Investigative Returns
Awakening before the dawn, Sin stretched out his legs and back before looking around the darkened room. The bed he slept on was currently occupied by an injured Spike. Not that he was about to complain, he always felt more comfortable on the ground. Something about beds and couches always made him feel vulnerable.
He quietly crept out of the room, careful not to awaken his roommate, and made way down stairs to the kitchen to set up breakfast. He may have been here as a guest, but he wasn't going to be a freeloader, even if the degrading title of "house bitch" as he called it, was his only option. But he planned to have a job by days end, so the title wasn't of too much shame.
He opened the cupboard and paused. He didn't recognize the majority of the things he was looking at, and what he did recognize, he had no idea what to do with. Flour? Sugar? Those were used in Pancakes, right? What in Tapio's name was "baking soda"?
Suddenly an idea occurred to him and he left the kitchen and wandered the books that lined the building. Finally he came to the "cooking" section and grabbed a few titles that resembled his interest. As he sat the tombs down on the counter, the Federalist looked out the window to find the horizon to the east taking on a slightly lighter tone, signalling that dawn would hit within an hour.
'Sun's coming up earlier.' His critic pointed out. 'We'll barely wake up before dawn by summer.'
True, but irrelevant. The oaken pony opened one of the culinary books and searched through the pages for "pancakes" with not but a single candle to read by. Though, the results came up short. He opened to the index and frowned, there was no mention of pancakes what so ever. He closed the book and felt a little embarrassed at reading the title. "101 dinners to make your flank shrink."
'Wow dude, that's bad, even for a culinary retard like you.'
Sin humphed in dismissal and read the rest of the books to find that he did grab at least one that was correct for his needs. Flipping to the correct page, he looked at the recipe and smiled. He could do this, well, maybe. He wasn't entirely sure what baking powder was, but it would most likely be labeled.
He studied the required tools and gathered them. A single table spoon, a pan, a container of baking powder, some flour, milk, eggs and butter. He couldn't find any spoons he thought went with a tea cup, but figured he'd just wing it and use half a table spoon. The book never specified what a "cup" was, so he grabbed a nicely sized mug from the glass cupboard and decided it would suffice.
"Alright, step on: Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl." He filled the massive cups with flower and placed them into a nicely sized aluminum bowl, "next, three table spoons sugar, two table spoons baking powder and one tea spoon salt." Again, he added the ingredients mentioned and looked on with pride to his work before consulting the book once more.
"Separately mix: 1 and 3/4ths cups of milk, 1/4th cup butter and two eggs until 'Smooth'?" He looked at the mug he was using and squinted. That didn't seem right. He went back to the recipe's description to see the author purported the concoction as the "best pancakes in the world".
'I'm not sure about this, maybe we should hold off until we get a grasp on-.'
Sin shook his head, he wasn't about to be bested by a damned cook book. Though, it probably wouldn't hurt to see exactly what a "cup" was for future reference. Sin couldn't believe he was thinking it, but he'd really wished he paid more attention in cooking class. But he was a stallion convinced he was going to live off the land. Foraging, poison testing, and herb identification gave him no advantage in this arena.
Shrugging to himself and accepting whatever consequence may come, the stallion whipped the "wet" ingredients together until "smooth" and added them to the flower bowl to be stirred with a "whisk"? What the hell was a whisk?
"Screw it." He grumped, using he same spoon he used for he wet stir to continue here.
As the dawn farther approached, the stallion continued stirring the watery mix, constantly checking the book to ensure his eyes weren't deceiving him. Apparently the result was supposed to be a thicker, yellow, more substantial batter that slowly dripped from the whisk in a strong stream. What he had slightly resembled it, but was almost bone white and a little chunkey.
Again he shrugged and decided to allow himself the trial and error leniency before placing the pan onto the stove and placing at a "low medium" heat and adding the recommended amount of batter to cook. It took a a minute or two, but slowly and surly, the slowly evolving pancake began to take shape with a sizzle.
Macintosh was already in the barn, sifting through the stock of fertilizer and yield assistant. No work, absolutely no work had been done since he'd left. Each bag was exactly where he'd remembered leaving it. The cart was exactly where he'd parked it, and the wheels were in desperate need of a greasing.
When he'd returned home yesterday, Granny didn't say a word to him. The silent treatment was her favored method of punishment for him now, since he'd demonstrated guilt would be met with swift rebuttal rather than silent acceptance. Applebloom was happy enough to see him, though the filly was besides herself with worry. Applejack hadn't returned from her date with Soarin yet. That made Mac uneasy, she'd never abandon the farm, Applejack loved it here and she loved her family.
He came into the barn to see if she'd secretly come back to do her chores and sneak back off, but as he could see, she hadn't been in here since he was.
As if that wasn't worrying news enough, Annabelle had stopped by every day to check if he was back yet. He wasn't sure if she was coming to apologize, to get another round of scolding in, or just pick up as if nothing had happened, but the fact he didn't know why she was so desperate to find him terrified the stallion for some reason.
As compelled as he was to see to the badly neglected farm, Mac decided to head to town to ask about Applejack and Soarin. He thought he could just dismiss her as her own mare who did whatever she saw fit and could deal with the consequences, but a small churning in his stomach compelled him to investigate.
As angry and upset as he was with her, the applemare was still family, and Apple's take care of their family. Even if they were ungreatful and didn't care to respect their kin's wishes.
