Macintosh

by TotalOverflow

Chapter 14

Macintosh
By TotalOverflow, '11

Chapter 14

The night was a relatively peaceful one, considering Macintosh's condition. He had to stay still in his bed and woke up once or twice, but he was able to sleep in very late the next morning and already felt a lot better.

"When Caesar came back ta town last night," Applejack told the family over breakfast in Mac's room, "we talked ‘bout how he wants them apples prepared an' when ta have 'em ready an' all. I'll need ta spend t'day cleanin' an’ washin' all the apples. Got tons ta do!"

"Will ya be all right?" Mac asked, chewing slowly on his apple, "Ah should be able ta stand an' help ya wash later."

"I'll be fine, dun' worry. Y'all need ta rest up." She yawned loudly.

"How late did ya stay up workin' last night, anyhow?" Macintosh asked.

"I said dun' worry! I'll be fine."

Macintosh sighed. I really hope she's right.

"Is it all right if Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle sleep over tonight?" Apple Bloom asked, making her most adorable face and fluttering her eyelashes at her family.

"Only if Macintosh is feelin' up ta it," Granny Smith said. Apple Bloom widened her eyes even more and added in a little pout for good measure as she turned to her brother.

"Now Apple Bloom," he chuckled, "ya know Ah could never say no ta that face."

"Yay!" squealed the little filly

"But ain't it time fer ya ta get ta school?" Macintosh asked. Apple Bloom gasped and gulped down the rest of her breakfast.

"I almost forgot! Bye everypony!" she rushed out of the room as her family wished her farewell and finished their own breakfast.

"I guess I should get started too," Applejack stood, "lotsa work ta do. C'mon, Gramma, I'll help ya downstairs."

"All right, all right, jes' let me finish mah apple!"

"Jes' call if ya need anythin', Macintosh," Applejack said as they disappeared downstairs.

"See y'all," Mac called after them. Macintosh glanced around his room. Not a whole lot to do in here, he mumbled to himself. He had never gotten around to taking any more books out from the library, so he was without reading materials too. Well, if you didn't count Granny Smith's romance novels, and he'd rather die than read one of those...again. To get his mind off the memory he found a spot on the ceiling to be intensely interesting for the next few minutes, but after a while he yawned and let himself doze to sleep. The pain medication he had taken was supposed to help him sleep, and it seemed to be doing a good job. Within a few minutes, he was out cold.

Knock knock knock

"Beh...Come in," he groaned as he rubbed his eyes, rudely awoken. The door opened, and Applejack poked her nose in.

"Ya've got a visitor, Big Brother," she smiled. She pushed the door open wider to allow Lily to trot in, a large bouquet of flowers in her mouth.

"Hi Macintosh!" she said cheerfully, placing the flowers on his desk, "I heard about what happened; how are you doing?"

"Howdy Lily," he sat up, "Ah'm fine, considerin'. How're y'all?"

"Good, good," she smiled, sitting on the edge of his bed. Her bright blonde mane and pink coat livened up his drab room. "Daisy and Rosey are both really busy, so they couldn't come."

"Busy?"

"Yup! Daisy is getting all those sunflowers ready for that roman guy, and Rose bought out that empty shop and is getting it ready to move into. They're both really, really happy," she said dreamily, "and they wanted me to say 'hi.'"

"That's nice," Mac said softly. "How's Blues doin'?"

"Um, I'm not sure," she shrugged, "I haven't seen him for a while. I saw Cherry earlier, and she didn't look very happy."

"What's new?"

Lily laughed. "I know, right? She's such a grump! A clumpy grumpy slumpy bumpy rumpy stumpy lumpy slumpy...no wait, I used that one. She reminds me of my auntie Gertrude! Anypony with a name like that is bound to be grumpy! One time, when I was a unicorn, she was all like 'ahr ahr ahr, nag nag nag, clean your room!' and I was all 'noooo I wanna sing like a bird in the winter!' and then we ran, ran, ran until we couldn't run anymore because she became a hydra and I was trying to use my magic to stop her but I tripped and my horn fell off."

"Lily," Mac snickered, "yer the strangest creature Ah've ever met."

