My Sugar Cube

by DragonassasslnGR

That Dreadful Day

It had been about a two years since his sisters passing, Big Macintosh was now the sole owner of Sweet Apple Acres with his wife Fluttershy and his other little sister Applebloom. It had been an easy year with the help that Luna had sent to them. All the taxes on the land and sales was abolished for them, workers came and lived in the new building in the fields, and Lurking managed everything else in terms of the workers. Big Mac still did his chores on the farm and worked the fields, he just had more help than normally would have.

He was living happily with Fluttershy, after their wedding he had converted one of the old barns to house her animals. It made him happy to see her care for others and even happier to see her smiling. It was about seven months ago that she told him something that would change all of their lives for good. They were expecting a foal soon and they needed room to make a nursery for it. Big Macintosh and Fluttershy had talked about doing that and they came to only one conclusion. They would renovate Applejacks old room that had been left untouched all this time with the exception of keeping it clean, into a nursery.

Big Mac stood outside of the door to her room. He stared at the nob, waiting for Applejack to open it herself and greet him. He sighed and slowly turned the knob and walked in.

The room was nice and dust free even after all the years of being left mostly to itself. The trophies still held their glow and the pictures were all in place. If he didn't know better, Big Mac would still think Applejack was around and slept in her room. Her hat sat on one of the poles on the bed post. Rainbow Dash gave it back after the ceremony was over and she told them the secret she had kept from all of them. It brought a tear to his eye to see it there, it looked so wrong to be left alone.

Big Macintosh began to move things out of the room and into the basement of the house. piece by piece he took out the bed, the dresser, the clothes in the closet, and some boxes that sat on a shelf inside the closet. He moved the awards into a curio cabinet in the living room so they would be on display like they should have been. Lastly he turned his attention to Applejack's old desk. Be pulled a box over to it and began to empty its contents. Papers, photos, and other items filled the box. Big Mac had emptied the two main drawers and looked to the long one just under the table surface. He pulled it back and found it strangely vacant with the exception of a photo of Applejack and Lurking sitting under a tree and having what looked like a nice picnic in one of the fields near the river. Military medals of valor and other feats, a thinly pressed uniform, and a note that was addressed to Big Mac under everything else.

He pulled the items out and placed them in a box and read the note. It was very short but He could tell it was Applejacks writing.

"Big Macintosh,

I will be leaving for a bit, just a vacation with Fluttershy and the others. We are going with Princess Luna to a tourist spot called the Altar Of The Guardians. I will be home in a few days, and I have some big news when I get back. Be sure to let Lurking know that the old barn in the north field needs to be repainted and the moonshine in its cellar needs to be moved to the house.

I love you big brother, I will see you all soon."

Big Mac slammed his head on the desk as he fought back his sorrow. When he hit it there was a cracking sound and the drawer fell to the wooden floor. After a few moments, Big Macintosh went to pick it up, but found the bottom panel had popped out. He looked closer and saw a second panel and something under the fake bottom. He pushed the fake aside and pulled out a diary. It was Applejack's secret journal. Big Mac moved the drawer out of the way and sat in the chair. He placed the book on the desk and opened it to a page with a bookmark in it. Big Mac sat there and began to read the entry.

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

Today was a very good day for me. I had made a decent profit today with my pies, jams, cider and apples in the market. Eventually I had decided to pack up early because Ponyville was going to get rain and I really didn't prepare for that. It was a last minute schedule change for the pegasi and there new weather forman, Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash was with the Wonderbolts at practice that day and I was told Soarin was with her. The two of them seemed very happy together and Scootaloo was even happier to have parents that loved her.

I waved to her as she pushed a cloud into position and had a clipboard in her mouth. She only managed a brief wave back before racing off the get the next cloud.

"That mare has gotten busy lately. I wonder what she was thinking with the change in weather today." I muttered to myself as I pulled the cart along the road.

The sight of Scootaloo brought back memories of the old days that me and my friends had before Twilight became an Alicorn and Luna had her foals. Five years was a long time ago, All of my friends except Fluttershy had left Ponyville or had found their special somepony.

