Bigger Macintosh

Part 2: Potential

Big Mac found himself on a barren plain that stretched out as far as he could see. The sky above was a mix of swirling colors like the northern lights, and the air was absolutely saturated with magic. There was a soft wind blowing, and he felt a dull malaise creeping over his senses. He looked around to see if there was anypony else, but he was completely and utterly alone.

That is, save for one other thing. An enormous piece of metal in the shape of an eight-pointed star was sticking out of the ground like some sort of alien monument. The north and south points of the symbol were much longer than the others, and in its center was a bright, pulsing diamond. The metal was blue and crystalline, and glowing bits of plant matter hung from its edges that were reminiscent of ivy. The entire thing was covered in cruel, spiked chains with links bigger than his entire body, and they were so long that they stretched off far into the horizon and out of sight.

Big Mac took a step back, shivering at the amount of magic in the air. “What the…”

Do you wish to be a hero? a bodiless voice asked.

Big Mac jumped. He looked around to try to find the speaker, but no such luck. All that was around was him and the strange monument.

“Who’s there?!” Big Mac said.

I sense the desire in your heart, Macintosh Apple. The voice was female, and it echoed all around him, ringing in his ears and touching his very soul. I have sensed it for some time, truth be told. You wish to be more than what you are, to be like your sibling and aid in protecting your world. You yearn for the chance to prove yourself and make your ancestors proud. Am I wrong?

Big Mac was frozen in place. The words were jarring and blunt, but they couldn’t be more true. He realized that the voice was coming from the monument, and he didn’t like any of this one bit. His heart was now hammering in his chest, but the words resonated with him so much that he couldn’t help but reply.

“E-Ee-n…” he gulped and wet his lips. “Erm… well, I’ll admit ya hit the nail on the head, but who are you, exactly? What do ya want?”

The diamond’s light flickered softly. I was once many things. In life, I was the beloved ruler of my people; a lover of trade and a seer that could see glimpses of the threads of destiny. But I grew selfish and arrogant, and the seeds of cruelty were planted in my mind. I became a wicked soul consumed in a quest for total domination, and my greed and lust for power ultimately brought about my end, as well as the end of my people. My punishment has already been decided by the gods, but I have been offered a small chance to redeem myself and reduce my sentence. To that end, you have been brought before me to be given a choice.

Big Mac could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. This was all utterly crazy, but despite that, he couldn’t help but ask the alluded question.

“An’ what choice is that?”

The voice spoke clearly without any stutter. There is potential within you, young Macintosh, potential that one of your gods has already seen and become drawn to. I would like to utilize that potential as well, but only if you are willing. There is a great threat is on the horizon that threatens your world, and only the power I can provide will be able to stop it. I’ve brought you here to ask you a simple question: If you were given a chance to be all that your heart desires—to be a hero, a protector, a pure and righteous force for good—would you take it? Would you take of the mantle of responsibility and defend your home?

Big Mac couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was this all real? Was this all a joke? He had dreams of being a white knight all the time but this… this was different. This was practically surreal, and every one of his senses was tingling. It felt like he was really there in that moment in time, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

“Ya’ll can’t be serious.”

Ah, but I am quite serious. The chains constricting the monument rattled in the wind. You wish to do more than chores on your little farm? To be like your sister? To feel like someone special, maybe even someone’s hero? This is your chance. I’m offering you what you’ve always wanted; the only catch is that you have to actually defend your home against a cataclysmic threat, and if you fail, everything you know and love will be destroyed.

Big Mac chewed on his lip. “I… I don’t really understand.”

The voice let out a long, windy sigh. The strong, silent types never are known for their analytical skills. All will become clear to you shortly, Macintosh. All that’s required of you now is a simple yes or no. What will it be?

Big Mac sucked on his teeth. He still wasn’t entirely sure whether this was real or not, but if it was, it wouldn’t do very well to go and pass up such a golden opportunity. He wasn’t too keen on his  home being threatened, and it didn’t sound like this voice had been very nice when she’d been alive. But she did sound sincere, and if the magic in those chains was as strong as it felt, then he doubted she’d be in a position to lie.

He decided to roll with it.

“Eeyup.”

The monolith glowed with otherworldly power. Then let it be done.

There was a crack like thunder. The magic in the air seemed to thicken, and then all at once, bolts of multicolored lightning began striking Big Mac from all directions.

