If he could have traded his entire farm for the moment of peace to last a little longer, he would have seriously considered it. That brief moment of peace that they shared during the walk to town was a welcome respite from the hectic events of the past day. Fluttershy slept all the way into town on Big Macintosh's back as he trotted gently into town, the sight of the two gathering a few surprised glances from the local ponies of the town.
"Now where am ah gonna go to get some medical supplies? Usually we just send Applejack to the town for supplies..." he cast his eyes around the town looking for the best place to start his enquiries. But something pink blurred right past his line of sight and zipped right past him. "Now what the hay was that?" he cocked his head in the direction that the pink streak vanished off to.
"OHMYGOSHANEWPONYI'VENEVERSEENYOUAROUNDHEREBEFORE! *Inhale* HII'MPINKIEWHATSYOURNAME!" A bouncing pink pony was proceeding to circle him at astonishing speed while bouncing higher than his head.
"Ah...excuse me? Who are you?" The look of puzzlement on his face set Pinkie Pie off laughing and rolling on the ground.
"AHAHAHAHA! Sorry, you just looked so...BWAHAHAHAHA! Hahahahaaa...sorry about that, my name is Pinkie Pie! Ponyville's Resident Party Pony! Are you new here? I've never seen you around the town before! OHMYGOSH! I need to make you a party! Hang on a sec-" with that Pinkie Pie began to dash off again, straight into another pony that was walking down the main road of Ponyville.
"OHMYGOSHIAMSOSORRY!" the torrent of words was stopped by a prompt hoof being shoved into Pinkie Pie's mouth.
*Sigh* "First Pinkie, this is Applejack's brother Big Macintosh. Second, you gave him a party on his birthday last season. Third, you are meant to be helping with the search party for Rainbow Dash. Fourth, you missed the fact that Fluttershy is clearly sound asleep on his back. Why is that by the way?" the purple unicorn turned to Big Macintosh and pursed her lips in a manner that Big Mac found more adorable than frightening. Meanwhile Pinkie, seemingly satisfied with the unicorn's explanation, proceeded to bounce in the same spot while she too turned her attention back to Big Macintosh.
"Ah...I think ah can help you with the last two points there, but ah'm afraid ah have no idea how ya know my name. Cause ah have no idea who y'all are." The look of continued puzzlement on his face sent Pinkie Pie into another fit of giggles, which was promptly silenced by a stern look from the purple unicorn.
"Well as it seems that you may be of some assistance at the moment. I am Twilight Sparkle, Resident Librarian of Ponyville's Public Library." At this Twilight proceeded to place her hoof on her chest and exuded a look of complete pride.
"Well now, ah right glad to meet you Miss Sparkle. I will attempt to make this as clear as possible. First, miss Rainbow Dash is back at the farm. Second, Miss Shy here is dead tired from taking care of Miss Dash for the past day. Third, we need medical supplies or somepony with extensive medical knowledge. Was ah clear enough miss Twilight?" he inclined his head at Twilight as her jaw promptly dropped from his succinct description.
"BAHAHAHAHAHA! Twilight! You look like he did a second ago! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Twilight shook her head as Pinkie Pie's explosion of laughter nearly rocked her off her hooves.
"Ok, give me a second here to understand all that. So, Rainbow is at the Apple Farm? Why? Is something wrong?" she inclined her head at Big Macintosh.
"Ah...she...isn't doing too well. She hit one o tha biggest and hardest trees on ma farm. At top speed..." His face fell as he described Rainbow's predicament to Twilight.
"Wait, her top speed is about mach 10 when she performs the sonic-rainboo... Oh no! At that speed the forces on her would have reached-" at this twilight drew a piece of paper out of her saddlebag and proceeded to start a series of complex formulas all over the sheet.
"Silly Twilight!" Pinkie Pie grabbed and tore up Twilight's calculations while she proceed to question Big Macintosh. "How bad is the injury? Will she be alright?"
"Pinkie! You pick now of all times to start making sense!?" Twilight was busily trying to gather up her torn sheets with her magic. *Sigh* "Well the nurse would be the best place to go to if Rainbow is injured, but she is away for the next two weeks on a convention at Canterlot. Guess that leaves...Zecora!"
"Uhhh...would that be that Zebra from the Everfree Forest?" Big Macintosh started to shift his weight from hoof to hoof; a look of anxiousness began to pass across his face.
"Oh Celestia! Don't tell me you still believe those evil enchantress rumours!" Twilight began to look exasperated
"NO! Ah never believed those rumours in tha first place! Ah, just...don't like that forest..." Big Macintosh clammed up and his head lowered to the ground. Twilight wisely decided not to question the matter further.
*Yawn* "Oh! Good morning Twilight...Eep!" Fluttershy leapt into the air off Big Macintosh's back, a huge blush spreading across her face as she realised what she had just been doing.
"Morning Fluttershy, sleep well?" Twilight grinned, "Big Macintosh has filled us in on the details of Rainbow's accident. What do you need to heal her?"
"Umm...I need some more herbs, bandages, painkillers and I need somepony to mind the animals at my house for me for the next few days." Her voice was muffled from behind her mane as she hid behind it, her embarrassment still clearly showing through.
