Little Mac and Cannotfly

by Akataja

Chapter five: a small voice

The life of Big McIntosh Apple was a huge mess; like when a tornado destroyed a whole city and nopony cared about some repairs. Why didn’t anypony care for the repairs of BigMac? Because he was the pony which always had to repair things and take care of everything because he was the big strong ‘LilMac’ MacIntosh. Since he was old enough to carry a yoke and use the plow, it was his destiny to work, because he could help his family this way the best. He helped his old pop Golden with his chores, he took over his chores after he died and he started to help his father at his chores when he got older. However Mac didn’t have any problems with that, he already made plans to take his dad’s chores when he would die, but not before at least 30 years in the future, maybe when Apple Jack is married and had some foals of her own.

But his dad, Red Delicious, died way too early just like his mom. How did they die? MacIntosh couldn’t remember, he was there, sure, that night he was there, he talked to his dad and was at the side of his mom, but he couldn’t remember anything. He remembers Mayor Mare, the gray mare was a friend of the family, she brought his dad’s old yoke and he remembers Doctor Horse Senior, who couldn’t save his mom. And from one day to the next everything had changed, he lost his parents and got a new baby sister. His old sister, Apple Jack, left a few days later before the funeral took place. There were a lot of other Ponies who wanted to help, the Apple Family had always a lot of friends, but MacIntosh didn’t want the help. He just needed a shovel to dig a deep hole, while nearly the whole town was inside the church, to pay homage to Red Delicious and Pink Lady, he was in the graveyard and dug the hole for his parents. Why did he do this? It just felt better. Burning muscles, working in the mud and sweat on his forehead, that’s the way it should be, that’s the way his pop and dad taught him. He left the graveyard before the carpets arrived, he went to the farm, taking his yoke and starting his work. Burning muscles, sweat, and dirt, that was right, it stopped him from thinking or remembering. He couldn’t remember what happened that night and he didn’t want to. So he just had to work, don’t speak to anypony, just work, don’t speak to Granny Smith, just work, don’t look at little Apple Bloom, just work, take care of those darn apple thieves, then back to work.

With Apple Jack far away it was easy for him to live in this routine, her return just complicated everything. She wanted to talk, Granny Smith wanted to talk, even Hooves wanted to talk, why couldn’t they leave him alone? Why couldn’t they let him do his work?

When Big McIntosh saw this apple thief through the window he had to work again. Even when the others tried to stop him, this was his work, anything that his parents left him besides this farm. Even Hooves wanted to stop him, made him remember some things, no bad things, just good things from the past, his friends, and his Foalhood, that was a good thing. So he allowed him to follow, he could hold the lamp.

Things escalated quickly when they found the thief. After they found the feather Mac felt the rage coming back, another Pegasus, a dirty apple thief who tried to steal the only thing of Red Delicious and Pink Lady left. But his anger was forgotten when he saw the thief. This was the first time a female Pegasus tried to steal apples. She seemed very thin, nearly starving, maybe she really needed that apple to survive? But she didn’t eat any apples, there was just a single half eaten fruit, but the small tracks belong to the tiny bunny at her side. Could he punish an animal? He was looking down at the mare, her light blue eyes were looking back, her whole body was so weak by the storm and her injuries, but her eyes were somehow strong. Something in her eyes made his head hurt, as if something wanted to burst out, was it a memory? But something didn't seem right. It was the perspective, back then, in this memory, his eyes were on the same level.

“So, here is your thief. What now?” that was Hooves voice, he heard it somewhere far away, somewhere behind the cold rain and the strong wind.

The red stallion had to figure that out, something about this whole situation bothered him, something with this yellow mare here. So he lay down in the mud, it was cold and dirty, but now the eyes of this two ponies were on the same level.

Dr. Hooves couldn’t understand what happened, the two ponies just laid in the mud, looking into each other’s eyes, ignoring the rain and the cold. Maybe because he never knew how to communicate without words, maybe because he never had the required patience for body language. Anyhow, he was absolutely sure about one thing, at this moment he had to be silent, McIntosh knew what to do.

The red stallion’s gears were grinding like never before, this yellow mare triggered some memories. It could be a memory of the time when AJ was a little foal. Mac found his little sister in the orchards, she tried to buck some apples like her father and brother did, but she just pulled one of her muscles. She was crying in pain and her fur was wet and dirty from the mud. So he laid down beside her, tousled her mane and smiling at his little sister. “Hard day, hum?” asked Mac back then, knowing how prideful Apple Jack always was, with a calm smile. She didn’t answer, just sniffed and fought the tears. So he just laid at her side and after a while, she just put her face in his mane and started to cry, too ashamed to say something, but her big brother was there.

As no more tears left, she wiped the last drops away and asked whispering “can you bring me home?”

He did it the same way, his father did it when Lil’Mac tried his first bucking. Red Delicious taught him that day how important patience and calm was, it helped a lot against fear and anger.

And it was the same right now, the mare in front of him had a lot of fear, but she needed help.

“Hard day, hum?” he asked the yellow Pegasus, as calm as possible, just like he did apple jack all those years ago.

As he opened his mouth the mare shrank back, closed her eyes and pressed the little bunny tighter to her body. Her body was trembling; she hid her face behind her pink mane. No answer came and other ponies started to shout and became eager, but mac stayed calm. He was already drenched in the rain, but he took his time and waited, with the same smile that he used on Apple Jack. It took a while, but then the yellow mare made a small nod. She pushed the little white rabbit with her hoof to the red stallion and Big McIntosh heard for the first time in his life the small whispering voice of Fluttershy.

“Please, ” she said while looking at him with her big eyes “take care of angel bunny.”

It hit Mac like a lightning, a memory deep into his mind returned. It was just as then, the look in her eyes, her whole body language, it was like his mothers.

Big Mac remembered.

Pink Lady and her newborn foal were covered with blood. Lady had only a few seconds left and she wanted to make sure, that her son would do the one thing, that seemed important. “Please, take care of your little sisters.” That were her last words and she never heard his answer, she couldn’t see him cry. But he hopes that she died thinking of him as a good big brother.

But I wasn’t. I disappointed my mother…

He stretched his neck a bit so he could take the little white bunny with his mouth, putting it gently in his saddleback with the soft towels, so it could still look outside.

“Thank you…” whispered the tiny voice of Fluttershy and she closed her eyes.

“Nope.” said Mac and start to put his head under her body, her body was too weak to fight back.

Not again, no disappointments anymore.

When she slid down his neck on his back she just led out a little squeal. Wearing such a light slim pony was nothing compared to the full loaded apple carriage, but somehow it was really demanding. When the three ponies left the orchards, Mac’s sledgehammer was left behind, slowly sinking in the mud.

Author's Note:

So that is the 5th chapter, I liked it. ^^

well, hope someponys out there can enjoy it :)

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Why does this story have so many dislikes? I mean, it can't be that bad, right? ...Right?

[Akataja]

7559799

i dont know, if you find the answere about that question, please tell us :)