"Aww, that's the nicest thing you've ever said!" she grinned, patting his head. She stayed around for the next hour or so, telling incomprehensible stories and playing a board game or two with him. When lunch came, Granny Smith insisted that she stay, and Macintosh, feeling a lot better, was able to make his way downstairs to the dining room (with a little help, of course). Applejack was already waiting at the table, her hat pushed back on her head.

"How's it goin', AJ?" Mac asked, sitting down.

"Not bad," she replied. She had a couple small bags under her eyes and she seemed a little unfocused. "I spent the last few hours rotatin' the apples in the soakin' bins, gettin' rid o' all the worms. I've started sortin' through 'em, pickin' out all the rotten an' bruised ones, an' once I'm through with that I can start washin' 'em. I'll be done by the end o' the day."

"Want some help?" Lily beamed, "I'm good at washing things!"

"Well, I think I can manage," Applejack said defensively.

"AJ, that's a lot o' apples," Macintosh added, "are ya sure ya couldn't use the help?"

"Well..." her mouth went sideways, "all right, I guess I could use the help."

"Cool!" Lily grinned, "but I require one thing in return," she narrowed her eyes and leaned in towards the orange earth pony.

"Er, an' what's that?"

"Apple pie!" Lily said happily, "one of your super-delicious apple pies, Applejack! They're so goooOOOOood!"

Applejack laughed. "All right, it's a deal." Granny Smith strolled into the kitchen just then, with a pot of boiled carrots which she doled out for the group.

"Here ya go, Lily," she smiled, filling the filly's bowl, "eat up! You too, kids! Y'all need yer strength!"

"Gramma, Ah'm layin' in a bed all day."

"But you want to get better, right?" Lily asked, digging into her lunch. Granny Smith laughed as she took her seat.

"This girl's got a good head on her shoulders, Mac!" she said, "so! When's the wedding?"

"PFFFT!" the glass of water Mac began drinking was suddenly spread all over the wall.

"Well, I was thinking late fall, something in a wide open field in front of a giant castle with a whole rock band in the wedding cake!" Lily began, completely unfazed.

"G-G-Gramma!" Mac gasped, "we ain't gettin’ married!"

Lily looked heartbroken. "You're dumping me!? It was that unicorn, wasn't it? I always knew you and Twilight were sneaking around behind my back!"

"PFFFT!" it was Applejack's turn to lose her drink.

"Ah like this filly!" Granny Smith guffawed, "she reminds me o' myself when Ah was her age! Ah was the talk o' the town; all the colts asked fer mah hoof in marriage, but Ah only had eyes fer one stallion: yer gran’pa! Why, he used ta travel the southern jungles in search o’ treasure, y'know! Used ta call him Cap'n Red!"

Lily gasped dramatically. "Cap'n Red! My arch nemesis! I used to track that no good artifact stealin' bounty hunter to the five corners of the earth! I had him cornered in Stalliongrad: his pistol was empty and mine had but one round left! I looked him in the eye and I was all like 'ready ta meet yer maker, punk?'"

"An' then Ah swooped in an' saved 'im!" Mac's grandmother interjected, "an' the two o' us got married right there in Stalliongrad!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Are ya sure ya still want ta get hitched with Lily?" Applejack whispered, grinning evilly.

"A-AJ!"

---

The rest of the lunch went similarly: Lily and Granny Smith argued back and forth about the details of their made-up stories until Lily had to go back to work.

"I'll stop by later to help with the washing," she smiled at Applejack, "and you!" she pointed a hoof at Granny Smith, "we'll settle this next time...on the colored circles! I'll see you at the next full moon!" she galloped away towards town.

"Y'all best be ready, 'cause Ah used ta be the national kick-boxin' champion!" the old, green mare shouted after her, "Ah like that filly!"

Macintosh groaned. "Ah think Ah need ta go lay down."

"Too much excitement ain't good fer a broken rib," Applejack snickered, helping her large brother back upstairs to his room. "So they're the sorta friends yer makin' out in town, eh?"

"Lily's nice, jes'...enthusiastic," Mac chuckled lightly as he slid under the covers of his bed.

"Kinda reminds me o' Pinkie Pie, just without the sugar high."

"Eeyup."

