Day by day she tries to be a worthy daughter and now, soon after her sixteenth birthday, it was time to face the truth.
Fluttershy has a famous dad, a celebrated former member of the Wonderbolts, admiral Crossfire. Day for Day she tries to be a worthy daughter and now, soon after her 16th birthday, it was time to face the truth.
Thanks to Aider5 and xray13245 for helping with grammar check and spelling. Thanks also to sevenofeleven for helping with the description.
Celestia raised the sun, like she did every day, everywhere in Equestria. The sun's light broke through the clouds of Cloudsdale, letting them shimmer in a majestic Silver. That was a regular view for most Pegasi, but there were some ponies who woke up early just to see that light and Fluttershy was one of those individuals. She climbed out of her bed every morning, setting her front hooves on her windowsill looking at the sunrise with big gloomy eyes. Why did she climb out of her bed and not just use her wings? Fluttershy wasn't the best flier in town. In fact, it was hard for her just getting her body up in the air. The other students at flight school had nasty nicknames for her, like Fluttercry, or Sissyshy, or just Cannotfly, but those days were over. Yesterday was her sixteenth birthday, she graduated flight school and was looking for work. She wasn’t in a big hurry because she was always a bit late. For example, she got her cutie mark just a week ago. She was really ashamed for being a blank flank for so long, and her classmate Rainbow Dash was also very late, but she was always so full of confidence. They got them at the same time when Fluttershy’s fall was stopped by butterflies and she saw the Rainboom in the sky. The moment when she realized how much she loves animals and working with them was the happiest moment in her life. She couldn’t wait to come home that day because she wanted to show her father that she finally had her cutie mark. But her dad was like he always was. Fluttershy’s dad was a local prominent, a former member of the Wonderbolts, Who was highly decorated, a real ace in the sky who was unbeaten in speed and strength, Admiral Crossfire. But since his wife died while giving birth to their only foal, it was very quiet around that hero of Cloudsdale. But still foal's were his fans, mares wanted to be with him and stallions wanted to be like him. Fluttershy knew about her father's past, but she never saw him that way. Her father was always silent, he didn't smile very much and had an awful habit with alcohol. When she entered the living room she was very proud of her cutie mark, she knew her father wasn’t the most emotional type, but she expected at least a hug or a smile. But he did nothing like that. He was a tall stallion with a dark gray coat and a burning cloud as a cutie mark.
He just looked at her, taking a sip from his bottle and telling her “you’re late. Go and make dinner.”
Back at this morning in Fluttershy’s room:
“Well… he is a bit stone faced… but I know he loves me, at least as much as I love him.” She spoke to herself while watching the sunrise.
It was a new day and a new chance for her to prove her worth, she would get that hug from her dad, that was her wish. So she had a shower and was ready for leaving the house, she didn’t want to eat breakfast at home.
Maybe I should buy a hay sandwich on my way to the factory.
She thought while she dried her hair and made a new plaid in her mane, like the one she saw on her mother's pictures. Lightbreeze was a beautiful mare and she was always wearing a plaid. Fluttershy always wanted to be like her and help her father. Now she tried to find a job. She already tried her best in the colosseum, but she was too quiet for selling snacks, so nopony could hear her.
But I screamed as hard as I could “please buy snacks, if you don’t mind, imeanicouldwaitherewhileyouarethinkingaboutit”
And she was too shy to sell tickets, the one time when a really big stallion wanted a better place and screamed at her, she made herself so small that nopony could see her behind the table. And when she tried to distribute posters, her wings were already exhausted when she was nearly 20% done. So she wanted to try the jobs in the rain factory, maybe she was good at making rain clouds or painting rainbows? I like all the colors and rainbows are so peacefully. When she went to leave the house she saw her father, already awake and today without a bottle and shaved. That’s a good sign, right?
He was looking at her, she smiled at him while speaking “Good morning sir, you slept well, right?” no answers, he just took a little slurp of his coffee. She continued to speak “I am leaving now. Going to the factory, as I said, that means, if you don’t mind, I couldalsojuststayathomeand”
“your birthday was yesterday, right?” his words took her by surprise.
She smiled “yes father, that’s right.”
So he does care! I knew it! Oh, father, I'm so happy!
She almost lost a little tear. It was a wonderful moment for her, maybe today she would get that hug?
“And you’re 18 now, right?” he asked again.
“Oh! Oh no, sir, ehm, I mean I am 16 now, but that’s easy to mix up and it’s hard for me to remember sometimes too.”
He raised a hoof to interrupt her “just be sure to be back on time.”
“Oh! Sure sir.” She smiled again and left the house. He is planning a birthday party, I'm so sure! Oh, that’s exciting! I knew he was proud of me! I hope he invited Rainbow Dash, she is such a nice pony.
The day in the factory wasn’t much better than the day in the colosseum, her shyness and her weakness were her weak spots. But at least she was good at making rainbows, maybe not the best, but it was no disaster like when she tried to load up some lightnings. She took them out of the machine and put them on the table, but when she was frightened by the thunder, she let them fall and caused a little fire in the factory.
But there was no free job in the rainbow painting workshop “but I'm sure there'll be a free place for you in the next two years.” Said the boss to comfort her.
At least I'm not a total failure and I'm pretty sure I will get this job in less than two years! Oooh, Father will be so happy!!!
When she arrived home she could already see some carriages in front of her house.
So it’s true! There are visitors, that means a party! My birthday party! Finally!
She opened the door with a smile, waiting to see her long unseen grandparents, or rainbow dash or some other friendly faces when she entered the kitchen. But there were just three elderly stallions she'd never meet before and her father.
“Come in Fluttershy.” Said her dad and she was following that order because it was her father telling her.
But she was very nervous, her wings were pressed tight and close to her body, all four legs were a bit shaky and she seemed a bit clumsy.
“So that's your daughter Crossfire?” asked one of the stallions.
“Like I said.” answered crossfire.
"Yes, like on the pictures. You’re sure she is already 18? She doesn’t look like it.”
“Is that really important for you?” the stallion began to laugh, but it wasn’t quite a really happy laugh, for Fluttershy, it seemed a bit frightening and dirty.
She whispered very quite to her father, hiding her face behind her pink mane “W-what's going on sir? Can I go upstairs in my room?”
He was looking to her, put an arm around her and pulled her to his side “We're running out of bits.” He said while holding her almost painfully at her shoulder “And you didn’t find a job, right?”
“Well I, ehm, I mean, there were the rainbows and, ehm” She gulped “No, sir…”
“but you keep on eating and using hot water and so on?”
“…”
“So, today you will make us some money.”
What? Oh no? he couldn’t mean…
“Father?” she was really afraid now, she really loved her father and she would do anything for him, but not that.
He was looking direct into her eyes when he said “you will go upstairs with these Gentleponies and will do what they wish. And you will smile for them and be nice and kind!”
“B-but sir, I…” she was terrified, taking a step back, poking with her tail against a shelf “please, no” tears begun to fall as he grabbed her with his arm “Why?”
He looked back at her “because I…" he made a little break, seemed like he was thinking. Should he say it? Should he lie? Should she know the truth? He carried those words for so long in his chest, it was time to let them out "I hate you! I really hate you! It’s your fault Lightbreeze died! And you’re an absolute disappointment!" His face was finally showing a real emotion, but no love, just anger "I wish she was still alive and you were the one that had to die on that day!”
Something broke in Fluttershy at this moment, she could see the deep hate in her Father's eyes and her heart stopped beating for a short moment, frightened by absolute terror. She couldn’t think anymore and her primal instincts took over control with just one single order, flee! She freed herself from her father and dashed out of the window, breaking the glass, cutting her flesh and hurting some bones, but she didn’t feel pain, she felt nothing except the wish to escape. She lost conscious as she dashed through the clouds.
Doctor Hooves thought of himself as a really smart pony, smarter than most ponies and even smarter than most unicorns and he was very proud of it. He was proud of being a doctor of physics; so far he was the only earth pony who did this, all other students back then in Canterlot were unicorns. But before he studied in Canterlot he lived in Ponyville and visited the local school together with the other foals of the town. Back then life wasn’t easy because Hooves was a so-called egghead and easy prey for bullies. But at least he had some good friends, like the Bulk, or Joe, because they had “stupid” cutie marks too. It was very hard for the little Bulk, he was small and thin and had nearly no muscles, but he had a barbell as a cutie mark because he liked to train, but he wasn’t very strong yet. And Joe had a freaking Doughnut because he loved to bake Doughnuts.
Anyhow, Hooves best friend had no cutie mark back then, even at the end of school he was still a Blank Flank. He was a tall red stallion, never used many words and seemed like a typical farmer's son. He was called LilMacci or just Lil Mac, because his father Red Delicious and grandfather Golden Delicious used that nickname for him and his classmates used it because he was the biggest foal in class but still hadn't got his cutie mark. The bullies tried to vex him too, but he wasn’t just big, he was strong too and when they saw him smashing a big rock with one hoof, they decide to let him have his peace. And as long as Hooves and the others were near him, the bullies didn’t try anything.
Time flew by, life didn’t get any easier for Hooves, but he grew a bit. The Bulk got some weight and muscles and Joe became famous for his delicious doughnuts, they sold them at Sugar Cube Corner and every pony in Ponyville wanted some.
Hooves left Ponyville to visit the big university in Canterlot, he wanted to learn everything about physics and about the rules of space and time. The Bulk became a real mountain of muscles and found work as a male masseur. Doughnut Joe finds a nice Job at sugar cube corners and his Doughnuts became very famous in town. But what was with LilMacci? He became even taller, but still, the people called him by his Nickname, because he still had no cutie mark.
When Hooves returned to his hometown he was a doctor, but life still wasn’t easy. The Bulk had, even more muscles, so many muscles that his normal sized wings were too small for his massive body, but he still was a good pal, maybe a bit too loud sometimes, but a good guy. Joe’s doughnuts were even more famous, he played on the thought of leaving Ponyville and Sugar Cube Corner to open his own shop in Manehattan or Fillydelphia. And LilMacci? Maybe he still was LilMacci, but before he could meet his old friend, Doc Hooves met his sister. Little Apple Jack was on the same train; she was coming back to Ponyville too. Hooves did not trust his eyes at the sight of his pal’s little sister, she was a teenager now and had her cutie mark, three red apples, typical for the Apple family. She had become a real beauty, but she was still his pal’s little sister and somehow she was something like a little sister to him too. And she wasn’t his type; his dream mare had to be very smart, a bit older and experienced and a unicorn.
