Another Day

by PonyTom

Waking Up

Applejack opened her eyes to the sound of birdsong, faint but clear in what was, otherwise, silence. Sunlight poured through the mouth of their temporary shelter, thankfully drawing just short of her and her friends' faces, allowing them at least a little more time of peaceful rest. She let out a tired yawn and, used to her routine, pulled herself from her belly and stood on her hooves, stretching herself out. She turned to look at her companions. Rainbow Dash was, naturally, favoring her injuries and sleeping on her stronger side, while Rarity lay against her, keeping her warm. Applejack really hated to wake them, however the sooner they did what needed to be done, the sooner they could get Rainbow Dash some medical attention.

The farmer reached a foreleg out and placed her hoof on her white-coated friend, shaking her. "Rarity..." then, moving to the pegasus, shaking once more. "Rainbow Dash..." The two ponies stirred, slowly opening their eyes to look up at the stetson-wearing mare. "It's mornin' y'all. We mighta slept a bit long than woulda been ideal... we're gonna have t' get t' work soon as we can t' find th' camp..."

Rarity gave a curt nod and stood up herself, stretching in as lady-like a fashion as she could. Applejack rounded on the pegasus and placed her muzzle beneath her, helping her up. "Right... we'll have t' get back t' camp, n' tell everypony we're fine. After that, we gotta pack up quick as a bunny an' get back t' Ponyville n' get Rainbow Dash some help..."

Rarity held a hoof up. "I would like to have it known that if she needs to rest, I can always have my things arranged to make a flat surface for her as a makeshift bed..." Applejack smiled and nodded, looking back to Rainbow Dash, who returned with a tired smile of her own. "Right. Well gals, we gotta hop to it. Rainbow, where's yer bags?"

Rainbow Dash blinked. "My bags?'

Applejack nodded. "Yeah. You said you still had th' map, right?"

Silence seemed to rule over the scene all the sudden. Rainbow Dash looking up to Applejack with a sad, apologetic, tried expression. Applejack grimaced; she really wanted to be mad, to be infuriated, but she couldn't, not with Rainbow Dash in her current condition. "How'd ya lose 'em?"

"During the crash..."

A sigh escaped the orange pony's lips. Of course; she should have expected as much. "Do ya remember where ya crashed...? Maybe if we backtrack, we can find it..."

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "I think I have a good idea... I'm at least pretty certain I kept walking straight..." She looked down at her hooves in an uncharacteristically self-conscious, sombre manner. "But... I was spiraling pretty hard, I don't know where I lost the bags, how far I tumbled from them, or if I was even going straight or if I bounced around a bit..."

Applejack shook her head. "Well, it's gonna have t' do for now. We'll eat some breakfast, n' we'll get t' lookin' once we got some energy in us."

***********************************

The first sounds she heard were the sounds of birds chirping.

This was not unusual for Fluttershy, of course; she did, after all, live far enough away from Ponyville that she needn't be disturbed by the hustle and bustle of it's usual activity. What was unusual, however, was the other sound she was hearing; the sound of a mare singing.

The yellow pegasus sat up to look towards the exit of the tent flap. Something sure did smell good. Slowly, she picked herself up and began a slow pace towards the exit. Pushing it open, she looked out to see Pinkie Pie, roasting mushrooms and standing next to a basket with a variety of berries in it.

"Oh my. You're up early!" said the pegasus.

Fluttershy turned to face her, then smiled. "Oh! Morning Fluttershy! Yeah, I get up really early every day to help the Cakes take care of the twins and open the bakery and bake the cakes but not like the CAKES the cakes I mean the pastries, because actually baking THE Cakes'd be cruel and I really don't think ponies would make good muffins, though at one time somepony DID spread a nasty rumor that I baked ponies into muffins because Rainbow Dash disappeared, but she had gone to a comic book convention that year, OH! Don't tell her I told you that! She went and cosplayed as Daring Doo. ANYWAY, I get up this early a lot!"

Fluttershy took a few seconds to allow her brain to piece together the various words Pinkie seemed to utter in a single breath. Once she had the gist of it, she smiled and gave a polite nod. "Well, thank you very much, Pinkie Pie. It was awful polite of you to make breakfast."

Pinkie waved her hoof. "Think nothing of it, silly! It's the least I could do after how you got that scary bear to leave the camp alone and how you talked to me last night!"

The pegasus blushed and giggled. "Oh, it was nothing. The bear was just cranky because he was woke up. He didn't mean to hurt anypony when he came here. And you're my friend; of course I'd want to help you."