Twilight was now a princess, but still visited the library every few days. She left Spike to to tend to it most days when she was gone.

Rarity had married a new and improved Prince Blueblood, who had become a better stallion.

Rainbow Dash was married to Soarin, adopted Scootaloo after finding out her parents were dead and she lived in an orphanage, and was the new captain of the Wonderbolts.

Fluttershy was the only one I saw almost every day. Big Mac and her began to see each other after Cheerilee left to another town to teach. He was hurt for a while, but I let Flutter do what she does best and comfort him. They had been together for about 2 years now and the big guy was getting ready to pop the question to her.

Pinkie Pie had been given Sugar Cube Corner from the Cakes on one condition, Pumpkin and Pound Cake would work there for as long as they wanted to. Last I heard about her was that the place was doing better than it had ever done before.

All of them had found something more to life and were happy. I still owned a farm that was doing good and I have a loving family to look after, but I haven't found anypony to love or accomplished a goal that I set out to do. I have done the same thing I have always done for years. If anything, I had grown more and more distant from the others. Life Is the same for me as it had always been, well if you asked anypony besides me.

I smiled at the memories that filled my head. I remember thinking what they think of me after all this time. They have seen me doing the same thing I have always done. If only they could know.

Eventually I walked past Rarity's old shop that was now converted into her sister Sweetie Belles dance Studio where she teaches the art to others. It still looked like it always had on the outside, but inside it had everything anypony would need to learn any kind of dance. She was a master at her art like Rarity, nopony could come close to her skill unless they were being taught by her.

After entering the limits of the town I trotted up the trail that followed the river and to the south orchard of Sweet Apple Acres. A few drips of rain told me that the storm was over head now. I slowed myself so I wouldn't get into an accident as I began to walk up the hill. The path was on the edge of what I would call a ridge that lead to the river.

The trail began to slow me down as I pulled the wagon in the pouring and very cold rain. The path had turned into a soup of water mud and other rocks that rested in it. I was covered in it and the wagon was getting mud caked on the sides and in the wheels. It became harder and harder to pull as I got closer to the farm house. The river was as loud as ever with the excess water being put into it rushing by me. Without warning, the ledge gave way under the right wheel of the wagon and it pulled me down to the raging waters below.

The wagon busted through bushes and branches as I furiously slammed my hooves into the ground, desperately trying to slow and eventually stop the wagon before it took me into the river. Broken branches and rocks slammed into my legs and sides as I was pulled down. One branch imbedded itself into my right hind leg and broke from the plant it came from. It was through and through my thigh as it kept catching on things. The pain was... in Twilights words, agonizingly brutal. There was a loud snapping sound as the branch broke my leg from the inside as the bone stuck out of my skin. The pain caused me to scream at the top of my lungs in agony. The wagon hit a bump and jumped into the air with me still strapped to it and swinging my hooves around in the air, trying with all of my might to grab the ground. Then it splashed into the river and pulled me down, I was devastated to see the light starting to fade from my view. I was scared as I saw the blood from my leg drifting above me and my air quickly running out. I struggled to undo the harness, but the impacts with the rocks had dented the belt buckle. I was stuck, bleeding out, and running out of oxygen. My vision began to fade and darkness hung over my like death himself in the cold waters. The last of my air bubbles drifted upward and I closed my eyes as the cold water swallowed myself and the wagon. I thought about my family and friends, I would miss them all.

Soon after that thought entered my head and I began to choke, something brushed against me and the harness released me from the wagon. I opened my eyes to see a black pegasus with a white mane kissing me and putting air back into my lungs. He began pulling me to the surface of the water as I grew weaker and weaker. My vision was going faster than I thought, the combination of pain and lack of air was making me lose it. We broke the surface of the water and I felt the rain hitting me again, but I wasn't able to take in a breath of air. I was too weak and I felt the water in my body keeping me from taking it. Before long, I felt the shore and the rocks on my back. The pegasus pressed his lips to me again and began to force air into my lungs. I coughed up water before I closed my eyes and started to drift in and out of consciousness. I felt the immense pain in my leg and was becoming weak from the blood loss and air starvation.
I honestly thought that was the end for me.

