Author's Note: I do not own any aspect of MLP:FiM. I do not own any aspect of the song from which this story was derived. That's right, I literally dreamed up this story by listening to a song. Each chapter is taken from a section the song. I've expanded each section, or else you'd be reading an 800 word story. The song is a remix. Find it on YouTube under “Major Tom (Coming Home) Razormaid Remix.”
Author's Note Addendum: No. Do not ask me if my character in an angel. I didn't plan on him being an angel, just that he looked like a human and had wings, which in my mind did, in fact, look like an angel's. It's like Equestrian Physics. I just put wings on him, admittedly the first time I dreamed of this story he did have wings, so that I could make this OC/Fluttershy pairing work. When I make references as to the locations of landmarks (including cities and natural locations), I'm using the map of Equestria done by YoorPorick on DeviantArt.
The shuttle revved its atmospheric engines. The rest of my company was in it already, save for the platoon first sergeant. He looked at me, saying, “C’mon, hurry up!”
I shook my head no. I projected my memories of my time on the planet, showing him everything. Everyone I’d been in contact with during my time here knew my secret. Knew of my abilities. I, therefore, had no trouble or discomfort showing him. Many people in the shuttle came out to watch, because for all but one, this was new to them. Well, what I’d done here was new.
The first memory of note was the time I’d met two pegasi, one with a cyan coat with a rainbow mane, named Rainbow Dash, who was very outgoing and adventurous, and her shier and friendlier friend, a yellow pegasus with a pink mane by the name of Fluttershy.
I looked around cautiously, not knowing what hid in the forest around me. The local populace called it the “Everfree Forest,” which I guess is a fitting name. While it was dark, I hadn't seen anything that could be considered too much of a threat. Well, aside from roots that jutted out from beneath the earth.
I nearly freaked out and jumped out of my skin as I heard what sounded like two female voices that both sounded scared. Now, sirens were common on a few worlds I'd been on, so this put me on edge. I didn't know if this world, Equestria, had sirens on it or not. But as I drew nearer, feelings of edginess were replaced by fear. Heh, I made a rhyme.
There were two pegasi. One with a cyan coat, the other with a yellow coat. What scared me was the fact that there was a manticore growling at them from about ten feet away.
Now, I'd heard the tales. About a group of six ponies traveling a long way to defeat an escaped evil soul. On their way, they defeated a manticore, or more accurately, the yellow one subdued it using her charm. What differed from that story and here, I reckon, is that this manticore looked really hungry and really angry. Being the good person, I couldn't let them get injured or worse. “You two! Get down on the ground! Dive into a bush! Don't just sit there! GET OUT OF HERE!”
At the sound of my voice, the manticore turned its attention to me, which gave the two pegasi a chance to escape. They took it, and they both disappeared into a swath of bushes. When the manticore looked back at where its prey once stood, it turned back to me and roared in anger. It charged at me, its stinger posed like that of a lance.
I raised my M10 assault rifle. I drew a bead onto its forehead, and pulled the trigger. The darts hit it square between the eyes. The shock was almost visible. It was able to be seen when it arced from the manticore's left ear onto some venom that was dripping from its stinger. The manticore tumbled and fell into a heap two feet from me.
Then the yellow pegasus had a reaction I didn't expect. It came running out of the bushes it had run into, screaming at me the whole while. “YOU KILLED IT! YOU'RE A MONSTER!”
“N-n-no I didn't! I swear!” I stammered.
She didn't listen. “How dare you! How DARE you!” She lifted off with her wings and hovered just in front of my eyes, staring, no, scratch that, glaring at me with accusingly angry eyes. “You could have just scared it away! But nooooo! You had to kill it! MONSTER!” As she yelled that last word, she was no more than a centimeter from my face.
