Big Mac lets out as sigh as he watches the sun rising in the sky. He was currently on the train heading back to Ponyville, his business in Canterlot concluded and he wasn't one to just stand around when there was work to be done. By his thinking, his tree should be close to blooming and would need to be bucked so they could get started on the cider making. A soft smiles forms on his face as he thought about that tree. Very few things make him feel small and that tree was one of them.
When the train finally pulled into Ponyville, Mac got his luggage and made his way off onto the platform. Looking around, he was surprised to find none of his family was waiting for him. He was a bit concern but figured that they were busy with the harvest and just forgot.
Big Mac starts making his way to his farm. As he was walking, he notice a rather strange feeling around the town. On the outside everything seemed normal enough but Mac had lived here long enough to see the worry looks that more than a few ponies had on their faces. He wondered what might have happened and started to quicken his pace back to the farm; hoping that everything was alright there.
However, he was unable to get very far when he saw the small figure whose red bow identify herself before he could take note of the rest of her. Smiling at seeing his youngest sister, that smile slowly turned to concern as he finally sees the worry look that was on her face. What was more surprising was that she was without her friends which in of itself was odd. Stopping where he was at, he places his bags down and waits for his sister to finally slow down. Given the rise and fall of her chest and the sound of her heavy breathing, he could guess that she had been sprinting from at least the farm.
Waiting for her to catch her breath, the stallion says in a calm tone "Well it is nice to see you Applebloom. I hope you were running around in town because of..."
He didn't get a chance to finish as Applebloom shouted "Big Mac. Come quick. Twilight she...she's in the hospital right now."
Concern quickly grew in his body. Sure Twilight was a capable pony but there really shouldn't be any real danger that would require her to be in a hospital. Still the rarity of the condition only served to note how serious it was and that caused the red farm pony to put a halt to his questions. Grabbing his bags, he makes his way to the general hospital; his long strides easily outpacing Applebloom who was struggling just to keep up with his tail.
As the two got closer to the hospital, Big Mac noted that Twilight's other friends, minus Applejack, were waiting outside. All of them had a concern look on their faces and even Fluttershy and Rarity were doing their best to keep themselves from shedding some tears. Seeing as how none of them seem to noticed the stallion, he moves past them and into the waiting room. Once he was inside, he saw that Granny Smith was sitting on one of the chairs while Applejack was doing her best to wear out a circle on the floor. The door closing alerted the two to his presence and AJ was quick to move and give her older brother a hug before saying "I'm glad you are back home Big Mac."
Big Macintosh was glad as well and returned the hug while giving a comforting "Eyuup" before asking "So what happen?"
Applejack pulled back and said in her usual frustrated tone "That darn Twilight tried to buck Leg Breaker. I told her not to do it but that darn alicorn is as stubborn as a" The rest of Applejack's simile was lost to Big Mac as his eyes widen in surprise. Why would Twilight attempt to buck Leg Breaker...unless Leg Breaker had decided to bloom early this year.
Before he could think on this further, a beep sounded just as a doctor came out of the room that Twilight was in. Picking up a towel in his magic to wipe off his head, he looks at the three ponies and was about to comment on the situation before Granny asked "How is she doctor?"
The doctor let out a sigh before saying "Bad news is that Princess Twilight has sustained several fractures on her bones and pulled more than a few of her muscles." He held up his hoof to prevent the ponies from over reacting at the moment before adding "However, and this is the strangest part, despite all logical evidence saying that the Princess would become a cripple; she is already starting to show signs of recovering and in fact we believe will make a full recovery from this...provided she stays in the hospital for quite some time."
The ponies let out a breath of relief and AJ asked "Is Twilight able to see visitors now?"
The doctor nods his head and AJ was about to make her way towards the room before she was stopped by a red hoof on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Big Mac give her a stern look before saying "You tell your friends the good news. Let me check with Twilight." At first Applejack was going to refuse but her words were stuck in her throat as she saw those hard looking eyes staring at her. It was enough to cause her to nod in agreement before stepping back and making her way outside. With Granny Smith promising to look after his stuff, Big Mac takes a deep breath before entering the room.
The room itself was sparse save for the bed, a nightstand and a few medical equipment. Twilight herself was resting in the bed, her magic holding a book that, to his surprise, was more of book for casual reading and not something a studious pony like Twilight would read. Hearing the door closed caused Twilight to put her book down to see who it was and what she saw caused her to let out a gasp of surprise. Now Big Mac wasn't as good at reading other ponies like say Pinkie Pie but he could tell that Twilight was recalling something that had to do with him.
Letting the silence linger in the room for a bit longer, Big Mac finally says "It is good to hear that you will be making a full recovery." Twilight nods her head, not really trusting herself to speak as she could already feel the questions forming in her throat. Big Mac starts to walk around the room, his movements careful and controlled before adding "I'm guessing you saw something prior to bucking Leg Breaker."
This time, Twilight was able to answer as she responded "I know I shouldn't have but Applejack told me how important those apples were and I didn't want the Apples to have to worry about that."
Big Mac eventually stopped in front of the window, sitting on the window still was a flowerpot though at this point there wasn't any flowers in it. Most likely the ones who did occupy it were decayed and were being switch out. With a gentleness that was in contrast to his size and build, Big Mac started to shift the soil around with his hoof before saying "During the events of Hearts Warming Eve, the three representatives of each tribe decided to forget the divide of the tribes and forged a spell that defeated the Windigos correct?" He didn't look back to see Twilight's nod but continued "Well that magic was created from all three races of ponies including Earth Ponies."
"So there is such a thing as Earth pony magic."
Big Mac looked back and simply stated "Maybe there is. The most important thing to know is that this magic, if one could even call it magic, is something that can only be harness when one is working with nature and not against it." Big Mac then sensed that Twilight's friends were about to come in and he makes his way to the door to leave as well as let them in. Before he does, he looks back and finishes with "Perhaps one day you will understand."
He opens the door and lets the five mares enter before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. As Twilight's friends were all huddled around them, no pony notice that the empty flower pot now had several lavender flowers growing in them.
Meanwhile, in a clearing at Sweet Apple Aces, Leg Breaker stood tall and silent like the guardian that it was. It was then that a warm breeze rushed past its leaves and branches, propelled by no pegasus around. Along the bark of the tree, two pairs of hooves were imprinted on its ancient trunk. However, as the wind blow, some of the bark was pulled off. Hiding underneath was a new pair of hoof prints, smaller then the first two and glowing a soft grass green color before fading the color faded away just as soon as the wind did.