Bigger Macintosh

by Klamnei

Potential

Part 2: Potential

Big Mac was on a barren plain. The sky was a mix of swirling colors like the northern lights, and the air was absolutely saturated with magic. There was a soft wind blowing, and a dull malaise was creeping over his senses. He looked around to see if there was anypony else, but he was completely and utterly alone.

That is, save for one other thing. An enormous piece of metal shaped like an eight-pointed star was before him, sticking out of the ground like some sort of monument. The north and south points of the symbol were much longer than the others, and in its center was a bright, pulsing diamond. The metal was blue and crystalline, and glowing bits of plant matter hung from its edges that were reminiscent of ivy.

The entire thing was covered in cruel, spiked chains with links bigger than his entire body. They were so long, they stretched off into the horizon and out of sight.

Big Mac took a step back, shivering at the amount of magic in the air. “What the…”

Do you wish to be a hero?

Big Mac jumped. He looked around to try to find the speaker, but all that was around was the strange monument.

“Who’s there?!” Big Mac said.

I sense the desire in your heart, Macintosh Apple. The voice was female, and it echoed all around him, ringing in his ears. I’ve sensed it for some time. You wish to be more than what you are, to aid in protecting your world. You yearn for the chance to prove yourself, and make your ancestors proud.

Big Mac realized that the voice was coming from the monument. The words were jarring and blunt, but they couldn’t be more true. He was frozen in place, his heart was now hammering in his chest, but the words resonated with him so much that he couldn’t help but reply.

“E-Ee-n…” he gulped and wet his lips. “Erm… well, I-I’ll admit ya hit the nail on the head, but who are you, exactly? What do ya want?”

The diamond’s light flickered softly. Once, I was many things. I was the beloved ruler of my people, a lover of trade and peace. I was a seer that could see glimpses of the threads of destiny. But I grew selfish and arrogant, and the seeds of cruelty were planted in my mind. I became consumed in a quest for domination, and my greed and lust for power ultimately brought about my end... as well as the end of my people. My punishment has already been decided, but I’ve been offered a small chance to reduce my sentence. To that end, I’ve brought you here to give you a choice.

Big Mac could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. This was all utterly crazy, but despite that, he couldn’t help but ask the alluded question.

“An’ what choice is that?”

The voice spoke without any stutter. There is a great evil that threatens your world. I can provide you the power to stop it, but only if you are willing. If you were given a chance to be all that your heart desires—to be a hero, a protector, a pure and righteous force for good—would you take it? Would you take up the mantle of responsibility, and rise up to defend your home?

Big Mac couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was this all real? Was this all a joke? He had dreams of being a white knight all the time but this… this was different. This was practically surreal, and every one of his senses was tingling. It felt like he was really there in that moment in time, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

“Ya’ll can’t be serious.”

There is potential within you. The chains constricting the monument rattled in the wind. Potential that one of your gods has already seen, and become drawn to. You wish to do more than chores on your little farm? This is your chance. I’m offering you what you’ve always wanted; the only catch is that you must actually use the power I offer. If you don’t, everything you know and love will be destroyed.

Big Mac chewed on his lip. “I… I don’t really understand.”

The voice let out a long, windy sigh. The strong, silent types never are known for their analytical skills… All will be clear shortly, young Macintosh. All that’s required of you now is a simple yes, or no.

Big Mac sucked on his teeth. He still wasn’t entirely sure whether this was real or not, but if it was, it wouldn’t do very well to pass up such a golden opportunity. He wasn’t too keen on his home being threatened, but this gal did sound sincere, and if the magic in those chains was as strong as it felt, he doubted she was in a position to lie.

“Eeyup.”

The monolith glowed with white light. Then let it be done.

There was a crack like thunder. The magic in the air thickened, and then all at once, bolts of multicolored lightning struck Big Mac from all directions.

“GAH!”

Big Mac fell to his knees. His yells were of pain at first, but soon, they turned into groans of pleasure. The magic surging into him, it felt good… REALLY good! It was hot and pulsing, flowing into him with the rhythm of his heartbeat. He felt his hooves leaving the ground, rising up into the air. More and more magic was injected into him, dancing through his muscles, skin, and veins, and he could feel the raw power building, more, and more, and more!