“I DIDN'T KILL IT!” I yelled back, but when I saw her shrink back, I knew that she was not only not expecting that reaction, but was actually not very comfortable in that situation. “I didn't kill it,” I said more softly. “I'm sorry for screaming. I just wanted you to know, and you wouldn't listen, and I got nervous, and I-” and I trailed off, knowing I was babbling. I had that habit. So sue me. I shook my hair down to cover my eyes, suddenly self-conscious.
She looked at me, from between partings in her pink mane which she looked used to hiding behind, and said in a soft voice, almost a squeak, “It's okay. I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm sorry I didn't ask for an explanation first. I'm sorry...” and then she trailed off too. Then she smiled at me.
Oh god, was that smile so beautiful. Her eyes had grown to the size of saucers, metaphorically, of course, and it almost seemed as if they were watering. Then I realized that they were. She was on the verge of tears. Unsure of what to do, I did what I thought you were supposed to do when comforting a pegasus.
I got down on my knees and gave it a hug. Not a big hug or a loving hug, just a hug that a friend would give to another. She lied her head on my shoulder and began crying. It came as sobs first, but then the floodgates, pardon the pun, opened. I was as clueless in pegasus comforting as I was in dating. So I said the only thing I knew to say. “There, there. It'll be alright. I forgive you. It's okay. Now,” then I hold her at arms length and look into her eyes. “Can you forgive me?”
“No, no, no. I couldn't forgive you! You did nothing wrong, and it was all my fault, and you shouldn't forgive me because I did something really bad and-” and I cut her off this time.
“You're wrong, there, miss. It's actually my fault. I should have told you what I planned to do. I'm sorry. You were in the right, you were right to get mad.” She tried to look away, but I put my hand under her chin and, gently, turned her head back to me. “Now,” I said again. “Will you forgive me?” I gave her the best smile I could muster, which I admit wasn't much.
She smiled her beautiful smile again, and said, “Yes. If it's what you want.”
I had to chuckle. The thought just ran into my head. So I voiced it aloud, so she could hear what I was thinking. “You know. I'm jealous.”
Her eyes widened in shock, and she said in a nervously quiet voice, “Jealous? Of what? Did I do something wrong?”
To be honest, her bahaviour kind of stumped me. I just couldn't understand this pegasus. But I did my best to hide my reaction, and continued. “I'm jealous of you, because your smile is, I admit, better than mine.”
Her look of shock remained, but her voice rose in what I could only describe as minor fear. Or shock. Maybe both. “Oh, no! Your smile is so much better than mine. Mine isn't all that special.”
I raised the proverbial eyebrow. I guess it was a literal eyebrow too, because her mood slightly deepened. “I beg to differ. I have more of a smirk. You...” I lost my will, then, because I saw the cyan pegasus come out from the bushes just then.
“Fluttershy! You're okay!” She took stole one glance at the manticore lying unconscious on the ground. “Oh my gosh! You monster! You killed that man-” but both Fluttershy and I cut her off this time, unintentionally interrupting each other.
“Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead, Fluttershy.” I said in a friendly voice, as friendly as I could manage.
“No, it's alright. You go ahead.” She said. She then blushed slightly and turned her head away, hiding behind her wonderfully pink mane.
Wait. I thought. Did I just say her mane was wonderful? I sat there with the goofiest and most perplexed expression on my face. I guess what both Fluttershy and I were feeling was obvious to the cyan pony. She burst out laughing, completely throwing out her previous anger. She rolled on the floor, and by god tears were coming out of her eyes. My expression only worsened, as I was growing more and more confused as to what the heck was going on. This caused the cyan pegasus to laugh even harder. How that was possible... don't look at me, 'cause I didn't know.
As it became too painful to laugh any longer, and after Fluttershy had blushed harder, and I looked so confused I was cross-eyed, she stopped her guffawing. After a few moments of catching her breath, she began to speak. “Oh, man, do you guys know how funny you look?! Fluttershy, you'd put Big Mac to shame, you're so red!” I didn't know who Big Mac was, but I now knew that he must be a very red pony. I still didn't know if he was an earth pony, no wings or horns, a pegasus, wings, or a unicorn, horns.