A pair of pink hooves wrapped around Fluttershy tightly, pulling her close, eliciting an almost comical squeak from Fluttershy. Pinkie, however, sounded more serious than the pegasus thought she had ever heard her sound before. "It wasn't nothing... I don't tell many ponies this, but I'm not always as confident as I seem. I put on a mask a lot to try to keep everypony's spirits up, but once in a while, I get too weak, too tired of always smiling... it usually happens when I'm alone, and when something particularly stressful or scary happens, but I can get very sad and mopey..."

This was something profound. Fluttershy had never known the burden Pinkie Pie had bared for her friends. Always smiling, always bouncing... she always wondered how Pinkie Pie could stay so happy all the time.

Who knew she wasn't?

Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around her friend. "Pinkie Pie... I didn't know..."

Pinkie smiled and nuzzled into her friend. "Don't tell anypony please? If at all possible, I want them to continue seeing me this way. At least until they have to know the truth."

"You have my word, Pinkie Pie..."

Pinkie Pie broke the hug, smiling to her friend. "We should eat up, and then go looking for the others! I'm sure they'll all be starved by now!"

**********************************

Sunlight.

Dreadful, horrible sunlight.

Where did all this sunlight come from?

Twilight momentarily wondered if she could ask Celestia to turn it off for just a few more minutes. That would be reckless, however, and Twilight wasn't the only pony in the world. She groaned and nuzzled into her pillow, burying her face into it fondly.

Wait.

Since when was her pillow breathing? Or fuzzy? Or muscular.

Or holding her back?

Her eyes popped open to take in red. A lot of red. Slowly, she looked up to see yet more red.

"What in the HAY ARE YOU DOING!?"

She pushed herself away, Big Mac snorting and pulling his head up, sloppily looking around, placing a hoof over his eyes and blinking the sleep out of them. "Hwha... what... where....?"

It was just then Twilight remembered where she was; lost in the woods with Applejack's older brother. This did not calm her fury as she stared at the stallion before her, wings flared, and face a deep red from both fury and embarrassment. "What did you think you were doing!? Why were you holding me in my sleep!?"

Big Mac's wits slowly returned to him and he rubbed his eyes. "Wh..Ah... huh!?" Suddenly, it seemed to hit him and he grimaced. "Ah fell asleep...?"

"I'll say you did! I woke up with your hooves around me!" She gasped and stared at him angrily. "You better not have tried something while I was asleep or so help me, I will tear you apart at the molecular level!"

Big Mac reeled and immediately threw his hooves up and waved them. "Nnope! Never!"

Twilight stomped her hoof. "Then why were you holding me!?"

Big Mac bit his lip. "Dunno... " He pointed to her. "Shiverin'..."

Twilight quirked her brow. "Shivering? What?"

The stallion nodded frantically and pantomimed a shivering motion. "Ah lay next to ya ta give ya warmth!"

Twilight blinked, some of the anger leaving her face. "I was shivering...? So you..." She shook her head and stomped her hoof. "B-but, then why were your forelegs around me!?"

Big Bac blushed and looked to the side, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. "Kinda... a cuddler..."

Twilight placed a hoof to the bridge of her nose. "Alright, alight... it's okay... you.... you were just trying to keep me warm, which is noble, and you accidentally fell asleep... it happens." She glared up to Big Mac and pointed a hoof at him. "But never tell anypony of this. It never happened."

Big Mac nodded. "Nnope."

The alicorn nodded. "Excellent..." Twilight cleared her throat and looked around. "Right. Well... now that that's been sorted out, we should probably check back into the camp and make sure that bear is gone."

"Eeyup."

They stood in silence for several seconds.

"Uhh... which way do we go?" Twilight pondered on her own question. "Well... we came into the woods from the north. My suggestion is we had north. Either we'll find the camp, or find the exit, and we can work from there."

Big Mac nodded. "Okay."

*************************************

Fluttershy looked around, her eyes tracing the world for any detail they could find. Something not a lot of ponies knew was that Pegasai had far better eyesight than other ponies; all the more to aid when flying at their fastest. Really, she had wondered if the rumors of Rainbow Dash being partially blind might have held some substance; it was surprising the mare hadn't found either of them by now. Of course, she wasn't flying around either, which was strange. Fluttershy was confident in her friend, but she couldn't help but worry a little.

"So!" started Pinkie Pie. "When we get outta the woods, I think I'm gonna throw us a 'That Camping Trip Didn't Go Quite As Planned' party! Wanna come?"

Fluttershy giggled, shaking her head. "Of course, Pinkie Pie." She was thankful to have the pink mare's company; it kept her focused and dissuaded her fears from overtaking her. "And I'm sure everypony else will come as well."

Pinkie waved her hoof. "Well, duh!"

The two ponies turned and continued to walk (or bounce in Pinkie's case) in silence, both keeping their eyes peeled, shifting, reading everything.

