The crisp and cool autumn’s night air washed over Big Mac as walked through the orchard, being careful not to trip over any roots as he kept ever vigilant for anything amiss. For the past week Applejack and himself had been taking turns patrolling the grounds, somepony had been stealing apples and it started to become a problem. Now the Apples didn’t care about somepony taking an apple every now and then, but as of late it was starting to become something to be concerned about.
This was his family’s lively hood and now whole trees had begun to be stripped of their fruit and Big Mac wasn’t about to let that slide. Part of him still hoped that it was just some pest eating their crops and not one of the Ponyville residents, but the rate at which the apples were disappearing made that seem unlikely. If this persisted they would be forced to bring in the local law enforcement and that was something the Apples really did not want to do. Ideally, they would catch whoever was doing this, put a little scare in them and that would be the end of it and no one would end up with a criminal record.
He let out a long sigh, his breath creating a long vapor stream in the cold air. He looked up at the moon that was beginning to fall lower in the sky. It was late and seemed less and less likely he was going to catch anyone.
He was already at the far end of the north orchard where most of the apples had been pilfered and he had not seen hide nor hair of anypony else. With a sigh of defeat he decided it was time to call it a night and he turned to head back to the farmhouse, but halted when he heard a small shuffling nearby.
Mac’s sense of defeat was replaced by one of determination. He moved deftly towards the source of the noise, his ears perked up trying to zero in on what tree held the trespasser. His movements were surprisingly quiet for a pony of his size. Soon he had found his quarry. Looking up through the branches he could just barely make out the shape of a pony hiding in the upper branches. It was too dark make out anything in detail, but in the end it did not really what they looked like.
“Ah got ya now,” he muttered to himself as he backed up to the tree and delivered a powerful buck to the trunk. The moment his hooves met the trunk the whole tree shook violently and he heard a feminine--although raspy--cry of surprise as a cyan blur highlighted by rainbow streaks plummeted through the leaves and crashed into the ground with a resounding thud.
“What the hay!” a slightly stunned and irritated Rainbow Dash hissed.
“Miss Dash are ya okay!?” Big Mac cried in surprise as he rushed over to help his sister’s best friend from the ground.
“Yeah, yeah I’m fine don’t worry about it.” She said dismissively pushing his helping hoof away before beginning to rub her hide leg gingerly.
“What in Celestia’s name were you doing up there at such an unreasonable hour?” he inquired, just as concerned as he was confused.
“Nothing, I was just… taking a nap and I guess I just slept longer than I expected to.” Her voice sounded unsure and she came off as almost defensive. Mac didn’t believe that for a second, it didn’t really make sense, she clearly had not been asleep and her voice sounded strained like she was trying to keep it in check.
“Miss Dash…” he prodded, earning him a glare he could just barely make out.
“I told you, I just overslept,” Her voice was now clearly defensive and he could just make out a small hitch in her voice as she finished.
“Miss Dash…” was all he said staring her dead in the eye, which he now noticed seemed puffy and he could just barely see the streaks that ran down her cheeks. “Have you been crying?” he asked in an almost stunned voice. She was not one known for letting her emotions get the better of her very often.
“What!? Pffft. Yeah right. I just got something in my eye when you bucked me out of the tree… Thanks for that by the way!” she shouted back at the large stallion as she audibly sniffed and wiped her eyes. Mac knew she was deflecting now.
“Do you... wanna talk about it?” he offered her somewhat awkwardly. He admittedly did not know her all that well, but it was his duty as a gentlecolt to offer his help to any mare in need.
“I said I wasn’t crying, so could you just drop it!” Her voice was now cracking as her façade began to give way. At this Mac simply sat down in front of her and stared at her expectedly, he was clearly not going to let this go.
“It doesn’t matter… you wouldn’t understand anyway,” she mumbled the last part more to herself than to him, so she was quite surprised when he answered her.
“Try me.” he said simply, to which Rainbow snorted but answered regardless.
“Fine, let me ask you something. What would do if just found out that everypony you knew; including all your best friends, thought you were something you weren’t. Now imagine those friends let everypony else think the same thing about you, and now everypony from here to Canterlot now thought the same thing and no matter what you say, ponies don’t believe you. Now imagine your so called friends never disputed it and never even asked you if it was true, that they just accepted idle rumors as fact because of things you couldn’t control! Huh what would you do!?” she finished her rant, voice elevated and eyes threatening to spill forth tears once more. Mac sat in silence for a moment before answering in a soft tone.
“Do you wanna tell me what happened?” he offered, more than willing to lead a sympathetic ear.
“No… it’s stupid anyway, I shouldn’t even have gotten mad about it. I just overreacted.” She said trying to dismiss the whole situation and to get Big Mac to drop the subject, Rainbow really did not feel like discussing it and she was starting to feel foolish about how she reacted. Since when did she care what others thought about her? But despite these thoughts she found she was still rather upset.
“It can’t be stupid if you got this upset about it, and besides talking about it might help,” Mac proposed causing Rainbow Dash to let out a sigh of defeat.