Then the mare, for her voice, while very... manly in the sense of an athlete or challenger, was that of a female, turned to me. “And you! You look like Ditzy Doo!” I also didn't know any Ditzy Doo, but when I focused my eyes, my brain put two and two together and decided that whoever this character was, he was walleyed.
“I'm... sorry?” I replied, dumbly.
“Your eyes were all 'woah,'” and she animated the action by rolling her eyes in a figure eight pattern. A good try, I'll admit, but not the real deal. “But then you focused. Darn.”
“I'm... sorry to disappoint?” C'mon brain! Catch up! You'll look stupid in front of Fluttershy! And then my eyes widened, almost to the point of pain. Why would I care what Fluttershy thinks? I mean, I just met her... My mind just ceased all function it was clinging to. Oh no... I didn't want to think that I'd just experienced love-at-first-sight with a pegasus. I mean, here I was, a bipedal creature with pure white hair, but I was still in my early twenties. And then there was Fluttershy, a yellow pegasus pony with a pink mane.
The cyan pegasus broke my train of thought. “By the way, name's Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in all of Equestria! Wanna race? I promise not to use my wings!”
“Huh?” I ask, dumbfounded. “How are you gonna fly if you don't use your wings?”
This caused a chuckle to come out of Fluttershy's mouth. “Well, um, you see, um, it wouldn't be fair if, um, Rainbow Dash used her wings, um, if you had to, um, run. She's pretty fast, you know. But, I mean, anything you want to do is fine...” She trailed off like she usually did.
Unfortunately, my brain slipped and I continued on. “Why would I have to run? Let's get into the air first.” I felt an uncomfortable pressure in my back then, then remembered who and what I was. But it was too late, I'd let it slip.
“What? You mean you can fly? How? Those arms don't look like they could hold you up.” Rainbow Dash said, doubtfully looking over my arms.
“Yeah, I mean, um, they look like, um, they'd work like our, um, hooves if we tried to, um, fly with them. But, um, whatever you want to do is fine.” I found it adorable when she trailed off. She reminded me much of, well, me. NO! I screamed in my head. She's a pegasus! I'm not! I can't love her, it's got to be a mistake!
But again, it was too late. I had to explain now, after not showing anyone but my parents. And they, unfortunately, didn't take it well. They're the reason I had to live on my own since I was sixteen.
“Well, I, you see, have something special. And, um, it's, I mean, I've kept it a secret for so long, for eight years now, and, well, when I showed my parents they totally freaked. I'm scared that if I, um, show you guys you'd freak out too. I mean, you have to have seen the others like me here. None of them are like me.”
Both of them, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, looked at me quizzically. Rainbow Dash, being the more forward of the two, asked first, “Well, if you're one of them, but not one of them, then what are you?” She shook her head. “Ow. That made my brain hurt.” I had to laugh a bit at that. Confused ponies. I found them almost as funny as I was to Rainbow Dash when I was confused. I think.
“I can't really say. I don't know what it's called. I can only show you. But, um, I'll have to take off my shirt, and I, um, don't want to offend anyone.”
Rainbow cut in. “Don't you mean anypony?”
“Uh, yeah, sure, that. You won't be offended if I take off my shirt, will you?”
Rainbow shook her head immediately, which made me wonder about what she did in her spare time. Sue me, I'm young. Fluttershy took a little longer, but with assurance and a few winks, which solidified my thoughts, from Rainbow Dash, she complied. Nervously, and again feeling self-conscious, I shook my hair back down to cover my eyes as I removed my now painful-to-wear shirt.
Gasps from both of them before I had pulled my shirt halfway off gave me fear. They're freaking, aren't they? I was suddenly scared to move, worried that motion in any direction would send them off running. I guess the shock and fear was evident on my face, as they both tried to say at the same time, “Oh, sorry, go on. We were just... um, surprised. Yeah, surprised.”
