//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Apple of my eye 
// by Eros 
//------------------------------//

A throbbing headache greeted Big Macintosh. What a perfect way tah start buckin' apples  A quick glance at the clock told him it was 1:00 in the afternoon, an hour before he would see Caramel.

Caramel. That weird little pony his stomach seemed to be allergic to. The one he sort of maybe liked a little. Liked more then a friend. Though Ah don' know if he even wants tah be friends. But he wouldn't have offered tah help unless he was wanting tah be mah friend. Right?

Forcing himself out of the comfortable bed, he trotted downstairs. Applejack seemed to have already gone out to the fields. She would be out there before him, only to prove that she was better then him at something. This sibling rivalry was a sort of competition between them, something they never spoke about but were always aware of. It was actually quite fun in a way.

Applebloom was still eating breakfast. She wouldn't be at school today, due to the Summer Sun Celebration being a sort of holiday. An apple farmer couldn't take holidays though, especially now with harvest season upon them and apples by the thousand.

Applebloom gave him a tired look, completing the bags under her eyes. A look that said "No, mah cutie mark ain't stayin' up late or partyin'."

"Mornin' Big Mac."

Big Macintosh couldn't help but smile at the way his little sister had to force herself awake. This kind of thing happened every year, and the celebration would always mess up the inner clocks of everypony for a few days.

"Hey there Applebloom. Yah alright?"

She hung her head, her bow almost coming undone. "Not really. Ah'm real tired."

"Yah better get some more sleep then."

Applebloom shook her head. "Ah gotta help you an' Applejack with the apples."

"Don't you worry 'bout that sugarcube, we got it. This ain't our first harvest. 'Sides, Ah got a friend comin' over later tah help."

"Ah guess..." Her sentence trailed off as her head slumped onto the table comically, narrowly missing her bowl of oats.

Leaving his sister to her slumber, the eldest Apple made his way out into the fields. It felt like it was the next day, yet he knew it wasn't. A very disconcerting feeling, but one that would vanish after a few hours.


Caramel had a slightly better morning. He hadn't drunk that much cider, so his headache was significantly smaller then Big Mac's. In a befuddled state, he fumbled for his keys next to his bed and went downstairs to unlock the bakery, before remembering where he was supposed to go. It was 1:00 now, and Caramel judged that he should be able to get to Sweet Apple Acres by 2, give or take a couple minutes. Why am I even going through this much trouble for one pony?

Not wanting to disappoint Big Macintosh and because he was a pony of his word, Caramel set off at a steady canter to Sweet Apple Acres. I doubt it'll be that hard to get to.

Traversing through town took at least 40 minutes. Leading out from the edge of town were 3 paths, each bearing a sign. One read 'Everfree Forest.' Well I really don't want to go there. Caramel turned to the path on his left, one that read 'Sweet Apple Acres'. 

Trotting along the dirt pathway to Sweet Apple Acres, Caramel took a moment to smell the heavy scent of apples in the air. It was slightly intoxicating, and it made his head swim, probably due to the fact that the hot summer sun was heating up the apples and making them release a far more pungent smell. It was very pleasant.

Apple trees flanked the path, but these looked laden with fruit that hadn't been picked in ages. It didn't look like this part of the orchard was used, which Caramel found strange as the trees seemed to have nothing wrong with them.

The tan steed was happily walking along the path when, in true Caramel style he tripped over apparently nothing. A muzzle full of dirt was NOT the best way to start the afternoon.

"Ahh... buck, that hurt." His right hoof stung as he inspected the small scratches on it. Turning around expecting to find a rock, Caramel frowned. The object he had tripped on was certainly not a rock, but a raggedy doll, almost in pieces. It seemed to be in a state of decomposition so advanced, it would have made him sick if there was anything but stuffing coming from the large rip in it's back.

"Huh. Weird."

