Big Mac straightened up and wiped his brow with his hoof. He looked around him in pride at all the full barrels in the barn. His muscles groaned and ached as he walked to the kitchen. But it was a good ache – one that came from a good day’s hard work. As he pulled a fresh pitcher of apple juice out of the fridge he heard the front door slam. He smiled and poured a second glass for his sister. He turned to offer it to his sister and promptly put it back down as his sister galloped to her room. He frowned as he heard gentle sobbing come from upstairs. His frown turned to a worried expression as he trotted up the stairs after Applejack.
Applejack groaned when she heard her brother’s gentle knock at the door. “Go away Big Mac” she shouted as she hid her face beneath her pillow.
“Nnope” She heard as she snuck lower beneath her covers.
”Ahm fine” she called trying to muffle her crying. Silence answered her before another “Nnope” came from the stubborn stallion behind the door. Big Mac didn’t try to force his way in. He simply waited knowing his little sister would talk to him sooner or later. Applejack groaned in frustration when a few minutes passed and she didn’t hear her brother’s hoof steps walking away. She could just imagine him staring at her door with that patient expression on his face.
” Howdy Big Mac” a cheerful filly’s voice came from behind the door. “Watcha’ doin’? “ Applebloom asked in confusion at her big brother staring at her big sister’s door. “Is Applejack ok?” She asked beginning to get worried.
“Ahm fine!” Applejack shouted.
“Ok well Granny Smith says its dinner time so y’all better get moving before the apple fritters are all gone!” Applebloom reported before hopping downstairs to get to the fritters before her siblings. Everypony in the Apple family loved apple fritters and she wasn’t going to miss out. Food went fast in the Apple household and when it comes to apple fritters ‘you snooze you lose’ was the motto.
Big Mac smiled in satisfaction as he followed the filly to the table where a pile of steaming hot fritters sat just waiting to be devoured. After his long day in the fields he was hungrier than a jackrabbit after hibernation and if anything could get Applejack out of a funk it was apple fritters. His smile softened as he remembered that Apple Family Reunion when they ran out of fritters because of his sister and him.
But Applejack didn’t come to dinner. Big Mac started to rise from the table with a worried frown but a wrinkled green hoof stopped him.
Granny Smith smiled gently at her grandson,” just give her time, she’ll come down when she’s ready”.
Applebloom frowned for a moment wondering why her big sister wasn’t eating her favorite meal. Her frown disappeared as fast as it had appeared when she realized that it meant more apple fritters for her. She sighed in disappointment however when Granny Smith put some fritters aside.
“But she…” Applebloom started to complain, and promptly stopped when both Granny and Big Mac raised their eye brows at her.
“Is having a bad day” finished Granny Smith.
“Oh” Applebloom said softly and then put another fritter from her plate onto the plate for her big sister. Big Mac smiled at his little sister and split a fritter from his own plate with her.
“Gee thanks Big Mac” Applebloom grinned at her big brother as Granny Smith smiled at them.
Later that night Big Mac stood in front of Applejacks room again. He raised his hoof to knock on the door when he heard a muffled wince come from his sister’s room.
“Applejack?” he asked through the door. He heard a gasp and a muffled curse before she answered.
“Go away Big Mac.” But she didn’t sound as upset as she had earlier, no she sounded more… afraid than anything else. Normally Big Mac would never invade his sister’s privacy but something about her response scared him and he moved to open the door. His eyes widened in surprise as it didn’t budge. It was locked. He frowned in confusion. His sister never locked her door. Everypony respected everypony else’s privacy so there was no need to lock doors in their family. In fact most doors didn’t even have locks. This means either Applejack had bought a lock before she came home or she had blocked the door with something. Probably her dresser. A small nudge confirmed that the door was blocked instead of locked.
“Go AWAY!” Applejack shouted angrily as her door moved from the attempt to open it.
“Nnope…, open up” Big Mac answered determination strong in his voice.
“Big Mac Please” Applejack pleaded, “just leave me alone” a sob involuntarily escaping from her mouth.
“Applejack”
“NO”
” Applejack...”
” No” Applejack interrupted him,” you’re not coming in ya understand!”
“Eeyup and Nnope” Big Mac answered as he bucked his sister’s door down.
