Octavia walked out of the stage. She and the rest of her band had just finished another concert at yet another one of those parties they attended. She stored her cello back at the bag and laid her back against a wall, standing only on her two rear hooves.
Frederick and the rest came along, although the other two kept walking, while Frederick, the band's piano player, stopped by Octavia's right side and now rested his back on the wall as well. The two of them kept in silence for about three minutes before starting to talk.
“What a crowd, uh?” Frederick broke the silence, reaching out for a box of cigars he kept and a lighter.
“No bigger then usual.” Octavia barely paid attention to the subject Frederick had came up with, looking to the other side, minding her own business. The crowd actually had been bigger this time.
“Hey.” Frederick called for her attention. “You thinking about Vinyl, aren't you? I heard you two had a fight this morning.”
Octavia sighed. “I don't want to talk about it, okay?”
Frederick lighted the first cigar and put it on his mouth. “I know you don't, but unless you do, you won't feel any better.” He stopped a moment to inhale some smoke and let it out moments later. “What was it about this time?”
Octavia looked down. “It's the way she acts.” She said. “Vinyl acts like a teenager. She doesn't care about the trash she leaves around the house or even how dirty she leaves the things. It's hard, and I decided to try and convince her of changing her way a bit.” She sighed again. “Maybe I was a little too harsh about it.”
Frederick reached for one for her right shoulder. “Don't you think that is because of the way she lives?” He asked. “I mean, she is a DJ. Her style of living is more relaxed, chilled, outgoing. That is just the way she is.”
“I know that. It's just that I didn't mean it to go bad like this.” Octavia now pressed her hooves against her head and slid down the way. She was now sitting. “I just wanted her to clean after herself sometimes, now that we are living together.”
“I see, I see.” He inhaled more smoke and let it out again. “And how did she act?”
“You know Vinyl.” Octavia replied at once. “She and her away of trying to counter-argument and getting mad after a while, just like a teenager.” She calmed herself before she said anything she would regret. “Problem is, I thing I went too far this time...”
“What do you mean?”
“I don't really know, I just know that I forced it and I probably put our whole relationship at stake” She replied. Her eyes were watering now and she forced them shut. “I just hope she goes home tonight after her parties.”
“Octavia, chill.” Frederick tried to comfort his band-mate. “Vinyl might have got a little angry, but she doesn't hold any grudge against others, specially you. She loves you, and you know that.” He then moved her head to look directly at him. He then wiped away one tear that scored down her face. “Now, look here. Relationships, even the good ones, have their problems. All you need is to understand each other and accept it other than trying to change it. When you see Vinyl, apologize to her and explain the situation more clearly, I'm sure she will understand.”
Octavia only looked into his eyes for a while thinking about what he said. She then gave a small smile. “Thank you, Frederick. I guess I needed a friend to show me that and snap me out of this.” He eyes were still watering, but she was feeling a little better.
Octavia sat on the couch they had at the main room of their house. She had with her a cup filled with hot coffee and was waiting for Vinyl to come home. It was already 4:53 in the morning.
Is she coming back home tonight? Octavia thought to herself, worried. Suddenly, she heard the door opening on the main hall. She felt her heart jumping as the sound of the main door closing came to her ears. She is home! She screamed in her mind in excitement. She is home! I didn't think she was really coming back tonight!
Vinyl walked down to main hall, but stopped surprised at the door to see Octavia. She didn't expect her to be awake at this hour of the night. She removed her glasses to make sure she wasn't just imagining things.
Octavia opened her mouth as to speak, but she realized she couldn't. She closed her mouth, looking at Vinyl, then calmed herself and tried again. “Vinyl, I uh... I wanted to apologize for this morning...”
“I...” Vinyl was without words. “I wanted to apologize too... I thought about it and I can see that I really can leave a mess laying around the house.”
“I had Frederick talk me out of the guilty... I thought you were going to leave me.” Octavia hid her face and blushed, either because she really loved Vinyl Scratch or in shame.
“Tavi, I'd never do something like that.” Vinyl moved close to Octavia and hugged her. “I know we had a fight, but I wasn't going to let it ruin what we have.”
“Frederick told me you would act like that. I didn't believe him at first.” She said. “I guess I just panicked a bit.”
“No, you were just worried about us, and I find that lovely of you Tavi.” Vinyl hugged her tighter. “Now, you have been up all night rolling your mind around this. What do you say you go get some rest while I clean my stuff up?”