"All righty then, Big Macintosh, best get some sleep. Rest up so y'all can get back ta work!" Applejack laughed, letting herself outside the room and turning off the light behind her. Macintosh shook his head, laughing a little as he took another dose of pain killer. That sure was nice of Lily to stop by, he thought, I already miss the others. I wonder how all their work is going? Actually, I wonder what Twilight's up to, now that I think about it. She must have finished reading that story to the foals by now. I wonder if those fillies and colts are still visiting the library? Macintosh smiled. Thinking about his friends made him grateful for that morning that seemed so long ago, when his family first forced him out into town. That was Tuesday morning, he reflected, today's Friday; it's only been three and a half days. Wow, a lot sure has happened in such a short time. Meeting Rose, and then Fluttershy...Oh right! I promised to help her with that bunny counting thing tomorrow morning! Well, now I really need to heal up fast! Macintosh delicately rolled over and curled himself up in his blanket. He thought about all the things that happened in just half a week, and before long he fell soundly asleep.

***

"Macintosh! Wait! Y'all ken't leave! Think of li'l Apple Bloom! She needs ya!"

I ran. I didn't want to go back. I didn't want to listen to Grandmother.

I ran between the trees. The apple trees. Apples.

Apples.

Always apples.

I hated apples.

I hated the apple trees. I hated the farm.

I cried.

I hated the storm. I hated what it did. I hated the two stallions for telling us. I hated Father and Mother for being taken away. I hated Sister for leaving.

I hated my cutie mark.

My brand new cutie mark.

It looked just like Father's. An apple.

Apple.

Always apples.

I hated it.

I hated the harness I wore.

I took it off and threw it at the ground.

"I hate you!" I yelled at it, "why couldn't you love me!?"

I hated it.

So I ran.

***

Macintosh awoke with wet eyes. His dreams were getting more and more vivid, those old memories arising fresh to haunt him. Macintosh never told Applejack what he did when she left for ManeHatten, and, as far as he knew, his grandparents never did either. In many ways, the experience was the same for both of them. Applejack had a wake up call in the city when she stayed with their aunt and uncle, realizing her true passion for apple farming and earning her cutie mark at the same time. Macintosh already had got his cutie mark, even if it was hardly a week prior, but he had a similar experience. He realized he couldn't just abandon his family, as much as he wanted to just run away from the pain.

He stretched and stepped out of bed. His neck was still a little swollen and his jaw sore, but somehow he was feeling better. Involuntarily he reached for where his harness should have been before realizing one: he shouldn't wear it in this condition and two: it was missing. Slowly and carefully he made his way downstairs by himself, and stepped into the living room where Granny Smith was fast asleep in her rocking chair, mumbling softly to herself. On the table was his battered harness, in the process of being repaired and fixed up.

"Thanks, Gramma," he whispered, letting himself out the front door.

By the sun's position he reasoned it to be around three or four in the afternoon. It rested high in the sky, casting a warm glow upon the farm. Macintosh took a seat on the front porch, looking around the acres and admiring all the partially harvested trees. Applejack and those ponies sure did a good job clearing out the fields getting all those ripe apples yesterday, thought the red earth pony, it's going to take a while for them to grow in again, hopefully before winter comes. He felt kind of useless, sitting around the farm and being unable to do any work. Applejack was probably still in the apple barn washing the apples, and Lily had probably returned by now to help out too. Macintosh couldn't think of anything else to do at the moment, so he sat and enjoyed the scenery.

From the direction of Ponyville, he could just make out a small, grey dot flying in a dizzying pattern towards the farm. Once it got closer, he could identify it as Ditzy Doo, the friend of Rarity's, with a package in her arms. Macintosh stood to meet her.

"Special delivery!" she chirped, "Rarity was too busy hanging up the thingies, so she asked the package to deliver your monkey!"

"Oh, uh, thanks," Mac said, taking the floppy package in his hooves.

"She says she wants you to get waffled soon, and so do I! Don't sleep with the fishies too long!" she smiled sweetly as she saluted and flew off. Macintosh chuckled as he gently opened the package, pulling out the note inside:

Dear Macintosh,

It took me longer than I'm proud to admit to realize that you're Applejack's brother. Once I knew where you lived I was able to send Ditzy Doo to deliver your finished outfit for the celebration. I'm sorry I couldn't deliver it in person, but Caesar and I have been up to our necks in work. The town square looks magnificent! I can't wait for you to see it!

