No Way To Go

by Griffin Productions

Rating: everyone
Tags: Sad, Big Macintosh, Slice of Life, Cheerilee, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 1385

Some things just don't work out; and sometimes that thing is love.

Big Mac and Cheerilee are happily married. Or so it would seem. Applejack just can't shake the feeling that something is off.

Published 2015-03-04 15:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-03-04 15:40:02 UTC

No Way To Go

So, first off this is my first attempt at an MLP fanfic. I hope it's on some par of literature. It's not my first story, but it is my first about pastel horses, heh.
On a note for the story itself, I was listeing to Brooks and Dunn's "Ain't No Way To Go" song and I had always pictured Big Mac and Braeburn as the ones singing after becoming a brony.
So I though, well, use that for a basis. So here is the result. Please enjoy.

Applejack couldn't sleep. It wasn't that there was any noise to keep her awake, or any bright source of light to keep her eyes open. No, things were pretty quiet and dark around the acres this time of night, save for a few crickets here and there. Something else was bugging her.

It had been like this for awhile, too. In fact, she had a feeling it was when her older brother, Big Macintosh, had left to be with his new wife, Cheerilee. At first he had planned to stay and have a small house for the two of them on the acres, but something had caused that plan to dissolve. Impatience maybe? Who really knew. It was young love. Well, young-ish.

She rolled over to look out the window that was at her bedside. It overlooked the east orchard; the hundreds of apple trees swaying slightly in the soft breeze.

She supposed it was just because she missed her brother. Apple Bloom hadn't really gotten used to it either, but at least the young filly was still able to get some sleep at night. For some silly reason, knowing her older brother was no longer present in the farmhouse made it hard for Applejack to relax at all.

But why? She could handle herself, so it wasn't a lack of protection. She could take care of her younger sister and aging grandmother just fine by herself. She was also completely fine with taking a few extra hours in the orchard to make up for Mac's absence. But she still felt this sinking feeling in her gut about it.

She thought back to the day of the wedding; the beautiful decor created by Rarity herself had adorned the barn that had served as their wedding venue. White sashes hanging from the low rafters, flowers scattered in a complex pattern only a designer could have seen on the walls, the whole shabang.

She remembered all the faces; the emotions dancing across the room of multicolored ponies in their gowns and custom made suits. Joy, excitement, and even a bit of boredom from some of the younger attendees.

One facial expression she couldn't shake though was the one on the bride herself, Cheeriliee. She hadn't thought much of it before, but now that she remembered back, the school teacher had worn a rather...fake display of happiness.

Being the element of honesty, Applejack could usually tell if somepony was lying. She wasn't always correct, but had about a 90% success rate with such observations. Cheerilee had definetly not been 100% happy that day.

Why would a bride not be happy on her wedding day? Even though Applejack herself had not been fond of "lovey-dovey-horseplay", she would have been ecstatic should somepony she admired finally wed her. Had something been wrong with the cake? Maybe the dress was riding up? It had been obvious now that she thought about it that something had been off.

Maybe...maybe she hadn't been happy. What if she was having regrets about marryinf Big Macintosh? Silly as that sounded, it was a possibility. But, if Cheerilee was not in love with Mac, why had she said yes, or even dated him in the first place?

She shook her head. She was thinking way to far into this. Big Mac and Cheerilee were happily married. It must have just been something somepony said that day.

The orange farm mare turned on her sheets again, and suddenly, a rapid knocking sound was heard. It was loud, and growing more frequent. Somepony was at the door, and by the knocking, was more than likely in distress.

Applejack trotted as silently and as quickly as she could downstairs to answer before the noise woke her little sister. As she neared the wooden door hanging on antique metal hinges, she straightened what she could of her mane briefly and opened the door.

Big Macintosh, tear stains on his face and eyes puffy and red, stood before his younger sister shaking; a note held in his trembling hoof.
This was a sight she had never expected to see more than once. The only other time she had seen her big brother cry like this was when their parents had passed. What awful occurance had happened to cause this?

"Big Mac?" She spoke urgently, now fully awake. "Are you alright, big brother? What's wrong?"

Big Mac tried to speak, but a lump caught in his throat and he simpl handed the letter to her, trying to hold back another waterfall of tears.
Applejack took the note, and moved aside, motioning for Mac to come in and sit down.

The big red stallion trembled in and slowly made his way to the couch. He slowly sat down and did nothing but stare at the floor for a few moments. Applejack looked over the neatly written letter. The cursive was hard to read clearly, but she could make it out, as Rarity tended to write the same way.

" Dear Big Macintosh,
Let me start by saying, I'm sorry. This was a mistake. A mistake that I made, and should have given more thought to. I really like you, Big Mac....I really do. But...I don't think that I like you..."that way" any longer.
It's nothing you said or did. Goodness, it's never been anything about you. You're a good stallion who deserves the best. And since I'm writing this letter now, I myself am obviously not the best for you.
You see, Mac, I...have found feelings for another. We met a few weeks before our wedding. Remember when I went to run those late night errands? Yes, well...those had been some...interesting "errands." Oh, Celestia, I feel awful.
I have lied to you, and I feel as though I have led you on. I thought that I was in love with you, but if I had been, I would never have done the things I did with...with th stallion I am with now.
You really deserve much better than me, Big Mac. You are a good natured stallion, and you'll always have a place in my heart. I just hope one day you can forgive me.
Don't waste your energy looking for me. I'm not in Ponyville anymore. I boarded a train this morning at 4:30 a.m., and by the time you read this, I will be long gone.
Again, I am so, so, so sorry, dear. I wish I could end this by saying I love you...but I can't...because...I don't...forgive me.
Yours truly,
Cheerilee"

Applejack was shaking with absolute rage. How dare she? How dare Cheerilee lead her big brother on like that? How could she?
And on top of that, she had been cheating on him as well? Not weeks before the wedding?

Now she was sure she had been right about those facial expressions. Cheerilee had been hiding something all along. If only she had seen it sooner.

She tossed the letter down, and walked over to her brother, who was quietly sobbing into his hooves and wrapped her forelegs around him, hugging him tightly.

Big Mac returned the hug and wept into his sister's shoulder. After a few moments, he finally spoke in a cracked voice.
"I...I thought she loved me, AJ..."

Applejack was starting to tear up herself. Seeing her brother like this was heartbreaking, just like it had been all those years before.

"It's ok, big brother." She assured him. "Even if that liar doesn't love you like she said, me and Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith always will. We won't ever abandon you."

"She didn't even give me a chance to say goodbye.."

The two siblings held the embrace as outside some dark clouds began to form. The sky started to cry along with them.