Gathering the Elements

Observations in Red

Rarity’s fingers danced through the book spines, her eyes scanning through the hundreds of titles lining the walls of Golden Oaks library. Fashion for Fashionistas was far too basic to provide any insight. Unconventional Fabrics was a bit closer to what she was looking for, but not quite right. She looked through hundreds of titles and found nothing. These were all the books on fashion and tailoring. If the book she was looking for wasn't here, then there was a good chance it simply didn't exist.

Rarity looked over her shoulder and called to Twilight. "Are these all the books on couture?"

Twilight sat crosslegged amidst hundreds of books stacked to the ceiling. Now normally Rarity wouldn't be surprised to find her surrounded by books, but the stacks of reading material were not restricted to Twilight's immediate surroundings. There were pillars of books all over the library, so many that Rarity wondered if they were not some quick fix to a collapsing roof.

Twilight looked up from the book on her lap. "That's all of them. What exactly are you looking for Rarity? There might be more useful books in another section."

Rarity twisted her mouth. She wasn't sure she wanted to say, but Sunday afternoons were slow and the library was empty. It couldn't hurt, she supposed. "I'm trying to make a shirt for Macintosh that he can't flex into oblivion."

"Oooh," Twilight said with a nod. "I completely understand. I–" Twilight stopped as the library door swung open.

Rarity turned. Well, speak of the devil, she thought as she cupped her cheek in her hand. He walked in wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and the usual look in his eyes–carefree, half closed, aloof, and confident. She wondered if Macintosh knew the effect he had on her when he peacocked in like that. She could never tell how aware he was of himself or his surroundings. Two days of working beside him on the farm and she still wasn't sure if he was oblivious or insightful. Goodness, what if he was the latter yet pretended to be the former? She wouldn't stand a chance.

Applejack walked in after her brother. Before Rarity could even say anything in greeting Twilight had rushed past her. She went to Macintosh and stopped him in his tracks with an outstretched hand on his chest.

"Macintosh, you can't just...strut in here and distract my patrons with your nudity," Twilight spluttered.

Macintosh frowned and placed his hand across his forehead as if shielding the sun from his eyes. He leaned forward and squinted as he scanned the room looking for Twilight's “patrons”. Twilight glared at him and pointed at Rarity.

Macintosh tilted his head. "She likes me with my shirt off."

Rarity's face turned a bright red like an apple about to be bucked. She glared at him. He didn’t notice.

"Twilight, it's okay," Applejack said. "If it means that much to ya, then I'll just give him my shirt." Applejack’s hands moved to unfasten the buttons on her plaid shirt. She only needed to undo a single button to expose ample cleavage uncontained, and Rarity’s face grew hotter.

"N-No! That won't be necessary," Twilight said, her cheeks flushing as well.

Rarity rubbed her cheeks to hurry the blush away. She took a deep breath and sauntered forward. "My goodness, if you aren't careful the both of you will surely send the entire adult population of Ponyville into conniptions," Rarity said with a somewhat forced chuckle.

"Quite." Twilight pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's fine, I guess it would be alright just this once."

Macintosh smiled and made his pecs dance a jig of triumph.

Twilight slapped her forehead and looked away. "How can I help you?".

"Mac wanted to check out a book on cheesemaking, and Ah figured it'd be a nice opportunity to drop in an' say hi." Applejack looked around at the columns of books that seemed to hold up the room. "You, uh, got a few more books than usual," Applejack said as Big Macintosh made his way to the food processing section.

"Oh, you noticed," Twilight said with a sheepish smile. "Well, a rare book collector recently died—the books she collected were rare, I mean, not a book collector who was rare—and left her collection to the royal library, but the collection was so massive it had to be kept in storage. Princess Celestia thought it was sort of a waste, so she asked if I had room in my library and I said yes, but, uh...it turned out I didn't." She rubbed the back of her neck and looked over her shoulder at the stacks.

"Why don't ya just ask the princess to take 'em back?" Applejack asked.

"Because there's nothing to worry about,” Twilight said proudly, “I thought of a brilliant plan, if I do say so myself. All I have to do is shrink all the books in the library by just two percent. The change will be so small as to be imperceptible, but the shelf space I save will be substantial."