“You’re not gonna let this go are you?”
“Nope.” He answered simply.
Taking in a deep breath Rainbow reluctantly launched into the events of early that day.
Rainbow Dash stood stock still upon a pedestal as Rarity worked on her latest design.
“I can’t thank you enough for modeling for my latest line of high end athletic wear, Rainbow. I had no mannequins with the proper build, and you are a life saver.” Rarity spoke gleefully as she the final touches.
“Don’t worry about it, Rarity. But I can’t say I understand why you would spend so much time making fancy sports wear; it’s just going to get trashed.”
“Well think about it, Rainbow, if I can craft an elegant yet functional sports suit I could expand my clientele to equestrian sports teams, perhaps even The Wonderbolts. Imagine my designs dominating all of Equestrian fashion and not just high society.” She finished enthusiastically and almost manically causing Rainbow Dash to raise a confused eyebrow.
“Well… I don’t know about all that, but I like the part about The Wonderbolts.” She responded as Rarity removed the finished garment from her friend. “Speaking of expanding, how did things go with your visit to your Canterlot boutique?” Rainbow asked knowing Rarity had just returned from checking in with her manager at her second shop.
“Oh it went marvelously, business is thriving and I was even asked out to the opera by the most charming stallion. We had such a wonderful time,” she answered with a small giggle causing Rainbow to role her eyes at her friend’s antics.
“Yeah, doesn’t really sound like my cup of tea. I’m glad you had a good time, though.” She responded as she stretched her legs trying work out the stiffness that had settled in them while she had been standing still.
“No I can’t say it would be, not really the type of pony I’d image you’d go out with.” She finished with a small laugh as she transferred the outfit to a wire frame for the time being. This piqued Rainbow’s interest slightly and she quirked her eyebrow.
“How do you figure?” she asked wondering what exactly Rarity was talking about.
“Oh, come now Rainbow… you know.” She said sending a friendly smile Rainbowdash's way, serving only to further confuse the mare.
“I really don’t.”
“It’s not exactly a secret you, darling.”
“What’s not a secret?” Rainbow asked growing more puzzled.
“Now, Rainbow. Everypony knows that you don’t exactly prefer the company of stallions.” She said tactfully. That’s when it struck Rainbow.
“Whoa, Rarity, I’m not like that!” she stammered at her friend as her face flushed.
“Come now dear, everypony knows and none of us think any less of you, all of us have our own tastes.” She said cheerily as she began to clean up her work area.
“Everypony?” Rainbow mummbled more to herself than to Rarity.
“Well it’s more or less common knowledge sweetie. I even had some very pretty mares ask me about you while I was in Canterlot. I could set you up if you’re interested,” she said turning to her friend and sending her a quick wink and not noticing the look of shock on Rainbow's face as she returned to tidying her workplace.
“All the girls think this too?” Rainbow asked, almost fearing the response.
“Why of course dear, you’re not exactly subtle,” she answered with a small chuckle. Did she really find this whole situation funny?
“How so?” She inquired, she was trying hard not to lash out as began to become agitated.
“Now deary, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Why I’m not ashamed to admit I had some sorted encounters with a few mares in my younger days,” she finished with a giggle.
“Okay I really didn’t need to know that, Rarity, but what exactly 'gave me away'," she asked, the irritation beginning to show through.
“Well there’s your mane, your attitude, the way you talk, the whole way you carry yourself, and the fact you have shown absolutely no interest in any stallions. Like I said before, it’s really not a big deal.”
Suddenly the anger Rainbow had been feeling gave way to something worse. “Well I think I should get heading out.” Rainbow said turning towards the exit and just barely managing to hide the tremble in her voice.
“Oh, are you sure you don’t want to stay? I was just getting ready to prepare some tea.”
“No thanks, I’ll see you later, Rarity.” And with that Rainbow was out the door and in the sky.
She flew swiftly as she began to process what she had discovered. Why was she so upset? It’s not like this was the first time she had faced accusations, but this time it was different.
Her friends should have known better. She thought they knew her better than that. She couldn’t help the color of her mane or the sound of her voice. Sure she was something of a tomcolt, but since when did that mean anything?
As she slowed down she spotted a tree to land in on the far side of Sweet Apple Acres where no one would find her. She let out a deep shuttering breath. Rainbow was no stranger to idle rumors about her, no that wasn’t why she was upset. It was the fact that those she considered closest to her had accepted these idle rumors as fact and had made such massive false assumptions about her.
“I guess we’re not as close as I thought,” she groaned to herself as the sun began to set.
As Rainbow recounted her story Mac silently stared blankly back at her, his expression never changing once during her tale and she was beginning to feel more and more foolish about how she had reacted.
“Look, I know it’s stupid to get upset over something like this but…” Mac never let her finish.
“It ain’t stupid, words and rumors can hurt just as much as anything else, believe me, ah know.” As he finished Rainbow raised her eyebrow in mild confusion. “Ah’m just 'the simpleton brother' of Applejack, after all.” He said, clearly voicing some of the rumors that had been circled around about him.