AJ was way more talkative than her brother. She told him everything about her last two months in Manehattan.
“And why did you move in with your uncle and aunt?”
“Ah’ think that was all about da' whole thing when mah’ ma and pa died.”
“Oh yes, that makes sen- whaaaaat?” His jaw fell down as if he were a snake.
“Oh right, yah’ lived in Canterlot for the last few years. Well, our folks died soon after the birth of mah’ new little sister. The whole thing messed me a bit up. To be honest, ah' just wanted to run away, 'left Granny Smith an' Big McIntosh alone with the farm and the foal. Ah’ feel really bad about that…. “
“That sounds, ehm, I’m sorry? How is Lil Mac doing?”
“So far? He is very busy with working and doesn't speak to anypony, ahm‘ a bit worried about him.”
“You shouldn’t worry about him. I bet we just need one visit to our favorite pub and he'll be the old LilMacci again.”
The train arrived in Ponyville station on time, Apple Jack and Dr. Hooves got off the wagon. Nopony was there to pick them up, but that was no wonder. Hooves had nopony waiting at home, so he took the time and escorted AJ back to Sweet Apple Acres. On their way, they met a lot of ponies from their past and greeted them.
Sweet Apple Acres seems fine really, somehow Mac managed to keep the farm running all alone, while Granny Smith had to care for Apple Bloom. Harvest was near and the Orchards were full of overloaded apple trees, somepony already placed empty baskets around them. AJ saw that and had the urge to buck some of the trees right now, but she had to clear things up first. Her brother and granny would be very worried about her, so it was finally time to meet them again. When she opened the front gate she heard an unusual sound. It came out of the barn, and shortly after it the gates smashed open and somepony came flying directly into her. It was a Pegasus, a stallion AJ had never meet before, but he looked injured, someone gave him a very hard punch in the face and one of his wings seemed broken. He sounded a little bit funny when he spoke because his whole face was swollen and he lost some teeth.
“Cahm pfown man.” And then he spat a tooth out. “ipf pfere… Fuft a pfunf of appfles… youpf pfave pflenpfy of iff.”
He was speaking to the pony who came next out of the barn. Hooves and AJ recognized Big McIntosh at the first sign, but somehow he was completely different. Dr. Hooves remembered him as a calm guy with little words, never showing much emotion, but the face of this stallion was ice-cold, it was like Hooves could feel Mac's anger. He had never seen him holding a sledgehammer this way, like a weapon, did he just punch and break the wing of this Pegasus here with that thing? The red-coated stallion stepped near to his prey, the poor broken guy couldn’t fly anymore, so he had to crawl backward. He lost some of the stolen apples out of his saddlebags.
“Alpfright man… Im pforry… im pforry… I nepfer pfield somepfing.”
“Eeyup.” Grunted BigMac.
Hooves could see the attempt to murder in Macs Eyes.
“Can you feel that rage too?” asked Apple Jack.
“I can taste it.” Answered Hooves.
Neither the Pegasus or BigMac seemed to notice AJ and Hooves, the red stallion just raised his hammer, but before he could take the hit Apple Jack made a jump and kicked the sledgehammer away. She looked direct in her brother’s eyes, he seemed to ease up a bit.
“What’s going on here!? Are yah’ out of yah’ mind? Smashin’ somepony like this, just for stealin’ some apples!?”
MacIntosh just wheezed some hot breath out of his nose into his little teen sister’s face, he was a lot bigger than her and maybe anypony else would have shrunk to a little ball at that sight, but not Apple Jack.
“Pull ya’ self together!” she ordered.
The red blank flank was looking at the Pegasus, the winged pony was scared to death, laying in a puddle of sweat and other body liquids. His eyes go wide when the much bigger earth stallion looked at him. MacIntosh's lips moved slowly, forming just one word
“Run.”
The Pegasus needed a while to get on his hooves again, but then he ran as fast as possible to get away from here, losing his booty on the way. MacIntosh just turned around, not looking at the sprayed apples, just grunting a short greet at his sister. “Welcome home sis.”
He just walked inside the main building. After he was out of sight AJ started to tremble, like a thin tree in the wind, sitting down and sighing. Hooves came to her side, putting a hoof on her shoulder.
“What was that?” he asked, “do you treat every apple thief like that?”
“ah don’ know…” said AJ, still sweating a bit “Pa used to treat them with a bit of shouting, he was never so upset about a guy stealing a few apples.” She picked up one of the apples, they all looked pretty fine, red and juicy, but something wasn’t right here. She had just one question. “what is happenin’ here?”
Hooves could just shake his head, he was totally confused too. This red stallion with the sledgehammer wasn’t the LilMac he used to know. He was very curious to find out what happened, but he was also afraid. He just wanted to go away, this didn’t seem like a safe place and he saw dark clouds forming on the horizon, there was a heavy storm coming.
“Maybe I should leave now.” He said.
But at the same time, AJ asked: “Could you stay a little bit longer?”
What just happened? Did she hear what he said? She didn’t respond to this. He wanted to repeat his words “Maybe… “
But AJ interrupted him “Ahm’ very afraid right now. I - I think I can’t get inside alone.”
She looked at him, did he see tears in her eyes? She acted like a very tough, all grown up mare, but Hooves could see the truth right at this moment in her eyes. She was still a little filly, just turned 13 and full of fright, afraid of her own brother and looking inside a deep dark Abyss. She needed help, but how should Hooves help her? Maybe he was smart, but Mac could crush him with one hoof, break him like a toothpick. He never was strong, LilMac used to be strong for him, protecting him.
“Maybe it’s time to repay his kindness.” He whispered to himself. Hooves looked back to AJ, he put his long scarf around his neck again and nodded. Life wasn’t easy sometimes, but sometimes a pony just had to be brave and face it. “LilMac is my friend. I'll help him and I'll help you.”
Everything was dark around Fluttershy, dark, silent and cold; she always imagined the bottom of the ocean like that.
But I never saw the ocean, and it seems like I never will…
But according to the books from Cloudsdale she had read, there had to be an enormous pressure, but she didn’t feel any weight. It was the exact opposite, she felt light as a feather. Her whole body was light, no pain and no shame.
Could it be? Am I dead?
That had to be it, she is dead, she didn’t survive the fall from Cloudsdale.
My wings were always so weak, maybe Father was right? At least I can apologize to mother now…
What would happen next? Was there a white light? Did she hear any voices from her past? Nothing of that, just darkness, silence, and cold. It seemed that time had no longer any meaning. Was it seconds? Minutes? Days? After a while, she could hear something, a new sound in her life, but she had a place deep down in her heart for this sound. It was the noise of a little critter, it seemed to be in pain and fear.
Like me, but why bother with that? Can’t I just lay here and forget everything, and be forgotten? I think that would be for the best. I’m so lousy, I can’t do anything right. I’m a disappointment to my dad, and, without me, my mother would still be alive. Nopony needs me, so why bother to wake up?
But the sound didn’t disappear and she couldn’t ignore it. Some little animal was alone like she was and it needed help and she was the only one there. She raised her head slowly and the first thing she noticed was the rain. Little cold drops of water that came down, wetting her coat and her mane. The cold was still there, she had to tremble, and it was still dark. She could only see shadows, her vision was a little blurry. As she tried to move her wing a sharp deep pain goes through her whole body, she closed her eyes and pushed a little tear aside. Maybe her wing was broken? She never had a broken wing, but she could imagine that pain was like the pain of a broken wing. So it was still cold and dark, but now she had this horrible pain too. But at least there was something new, sound. She could hear the rain dripping on foliage over her head, she could hear a bird flying to his nest and she still could hear that other sound. She followed that squeaky little sound. Every step hurt like thousand needles in her legs and her body seemed to weigh at least ten tons, but she walked on. She found her target under a big old Oak, the first thing she saw was all the blood, it was like a nightmare. She saw a little burrow, all messed up, seemed like someone dig it out, she saw the traces of wild animals, traces of claws and teeth.
So nature is cruel like the rest of the world?
She lowered her head and looked inside the burrow, all that blood, the smell nearly made her vomit, but she had to follow that sound. It was too dark to see something, what should she do? That was the moment of the first lightning, it hit the oak and a burning branch fell down. Fluttershy shrieked loudly, but now she could see something, she saw inside the burrow and found two rabbits. One of them, the elder, was wounded. At her side was a very small bunny, very tiny, its white fur was all red from the blood of the other one. Fluttershy saw how desperate the small one tried to help the other, but the big rabbit was nearly dead. It was like a vision for Fluttershy, she knew what happened, these rabbits were prey for some predators, the whole family died to feed these animals and just the mom and her newborn survived.
Nature is really cruel.
Fluttershy did not care for her injuries anymore or for her father, anything she could think of where the poor little critters. It was nature's work, something like that happened every day, but she had to help them anyway. Or at least help the small one, the dying mother looked straight into Fluttershy's eyes, it was like she could see inside her, and Fluttershy could look inside that bunny. When she shoved her last remaining child to the winged pony she was aware of something important. The little bunny was too shocked to move, so it was no problem for Fluttershy taking it up with her healthy wing.
“Have no fear” Fluttershy whispered, “I will take good care of him, I promise.”
And then the Mother was no more. Fluttershy had some tears in her eyes, but they were washed away by the rain. She felt the shivering of the little bunny under her wing, she understood his feelings. He lost everything like she did, but he was a weak little bunny, just an easy prey for predators, he needed protection like Fluttershy did. But there was an important difference, nopony was there to protect Fluttershy, but the little bunny had somepony.
“I'll protect you" Fluttershy remembered a word she read in her mother’s diary "Little angel.”
The first thunder struck down, Fluttershy was scared to death, but she had to be strong now, at least till the little bunny was safe. But what was she to do? The little bunny was safe and sound under her wing, dry and warm, but it was so weak, it needed something to eat. Fluttershy saw her new target in the light of the next lightning strike. A very big orchard full of apple trees. Her body was already at the limit, weakened by this wounds, but the yellow mare had to gather enough strength to reach this orchard.
These are a lot, nopony would care if I take a few. I can pay them later, right?