“GAH!”

Big Mac fell to his knees, but almost immediately, his cries turned into groans of pleasure. The magic felt good… really good! It was hot and pulsing, flowing into him with the rhythm of his heartbeat. He felt himself rising up into the air, and before long he was lost in the sensation of pure, delicious power. More and more magic surged into him, dancing through his skin, muscles and veins, and he could feel the raw power building within him, more and more and more!

The threat is nigh, the voice warned through the euphoria. You must act quickly and without hesitation, for this evil is not something that your Chosen Six will be able to defend against. Not even your gods will be able to help, although the Trickster might be able to provide some aid. In the end, though, you will need to act alone, for your strength will be the determining factor.

Big Mac could feel the magic changing him. He wasn’t sure how to describe it, other than something fundamental about his very being was being... altered. He cried out again in ecstasy, his yells echoing long and loud across the ethereal plain.

You have the soul of a protector, Macintosh, the voice said. The symbol was now fading in and out, its features becoming blurred and indistinct. You cherish your family and value the preservation of life. You love those close to you with all your soul, and the friends you make, while few, are loyal and lifelong. You remind me of myself before I gave into corruption and strayed down the path of evil. Perhaps that is why I have faith that you will succeed in this. Trust in your heart, young one, and all will be well...

The power continued to flow into Big Mac, seemingly without end. His eyes shining like beacons in a starless night. His whole body felt tight, coiled up, like a spring held just waiting to be released. He felt like he was going to explode, but nevertheless he continued to absorb all the magic given to him, determined to receive it all without complaint.

Finally, it was done. The magic was fully transferred to Big Mac, and his whole body glowed with harmonious might. He touched down on the plain, and when he opened his eyes, a prismatic glint could be seen shining within them.

“Whoa,” Big Mac gasped.

It is done, the voice said in a faint whisper. Go forth, Macintosh Apple. Wield my power for good, and show your world what kind of hero you can be...

Big Mac blinked several times, still regaining his senses. “W-wait! I still—

*+*+*

Big Mac jolted awake. He sat upright and looked all around, his eyes wild and confused. He was in his room, it was just before dawn, and nothing seemed out of place. He sat there for a while, gasping for breath and rubbing his temples, the fog of sleep slowly clearing from his mind. After a moment or two he regained his senses…

...and that’s when he noticed the first change. His rump was scrunched up against the hoofboard, and his legs hanging far, far out over the bed.

Big Mac did a double-take. “What in tarnation…”

Unless the rest of the world had shrunk, it looked like he’d grown several feet in his sleep.

His extra-large bed couldn’t quite contain his extra-extra large frame anymore, the springs creaked loudly with every shift of his weight. His favorite blanket now didn’t even come down to his thighs. His whole body was spilling over the bed in every direction, and it felt like he was in a foal’s bed.

Thump-thump!

Big Mac gasped. The power from the dream was within him, pulsing mightily in his chest like a second heartbeat. It was now flowing out to fill the rest of his body, filling him with a hot, amazing sensation that made him shiver with excitement.

Big Mac stared at his own hooves in awe, watching the fetlocks become thicker, longer, and wider with each passing second. The rest of his body followed suit, gaining more and more bulk, the rippling, chiseled muscles swelling with his every breath. It was an adrenaline rush like Big Mac never experienced, and he felt like he could rip a full-grown apple tree out of the ground without any trouble.

And the sensation was only getting stronger.

In that moment Big Mac guessed that he’d doubled in size, but by the looks of things, he wasn’t going to stay that way for long.

“Ah, shit...” He tore off his blanket and got to his hooves…

...only to smash his head through the ceiling.

CRUNCH!

Big Mac staggered. The force of his motion inadvertently punched a hole in the roof, the sturdy timbers falling away as if they were toothpicks. The floorboards now began to groan under his still-increasing weight, bending and creaking as they threatened to fall away.

“Double shit!” He did the only sensible thing he could think of. Turning around and ducking down low, he aimed for the window and dove out into the night.

CRASH!

It wasn’t as bad of a fall as he’d expected. Sure, he’d been up on the second floor, but it didn’t seem to matter much. He barely even stumbled as he came down with a heavy thud and jumped away from the falling glass, cringing as he turned around and saw the giant hole that was now in the side of the house.