Still deathly nervous, I carefully took off the rest of my shirt, cautiously avoiding snagging it on anything. Fluttershy nearly fainted. She wobbled, sighed, and would have hit the ground. For all Rainbow Dash's bragging, I got to Fluttershy first, and I began to wonder why, yet again, I took so much care into Fluttershy. During the short distance I went to catch, my wings extended to their full length, the wingspan a full double my height. And I was five feet eight inches tall.
This amazed Rainbow Dash to no end. “Woah! They're so big! Even Princess Celestia's wings aren't so long!”
From the way she said it, I suspected that this Celestia character was the ruler of Equestria. I didn't really know how to take the compliment. Again, my mind was racing to and fro. “Um, thanks.” That's me, pinnacle of smooth.
Fluttershy woke from her half-faint, and looked up at me, as I was still holding her up. “Oh, no! Did I faint? I'm sorry.”
“No, no, it's quite alright. I guess it is pretty shocking, isn't it?” And I gave her another one of my smirk-smiles. Then, when she turned to speak to Rainbow Dash, she caught sight of just how long my wings were. They were partially hiding Rainbow from her view I guess, because she craned her neck to see.
It must have been a delayed reaction or something, because it wasn't until then that she said, “Oh my gosh! Those wings are, um, really big! And, um, they're-” I didn't hear the last word, as she squeaked at “they're.”
“I'm sorry, Fluttershy, I didn't quite catch that last bit. Could you, um, repeat it, please?”
“Oh, no, it wasn't, I didn't... say anything...” If she trailed off one more time, I'm afraid my heart may explode. I loved it. WHAT?! GET IT TOGETHER!
“Come, now, Fluttershy. You don't have to be nervous. I won't think any less of you for speaking your mind. In fact, I'd like you more because you'd be honest with me.” LIKE HER MORE?! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!
“Oh, well, um, then if it's, um, okay with you... your wings...” She gulps here. “They're so... big...” That's it. Heart transplant. Stat. Right after I get over my self-consciousness. I hung my hair over my eyes.
Rainbow Dash broke in then. “Why do you do that? Hide behind your hair? You know we can see you, right?”
“Well, er, um... gah.” Smooth, man. “Well, um, it's kinda like what Fluttershy does when she hides behind her mane. I think...” Trailing off, winning right there, folks.
Rainbow Dash, thankfully for me, took this with no objection. “Well, how about that race?”
I had completely forgotten about that. “Oh, um, well, Fluttershy? Do you, um, want to join us?”
“Oh, that's okay. I don't really like races,” she squeaked out.
Rainbow Dash piqued an interest in our semi-one-sided conversation. “Don't worry, mister, it's okay.” She leaned in close and whispered, “She can't really fly very well. She's spent most of her life on the ground.”
I furrowed my eyebrows in thought at this, but if the other two noticed, they didn't show it. But then I got an idea. “Well, then why don't we, um, start off with a leisurely fly? Then, if you still want that race, we can have it later. Is that okay?”
Fluttershy, out of character, or at least what I knew of it, was the first to respond, saying, “Oh, that'd be lovely.” Which made me think. Who says lovely anymore? Unless... oh no. Ding, ding, ding!
Rainbow Dash, a bit down for not getting what she wanted when she wanted, I'm guessing, hesitated at first, but then agreed.
Rainbow was the first into the air, taking a short jump before unfurling her too-small, to me, wings and flying off. Very fast. I, however, waited for Fluttershy to get her wings open, which wasn't all that long. Her wings were similarly small like Rainbow's, but she too got up into the air and hovered by her friend. I, smiling at how graceful she flapped her wings, took longer to get into the air. This wasn't a fault of my wings or of anyone else's. I just stood there for a bit, admiring the two pegasi.
With two powerful beats of my monstruous sized wings, in comparison to theirs, I was off. I took my time, and I expertly noticed Rainbow's look of cockiness. She thinks this as fast as I can go, I thought. Just she watch, I'll show her!