I heard about your injury, although I didn't hear all the specifics, and I hope most sincerely that you don't have any trouble wearing your suit tomorrow. Please get well before the celebration. It would be such a shame if you couldn't attend after you worked so hard to bring it here!

I look forward to seeing you at the festival, and thank you again for everything!

Fashionably yours,

~Rarity

Macintosh grinned as he set the note aside, pulling out the beautiful suit the unicorn had designed for him. Its deep blue velvet shone in the sunlight, and there was even a red apple embroidered on the chest pocket.

"Not too shabby," he said, tucking it away into the paper. He poked his nose inside the house and set it on a nearby table. He'd probably need a little help getting into it; he almost never wore a suit. The last time he did was for his grandfather's funeral, and he outgrew that a long time ago. Outside again, he stretched and decided to check up on his sister and Lily's progress with the apple washing. The barn was a short walk away, although in his condition he had to take it extra slow, but he didn't mind. Along the way he admired the clouds and the trees. Those trees look completely different when they're missing half their apples, he mused, I can't wait to see them when we harvest the rest come fall.

Autumn was his favorite time of the year: after every harvest he would take a walk around the acres, just looking at how different everything was. Once all the apples were plucked and stored away, and once the other gardens, chicken coop and cow ranch were all taken care of and set up for winter, he found himself each year with at least one full day of no responsibilities, and he would spend it walking through the fields, watching the colorful fireworks of red, orange and yellow fall from the branches of the trees. He told his sister that he took those walks to knock the leaves to the ground, and that was true, as his large form was heavy enough to get the job done alone, but he really did it for the beautiful vista it created. The sight of the red, orange and yellow leaves falling against a burnt red sky and setting sun...Macintosh wished he had a camera. Or, perhaps not, as a picture couldn't even come close to capturing the elegance of the scene. Fall was still a few months off, and he couldn't wait for it to come.

His favorite part, however, was coming inside after the long walk, where he would find his sisters curled up in the living room with a mug of hot apple cider waiting for him. They didn't need to, but they did every year. They'd sit in front of the fire and talk about the year they had, have some snacks and play a few games. Just him, Applejack and Apple Bloom.

"Red, orange an' yellow," he chuckled.

He stopped at the door to the barn. It had a large half-door (the kind where you can open either the top or bottom) with a couple of ornate carvings on either side. This barn was here as long as he could remember, and when he and Applejack were foals they used to pretend that it was an ancient castle with a long forgotten language on the walls and secrets held within. Of course, every time they went inside all they ever saw were the large basins of water and the barrels and crates for storing apples, but that drab reality was no match for their imagination. A few years ago Applejack started building an underground apple cellar and finished it a few months ago, which was a much more effective way to store the apples and keep them fresh, but the old barn still had its uses. It was perfect to keep the orders in before they were delivered, for example.

Pushing the door open he found his sister and Lily working together at one of the water troughs, scrubbing apples with care.

"Howdy," Mac said, stepping inside.

"Hey Mac!" Lily waved, sending a spray of water all over. She passed the apple to Applejack and grabbed another from the large pile behind the pair.

"Macintosh, what're ya doin' out of bed?" Applejack asked, shining the apple on the towel around her neck before tossing it into a large crate.

"Ah wanted ta see how it's goin' in here. 'Sides, Ah'm feelin' a mite better after all that sleep."

"It's going great!' Lily grinned, starting on another apple, "we're almost halfway through Pinkie's order, and then we can get started on Caesar's!"

"Y'all haven't started his, yet?" Macintosh asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope! They're still out in the carts behind the barn!"

Macintosh looked to his sister, who focused on her apple and kept her gaze away from him.

"What happened, AJ? Ah though y'all said ya wouldn't have any trouble."

"Well," she yawned, "after I soaked all the apples, I found that a lot of 'em weren't in the best shape or not ripe enough. I had ta throw about two hundred unripe an' bruised apples ta the pigs."

"They couldn'ta been that bad," Mac offered, poking his nose into one of the crates to look at the clean, shining fruits.

"But they're fer all them highfalutin ponies! If I want mah business ta get any reputation, only the best o' the best can be used! I had ta go out an' buck some more, an' it ended up taken' longer than I hoped...we already bucked most o' them yesterday. An' I only jes' got ta soak 'em when Lily arrived an' we started washin'."