He left the doll on the path and continued up towards a large house on a hill, surrounded by hundreds of apple trees. Knocking on the door, he was greeted by a very tired little yellow filly. Her voice cracked with fatigue. "Can Ah help you?" Caramel suddenly felt awkward. He wasn't good with social things at all, and even going out to the Summer Sun Celebration was a stretch for him. There wasn't really any reason behind it, he was just a socially awkward pony around ponies he didn't know.

"Yeah umm... I'm here to help Big Macintosh with the apples." 

Pointing a hoof in a vaguely westerly direction, she gestured slightly. "Him an' Applejack are out in the west field. Don't know where."

Caramel looked at the immense size of the field she was pointing to and gulped. There had to be at least 2000 apple trees.

"Is uh, is that the whole west field?"

She sounded exactly like Big Mac in her answer. "Eeyup" She shut the door, somewhat rudely.

Well, I guess that explains the doll.

Caramel sucked up his exhaustion and made his way over to the west part of the orchard. He only had to walk for a few minutes before he came across Big Mac and Applejack bucking. Big Macintosh would kicked the tree and shake the apples off, and Applejack would scoop them up in wooden tubs and load them onto a nearby cart. Applejack noticed his presence first.

"Can Ah help you?"

Big Macintosh paused mid buck and found himself experiencing more stomach abnormalities as he took in the sight of Caramel's scared expression. One that made Big Mac want to just pick him up and protect him from anypony nasty enough to hurt him.

What the buck am Ah thinkin'?

"Umm... well I..."

Applejack got impatient. She had been bucking apples for the past 2 hours and was not in the mood for bull. "Jus' spit it out." She came off rather gruffly.

"Applejack, t'ain't no need for that kind of behavior. This here's Caramel, he's helpin' us out today." Applejack eyed Caramel suspiciously.
"Now why would he wanna do that? Ah sure as hay ain't payin' him." Caramel felt indignant. Did she just assume he wanted money? Evidently.

"I don't want any money from you Applejack. I'm just helping out my friend." He pointed to Big Macintosh, who knew better then to get into an argument with Applejack.

"Hmpf" Applejack swung her mane almost haughtily and grabbed a basket of apples. "Since you two seem tah be so eager tah work, y'all can do this without me. I gotta see Raridy anyway." She turned and walked back in the direction of the Apple Family house.

Caramel and Big Mac stood in silence for a few minutes. Big Macintosh broke their silence with a well rehearsed sigh of irritation.

"Ah'm sorry 'bout her. Ah think she's on her 'Moon Cycle' if yah know what Ah mean. Even so, she's the stubbornest mare Ah ever did meet, an' she don't take too kindly tah folks she don't know." Caramel nodded sympathetically.

"It's fine, I understand. I have an older sister, so I know what they can be like. Applejack and my sister, Toffee Cream would get along... well swimmingly." This surprised Big Macintosh. Ah always thought of him bein' an only foal. Caramel continued.

"Speaking of sisters, I met yours earlier. Is she alright?"

Big Mac chuckled. "She's pretty darn beat from last night an' all the dancing. She wasn't too rude was she? She can be mighty straight up sometimes."

Now it was Caramel's turn to giggle. "She was nice. I don't think she had the energy to be very straight up, or anything that involves being awake." Big Macintosh had to remind himself to breathe after hearing Caramel's adorable giggle. Adorable?

"Hey Caramel?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Why did yah come anyway?"

Caramel pondered this a moment. "Well I said I would, and I don't like to go back on my word. But truthfully? I was sort of hoping we could be friends."

The vermillion colt was silent. Does he mean that? Well it's a start Ah guess .

"So what do we do exactly? I've never bucked apples before."

Now that he thought about it, Big Mac realized that he didn't really know how to explain the art of applebucking. It was something he had always just done and never had to explain to anyponyelse. Applejack knew how to buck just fine, and Applebloom would soon be strong enough to do it herself, but nopony had actually taught Big Macintosh what to do. You just kick your hind-legs against a tree right?