As I joined them, I asked them, “So. Where do you guys wanna go first?”
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked at each other, and after a moment of silent conversing, they nodded and turned back to me. Rainbow was the one to speak. “Applejack's farm is the closest. She lives closer to this part of the Everfree Forest than Fluttershy does. She's closer to Froggy Bottom Bog. Applejack is closer to the Moon Castle Ruins. Let's head to her farm first.”
I shrugged my shoulders, then followed closely behind them, erring more towards Fluttershy's side. As discretely as I could, I slowly, painstakingly slowly, moved in between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Don't ask me why, because I wouldn't know. My best guess was to test her feelings.
There was no objection from Rainbow. If anything, she wanted this to happen. I noticed a foolish grin on her face before she caught a bad bit of wind and dipped to my right. I could tell she was faking, because the air was still today. Fluttershy, on the other hand, really did dip to my left. She was caught off guard by my subtle movements, and when I finally reached her side, she was startled. Quickly, I dipped with her and caught her with my left hand, holding her close.
“Woah, there, Fluttershy. Don't go falling down, now. That wouldn't be good for the wings. Or you.” I smirk-smiled at her, as warmly as I could, in an attempt to get her to calm down. It worked. She smiled back. After a few seconds of catching her breath, she began flapping her wings while still in my hold. When I was sure she would be off and up to speed, I let go.
She wobbled at first, but corrected it and we continued on with our airborne trek to this Applejack character.
There wasn't much talking between the three of us during the rest of the trip. The only things that came up were small talks, like Rainbow asking after Angel, who I guess is someone Fluttershy associates with. He'd better not be my competition. Here we go again, lover boy. Still thinking that you can make this work? Needless to say, the voice in my head isn't exactly the nicest of people. And he's the one secret I've kept to myself except on one very special case.
All the while, I was trying my best to study the details of Fluttershy's face sneakily, so as to find out what she was thinking. I'm not ashamed to admit that I saw her blush many times as she snuck her own peeks at me. If that wasn't a clue, I didn't know what was. I didn't act on it though, knowing Fluttershy, or what little I did know of her, she wouldn't like my being up front or frank with her. Better leave it to her, Will. That was the first time the voice inside my head said something supporting my pursuing of Fluttershy. But did it just call me Will?
The first sign I saw that we were nearing “Sweet Apple Acres,” as they called it, was the vast expanse of apple trees, bearing all three colours of apples: red, yellow, and green. Then, rising on a hill, I saw the farmhouse. Next to it stood a barn. When I saw Fluttershy and Rainbow start their descent, I followed suit, trailing behind Fluttershy.
In front of the farmhouse was a large open area. The three of us landed there, the two pegasi landing as they would from a jump; they just hit the ground on all fours. I, however, landed in a much slower fashion, slowing my descent with several strong beats of my wings, creating lots of upward thrust so I landed lightly on my feet.
A large red pony was emerging from the barn. There was a harness on his back, like one that would have a plow attached to it. Rainbow waved at him, calling out, “Hey, Big Mac! Is Applejack around?”
The stallion responded with a simple answer. “Eeyup.”
“Thanks, Big Mac! Where is she?”
“Inside,” came the reply. I started to like this pony. A man of few words indicated wisdom and intelligence. On the other hand, it could also mean stupidity, which I guess would be normal among farmers, as they wouldn't normally attend schools, but I kept my hopes up.
“Thanks again!” Rainbow turned to me. “Okay, wait here. Fluttershy and I'll go inside and get Applejack. Just sit tight, alright?”
I nodded. This would give me a chance to meet Big Mac. Without a further word, they both sped inside in search of their friend. I walked over to Big Mac, who was now struggling with, and I called it, putting on a plow. “Need a hand?” I asked. “It looks like that's supposed to be put on with help.”
“Nope, I got it.” He said. I frowned at him. When he dropped the straps for a third time, he sighed. “Fine.”