“You don't have to Vinyl, I can get used to this mess with time.” Octavia tried to convince Vinyl that she didn't had to change, although she would love to have some clean space.
“I know what you are thinking.” Vinyl replied. “You are worried I changed, but I assure you the contrary. I will just clean up after myself” She said. “Sometimes” She whispered the last word. Octavia giggled.
“Oh!” Vinyl suddenly jumped while holding Octavia as if she had remembered something. “I almost forgot, I even brought you a present Tavi.” She then floated a headphone, similar to the one she would normally wear while doing her job, but with Octavia's cutie mark on it. “I bought it for you, you know, I thought you would like it.” She then blushed. “And because I also want you to be with me sometimes while I do my job.”
Octavia wore the headphones on her neck for now, and finally hugged Vinyl back. “Thanks Vinyl. I love it.”
One afternoon, over at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack walked over to her older brother. Big Mac was starring down the land, ready to hold more crops. The dirt was clean, fresh, ready to grow crops again after a long period of rest to restore the land and not have it go bad. An old farming technique used by many. Big Mac was starring across the long square of dirt they had by the barn and wondered how if there wasn't an easier way than usual to prepare the dirt for the seeds.
“Ready for another year, brother?” Applejack asked, with a smile on her face.
“Eeyup” Big Mac replied the same short answer he usually used, not even bothering to stop looking at it for a moment. He was just thinking.
Back when Big Mac's, as well as Applejack's and Apple Bloom's, parents disappeared, leaving them under the cares of her grandmother, Big Mac always felt like he had a responsibility. This farm was their, and Granny Smith was already an old lady, too old to take care of it by herself. All the other Apples were too busy with their own jobs that the farm wouldn't have been for him. At the time he was still very young, not just a little colt, but still young, but he knew what had to be done.
Big Mac took care of the farm, using old books he found around the house and learning about farming, he eventually became a master at farming. After some time of trial and retrial, and countless months without any success, Big Mac's determination made it possible to have the land they have today. Him and Granny Smith were able to have the farm going for a few years until Applejack grew and they became what they are today.
Each year they have to collect all the apples or crops they plant, he wonders if there isn't a faster way to collect it all without causing any problems for them, like back when the Flim Flam Brothers made an offer that would keep this worry off his head.
“I'm sorry big guy, but I have more responsibilities now, with all these conferences at the castle and all.” Applejack apologized to Big Mac, sensing his worry this time around. “Besides, you still own me from that time you hurt your back and couldn't help me collect the apples.” She smirked at her brother.
Big Mac sighted “Eeyup.” He said, once again.
It appears that, again, it was going to be only him and all that land
Standing over the fertile ground, Big Mac's gazed focused on one thing standing over at the field: His equipment. Each step closer to it remembered Big Mac about all the hard work he had done so far alone, and how he didn't want to go back to it.
Big Mac kept walking, regardless of his thoughts. He wasn't walking there because he wanted to, but because he needed to, each step getting harder and harder until he couldn't bear to do another one. It wasn't laziness. In all his years Big Mac worked hard to achieve what his family owns now, without asking for anything back other than their love. It was just that he didn't want to go back to working alone.
Still, he had to repay Applejack from what she did a while back.
He forced another step, but backed off before. He decided to sit down, this was going to take a while. His equipment didn't scare him, he had been using it for years. What scared him was the field. The big field of exposed fertile ground, ready for another season which would supply the farm with enough money and food for everyone in Ponyville, and while that thought of self-satisfaction which would come from another year of hard work pleased Big Mac, he just couldn't.
He started to think again about the past, on how a younger version of him managed to bear with all this, carry all this weight and responsibility alone before Applejack was able to help with anything, and of course Apple Bloom even today being too young to help with the farm, and the truth was that he didn't. He couldn't do all this alone even back then.
A year before Applejack decided to help with the farm, few months before she earned her cutie mark, Big Mac had to do this same work at the same field with the same piece of equipment. Granny Smith would become too old help pull the equipment around so she stuck with planting the seeds, while Big Mac would pull. Except that Big Mac didn't want to.