The last thing I heard before losing consciousness altogether was the muffled voice of my savior as he yelled to me over the heavy down pour , "I won't let you go, I promise!"

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

Big Mac closed the diary and looked over to the pictures that sat on desk beside him. There was a photo with Applejack and black pegasus he had hired to work here at the farm. The day she was brought home by him was one that still haunted him. It was one of the only times that made Big Mac feel useless. He was unaware of his sister being in danger and unable to save her. If Lurking wasn't there, she would have died that day. He still remembered what Lurking had told them about how he had saved Applejack and found the farm house.

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

Lurking was a black pegasus with a white mane and tail and was out on one of his daily flights, the rain made this flight even better. He was just over what everypony in Ponyville called Sweet Apple Acres. He was just over the river now when he heard the sound of something smashing through the brush. It was a wagon and it was pulling an orange mare with it. Lurking quickly sensed the danger she was in and raced to help her. He saw a trail of blood running from her leg when the wagon slammed through a fallen tree. A moment later she let out a scream of pure pain, just before the wagon went airborne and landed in the river.

Lurking closed his wings and entered a nose dive, He landed right where the wagon fell. It didn't take him long to spot the wagon and the orange mare as a trail of blood drifted upwards to the surface. Her struggling started to slow as she lost air. Lurking swam to her and noticed the harness buckle was jammed from being dented from its journey. He hurried to the wagon to find anything that might have helped. It didn't take long for him to figure there would be nothing that could save the mare in time. He swam back to her and swung a leg around one of the ends that connect the strap to the wagon. He braced himself and pulled on the strap attached to the damaged wood. It splintered slightly at his forceful tug. He pulled again, the wood sounded in the water as a muffled cracking. Lurking put all of his might into the next tug. The strap gave way and the orange mare was free to drift down as she closed her eyes and the last of air left her body. He raced to her and pressed his lips to hers, giving her part of his breath before swimming to the surface with her on his back.

He broke the surface and placed her head on his neck so she could take in some fresh air. She went limp over him as he made his way to the shoreline of the river. When he was a few feet from the body of water, he gently laid her out on the ground. He looked over her injuries and saw that she was in very bad shape. Lurking noticed she wasn't taking in air, he opened her mouth and covered her nose before pressing his lips to hers once again and forcing air into her. She opened her eyes and looked into the bright blue orbs that made up his. Applejack's eyes were starting to glaze over as they started to close again. Lurking placed a hoof on her chest and pushed in one, Applejack coughed up a little water before her eyes closed completely.

He looked at her face and called over the rain, "I won't let you go, I promise!"

Lurking looked at her mangled leg, she would bleed out before long if he didn't do something fast. He remembered seeing a cloth in the wagon, so he galloped to the river and jumped in.
He found it in no time and located the cloth and what looked like a satchel that carried several things inside. He put it on and grabbed the cloth before heading back to the surface and to the dying mare. When Lurking got back to her he quickly ripped the cloth and grabbed a few branches that were close by. The black pegasus hastily cleaned them off in the river and placed them on both sides of Applejack's damaged leg. He eyed the bone that poked out from her leg, the sight made him slightly queasy. Lurking swallowed the lump in his throat and gently pushed the bone in so he could wrap the leg with the cloth. After tightening the wrap and securing it, Lurking looked in the satchel and found a rather large bag filled to the rim with gold bits, a few bottles with a black and white swirl imprinted on the glass with different liquids inside of them and a damaged photo. The picture showed the mare he was trying to save with a hat on and a few other ponies. All of them had an apple themed cutie mark on them.

Lurking looked to Applejack and sighed, "Great, now I have to find that hat later. First things first, I need to get you some help."