She's so passionate about this.

"Well, AJ," Macintosh replied, "are ya sure ya don't need any extra help? Ah'm able bodied; Ah can wash."

"No way, no how!" Applejack said defiantly, furiously shining her apple, "I told ya I could do it, an' I meant it!"

"Yeah!" Lily chirped, "besides, she's got me here to help!"

"I could do it without yer help..." Applejack grumbled. Lily didn't seem to hear her and went about her work with a big smile.

"All right Applejack," Macintosh said, backing out of the barn, "do yer best, but dun' push yerself. ‘Member what happened last applebuck season. Dun' be afraid ta ask fer help."

"Yeah yeah, I know, one pony plus hundreds of apples trees, I remember," she sighed. Macintosh shut the door and let himself out into the field again.

I'll need to swing by again later and make sure she's all right, he thought to himself. Applejack had plenty of friends - not to mention her own family - who'd be more than happy to help her out with whatever impossible task she set out to do, but she would have to deal with her stubborn pride first. Once she set her eyes on something she wouldn't give up till she got it. Macintosh admired that about her, but she lacked the discretion to know when enough's enough. Sometimes she had to be broken before she could finally ask for help.

"She'll be okay," he murmured, "it's only washin', after all." Walking slowly between the nearly empty trees he let his mind wander, not thinking about anything in particular as he strolled through his wide, wide orchard. A little ways away he heard a voice: somepony talking to herself. Sneaking closer, he saw a rainbow mane and tail poking out among the branches of a tree.

"Ugh, what do I do, what do I do?" Rainbow Dash muttered, shifting around and knocking leaves all over.

"Rainbow?" Macintosh called. The blue pegasus stuck her head out, her eyes a mix of shock and frustration.

"Macintosh? When did you get here?"

"Few seconds ago, Ah reckon," he said casually as the pegasus dropped down from the tree, alighting on the grass, "can Ah ask why y'all are hangin' about in mah apple trees?"

She kicked at a rock. "Thinkin'."

"'Bout what?"

"...Stuff."

She looked around, trying her best to keep her eyes away from the earth pony. "Oh, hey, I heard about what happened. You feelin' any better?"

"Eeyup, Ah'm doin' fine. Can Ah say that 'bout you?"

She sighed and looked at him intensely.

"Cirro got me that private audition with the WonderBolts, and I just got back a few hours ago," she said quietly and slowly, hanging her head.

"Well that's great!" Mac smiled, "what's the problem?" His smile faded. "Oh no, they didn't accept ya, did they?"

"Um, actually..." she said, stepping a little closer, "I did get accepted. I got in. Well, not technically...I still have to say 'yes.'"

"Then what's stoppin' ya? Ain't this what ya always wanted?"

Rainbow sat down on the grass. Macintosh reflexively did so as well.

"They said if...that I'd have to..." she muttered, "I guess I should have always known, but...I'd have to leave Ponyville. Their base is in Cloudsdale." Macintosh nodded his head in understanding. "I mean, I'd still come by here every now and then to do a show...like, maybe once every couple years or something..."

"Ah see."

"It's just..." she groaned, "It's been my lifelong dream to join them! To fly with the WonderBolts! You can't imagine how badly I've wanted to fly with my lifelong heroes!"

I wouldn't be so sure about that, Macintosh smiled sadly.

"But now..." she sighed, "now...well, I don't know if I want to go...I'd almost never see my friends again, and...and...Ponyville..."

"Ponyville still needs ya, don't it?" Mac said suddenly. Rainbow shot her head up in surprise, but she slowly nodded her head.

"I guess...I mean, I'm still the number one weather pony here. And, I've got a lot of responsibilities here...and friends...It just feels wrong to leave them. But!" She threw her hooves to her head in frustration, "I might never get this chance again! If I don't join now, I might never get another chance! Rgh!"

"Ah bet yer friends would be happy fer ya ta join the WonderBolts."

"But what if I'm not happy!?" she shouted. She folded her ears back and ran her hoof through the grass. "I...I should be excited. This is what I want. I still want it. When they told me I was good enough...I'd never been so happy. But...I dunno...I just can't help but feel that it's too soon for me to leave. Like, like there's somepony in town who still needs me."

Macintosh looked at her intently. "Who do ya reckon it is?"