When the rain started over Sweet Apple Acres the whole family and the guest were inside of the main building. Apple Jack was very happy to have her granny back and her little sister and they were happy too. They hugged each other and AJ really felt really home for the first time. The warmth from the burning chimney, the smelly old perfume of granny smith and even the giggling of her sister, it was if her parents were still here and somehow it was true. AJ learned that they will always live in her heart, that anything she will do is a loving memory of her parents and as long as she was here on the farm it was like her parents never left.
All this and more she said to Granny and McIntosh, with tears in her eyes and in granny’s too, but her brother seemed to ignore the whole story. Even Hooves had to press a little stallion tear away while hearing that story, but McIntosh just sighed. The brutal truth was very simple, he doesn’t want to hear that, he doesn’t care, his sister was run away and that was the end; her return meant nothing to him. Apple Jack could feel the cold from her brother, he seemed like a different stallion to her. Putting her fear and anger about his behavior aside, what should she do? She could do nothing else than trying her best to bring her brother back if that was even possible.
“And of course” AJ explained, “I am sure that mom and dad would be very proud seeing how we overcome all those troubles and doing the best for the farm.”
She wanted to say more, but she was interrupted by McIntosh. He just stood up, trot between his sister and his granny, walking over to a little table with a broken yoke on it, he took a hammer and nails, start to repair it. Maybe he tried to be extra loud. Granny Smith sighed, looking at her grandson.
“Stop that behavior Macci right now! Yah’ sister is back and yah’ just want to repair that broken yoke?”
“Eeyup.”
“Yah’ can’t repair it anyway. It will break over an’ over ‘gain! Ah’ know a new one is too expensive. So jus’ take the ol’ one from yah’ gran’ pa and pa, its old but veeery stable.”
Mac slammed his hammer down and sighed exasperatedly “Nope…”
He trots to the stairs and was going to the first floor, maybe to his room. Granny was looking back to AJ and Hooves, she seemed a bit sad. “Mayor Mare brought back da’ Yoke of Golden Delicious a few days after the storm. Macci just tossed it away in the cellar.”
“What Storm?” asked Hooves
“The storm where my beloved son Red Delicious died. That stubborn thick head, he just runs out in the storm with the carriage to get a doctor for Pink Lady.”
“Your Mother, right?” asked Hooves to Apple Jack.
The Mare with the blonde mane nodded, she lowered her eyes, seemed very sad to Hooves. “the Nigh’ when lil’Bloom was born, somethin’ wasn’t right and we needed a doctor. Pa’ wanted to handle this, but he never returned. Ahm’ honest, ah’ was scared to death, ah’ didn’t notice much of what happened that night. I was too busy cryin’ an’ sobbin’, ahm’ not proud of that.”
Hooves were looking back to granny, it seemed like she knew more about that important night. “Ah’ took care of mah’ daughter in law. Ah’ help’ her with her first two foals an’ had five very successfully births mah’self, so ah’ knew what to do. But ah’ never saw that much blood at a birth. The poor little thing had so much pain. Red was so convinced in saving her, Macci tried to stop him. He was the last pony that talked to Red.” The old green mare sighed, her hooves were shaking and it was hard to hold the sleeping foal right. “Mayor Mare explained us, that Red lost control over the carriage, the roads were too slippery and the carriage too heavy. They found his body and his neck was broken.” She had to make a little break, she needed some breaths “An’ Lady didn’t survive the birth. Apple Jack left for Manehattan a few days later and Lil’Mac became a lil’ bit, let's say, strange?”
“Strange?” Hooves asked back, “you mean like beating the horseapples out of another stallion for stealing half a dozen apples?”
Granny just nodded “He works the whole day like a machine, doesn’t care for anything o' anypony else. He fights any intruder that steps a hoof on this land, specially pegasus.”
Hooves raised a brow “pegasus?”
Granny nodded again “yes, the storm which took his parents was made by the weather team o’ Ponyville. they los’ control an' it happened what happened. Maybe Lil’Mac gives em’ the blame for everything, maybe he just isn’t ready to face the truth.”
“The truth?”
“He tries to be the strong stallion, who keeps everythin’ runnin’ as If nothin’ happened, but he is hurt like the rest of us, maybe even more.”
In the meantime, the raindrops were pounding on the windows and the wind kept howling. AJ looked outside and sighed about the weather, she could only hope that this one would not be so bad as the last one. Her eyes wandered to Hooves, he was looking at the stairs, maybe he was worried about his friend. Maybe he had the same thoughts about LilMacci like his sister. She was wondering how long it would be til the tall red pony would do something really stupid. Beating up a caught apple thief was one thing, but crippling him or even murder; that was a whole other thing. Apple Jack didn’t realize it, but her mouth angles were down and her eyes became wet.
“Hey, I know what you’re thinking.” Hooves tried to cheer her up “but Macci isn’t stupid, maybe he is in a bad mood, but he is still Macci, right?”
At that moment they could hear heavy steps coming down the stairs.
Hooves spoke with a light smile “Oh? Speaking of the Devil. Hey, Macci calm a bit down? Want to share some quality time with friends and family?”
But McIntosh just looked outside the window, looking very worried and with some anger.
“Yah’ saw something boy?” asked granny.
“Eeyup.”
“Thieves? Again?”
“Eeyup.”
He took his saddlebacks and filled it with a rope and towels.
“Hey, what do you want to do Mac?” Asked Apple Jack, very worried. But her brother didn’t answer. “Don’t do that Mac! Let em’ take a few apples, pa used to gave some for free anyway.” She tried to convince him.
He looked at her, directly into her eyes, his glance was ice-cold, that was enough to shut her up. So it was up to Hooves to stop the red stallion. The Physics Doctor went in Mac’s way, blocking the door. He managed to stand his glance, but only because he tried to remember that Big McIntosh never would hurt a friend. But were they still friends?
“Macci! Come to your senses, pal! That’s not you! We’re friends, right? You remember that? The day when the bullies cornered me behind the school building and you protected me? These endless long nights when we studied for the test in your tree house? Or when we ate so many doughnuts from Joe that we had to puke!? And after that eat even more!? Did you forget about all that? You remember that or? You wouldn’t forget a friend, not the BigMcIntosh I used to know.”
Hooves already closed his eyes when his old pal raised his hoof, waiting for a heavy punch or something like that. But Mac just took the lamp from the table and put the handle in Hooves’ mouth. “You can come with me.” Mac’s voice was rough, “but don’t get in my way.” He looked back at the mares “You, stay inside!”
Then he took the sledgehammer out of its corner and put it under his saddlebacks. The two stallions left the main building, walking through the rain and heavy wind. It was already hard to walk because the ground was softened and Hooves stumbled a few times. McIntosh had no problem walking through the mud, he had the light of the lamp in his back and could see enough. He knew the orchard like nopony else, he didn't need the light to see his paths, even when it became even darker and the black clouds above him didn’t let any illumination through. He lead Hooves to the place where he saw the thief, but the thief was already gone. Big Mac was looking for some traces, Hooves tried to give him enough light.
“That’s pointless.” Hooves nearly had to shout because of the wind “you can’t find any tracks in this rain! Not even a bloodhound could do that.”
But Lil’Mac wasn’t looking for hoofprints or something else on the ground, he picked something from the tree, a feather, too big for a bird.
“Ponyfeathers…” grunted Mac with an angry glare in his eyes.
“That could mean many things, buddy. Maybe it’s an old one? What about that guy you beat up when we arrived?”
“Wrong color.” Macci hold the feather in the lanterns lights, it was yellow and a bit blood glued on it.
“But I bet he is far away, maybe hiding behind the clouds?” Hooves tried to pacify his friend, tried to bring him back in the main building.
Mac just grunted again, he pushed the lamp a bit more to the ground, showing Hooves a small trail of blood, nearly washed away by the rain. He followed the trail and Hooves was at his side. It didn’t take long till they found the thief. Both of them looked down on the little yellow Pegasus. The Doc was surprised to see a mare; he was sure that they were searching for a stallion. This little yellow Pegasus was already wounded, her left wing stood out in an unnatural way, it looked broken, or at least dislocated. And her right wing? Under her right wing was a little white Bunny and to the side of that bunny was the half eaten apple the mare had stolen from the apple tree. The mare and the bunny were trembling, maybe because of the cold, maybe cause of fear. The yellow mare with the Three-Butterflies-Cutiemark looked up, her eyes met with Mac’s, both remain silent. Hooves couldn’t read Macci's lineaments or emotions.
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.
When McIntosh put the yellow Pegasus with the Butterfly-Cutie-Mark on the soft sofa the other apples and Doc. Hooves gathered around her, looking at her like she was the first Pegasus they ever saw. It was the first time for AppleJack meeting Fluttershy, a weak little yellow mare, not strong enough to buck an apple tree or do any other jobs on the farm. But she had something that attracted AppleJack, she reminded her of somepony, but she couldn’t put her hoof on it.
Fluttershy wasn’t feeling well, the whole day was a big mess, starting with her escape from her father and ending in the wet dirt while a storm runs over her. Was she crying? She thought she was, but the cold rain made it hard to notice tears on her fur. Why was she crying? Maybe for herself? No, she didn’t think so; it was for little Angelbunny, the white little thing just lost its mother and Fluttershy wasn’t able to help, she wasn’t even able to prove the worth of her cutie mark, the perfect ending for her. But the end wasn’t coming, there was a big red stallion, maybe even a bit taller than her dad, he seemed older than her, but was still a blank flank and he was very calm. She should be in fear, but there were so many feelings inside of her, she wasn’t sure what to feel right then. But he was there and for some reason he wanted to help her, he took the little bunny from her, very gentle and calm, with a lot of caution. Until that moment, Fluttershy was sure about the fact, that such a big strong stallion couldn’t be so gentle. Her dad was always hard and cold, but this red big one wasn’t like her dad. It was amazingly comfortable on his back; her body finally stopped shaking and could relax. He brought her inside a building with more ponies, maybe his family? They seemed very nice, but some kind of worried, why? Were they worried because of her? Did she earn their sympathy? She wanted to turn away, but her head didn’t move, her whole body denied her control. She saw the fire in the fireplace, but it was still cold. It was hard work just to keep her eyes open and the voices around her sounded really far away
So this is how it ends? At least it didn’t hurt. I am so sorry Angelbunny. Angelbunny?
She was looking for the little rabbit, but the red stallion already put it next to her on the sofa, with a slice of an apple and a bit lettuce.