The large black pegasus got up and gently lifted her onto his back. He minded her leg and carefully walked back up to the path. On his way he saw the hat wedged in between two bushes. He smiled before pushing it up with his teeth and placing it on her head. Soon enough he made it back to the path. Lurking looked both ways in an attempt to find the quickest way to anypony that could help the mare on his back. The left would take him back to ponyville. That would be a thirty minute walk and he wasn't sure if she would last that long. the right held more promise, he could already see the makings of a house roof.

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

Big Macintosh sat in a chair that was in front of Applejack’s old desk and remembered that night Lurking arrived to the farm house with Applejack. He was eventually told by Granny Smith and Fluttershy what had happened when he was tending to his sister. He leaned back and closed his eyes as he relived that horrible night.

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

Big Mac was with Fluttershy at the farmhouse making dinner for everypony. Applebloom was helping Granny Smith and Sweetie Belle clean the house. They had planned a surprise for Applejack when she got home with a special dinner in celebration of the farms recent success. They were making more bits than ever and the farm was getting much needed renovations and repairs. Rainbow Dash, Soarin, and Scootaloo had also come over with a cake that Pinkie Pie had made for the small party they were going to have. The party pony had also arrived and was setting up streamers and other party favors with Pumpkin and Pound Cake.

Rainbow Dash walked into the kitchen, "Fluttershy? When is Applejack coming home?"

The yellow pegasus turned around from cutting carrots, "Well, she was supposed to be home already."

"Eeyup" Big Mac added.

Rainbow leaned against the wall of the kitchen, "It must be the rain that is slowing her down. Scootaloo said she saw her leaving the market as she was setting up the rain clouds. She had that old wagon of hers, it must be sinking in the mud."

Fluttershy turned back to the carrots, "Well Applejack is strong, she might be home any minute."

They all heard a knock on the front door, Applebloom walked over to it as everypony went back to their tasks at hoof.

Rainbow tilted her head as she looked to the door, "Are we expecting anypony else?"

Big Mac kept his eyes on Applebloom as he stopped preparing the main course for their meal, "Nope."

When she opened the door to see who was there, Applebloom took a step back and yelled, "Big Mac! Ya need to get over here!"

The red stallion shot up knocking the chair he sat on to the ground and galloped over to the her. Rainbow Dash watched as even he stopped dead in his tracks with an awestruck look on his muzzle. Only a moment passed before he snapped from his trance like state and ushered in a black pegasus with Applejack on his back. Blood ran from a bandaged leg and down his side. Her mane covered most of her face, but Rainbow could tell she was either dead or out cold.

Rainbow Dash looked back to see Fluttershy covering her muzzle with her hooves, The cyan pegasus galloped over to them as Big Mac and the black pegasus began to walk upstairs to Applejack's bedroom.

"What happened to her?" She asked in shock.

The pegasus continued to follow Big Mac, "I was flying by and I saw her being pulled down a ridge that led to the river by her wagon. The ground must have given way from the rain. I had to dive in water to save her from drowning, but I'm not sure if that was enough.

Her leg is broken and the bone has busted from the skin, I'm afraid she will bleed out. I did my best to help with her leg, but I'm not a doctor and I don't know here the hospital is in this town.
I was hoping you could help."

Applebloom galloped to his side and looked to her sister, "Ya'll saved Applejack? But how did ya know she lived here?"

Lurking looked to her, "She lives here? I just headed to the nearest ponies I could for help, but its good that I got her home then. So her name is Applejack?"

"Eeyup." replied Big Mac.

Big Macintosh opened the door that led to Applejacks bedroom. He turned on the light and Lurking saw all of the medals and trophies on the shelves, the wooden bed and apple themed covers. A desk sat near the window as the rain pounded on the glass. The entire room had a country theme to it with all the furniture and dressers being made of polished maple.
Two pictures caught his eye as Lurking and Big Mac gently placed Applejack in her bed.
One was of Applejack and her friends taking a group picture in the town square of Ponyville.
The other was of too rancher ponies and what looked like a young Applejack with a very large hat on her head that the stallion in the photo placed on her head. It was the same hat that he found in the bush and in the other picture.
Applebloom looked to Big Mac, "I'm gonna go and see if Sweetie Belle will send a message to Twilight or somepony at the hospital to send help."