"Shrink every book? Won't that take a long time?" Applejack asked.

"It will...take a bit of time, yes.” Twilight said with a nervous laugh.

As Applejack and Twilight continued their conversation, Rarity looked at Big Macintosh gliding his fingers across the spines of books. He picked out a book and opened it to a random page. His eyes would flick back and forth before flipping to a new page. A few pages later, Macintosh snapped the book shut, replaced it in the shelf, and chose another one to repeat the process.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just make some space for 'em. This place is pretty big, ain't there anywhere you could stick 'em?" Applejack asked.

Twilight tapped her chin in thought. "Well, there's the basement, but it's completely bare. I would have to dip into the library's budget and pay for at least a dozen bookshelves. Actually..." Twilight fell into silence, her eyes going from the stacks of books to her existing shelves and then, finally, to Macintosh, buried in another book. As if feeling her stare, Macintosh turned to meet her gaze. Twilight quickly looked away and back at Applejack. “There’s a furniture store in Canterlot that specializes in shelving for libraries. If I go through them then it wouldn’t be too expensive.”

“Really?” Rarity asked. “Why don’t you ask Macintosh?”

Macintosh seemed to teleport behind Applejack’s shoulder. He appeared so suddenly that Twilight stepped back in surprise. Not a word came from his mouth, but his head was tilted in curiosity as he stared at Twilight.

Dear Twilight didn’t know how to react to Macintosh’s sudden interest. She opened her mouth several times as if to say something, but she couldn’t find any proper words. A few seconds passed by in silence until Macintosh held out a book to Twilight.

“Oh,” Twilight said, a wave of relief easing the tension in her face. “You just want to check out a book.” She grabbed the book and went to the front desk where her ledger lay. As she did, Macintosh clasped Applejack’s shoulder and brought her close enough to whisper in her ear. Applejack cocked an eyebrow and a smile grew slowly onto her lips. The siblings separated and Applejack moseyed over to Twilight.

“Been awhile since we had ya over for dinner, Twi. We’d love to host ya tonight if ya don’t mind.”

“Oh, uh,” Twilight was taken aback by the sudden invitation. She looked past Applejack at Macintosh and held out his book to him. He took it without a word. “I wouldn’t want to be a bother.”

“Ain’t no bother. It’s Mac’s turn to make Sunday dinner and he always makes too much.”

Rarity furrowed her brow. “Applejack, I thought it was your--”

“So whaddya say, Twilight? You in?”

Twilight smiled wide. “Of course. It would be a nice change of pace from sandwiches. I’ll make my way to the farm right after I close up the library.”

Applejack nodded. “See ya then.” She raised her hand toward Rarity and Macintosh and beckoned them to her. “C’mon you two, we gotta finish up some chores before dinner.” She gave Twilight a smile before heading for the door.

“More chores?” Rarity slumped her shoulders, but then took a deep breath and puffed out her chest. Well, at the very least, all this physical labor meant she could eat more of the Apples’ delicious Sunday dinner without worrying too much about her figure for once.

Rarity was about to follow the Apple siblings out when Twilight tapped her on the shoulder. She held out a book to Rarity. Confused, Rarity took it and read the title: Casting Cloth: Applications of Magic in Textiles.

“For both our sakes,” Twilight said.

Rarity gave her a single nod, and tucked the book under her arm. After a quick goodbye, Rarity ran to catch up to Macintosh and Applejack. She pushed herself between them and walked beside the two. Rarity looked at each of them and noticed how thick their arms looked beside hers. She smirked and hooked her arms around each of them. Neither of them seemed to mind.

“So, are either of you going to tell me what happened in there?”

“Don’t look at me,” Applejack said with a sly smile. “Mac here’s the one that wanted me to invite Twilight to dinner. Even offered to take my turn cooking. You better be careful, Rarity. Looks like you got some friendly competition.”

Rarity chuckled. “If it’s Twilight, I would gladly back down. Even I would admit they would make a cute couple: he so tall and strong and she so small and smart…” Rarity trailed off into a wistful sigh.

Macintosh grunted and pulled free of Rarity’s arm. A quick two-step placed him in front of the two mares. “Gonna go ahead and get dinner ready.” Applejack gave him a nod, and he jogged down the path. He was past the horizon in half a minute.

