Big Mac and Applejack had ran the entire way from the barn toward Ponyville. It was an urgent situation, both knew - Applejack's friend was in danger, and Big Mac? Well, he had enough guilt on his plate already. He had just returned the mare's doll to her, and saved her from Blue Sage poison - if she... no, he wouldn't think of it. Somehow, things were going to be alright.
A small crowd of ponies had gathered to gawk and shout. Big Mac couldn't help but wonder what was taking the fireponies so long to arrive; of course, they were on the other side of town, so it would take a while. "We gotta do somethin'! She'll burn alive if we jus' sit here an' wait!" shouted Applejack. Fluttershy whimpered, tears welling in her eyes and rolling freely down her cheeks. Big Mac stared up at the great tree, and suddenly one end of it seemed to erupt into a small explosion, launching burning branches and leaves into the air and eliciting a scream from the crowd of ponies, some of which ran as far away from the tree as possible.
That was all he needed.
Big Mac pulled his harness off and gave it over to Applejack. "Take this."
"What? Ah-- Big Mac! What are you doing!?"
Without another word, he ran towards the door. He gave it a swift buck, launching it from it's hinges and landing in a small heap across the room, and what he saw inside drew a lot of his hopes away. The entire room was practically eaten up in fire; the books, the wooden structure, all of it served to feed the flames effortlessly as they spread madly. He would have to be very careful if he was going to do this right. Quickly, he ran into the small living room and looked around; the basement was blocked by several bits of wood that had collapsed from the ceiling.
"Twilight!" Big Mac shouted over the inferno. "Twilight, can ya hear me!?"
"Up here!"
Big Mac nodded and turned to a staircase. Some of the steps were covered in soot and ash, as well as pieces of broken wood, but fortunately they looked traversable. He rushed up the stairs, kicking away any wood that blocked his path, and finally reaching the bedroom. Much of it was already filled with smoke, the floor was growing hot, and some of the walls and items in the room had already caught fire. Twilight was laying on the floor, whimpering, staring at him with pleading eyes.
"Twilight! Y'alright?"
"Too weak..." she said in a tired, raspy voice. "Can't move..."
The stallion, without another word, trotted towards her and shoved his muzzle under her. With a quick motion, he rolled her over his head and onto his back, and helped her get situated. "Hold on tight" he said, to which she complied. He looked towards her balcony; several bits of wood had already fallen in the path, burning too hot. If he jumped, he risked injuring himself AND Twilight, and in her condition that could be a bad thing. He had no choice; he would have to go back downstairs. As if the universe had read his mind, in several places, he heard wood crashing into wood, and the sound of flame grabbing at more air.
Looking back down stairs, he saw that some of the staircase had collapsed into the basement, with fire pouring out of it; the air smelled different. Did she have some sort of flammable chemicals down there? "Hold on... Ah'm gonna have ta jump it..." With that, Big Mac ran down the steps, readying to time his jump just right. Just as he reached the hole halfway down, he sprang into the air and felt Twilight grip onto his neck. He fell back down, and at that moment, realized he may have miscalculated his jump just a bit.
He grabbed Twilight and pulled her towards his front as he spun a bit, and slammed onto his back. The force knocked the breath out of him, and forced him to let go of the mare, who rolled a few feet away from him. Big Mac slowly turned around and placed his hoof on the ground, slowly pushing himself up. The act, however, punished him as a pain shot through his ribs and his withers; he knew that pain. He had broken, at least bruised a few of his ribs, and likely had busted his shoulder as well... it seemed like a heroically good idea at first, but it was one he was going to pay for.
His shoulder in agony he limped towards Twilight, who seemed dazed by the situation. Big Mac gritted his teeth and bore the pain as he rolled her back onto his back once more, his broken body crying at him to forget the mare and leave. He would not do it though. Just as he was certain he had control of the situation, he turned around to see something that made his heart sink.
The door had been blocked. Parts of the tree, of the room upstairs, of branches, had fallen into the doorway. The mess of burning wood and broken rubble was too much for him to traverse. If he tried to climb it, he might get too close to the ceiling, or knock some of the debris that was being held up by chance alone loose.
"We're trapped..." said Twilight in a sad voice.
Big Mac analyzed the scene, his eyes desperate, searching. Then, a grim realization struck him. His expression shifted to frustrated, but then to acceptance.
"No. We're not."
He looked back at Twilight. "Miss Sparkle... Ah apologize for this... but it's either one of us or none of us."
"Wh... what?"
With that, the stallion ran towards the door, and then threw himself upward, propelling his back legs faster. Twilight, too shocked to hold on, was launched from his back and out the door. As she flew, her hoof accidentally struck a piece of wood, eliciting a shout from her. The wood itself, however, was poorly situated - her strike knocked it loose, and several bits of debris that had just been held up began to tumble down and cover the doorway.