I stepped forward. Grabbing one strap, I attached it to one side of his harness. I stepped around him from behind, and grabbed the other strap. Attaching it to the harness, I chuckled. “There. That wasn't so bad, was it?”
He swiveled his head to look at me with, what I guess, was a slightly irritated look. “Hmm.” A sound of contempt.
When we walked out of the shed, Fluttershy and her friends were no where to be seen. So I continued walking with Big Mac. I could see ahead of us that there was a closed gate. As we neared it, a thought occurred to me. We did kind of get off to a semi-bad start...
I increased my pace and opened the gate for him. As Big Mac walked through, he dipped his head in a slight nod. A nod, I guessed, of thanks. Still unable to see my two new friends and my hopefully-soon-to-be friend, I stayed with him. I'd heard the tale of Zecora, a zebra. She'd come to Ponyville, the town on whose outskirts this farm stood, looking for supplies for her home in the Everfree Forest. All the ponies were scared at first. Applejack, I'd heard from Rainbow Dash on the way here, acted with hatred, or bordering that. To put it mildly, she looked on Zecora with contempt. That is, until she cured her and her friends' afflictions from a weed called “Poison Joke.”
My brain was working overtime all the while I was next to Big Mac. I'd put two and two together again. Applejack wasn't trusting of strangers unless she'd get to know them better. I'm guessing she'd want to get to know them from afar, because if that stranger was dangerous...
My mind snapped back to reality as I heard Big Mac grunt in pain. I looked around for him, and found him bleeding from a cut in the back of his right leg. The plow blade was at the base of his leg, a small amount of blood laying there. Looking at where he'd been plowing, I noticed a rock laying in his path. The plow must have caught on the rock, and as he pulled harder it must have broken loose and cut him. Will, hurry, before it gets infected... or worse.
I knew what my voice was telling me. He could get tetanus. That plow looked like it had a bit of rust on it, and most of it was around the blood. Then I realized my mistake. I'd left my bags, which contained my medical kits, by the shed. I knew what I had to do, but I didn't think I could do it. We'd come a long way from the farm, and carrying Big Mac all the way back seemed like a daunting prospect. Still, I don't see how Applejack could distrust me then. I chuckled inwardly, knowing that if I laughed out loud, Big Mac might take it as an insult.
I jogged over to him. “Big Mac.” I didn't get a response. “Big Mac!” I raised my voice. This time, he looked at me, though his eyes were distant. “Can you understand me?” He nodded slowly. “I'm going to carry you back to the farm. I need to get my medical supplies so I can treat this wound. Do you understand?” Again he nodded the affirmative.
I detached the plow from his harness, knowing it would severely hamper my ability. I got off the ground and hovered over him. “Okay, sir, this'll feel a little awkward. Don't freak out or squirm. It'll make my job that much harder.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist. For a second, he flinched, and I was afraid he'd bolt. But he relaxed, and I beat my wings after locking my fingers together on the underside of his chest. It was a struggle, but I eventually got him off the ground. I grunted with the effort, then turned back to Sweet Apple Acres. It was a long time before I got there. When I got back, I was drenched in sweat, and panting in exhaustion. As strong as I was, Big Mac was heavy.
I located my bags, and carefully set him down there. After I landed, I scrambled to find the bag that held my medical supplies. After fumbling the bags for a few seconds, which I might add felt like ages, I found the one holding all my medkits. I kept fumbling for the correct things, as I was in a hurry, but I found the disinfectant liquid. I forwent the cotton balls and just poured the stuff over the wound. Aside from a stifled yelp of shock from Big Mac, it was quiet in the yard.
After dousing it with disinfectant, I finally picked out a few cotton balls and started rubbing the clear liquid around, hoping to soak it through his pores in case any infection spread. After a few good seconds of that, I tossed the cotton away. I dropped about six bandages before finding one my fingers could hold on to. Delicately and with a deftness I didn't expect, I wrapped the bandage around his leg. Well, Will. Seems like qualifying expert in field medicine really did count for something, huh? Yes, it did.