You're looking happy Angelbunny, please keep it that way. Her vision slowly became all blurry.
“Her feva’ is raisn’ boy.” That was the voice of the elder green mare “She needs a doctor!”
“What? But look at her!? We can’t move her!” That was the young mare, she was definitely younger, but she seemed kind of stronger and more sapient “And the storm is too strong!”
The mood was down, the pony in the room knew what would happen and Fluttershy knew it too.
I have to die…
“I'll get the doctor.” This was the deep dark voice of the red stallion.
“Hey! McIntosh Apple! Stop that immediately!?” shouted the young mare, “the storm is way too heavy!” she looked back at Fluttershy, it was that moment she realized, that her words were like a death sentence to this unknown Pegasus. “Eh, I mean, we have to wait till the storm ends.”
“Nope!” Lil Mac knew this situation and he knew there wasn’t enough time. But why did he know that? This was not the first time, he remembered again. His father did the same thing! And he wanted to stop him like AJ tried to stop Mac now.
Without saying any more words Red Delicious took the old yoke from Golden Delicious and walked to the door. His whole appearance made it clear, he wanted to do it, he wanted to take the old carriage and get a doctor for his wife and unborn child, but he couldn’t get through the door, because of lil’Mac. It was the first time Red noticed that his son has grown taller than himself and it was the first time he could hear an adult voice out of his son’s mouth.
Lil’Mac sounded really clear when he said “Nope.” He doesn’t want to lose a single part of his family; it was the most precious thing in his life and he didn’t even know if he could live without that.
“I know what you are thinking right now son.” Said Red in his usual calm voice, shifting the grass stem in his mouth from one ankle to the other. And Mac believed him, because his dad knew him better than any pony else, the stone like emotions in Mac’s face were always like an open book for him. “And you are right! Your family is the most important thing and you have to do anything to protect them, that’s the one thing you have to do, to call yourself a real stallion.” He gave his son one of his rare smiles “you don’t let me go because you want to protect me because I am part of your family. I am so proud of you. I always was and always will be.” This words made McIntosh inattentive, so he didn’t see the hoof of his old man coming. It hit his stomach like a rock and the big red stallion with freckles and an orange mane went down like a sack of potatoes. When his dad walked past him he could hear his last words “I have to protect my own family right now son. I hope you will understand it someday and forgive me.”
But he never did, he never could forgive his dad for leaving him and never returning. Lil’Mac was angry at his father and he tried to let out all his anger through his work, through his burning muscles. He didn't want to cry or to talk because he loved his father and couldn’t say that he hated him. Because of that, he lost a tear when AJ blocked the door like he did back then.
“Why do you want to do that!? You don’t even know this mare! Are you insane!?” AJ had tears in her eyes too. AJ didn’t want to lose her brother, even when that means another pony had to die. Mac just shook his head, he had to do this, it was important. He took his yoke, but the moment he lifted it from the table he recognized the heavy damage. It was impossible to pull a carriage with this yoke. “Y-you see?” asked AJ, “we have to wait.” Mac saw the problem, what should he do?
“Yah' will need this boy.” The voice of Granny Smith pushed McIntosh out of his thoughts, she was holding the Yoke of Golden Delicious.
“Hey Granny!? Are you crazy too!?” AJ didn’t understand what was going on, wasn’t Granny Smith also worried?
Mac just looked at it, he remembered this yoke. He once tried to wear it, but it was way too big and heavy. But that was the past, he was not a colt anymore, he could carry this yoke now. When he looked at it, he remembered Major Mare bringing it back, his father was the last stallion using it.
“Lissn’ kid, yah’grea’ gran’ pop used this yoke to buil’ up this farm.” Granny put the yoke around his neck, “Ah’ know why ya’ have to do this.” She smiled at him; he had so many similarities with Golden Delicious at this moment. Apple Jack stepped aside when Granny told her to and McIntosh left the building.
The storm was even heavier, water and wind whipped his flank and his face, but it didn't hurt, it was the opposite, it made him feel good because his father had to feel the same in that night. With every step he took, he understood more of his father’s last action. Red Delicious tried anything to save his wife and his unborn daughter, he left them because he wasn’t able to lose a single one of them and the only reason he found the courage to do so, was because he trusted Big McIntosh to take care of the family instead of him. And now was the time to prove he was right. The yellow pegasus-mare on the sofa was here to remember Mac, remember him to show the will and the strength of the Apple family to the world.
“Are you really sure about that!?” Doctor Hooves had to yell, because of the storm. He offered his help to Mac, he wasn’t the strongest stallion, but the least he could do was opening the gates for Mac, as the red stallion pulled out the carriage. When the brown Earthpony looked at the sky he could see nothing, only when a lightning struck he could see the thick clouds above them “Hey man, the storm keeps getting stronger and stronger! You sure about this?” He looked at his friend, worried about his life, but Mac was calm as usual, just nodding with a light smile while looking down the wet road. But Whooves was still worried “You know, you could die, right?” this was possible, the road was pure mud now and it was very difficult to withstand the wind. There was no answer from McIntosh, he knew it, and he would face it “Hey, what about your family? AJ and Bloom? They need you.” Mac could just chuckle, he put a hoof on his friend's shoulder, looking straight into his eyes, he trusted him, they were good friends back then and he was sure, that they still were. “Wait, wait, wait, wait! Applejack is cute and stuff, but she is totally not my type, I am more into unicorns and really smart mares! I think Aj is smart, but I was thinking of a woman with an IQ Of at least 140. And she is too young!”
Mac just sighed “you are really dumb, for a wise man.” He said and when he left the land of his family he added: “I’ll be back.”
When Doctor Hooves returned to the inside of the house he was soaked and his hooves were covered with mud. It was crazy, but the first thing he thought of, was to clean his hooves because he didn’t want to make the house dirty. He raised his eyes and saw Applejack, she was looking at him like she was waiting for a wonder, he knew what she hoped for.
“Sorry AJ.” he sighed “I couldn’t stop him, stubbornness is part of your family, I guess?” he tried to smile, tried to make her laugh a little, so she could think of something else other than her brother breaking his neck like his father. But what should he do? Maybe a joke? Did he know a good joke? Was this the right time for jokes? He had to say something “Ehm. Hey! Can a kangaroo jump higher than a house?” AJ raised a brow, what was this about? “Of course, a house doesn’t jump at all!”
AJ sighed “Horseapples! Stop talkin’ crap an' help me over here.”
Doctor Whooves was looking at the yellow mare, her eyes were half closed, with sweat on her forehead. When he read the thermometer in her mouth he sighed “Fourty and rising… that’s not good.” He looked at the little bunny, the white animal jumped from the table down to the chair and on the floor and from the floor on the sofa, next to the Pegasus.
“Do something!” shouted AJ at him “you are a doctor now, right?”
“Not that kind of doctor, I am a doctor in physics! That’s something else! it doesn't help anypony…” he sighed frustrated, there was nothing he could do.
“Step aside young people.” Said granny smith and put a piece of cold wet cloths on the yellow mare's forehead, Fluttershy moaned and moved a little, she opened her eyes more and looked at Granny Smith, the elder mare smiled at her “hey there young one. Help is on da' way, so stay with us.” The yellow one tried to speak, but her throat was dry and hurt a lot, so she could only cough. Granny looked at Whooves “hey boy, don’t just stay there an’ play statue? Bring her a glass o' water!” Hooves made a little jump and run to the kitchen “an' you” she looked at her granddaughter “take care o' yah’ lil' sister!” AJ jumped a little too, she was very surprised how good Granny could take control over the situation.
“Why…?” Fluttershy’s voice was very quiet and weak, it hurt her to speak, but she had to.
Granny smiled at her “Because we’re Apples! An’ Apples always take goooood care of their friends.”
“Friends?” Fluttershy couldn’t speak more than one word, it was hard to focus, but it helped to feel the soft fur of Angelbunny at her side, it made her feel better.
“O’ curse sugar cube.” The elder mare smiled again “ya’ already helped ma’ beloved gran'son. So stay awake an’ don’t yah' dare to die young lady!” she sighed “Ah' know it’s difficult, but keep yah' eyes open.” Granny remembered the time after the death of her husband, when she just laid in her bed and wanted to die, because of her loneliness. It was hard to hold her eyes open these days too “what's yah’ name sugar cube?”
So that’s how it feels to be loved? “F-Fluttershy…” she said very quiet and blushed. It was very strange, she never felt that sad but happy the same time.
McIntosh knew this road better than anypony else in Ponyville, he pulled the carriage so often to the marketplace, he always thought he could walk this way with closed eyes. But it proved to be way more difficult. The light of the small lantern was flickering and he couldn’t see wider than a few steps ahead. Normally he would walk slowly through this weather, but now he was running, running like never before, water and mud splashed everywhere around him. He was grunting and breathed heavily, his eyes were focused on the small illuminated area in front of him. But he stopped when he arrived at the hill. He had to take a very deep breath while looking down and see the big oak at its ground. It was here, his father slipped running down this hill and broke his neck at this tree. He could see the little wooden cross they placed there, the flowers were long gone and the candles had faded out. A few second ago it was impossible to stop this stallion, but now his legs were shaking and he felt the cold sweat in his neck. He could still turn around and go back, no pony would judge him, they would be happy to see him again, and maybe the yellow mare had enough vigor left to survive through the storm.
If somepony entered Ponyville from the direction of Sweet Apple Acres the first thing he saw was the school building, the second was the post office. The first inhabited house was the one of the Horse Family, Doctor Horse Senior was a well-known doctor in town, people entrusted him with their beloved relatives and trusted his skills. His son was on the best way to became a very good doctor too, still a bit green behind his ears, but very ambitious. When the storm had started, both of them were at home, the fire was very warm and the closed doors and windows were keeping the cold outside. Mrs. Horse was already asleep and Doctor Horse wanted to follow her soon. Horse Junior was reading a book about heart operations, he studied hard to keep getting better and better, he wanted to impress his girlfriend Redheart. Nopony in the house had expected what was happening next, a heavy knocking on the door.
“The hay is that?” mumbled Horse Senior looking at the door “what crazy gelding is out there in such weather!? Junior? Go and open the door!”
“Yes, Sir!” Junior jumped up to follow his dad's order. He opens the door and was scared like never before. There was a big stallion, covered in mud and blood, looking at him with ice-cold eyes.