Twilight hit the ground and tumbled to a stop before the crowd. Immediately, ponies rushed to her. "Give her room! Make sure she gets some air!" Applejack stared at her friend, relief painting her eyes, before the realization hit her, and horror became her world. She turned to look at the library door, which was now blocked by piles of burning lumber.
"BIG McINTOSH!"
***
That was a bad idea.
Well... for him at least.
Big Mac had only served to damage, or least injure, his broken bones more. He winced and growled in pain, slowly standing back up, trying to bear the ache in his body as he looked around, trying to come up with an escape plan of his own. He looked to the stairs and wondered if he might get back up there? He'd surely injure himself jumping from that balcony, but it was the only option. Most of the windows were blocked by flaming debris or burning branches, so he didn't know if any of those ideas were feasible. Of course, with the staircase having fallen, that would be quite the feat for an earth bound pony.
He turned once more to some of the windows; there were only maybe two in this room. One of them was blocked by the same rubble that kept him from using the designated exit, and the other by a series of burning branches that had fallen to the ground outside. What luck. He limped towards a nearby door and pushed it open; as soon as he did, he was greeted by an inferno in the small room space pouring out and licking at him. He yelled and backed away, frantically searching for some kind of escape.
"Ah'm trapped..."
He supposed he knew it was going to happen.
"Ah'm really gonna die."
He simply stood there for a few seconds, letting this information run through his head. It seemed unfair, really. Spend your life working hard, and you'll be rewarded. That's what pa always said. Of course, then his mother died giving birth to his baby sister, and his father... he wondered if it was a curse of some kind? Perhaps Apples arent meant to die of natural causes? Big McIntosh sighed and looked towards a nearby desk, and what he saw almost surprised him.
Sitting on that desk, surrounded by flames that had yet to reach her, was Smartypants.
He preferred Little Orchard, but he supposed it was Twilight's first.
He trotted towards the little doll and lifted it up, looking at it. "Guess we're both trapped in here, aint we?"
The doll did not answer back.
Big Mac chuckled.
"Ya know... Ah always figured if Ah died of unnatural causes... it'd be in a farmin' accident. Or from pushin' mahself too hard. Or from scarin' Applejack. Never thought it'd be from savin' a mare's life. Know what Ah'm sayin'?"
The doll simply stared at him in forever silence.
Big Mac chuckled a bit. "Ya always were a good listener, Lil' Orchard... or Smartypants... whatever ya prefer to be called..."
He sniffled a bit. A single tear rolling down his cheek. He pulled the small doll close and gave it a hug. It was just a doll... he knew this. But right now? It was the only comfort he had. And he needed comfort. He looked up to the ceiling and saw that it was straining to hold together. No, he turned his attention back to the doll that he coddled in his hooves. He didn't want to see it coming.
"Ya know..." said McIntosh to the little doll. "Ah guess this is all mah own fault. Promisin' ta help mah sister move her friend's things. Eatin' that mystery goo Apple Bloom gave me... then tellin' Twilight not ta build her lil' shelter... had Ah not done any one of those things, maybe she'da not got bit, and we'd jus' be askin' her if she was okay."
The doll remained silent.
"... But... Ah guess it ain't the worst way to go..." he coughed a bit. The smoke was really starting to get to him now. "Ah mean... burnin' alive is horrible, don' get me wrong... but... at least Ah left a mark, eh? And at least Ah saved somepony's life..." he smirked. "Twice..."
A loud cracking and groaning of weak wood nearly stole his attention.
"Ah lived a good life, Orchard..." he said, his voice cracking a bit, lip trembling. "... Ah reckon... if Ah could do it all over again... th' only thing Ah'd do different is find a way ta get you outta here too..."
Big Mac sighed and let out a rattled breath, and closed his eyes. He then began to hum. It was an old song... one he barely remembered... but now, he seemed to recall it with perfect clarity. A song he hadn't heard in years. From a pony he hadn't seen in years. A lullaby. A lullaby his mother used to sing to him when he was just a colt. Eventually, he stopped humming, and started to sing the song quietly to himself.
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head...
More cracking, and the sound of glass shattering.
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed...
Driftin' off to sleep...
Leave the day behind you...
Driftin' off to sleep...
Let the joy of dreamland find you...
He sniffed a bit, a small smile on his face, tears rolling down his eyes.
Hush now... quiet now...
It's time to lay your sleepy head...
He pulled the doll close and hugged her, nuzzling it a bit, then pushing it to his chest.
Hush now, quiet now...
It's time to go to bed...
The sound of snapping, screeching and wailing of shattering wood overcame his senses. His eyes damp, closed, and a smile on his face, Big McIntosh found acceptance in his heart. He found total peace of mind and serenity.
As the room above him came tumbling down upon him and enveloped his world in darkness.