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Chapter one: Baby steps1,012 words
Chapter two: meet the friends2,267 words
Chapter three: a day in the life2,551 words
Chapter four: Chores3,063 words

Chapter four: Chores

POV: Big Mac

I sigh to myself, alone in the glade.

What is the deepest, most important need for somepony like me? To create the next generation? To discover a way to better assist in my family's livelihood? To what end does my life amount? The number of good deeds I do? Why was I born a giant, with the temperament of a mountain? Maybe Tree Hugger is right in her own big-picture metaphors? And what about my sisters? They are both too precious to leave alone in pursuit of formal knowledge, though they may disagree. I wish that I knew what the future held, but that would paralyze me with fear and worry.

I sigh again, my musings depressing and fruitless.

Standing, I walk back home, emptying my mind of thought.

I listen to what had happened at the market in shocked silence.

Smarty cocks her head "I'm okay Mac! Really! Sure, I may not have been the one to knock him silly, but I was the one who discovered their plan. So I think all in all, today was a win for Ponyville."

I nod slowly "But..."

"Now don't be tryin' ta say ya shoulda gone. The only reason they came up ta her is cause she ain't familiar." Granny says sternly.

I open to say something but Smarty shoves a biscuit into my mouth "Thanks for your concern Big Mac, but if confrontation didn't work, there's universal plan 'B'."

"Run like yer tail's on fire?" Applebloom asks.

"Yup! If at first you don't succeed, run away and try again."

I roll my eyes and continue eating in silence.

I sigh, removing my yoke and setting it on the floor, and get in bed.

Smarty walks in, her mane out of the dreads she had "Hey Mac, do you think my hair's supposed to unravel?"

I nod my head "Ain't yarn."

She pauses and runs a hoof through it "Interesting... Move over."

I raise an eyebrow "What?"

"I'm sleeping with you, remember? And I don't think sitting on your dresser all night is good for my back." she replies, nudging me forward and laying against my back "Good night Mac."

I fight back a blush and nod "Night..."

This is awkward...

Slowly, sleep comes, and I find myself in a white realm, countless doors in front of and behind me "What...?"

"Macintosh? How did you get into the dream realm?" a familiar voice asks.

"Howdy Luna." I say, half startled and half surprised.

She nods "Greetings. But that does not answer my question. How are you here?"

I look around and shrug "Ain't th' slightest clue."

She contemplates this and walks towards me, and touches my heart "You're in contact with dark and light magic... did you get close to something abnormal in last few hours?"

"Eenope. Work as usual." I reply.

"Or has Midnight cast any spells around you? Enchantments?"

"... He gave Smarty Life."

Luna blinks "He gave life and sentience to a doll? How very him... well, I suppose that'd be the magical residue rubbing off on you, and this is just an accident. As much as I would love to 'Hang-out', I am working so... goodnight Big Macintosh." her horn glows and everything fades to white, and I feel myself awaken.

I sit up in bed, and notice that once again, Smarty Patch is latched onto my back, asleep.

"So that's what the dream world looks like... kind of underwhelming..."

"Mmmph... morning- EEP!" Smart yawns and slides down my back and off the end of the bed "I'm okay!"

I smile and snort to myself until she stomps over to me, angry "That's not funny!"

"It is." I reply, lifting her under the forelegs and throw her onto my back, her hooves scrabbling to get around my neck "... How far do you think-"

"Eenope."

"Awwww..."

After Breakfast, I check the schedule and sigh "Fix barn. Evict pegasus from trees. Watch Crusaders."

Smarty screws up her face "I can watch them if you want. I know them, and they might like me. Well, they thought I was creepy but Sweetie said she liked my mane." she runs a hoof through her dark and light Magenta mane, still out of dreadlocks. "Sure hope Rarity or somepony can do something about it though."

Applejack trots out and grins "Still sharin' th' work? Ya might as well be one single pony."

I snort and Smarty frowns "We aren't dating if that's what your implying, Applejack. I trust Mac's intuition and I also know how much of a workaholic he is. I'm just taking the simpler jobs so he doesn't run himself into the grave. I'm just being a good friend. Now, if you wanted to hire me as a farmhand, to avoid getting non-unionized labor, that's another thing entirely."

Applejack winces, unions were something she didn't like "... Ya'll aren't playin' fair."

She grins "I know. So how about you pay me half base pay, and give me room and board in exchange?"

Applejack considers this and nods slowly "Sounds like a plan. Now get on! Ya both're wastin' daylight!"

We both salute and leave, and I can hear Applejack mutter some unkind things about unions.

POV: Smarty Patch

I knock on the door to the clubhouse and suddenly I'm hanging upside-down by my hooves "... Twilight said there'd be days like this. Can't say I'm surprised though."

Three sets of hooves exit the clubhouse "Whoa! You were right Applebloom! She does have two different colored eyes!"