"Hmm, I suggested it to Macintosh, but I think we might need Zecora's help in this. Can you and he make it to her hut by yourselves? I can perform a few magic touch-ups on Rainbow while you two can gain her help. She should also have a large supply of bandages and herbs as well!" Twilight began to get that glint in her eye, the same one she got whenever she began to take charge of the group.
"Umm...I don't know if I really know the way there..." Fluttershy seemed to withdraw further into herself as the prospect of venturing into the forest brought her fear levels to new heights.
"Oh don't worry silly! I know the way there! I will show you the way! Come-on!" Pinkie pie leapt behind Fluttershy and started pushing her from behind; Fluttershy had meanwhile locked up her limbs and was forming a small dirt pile in front of each hoof as they dug into the ground.
"Umm...Pinkie! No! Wait! Oh..."
*Sigh* "PINKIE! THE FOREST IS IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!" Twilight bellowed at the retreating figures. Pinkie stopped, looked around and started giggling.
"Oh, right! Whoops! Teehee!" She promptly turned around, grabbed Fluttershy's tail and began dragging her in the opposite direction, towards the forest. Big Macintosh made to follow then when a purple hoof prodded him in the side
"Mr Macintosh. May I have a word with you first?" Twilight was beginning to smile and dang if it didn't look creepy. The smile only got creepier when she put her hoof around his neck.
"Uhh...sure? Ah guess?" He was beginning to sweat now. Twilight's horn began to glow and the air about the two visibly darkened.
"If. You. Ever, EVER. Do anything to hurt her. I WILL find you. And neither you, Applejack or Celestia will stop me. Understand?" The look in her eyes was promise enough of the results of her threats should he come ever harm Fluttershy.
*Gulp* "Ah understand perfectly ma'am. Ah'll just be going now. Bye!" With that he turned tail and bolted towards the retreating figures of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Putting on a turn of speed that would have shamed Rainbow Dash on a good day.
*Sigh* The air around Twilight lightened and her expression returned to normal. "I guess the Grin has a little way to go till it's as powerful as the Stare. Hahahaaa...She chose well. Spike!" Her purple dragon assistant promptly appeared at her side, she had never figured out how he always managed to do that. Maybe he had been taking lessons from Pinkie?
"You called Twi? What do you need?" The Small dragon already had his paper and quill at the ready, he knew her too well.
"I need you to take care of Fluttershy’s animals for the next few days and two letters to be sent out, one to the Princesses and one to Applejack in Appleloosa. Now let’s begin with the one to the princesses..."
_____________________________________________________________________________
As the trio of Ponies approached the forest, only one of them seemed eager to enter the forsaken dark depths of the Everfree Forest.
"Come on! Let’s go!" Pinkie was practically bouncing off the trees as she speed into the forest, quickly outpacing the other two.
"PINKIE! WAIT!" Fluttershy cried out as Pinkie appeared to disappear into the forest ahead of them. "Oh no! Which way do we go? She quickly flicked her eyes side to side searching for the right road to take. "Macintosh, where do you-?" She suddenly stopped as she noticed just how frightened Big Macintosh was.
"A-a-ah have n-n-no idea Shy." he was visibly shaking and his head was only a few centimetres off the ground.
"Hey, I just noticed something!" Fluttershy beginning to smile a little, "That's the first time you have actually used my Nickname."
"Oh! Ah'm sorry miss Fluttershy! Ah shouldn't have called ya that!" He brought his head up and stared into Fluttershy's eyes. The fear in her eyes gave him strength, after all, he had promised Miss Sparkle. "Ah'm sorry, I just...have a few bad memories of this place."
"Oh! I didn't realise! And we forced you to come here! I am so sor-" her apology was stopped by a gentle hoof on her lips.
"No don'tcha apologise fer nothing miss Fluttershy. Ah'm tha one who should be sorry for not being the strong one here. now let’s go, miss Pie shouldn't be too far ahead...I think." At this he lowered his hoof and took his place at Fluttershy's side, moving forward into the undergrowth in the direction that Pinkie had disappeared.
As he began to walk forward he felt a nudge on his side. "Umm...if you could just do something for me? C-could you just c-call me Fluttershy o-or Shy? I don't w-want to be a s-s-stranger to y-you." Her smile broke straight through Big Macintosh's defences.
"O-f course miss Shy, I-I Mean Shy." An awkward smile graced his face as the two ponies smiled at each other. "But y'all can't keep calling me by ma full name then. Ya cal call me Mac if'n ya like."
"I-I would like that very much Mac." She smiled the sweetest smile that he had ever seen. "Thank you by the way, for supporting me and helping both me and Dash."
"B-but ah didn't do that much...I-I couldn't!" he stammered as he tripped over a small vine on the path.
"Nonsense, you provided us with shelter, food and assistance, without your help on the first night I would never have been able to help rainbow. You helped more than you could ever know." They locked eyes and smiled at each other as they broke through to a large clearing, the trees had formed a large circle and the bright light of the sky was visible as the trees parted.