He stepped in to his sister’s room and surveyed the damage. Applejack’s door was in splinters and her dresser had a pretty big dent in it from where it hit the wall but all in all it wasn’t too bad. A very un-Applejack like whimper made him turn to face the bed. Judging from the quivering mass Applejack was hiding under the covers. Something she hadn’t done since she was a filly afraid of the dark. He gently laid a hoof down on the old quilt where he guessed Applejack’s head would be. He quickly lifted it up when he heard his sister gasp in pain. He grabbed the blanket in his mouth and pulled it off his sister in one quick toss of his head.
“No” Applejack cried as she reached for the blanket but it was too late.
Big Mac frowned and his eyes narrowed into slits as he took in Applejack’s appearance. Her body was covered in cuts and bruises. There was a long gash on her side that was only partially covered with a bandage made from old rags tied clumsily at one side. Her neck was bruised in a ring that looked like something or somepony had tried to strangle her. Her mane was tangled and clumped together in patches of mud and dark brown crust that looked suspiciously like blood. She had a black eye and her lip was cut and swollen. Her left ear was swollen and crusted with dried blood she hadn’t been able to clean off. Her forelegs had bruises and rope burn and her right forehoof was cracked.
Applejack tried to shift so her hind legs were hidden behind the rest of her but her brother stopped her with a look. He took ahold of the least injured parts of her body and gently turned her so he could examine the rest of her, ignoring her whimpers of protest, although it hurt his heart to do so. Her hind legs were so bruised and bloodied Big Mac was surprised at how fast she was able to gallop up the stairs when she came home. She had obviously tried to bandage them as well but judging by how swollen they were it was no surprise that the wrappings had all but fallen off, crusted in dried blood and torn where she had tied the rags with bits of string. Her tail was in even worse shape than her mane. It was burnt at the ends and had bits of unidentifiable debris in it as well as mud and crusted blood.
He couldn’t even see Applejack’s cutie mark she was in so bad of shape. Finished with his examination Big Mac stood up from where he was leaning on his sister’s bed and walked out of her room.
“Big Mac, Wait!” Applejack called as quietly as she could while still letting her brother hear her. Big Macintosh turned to see her try to get out of bed. Before she could he had crossed the floor and gently but firmly pushed her back to the mattress.
“Stay here” He said softly in a voice that was almost a growl. There was no mistaking the order in his tone or his face as he stared at her. Applejack gulped and lay still. Her fear of others knowing was outweighed by her sudden realization of how strong her brother was and she did not want to be tied to the bed like she had been when she broke her leg as a filly and her brother had caught her breaking the doctor’s orders of two weeks bed rest.
When Big Mac came back a few minutes later, not with a doctor or Granny Smith, but with a tray she was confused and relieved. Her relief faded when she saw the tray wasn’t filled with food but was instead filled with gauze, a bowl of hot water, ointment, rags and… a comb and scissors?
Applejack started to protest that she could fix herself but was quickly silenced by a glare from her older brother.
“Nnope” was all he said though and while she was glad she wasn’t getting a lecture she was pretty sure he was just saving it until after he cleaned her up.
Big Mac set his face in a grim determined line as he undid his sister’s attempts at bandages. She tried to hide the pain but he had known Applejack since she was born and he caught every one of her winces and jerks as she tried to move away from the stinging as he cleaned her wounds. Applejack knew he wasn’t going to stop until he had her completely re-bandaged her so she gritted her teeth and tried to hold still while her brother worked.
Finally, after what seemed like hours to Applejack but was probably only half the time, Big Mac tied off the last bandage. Applejack moved to get up from her bed but Big Mac gently but firmly pushed her back to her mattress.
“What…” Applejack trailed off as she now saw what the comb was for. “Oh come on, can’t ah eat now and fix mah mane later?” She asked in frustration as her stomach growled.
“Nnope” Big Mac said around the comb in his mouth and set to work freeing his sister’s mane and tail from mud, debris, and dried blood. Applejack sighed and held still although she did growl when he picked up the scissors and snipped out the burnt bits of her tail. Applejack may not care about her mane like Rarity does but she didn’t like the idea of somepony chopping it off.
Only when Big Mac was satisfied his work fixing his sister was done did he leave to get her some food. After sternly ordering her to stay put, that is.
