Chapter 1: Starlight
Applejack was trotting down the hallway, her hooves echoing through the darkened and empty house. Her eyes were drawn to the light coming out of one of the rooms, her older brother’s room. Taking a step forward, she looked in to see a candle flickering at his desk. The red stallion was sitting in front of the open window, looking up at the night sky.
“Big Mac?” Applejack spoke softly, not wanting to startle her brother.
The stallion turned his head to see his orange-coated sister, “Howdy, Applejack.” He turned his attention back to the night sky.
“Everythin’ alright? Ya seem down an’ out, sugarcube,” the mare expressed her concern as she trotted over to Big Mac.
“Ah’m….fine,” his reply was delayed and uncertain.
“Don’t sound like ya are. What’s on yer mind? The upcomin’ apple season?”
Big Mac shook his head.
“Does it havta do with Applebloom digging holes in the field? Ah told’ that filly that there’s no such thin’ as a ‘dog cutie mark’.”
He shook his head again.
“Is it ‘bout our cider supply? ‘Cause ah think we’re fine with how many barrels we got in reserve.”
“Ain’t that neither.”
The orange pony sighed, “Then what is it? Ah ain’t got a clue.”
“It’s….” Big Mac began to speak, looking down and his cheeks beginning to burn, “’bout Miss Twilight.”
“Twi? What ‘bout her?” Applejack tilted her head.
The stallion took a deep breath and looked to his sister, “Well….she’s a princess now.”
“So?” Applejack replied, “she might be royalty and all, but Twilight is still the same ol’ pony we know an’ love. And in your case, more than most.” The orange mare teased her brother, lightly jabbing him with her hoof.
Big Mac wasn’t convinced. He continued, his face a little more flushed, “But, Miss Twilight is royalty, a princess. An’ me, ah ain’t nothin’ more than jus’ a farm pony. Ah really don’t see what she would see in me now.”
An annoyed groan came from Applejack, “Ah don’t know what ah gotta do ta convince ya that Twilight is still Twilight. She’s just got a pair of wings now. Her title might have changed, but she herself has not.”
“Ah’m just not really sure, Applejack. Miss Twilight is a princess….and ah’m nothin’ special,” Big Mac spoke in his low voice.
“Ah give up. There’s just no way to get ya to see it any other way. If you’re so worried about her, why don’t ya write her a letter or somethin’ instead of just mopin’ ‘bout it?” Applejack left her brother with those words as she trotted out of his room.
With his ears perking up at his sister’s last statement, he turned around to see that she had gone. Without speaking a word, the stallion moved to his desk. Pulling out a quill and a blank sheet of parchment, he started to write. However, after only scribbling down a couple words, he crumbled up the parchment and pulled out another one. The same result happened; only a few words in and he balled the paper up.
He took another piece out, but this time did not pick up the quill. Instead, Big Mac trotted back to the open window. A cool breeze was blowing, filling his lungs with a fresh and calming aroma of the night air. Looking up at the sky, he saw a large number of stars shining down at him. In his mind, he started to trace the outlines of the constellations, just as Twilight had shown him on that night not too long ago. A smile appeared on Big Mac’s face as he remembered their first night stargazing.
Turning around, he returned to the desk. Taking the quill in his hoof, he began to write:
Dear Miss Twilight Sparkle,
Howdy. It’s Big Macintosh. I know it seems quite odd for me to write a letter to you since I can easily see you at the library, but I feel that I might be able to find the right words this way. Even if it took me two tries to even get this far, I still believe this might be better.
I’m not really sure how to say this without coming off as impolite or just plain rude, but to me it feels as if you’ve changed. Aside from the obvious with you becoming a princess and all with your wings, but it seems as if you’re an entirely new pony. This might just be me and my imagination, but it with you now being royalty, I don’t see why you would need a farm pony like me as your coltfriend.
I want to say for certain that I still deeply care for you, and I still like you very much, Miss Twilight. Each and every time we are together, I still feel that strange but welcoming magic that I first felt with you. But with you being a princess, I understand if you don’t want some common pony like me to be your other half.
Maybe this is something that needed to be addressed, or maybe I’m worrying over nothing. Either way, I feel better about writing this letter out.
Love,
Big Macintosh