Big Macintosh -- Know When to Fold 'Em
Written by: Merc the Jerk
Rated Everyone
Macintosh stood in the apple fields and sniffed at the air as thunder rumbled ominously in the distance. Smelled like rain, which was always more of tell than the clouds ever could be. Clouds could lie—pegasi could forget about them, they could get hit wrong and not get the water out, or they could simply fly away without a drop coming out if the weather patrol didn't factor in air currents.
But the smell... the smell of rain never lied to the farmer. It told Macintosh that a big storm was coming, with or without pony intervention.
“Wrap it up, AJ,” he called loudly to his sister. She glanced up from her more finesse based work of trimming and wiped at her brow.
“Why?” she asked.
“Storm's comin',” he quickly said, turning around and grabbing what baskets he had prepped. “Take 'em ta the barn.”
“We ain't scheduled fer a storm for 'nother two hours! We--”
“Hurry! It'll be here in few minutes.” The stallion quickly carried the baskets of apples towards the barn, and watched as Applejack begrudgingly stopped to carry her own baskets inside.
000
Applejack and Macintosh had barely cleared the porch when the storm hit, and it was a creature of sound and fury, pounding on the shingles and slamming onto the packed dirt. Lightning streaked across the sky at an alarming pace, letting the two of them know the weather was going to last for quite some time. The stallion shut the door behind him, and the noises were slightly muted.
He gave the smallest of sly looks towards his sister.
“Don't ya even start,” she huffed.
Above them, the thunder cracked ominously in the sky once more.
“Power might go out at this rate.”
Applejack rubbed her chin. “Ya reckon so? Guess I'll get the can--”
Suddenly, thunder blasted at a deafening pitch throughout the house—Macintosh and Applejack both instinctively covered their ears at the noise. Around them, all the lights instantly shut off.
“--dles.” She finished.
With a lazy shrug, Mac gave up on things to do. “Guess I'mma catch up on some sleep,” he drawled.
“Sounds mighty temptin',” the mare agreed, tilting her hat back on her head.
The siblings made their way to their respective bedrooms, each quietly walking up the stairs and going down the hallway. As they passed by Applebloom's room, they stopped, both listening to the small whimpers coming from inside.
The red stallion sighed. He wasn't getting sleep tonight. “AJ, go an get our playin' cards.”
She nodded, heading back downstairs. Macintosh raised a hoof and gave a sharp rap on the door.
He nudged the door and pushed it open gently, far more gently than his large imposing figure could suggest. Mac noticed his younger sister shivering under her covers.
Sure wasn't cold in the room.
“Hey, uh, Applebloom?” Mac asked.
“Y-yeah?” she answered, sticking out her head nervously.
“How's 'bout ya come downstairs? I think me an' AJ are gonna play some cards.”
She shuffled out of the cocoon made of blankets and looked up to her brother.
“Ok,” the filly said, shimmying off the bed and coming to Macintosh's hooves.
000
“Call,” Applejack said, tossing a few chips into the center of the floor. She yawned, looking towards the small circle of family surrounding her—even Grannie Smith had awoken from her slumber and joined them on the floor, though Macintosh doubted that she'd be able to get up without some help. Poor old mare was growing older every day he spent working.
“Fold,” the elderly pony grumbled under her breath, throwing down the cards glumly.
Applebloom poked Macintosh in the side. She leaned in close and showed the stallion her hand. It was nothing but a jumble of numbers—nothing at all playable.
“Fold,” Macintosh instructed.
“Ok.” She nodded, before sticking out her tongue at her sister. “I'm foldin'.”
“Girl! Watch those manners!” AJ scolded, turning her attention to Macintosh. She rubbed at her eyes. “Well, ya in?”
The stallion looked down at his hand. Sure as sugar he was in. He tossed five chips into the center. “Raisin' three.”
She seemed to pause, looking over her cards and trying to do some math in her head. Macintosh knew his sister was smart, and could play a mean round or two, but she just couldn't play without some obvious tells. The rubbing of her eyes and yawning was a ploy. One she subconsciously used when she had a good hand.
And it was a nervous tic that Macintosh had told her about a few weeks ago. Odds are she was trying to bluff with her tell. Only one way to find out.
“Flip em,” Mac instructed.
She put down her hand in disgust. Two pair.
Mac gave a slightly smug grin as he laid down a straight.
“Jus' how in the sam hill are ya so good a this?” AJ moaned.
The stallion kept his stonewalled face indifferent at her question.
The next round started once Macintosh grabbed his ever increasing pile of chips. He glanced over everypony elses stack.
AJ was falling behind thanks to that last round. Applebloom was doing decent for herself, and their poor grannie was dead last, with only a few chips to her name.