“In all seriousness,” Rarity stared at the road ahead, “do you really think Macintosh is trying to...court Twilight?”

Applejack smiled a dastardly little smile that made Rarity wonder if she was staring into a mirror. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Rarity narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Who would have thought that the Element of Honesty could be so devious. Perhaps, after all these years, Rarity was having a little bit of an influence. Well, she couldn’t say she wasn’t proud.

Applejack greeted Twilight at the door before she could even knock. The farm mare smiled and wrapped an arm around Twilight’s shoulder, hurrying Twilight inside her home as if inviting in family. Twilight supposed, after all this time, it wouldn’t be wrong to think of the Apples as family. Really, the Apples were the type to call all their friends family. They were a place to go for a good meal and pleasant company. It had been a week or so since Twilight enjoyed either, swamped with work as she was.

Rarity stepped off the staircase just as Applejack ushered in Twilight. They gave each other a quick greeting and together the three of them went into the kitchen to have themselves a feast. As always, the table was laden with a wide variety of food. Salads, both Waldorf and Caesar, cornbread and biscuits, cutlets and steaks, and not to mention every possible dish that could be made with apples (and a few that probably shouldn’t). Twilight smiled at it all, and still Macintosh was bringing out even more food.

What truly impressed Twilight, however, was that Macintosh was actually wearing a shirt, a button-down with plaid in several shades of red, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He actually looked pretty good in it. He smiled at her as he set down a bowl of roasted carrots, and Twilight returned with her own nervous smile and a small wave that she instantly regretted. Who waves at someone inside their house?

Applejack patted Twilight’s shoulder. “He ain’t gonna bite, Twilight,” she said with a grin.

“Even if he did I’m sure he’s the type to ask first,” Rarity added.

Twilight forced a smile and nodded while taking her seat next to Applejack, who sat beside Rarity. They wouldn’t understand, not really. Applejack and Rarity were tied for the tallest of the Elements, both reaching a height of six foot three, and Macintosh was still a head and shoulders taller. But that difference in height seemed to shrink when they talked to him, full of confidence and a bit of a teasing tone.

She just had to be calm. He was Applejack’s brother, and it wasn’t as if they were complete strangers. Besides, the average height of earth ponies was around six feet anyway, not too far off from Macintosh’s height. Though...the median height was only five feet and five inches. It was outliers like Big Macintosh that skewed the mean.

Twilight took a deep breath. This really wasn’t a big deal, she lied to herself. Just think of it like talking to the Princess. She’s even taller, and you talk to her all the time.

Big Macintosh set down a cup of tea in front of Twilight, and the very sight of the steam rising from the mug made her relax.

Twilight smiled. “Thank you, Princess.”

Her heart stopped and her hand slapped over her mouth. She looked up at Macintosh, slightly frightened at what she might see, but only found him smiling at her.

“Welcome,” he said. He chuckled and added, “My little pony.” Without another word, he went back to preparing the table.

Twilight’s cheeks burned bright red as she looked over at Applejack and Rarity. They were so deep into conversation neither of them noticed. Oh thank Celestia.

Chairs shuffled, and Applebloom and Granny Smith joined them. Everyone said their hello’s as Macintosh sat down across from Rarity, the last to do so.

Twilight’s embarrassment gave way to hunger as she gazed in awe at the buffet before her. She licked her lips, and her stomach curled into itself. It really had been a while since she had eaten a hot meal. She had been busy cataloguing the new books, and she was only halfway done despite days of work.

The food was delicious. Despite Twilight’s best attempts to get only a tiny bit of everything, there was still a rather large pile of food on her plate. Oh well, dinner at the Apples always turned into a mild exercise in gluttony.

“You sure you got enough there, dearie?” Granny Smith asked Twilight.

“Oh yes, thank you,” Twilight said, shoving a forkful of green beans into her mouth. Satisfied, Granny Smith tucked into her own plate.

“I’m surprised you volunteered to work on Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity,” Twilight said after swallowing her food. Good, good. Opening up with a little small talk. Perfect. The last thing she needed was another social faux pas.