The large red earth pony nodded to his youngest sister. He looked over to Lurking and motioned for him to leave the room. The black pegasus made no objections, he followed Applebloom down the stairs.

She looked at him with a tear running down her cheek and a warm smile, "Thank you for saving Applejack and bringin her home. Make yourself at home and have a seat somewhere."

Before Lurking could reply, the tan mare galloped off to find her friend. He walked over to a chair in the living room with all eyes on him. The attention made the black pegasus feel uncomfortable. He looked down to avoid any eye contact and just stared at his hooves. He removed the satchel and placed it at his side.

Fluttershy slowly walked over to him, " Um... Would you like something warm to drink?"
He looked up to her, "Oh... um... no I'm fine."

Fluttershy sat on the couch next to the chair and looked over to him, "Well if you are sure... Thank you for saving Applejack. She is a good friend and a loving sister. I'm Fluttershy by the way."

The black pegasus smiled, "I'm Lurking, nice to meet you. So is Applejack your sister?"

Fluttershy smiled, "No, but maybe one day. I'm in a relationship with her brother Big Macintosh. He is the red earth pony that walked you to Applejacks room."

Lurking chucked, "Well he seems nice. What is Applejack like, when I saved her, I noticed the wagon she had was full of things that would be sold or bought at the market."

For the rest of the night the family got to know Lurking and Twilight had shown up with unicorn doctors that wasted no time in helping Applejack. Later on when everypony had left or went to bed Big Mac got to actually talk with the black pegasus.

"So ya saved my sister's life. Ya'll got her here in time and gave her a second chance. Thank ya Lurking." Big Mac said as the two of them walked to the door.

"Don't thank me, I did what anypony would have done. Speaking of doing the right thing." Lurking pulled to satchel off of himself and passed it to Big Mac. "This was one of the only things I was able to get off the wagon when i was looking for something to cover Applejack's leg. It has a few pictures and her bits she made today."

Big Mac only smiled before replying, "Where are ya stayin? Ah want to be able to find ya tomorrow and give ya a proper thank you."

The black pegasus looked to the ground for a bit before reconnecting the eye contact, "I... I have no set place. I'm a wanderer of sorts."

Big Mac tilted his head slightly, "Any job? Family? Friends?"

Lurking shook his head, "I live off whatever I can. I'm all I have, no family."

Big Mac smiled, "Then head upstairs and the door on the opposite side of Applejack’s is the guest room. Ya'll can stay here and If ya want, and ya can start working in the fields with me. Seeing as AJ will be out for a while, there is job that needs filling"

The two stallions nodded and called it a night. They headed up stairs and to their rooms as the moon rose from the horizon.

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

Fluttershy walked into the doorway and saw Big Mac sitting in the chair , "Mac, are you alright?"

Big Macintosh looked over to her from the chair as he wiped his face, "Eeyup, I'll be fine Fluttershy. Just found somethin in the desk here."

She slowly walked into the room being mindful of all the boxes. Her body showed her pregnancy. She was about eight months into it and didn't want to have any problems now.

She walked behind the chair then wrapped her forelegs around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she looked over his shoulder at the book in front of him, "What is it?"

Big Mac placed a hoof on one of Fluttershy's forelegs that was wrapped around him, "It's a diary that Applejack had started when she was brought home the night of her accident. Ah just read the first part that told what she could remember before the wagon hit the river. Ah'm goin to keep reading this Fluttershy, Ah want to see what's in here and find out what Applejack was hiding from all of us and why she hid her love with Lurking from everypony."

The yellow pegasus hugged Big Mac, "Do what you need to Mac, Please let me know what you find. I will be in the living room with Granny Smith, she wants to go over the recipes for a new pie she thought of last night."

Big Macintosh gave her a kiss before she left the room. He walked with her up until their bedroom door came up. Big Mac opened the door and placed Applejack's diary on his nightstand then headed back to finish his work in her old room.

Comments

[Hoovester]

so far, so good