The threat is nigh, the voice warned through the euphoria. Act quickly, and without hesitation. This evil is not something that your Chosen Six will be able to defend against, nor will even your gods be able to help. You will need to act alone, for only your strength and courage will make the difference.

Big Mac could feel the magic... changing him. He wasn’t sure how to better describe it, other than that something fundamental about him was being... altered. He yelled again in ecstasy, his yells echoing long and loud across the ethereal plain.

You have the soul of a protector. The monument was now fading in and out, its features becoming indistinct. You cherish your family, and value the preservation of life. You love those close to you unconditionally, and while the friends you make are few, they are loyal, and lifelong. You remind me a bit of myself, before I strayed down the path of evil. Perhaps that is why I have faith you will succeed...

The power continued to flow into Big Mac, his eyes shining like beacons in a starless night. His whole body felt tight, coiled up, like a compressed spring straining to break free. He almost thought he would explode, but he continued to absorb all the magic given, soaking it all up like a sponge.

Finally, it was done. Big Mac’s whole body glowed with harmonious might, and he hovered back down to touched down on the plain. He opened his eyes, and a prismatic glint could be seen shining within them.

“Whoa,” Big Mac gasped.

Now, go forth, the voice said in a faint whisper. Wield my power for good, and show your world what kind of hero you can be...

Big Mac blinked several times, still regaining his senses. “Wait, what? N-No, don’t go! I still—

***

Big Mac jolted awake in his room. He sat upright and looked all around, his eyes wild and confused.

“Damn…”

It was just before dawn, and nothing seemed out of place. Big Mac sat there for a while, gasping for breath and rubbing his temples, the fog of sleep receding. He regained his senses after a moment or two…

...until he noticed his rump was scrunched up against the headboard, and his legs were hanging far, far out over the bed.

Big Mac did a double-take. “What in tarnation?”

Either the rest of the world had shrunk, or he’d grown several feet in his sleep! His extra-large bed couldn’t quite contain his extra-extra large frame anymore, and the springs were creaaaaaking with every shift of his weight. His whole body was spilling over the bed in every direction, almost like he was in a foal’s bed.

Thump-thump!

Big Mac gasped. Something had pulsed mightily in his chest, almost like a second heartbeat. Tight, tingly energy flowed out to fill the rest of his body, filling him with a hot, heady sensation that made him shiver.

Big Mac stared at his own hooves, watching the fetlocks become thicker, longer… wider with each passing second. The rest of him followed suit, his body gaining more and more bulk, the rippling, chiseled muscles swelling with every breath. It was an adrenaline rush like Big Mac never experienced. He felt like he could rip a full-grown apple tree out of the ground!

And the sensation was only getting stronger. Big Mac guessed that he’d already doubled in size, but by the looks of things, that was only a warm-up...

“Shit...” He tore off his blanket and got to his hooves…

Thump-THUMP!

...only to smash his head against the ceiling.

CRUNCH!

Big Mac staggered. The growth spurt combined with his force of his motion inadvertently punched a hole in the roof, the sturdy timbers falling away as if they were toothpicks.

“Double shit!” The floorboards groaned under his still-increasing weight, bending and creaking ominously. Thinking quick, Mac ducked down low and charged towards the window, diving out into the night.

CRASH!

It wasn’t as bad as he’d expected. Sure, he’d been up on the second floor, but it didn’t seem to matter much. He barely even stumbled as he came down with a heavy thud and jumped away from the falling glass, cringing as he turned and saw the giant hole now in the side of the house.

Damn it. That was gonna take weeks to fix.

Thump-thump!

The power inside Mac flared again, the light in his eyes shining brighter.

“Ergh!” Another great burst of burning energy flared, the ground around him cracking from the pressure. The stretching of his limbs and barrel was almost audible as he inched upward, widening his stance more and more. He grew until he found himself eye-level with the hole in his room… then kept going until he was looking down at it.

“BIG BROTHER?!”