Horse Senior was looking at McIntosh apple, it was a long time since he last saw the son of his dead friend Red Delicious “Are you crazy Lil’Mac?” he asked “come in! You will catch a cold out there! The hay are you doing in a storm like this!?”
Mac had no time to talk, he suffered a lot on his way to this house. “We need your help.”
“What?” Doctor Horse put his glasses back on “you mean at Sweet Apple Acres?”
“I found a mare. She is wounded, has a high fever and a broken wing I think…” Macintosh was breathing heavy, little white clouds came out of his nose.
“Didn’t you notice the weather? I can't come to Sweet Apple Acres before the storm ends.”
“Nope.” Mac stepped aside, so the Horses could see the small carriage wagon.
“That’s a joke, right?” Doctor Horse raised a brow “now come in boy! Son? Make a big pot of tea for him, we will go after the end of the Storm.” He turned his back on Mac, it was impossible to go now.
“Hey!” when McIntosh yelled both Horses looked at him, he looked with anger at the Doctor, Horse never saw Red’s little boy when he was in anger. Doctor Horse never thought that he could get mad. “My Pa” Big Macs voice was strong “my pa trusted you…”
It was silent in the room, the only sound came from the storm outside. Junior looked at his father, then at McIntosh, of course, he knew what happened the night when the Apple Parents died. Why did Mac say something like this? He blamed Junior's father for Red’s death, was he that bold?
Junior just wanted to kick this red bastard out of his house, but Horse Senior stopped him “get my Medication case, Junior.”
Junior looked at his father with big eyes “S-sir?”
“We don’t have much time Junior!”
The wagon was small and old, enough to carry a load, but usually not comfortable enough for passengers. Doctor Horse just got inside the carriage, it was cold, but the awning protected him from the wind and rain. His driver, McIntosh Apple, seemed to have no problem with the storm, the mud from his fur was washed away by the rain, like the blood out of his small wounds. Horse Junior had problems carrying his case to the carriage, the small passage from the door to the wagon seemed like a mile through hell. He put the case next to his father and closed the door of the wagon behind both of them.
“What are you doing son?” Horse Senior raised one of his brows.
“I won’t let you go alone, Sir.” Junior nod
Senior just sighed “A bit help is always welcome.”
The Carriage was a lot heavier on the way back, two ponies plus the medical equipment made it difficult to pull the wagon through the mud and the storm. The two stallions under the awning were surprised by McIntosh’s zeal. Mac seemed to have no problem with the weight, Junior never saw such an example of physical strength in his life.
“How does he do that?” asked Junior his father.
“He is just like his father. Hold on to something Junior.”
McIntosh had his aim before eyes, Sweet Apple Acres wasn’t far away.
When he saw the hill, where his father died, he started yelling “I beat you one time! I'll do it again!” passing the oak, that broke his father’s neck, was like passing his shadow, it was a more mental obstacle than a physical. The way up was way more difficult than down. He sank to his knees in the street, the road was pure mud and every step was even harder work than before. He wheezed and trembled, his muscles were burning and screaming, but half through his way, the strength left him, he fell and the carriage pulled him slowly back to the oak. McIntosh sunk slowly in the mud, his whole body was hurting, blood was seeping out from his legs, his vision became a blur, he could hear Doctor Horse and his son behind him.
“Dad, we must help him!”
“Stop it, son! We can’t leave this carriage! He knew about the risks.”
This is my Limit? I always thought I could do more. Big Macs mind slowly became numb, the burning inside his muscles give away for a nice warm deadness. I did fail. Big Mac closed his eyes. He couldn’t feel the cold rain and the wind anymore, or his heavy body slowly sinking deeper and deeper.
“What are you doing there!?” a loud deep voice woke him up again, he knew this voice. He opened his eyes again and saw this well-known red fur and mane of Red Delicious. “It’s no time for a nap. Get up you lazy bum!”
“Pa? Am I, dead?”
“Nope.”
“So, what is happening?”
“You have to fight, they need you. You have to pull this carriage back to the farm! Because I wasn’t able to do this.”
“But it’s too heavy, I can't do this! I am a failure! I'm still a kid! I don’t even have a cutie mark.”
“No, you aren’t! Listen to me son, you can do this! We didn’t raise you to give up!”
“But,”
“No! You have to remember why you are doing this! You have to protect them! That’s your mission, nopony else can do this! It is your task to be big and strong for anypony who couldn't do that! You are BigMcIntosh Apple!”
“I am?”
“Sure! I am proud of you and its time you make me proud one more time! So do you need help with this?”
McIntosh looked up from the muddy ground, his muscles were still burning, but somehow he found new strength “Nope, that’s my mission, Pa?” he looked around, but nopony was there. Did he really talk to his father? Did he lose his mind? That wasn’t important anymore. “My Name is BigMcIntosh Apple!” he stood up again “and I will protect them! All of them!”
He starts moving, his aching muscles were pumped to the rim and with every move he had more and more strength. His strong legs pulled the heavy carriage through the mud and when he was near the hill’s top his flank begun to shine in a white light. Doctor Horse was blinded by the light and when he could see again he saw the biggest Cutie Mark ever on McIntosh's Flank, it looked like a green apple, a huge green apple.
Back at sweet apple acres Apple Jack was still worried and walked up and down. The strange yellow mare on the sofa was still suffering from her fever while Granny smith kept changing the cold cloths on her forehead. Doctor Whooves was holding the baby, little Apple Bloom couldn’t stay asleep, so somepony had to rock and feed her, but AJ was way too excited to hold a little foal right now.
AJ snapped and sighed, annoyed “Where the hay is he!?” she stomped hard on the ground, hard enough that the wooden floor had to shake a little and a bowl fell from the table to the ground.
The loud crash scared little Apple Bloom and the foal screamed and cried again, she even lost her pacifier. Hooves needed just a few seconds to put a new one in her little pony mouth and rock her slightly “hey, hey, little sugar cube, everything is fine right now, uncle Hooves is here.” The filly slowly calmed down “and you too Apple Jack! Stop worrying so much, have trust in your big brother. We are talking about Lil’mac, he is tough.”
Right then the door was slammed open and Big McIntosh Apple entered the house, followed by Doctor Horse Senior and his son. Apple Jack made a jump and fling her hooves around her brother’s neck “Mac!!” she had tears in her eyes “you made it! You stupid big chump!” her words were drowned in tears. Big McIntosh just clasp one arm around her and nodded, he was never good with words, so this was everything he could do right now. His body was still trembling and shaking, but he had still enough strength left to hold her.
The doctor went past them to his patient, his son behind him with his huge Doctor's bag. “We are just in time.” He mumbled and his horn began to glow, his magic lifting out some of his medical tools. Junior never saw his father with such a serious face. Junior remembered how affected his father was when he heard of Red’s and Lady’s death, he was the family’s doctor and couldn’t help them. But now it seems like he had the chance to relieve his fault.
“I think there is nothing more we can do now.” Said Hooves, “let the doctor do his work.” He was looking at Big McIntosh because the big red stallion was still very worried about her. Whooves put a hoof on Mac’s shoulder “hey man, there is nothing more you can do, you did a great job. Hey! What is that?” Doc Hooves just saw McIntosh’s cutie mark “Dude! Is that your cutie mark? It is huge! Congratulations!”
Mac looked down, till now he didn’t notice his cutie mark, he was waiting very long for this moment, but now the only thing in his mind was to save this little yellow mare. “Eeyup.”
“What is this? A green apple? Means you are good at planting green apples?”
“Nope…” he had to think a bit, and after a while, he said, “it means I have to be big and strong to protect my folks.”
The bad thing about nightmares is, when you are easily afraid, you can have a lot of them and so it was for Fluttershy; since her early fillyhood, she had a ton of nightmares. Some about falling from Cloudsdale in an endless hole, some about getting eaten by a giant head of lettuce and some about being changed into a kickball on the schoolyard. But now she had the worst nightmare of her lifetime and the most restless sleep. Her entire body seemed to burn and was frozen by ice in the next second, she kicked her blankets away, just to search for them and roll up in it again, then kicking it away again. She was captured in a dim state of sleep and she wasn't able to wake up or sleep tight, not even the sharp stinging pain in her left wing was able to get her back in reality. She saw some blurred images in front of her inner eye and heard some voices but in a very far distance. They seemed to be different voices, she thought she could recognize the voice of her father, and maybe the Voice of Rainbowdash, but it was hard to tell.
“You are useless!”
“How is she Doc?”
“I really hate you!”
“Don't disturb him! He is working!”
“I really wish that you died.”
“The fever is getting worse!”
“Maybe you are the worst flyer around and maybe you will be forever.”
“There is no other way, I need to operate, right now!”
“It's your fault that your mother died!”
She could feel that really hard pain again, but even harder.
Do I have to die now? Maybe it is what I deserve, I am so sorry...
“The heartbeat drops! Darn it!”
“Just die you pathetic useless piece!”
“So much blood here.”
“Nobody needs you here.”
“Hold to it!”
“Maybe Flyingacademie was a bad idea, right?”
“No, no, no, no, no, no, no!”
“Such a shame...”
I am sorry. I couldn't be of any use for anypony.
Finally, the pain started to go away and there was this cold again, endless cold, numb and peacefully, the darkness came over her.
“I lost the pulse, Sir.”
No more pain, no more shame, just nothingness, maybe this was the place where she belonged. She could spread her wings, but she was already flying into the darkness.
“Is it over? It can't be, we have to”
The voice became quite, they disappeared, nothing to hear, nothing to see. Fluttershy wasn't sure, but she thought she lost a tear, she doesn't want to leave this world. She loved this world, the light, the air, the clouds, the little critters, her friend Rainbowdash and even her Dad, but it seemed like there was no place for her in this world and this world full of darkness and a peaceful numbness was calling for her.
But something was holding her, or at least her hoof. It did not let her go.
What is this? Why is it holding to me?
When Fluttershy opened her eyes slightly, she looked down at her hoof and she saw it, there was another hoof holding her, a big red hoof. It was several times larger than her hoof, big enough to smash her head in an instant, but the touch was very gentle. And she could feel something warm pressing against her cheek and hear a deep voice, whispering to her “please don’t go.”
So there really is somepony who wants me to stay in this world?
“I have a pulse again, Sir!”
“Then quick boy! Use the siring!”
