Big macintoshs day off

"Oh my, Macintosh, are you sure you can't stay here with me? It is... N-n-n-nightmare Night. Please?"

The Earth pony gave a comforting grin, and kissed the panicked pegasus on the nose. Fluttershy let her lips twitch in a small smile herself, but she knew the answer the follow.

"You know I'd love to Sugarcube, but I was asked to pull the hay ride this year. Wouldn't be fair to any pony for me to just shrug off my duty and deny somepony their night's fun. Besides, it's just little kids running around in costumes. You'll be fine. Angel will come and get me if anything really bad happens, so trust us."

The little rabbit saluted, if only to confirm he was ready to protect. Fluttershy wasn't visibly comforted by any of this, but she let Big Macintosh leave to put on his costume. Locking the door to the cabin, Fluttershy sat down and Angel brought over a large bowl of candy.

"Oh, well, I am stuck at home. I should be able to at least give out something..." Her stomach rumbled loudly. "Darn these cravings, I've been such the little piggy lately. Just about the only thing left to eat is..."

Her eyes fell on the packages sweets, a terribly un-Fluttershy-ish greed in her eyes. Angel stood tall, stood brave. Fluttershy, however, just seemed so focused on the candy, almost... predatory. So he decided to do the smart thing, and followed his rabbit instincts.

He ran like hell.

"Come back Angel, Momma doesn't want you! Just those sweets!"

Away from the cottage, Big Macintosh was in a good mood about tonight, despite the fact it had overridden their normally scheduled meeting. Everypony wouldn't have had their heart in the game anyway. He had to pull the cart, Applejack was running the apple bob, Zecora was doing her thing, Caramel and Lyra want to go to the festivities anyway. As for Pinkie... well, everypony in town knows Pinkie and sugar are like fish and water. Especially free sugar from every willing giver in Ponyville.

It was a shame though, because last time, they had stopped in the middle of a big fight against a hydra. Almost the entire party was unconscious except for him, but he knew what to do. Lay on Hooves on Zecora's druid, then she can bring up Pinkie's bard and the two of them can get us back on our feet. It'll be rough, but Applejack isn't the luckiest pony when it comes to rolls, so we should be safe for a bit.

The planning distracted him all the way home. Apple Bloom was jumping around like jackrabbit on a pogo stick.

"Mac! Mac! Ah got mai costume! Help me put et on, Applejack had to go set up the bobbing station, so she couldn't. Hurry! The Crusaders'll be here any minute!"

The brother chuckled as he helped his baby sister slip into the Bride of Frankenhooves outfit. She spun around looked herself over.

"Well, do Ah look scary? Will Nightmare Moon not eat me?"

Macintosh gave a dark chuckle as he finished putting his own costume on. The cloak swirled dramatically, and Apple Bloom took an apprehensive step backwards. It was in vain as he scooped her up in a hug.

"Nightmare Moon? My little Apple Bloom! You're so cute I could just eat you myself!"

Macintosh chomped his teeth at her, grinning as she beat weakly at his chest.

"Aw, shucks, lemme go! Ah'ma be late."

Big Macintosh set her down, watching as she ran off to join her friends, who were calling for her to get her flank in gear. He stood in the doorway for a moment, smiling to himself, when a thought hit him. I... haven't visited in a while, have I?

Walking down the rows of apple trees, he finally came to the thick trunk of the brown snout tree. The earth at the roots was still somewhat bare from the more recent addition. In its branches, a few late apples hung low. The first autumn chills had already come, so the harvest was going to start in full soon. But Macintosh decided this tree was going to bear its fruit just a little longer. Well, except for one.

The apple he gently bucked down landed perfectly between the two stones that marked the final resting places. He sat down, smiling softly.

"Well, it's our first nightmare Night without ya Granny. I know you never liked staying up late, but you always did like to help us dress up. Pawpaw liked this time of year too. We'd heat up the cider with a stick of cinnamon in everyone's mugs and just sit outside. Our breath would show in the cold night air and all of us'd just watch the stars.