She met his eyes, and returned that look for a few moments. Suddenly, hers grew wide. "...Scootaloo," she whispered, "she still needs me..."

"She still needs her role-model. Her lifelong hero. She'll fly soon, Ah can feel it." Macintosh smiled lovingly as the blue pegasus continued to stare at him, her eyes large and thoughtful. "But she needs a reason to, an' she'll need somepony amazin' ta show her how ta be a great flyer once she finally takes off."

"Yesterday..." Rainbow said quietly, "She asked me to show her the moves I was going to do for the WonderBolts. She..." the blue pegasus trailed off.

"Y'all mean the world ta her, Rainbow Dash," Mac continued, "she looks up ta ya like a big sister."

"I..." she began, her eyes darting around, "I...I think I need to talk to Cirro." She lifted off the ground, flapping her wings evenly and deliberately. "That's...Well...It's a lot to think about. Thanks, Macintosh," she saluted sagely as she flew off, flying slowly back to town.

"Loyal as can be," Mac smiled, as he gently stood and resumed his walk.

***

I couldn't run anymore. I fell.

I ran so far. The apple trees were gone. Long ago, they were gone.

The farm was gone.

My family was gone.

Wasn't this what I wanted? To be free?

I cried.

"Applejack..."

Why did you have to leave us? I lost so much already. Why did you have to go too?

Was this freedom?

I heard a noise. It sounded like thunder, but it wasn't. It was so loud. It came from the sky.

I looked up. I saw a rainbow, but it wasn't a rainbow. It was round. It looked like fire.

A rainbow fire.

It was big. It went across the sky. It was so loud.

I cried.

I cried.

Was this the freedom I wanted?

"Boy? Why are you crying?"

Who said that?

"Ah'm not cryin'."

She sounded like an angel.

She looked like one.

"Yes, yes you are."

She landed in front of me. She had wings.

She was a pegasus. She looked a little younger than me.

"Why do you care? Ah'm jes' an earth pony..."

"Because...you're crying."

I wanted to be mad. I wanted to hate her wings.

But I couldn't.

She sat down beside me.

"What's wrong?"

I cried.

"Ah hate the farm! Ah hate mah family! Why couldn't Ah jes' be who Ah wanted? Why did this have ta happen?"

I leaned into her. She put her wing around me.

She was so warm. She was so kind.

"Did you run away?"

I nodded.

"Do you love your family?"

I looked at her. Hey eyes were blue. And very big.

"Yes."

"Then you mustn't leave them. They need you."

I cried.

She was so warm.

"There, there...It's all right..."

This wasn't freedom.

This wasn't what I wanted.

What have I done?

***

After another quiet hour or so of solo walking, Macintosh returned to the barn Applejack was working in. Pushing the door open he saw her, still slaving over the large sink, her hat sitting crooked on her mane. Lily was just pouring out a cart of apples onto a large pile.

"How's it all goin' in here?" Mac asked.

"Hey!" Lily grinned, her smile a little strained from work but still earnest, "we finally finished Pinkie's order and we're just starting on the other one now."

"Ah see. AJ? How ya doin' over there?"

"Jes' fine," she said, irritation seething through her voice. Lily began washing again and Applejack kept polishing, but she moved a little slower than before.

"Are ya sure ya don't want some help?" Mac asked, stepping inside, "Ah can take over fer ya fer a bit if ya want."

"I said I'm fine," she muttered, her apple slipping from her hooves.

"Y'all should take a break."

"Macintosh, I know what I'm doin'!" she snapped as she picked it up and threw it back to the 'dirty' pile. She had noticeable bags under her eyes and she fought to hold back a yawn.

"Applejack, listen here, now," he said, stepping closer, "tell me the truth: what happened last night after the accident?"

"Nuthin'."

"AJ..."

She snorted. "After that big mess yesterday all the other ponies were jumpier'n rattlesnakes in a pickle barrel an' most o' them jes' up an' left. By the time supper came there were only about five or so left ta help me."

"Ya couldn't get it done b'fore supper, could ya?" Macintosh asked gently. His sister sighed and set down her apple slowly into the crate. "AJ, Ah'm real sorry. If Ah had jes' tied up them logs when ya asked, then none o' this would’ve happened."

"Well...It's all right. I s'pose."