After that, there came a warm numbness to her body, but she still kept the feeling of this hoof holding her and this warm feeling on her cheek. She knew this feeling, from a real long time ago, she began to remember a face, of a beautiful mare, her face was full of tears, crying in agony and smiling happily at the same time, looking at her, looking at Fluttershy. Fluttershys throat was hurting, it was slimy and tight and feel like it was filled with razors, but she had to say this word.
“Mommy...” Then she fell into a sweet, dreamless sleep.
Celestia raised the sun, like she did every day, everywhere in Equestria. The sun's light broke through the clouds and fell on Fluttershy's face. It was a nice way to be awakened, she felt a nice warm softness around her, was she in her bed again? Was she again in Cloudsdale? Was that all just a bad dream? Maybe this would be the best. Yes! Fluttershy was back in Cloudsdale! Her father don't want to sell her to some strange old stallions, and when somewhere deep under her, on the ground, existed a little Angelbunny, it was all fine and together with his still living mother and siblings and she was still the non-skilled Cannotfly Fluttershy. Normally after such a nightmare, she would jump from her bed, but not this time, she tried to hold on to the sleep. Not anything in her nightmare was bad, at least she was surrounded by very friendly ponies, which cared for her and even risk they live to save her and there was this handsome red stallion-
Wait! Handsome?
Fluttershy felt something in her face, something wet and cold, it was very small and touched her cheek and her Nose. Now she had to open her eyes slowly “Oh! It's you little Angelbunny.” the little white rabbit sat next to her on her pillow and was sniffing at her face.
Wait! Little Angelbunny!?
She was totally shocked, anypony else would now dash out of the bed to see where he was. But not Fluttershy, she knew there was little Angelbunny next to her and she did not want to scare the little bunny or even throw it off the bed. Fluttershy raised herself, slow and calm, she let out a cute little yawn and was going to spread her wings, but there was a sharp pain in her left wing, she looked at it and saw all the bandages that covered it. After the sharp pain, there was still a slow, poking pain, it reminded her, that she now was in reality, but she wasn't in Cloudsdale and not in her room. She was in a huge bed, really huge, four ponies her size would fit inside this bed and every one of them had enough space to spread their wings. She could smell that the bed covers were fresh, but they still smelled funny because the pillow wasn't filled with down, it was filled with hay, fresh hay. She smelled it with her pony nose and her stomach was growling, she nearly wanted to eat the hay out of the pillow, but she raised her head again and looked around. This here wasn't her room, this room was made of wood, not from clouds! She really was on the ground. So that means that all the bad things really happened? She had to flee from her home, her dad hated her and little Angelbunny lost its siblings and mother. She looked at Angelbunny, the bunny was munching on a leaf of lettuce and looked back at her.
“I am sorry Angelbunny...” she whispered to the critter.
Fluttershy left the bed, very carefully to not interrupt the white rabbit, but as soon as she slid from the mattress the white little critter jumped from the bed and followed her. Fluttershy was looking around, she noticed a poster from the Wonderbolts, she had the same in her room, but this one was older and repaired with tape. She reached her hoof for it, she wanted to touch it, to see if it was real, but she put her hoof down. She noticed all the picture from strange ponies around her, and a bookshelf full of unknown books and some trophies.
Flutters walked over to a big golden trophy and read the plaque “First place in Ponyvilles strongest stallion competition: Big McIntosh Apple.” She rolled that name over her tongue and lips, did she know that name?
She reached her hoof again, this time she wanted to feel the punched letters of the plague. She shrieked hard when little Angelbunny jumped on her back and climbed her head, but Fluttershy was so scared that she lost the little critter and the rabbit fell inside the pot, it slid around on the smooth surface, it seemed to be very funny.
“Oh no.” Fluttershy whispered to the bunny, that was sliding around with a happy face “we can't play with that! This doesn't belong to us.” she reached with her head for the bunny to grab it with her teeth. At this moment Apple Jack entered the room, she looked at the shy little surprised yellow mare with the white bunny in her mouth, AJ had to chuckle so hard she nearly lost the plate she carried.
She put the plate with the soup on a shelf “here yah' go Missy, Granny Smiths famous apple soup, that gives yah' a lot of energy. Doc Horse said yah' will need a lot of strength.” AJ looked with a smile at her guest, the yellow mare seemed a bit younger than herself, but maybe just because she hides her face behind her pink mane. ”Yah' name's Fluttershy, right? Well, that fits like an apple in a pot Missy! Mah' name is AppleJack.” But the shy mare didn’t answer, or did she? AJ had to look closely, yes the mare moved her mouth, but she was whispering to quite “Ahma' sorry gale, but ah' didn't understand yah', maybe yah' coul' speak a lil' bit louder?” The yellow Pegasus had to gather up some strength and talked again, this time AJ definitely hear something, but still “eh sorry? Coul' you repeat that?”
The third try at least was loud enough to understand her “thank you, Miss AppleJack.” and Fluttershy blushed in an instant really hard.
AJ had to giggle “No, ah' have to be honest, Missy, Yah' don't have to thank me, it was mah' brother who saved you.” She took Fluttershy's hoof and pulled her back to the bed “he risked his life to get the Doc here, just to save yah' live an' he gave up his room so you have a nice warm bed to recover. An' now it is mah' task to make sure this wasn't for nothing Missy!” she put her back in the bed “yah' will stay here and eat the soup.” she passed the plate to her. Fluttershy didn't move, she just looked at the soup, then at AppleJack and back. Angel Bunny was at her side, munching again on his lettuce. She was really hungry, but she couldn't eat yet. “What's the problem Missy?” asked Applejack annoyed.
Fluttershy looked down and answered, but she was too quiet again “m nm nt iy.”
“What was that Missy?”
“mnmntiy!”
“Again? Ah' can't hear yah' Missy!”
Fluttershy looked up, the first time looking directly at AppleJack, without hiding her face. Fluttershy had left her home, if she liked it or not, she had to start a new life here on the ground, but her new life could not start with a new silly nickname. Maybe this was her chance to make her new life another better life, at least a little.
“My Name isn't Missy! I am Fluttershy!” She instantly blushed and hide behind her mane again “Sorry. I don’t want to scream at you...” Fluttershy was not screaming at all, but her voice was clearly audible.
AJ smiled at her “Nelly!” she said impressed “yah'r a bag full of surprises, Fluttershy!” she giggled “ah' think we coul' be very good friends!”
The yellow mare looked up in surprise, her mane fell back and her widened eyes were clearly visible “You want to be my friend? But we don't know each other.”
“That's not important,” said AppleJack “yah' helped mah' brother, that’s enough reason for a member o' the Apple Family to make new friends! Ah' always wanted a friend who is younger than me, ah' coul' show yah' how things works! How old a' yah'? Twelve?”
Fluttershy smiled, She did not have many friends “I am 16 years old.”
“What!?” was she really older than AppleJack?
Fluttershy ate the whole bowl of soup and a second load and even a third. AppleJack was a really nice person, she brought her the food and even some more lettuce for Angel Bunny, Fluttershy wasn't very comfy with being served, but AJ left her no other choice. The blonde mare was two years younger than her, but she seemed way more experienced and wise, she also was very strong. Fluttershy already heard that Earth ponies were stronger than Pegasi or Unicorns, but it was the first time for her see it for herself when AJ came back in the room, carrying this huge wooden bathtub, filled with a big mirror and a lot of stuff for body hygiene.
“Granny already cleaned you up after the operation, but maybe you want to clean yourself again?”
Fluttershy looked up “What? Operation?”
AJ was setting the Mirror “Oh yes! The Doc had to cut you up! There was a splinter of glass deep in your shoulder. He said the wound was infected. Nelly! Ah' thought you would die right on that sofa. It was mah' brother who holds to you when the doc thought yah' were dead. Why was there a splinter of glass in your shoulder? Did yah' dash through a window or something like that?”
Fluttershy blushed and looked at her hoof, so this wasn't a dream, he was holding her hoof. She blushed gently and smiled without noticing. When she raised her eyes again she looked in the mirror, her plait was gone. She took her mane with her hooves and looked at her new friend Applejack.
AJ noticed what she wanted to say “yes, we had to clean your mane. Ah' think it looks way better that way. Yah' have a beautiful mane, yah' can wear it open and long, an' don' hide ya' face, it's pretty.” of course AppleJack noticed the blush on Fluttershy's cheeks. “Well! I have to do some work now. Now make you ready.”
“Ready? For what?”
“Ya' have to get yah' lazy bumm' out of here and go to find mah' brother, he walks on the fields and ya' have to thank him!”
“Eeeep!” She hides behind her mane again “your brother?”
“Eeyep! Big MacIntosh Apple.”
“Eeeeep!”
“Is everything alright with you? Maybe the narcotics were too strong?”
Fluttershy tilted her head “E-everything's alright here. Y-yes, you are right! I have go down to thank him! Eeep! I - I mean to visit him at the fields!” she blushed hard and took the pillow to hide her face.
Applejack just had to giggle “Eyup, just make sure you don't forget it.” she left the room.
Fluttershy was alone with Angelbunny, she looked in the mirror and fetched her mane out of her face then she looked to the rabbit “Do you think Big McIntosh Apple wants to be my friend too?”
The fields of Sweet Apple Acres were a mess after that storm. Uprooted trees, some landslide, a lot of displaced rocks and the barn was also damaged. Luckily the main building was unharmed. Big McIntosh was satisfied, his preparations were good and the damage was clear. McIntosh had some help from Hooves, his nerdy friend spent the night on the farm and wanted to help with the damage. They started right after the breakfast with the trees. Any single tree on Sweet Apple Acres was a holy treasure, just wrecking them or selling were no options. McIntosh was strong enough to pick them up and place them back in the earth while Hooves used the shovel to cover them up with earth.
Hooves was impressed how easy McIntosh moved this trees, each of them weighed more than 250 pounds. McIntosh moved them like toothpicks and he seemed to have no problems with that. McIntosh was even smiling and humming as he worked. Hooves put the shovel aside after the roots were covered and Mac started to use ropes and tent pegs to fix the tree, it would take some time, but this tree will be healthy again.
“I am surprised by your good mood.” Hooves drank some water out of his field bottle “The whole farm is a huge mess and you are humming?”
“Am I?” It seemed like Mac did not notice it.