I crawl-walked to face Big Mac. “Can I leave alone for a few moments?” After a grimace in pain, he nodded. “I want to hear you say it. I need to be sure you're okay for the moment.”
“E-eeyup.”
I nodded to him, then ran to the house. After struggling to open the door, my hands were shaking so much, I finally turned the knob far enough to push the door in. I didn't see anyone in the anteroom, so I called out. “Help! Anyone, help! Big Mac's hurt!”
Immediately I heard footsteps, and the first pony I saw was an orange pony. She had a blond mane, and by god she was wearing a Stetson. A look of determination was on her face, and I turned and ran outside so she wouldn't barrel into me. Unfortunately for me, turning around meant I couldn't see what she was doing. When I stopped a reasonable distance from the front door, I turned around to come face to face with an angry pony.
“What did you do to my brother?!” She screamed with a southern drawl.
“Huh?” I replied dumbly. You're getting good at being bad.
“What did you do to Big Macintosh?!” She screamed in my face, and it hurt my ears.
“NOTHING! I screamed back. It seemed like I was only raising my voice, anyhow. I guess I was temporarily deafened by her shouting in my ears. “He cut himself on the plow! I flew him back here to bandage him up, but can't do much more than that! He needs to get proper treatment! I DON'T WANT HIM TO GET INFECTED!” I screamed the last part because I was getting frustrated. All this time yelling at each other was time wasted in the effort to help Mac. So, you've known him for less than two hours, and already he's got a nickname? You still haven't given me one. Was it me, or did my voice just get... jealous?
She came to her senses, and finally spent the energy to look at her brother. Seeing the bandage I'd put on his leg, and the medical supplies I'd left laying around, she turned back to me. “We'll talk later.” She ran back inside.
From where I lay, I could hear voices being shouted. “Rainbow! Get to Ponyville and tell the doctors we need an ambulance here! Hurry!” I saw Rainbow fly out, a rainbow coloured contrail streaming from her tail. “Fluttershy! Get out here! I need you to see if your friend did anything wrong!” Then accompanied by the orange pony, I saw Fluttershy fly out to Mac. After a quick once-over, she shook her head at the orange pony.
“There's nothing I can see wrong, Applejack.”
“Ugh.” Applejack sighed. She turned to glare at me. “Come over here, stranger.”
I frowned, the only expression on my face, but complied. As I got nearer, she lowered her head and scuffed a hoof on the ground. “It seems Ah owe you an apology. I'm sorry.”
My frown lifted, but that was it. She stuck out her hoof. I hesitated, then took it in my hand and we shook. That seemed to take care of things.
“Thank you again, mister... say, Ah didn't catch yer name.”
Fluttershy looked up. “Um, yes, come to think of it, um, I didn't hear you say it either. But, you don't have to if you don't want to.”
It was becoming a routine. I shook my head to cover my eyes. “Well, um, I'm not sure what my name is. I haven't used it a very long time.”
The two mares gasped in shock. “How can ya not know yer own name?”
“The last time I used it or heard it was when my parents kicked me out of the house. And before you ask, Applejack, I'll tell you that story later. But if I had to use a name, I guess I'd use...” I trailed off, this time in thought. Will. Come on. Use Will. I like it. If that isn't enough for you, how about Will being the strength of mind? “Will.” Atta-boy.
Fluttershy was the first to say something. “I like that name.” Then she hid behind her mane and said, “It's nice.”
Applejack spoke next. “Will. Strength o' th' mind. It's a good name.”
Just then, Rainbow Dash came speeding along, and landed hard next to Applejack. “Ambulance is on its way!” She said, with a hoof to her forehead as if she were saluting. “It should be here any minute now!” She looked at me. “Oh, hey there...”
“Will.”
“Will. Nice name. Strong. I like that.” She said with a wink. My eyes widened and I took an instinctive step back. She laughed. “Oh, stop! I'm just kidding!”