In that same year, a group of cows and bulls appeared in Ponyville, seeking some sort of shelter since their old homeland by the river would get destroyed by a series of natural disasters, the same cows who would stampede over to Ponyville for seeing a snake years later. Big Mac had the brilliant idea of asking Granny Smith if they could give the group part of the land by the river in exchange for a helping hand. Big Mac wasn't worried about how much the land was worth in bits and Granny could see the stallion couldn't get the job done all alone. A deal was made with the group: The group would get a new life in a region of the farm living however they choose while the bulls would help with farm for a while. All ended well and Big Mac was able to finish the job successfully and quicker than he would have done alone. After that, the bulls' help wouldn't be needed since Applejack decided to join the farm and the two would get the farm running better than ever.
But now, he was alone again.
Then, suddenly, out of his memory, Big Mac started jumping in circles in excitement as an idea to solve his problem came. He could just ask for help again, no problem. Big Mac stopped before Apple Bloom could even get the chance of seeing him like that and embarrassing herself in front of Sweet Belle and Scootaloo.
The group of cows would live north of the east of the farm, a possible ten minutes walking from the barn. Arriving there, he would see the cows and bulls taking a rest by the river. They enjoyed it there and Big Mac would try to use that for his advantage if needed. After all, the Bulls could just refuse to help since they deal was now completed.
“Big Mac, how good to see you!” One of the cows saw Big Mac and happily greeted him. “You don't usually visit us, it's just nice to see you here. I want to thank you and your sister for giving us this region of the farm for us, it really helped us at a time of need. Your kindness fills our hearts with happiness, you know?”
“Eeyup” Big Mac nodded with a smile.
“It's been so long since we last saw you, we have so much to catch up.” The cow continued the conversation. “But then again, you never been a stallion of many words.” Big Mac nodded in agreement. “I'm thinking you came by for another reason then, isn't it Big Mac? Have you come to talk with the bulls for help?”
Again, Big Mac nodded, only this time a little unsure if this was really a good idea. While the cows would be cheerful and happy, the bulls usually were more aggressive, taking fights between themselves trying to see who was the best, at least that's what a younger version of him remembers. Big Mac wasn't sure he was up for fighting over for help.
“Long Horn, can you please come over here for a moment?!” The cow shouted, calling for a bull who was chilling by the river, drinking water. “Big Mac wants to talk with you!”
The bull started making his way over. Big Mac watched as the image of the bull grew bigger and bigger. Wasn't as big as a dragon, but pretty big nonetheless. When the bull stopped he let a strong breath out. That scared Big Mac, specially if he had to fight.
But not as scary as the field.
“Big Mac, this is Long Horn, said champion between the bulls and their representative. Now, you wanted our help wasn't it?” The cow speaked.
“E-eeyup” Big Mac's voice breaked a little.
“Okay then, I will leave you two to talking then.” The cow said as she left and went back to her spot by a tree.
“How can we be of assistence Big Mac?” The bull calm and soft voice asked, breaking Big Mac's expectations. “I'm sorry if we make you feel uncomfortable.” He added.
Now calm, Big Mac was more willing to speak: “Years ago I asked I asked for help at the fields in exchange for this piece of land. I wanted to see if you could help me with it again.” Big Mac spoke calmly, afraid Long Horn's voice wasn't a sing of peace. “Except this time I don't have anything to offer in return other than the fact that we and Ponyville will both get our food supplies later than usual this time around.” Big Mac spoke more than he did all year.
“No worries, of course we will help. It's the least we could do, since you keep us fed and allows us to keep living here without asking for anything back except occasionally milk and other supplies we could offer.” Long Horn replied better than Big Mac expected. “And I apologize again for making you uncomfortable. In case you're wondering, the bulls decided to stop with the non-sense that was our fights. We realized we couldn't gain anything with it. Now we find enjoyment in other activities, such as reading.” The bull showed a reading glasses he kept hidden in his fur. “Now, I'll talk with the other bulls, and the are just equally as strong, to see about getting you some help. We will meet you at the fields as soon as we are ready, sounds good?”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac responded with a smile. Both turned around and started making their way around, preparing for a day of hard work.
“So you managed to get this all done in a afternoon?” Applejack asked.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac nodded with a smug of satisfaction
“And all alone?” Applejack asked.
“Nope.” Big Mac shook his head keeping the smile as he remembered all the effort from everyone.
“With the help of the bulls and cows by the river?” Applejack asked.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac replied, ending the conversation.
“Fair enough.” Applejack finished.