“Apparently she thought it could help her make denim jeans,” Applejack chimed in.

“It’s not simply to make a pair of pants, Applejack,” Rarity said with a flick of her hair. “It’s to incorporate denim and the workwear aesthetic it represents into high fashion. I decided that the best way to gain inspiration for this was to work on the farm for a little while. It was Applejack that extended it to a month.”

“Is there much of a demand for high fashion clothes made out of denim?” Twilight asked.

“Oh Twilight, you should have seen Manehattan’s spring fashion show! Such evocative designs were made with denim this year. Of course, it was all avant garde, and even the most high concept fashionista wouldn’t wear such designs as they would, say, the latest Silver Stitch. But I can spot the beginnings of a trend from miles away. I tell you this now, this summer you’ll be seeing nothing but denim in every reputable fashion magazine, not to mention a few disreputable ones.”

Granny Smith cackled from the head of the table. “That so? Times sure have changed. Back in my day those fancy folk used to make fun of us for wearing those rough clothes.”

“Speaking of,” Rarity said, “I’m surprised you’re wearing a shirt, Macintosh. It looks lovely on you.” She grinned a sly smile, as if not at all surprised.

Big Macintosh stared at his plate. “It should. You made it,” he said, almost mumbling.

“Oh yes, of course,” Rarity said, stabbing a piece of broccoli with her fork. “I’m so happy to see it all in one piece.”

“Eeyup,” Macintosh said. “Sure is strong. Too bad there’s a loose strand.”

Rarity’s fork split her plate in half. “What?” Her voice seemed ready to kill.

Macintosh didn’t answer and only stood and rounded the table to clean up the broken dish. There, at the very hem of the shirt, was a strand of red thread poking out like a worm from an apple. Rarity made a grab for it, but Macintosh deftly dodged her lunging hand.

Once Rarity received a new plate (and after another failed attempt at grabbing the loose strand), dinner conversation continued at a comfortable pace, branching off and doubling back as conversations often do. Even Rarity managed to settle back into her topics of fashion, though her eyes would often dart over to Macintosh.

Soon the discussion outlasted the meal, and continued even as Macintosh cleared and washed the dishes. Twilight leaned back in her chair as Rarity, Applejack, Granny Smith, and Applebloom talked about the next day’s chores. She patted her stomach, now satisfied.

“Twilight?”

Twilight bristled and jumped to sit straight as a deep voice called her name. She looked up at the pair of emerald eyes trained on her.

“Y-yes?”

“Would you mind coming out to the porch with me? I’ve been meaning to talk to ya,” Macintosh said.

“Oh! Uh, okay,” Twilight said, almost jumping to her feet. Without so much as a break in the conversation, she followed Macintosh out the front door and to the porch.

Even on a late spring night such as this, the breeze that blew was a cold one, and Twilight, in her sweater vest and pleated skirt, shivered as she stepped out into the apple-sweetened air. Big Macintosh took a match and struck it on his jeans. He lit a lantern, fiddling with it until he was satisfied with the dull warmth.

A couple of wicker chairs were their seating, and Twilight was relieved to find a thermos and two mugs on a table between them.

“Hot cider?” Macintosh asked, and Twilight didn’t hesitate to nod.

The subtle flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg tingled on her tongue and the warm burn of alcohol warmed her stomach. Twilight sighed into her mug.

The two of them sat in silence as they sipped their drinks. All the while Twilight could think of nothing but what to say once their mugs had emptied. Was she supposed to say something? No, of course not. Macintosh was the one that invited her outside to talk. The impetus of conversation lay with him.

But it sure was a lovely night. A part of her would have been just fine staying out here for a little while longer. If only she didn’t have the overwhelming urge to fill the silence.

“I wanna build those shelves for ya.”

Twilight tensed. She knew this was coming, ever since his visit to the library earlier that day.

“Listen, Macintosh, it’s not that I don’t know you’d do a good job, it’s just…” Twilight fidgeted as she tried to find the right way to put it. The front door swung open, and Rarity sashayed onto the front porch.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she said.

“It’s okay, Rarity. Me and Macintosh were just talking,” Twilight said, genuinely relieved that her friend had bought her a little time.