BIg Mac looked down. Standing at the front door were Apple Bloom, Applejack and Granny in their pajamas. They stared up at him with incredulous eyes, and he realized with a start that they didn’t even come up to his ankles.

Big Mac winced. “Uh…”

And then all hell broke loose.

SHWUMMM!

A titanic tear in space ripped open over the western orchards. The night sky was lit up by violet, crackling light sparking out of the hole like lightning, along with a deafening, screeching sound like scraping metal.

The Apple mares yelped and covered their ears. Big Mac merely pinned his back and narrowed his eyes.

“Threat...”

The tear lengthened and widened. The air became filled with the sharp smell of ozone, and the light became so bright that only Mac could look directly at it. There was an incredible CRACK, and then slowly, something began to step out of the rift.

Something foul, big, and made of stone.

“EENOPE!” Big Mac sprinted for the rift, the farmyard shaking with his mighty steps. He got to the edge of the orchard in seconds, but there he encountered a problem. Many of the trees were still bigger than him, and at his current size, it’d be slow going to get through them. He knew he was strong enough to push through, but they would definitely slow him down.

He didn’t have time to be slowed down.

Thump-thump!

The power within him pulsed mightily, his whole body shimmering in reply. Big Mac began to grow again, his whole perspective shifting as the ground fell farther and farther away. His body bulged, as he quickly became the height of the tallest trees…

...then a head taller than them...

...then two heads... then four.

Before long, even the greatest apple trees only came up to Big Mac’s barrel. Now sixty feet tall, he crashed through the field and ran headlong for the rift, the trees crunching and toppling around him like dominoes. The sweet smell of pulped apples filled his nose as he carved a path through the orchard, ignoring the wrenching screams within his soul.

The... thing kept coming through the rift. It looked like a colossal pillar of black rock, but Big Mac could tell it was alive from the way it moved. There was also an aura of malevolence about it that almost made him feel ill. A trio of short, powerful legs supported it like a tripod, and its angular body was covered with spikes, sharp ridges, and hooks. It also had three long arms that waved about like whips, each one ending in a long, vicious point like a scythe. The thing had no eyes or face to speak of, but just from one glance, Big Mac knew damn well that it could see.

And it was looking at him.

Big Mac grit his teeth. There was no way he was gonna let this thing onto his farm. Already, the trees around the portal were withering and turning black, the very air turning acidic and foul. As he neared, its vileness washed over him like a filmy slime, but it slipped right off him, unable to infect his body. He had to push it back into the portal, but even at his new-and-improved stature, the thing had to be at least three times larger than him! It was blooming enormous!

“Not enough,” he growled. “More… give me more!”

Thump-thump!

The magic answered his call. With a blinding flash, Big Mac’s body exploded outward, doubling, tripling, than quadrupling in size! His shoulders widened with new muscle, his legs bristling with newfound power. His chest broadened even more, gaining hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of sheer bulk. He could now see well out into the valley and beyond, his eyes and other senses sharpening to superpony levels.

He felt massive. He felt mighty! He felt STRONG!

But against this thing, he could only pray he was strong enough.

Now within striking distance, Big Mac made his move. With wind-whipping force, he whirled around, reared, and bucked the monster with earth-shattering might.

KA-WHAM!

It was like a bomb went off. The trees in the area were uprooted and sent flying, every one of the farmhouse windows shattering. Big Mac felt like he’d just struck a brick wall, the tremendous kick vibrating throughout his very being. Fortunately, though, his strength won through. The thing was sent sailing back into the portal from whence it came, and the feeling of evil and foulness disappeared along with it.

But that wasn’t the end of it. Big Mac could sense that he’d just knocked the thing back, and it was still through there, just beyond the pale.

He wasn’t gonna let it try again.

Without hesitating, Mac charged into the crackling portal, disappearing off into the unknown.

Comments

[blue-hart]

ok i like what i read need more!

[Nectarine]

Alright, I'll follow this.

[Chapelseed]

and soon, Luna will Whinny and Neigh-Neigh when she sees Mac's new stature

[i_am_the_jam]

I wonder why he didn't ask Luna to come and see what the dream was all about....

[Master king]

That was just plain awesome read ,this just keeps getting better.