He returned with reheated apple fritters and vegetable soup. As well as that apple juice he had meant to give her when she first came home. He sat down next to her on the bed and silently watched her eat. She ate the apple fritters by leaning her head down and eating like Rainbow Dash, but he insisted on helping her eat the soup after she dropped the spoon. It was difficult to eat with your front hooves bandaged when you’re not a unicorn.
Once Applejack finished her meal he cleared away the dishes and stood in front of her. Silently demanding to be told what happened. Applejack looked away. Big Macintosh waited patiently. He knew he could outlast his sister. And she knew she owed him an explanation. An hour passed before she sighed and started speaking.
“A few weeks ago Ah met this pony. A Pegasus named Comet Tale. He bumped into me while Ah was making deliveries.”
As she trotted along the path she pulled the map out of her saddlebags. “Ok so after this hill ah hafta turn right at the river and cut though the for…Hey!” Applejack shouted as a flash of red and yellow flew over her, causing her to drop the map and nearly over turning the wagon. She managed to right it but not before losing a couple of pies to the road. “Horse Apples” She cursed as she mentally did the math for the lost bits losing the pies would cause. She sighed. She would just have to go home after these deliveries and grab the extra pies Granny Smith had made for dessert. ”Horse Apples” she cursed again. And then jumped when she noticed that there was a stallion standing in front of her with a concerned expression on his face. He had a red coat and yellow tail and mane with a single streak of black in his mane. His cutie mark was a quill writing on a scroll spinning upwards into a cloud of smoke.
“He apologized and insisted on paying for the spilt pies. We got to talking and he tagged along for the rest of the deliveries. Then he gave me a flower he had picked on the way…”
“This is for you Dear Applejack as a further apology for my rudeness earlier” Comet Tale said as he presented Applejack with the bouquet he’d been gathering as they walked.
“Aw Shucks” Applejack blushed, a happy smile coming to her face. “It wasn’t as bad as all that”
“Never the less it was a terrible way to act before lady and you must allow me to atone for my boorish behavior” He said with a bow before tucking a daisy behind Applejack’s ear.
“Ah didn’t see him again for a few days until Ah ran into him in town…”
Applejack was galloping through Ponyville, hoping to get to the grocers before they closed. They were out of baking soda and she had completely forgotten to pick some up last week and there was another order of pies due tomorrow. Applejack was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she ran straight into a pony carrying a bag of groceries exiting the store. “Oof” The two ponies said in union. “Ahm mighty sorry Ah crashed…oh!” Applejack trailed off as recognition took hold of her.
“We really must stop meeting like this” Comet Tale said with a grin and a chuckle.
“He he” Applejack laughed weakly. “Sorry Ah crashed into ya Comet, Ah guess Ah wasn’t paying attention to where Ah was goin’.” She apologized as she helped Comet Tale gather his groceries that went flying when they collided.
“It’s quite alright my dear Applejack, I too wasn’t paying attention. Allow me to make up for it. Perhaps I can help you in your quest?” Comet Tale inquired.
”Oh its nothing Ah just need to get some baking soda for some pies for an order because Ah forgot get some last week because Ah got distracted and…” Applejack trailed off as she realized she was rambling. Comet Tale listened patiently with an amused smile on his face. “So yeah, Ah just need to get to the grocers…” ‘How does this pony do this to me? Ahm a grown mare but Ah act like a filly around him!’ She thought to herself as she resisted the urge to groan and facehoof, opting instead for another weak chuckle. When she turned to the door she did groan when she saw the closed sign in the window.
“Fret not my dear Applejack” Comet Tale proclaimed as he struck a dramatic pose. “the bakery is sure to have some baking soda to lend itself in the pursuit of apple pies.” He grinned at Applejack as he galloped off to sugar cube corner, Applejack close behind him.
They reached the door of the bakery at the same time and collapsed in laughter.
“Hello Applejack, What can I do for you?” Mrs. Cake said, as she opened the door to laughing ponies.” And who’s your friend?” She asked while smiling at the handsome stallion.
Comet Tale puffed out his chest and, still in his knightly voice, started announcing ”Kind Madam, My dear Applejack requires an essential ingredient for the creation of...” Applejack cut him off with a playful punch to the shoulder, “Could we borrow some baking soda please Mrs. Cake?” She asked politely.
“Of course Applejack, I’ll be right back.” As soon as the door closed Applejack and Comet Tale turned to each other and immediately burst into helpless laughter.