Damn it. That was gonna take weeks to fix.

Thump-thump!

The power inside Mac flared again, and the light in his eyes shone brighter.

“Ergh!” He felt another great burst of burning energy, the ground cracking beneath him as he inched upward. The stretching of his limbs and barrel was almost audible as he was forced to widen his stance more and more, and he had to bite his lip to prevent himself from voicing his pleasure. He grew until he found himself being eye-level with the hole in his room, and then kept going until he was looking down at it.

“BIG BROTHER?!”

BIg Mac looked down. Standing at the front door were Apple Bloom, Applejack and Granny Smith in their pajamas, staring at his giant form with incredulous eyes.

They didn’t even come up to his ankles.

Big Mac winced. “Uh…”

And then all hell broke loose.

SHWUMMM!

A titanic tear in space ripped open over the western orchards. The night sky was lit up by violet, crackling light sparked out of the hole like lightning, and a deafening, screeching sound like the scraping metal filled the air.

The Apple mares yelped and covered their ears. Big Mac merely pinned his back and narrowed his eyes.

“Fast...”

The tear lengthened and widened. The air became filled with the sharp smell of ozone, and the light became so bright that only Mac could look directly at it. There was an incredible CRACK, and then slowly, surely, something began to step out of the rift...

...something big, foul, and made of stone.

“EENOPE!” Big Mac sprinted for the rift. The farmyard shook and rumbled with his mighty steps, and he got to the edge of the orchard in seconds. The trees were still bigger than him, though, and while he knew he was strong enough to push his way through the twenty-foot tall specimens, they would definitely slow him down.

He didn’t have time for that.

Thump-thump!

The power within him pulsed mightily, his whole body shimmering in reply. He began to grow again, his whole perspective shifting as the ground fell farther and farther away. His body bulged and quickly became the height of the trees…

...then a head taller than them...

...then two heads... then four.

Before long even the tallest of the apple trees only came up to Big Mac’s barrel. At sixty feet tall he crashed through the field and ran headlong for the rift, the trees crunching and toppling around him like dominoes. The sweet smell of pulped apples filled his nose as he carved a path through the orchard, his heart and soul screaming mournful wails at the destruction.

The thing kept coming through the rift. It seemed to be a colossal pillar made of black rock, but pillars didn’t usually move on their own. Big Mac could tell it was alive from the way it moved, and it that was enough, there was also an aura of malevolence about it that almost made him feel ill. It had three short, powerful legs that supported it like a tripod, and its angular body was covered with spikes, sharp ridges, and hooks. It also had three long arms that it wave about like whips, each one ending in a long, vicious point like a scythe. The thing had no eyes or face to speak of, but just from one glance, Big Mac knew damn well that it could see.

And he most certainly had its attention.

Big Mac cursed. He couldn’t let this thing get through, but even at new-and-improved size, the thing had to be at least three times larger than him.

“Not enough,” he growled.

Thump-thump!

The magic answered his call. With a blinding flash, Big Mac’s body exploded outward, doubling, tripling, than quadrupling in height! His shoulders widened with new muscle, his legs bristling with newfound power. His chest broadened even more, gaining hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of sheer bulk. He could now see well out into the valley and beyond, his eyes and other senses sharpening to superpony levels. He felt massive. He felt STRONG.

But against whatever this thing was, he could only pray that was strong enough.

Now within striking distance, Big Mac made his move. With wind-whipping force, he spun around, reared, and bucked the monster with all his earth-shattering might.

KA-WHAM!

It was like a bomb went off. The trees in the area were uprooted and sent flying, and every one of the farmhouse windows shattered. Big Mac felt the tremendous kick vibrate throughout his very being, and it was like he’d just struck a brick wall. Fortunately, though, his strength won through. The thing was sent sailing back into the portal from whence it came, and the feeling of evil and foulness disappeared along with it.

But that wasn’t the end of it. Not by a long shot.

Big Mac could sense that he’d just knocked the thing back. It was still in there, and somehow he knew it was gonna try again. He’d be damned if he was gonna let this play out on the farm, but that essentially meant he was gonna have to come to it. It wasn’t his first choice to go charging through an unknown portal, but he knew he had to press his advantage. So without hesitating, he whirled back around, grit his teeth, and charged into the crackling portal into the unknown.