"Ah guess yah just... sorta face away from a tree an' kick it." 

"An' try not tah stand under any large apples." he added with a wry grin, remembering the exact reason why you should not buck apple trees while directly under apples. The grin was not unnoticed by Caramel.

"So why shouldn't you stand under apples?"

Big Macintosh twisted his body and tapped his cutie mark. "Ah was only 10 when ah decided Ah was old enough tah buck apples. So bein' a smart colt, Ah decided to try to buck the biggest tree. Well, the one Ah chose had fruit almost the size of mah hoof." Looking at his large hooves, he looked at Caramels.

"Well, maybe the size o' your hoof. Anyway, Ah bucked the tree, an' an apple hit me right on the noggin'. Knocked me clean out it did, for almost a whole day. When Ah woke up, Ah had mah cutie mark." That was probably more words then Big Macintosh had ever spoken in his life. But with Caramel, he felt like he really wanted to speak, more so then with anyponyelse. 

"I got mine by making horseshoes. I was around 9 and my dad had left the forge on. He used to make and mint bits for the Crown back in Canterlot, which is where we lived before we came here."

Big Mac's ears pricked up at that. Canterlot? He doesn't seem as pompous as folks from Canterlot usually are.

"Anyway, he left his forge open and I went in there and saw a mold for horseshoes. Don't know why, but I just decided to pour some molten metal into the mold. The next morning I polished it and yeah. My cutie mark just appeared, and I didn't even notice until Toffee Cream pointed it out." Caramel smiled warmly at the memory. 

"Course', she was pretty mad that I got my cutie mark when she was 2 years older then me and still didn't have hers."

"Sisters aye? They can be nice, but sometimes they can be a right pain in the plot." They shared a mutual chuckle of understanding.

"Okay then. Lemme try this." Caramel lined himself up the same way Big Mac had and gave the tree a mighty kick. Nothing fell. He tried again, this time bucking with all his might. Still nothing. He looked over at Big Macintosh quizzically. 

"Am I doing this right?" 

Big Mac sighed. "Ah'm not too sure. Ah jus' started buckin' apples and they fell. Never had to teach nopony before." Caramel tried once more, slamming his hind hooves into the tree, which shook with the force it received. For a small pony, Caramel certainly could kick, but it still didn't seem to yield any results.

"I guess applebucking isn't really my thing huh?"

"Nnope." With that, Big Macintosh walked over to the tree Caramel stood under and bucked the trunk. Several apples fell, one of them hitting Caramel's head on the way down. It left a red mark on the very top of his snout, which stung for the second time that day. Big Mac was instantly apologetic.

"Oh mah, Ah'm real sorry 'bout that. Y'alright?" Before he could stop himself, the red steed bent his head down and lightly kissed Caramel's aching muzzle. 

"Hey wha-"

Big Macintosh pulled away and avoided Caramel's eyes. "Ah... Ah'm sorry. Ah just..."

"You just what?"

Crap, why'd Ah do that?

Big Macintosh's fur barely hid his blush. "Ah just thought that looked like it hurt."

Caramel stared at him a few minutes, then smiled. "Well thanks, but it really didn't hurt that much."

All was quiet. Until Caramel spoke again.

"So, can I help you with anything else? Obviously, I can't get the apples out the trees, but I could maybe pull the cart for you?"

It took Mac a second to form a coherent thought. "Ah, yeah that would be good. You can jus' put the baskets in the left corner of the barn."

"Aright then. I'll take this load, then come back for more later then?" Caramel's eye's glowed with an unexpected exuberance. Truthfully, he felt awkward that he had offered to help, and then was unable to. I hope he doesn't think I'm incompetent.

"Eeyup."