“Oh…” was all Rainbow said, not quite sure how to respond.
“Look, ah ain’t gonna sit here and say that ah completely understand how you felt; my family always knew the truth and that helped, but it still hurt to know that’s what ponies thought of me. But at the end of the day all that matters is that you know the truth about yourself, once you realize that everything else don’t matter.” He finished, his tone never losing its calm tone.
There was silence between them for a few moments as Rainbow processed what Big Mac had just told her.
“That’s the most I’ve ever heard you talk,” she joked earning her a small chuckle from the stallion. She was still upset about what had happened, but what Mac had said helped.
“So… ya feeling any better?”
“Yeah, it still sucks, but you’re right. I know who I am and it doesn’t matter what other ponies think.” She said confidently causing Mac to smile at her recovered confidence, as she raised herself off the ground.
“Eeyup," he stated.
“Yeah, thanks for that I-ahh” Rainbow cut herself off with a gasp as she stood lifting up her hind leg.
“Are ya okay, Miss Dash?” Mac asked concern lacing his voice.
“Yeah, yeah I think I just messed my leg up when I hit the ground.”
This caused Mac to cringe slightly, granted he had thought she was a thief at the time he had bucked the tree but that did little to alleviate his guilt.
“Sorry about that," he said lamely.
“Don’t sweat it big guy, I’ve had worse. I’ll just get some heat on it when I get home,” she answered trying to brush off the incident.
“Are you going to be able to make it home alright?” Mac asked, the concern evident in his voice.
“Yeah, I can't walk well, but I can just fly-” Rainbow's speech was cut off as she spread her wings and a sharp pain shot through her right wing causing her to take in a sharp breath.
“Something else wrong?”
“Nope, I’m fine I just need to-ahhh.” She tried to once again spread her wing but it clear she wouldn’t be flying anywhere.
“Geez, I’m sorry Miss Dash… Are you gonna be able to make it home?” Mac worried, his guilt about the whole situation obvious in his voice.
“Probably not… I’ll just bunk at Fluttershy’s, I’m sure she won’t-ahh! Hey!” Rainbow shouted as she was cut off by Big Mac gently scooping her up onto his neck and carefully resituating her to a comfortable position on his back.
“Nope, Ah got ya hurt you’ll be staying with us tonight.” His tone left little room for argument as he began to make his way back to the Apple family home stead.
“Oh… well thanks I guess, but do you really have to carry me?” She asked, her pride taking a small hit the way Mac was treating her.
“It's a long way to the house, Miss Dash,” he stressed, there was truth to what he was saying.
“Okay fair enough, but could you please stop with the whole 'Miss Dash' thing.” She responded with a huff.
“Whatever you say… Miss Dash," he teased earning him a light smack from Rainbow’s hoof causing him to chuckle.
There was silence between them as Mac continued at a comfortable pace so as not aggravate Rainbow’s injuries. This continued for a few moments before Rainbow decided to break the silence.
“Hey Mac?”
“Eyup,” he answered monotonously.
“Before tonight, had you… had you ever… well… you know, heard that rumor about me?” She asked hesitantly, not quite sure she wanted to hear the answer. If he said yes that would confirm that her best friend had not only believed the gossip but also had a hoof in spreading it.
“Applejack may have said something in passing a time or two, but she never spoke on the subject much."
“Well… did you ever believe it was true?”
“Nope.” He answered without a moment of hesitation.
“But if everypony believed it, why didn’t you?” She asked with confusion lacing her voice.
“Ah don’t place much stock in rumors. Ah never saw anything that would suggest it was true so Ah never made any assumptions. It could have true, it might not have been, a pony's business is their own. It’s not my place to judge.”
“So if you never believed it, why did Applejack? Weren’t you both raised the same?”
“Ya’ll have to ask her yerself.”
“Not really looking forward to that conversation,” she mumbled to herself.
“You can cross that bridge when you get to it,” he said as the approached the farmhouse.
Moving surprisingly quickly and quietly, Mac opened the door to his home and entered before moving through the house. Rainbow was surprised when Mac walked right passed the living room and the couch where she thought she would be sleeping on and he headed upstairs. He moved silently passed his sisters' rooms before opening the door to his own.
“Ya can have my bed tonight.” He said simply as she gently slipped Rainbow off his back and onto his bed.
“Oh no, Mac, I can’t do that.”
“Don't you fret, it's my fault you're hurt, Ah can do without a bed for one night,” he said feeling guilty. He kindly pulled a blanket over her.
“Well if you're sure…”
“It's no trouble, have a goodnight,” he said turning to leave. As he reached the door Rainbow spoke up.
“Hey Mac.” He stopped in the doorway and turned to face her. “Thanks… You helped me out a lot tonight.”
A small smile spread across his face "Any time Rainbow."
“Goodnight, Mac.” And with that he was gone.
Rainbow made herself comfortable with her aches and as she drifted off to sleep she was surrounded by the sweet scent of apples.