"Y'all must've been up all night buckin' those apples," said Macintosh as he placed a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. She leaned into it. "Go home. Get some sleep. Lily an' Ah can keep workin'."

"But!"

"B'sides, Ah owe it ta ya. It's mah fault, 'member?"

Applejack sighed deeply and looked to her brother with unfocused but thankful eyes. "Thank ya, Big Brother. Ah sure do appreciate it."

"Eeyup, Ah know. Now run along, get some sleep. We'll wake ya fer supper."

Applejack smiled as she passed him her towel and nuzzled his neck.

"I love ya, Big Macintosh," she whispered.

Mac smiled and straightened her hat. "Ah love ya too." Applejack teetered out of the barn, gently closing the door behind her as Macintosh tied the towel around his neck and began work.

---

It took Macintosh and Lily a couple hours of hard work, but they were able to get every apple cleaned before supper. Granny Smith again insisted that Lily stay for the meal, and the dining room became very lively with their back and forth about the exact events of the Great Stampede as though they were both there. Apparently they were both close friends with Chief WhirlWind, and helped lead the buffalo to victory. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo listened with intense giddiness as the two grown ponies (even if they didn't act like it) energetically argued about things neither of them knew anything about. After dinner, Lily had to return to town, but Applejack promised that her apple pie reward was coming. Macintosh sat in the living room as Granny Smith and Applejack wouldn't let him help clean up, and his youngest sister and her friends went out into the fields to continue crusading for their cutie marks.

"Phoo-wee," Granny Smith said as she hobbled back into the living room, "Ah tell ya, them kids ken EAT! Why, Ah reckon they could out-eat cousin Strudel!"

"Whoa, now," Macintosh laughed, "that's quite a claim! Strudel's gone undefeated fer fifteen years!"

"Well, the bigger they are, the harder they fall, an' Strudel's bigger'n a bag o' whales!" Mac's grandmother took a seat in her old rocker, and gently started rocking back and forth, casting a sly look in Mac's direction. "Did ya notice anythin' missin' t'day?" she asked.

"Missin'?" Mac pursed his lips in thought, suppressing a chuckle.

"Ah'll give ya a hint: y'all look awfully naked without it!"

"Oh, mah harness!"

"Smart boy! Now, Ah wonder where it coulda run off ta? Y'know ya need ta keep on eye them things, boy! Else they go runnin' all over the place!"

"Hmm, Ah wonder," he drawled, sauntering over to the closet, "could it be in here?" He opened the door and inside his harness hung, looking better than ever. All the loose and broken stitches had been repaired, it was restuffed and even the metal knobs on the back were polished. "Gramma!" he laughed, taking it out and admiring it, "y'all didn't have ta do that!"

"Ah won't have a second o' that!" she scolded as he sat down, "that old thing was beggin' fer a little LSD anyhow!"

"It's 'TLC,' and thank ya kindly, Gramma!" he grinned, setting it down on the table.

"Jes' dun' go wearin' it b'fore y'all are healed up! Ah won't have ya go an' hurt yerself again!"

"Deal!"

The two laughed and just looked at the pulling collar.

"Y'know," Granny Smith said after a while, "that there harness got our family through thick an' thin. Yer father wore it like it were a lifesaver."

Macintosh sighed.

"Ah miss him," the mare continued, sniffling and wiping a tear, "he were a good fellow. Li'l rough around the edges, but he cared."

"Eeyup," Macintosh grumbled.

"An' yer mother, why, she were the sweetest thing! She took care o' y'all like ya were made o' solid gold! Why, in her eyes, y'all probably were. Didn't take her long neither ta lose that highfalutin city accent, Ah tell you what!"

Macintosh sighed again.

"Ya sure done made me proud, y'know," his grandmother resumed, "y'all took charge o' the farm at such a young age an' did a ripsnortin' good job! An' what ya did yesterday? Why, any filly'd be luckier ta get hitched with ya than if they'd won the lottery!"

"Gramma, stop," Mac chuckled.

"Ah mean it boy! Y'all are one heck of an Apple! Ah ken't thank ya enough fer all ya've done!" she sighed happily. With a large smile, she turned to him, her wrinkly orange eyes glimmering.

"Ah sure do love ya, Macintosh," she said.