“Yes, you are. But maybe I would be in a good mood too.” he smirked, “I mean, I would be, if I were in love with a nice mare.”
Mac raised a brow and looked confused to his friend.
“I never thought you had it in you, but man this Pegasus looks really nice. No wonder we never found a nice marefriend for you, we were just looking for Earthponies in school. You should have said that you are into Pegasi. We would have introduced you to some of the girls from the weather teams trainees.”
Mac could just chuckle and shake his head with a light smile “Nope.”
“You can't hide it from me LilMac, you are in love.”
“Nope.”
“Nope?”
“Nope!”
“Then explain it to me. Explain why you risked your life for her.”
“Nope.”
“Do you think I wouldn't understand it?”
“Eeyup.”
“I have a doctorate in physics and finished my tests with an average score of ninety-seven percent! I was the student of my year! And you think I can't understand a simple thing like relationships between two ponies?”
“Eeyup.”
“You are kidding!”
“Maybe.”
Both had to laugh, it was just like old times.
Hooves had to admit Mac's poker face “alright, alright, this seemed to be very important, and maybe it is too private. Hey, I am just happy for you.” Hooves slowly stood up with a sigh “Well, I have to go now, there is a lot to do at my place.” Hooves wanted to work in his parent's old workshop, but the little house needed a lot of work itself before he could start his research about the black matter and Time Space Displacements.
“Hey man”, said McIntosh after him “If yah' need help, ya know...”
“Yes, I know. Hm! It is great to be back.”
Mac took a little break, sitting under this tree and looking over the orchards; he enjoyed the fresh air and the blue skies. He was ready now, ready to speak with his family about what happened and his feelings and it was like losing half a ton from his heart. He could look at the world with all new eyes and saw this world like never before. It was a good world, even without his parents. His hoof slowly glided into his already open lunch box to get his lunch, a nice little daisy, hay and lettuce sandwich. He was still enjoying the sight when he raised the bread and wanted to take a bite, but he did not, because he noticed that his sandwich was moving. He looked down and saw little, white Angel Bunny, the rabbit, was between the two slices of bread and munching on his lettuce, looking up to Mac like nothing ever happened. This moment he heard something, McIntosh's ear twitched a little and he looked around. He saw another apple tree and the yellow little mare hiding behind it. She let out a little “Eeeeep!” when she was discovered and Mac had to chuckle a little.
Fluttershy took a deep breath. Her plan was to wait a little more, she wanted to speak to Big McIntosh when he was alone. His friend left and she still wanted to wait a little, just look at this red stallion from her hideout. He was tall, more than her father and he had a lot of muscles, he was able to move these trees without any problem and all these things made him scary. But then he was just sitting there, under this tree, looking around with this calm, peaceful smile. Some birds were already building a new nest in the tree he just built up again, they were not afraid of him. And even little Angel Bunny wasn't afraid, the bunny just jumped from Fluttershy's head and made its way to McIntosh's lunchbox. Fluttershy wanted to stop the poor little thing, but she was too afraid and the rabbit was too fast. She closed her eyes and was expecting the worst when the red stallion moved the sandwich to his mouth, she had to shut her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she saw McIntosh looking at her. Angel Bunny was sitting on his head, munching the lettuce. He smiled at her, with his calm, peaceful smile, he looked at her and nodded in her direction. Did he want her to come over? Fluttershy was captured in a little dilemma, she wanted to withdraw because this was a big, scary stallion, but she also wanted to be at his side, because it seemed warm and safe. She needed some time, she always needed time, but the most ponies were unable to give it to her. Maybe Mac would just stand up and go away, or even come over to her, she was sure about that, but he did nothing like this, he waited.
Angel Bunny was already done with the lettuce and asleep on Mac's head when Fluttershy moved on. She came to his side. Fluttershy could not believe it herself, but she was really walking toward him, sitting next to him and looking together with him at the orchards. Her feelings were spinning around, her insides were moving, she could yell all over the place and jump up and down. What should she do? What was happening? What was she feeling? Why was she here? Should she say something?
“Yah' wing?” he asked after a while.
He was worried about her, he wanted to talk and know how she was feeling. Does that mean that he wanted to be her friend? Or was he even in love with her? Or was he just polite? What should she do? Should she run for her life? No! She had to hide right now! But where? He was looking at her. He was looking at her with his green, calm eyes, somehow it gave her strength, it calmed her down.
So after a few minutes, she found the strength to speak, “it still hurts a little bit.” she was whispering, but Mac could understand her.
After that they were again just sitting there, looking at the orchards. Her heart was racing, she never spent so much time with a stallion. She didn't want to let this moment just pass by, so she had to speak again. “I wanted to thank you” she could not look at him and hide her face behind her mane, she could not see him. “You saved me and Angel Bunny. I owe you so much.”
“Nope.” he looked at her again “I owe you a lot. I will help you.”
“Help me? With what?”
“Whatever you want.”
She lowered her head, she could not understand what was happening. Maybe it was like Applejack said, maybe the Apple Family just like to make new friends? There were a lot of things Fluttershy needed to do. It looked like she had to build up a whole new life, here on the ground, so she needed a home, a job and maybe she also needed friends. She looked up to him, still hiding half her face behind her mane. She had this lovely cute red on her cheeks and her big eyes seemed even bigger than usual.
“Are we friends?” she asked.
He looked back at her, still with these calm, green eyes and his smile. She was right, she felt all safe at his side, like nothing could ever reach her here. Was this the feeling of having friends? Or even a family? Was this the feeling of being happy?
Fluttershy enjoyed dinner with the Apple family, even when they lost they parents not long ago, she could still feel some warm family love in here. It was the way they spoke to each other, the way they laughed together and even the way Granny Smith played the "here comes the Chariot"-play with little AppleBloom to feed her. The giggling of AppleBloom was lighting up Fluttershy's heart like a candle during a cold night. She was wondering what would have happened to her if her family would have been like this? Maybe she didn't have to flee, maybe she would be a good flier and never would have a problem with living in Cloudsdale. Maybe she would-
“Hey, aren't you eating that?” Apple Jack's voice ripped Fluttershy from her thoughts. AJ pointed at her mashed potatoes. Fluttershy wanted to say no, but the loud growling of her belly spoke really clear, any pony had to laugh. Fluttershy looked over to Mac, his laugh was way deeper and somehow it felt cozier than any other right now. But was he laughing with her, or about her? Didn't he respect her? What was he thinking of her? Was she not more than a silly clown? Was that really important or was she thinking too much?
But then a puddle of Applesauce end up her nose. Anypony became quiet and looked at little Bloom, giggling and slobbering, what should they do now? After a few seconds McIntosh leaned forward, Fluttershy could smell him, all the sweat from the dailies hard work and his very own musky smell. Her heart raced a mile per second and she was afraid it would jump right out off her chest here and now. He was very close, so close it should have scared the timid yellow Pegasus, but it did not. He did not make any spook to her, but gently licked the Applesauce from her nose, McIntosh just could not let any Apple get waist. He did the same to his sister or any other member of his family when something like this happened. When he did to Fluttershy, she nearly fainted and blushed hard when Mac realized who he just licked he blushed too - thanks to Celestia his red coat made it difficult to show. He wanted to say something, but then he got hit by Bloom's spoon, full of applesauce and soon after that any pony got back to laughing.
This night Fluttershy was sleeping together with Apple Jack in her bed, that was very comfortable and warm. The mattress was filled with hay, not as soft as a cloud, but it smelled really good. Apple Jack was happy to share her bed, she thought that Fluttershy was a really nice pony and don't want her to sleep on the hard sofa. Fluttershy could not sleep in McIntosh bed again because the red stallion needed to sleep there this time. Little Angel Bunny found a place to sleep on a huge hay-filled pillow, he was happy as long as there was a huge carrot at his side. Fluttershy also put a little blanket over him and nuzzle to him. His little bunny nose was so tiny next to her pony snout that she had to be very careful, but she loved it that way, little Angel Bunny was cute like nothing else. She was humming a melody for the critter and AJ seemed to know it.
“So your mother sang this song too?” the light orange mare with the blond mane asked, sitting on the edge of her bed and looking over to the Pegasus and the bunny.
Fluttershy had to sigh and lowered her head a bit, her pony ears hanging sadly down “I don't know, I have this melody in my head every time I am sad and need some encouragement. I did not know there is an actual song...”
“Oh? Well, that is no problem, I can show you the song.” AJ grabbed the guitar from behind her bed “My mom taught me how to play the guitar and this song.” she had very skillfully hooves and no problem adjusting the guitar before she started to play. The first notes gave Fluttershy a shudder going down her spine when AJ spoke “Yah know, some ponies have dogs for pets and some ponies have cuts, but”
She started to sing with her lightly hoarse voice, at first, no pony could have thought that this mare could sing, but it sounded beautiful to Fluttershy and gave her the feeling she wanted to cry in happiness.
"There was a tailor, had a mouse Hi diddle um come feed a They lived together in one house Hi diddle um come feed a.
Hi diddle um, come tintrum tantrum Through the house of Granny Hi diddle um, come over the lea Hi diddle um come feed a..."
Apple Jack sang the full song for Fluttershy and the cyan colored eyes of the Pegasus become bigger and bigger and wet, she did not know why, but she knew this song and it made her happy and sad at the same time. But Fluttershy was not the only pony listening to the song, there was also Big McIntosh. The big red stallion was staying at the open door with a happy smile. He doesn't want to interrupt the mares because he enjoyed the song like he would enjoy a big bright red apple. He knocked gently the door frame when AJ finished the song and both mares looked over to him, Fluttershy hides instantly behind her one wing and closed ashamed her eyes, making a cute, little, scared sound, like a little mouse. Apple Jack just sighed and walked over to her big brother “Big McIntosh Apple, why are you staying there like a creep?”
Mac did not say anything, he just walked in and put the additional Pillow and Blanket for Fluttershy from his saddlebacks on the bed. When he turned around to leaf the room again he spoke to his sister “I did not hear you sing since...” Apple Jack shut his mouth by putting her hoof gentle on it, just smiling at him and nodding. She hugged her brother and gave him a small kiss. Fluttershy blushed even harder when she saw that, hiding her face behind her mane and smiling gently.
