Braeburn's Big Adventure

So lost in my thoughts, ah’d completely forgotten to set an alarm for the next mornin’. Luckily for me, the smell of delicious pancakes and hot coffee must’ve been enough to stir me. Ah shot outta bed all wide-eyed and ready to go, knowin’ ah had to be off with Big Mac in a matter of minutes.

“Now, what’re you doin’ up so early on your vacation?” AJ asked as ah made my way into the kitchen. “Ah heard ya comin’ down those stairs. Sounds like you’re in some kinda hurry.” Her and the others were all sittin’ at the table with a high stack of syrupy, buttery, apple pancakes in front of each of’em. Ah was the center of attention, all eyes were on me. Ah guess it made sense considerin’ ah was jumpier than a dog who thinks he’s seen a snake.

“Like ah said, cuz, ah wanna help out.”

“Ah know that, but that doesn’t mean ya can’t sleep in.”

“Ah know that too. Ah just, ya know, like ah said, wanted to spend as much time with y’all as ah possibly can.”

“Well, you best get eatin’ then. Here, lemme grab you a plate,” she said pushin’ herself out of her chair and fixin’ up another plate. Ah took the empty seat beside Apple Bloom and across from Mac, the same one ah’d had the night before. Right after my plate was set in front of me, ah doused my pancakes in syrup and started shovelin’ down bites. Ah wasn’t even all that hungry, my belly still pretty filled up from dinner. So why was ah eatin’ like it was the last meal ah’d ever have? Well, because ah was watchin’ Big Mac downin’ ginormous bite after ginormous bite. He was goin’ at an average pace too, but ah could barely even keep up with him.

“Are ya that hungry, Brae?” Apple Bloom asked, eyeballin’ me. With a bite in my mouth, all ah could do was mumble. Luckily for me, AJ came to the rescue.

“Now, Apple Bloom, you need to concentrate on finishin’ your breakfast and gettin’ ready for school. You should be pickin’ up the pace a bit too.”

“Ah know, sis, ah know. Just look at how fast he’s eatin’!”

“Finish your breakfast.”

Then ol’ Granny Smith chimed in. “Just means the food is good. Ah’d consider it a compliment, Applejack.” Ah woulda clarified for’em, but ah was still strugglin’ to keep up with Big Mac.

Right when ah got my last bite into my mouth, Big Mac was just standin’ up to leave. “Eyup, ah’m off,” he muttered softly. Ah pushed myself outta my chair as quickly as ah could and started jabberin’ with my mouth still full.

“Ah’ll join ya,” ah let out, then swallowed quickly.

“Nope,” he said with a short shake of his head. “Ah’ve got it.”

“Ah know you’re more than capable… believe me, but ah still wanna help. That, and ah can keep ya company… ya know, just like old times. Won’t it-”

“Nope,” he said again, this time ah was gettin’ a bit more foreceful feelin’ outa it. “Don’t wanna bore ya.”

“Now, Mac, you won’t bore me. Ah think ya make mighty fine company. Me bein’ there’ll make it less borin’, don’t ya think?” Before Mac could open up his muzzle to let out what ah was sure was another nope, AJ once again intervened.

“Big Mac, Braeburn just wants to spend a little time with ya is all. He came here all the way from Appleloosa to see us after all. Ah think you should let our cousin tag along with ya.”

“Er…. eyup, your right. Come on, Braeburn, we gotta get a move on,” he said a bit hesitantly, noddin’ to the door. Ah woulda yelped with joy just like the first time ah’d ran around doin’ chores with him, but ah figured showin’ that kinda excitement might make him go back on his word.

***

The morning air was as fresh and crisp as a newly picked apple, and dew covered the fields. The sun was just peakin’ up over the hills and lettin’ us catch a few of its early rays. Ah was wonderin’ what all Big Mac had to do considerin’ it was the middle of summer and nothin’ was fruitin’ quite yet. Turned out for the most part, it was repairs. He’d always been good at that too. Ah was so caught up in figurin’ out what to say that ah hardly noticed how silent it was until ah really paid attention. All ah could hear was birds singin’ their early mornin’ songs. Ah decided that what we were talkin’ about didn’t really matter all that much, as long as we were. So ah tried to get him goin’ with some small talk while he was workin’ on patchin’ up one of the fences.

“It’s a lovely day, huh, Mac?”

“Eyup.”

“It’s nice to see the farm again. It’s been a while.”

“Eyup.”

“And you guys too.”

“Eyup.”

“Ponyville’s lookin’ pretty nice.”

“Eyup.” Ah new that was one of his favorite words, but back in the day he’d say much more than that to me. Ah was wonderin’ what was up. Why was he bein’ so distant? What came between us? Ah then began to wonder if my bein’ there was makin’ him uncomfortable, and if ah should really be there at all.

“…It’s just like old times, huh, cuz? It’ll be like when we were little’uns.”

“…Eyup.”