“In that case, don’t mind me,” Rarity said. “I simply came to get some fresh air.” She sat in a chair at the other side of the front door, seemingly focused on the apple trees.

“It’s just that I feel like I might be taking advantage of you,” Twilight continued. “I’m sure you’re busy enough with the farm. The last thing I would want to do is take up your valuable time. I mean, what would Applejack think?”

Macintosh chuckled and poured himself another mug of cider. “Twilight, you ain’t gotta a worry a bit about the farm or Applejack. You leave both of ‘em to me. When all’s said an’ done this is your decision, and I sure don’t wanna force you into anything you’re uncomfortable with. That said, if you won’t have me because you don’t think I’m the best stallion for the job, then that’s fine, but if that ain’t the case, if you look at me and you know that I’m the best, and you don’t let me do it anyway, well, that’d be a might shame, I think.”

Twilight stared at her empty mug for a long while. She refilled her mug and sipped at the cider. He had brought up a good point, and deep down Twilight knew that Macintosh was more than capable.

“It’s a deal. Can you come over early tomorrow before the library opens so we can discuss the details?”

“Eeyup.” Macintosh downed the rest of his cider and stood. He bowed his head to Twilight in farewell and headed back inside.

Rarity dived and plucked the stray strand off Macintosh’s shirt as he passed. She cackled as she held the offending strand in the air. Macintosh blinked and quirked an eyebrow at Rarity. He kept staring until Rarity’s grin shrank.

Macintosh grabbed the hem of his shirt with both hands, a two inch space between them. Twilight leaned in her chair for a better look. Between his hands was a small rip in the seam, and a few strands fell out of place. By the horrified look on Rarity's face, Twilight guessed the seamstress noticed it as well. Macintosh looked down at her, his eyes narrowed in slight annoyance. He clicked his tongue with the same impact as a clock ticking away another minute, but the pained expression on Rarity made if feel as if that clock had taken a year off her life.

Without another word, Macintosh went back inside.

"I can fix it!" Rarity called after him, but either Macintosh didn't hear her or didn't bother to acknowledge what she said. A heavy sigh hissed through Rarity's lips, and she slumped in her chair. She didn't say anything for a while, and Twilight tapped the side of her mug, unsure of how to break the awkward silence that had developed.

To Twilight's surprise, Rarity chuckled. "It seems Macintosh and I are destined to be nothing more than slight annoyances to each other." Rarity focused on the stars above the apple orchard, her face indecipherable to Twilight.

"That's not true," Twilight said, raking her mind for the right thing to say. Honestly, Twilight didn't really understand what had happened between Macintosh and Rarity. All that had happened was Rarity plucking a loose strand and Macintosh going back into his own house. Yet somehow, these seemingly innocuous events had perturbed Rarity in a way Twilight rarely saw.

"You made him that shirt, right?" Twilight guessed. It was the only way to explain why Macintosh wasn't half naked at dinner.

"I did," Rarity said.

"How did he react when you gave it to him?"

"Well I...I simply gave it to him and told him it was a gift." Rarity held out her hand as if holding out a box to an invisible pony. "He told me 'thank you' and then left. His expression never changed. Not even a smile. Frankly, I think he hated it."

"But he wore it."

"Yes, and your point?"

Twilight smiled. "Do you think he would have worn it if he hated it? I'll be the first to admit I don't know Macintosh all that well, but he certainly doesn't seem like the kind of pony that would wear something just to be nice. If he wore it, then that has to mean he liked it. Maybe he was annoyed because you made the loose strand even worse."

Not a word came from Rarity for several seconds. Her gaze fell from the stars down to the porch's wooden railing. With her chin pinched, she lost herself deep in thought.

"Maybe you're right, Twilight." Rarity sat up straight in her chair and smiled. "And if you are, that means all I have to do to make amends is repair the shirt." A small chuckle passed through her lips. "For a pony professing she knows so little about Macintosh, you certainly seem to have a bit of insight, but that shouldn't be surprising considering your new relationship with him."

"Oh right, you heard that part," Twilight said with a shy smile. "Between you and me, did you just come out here to hear us talk?"