As he made his way to Ponyville square to catch the stall owners setting up shop, he felt a bitter sweet mix as Sin exited the Golden Oaks Library building. Mac figured he'd approach and enlist the stallion's help in his quest. "Hey Sin." He called.
"Hmmm? Hey Mac." he replied, looking a little nervous.
That was strange. "What brings y'all out and about so early?"
"Made pancakes, now about to go look for work." Sin pressed his lips.
Mac smiled a knowing smile. He'd never once ever seen his friend attempt to cook anything outside of what he found growing by the road side or in the Everfree Forest, part of him really wished he was there to witness the attempt. "How'd that work out?"
"Yeaaaa. Anyways, what's up?" Sin deflected, much to the larger stallion's amusement. He gave a brief explanation about his sister's absence and asked for Sin's help in tracking her down. "How much does the job pay?" Sin asked with a smirk. "Hey, I'm stuck here now, guy's gotta make a livin'."
Mac shook his head and the two made way for the market district. The two arrived just as the stalls were beginning to go up. The two split up and began to ask the numerous wear sellers for any information they had on the mare. Each mentioning seeing her around town about a day or two ago, but not since and never mentioning where she was going.
Apparently she seemed really down about something when they saw her. She never looked anypony in the eye when she spoke to them, it was almost as if she looked ashamed or angry or something.
A few hours of interviewing later, the two had cleared the stalls and regrouped to exchange information and take a break. "It never ends, does it?" Sin commented with a sigh.
"Wha' nevah ends?" Mac questioned, the concern he felt before slowly growing with each passing moment.
"The drama. Diamond Dogs, Triple M., Constant trials of guilt and innocence, Discord's ordeal, and now your sister." Sin shook his head. "Was your life always this crazy?"
"No, it was meetin' you tha' it really took a turn fer the worse."
The two shared a smirk before coming back to the matter at hoof. They had no leads, and decided to ask around the more permanent establishments when they opened for information. It was going to be an hour or so before such a time came, so Mac offered to buy breakfast. An offer his companion didn't refuse considering... yeaaaa.
Mac walked over to a booth and purchased a few carrots for himself and a potato for Sin. The two consumed their food and chatted about what a calm life would be like in town, each asking the other what it was they planned to do now that the excitement of their times was slowly drawing to a close.
Mac wanted to stay on the farm and work the orchard, but there would need to be a serious talk between himself and his family. He'd come to accept Applejack's decision and let the matter die, though his grandma's passive aggressive behaviors would need to come to an end. She had a small right to be upset, but he wasn't interested in living in such a hostile environment. Let alone subjecting Applebloom to the toxicity there in. Family was a special thing, a bond between ponies that was bound by love and kindness, not resentment and feud.
When questioned himself, Sin replied with a shrug. He'd never explored Ponyville before, he had no idea what work he could find or what he wanted to do. A few thoughts crossed his mind like lumberjacking to pay his bills, but to do so in the Summer time would be a bad idea, unless he found a merchant who'd buy his wares and take them to the northern most cities where temperatures were more lucrative to his interests.
Fun fact was that the wood from the Everfree would burn longer than most any wood he'd ever come across. While most birch, oak and spruce went for an hour or so with need of constant fueling and stroking, he found that the black wood of the Everfree burned for at least four hours with no stroking or adage.
Mix that with the fact most were too afraid to travel near the forest and it seemed like a good monopoly to start on. Though, the environmental effects would need to be explored.
"Hey Mac, isn't that you're girlfriend?" Sin pointed out as the mare passed by.
It was! "Annabelle!" He shouted, her ears and entire body perked up from her name being mentioned and she made a mad dash straight for the pony.
"Uh oh." Sin quickly removed himself from the bench just in time to avoid the collision and the ensuing embrace. "MAC! I've missed you so much, where have you been!" She demanded, pushing the stallion away just enough to get a look at him.
"Been helpin' out a friend." Mac replied before a thought occurred. "Hey, sorry to ask, but have y'all seen Applejack? Granny said she hadn't come home since Ah left."
The straw maned mare's ears dashed against her skull and he eyes looked left, looking very guilty. "Mac, I... I tried to stop her, honest I did. But, she wouldn't listen! Soarin, he tricked me, he found out what I was doing and then-"
A red hoof found it's way onto her lips, though him seeing her did lift a weight off of his shoulders, the apple farmer needed her to start from the beginning and remain coherent. The tale was short, but it was enough for him to understand. She tried to expose her brother against his sister but instead, the exact opposite happened with Soarin using the situation to his advantage. Solidifying AJ's trust in him even farther.
"I know where Applejack is, she's staying in the room where my brother was. Dad left yesterday with him to Canterlot on some order from his superior. She should be alone, now." She looked into Mac's eyes for just a moment before looking away again. "There's... one more thing you should know, Big Mac. I don't know why, but she's been acting strange lately. Distant, angry, defensive... I think, I think my brother may have-"
She didn't' have time to finish her statement. Mac was already up and demanding to be taken to where his sister was, the not in his stomach expanding ten fold and forcing it's way to his chest.
Annabelle nodded and lead the two stallions to the motel in which her family was staying.
She gave one last look at him before unlocking the bright orange door and pushing it open. What Mac saw next he was not ready to see, what his eyes found in that room, the state of his sister, one of the few mares he loved in the world, would make him forever question the notion of allowing her decisions to go unchallenged again.