As the cards were passed out, the old mare had a sudden fire in her eyes. “All in,” she said in her tired, waning voice, throwing everything she had in there and glancing about as if to dare anypony to match her.
“Eh...” Applejack gave a quick glace at her cards. “Nah.”
“Nope,” Mac replied, putting his own cards face down. He had a feeling she was bluffing, but wanted to see what Applebloom would do.
“Hmm...” She scratched her forehead in thought, looking intently at her cards. Applebloom glanced at her siblings before her face split into a wide grin. “I'mma call!”
She threw her chips into the pile, and both showed their cards. Grannie had three of a kind. Applebloom's grin widened, and she reveled a flush.
“Aw, Pete's sake. She's jus' as bad of a card shark as Mac,” AJ groaned.
“Eyup.” Macintosh nodded, a proud smile of his own.
They divided up the cards once more, and everypony save for Grannie Smith tossed in two chips.
Applejack mulled over her cards, scratching behind her ear. With a small yawn, she tossed in a dozen chips. “I'mma raise.”
Macintosh eyed the pile. Looked to be about half of her earnings at the moment. She seemed really confident. Even then, the stallion knew a tell when he saw one.
“Callin' that.” He tossed his chips into the pot.
Bloom looked at her siblings in wonder. She matched the two chip for chip, before excitedly grinning. “I'm raisin' too!” she happily drawled, tossing in almost her entire collection of chips.
Applejack blanched. “Got too rich fer me. Foldin'.”
Macintosh gave a lazy glance towards the baby of the family. He supposed it was time to show her how the big ponies played. “Eyup. I'll match.” He shoveled another small fortune to the center of the table.
She swallowed, looking down at her hand. Applebloom meekly put another two bits into the pot as she offered a shaky smile. “Raisin' again. I'd quit while I was ahead if I was you.”
Macintosh saw her tell as clear as day. A small frown graced the corners of her lips when she bluffed—just like how she'd avoid eye contact when she broke something and tried to lie about it not being her.
He stole a glance over at her chips. She was almost destitute. Odds are if she didn't win this, she'd be out of the game in a couple of rounds, tops. The red stallion glanced down at his hand.
Full house. Aces high.
“I fold,” he said, planting his cards face down and watching with the smallest of smiles as the filly raked in the chips.
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D'awww. I had the silliest little smile on my face during this story.
D'awwwww. Just how I pictured Big Mac! Great job :D
1440483
I actually have two Twilight OTPs. Don't ask how that works, I have no idea. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Twilight_Sparkle.png )
Twixie is best OTP. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Twilight_Sparkle_lolface.png dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Trixie_lolface_1.png
(I ship so much it's getting hard to keep track.
1438503
don't worry, I'll let you borrow mine. I had to order it specially.
1439226
I'll go looking for a poll thing.
1438505
Yes, yes it was.
Dawww, cute chapter. I do so love the time and effort that each author has put into this story, and it definately shows.
Big Mac is best big brother.
(Sorry Shining, but you did forget to invite your sister to your wedding. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/sillyfilly_Twilight_Sparkle.png )
Now I want to play poker.
Mac is such a bro.
Also, why would they still be called hands? I mean, unless minotaurs invented card games...
Seriously, if you guys aren't careful there's going to be a shortage of D'awwww in the very near future.
I can't pick favorites, this whole story has been an unbroken chain of awesome from the beginning
1440971
....BAHAHAHA. The entire point of the exercise was to NOT put a lot of time or effort into this! *facepalm* It's like... We failed so hard we succeeded!
1442536 Well, Ialso ment how well everything is put together.
1442698
Oh! Heh, well thank you. It's a lot easier than it looks, I assure you.
Yep, Mac knows when to fold. Little sisters are the best, aren't they, Mac?
DAWWW! I approve, manly tears, Citizen Kane, etc.
This was cute. Big Macintosh isn't the type to cush a kid's dreams.
Lose'n a game of Poker with the ultimate hand. Now that is something only family will do.
It's not about winning, it's how you play the game.
...
Ya' big softie.
Ha, exactly how one would imagine Mac of all ponies playing cards. I did notice one or two small but repeated errors:
-[T]hey could get hit wrong and not get the water out, or they could simply fly away without a drop coming out, if the weather patrol didn't factor in air currents.
No need for this comma.
-She glanced up from her more finesse based work of trimming, and wiped at her brow.
Same thing here.
Other than that, good story! And a wonderfully cute ending.
1530783
I think you forgot the Royal Flush.
I liked it. Good job.
D'aawwww is the only proper response.
This story is just DAWWWWWW!