‘Ah, young love ‘Mrs. and Mr. Cake thought as they watched the happy couple out their kitchen window.
“Anyway that’s how he starting coming along on all my deliveries. He would just show up right outside of town and we’d chat until all the pies were delivered. Then one time he didn’t show up at the usual spot…”
‘Ah wonder where Comet is? He’s usually here by now.’ Applejack thought to herself as her cart grew more and more empty. When there were only a few pies left and she had resigned herself to the long walk home alone, she was surprised by none other than Comet Tale himself. He was strangely out of breath and he had an envelope between his teeth. “Howdy Comet” Applejack called as her friend flew down to meet her.
“Mewo Abblemaf orry ahm...” Comet Tale spit out the letter with an embarrassed laugh and started over, “Hello Applejack, I’m sorry I’m late. I missed the meeting point and I’m afraid I had a rather difficult time catching up.” Wordlessly he handed her the envelope. She looked at him curiously but he simply smiled and gestured for her to open it. Inside was a simple but elegant invitation to a sunrise picnic for two.
“Oh Comet” Applejack sighed, feeling unreasonably happy at the idea of a morning picnic.
“So he asked me out and since it was a date and all Ah went to Rarity”
Flashback starts and ends as she shakes her head to forget about it
“Well it was long and borin’-but-Ah-got-a-dress” She finished in one breath.” Ah got to the meadow listed on the invitation and waited for Comet to show up…”
“Comet?” Applejack called, looking at the approaching ponies with apprehension. ‘Why are they wearing masks?’ She wondered, ‘and what are they doing here?’ Applejack straightened up. ‘Maybe they’re some kind of sun worship group?’ Twilight had told her that those existed. ‘Well, it’s no cause to be unfriendly.’ “Howdy folks” Applejack called out smiling at the unfamiliar ponies. “Ahm Applejack, Pleased to meet y’all.”
The ponies stopped and looked tone of the ponies at the front of the group. He was wearing a cloak as well as a mask so she was only guessing he was a he. With a nod of (his?) head the ponies all suddenly darted forward. “What...” Applejack said before she was grabbed from behind in a choke hold. She had been so focused on the leader of the group she hadn’t noticed when they started to surround her. She tried to buck her captor but her dress got in the way. “Horse Apples” She cursed, struggling to get free.
“Ha ha ha” the leader laughed and Applejack froze. She knew that voice. He (for now she knew it was a he) flipped back his hood with a toss of his head and raised his mask as he chuckled. “Oh my dear, dear Applejack. You do seem to have a habit of getting yourself in trouble.” He grinned his charming smile as horror dawned on Applejack’s face when she realized she’d been tricked.
“Ahm such a fool” Applejack sobbed into her brother’s shoulder as he wrapped her in a hug. “Ah couldn’t fight because of a stupid dress and when Ah had a chance, Ah…Ah just ran away crying like a little filly. He never liked me. Ah was just a game to him. And now noponies’ gonna be able to stop them. They wore masks and…and they’ll do it again to some other foolish mare who listens to smooth lies and pretty smiles because Ah didn’t stop em.”
Applejack started sobbing all over again, “Ah couldn’t let you and Granny smith and Applebloom see me like this. It’s all my fault. Ah listened to that pretty smile and those fake words and…and…Ahm a failure!” She spat out between sobs.
“Nnope” Big Mac said sternly.
“Huh?” Applejack turned her head to look at her big brother.
“Now you listen to me, Applejack. It ain’t your fault for what those varmints did! You did nothin’ wrong. And you don’t ever have to hide from your family. We love ya and we always will. Ya hear?”
“But they’ll just get away and…and just do it again in some other town to some other mare!” Applejack sobbed and curled tighter against her brother.
“Ah Won’t let that happen” Big Mac silently promised as he held his little sister until her crying stopped and she fell asleep curled up against him.
When Big Mac woke before dawn the next morning he gently slid out from beneath Applejack so as not to wake her. It broke his heart to see her like this. His little sister was always so strong and it hurt to see her so scared. He quietly walked to his room and packed a few items in his saddlebags. He left a note for Granny Smith saying that he was going on a trip to take care of some business and would be back soon and to let Applejack sleep in. He understood that telling Granny Smith was something Applejack would need to do on her own. His eyes narrowed and his mouth set in a firm line as he whistled for Winona. She bounded up to him happily with her ball expecting to play. She dropped it however when she sensed her master’s mood. It was time to work. Big Mac held a piece of cloth from Applejack’s tail under her nose. “Track” He ordered. Winona let out a soft growl and they went off to find a couple of varmints.