The rest of the day continued in much the same manner. By the time Caramel had gotten the apples unloaded and made it back to Big Mac, he had already bucked plenty of apples to go back, so they didn't talk much. They got a system going. Big Macintosh would buck the apples, and Caramel would pick up any stray ones and put them in baskets. Then, he would haul the cart full of apples to the barn and carefully place the apples in a growing pile. At one point, Caramel thought he was doing far more work then Big Mac, until he actually watched the larger stallion. 

The way his muscles had to twist to gather the strength for the bucking, the pure force that slammed the tree and made it shiver and the sweat that rolled down his forehead with every kick made it evident that he was working very, very hard.

Caramel found his eyes drawn to Big Mac's powerful legs and chest, in a way that felt... good?

Finally, at 6.30 in the afternoon, Big Macintosh signaled for him to stop. 

"What's wrong Mac?" 

Big Macintosh wiped a foreleg across his forehead. "Ah reckon we done plenty for today. 'Sides, it's starting tah get dark, an' you wouldn't wanna walk home in the dark."

Looking up, Caramel noticed that it was indeed getting darker. It had only been summer for one day so far anyway, so it made sense that the days still weren't quite longer yet.

"True, I don't really want to walk home at night."

Big Mac scratched the back of his head nervously, ruffling his mane. "Well uh, you did a real nice thing for me today. Without you, Ah woulda only gotten half as much done."

Caramel shrugged. "It was nothing really. You did most of the work anyway."

"Still, Ah wanna repay yah for all your help. How about we go get somethin' tah eat, on me?"

That's really nice of him. Still, It'd be rude to accept. "Thanks, but I couldn't possibly make you spend your hard earned bits on me." 

Caramel hated it when ponies did nice things for him. Well, maybe not hated, but disliked it, as he always felt obliged to pay them back somehow, which always resulted in an endless loop of "I'll get that" and "It's fine, I owe you." And in Caramel's opinion, friendship wasn't something where ponies buy each other things to stay friends with them.

Big Macintosh shook his head good happily. "Nnope, Ah insist. You don' have tah give me nothin' in return, your work today was what Ah wanna thank you for. Ah'm not payin' yah, Ah'm jus' doin' somethin' nice for a friend."

Well he certainly seems adamant. I guess there would be no harm in a simple meal. Caramel gave Big Mac the biggest smile he could, without looking sarcastic. 

"Well when you put it that way, sure. But I'd rather not do anything tonight, if that's ok. My internal clock's still kinda messed up, and I'm sure if I sleep early enough tonight, it'll go back to normal."

Big Macintosh smiled knowingly. He had the exact same feeling and most ponies in Equestria did as well. "That's fine by me. Mine's kinda out o' whack to. Tomorrow then?" 

Big Mac had to fight to keep the look of disappointment off his face. It was true that he still felt a little out of time, but any time with Caramel would be worth less sleep. Celestia knows, he had already lost sleep over the beige stallion, and he had only known him a day.

Caramel turned in the direction of the path back to Ponyville. He looked back at Big Macintosh in the soft light of the sunset, the last rays of the day playing across his thick red fur.

"Tomorrow for sure. See you then!" He waved to Mac as he made his way back to the path through the orchard to Ponyville. 

Ah miss him already.

It was colder now then it had been when Caramel had walked among the apples trees that had smelled so sweet. The smell was weaker now, but ever present, a constant reminder of where he was. There was still plenty of sunlight to see bye though, which was why Caramel was somewhat surprised that he tripped again. Seemingly in the same place he did before. He once again bit dust.

"Mother of Celestia, what the hell?" There behind him sat the same raggedy doll he had tripped over earlier. It still looked like it had been run over by multiple carts. He bent down and picked it up. I should stitch this back up. I bet Mac's sister would appreciate that. Caramel had learned how to knit when he was around 13, and he hardly ever did. But it was the kind of knowledge that didn't fade over time, and he had on occasion had to mend some clothes.

With the doll resting on his back, he trekked through town. Thankfully there was barely anypony about at this time, so nopony would think the doll was his. Caramel didn't want anypony thinking that he, a grown stallion, played with dolls.