Macintosh smiled at her wrinkled green face and fiery eyes. "Ah love ya too."

They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company.

"Boy!" Granny Smith shouted suddenly, "fetch me that there photo album! I want ta show ya the time Ah met the Great AlfAlfa Monster! No, not that one! The one next ta it! Where's yer head at, boy? Get over here so Ah ken smack some sense into ya!!"

---

As the sun set upon the horizon, Applejack tracked down the Cutie Mark Crusaders and ushered them into bed. She and Granny Smith also decided to turn in. Applejack had a big day tomorrow, hauling the cartloads of apples into town, and she was also going to help Caesar and his chef ponies prepare the appetizers. Applejack mentioned over supper that she had met with the royal chef, and he was not very pleased with the sudden changes made for the celebration, and apparently much of the other staff and guests were feeling the same way, but the Princess had no issues allowing the switch. Applejack mentioned how Celestia has been...conniving in the past, so perhaps she even...No, no, no, there's no way the Princess would actually enjoy frustrating so many ponies...would she?

Macintosh figured he should get some sleep too. Although feeling much better, he still had to be very gentle with himself, and if he wanted to help Fluttershy in the morning like he promised he'd need the extra rest. So he cantered upstairs, saying goodnight to his family and his youngest sister's friends and slipped into his own room. Setting his new suit and repaired harness on his desk next to his bouquet of flowers (which somepony had put in a vase of water), he took one more dose of pain medication and shuffled under the covers of his bed, falling asleep within minutes.

---

In the dead of the night, Macintosh awoke again to a sound from the fields. A shout and a thud. Macintosh groggily dragged himself out from under his blanket and quietly snuck downstairs and outside. Treading the damp grass he slowly made his way towards the treehouse. The large moon seemed especially bright tonight, and the few stars that were out shone particularly brilliantly.

"Ack!"

Thud

Keeping his head low, Macintosh pressed against the shadow of a nearby tree as he neared the treehouse. Pulling herself off the ground was Scootaloo, groaning and moaning in pain. Macintosh watched in silence as she, for the umpteenth time, plodded up the wooden ramp, unfurled her wings and jumped, flapping them furiously but never staying in the air longer than it took to reach the ground.

"Ouch," she mumbled, standing to her hooves and trying again. Time after time she tried, and with each one Macintosh found himself holding his breath. After a few minutes, he felt his eyelids suddenly weigh a lot more, and his bed seemed a lot more appealing than standing in a cold field in the middle of the night. Just as he was about to turn and head back for home he saw Scootaloo stand on the very edge of the ramp and stretch out her small wings. Just as she was about to jump she stopped, and looked to the moon. Macintosh looked as well and gasped.

It was larger and more beautiful than he'd ever seen it before: it filled at least a quarter of the night sky. Impossibly huge and glowing with a brilliance he'd never thought possible it hung, every dent and crater on its ivory surface close enough to touch. He had to tear his eyes away from the magnificent orb, and only then did he notice the incredible array of stars that surrounded it. Streams and waves of thousands of incandescent diamonds sparkled, forming rivers of gleaming crystal. Every constellation he'd ever seen in his books were visible tonight, even the ones that should have been impossible to see during this time of year. The unbelievable light show lit up the field, and a little filly who stood on a wooden plank leading to an old treehouse. Macintosh saw her mutter something and close her eyes.

"Please," Mac whispered, "please..."

He heard her breathe deep, and jump.

For a moment, oh, so brief a moment that lasted hardly longer than the blink of an eye, a shimmering blue glow enveloped the tiny pegasus as she took to the air. Her tiny wings pumped and beat the air as she fell and he saw her tense up for the crash landing...

Which never came.

She gasped. Macintosh gasped. Scootaloo flapped her wings harder and harder and soon she was in the tree-line, spinning around and around in little circles. Her flapping became uneven, and with a whoop she tumbled into the ground in a little pile of orange and purple. As she disentangled herself and stood up, she kept saying the same thing over and over and over:

"I DID IT!"

Macintosh looked up to the moon, its normal size and position in the sky restored, the stars returned to their hidden homes in the distance and out of sight.

"Ya sure did."

Comments

[Joy Stick]

Lily is best pony.

[Csquared08]

Lots and lots of heartwarming stuff in this chapter. I love it!