"Uhhh...Ah don't see any hut. Maybe we went tha wrong way?"
"Umm...Let’s see if we can find Pinkie. Pinkie! Pinkie!" her voice was way too soft to attract any sort of attention so Big Mac decided to lend a small hand.
"MISS PIE WHERE ARE YA!" his bellow resounded through-out the forest as Fluttershy leapt bolt upright.
"Eek!" She bolted into a nearby bush as Big Mac stared at the dust after-image of her.
"Uhhh...Too loud? Sorry about tha." he rubbed the back of his head with a hoof.
*Gulp* "That was...um... loud." Fluttershy was shakily climbing out of the bush. Her embarrassed blush was way too cute Big Mac decided, and those pretty eyes of her that were shining with...Fear?
"LOOK OUT MAC!" Big Macintosh was still rubbing the back of his head when he was smashed by a huge paw, the force was enough to send him flying over the clearing into the truck of a massive tree. Three huge claw gashes were now on his side and blood ran freely down his face.
*ROAR* The source of the claw smashed through the tree as a emerald green dragon broke into the clearing. The beast stood up and towered over the trees and the two ponies. "GRAAAHHHHH" his roar was accompanied by a great gout of flame that caused the tree's behind Fluttershy to burst into flames.
Fluttershy stood petrified, pure fear had locked her legs as the dragon glare down at her. "Who DARES wake me?! I was having a nice little NAP! And someone dares to waken me with some stupid babble about PIES!"
Fluttershy tried to say something but her jaw had locked rigid and her tears freely poured down her face.
"Well it HAS been a while since I last tasted ponymeat. You aren’t very big, but your friend here will make a fine meal. Maybe you could be the appetiser? HAHAHAHAHA!" He brought his snout close to the trembling mass that was Fluttershy and looked directly into her eyes. "Now how should I have you? Raw? Fried? Or extra crispy? HAHAHAHA!" He open his maw and Fluttershy saw her death painted all over those long fangs as his head darted forward.
*Crack* *CRASH* "GRAAAAHHH! THAT HURT!" A tree trunk half as thick as a house had fallen and pinned the dragon's neck. "WHO DARES HURT ME?!" He struggled against the trunk but he couldn't lift it off himself.
"I will never let you hurt her." The dragon snapped his eyes to the massive pony limping towards him. A look of pure hatred glinting in the stallion’s eyes. "You...ah remember you dragon. You took something from me once; Ah will never let tha happen again."
"You. I recognise you now. The little colt that couldn't do a thing as I slaughtered his parents in front of him. HAHAHA! you may have grown a little, but nothing has changed from then till now. You are still WEAK! As was that stupid pony who sacrificed himself for his dead wife and his snivelling BRAT!" The dragon slashed his claws at Big Mac and cut three new gashes along his chest. The blood flowed freely down Big Mac’s chest but he never flinched or moved.
"You are so right. Ah am weak, Ma parents were weak too. But both me and my father had something that makes made us much stronger than y'all could ever have been." Big Mac grinned as he moved closer to the dragons head.
"And pray tell me my little morsel, what is that?" the dragon began to inhale. "Before I turn you and your little fillyfriend there into ashes?"
"Something ta protect." Big Mac dashed forward onto the dragon's nose and pivoted, lifting his back hooves as he balanced on his front hooves. And bucked the dragon straight between the eyes. He put the full force of his body behind the blow, shattering his cracked ribs and causing him to cough up a muzzle-full of blood. He fell to his knees as the pain racked his body.
But the dragon had fared worse.
When he turned towards the dragon he saw a gruesome sight, his kick had caved in the skull of the dragon. A quick, painless death. “Sorry, ah guess ah couldn’t hold back after all.”
The limped towards Fluttershy who just stood and stared, tears streaming down her face at the death of the Dragon and the injuries on Big Mac. "You killed him..."
"Ah did and ah'm sorry. But ah promised your friends ah wouldn't let anything bad happen ta you. Ah'm sorry, ah truly am. Taking a life is something no-pony should ever have ta do or see." He stopped in front of her and placed his head on top of hers. "Never forget that kindness of yours. It is the true source of who ya are. And it's what ah think made me fall for ya."
"Wha? F-fall for me?"
*Cough* "Eeyup. Now can ya do me a favour?" His vision was beginning to darken and he knew he didn't have very long before he passed out. He probably wouldn't be coming back from this one.
"S-sure."
*Cough* *Cough* His blood now flowed down Fluttershy's face, mixing with her tears."Tell AJ and Applebloom...that ah love them... and ah'm sorry that ah...couldn't meet them...at tha...station..." He slumped forwards and slipped off of Fluttershy as he fell to the ground.
He could hardly hear her screams as he began to lose consciousness. As the darkness descended he wondered if this was how his Father had felt as he had died, bringing his son and dead wife back from the forest. It felt good he decided, at least she was safe. It was a shame but at least he had kept his promise.
As he turned his eyes towards her, his last thought was that her colour looked a little off. Wasn't she yellow? Not black and white? But the darkness overcame him and he fell down, into the black void of unconsciousness.