and rumble of thunder feeling rather homesick already with the feeling of this strange body he was in unpleasant for him...
Wayne Dolphin...
Sitting in what he believed was the living room, they all had gathered around Granny Smith whom had the photo album out and sitting on the sofa with Applejack and Applebloom beside her on either side. Wayne sat on his rump beside the sofa seeing the photos from where he sat and next to him on the table was set of apple fritters from him to eat and a mug of apple cider.
He took one with a hoof and started eating it as he listened to Granny Smith doing her part to help her grandson “Aw look at that, remember mah telling about the family reunion before our last?”
“Sure do Granny Smith, that Applejack when she was younger then me” Applebloom point to the young foal in the picture with the young colt Big Macintosh with slightly younger Granny Smith with a few mares and stallions, the two behind was a red coated mare with blonde mane and tail and yellow stallion.
Wayne saw the image of them together on a photo of their own that was taken quite some time afterwards but as the page turns over it showed photos of the family reunion with Applejack sitting there with all the apple fritters, he couldn't help but laugh softly at that image “Sound like somepony remember something about that here old day”
“Eeyup” Wayne replied “Y'all ate more apple fritters then an stallion” Granny Smith and Applebloom laughing with Applejack putting her hoof to her head.
“What else do y'all remember then?”
He thought about it “Bits and pieces... images ah seem ah can't explain” he turn away taking a apple fritter and eating it. “Ah sorry...”
“Nothing to be sorry abut big brother, it not ya thought that crazy orb thingy blasted ya into the apple cart” Applebloom recalling what she heard of the event that took place that evening.
Granny Smith close the book up “Ah better not continue, showing pictures that can't be clearly remembered by causing more confusion and maybe fear”
Applejack gave her a very confused look “Mah brother afraid, hardly...” she recalled this morning the fear she saw in his eyes and shock of where he was. “Oh... yeah ah was there...”
Applebloom thought about one thing in her mind “Do y'all remember what me and the girls did to ya on Hearts and Hooves Day?”
Wayne knew that all too well from the show he watched, it was one of the advantages he had being in Big Mac, it was suppose to be all cartoons and such but he was sitting there eating apple fritters with night through the open door, he reach out for another and realised they was all gone, he didn't even realise he was eating them at a steady rate. “Ah do... but wish remember more of the family then that...” he drunk the apple cider. “Ah feel fear and confusion... nothing make sense to me...”
'It sure didn't... here I am pretending to be someone that I am not... thank god for my pretend plays when writing my stories and drawings when speaking them out from my mind... writing... drawing...' a shiver ran down his spine all the way to his tail.
They watched Wayne 'Big Mac' quickly get out a piece of paper from a draw and a pencil, he quickly holding it with his mouth and using his hooves for support wrote 'Big Macintosh' down best he could and wonder if the written words was the same as theirs. “Big Mac are y'all ok?” she saw the poorly written word and guessed “Ah see...” she could see his name on it but notice a slight differences, it should have been spent as 'McIntosh' but it had the letter 'a' and remembered there was two ways of spelling out his name since 'Big Mac' had the letter 'a' in it.
“Wow that really bad” Applebloom spoke out
“Applebloom!” Applejack scold at her sister for that comment
“Sorry... ah...”
Wayne decided to intervene “It ok Applebloom y'all right it is really bad... guess ah going to have to relearn to mouth write again...” he rubbed his hoof on her head gentle “Granny... could y'all show me to mah room please... ah wish to sleep on this and promise ah won't do anything stupid...”
“Oh course Big Mac, come along, ah show y'all to ya room” Granny Smith gets off the sofa and trots slowly away with Wayne following her close behind unfamiliar with the house.
Applejack notice one letter that seem out of place “Ah wonder what that 'w' stand for...”
Applebloom didn't pay much attention to that “big sis... ah sorry for what ah said, it just hard seeing our brother and he kind of not himself at the moment”
“Ah know that feeling sugarcube but as we and ah seen...” then a idea came to her “Maybe that would work... he always been on the farm doing... yes ah got it...”
Applebloom watch her sister leave the living room carrying the plate and cup to the kitchen “Got what? Applejack tell me! What idea y'all got!?” Applebloom galloping off after her sister for answers.
Granny Smith open the door to Big Mac's room “Here ya go Big Mac, have a good night rest. Y'all don't want to freak out again do ya?”
“Nnope and goodnight Granny” he replied softly and watch the old mare leave.
“Oh and if ya forgotten, the bathroom is just down the hall to the right, ya can't miss it. It all fancy like not like back when ah was younger when it was a shack outside” she laughing a little remembering some of her past walking down the corridor to the stairs and turn left through a door, he guessing that was her room.
Wayne walked inside closing the door behind him, inside was a semi sized room with one single bed in the middle against the wall stood between the hall and the room, he noticed a large picture of a stallion pony running across the field, by the bed was a stand with a picture of Big Mac and the others that lived on the farm together looking happy, the one he noticed was the doll on the bed “Ah remember this, it that crazy darn spell Twilight used and turn everypony crazy that saw it” he whispered
He turn to the work neck collar by the wardrobe 'Big Macintosh's work collar... I wonder...' curiously taking it with his hooves and placing it over his head and now resting on his back of the neck and around his front he stared at the mirror before him with a soft chuckle 'Now I look like Big Mac' then it drawn on him staring at the image ears flatten against his head turning to the window standing before the full moon and endless stars.