"So, uhh, Fluttershy? Mind if I ask you a question?"

Fluttershy didn't look to her friend, focused on looking for her friends. "Of course, Pinkie Pie."

"Uhh, I know this pony, right? And she really likes somepony else; said she didn't have feelings for her before, but that after a particularly nice gesture, she kinda got butterflies in her tummy tum, and then she spent all night thinking about it, and realized she really kinda liked her friend, and not just like, but like like! I wanted to help her out, but it's not really something I've had experience with! She's really worried that if she says something, she'll get rejected and might ruin her friendship, but if she doesn't, she might never know! I figured since you talk to Rarity a lot, maybe you'd know?"

Fluttershy stopped to look to Pinkie Pie, whose expression was as it always was. She moved her mouth wordlessly as thoughts rushed through her mind. They stared at each other for the longest time, before Fluttershy cleared her throat and composed herself, blushing and trying to avoid hyperventilating. "W-Well... P-Pinkie..." she began, "I-I-I think... that it would be wise for your friend to tell her friend how she feels... if they're really friends, a-and I have no reason to believe they're not--Not that I have reason to believe they are! But, if they're really friends, then it will work out."

Pinkie grinned a large grin. "Oh! I guess that makes sense! Thanks, Fluttershy, that's been eating me up all day!"

The two ponies resumed their trot, Fluttershy's mind now clogged with conserns and questions, while Pinkie's was filled with joy and premature thoughts of wedding bells.

*****************************

"Rainbow, ya sure ya don't need a shoulder to carry ya?"

Applejack turned to face Rainbow Dash, not bothering to hide any of the concern she felt for her pegasus pal. Rainbow Dash winced, shaking her head. "No, I'm fine. I maybe beaten, but I ain't beat..." The three were moving at a slow, leizurly pace, mostly so Rarity and Applejack allowing Rainbow Dash to keep pace. It hurt the pegasus greatly to feel so pitiful; the great Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in Equestria, a winner of the Young Flier's competition, Wonderbolt-in-training, and her two friends had to walk to let her keep up with them. Even worse, one was a rival.

"Well, if ya change yer mind, Ah'm sure either me or Rarity would be more than glad t' lend a hoof." Applejack smiled a sincere, if somewhat pitying smile at her friend. How Rainbow Dash hated to have her pity for even an instant.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine..."

Rarity sighed, looking down at her hooves and coat. "Ugh... the moment I get home, I am booking a spa reservation and getting the full package. All of this dirt, grime, and who knows what else is ruining my coat! Don't even get me started on my poor coiffure!"

Applejack groaned. "Rarity, far as Ah can see, ya look about th' same as ya did yesterday. Ya took several minutes of brushin' before we left, n' Ah'm fairly sure Ah saw ya use enough perfume t' be considered a war crime."

The fashionista huffed, sticking her nose in the air. "Well beg my pardon for wanting to look my absolute best."

"Yer excused." said Applejack, not even hiding the grin on her face.

"I didn't mean it literally!"

"Then ya shouldn'ta begged."

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash burst into laughter. Rarity was trying to hold onto a stern face, but it betrayed the slightest hint of amusement. "Wha... you.... well you... you're.... " Finally, even Rarity's composure broke - after all, she knew how to laugh at herself when she was beat. Eventually, Rainbow hissed and winced, gently pressing her hoof to her side, immediately turning her friends' attention to her.

"Y'alright, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Y-yeah... I think I've got a bruised rib though..."

Applejack grimaced. "Hopefully it's just bruised. Last night after y'all fell asleep Ah was worried ya mighta got a concussion and almost woke ya up."

Rainbow shook her head. "Nah... I hit my head pretty hard, but I don't think I hit it THAT hard."

Applejack sighed and turned her attention forward again. "Ah hope so. If'n y'all start t' feel anythin' off tho, tell us. If'n we gotta, we'll leave th' woods an' go back t' Ponyville without th' others. Ah'm sure they'd understand, an' truth be told, Ah'm considerin' it anyway."

******************************************

Big Mac looked up and sighed to himself. Already, it was looking to be getting close to noon. He and Twilight had been wandering for an hour now and they had found nothing. Just how far had she teleported them? He had asked earlier if she could teleport them back to camp, but it seemed that was a no-go; if the bear was still there, she might not have the energy to get both of them away. It seemed everything that could go wrong had. The sooner they got back to camp, the sooner they could go home - assuming his sister had returned.

He absolutely refused to leave if she hadn't.

Eventually, Twilight stopped and grimaced about something, looking down at her hooves. She then looked in Big Mac's direction. "I kinda need to use the little filly's room... would you mind waiting here until I come back?"