In the distance I heard the wailing of an ambulance. Even though the orchards blocked all sight, we all looked in the general direction of Ponyville. A silence crept over the yard, aside from the occasional groan or grunt from Mac. Applejack was the first to break it, sighing. “Guess we'd better git Big Mac all set up.”
I walked with the trio over to Mac's still form. Cutting in front of Applejack, I said to him, “Mac, we're going to move you, okay? Try to move your leg as little as possible. We need to get you closer to the road.” Ignoring an angry look shot at me by AJ, I waited for Mac to nod. When he did I nodded as well, turned to AJ, and apologized. “I'm sorry, but I think I'm the most qualified in medicine here; I need to check up on him.”
She huffed but said nothing. With the help of Fluttershy and Rainbow, we carried Mac over to the front gate, where the ambulance was now arriving. The two unicorns who were riding in the back rushed out and magically grabbed hold of Mac. They floated him over to the rear of the van and gently laid him on a cot. Applejack rode in the back with him, while the two pegasi and I took to the skies.
“Well. We got off to a great start,” I said sarcastically.
“I'm sorry it turned out like that. The plan was to have you help Big Mac, but when he got cut...” Fluttershy trailed off from her apology. She looked like she was about to be in tears. When I heard sobs coming from behind me and to my right, I knew I was right.
We arrived seconds before the medical van, and the two unicorns laid Mac out on a gurney. Two earth ponies rolled him into the hospital, Applejack close on their hooves. After following them in, the three of us winged creatures got lost. After asking for directions, we found ourselves in a hall seeing AJ standing outside a window.
“How is he?” I asked.
“They haven't said anything yet. Ah've seen 'em shake their heads from time to time, but Ah don't have a definitive answer.” She replied. I didn't take her to be one of the more intellectual ponies. No offense to her, I mean, but farmers don't usually get the best educations.
I stood there for a few moments, looking in at Big Macintosh. I shook my head, my throat suddenly dry. Wow, Will. Know someone for a few hours and get sickly worried when they get hurt. I wish you'd treat me like that. I turned to look at Applejack, and saw a few tears already streaming down her cheeks. I knelt down beside her, and slowly put my arm around her. She quickly buried her head in my chest. I heard quiet cries come from her as she hid from her friends. I guess she was trying to save face.
A muffled shout from inside the operating room startled all of us. We looked inside, and saw Mac with his eyes open, a terrified look in them. But his mouth was still as stone, as were his legs. Will. He's got it. He's got tetanus. This is bad. I saw the doctors and all but one nurse leave the room. The straggler's eyes were overflowing with tears. In her magical grip she held a syringe filled with a clear liquid. I took one moment to piece together the expression and the syringe. I knew what she was doing.
Tetanus was a horrible disease. Most commonly contracted from infected cuts received with rusted things, it sometimes went unnoticed until it was too late. It spread fairly quickly, and what it did was horrible. It locked muscles and bones, hence the nickname "lockjaw," and prevented movement. From what I'd seen in Mac, his jaw and legs were hit. Since he had been cut in his rear leg, that meant it had completely spread throughout his body. It was only a matter of time until he slowly died from asphyxiation or lack of blood in the brain.
To be honest, when put in that perspective, I was glad they were putting Mac down. Sure, I'd known for such a little amount of time, but I didn't want anyone... or anypony... to die in severe pain. Going as peacefully as you could was the best way out. I wanted Mac to be able to go painlessly. But I saw Applejack intently watching the nurse's actions and expressions. It was obvious that she knew what was happening, because I heard her gasp.
Without thinking, I quickly but gently grabbed hold of Applejack and turned her around, burying her head in my shoulder as I did so. The nurse stepped closer and stuck the needle into Mac. Pressing the pump down, she emptied it. Then I saw Mac's eyes close. And after sitting outside that room for four hours, crying our eyes out, his never opened again. The last thing I heard before I slumped to the ground, too tired to remain awake, was I'm sorry Will.