“First Star ah see tonight may ah have this wish tonight... ah wish for things to return to normal and never found that blasted orb...”
Applejack was about to check on her brother when she heard this placing a ear to the door listening to the rhythm “Ah'm never heard of a rhythm quite like that or heard him speak like that too... that amnesia stuff is one tricky mule... ah hope y'all wish come true Big Mac... for all our sakes...” she trots away from the door whispering to herself feeling helpless to help her big brother out but she had a plan that might work...
Big Macintosh...
Opening his eyes staring at the same ceiling he looked at when closing his eyes, it was lit up by a glow from outside, he sat up in the bed turning to the sight of the full moon and clear night sky with all the stars out, he got up feeling the cold touch of the floor on the feet he now had. 'The stars look the same but the moon doesn't... am ah in a whole new world...' he noticed the brightest star in the sky being the north star
“Doctor the Emergency Generators are on but we still haven't got power to much of the hospital” Big Mac heard the talking and saw through the window of part of the hospital was infact in darkness.
“I know Mandy but the ones that still on are around the more critical injured though, we need to keep that up and running or we going to lose people...” the doctor seeming to be stressed
Big Mac came up to the door and opened it seeing the two talking “Alright, I will see what we can do with the ones that are still opernating...” she pauses turning to the patient looking at them. “Oh sorry to disturb you sir, we just having another power cut due to the heatwave and thunderstorms we recently had, if you kindly go back to bed we will have it resolved soon as possible”
“I might be able to help, I know a thing or two about fixing things” Big Mac offering his help.
The Doctor rubbed his head “I don't know, your suffering from a form of amnesia sir and if you get hurt fixing it, your mother would grill us for sure”
“And if we do nothing we could lose the last generators doctor” Mandy points out to the doctor.
“Ok fine, but you go with him, if he tries anything stupid stop him ok?” The doctor turn to him “Mr Dolphin I hope you know what your doing... we don't want a problem getting any worse as it is, we have over 50 patients in critical conditions at the moment and with the fear of the last generators packing out and no one able to come due to the accidents caused by the black outs I fear we might lose some by morning...”
“I will be careful”
“Mr Dolphin come with me, I will get you something suitable to wear” he nods to Mandy and follow the nurse whom shined her torch down the hall way.
“Quick question... how long these powercuts and heatwave been going on?”
“Five weeks the heatwave lasted, the longest in UK history with temperatures reaching over 39 degrees... as for the powercuts the transformers can't handle the heat and the excessive use of air-conditioning units. The power output is greater then the input sad to say” the nurse came to the room and gave him a outfit that was some work clothing with gloves and boots. “I will be waiting out here sir”
Big Mac found putting the stuff on rather strange and weird, he had problems putting them on with at first making some silly mistakes but he couldn't blame himself for it since he never worn this much in his life. Soon after ten minutes he was out “Sorry I took so long, it was kind of hard to put it on...”
“It fine, please follow me” she takes him to the three generator that was off with the other three running are over maximum to maintain the critical systems of the hospital. “We have six generators to power the whole hospital for about three days but with the power going and coming it kind of caused some of the systems to fail”
Big Mac “I see” he took the cover off one of them and saw so many strings 'Ok ah bitten more ah could chew... this isn't what am ah expecting to see, what on tarnation is this?' he was very confused, Mandy kept the light on it as he tried to make heads or tails of the machine in front of him, he never seen anything so complexed as this in his life.
“Any luck?” Mandy asked as the time went by without a result to be seen as he tried to understand what was before him.
“Darn it” he gets up and did what came to be normal for him and gave it a massive boot
“Sir!” she yelled at him trying to pull him away from the generator.
“Work darn piece of trash” he it it harder this time with a boot as Mandy try to pull Big Mac away. Suddenly the three before them came back to life with the lights turning back on. “I knew a good old fashion bucking would do the trick”
Mandy let go off him with surprise “I guess it does... what is bucking?” she turn to him
“It hitting a apple tree with your hind legs miss” she stared at him with confusion. “I mean I... sorry that show thing my brother spoke of must still be fresh in my head” he didn't like to lie or make something up but he hoped it works.
Mandy grinned “Oh you mean My Little Pony, Applejack's apple bucking, of course silly me I should of knew that show be fresh in your mind, I heard from your sister Hazel and you a big fan of the show” she pat him on the back “Either way Mr Dolphin thank you for your old fashion bucking and don't worry I will leave that part out”
“Thank you miss Mandy”
“Now let get you out of those clothes and back into the gown before your mother realises what we had you do for us...” he nod in agreement and they left the basement area of the generators with them humming with full power to the hospital.
'My Little Pony? Applejack's apple bucking... fan of the show? What on tarnation does she mean by that, is my world not real to them?' his mind was wrapped in confusion 'Watch this show thing on flat strange box... eeyup...'