Big Mac sighed. "Of course."

Twilight smiled and trotted in another direction. There were some bushes off in the distance he imagined she was going to use. He shrugged and sat on his haunches, looking about. After a few seconds, he felt a slight sting in his snout; it was just then he remembered he had forgotten to take his meds before he went to sleep. He took his saddlebags off and placed them on the ground, and pulled one open. He reached a hoof in, but didn't find what he was looking for. He let loose an irritated groan and turned to the other bag, prying it open and, much to his relief, retrieved the bottle. He popped it open, then turned it on it's side and poured a single pill from it. He tossed that pill into his mouth, and took up his canteen, taking a sip from it.

"I'm back. Okay, we can... continue..."

Big Mac was about to put the bottle back into his bag when he noticed Twilight staring down. He looked at his hooves, making sure he didn't have a spider on them, but in that glance, he saw what had drawn her attention.

He had forgot to close his bags.

And one of them just-so-happened to have a doll in it.

He blushed and gulped, looking up to Twilight, waiting to hear her reaction before he said anything, trying desperately to hide his fear of being judged with a mask of stoicism.

"... Y... you have Smartypants?"

Smartypants? What? Why did she call the doll that? He had always called her Orchard; it felt right. Looking at the doll and back up to her, he went to say something, but was cut off. "I... I have been looking for her forever. I was so worried, I... I lost something precious to me! And... and... h.... how long have you had her?"

Big Mac wanted to lie. But that wasn't what an Apple did. "A few years..."

The look on Twilight's face seemed to shift from confused, to questioning. Then, suddenly, to anger. "A few years? A few years!?"

She stomped a hoof forward. "I had been posting wanted posters all over town looking for her! Once every month, I would devote hours at a time searching for her! And you've had her the whole time!?" To be fair, he hadn't seen the posters. At least, he hadn't noticed them.

"Eeyup..."

She stomped again. "This whole time, I thought she was in some grass or in a bush or in some animal's dish... and then I considered, 'what if a little filly took her and befriended her?' I decided if that was the case, then I'd gladly let the filly keep her! But instead, I find that a... a.... grown stallion had abducted her and... and..... what did you want her for!?"

Big Mac seemed to wilt some. "T-tea parties... conversation..."

Twilight's wings flared. "You had tea parties with her!? And talked to her!? Do I need to emphasize the 'grown stallion' thing!?" She seemed to stomp in place, her head winding and turning with various thoughts. "You're a grown stallion, playing with a filly's play toy!? You... you..." She gritted her teeth, full to bursting with pent up fury. Big McIntosh could swear he could see steam coming from her ears.

"You have got to be the biggest... freak.... weirdo.... thief I have ever known, Big McIntosh Apple!"

After the words left her mouth, Big Mac winced as if he had been hurt, if only for an instant, and Twilight suddenly became aware that things had just gotten really quiet. All the rage, all the anger, all of it had boiled over. Suddenly, she wasn't feeling quite so angry anymore. Big Mac looked down to his bag for a minute, then back up to Twilight. He closed his eyes and nodded his head, leaning down towards the bag and taking the doll's scruff into his teeth; carefully, as if he were holding onto an actual foal. He lifted it up and trotted towards her, eliciting a confused look from the mare. He then set the doll on the ground in front of her hooves, and then lifted his head back up. He gave her one more nod and turned around, trotting back to his bags and closing them, lifting them up and setting them on his back.

Twilight looked at Smartypants for a few seconds, then back to him as he sat there, waiting patiently, his expression as stoic and hard-to-read as ever. But Twilight had dealt with such things before. She didn't know if it was giving up the doll, or if it was what she said, but she could see something in his eyes. Something that made her regret her particular choice of words.

Big McIntosh. Stoic. Strong. Proud.

And she had managed to hurt him quite deeply.

She let her mouth move a bit. "B-Big Mac... I'm... I'm sorry, I..."

He looked away, towards the woods. "Me too."

She wanted to apologize again. She wanted to take it back. But she couldn't. She had said what she had said, and while she hated for herself for it, she couldn't deny that she had meant it, had really thought it. After all, he WAS a grown stallion. But was it really so wrong? She levitated Smartypants towards her saddlebags, propped one side open, and gently pushed her inside, closing it back. She turned to look at Big Mac, and spoke in a calm, if somewhat apologetic manner.

"I'm ready to go..."

Comments

[Shrapmo]

Well it was Twilight's fault he got attached to the doll...

[RisingMoon336]

again half called it, somepony fell in love.
And, totally called it with Twilight finding out Mac has her doll.
And while we are on the subject.
*clears throat*
.
.
.
FUCK YOU TWILIGHT SPARKLE!