Fluttershy could not go to bed directly, she had to go to the bathroom first, doing what a young mare had to do in the bathroom. After she cleaned her hooves and face she walked back to AJ's room, very quiet and careful, she doesn't want to wake any pony. On her walk through the dark corridor, she noticed an open door, it seemed like McIntosh had forgotten to close behind him. She just wanted to close the door for him, but then she saw him. She saw him from behind while he stretched his limbs and she could see anything! She saw these parts of a stallion before, but this time it was somehow different. She looked in another direction and closed her eyes, trying to calm her fast heartbeat down. She knew she should go to bed now, it was not nice peeping on other ponies.
When she opened her eyes Big McIntosh stood right in front of her, she could admire the muscles under his red fur and follow some sweat drops when they rolled down. He was again so close to her, his musky smell filled the air and made her light-headed. She could not speak one single word and he was silent too when he grabbed her with one arm and pulled her inside. Big McIntosh was a very large stallion, right? Several her size and weight, even with both wings she could not fight him and even if she wanted to, she could not prevent what he wanted. It was her first time and she was forced down on her belly, while her buddy was rubbed over the hard wooden ground the two sweating Ponies became one. The room was soon filled with moaning and musky smell and it hurt, it hurt much inside Fluttershy, but she doesn't want to scream for help, why did she not wanted? How was this feeling? She opened her mouth lightly and wanted to say something.
“Ma'am?” the deep rough voice of McIntosh ripped Fluttershy from her strange fantasy, her cheeks were blushed and her healthy wing was fully spread. The red stallion has found her in this position when he turned around and was worried about her. “Ma'am Fluttershy, do you need help?”
The following “EEEEP” was the biggest “EEEEP” in the young history of Fluttershy. She dashed away even faster than her friend Rainbow Dash to hide in Apple Jacks Bed under the blanket. She shivered hard like she was scared to death. Apple Jack was confused and looked under the blanket “Sugarcupe? What happened?” when Fluttershy raised the blanket could AJ see her suspicious face “yah shakin' like a rattlesnake in a field o' strawberries.”
“I don't want to talk about it.”
“Awww, come on, we are friends, you can tell me anything!”
“Let's just say, I had some kind of... nightmare.”
“So you had a bad dream, in the bathroom?”
“It was not really bad.” Or was it? “I just don't want to have another.” Or did she?
“I don't understand but when I had a Nightmare and was too afraid to sleep, there was only one thing that could help.”
“Oh? What is it?”
Apple Jack smirked and crawled under the blanket like a snake, she was fast enough so she could snuggle under Fluttershy's Wings and hug her tight. At first, Fluttershy wanted to escape, but the blanket was in her way and Apple Jack was strong. The fur of the two young mares was rubbing to each other, giving both a light ticklish feeling. Fluttershy could feel how warm Apple Jack was and how her breath stroke over her chest and down her belly. The young cowgirl holds her with both front legs, but it was just a light grab and the shy timid Pegasus knew she could escape anytime.
This is not bad, right? Apple Jack is also a female so this was not wrong, or? Fluttershy never spends much time thinking about stallions and mares. She was sure that she was not into mares, but it felt good being hold by somepony and somehow she trusted Apple Jack.
Soon the two mares snuggled up together, becoming a fluffy fur ball in yellow and orange.
It was early morning on the apple farm. Granny was in the kitchen together with little Apple Bloom and Fluttershy. The elder mare was looking out the window with a smile. She saw Big McIntosh and Apple Jack working in the orchards, the siblings were working together like in good old times. It was a hard time for McIntosh after the death of his parents. He became very grumpy and was full of rage, it scared Granny Smith how much he changed, but she always believed in his good heart and gentle nature. And now he worked with a smile again, together with his sister and most ponies would think that it became better thanks to AJ's return, but granny knew better. Big McIntosh was like his father, his greatest weakness was always a pair of big beauty mare eyes. This Fluttershy Pegasus had such eyes, she was a lot like Pearbutter, a gentle mare with a heart full of love. Fluttershy was taking care of little Apple Bloom, the foal was in its high chair and made some happy little filly noises while drinking milk from the bottle.
"You have a good appetite for such a young filly." Shy's voice was gentle, nearly whispering, but it was also quite in here and Granny could hear it.
"She is an Apple, that's totally normal." Granny spoke with a smile "Big Mac's mother was a healthy strong earth pony and had to eat six apples more a day while she was nursing... and I guess a thin pegasus mare would have to eat some more." Granny Smith was an old fashioned mare, but after what happened between the Apple Family and the Pear Family she knew that the most important thing was her families luck. So it was not important if the mother of her great grandchildren was a pegasus or not, as long as anyone was happy and healthy.
Fluttershy looked over to her, she was not able to hear the last part because Granny spoke extra quite "Oh? What are you making over there?"
"Making a pie."
"It smells good. That is apple pie, right?"
"Eeyup, like my mom did like my grandma' did and every apple mare before her."
"Is there a special occasion today?"
"Since when do you need a special occasion for apple pie? I make at least one every day... ha! When I was at your age I made four to five every morning."
"Ah! I understand that is fitting to your cutie mark!"
Granny laughed a little "Yeah, I got it when I finished my first pie together with my mother. What about you? Butterflies?"
"Oh!" Shy blushed heavy, she was still not used to her cutie mark "it has to do with my love for animals, I mean it's hard to describe."
"So you are good with animals?" Granny looked over to the table, that white little bunny was sitting there, chewing on a carrot.
"I think so, yes."
"We have some animals here, lamps, piglets, cows and so on. Our piglets are eating less and less these days, maybe you could check that?"
"Oh! I am happy to help anytime!"
Big McIntosh was working for three hours, already covered in sweat and his muscles flexed to the maximum. Work was easier with Apple Jack, but this was no reason for slacking off, he worked as hard as always and Apple Jack did her best too. They took a break to drink some cold water from the well. Mac used the first bucket full of water to splash it over his head, his mane and fur got soaked and start glittering in the suns light. His muscles were swollen and the water run over his fur, looking at him in this state made a lot of mares feel like in heat.
"Nearly forgot how good working feels." Apple Jack smiled honestly while getting a bucket of water for herself "My muscles hurting already and burning like fire... I love it. What do you think Mac? Big McIntosh?" she looked confused to her brother, he was looking over to the pigsty where a certain yellow Pegasus was. "Hey! Big Mac!" AJ splashed some of the water on his neck and the big red stallion made a jump and snapped out of his little dream. "If you want to talk to her, just do it, I can do the rest alone." He looked at her and wanted to say something, but she cut off his words by putting her hoof tip on his lips "You are speaking way too much big brother, I already know what is going on... Wait" AJ realized something and her big green eyes became even bigger "you don't know it yourself? Oh, Celestia, that is so you McIntosh!" The big red stallion became confused, but his sister just continued to talk "Just walk over to her and speak."
McIntosh walked over to the pigsty. Fluttershy did not notice, she was totally into talking with the pigs and piglets. Of curse, the animals could only do "oink" and some other grunting sounds, but it seemed like Shy could understand them and answered them with her quite whispering voice. She seemed way more relaxed when she was with animals and McIntosh had to smile when he saw her working.
"The last Mare I saw doing so good with the animals was your mother." said granny to her grandson "I mean she was very eager working on the fields too, but no pony reached our animals as she could."
"Eeyup." He nods and walked over to the door. He opened it and it creaked loud, the pigs looked up and Shy turned around, blushing like she was coughed doing something forbidden.
She walked over to him, trying to hide that beautiful big eyes with her mane, but he was looking for them and smiled when he found it.
"Ehm... I... I talked to them... and... I think I know why they eat so less." She was not able to look at him without blushing and also she had to smile when she saw him, she tried to avoid his view, but she enjoyed it "It's about the door... the squeaking scares them. I think if you manage to feed them without opening the door it would be alright again. They are very sensitive to loud sounds."
Mac smiled, he made a mental note here, he would repair the door as soon as possible. But he also smiled because he was so close to shy, even here, in the pigsty, he could smell her fine scent when he was so close. It made his heart beat faster and gave his body the most strange tingle in his chest. Maybe she felt something similar? She had to smile too and this was a very nice smile, he could look at that like forever.
“Hey, get a room you two.” That came from Apple Jack, she chuckled when she came over.
Mac could feel how his cheeks became warmer, he blushed, as well as Shy. He had to clear this situation fast before something happens! “Ah! I Remember now! I wanted to show you something!”
Fluttershy followed Big McIntosh to another place, it was just like 15 Minutes walking from the farm.
On the way she walked behind Mac and had Angel Bunny on her back, the little bunny was munching on a bit lettuce. Shy was using her healthy wing to make sure he would not fall from her back. She cared about the safety of that bunny but also had a lot of interest in the stallion right in front of her. She still had to think about this little fantasy she had in McIntosh door, about him and her, having very painfully sex against her will, but she liked it? She never had such fantasies before, why now? Because she got her cutie mark? Or because of him? Because she lost her home and was looking for something to fill the hole in her heart? Or was that something more? Why was she happy just looking at him, why did she feel safe when she was close to him, even if her life was so miserable right now? Why was it that she just wanted to hold him and behold to him, even if it hurts?
She nearly bumped into him when he stopped walking. Shy could see they were at the edge of the forest, also there was a small river and a huge old tree with some kind of hut in it. Anything here looked so peacefully, it was far from the city and quite. BigMcIntosh walked through the river, it was not deep, only reached to his knees. He turned around and offered his hoof to her. She smiled and took it, it was a special moment. The touch of his hoof was enough to send tingly waves up and down her spine and made her healthy wing flap a few times. With one move he lifted her on his back and she was riding on his back like Angel Bunny was riding on her. She holds to him and pushed her muzzle in his mane, gently sniffing and shuddering in delight. She had to admit one thing: Big McIntosh was the first stallion that gave her that special feeling, the other fillies in flight academy spoke about. McIntosh and Fluttershy arrived on the other side of the small river and she still was holding to him and it seemed like McIntosh let her hold to him. He walked up a small hill to the big old tree.
“I wanted to show you this here.” he gently touched the tree
“A tree?” she asked without letting go of him.
“Well, yes, but also when I was young we used to spend a lot of time here, the tree is very alive, but it has some huge space in it. Old Stallion Logan used to live here, he was the forester. I think I could gather some ponies and put this place back in shape... it would make a very good home for you... It is peacefully, you have many little critters like your friend around, no pony will bother here” and it was close to his home! He could visit her every day “and it is close to the farm.”