"Oh of course not, sweetie. I came out here to get a chance to pluck that horrible strand on the hem of his shirt. If I wanted to eavesdrop I would have stayed by the door. Although, I'm surprised you were so composed and nonchalant when speaking about such things."

Twilight shrugged, not sure why hiring a friend to do some carpentry would be anything but nonchalant. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Rarity."

"Of course, I completely agree," Rarity said quickly. "I just didn't think you were that experienced with this sort of thing."

"Well, I’m not really," Twilight said with a smile. "But it's not about being experienced, Rarity. It's more about being open and communicating your concerns. Though to be honest, I'm a little worried. I hope his absence won’t be too much trouble for Applejack and the farm. Though, now that I think about it, Macintosh might have enough stamina to help me and still work on Sweet Apple Acres."

"He certainly is physically fit,” Rarity said, almost a mutter. “And I’m sure Applejack will understand, it’s you after all." Rarity said with a kind smile. "Even so, I admire you taking the risk." She stood and stretched her arms above her with a pleased sigh. Taking a few steps to the door, Rarity placed a reassuring hand on Twilight's shoulder.

"I wish you the best of luck," Rarity said. Then, with a mischievous smirk, continued, "Oh, and I'll be expecting all the lurid details, of course, especially his length and girth. Now obviously, asking in the middle of a rut would be a tad awkward, so what I usually do is measure the width of my palms and estimate that way." She balled her hands, placed them one on top of the other, and shook them vigorously for a quick second to explicitly illustrate her point.

Twilight's eyes widened, pupils shrinking to the size of needlepoints. With deep red cheeks, her mouth fell open. Rarity's smirk faded away slowly and her mouth pursed into a slight 'o' as the realization finally hit her.

"You're not having sex with Macintosh, are you?" Rarity asked.

"What!?"

The downstairs basement was a room that very few ponies knew about. The staircase that spiraled down was tucked into the far corner of the library, hidden beneath a trapdoor. When Twilight first settled in Ponyville she had intended to turn the room into a secret laboratory, but local zoning laws kept her from housing volatile chemicals and thus from ever realizing her dream. The room itself was quite spacious for a basement, as much room as the story above and tall enough for Macintosh to stand in comfortably.

The walls and floor, however, remained unfinished. Only cement and concrete as far as the eye could see. As a result, the chill of an early spring night penetrated the concrete easily. Macintosh examined the walls and trailed his palm against the rough cinderblock. Every so often he would stop and write down notes on a notebook.

All the while Twilight watched him. He was wearing the same shirt as last night, with the same tear at the hem. It smelled freshly laundered at least, and Twilight wondered if that was the only shirt he owned.

"So Macintosh," Twilight began, "I was thinking the shelves could be the same as the ones upstairs."

"Eeyup," Macintosh said. He handed her his notebook.

Twilight's eyes scanned down the long list, passing entries such as insulation, studding, drywall, flooring, new tables and chairs, and, of course, shelving. Twilight gulped. "That's, uh, you're doing a lot," Twilight said. "I thought you were just going to build some shelves."

"If you just want shelves then I can give you shelves, but seems a shame to put 'em in an unfinished basement."

"And how much is this going to cost?"

Macintosh tilted his head. "Free."

"F-free?" Twilight took a step back and shook her head. "No, no. I have to pay you something. I can't let you pay for the insulation and drywall and other stuff on your own, not to mention the cost of labor."

Macintosh shrugged. "Got plenty already. Don't worry about labor."

"No, I insist," Twilight persisted. "Listen, I put aside five hundred bits from the library's budget for the shelves. I want you to have them."

Macintosh smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Twilight, you're one of Applejack's best friends, and you helped out the farm a dozen times over. I didn't charge for the fabric rack I built for Rarity last year, and I sure as shootin' ain't gonna charge you for this. Think of it as a token of gratitude." He withdrew his hand and gave her a nod that closed any further discussion.

Twilight returned his nod with one of her own. She wanted to say more, but Macintosh had his mind set. It wasn't as if she could force him to take the bits. "Thank you, Macintosh, that's very kind of you. If there's anything you need, then just let me know. How long do you think it's going to take?"

"Depends," Mac said. "Whether I work all day or just in the morning and night when there ain't anyone here."