Ah was makin’ absolutely no progress, and turns out, ah never did. Ah kept tryin’ and tryin’, but ah was gettin’ nowhere. Eventually ah just gave up and confined myself to my own thoughts. Ah was still followin’ the big guy around, of course, but there was no point in wastin’ my breath if he wasn’t gonna waste any of his either. Ah was wonderin’ if ah’d messed somethin’ up or said somethin’ wrong. Once ah started lookin’ back though, ah’d done nothin’. It was all him. It had to be. Tryin’ to be as hopeful and optimistic as ah could, ah figured that maybe he just needed another day or so to get used to me again. Even with that nice thought in mind, ah was still strugglin’ to stay content. It was especially so when the day was comin’ to an end and all ah’d gotten outta Big Mac were a lotta eyups.

With the sun startin’ to lower and our shadows growin’ long against the fields, Big Mac called it a day. Ah dunno if he was just tuckered out from his overtime the night before, or if he was just bein’ considerate because ah was around. Now, if that was the case, then at least ah knew some of his thoughts were on me. Ah was already losin’ hope though. So ah figured that wasn’t the case at all.

***

Returnin’ to the Apple family residence, we were greeted with a cheerful howdy from AJ, little Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith. “Was your day good?” Applejack asked, carryin’ a few plates out from the kitchen.

“Eyup,” Big Mac said with a nod. Not wantin’ to fake a smile or a happy attitude, ah nodded too, tryin’ to hold back a sigh.

“Hey, Brae, if ya want, you can give me a hoof tomorrow. Ah’d love to spend some time with ya and catch up.”

“Or we could sit out on the porch with some iced tea and lemonade and have a little chat. Ah could tell ya about the olden days,” Granny Smith quickly added.

Ah knew it’d sound a bit weird, probably a lot, but ah had to refuse both of them. Ah mean, havin’ the excuse of wantin’ to rest was one thing, but sayin’ ah was wantin’ to spend more time with Big Mac was another.

“Well… uh, that sounds good and all but ah’m gonna have to refuse… ah… uh… ah’d like to go out with Big Mac… er, ah’d like to tag along with him… ya know what ah mean, heheh…” Ah quickly whipped off my hat and wiped my brow, realizin’ that what ah’d said didn’t come out nearly as coolly as ah woulda liked. My eyes darted back and forth between AJ and Mac. She was lookin’ at me all curious like, and Mac, well, he was as wide-eyed as a trout seein’ a waterfall after it was too late. “…It’s because ah haven’t really had the chance to catch up with Mac in years, unlike with you.” Applejack nodded her head slowly as if she didn’t fully get it. Ah took a step towards her and leaned in real close to whisper. “Ah think he needs the company too. He always seems so lonely.”

“Uh huh,” she whispered back, noddin’ her head much more agreeably. “Well, there ya have it, Big Mac, somepony to keep ya company again.” Ah was eager to see his reaction but ah was suddenly bombarded by Apple Bloom’s talkin’.

“Oh, Braeburn, ah almost forgot! You can come spend time with little ol’ me too,” she said with those adorable puppy dog eyes of hers. “Ah’d even let ya sit in on one of our Cutie Mark Crusader meetin’s and maybe even come along on a crusade.”

“Well, now that’s mighty kind of ya, Apple Bloom, but ah’m gonna have to decline. Ah’d really love to and all, but don’tcha think ah’d be a bit outta place. Ah’ve already got my cutie mark after all, and ah’ve had it for quite some time too.”

She sighed and then gave me a frown as she thought it over. “Yeah, ah guess you’re right.” Before ah knew it, ah was sittin’ down for dinner and hearin’ about her previous escapades, her friends, and even her day at school.

***

Ah tried layin’ down for bed, a bit later than the night before even, but ah was still wide awake. Yet again, my mind was filled with thoughts about Mac. This time though, ah was troubled completely with worries and none of the good memories of our time spent together were fillin’ my mind. Ah was startin’ to feel like ah might’ve lost touch with Big Mac forever, that we’d never get close again. If ah didn’t get close with him, there was no way ah was tellin’ him how ah felt about him. Ah had no way of knowin’ how to continue or what to do or say. Ah was at a loss. All ah could really do was just keep tryin’ with him in hopes that he’d start feelin’ at least a bit more comfortable. The problem was, ah only had a few days in Ponvyille, and ah couldn’t spend all of’em doin’ that if ah wanted to tell him the truth.

Ah started thinkin’ ah could always come back again some other time if ah couldn’t quite get to him that trip. Ah could continue buildin’ our friendship back up that way. Ah knew that’d be tough though. Leavin’ Appleloosa for even the short time that ah was, was rough enough already. They needed me there to help with the apple orchards and what not. It might seem silly that missin’ one pony could do that, but it really did. Ah needed to keep up my income too. A pony can’t survive without his bits.

Well, considerin’ ah was thinkin’ and worryin’ up a storm, there was no way ah was gettin’ much sleep that night. Ah tossed and turned, kickin’ off my covers and then pullin’em back up a few minutes later. As ah was about to drift off for the first time that night, ah suddenly shook myself awake, rememberin’ ah’d forgot to set the alarm again. Of course after gettin’ that all ready to go, ah was wide awake yet again. Ah finally did end up fallin’ asleep though. Even though ah didn’t have a chance to catch the time before ah did, ah knew ah already wasn’t gonna be sleepin’ for long.