The moon was just starting to rise when Big Mac and Winona came across an abandoned property in an old logging town. They quietly made their way behind the tree line, being careful to stay out of view from the house. When they reached the old mill Winona let out a soft bark to let her master know that they had found what they were tracking. “Good Girl” Big Mac praised the loyal dog. He fed her a treat and sent her home. This was going to get dangerous and he didn’t want Winona to get hurt.
After checking the perimeter to make sure there was no back way out Big Mac settled into a bush for a long wait. He was after one stallion and if there was one thing Big Mac was good at it was patience.
His patience paid off when he saw a red Pegasus walking out of the building. Big Mac went through a mental checklist before emerging from the bushes.
‘Red? Eeyup,
wings? Eeyup,
Yellow mane with black streak? Eeyup,
scroll cutie mark? Eeyup!’ With that Big Mac revealed himself, right in the path of one very startled varmint.
“Well hello, I’m dreadfully sorry for bumping into you, I didn’t see you there.” Comet Tale said smiling at the very large very silent stallion in front of him and wondering how he could have missed him when he checked outside before coming out.
Comet Tale waited a moment for the strange stallion to move or say something.
“Can I help you?” He asked when the stallion just stared at him.
“You can tell me your name” Came the response.
“Oh dreadfully sorry, how rude of me” Comet Tale apologized, “My name is Comet Tale, Pleased to meet you Mr...”He held out a hoof and waited for the stallion to fill in his name but he just stared at him. After an awkward moment of silence Comet Tale lowered his hoof and the stallion opened his mouth
“Macintosh, Big Macintosh”
‘Big, well that certainly suits him’ Comet Tale thought before something occurred to him. That name sounded familiar. ‘But where could I have heard it, I’d certainly remember meeting a stallion of this size’
“Have we met before Mr. Macintosh? I dare say your name sounds mighty familiar” He asked politely.
“Nnope” Big Mac answered still staring at the smaller pony. Suddenly Comet Tale caught sight of this mysterious stallion’s cutie mark. A big green apple cut in half.
‘Oh pony feathers’ Comet Tale thought to himself, ‘I might be wrong’. He smiled politely at the big stallion although it was a bit forced. “I couldn’t help but notice your cutie mark,” He said though his fake smile, “are you by any chance related to the Apple family?”
Big Mac Suddenly smiled, it was quite unnerving to the smaller Pegasus, “Eeyup” He answered leaning closer, “Ahm Applejack’s big brother” and promptly clocked Comet Tale in the face.
Sometime later Shining Armor, The Captain of the Royal Guard, received a very large package. On the top was a short letter from Big Mac. After reading the letter Shining Armor chuckled and called for a couple of his guards. When they arrived he used magic to open the box and levitate the 'slightly bruised' Pegasus into their custody. “Put this Varmint in the stocks and contact the princesses immediately!” “And get me Lieutenant Bronzewing!” He ordered.
“SIR, YES SIR” The guards saluted and left with the now even more terrified Pegasus.
“Captain Armor Sir!” Lieutenant Bronzewing stood at attention.
“Lieutenant ready your troops! We have some varmints to round up!” Shining Armor ordered with a determined smile on his face.
“SIR, YES SIR!” The lieutenant replied happily, his troops were getting bored without any action and this sounded like a lot of fun, judging by the expression on his captain’s face.
Applejack woke up to see Granny Smith and Big Mac smiling at her. She sighed, happy that her brother was right and that Granny wasn’t disappointed in her. She had gotten a lecture about not them as soon as she got home but that was a small price to pay for the love of your family. She looked at Big Mac and her smile turned to confusion when she saw his black eye and bruised hoof. Granny Smith handed Applejack a tray of food while Big Mac helped her up.
“Ah’ll let you two talk” She said with a smile as she slowly walked out of Applejack’s room.
Big Mac opened his mouth to explain but Applejack cut him off with a hug. “Thanks Big Mac”
“Eeyup” Big Mac answered as he carefully hugged his little sister back.