... Maybe I should get contacts? Nah, I like my eyes the way they are. Wouldn't hurt if everypony didn't make that my defining trait though. I think to myself "Uhm, Crusaders? Would you mind letting me go? I'm pretty sure I've gotten off on the wrong hoof." I pause "Or all of them."

Sweetie lights her horn out of the corner of my eyes and I fall onto my back "Ow... second time today..."

"Ya alright Ms. Patch?" Applebloom asks, helping me to my hooves "Yeah. Just... dazed. So what's the plan for today? Spelunking? Horticulture? Philately?"

Scootaloo leans over to Sweetie Belle "I think we just found your real sister Sweets."

I shake my head "No, we aren't related. By the way Sweetie, do you think you could help with my mane? Dreadlocks preferably."

Sweetie shrugs "I can't do manes. Rarity does mine."

I sigh "Never mind. Could I borrow a rubber band?"

Scootaloo nods and enters the clubhouse. Applebloom, finally snapping out of whatever stupor she was in, shakes her head "None of that stuff. We're goin' ta try monster makin'!"

I blink several times "Don't you need a wicked contract, lots of body parts, a thunderstorm, machinery, and a whole number of other things?"

"Nah, we're gonna go to Sugarcube Corner and bake one in Pinkie's magical oven."

Magical... oven? This warrants investigation. "Okay, I'm in charge of watching you and so I'm coming too."

Scootaloo exits, a rubber band in her hooves "Here you go. So are we going or not?"

I nod and pull my mane back into a ponytail "Cutie Mark Crusaders, Monster Makers! Yaaaay!!"

We watch the Fondant-Armored Flambé Fighter leave ashy footprints in the road, his mane of flames and caramelized metal teeth glinting menacingly "Well, in hindsight, this went about as well as it could've been expected to go."

"Why didn't you stop us?" Scootaloo asks, still watching.

"I kind of wanted to see this happen. This is phenomenal."

Applebloom raises her hoof "Shouldn't we stop it?"

"How? We made that thing virtually indestructible."

Sweetie rubs her chin "Make another monster to fight it?"

"... Let's do it." I reply, grinning

Once again, we stare in awe as the two monsters fight, our Platinum Pastry Pummeller denting the other monster's armor with a round-house to the side.

"... What'll we do when the fighting's over?" Applebloom asks.

"Get a very big mop and broom." I reply, wincing as the Fighter takes a bite out of the Pummeller's Platinum skin.

Scootaloo claps her hooves "Hit it with your Mouton Mallet!"

The Pastry jumps back and launches into a series of spinning kick attacks.

Sweetie smiles "This is the most awesome thing I've ever seen."

Both warriors explode, showering the street with bits of icing and smoldering filling.

Pinkie walks up to us, having been napping in Sugarcube Corner while we baked "What'd I miss?"

"The most epic fight between two pastry monsters." I reply and she moans "Again?! I always miss all the big monster fights! Hey! Cake!"

Sweetie grabs my hoof "I think we should run before our sisters find us here."

I shrug "If you say so. What's next?"

"A little to the left Ms. Patch." Sweetie says, looking down at the blueprints.

I sigh and push the base of the catapult "Why are you building a catapult?"

"We need it for siege warfare cutie marks!" Scootaloo answers, tying a knot on the arm's base.

"... I know a bit about siege weaponry, and I can tell you that this won't work. And besides, a Trebuchet will work better."

All three stare at me in awe "It will?"

I grin "I've read Modern Warmare's guide to long distance artillery and you. Now, we need to get the arm down and re-do the winding mechanisms."

"Pull!" I command and the counterweight drops, launching a huge ball of rotten apples into the air "Wait, why did you have to use rotten apples? Couldn't you've used them for fertilizer?"

Scootaloo grins "This is much more fun."

The ball lands far-away and Sweetie whips out a pair of binoculars "Direct hit! We've landed a direct hit!"

I pause "It was aimed at Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara, wasn't it?"

Applebloom nods "Eeeyup."

"Awesome." I hold my hoof out and Applebloom bumps it "Eeeyup."

Sweetie pushes the catapult towards something else "Can we... umph... hit Twilight's castle?"

"Why do ya want to hit Twilight's castle?"

Sweetie grins "Gonna set up my sister and Spike. You know, the usual good sister things."

I tap my chin "How will firing something at the castle work?"

Scootaloo shrugs "I dunno, stick a note on a bunch of gems with 'From Rarity, there's more where that came from'?"

Sweetie pats her friend's head and tuts "No my dear Pegasus, we shall do something much more... subtle, something that only Spike would understand. We need to do something that only my sister could pull off. We're going to launch Rarity into Spike's window."

Applebloom groans "This is why everypony thinks we only got one brain between th' three of us. You two hoof-heads."