"I'm willing to close the library for as long as you need. It's not like there's a lot of space for patrons to sit and read."

Macintosh nodded. "I can get framing, insulation, and drywall up by tonight if I get started right away. Making and installing the flooring, tables, chairs, and shelves'll take three days."

"You're going to start today?"

"Eeyup, unless you got a reason for me not to."

"No, not at all," Twilight said quickly.

"Then I'm gonna get back to the farm and pick up some supplies. I'll be back in less than an hour." Macintosh climbed up the staircase and seconds later the bell on her front door rang.

Twilight looked at the bare, cinderblock walls and then at the list of in Macintosh's notebook. To think Macintosh would do all this for free. It felt a bit strange. He wanted to do this to show his gratitude, but really all it did was make Twilight grateful to him. She decided then and there to put aside those five hundred bits and use it to get him a birthday present. If only she knew what to get him...or his birth date.

With Macintosh gone and the library closed for the rest of the day, Twilight busied herself with cataloging the new books. Forty-five minutes passed before she heard the low rumble of wheels getting louder and louder. From the windows she saw Macintosh pulling a wagon filled with drywall and boards of wood. She quickly headed outside.

Though the wagon seemed to weigh hundreds of pounds, Macintosh had no trouble pulling it. In fact, he looked as if he was out for a leisurely stroll across his hometown, and not a drop of sweat soiled his shirt. Still, Twilight supposed, the effort to pull such a heavy cart was surely taxing no matter how strong a pony was.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink, Macintosh?" she asked as he stopped in front of the library.

"Nope," Macintosh said. He headed to the back of the cart and checked to see if every can of paint, every piece of drywall, and every miscellaneous powder, tool, and bag was still there.

"Oh okay," Twilight said. "Well, if there's anything I can do just let me know."

Macintosh grunted and stared at the supplies he brought. "You got some spell to bring all this downstairs?" he asked.

Twilight beamed. "Absolutely!" A dull red glow emanated from her horn, and in a flash of magic the materials vanished, presumably teleported to the basement.

"Thanks," Macintosh said with a nod.

Macintosh wasted no time in starting his work, and the first thing he did once in the basement was sort out everything in the far corner. After that, he took his measuring tape and measured every single distance that could be measured in the room. The width, the length, the diagonal, the height, various middles, and even the space between the top of his head and the exposed floor joists above. Every measurement he took, he wrote down.

Twilight watched with genuine interest. Not his measuring, but the stallion himself. She watched for any sign of discomfort or annoyance. He was a guest in her home after all, and she not only wanted to be a good host, but a good friend as well. A single bead of sweat formed on Macintosh's forehead and darkened his coat.

Twilight pounced. "Are you getting hot, Macintosh? I could bring down a fan if you'd like, or I could even magically turn down the temperature by a few degrees."

"Nope," Macintosh said.

"Oh, okay." Twilight shuffled her feet and looked on. As she waited, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She fidgeted every so often, a scratch of her arm, a tap of her foot, little things like that. Every time, she would catch Macintosh's attention.

Twilight admonished herself. All her fidgeting was getting on Macintosh's nerves. He couldn't work if he kept getting distracted every few seconds. From then on, she stood perfectly still and did nothing but stare at Macintosh.

Finished with measuring, Macintosh grabbed a can of white paint and a roller brush and set both beside the wall. As he did, he caught a glimpse of Twilight's staring.

"Uh, Twilight?"

"Yes!" Twilight leapt at the chance to do something for her friend.

"You ain't gotta be here all the time," Macintosh said. "I'm sure there's plenty of things you'd rather be doing than watch me work."

"Oh, well...it would be really rude of me to leave you here by yourself. You are my guest, after all."

Macintosh nodded. "Would you like to help? Just having you stand still watching me is making me a bit nervous."

"Sure!" Twilight didn't hesitate. She had actually hoped he would ask for her help. It would be an excellent opportunity to learn about something she knew nothing about. Plus, if she helped, then she wouldn't feel so bad about not paying anything for the remodel. She grabbed a paintbrush from Mac's toolbox and joined him just as he was pouring the paint into a pan.