We still do it Pawpaw, though the cider I've been making just ain't as good as yours. I know it too, because there are still some casks of your hard cider deep in the storeroom. Potent stuff now, it all but burns the lining off our throats if we dare drink it. Good for curing a cough though. Heh..."

Big Macintosh heaved a sigh, shaking his head.

"Well, I have used it for more than a cough lately though. Ever since you left us Granny, I'd been... enjoying it every now and then. I've been smart about it, never drinking more than a cup or two. Last thing I need is for anypony to see me all liquored up. Pawpaw, you know what I mean.

Heh, remember when I was little, you let me have a sip of your best stock? Burned like perdition! I thought I'd swallowed a coal. And you just laughed and laughed, ya old applebucker..."

Big Macintosh fell into silence, figuring he might as well stop talking to thin air. I have been talking a lot tonight. I've been talking a lot more in general. I guess life's been a little too complicated for just a Eyup or Nope to get me by. Bills, running the farm, the girls, Fluttershy...

"Hey Pawpaw Brown Snout. Have I told you about Fluttershy yet? I suppose it's a bit late now, seeing as she's bearing your great-grandbabies and all. And yes, the wedding's planned for Spring. I'ma be a man about it. Well, where should I start with that filly?

I think you'd have liked her, despite the fact you and pesagi never got on too well, cause if it weren't for the wings, you'd swear she was an earth pony. Well, that goes for any pegasus, but you know I mean different. Fluttershy's got this way with animals and kids, they both fear and love her.

She's quiet, but she's got an iron core to her that'll never bend. Why, once, when Apple Bloom was in danger from a cockatrice, she STARED it down. How many ponies can you think of that could look one of those scaly things in the eye and have IT blink? Besides you, Pawpaw."

A hollow laugh came from the stallion, a few tears working their ways down his cheeks. They smudged the makeup, leaving long streaks down the side of his face.

"It... It's not fair, is it? I know I told Apple Bloom it's how things work, but WHY? You two needed to have stayed longer. I wanted to share this with you! Why were you denied being able to watch me grow up into the big stallion like you wanted me to become?

I have ponies I can protect now! I have Fluttershy, my babies, the girls. Why couldn't you be around to see my journey completed? You've been gone for years Pawpaw, but... it still hurts. Every time I put on the vest and collar and hat... It hurts. Because it makes me think of you, and how much better you filled them than I do!"

Bitter tears stung his eyes, and the red stallion forced himself to calm down. Ragged breathes shook his massive frame, but he finally got a hold of himself. Macintosh looked forlornly at the stones.

"I... know this is not how I should be. If you WERE here right now, you'd probably pop me upside the head for blubberin' like this."

The stallion shifted on the cold soil, looking at the two stones and the single apple. He shook his head and kicked it away.

"I suppose asking you two to share one apple is kinda silly. Hold on I have something better in mind."

Big Macintosh left the graves for a few minutes, then came back with two cups of steaming liquid. It was hot cider, with a stick of cinnamon floating in it. They balanced haphazardly on the tray he held in his teeth, but he didn't dare spill a drop. Setting them down in front of the stone, he gave a small snort at his sentimentality. The twilight was already quickly fading to true night.

"Well, I spent too long here. I gotta go... I miss you two. An awful lot. Happy Nightmare Night..."

Big Macintosh left the streaked makeup alone. The lines down his face added to the creepiness of the outfit anyway, or at least he told himself. Deep inside, he was actually glad to leave the tears un-wiped. It was rare for him to be able to show emotion, so to have them out yet still hidden was a novelty he wasn't going to let slip away. His mood brightened once he got to work pulling the cart, and the physical labor for the rest of the night definitely put him at ease.

Meanwhile, at the Cottage of Cowardice...

"Oh dear... I ate all the candy. I'm so sorry about your tail Angel, I thought it was white cotton candy... but what will I do about the treaters?"

A knock came on the door, and panic took over.

"GOAWAY! NOCANDYHERE! NOVISITORSONNIGHTMARENIGHT!"

And all the way back at Sweet Apple Acres, the two mugs sat on the graves.

Empty.