Sweetie frowns "It's a bad idea?"

Applebloom nods "Ain't it Smarty?"

I shrug "I kind of want to see that. But how are we going to get Rarity on board?"

Sweetie opens her mouth but pauses "I... hadn't thought of that."

I roll my eyes "Okay, we aren't going to launch your sister out of a catapult. How about we fire... mud at the boutique?"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle grin "Rarity loves mud!"

Applebloom groans "Ain't you supposed ta be th' adult?"

I tap my chin in thought "I am. So I think that as fun as launching mud at Carousel Boutique might be, we shouldn't. I suggest we go to..." I look around, trying to find a place "The castle of the two sisters! Maybe they have books on divining cutie marks!"

I stare at the trap organ and crack my hooves "I shall now serenade you with Beethooven's 'Moonlight Sonata Dusk'."

The somber melody flows from the ancient organ, the notes flashing before my eyes from memory.

I remember being taken to the Canterlot symphony orchestra, Final Overture's wings and hooves hovering split seconds above the keys before pressing with divine ease, filling the large opera hall with music. Shining and Twilight fell asleep, but Velvet and I listened in rapt attention. I couldn't tell the story behind the music, but I could tell that it was of loss and of hope.

Next to us, Princess Celestia tried to hide her tears behind silent humming, but I could tell that something in her resonated on a deep level, a level that if it were exposed, she would crumble to dust like the ancient spires around the castle. The final notes played with finality. Adagio Sostenuto has concluded.

The song picks up to become happier music, but with misery deep within.

A lie. A lie of 'I'm okay, don't worry.' But deep down, the notes cried of heartache. Thus ends the Allegreto and Presto Agitato begins

A burst of speed, frantic and wild, a last ditch attempt to regain what was

I stop as the last notes fade to the silence that resides in the castle.

Sweetie Belle claps enthusiastically and I bow to her like a conductor.

Scootaloo snorts awake, rubbing her face "Wha hoppin...?"

Applebloom smiles "That was real pretty Ms. Patch. Where'd ya learn to play piano?"

"I spent a lot of time at the Canterlot royal symphonic. I'm just glad you liked it. Any luck with the books?"

All three shake their heads and I sigh "What to do... what to do... nap?"

"What are we, foals?" Scootaloo asks, crossing her hooves.

"No, but naps are a great way to refresh and revitalize our minds and bodies. That and I'm whipped."

Reluctantly they follow me back to Sweet Apple Acres.

POV: Big Mac

I knock on Ms. Zecora's door "Come in dear friend Mac, I am working in the back."

I enter and she comes through the door from her back room <"How are you Ms. Zecora?"> I ask in Zebrikaans.

She smiles <"Quite well, how are the Crusaders?">

<"Good, I was wondering... Why did you come to Equestria?">

Ms. Zecora sighs <"I came here because I was cast out by my tribe for aiding ponies hurt in the wild plains. I am a medicine mare, a healer, and I shouldn't care whether or not a pony has a solid or a striped coat. I took what I could and was promptly banished. There was no negotiating, nor would I try."> she smiles weakly <"But in coming here, I have been able to make friends, learn more about medicine and magic, and helped everypony I've come across. There is so much yet to learn, but I am patient, and in a way... grateful for my punishment.">

I smile and sit next to her <"And I'm glad that I got to meet you Ms. Zecora. You're more than a friend, you're family. Anypony who can stand buck apples like you is an Apple in my eyes.">

She laughs <"Ah yes! I remember that day! It was such fun, though I could barely stand on my hooves the next morning!">

We chat for a few minutes before I leave to get home "Thanks for talkin' with me Zecora."

She smiles and returns to her work, and I take that as my cue to leave.

I return to my room and find an odd sight on my bed.

Smarty asleep on her back, a blanket thrown over herself, snuggling an arm is Sweetie Belle who flicks her tail in her sleep. Scootaloo has a death grip on my pillow and on her side her wings splayed against the headboard. Applebloom's mane and tail are mussed and she whistles in her sleep, her head on Smarty's chest, her hooves curled underneath herself.

I slowly back step and grab Granny's camera and take a picture, because hey, it's cute.

Sweetie stirs and yawns, rubbing her eyes "Mwah...?"

I walk in and lift her off the bed and onto my back, Scootaloo as well.

I trot to Rainbow Dash's house and toss the orange filly onto her cloud porch, throwing a rock at the buzzer before leaving for the Boutique.

Sweetie had fallen asleep again and I knock on the boutique's door, quickly passing her to her sister and leave without a word.

I may not have higher education, but I can handle fillies.

I tuck Applebloom into bed and return to my room, nudging Smarty over so that I can sleep on it.

She mutters something under her breath and snuggles up next to me before sighing.

I smile and fall asleep the moment I close my eyes.

Author's Note:

Another chapter! Huzzah!

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