"So why are we painting the walls, anyway?" Twilight asked as Macintosh dipped his roller brush and made the first white streak on the gray wall.

"It's a waterproof sealant," Macintosh answered. "Concrete's pourous, so any water that gets on one side is gonna get through to the other. If you just lay wood on it bare like that, the wood's gonna soak up that moisture and rot."

Twilight cupped her hand below her paint-soaked paintbrush as she brought it to the wall. "I have to admit, Macintosh, I didn't expect you to know so much about construction. Where did you learn about it?"

"Dad taught me," Macintosh said. "Used to be in construction before he married into the Apples."

"Oh, did he teach you carpentry too?" Twilight asked.

"Nope, learned that from my grandpa. He used to be a carpenter before he married into the Apples."

Twilight smiled. "So which do you like better: farming, carpentry, or construction?" It wasn't a serious question, but one of those playful ones friends often asked to get to know one another better.

Macintosh hummed in thought. "Can't pick. I suppose if a unicorn put a horn to my neck I'd say construction just 'cause that's what I'm helping you with now. Ask me tomorrow, I'd probably say carpentry if only 'cause I'd be working on your shelves. Guess I just like to feel useful."

Twilight nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

They continued working and talking together as the day wore on. Twilight would ask questions, either about the construction process or about Macintosh and his life, and Macintosh would answer in his usual straightforward way. Sometimes, he would even ask a question or two in return. Twilight enjoyed their time together. She felt as if she was getting to know Macintosh as a friend rather than as a friend's brother. The lessons in finishing a basement were an added bonus.

Soon they finished the framing, insulation, and drywall. As Twilight gazed at the room, now white with drywall streaked with mud and tape, she couldn't help but feel a little proud of herself. She smiled, placed her hands on her hips, and puffed out her chest a little.

"Feels good, don't it?" Macintosh said with a smile.

"It really does," Twilight said as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. "So what's next?"

"We're done for now. Just gotta put in the flooring before we paint the walls," Macintosh said. "I'll be back on Thursday to finish everything, until then I'm gonna get to work building the shelves and such. I think–"

His growling stomach interrupted him, and Macintosh placed a hand over it as if to muffle the sound. "Beg pardon," he muttered.

Twilight smiled. "Don't worry, I'm hungry too. I can make us some sandwiches and we can have a late lunch. It won't be a Sunday feast, but it'll probably be the best ham and cheese sandwich you ever had."

Macintosh chuckled. "I'd like that."

Rarity sat beneath the shade of an apple tree. Her legs ached, and no matter how much she massaged them the soreness would not go away. Damn that Macintosh, running off with Twilight. Unfortunately for Rarity, Macintosh's absence meant that all his chores fell on her. To think that Applejack could possibly believe that Rarity could do the same amount of work as that hulking brute. Why, it was practically an insult.

The worst part of it all was that Macintosh had refused Rarity the chance to repair his shirt that morning. She had demanded again and again, but ultimately the situation devolved into similar circumstances as the Glove Fiasco, complete with Applejack finding them and giving Rarity another scolding. Oh, she couldn't even begin to imagine how things were transpiring at the library. Twilight was the curious type, and Macintosh never explained anything with good reason. Surely they would do nothing but butt heads the moment he arrived.

"C'mon, Rarity, break’s over," Applejack called out as she approached her newest farmhand.

Rarity groaned. "Just another minute, Applejack, please? My legs still hurt."

"You ain't even done with half of Mac's chores, and you're already giving up?" Applejack crossed her arms over her chest.

"I am not giving up," Rarity said through gritted teeth. "I am simply asking for a couple more minutes of rest. Honestly, Applejack, is that so unreasonable? Do you really expect me to be able to do all of Macintosh's chores after only two days of working on a farm?"

Applejack sighed, and her expression softened. "Well, I guess you got a point there."

A whistle pierced the apple-scented air. Both mares turned and saw Big Macintosh coming down the path leading to Ponyville. He waved at them as he approached. Oh thank goodness, with Macintosh back on the farm, Rarity would have a much easier time.

"Howdy, big brother," Applejack greeted him as he came up beside her. "How'd it go with Twilight?"

"Fun," Macintosh said to Rarity's surprise. "Twilight pitched in, and we talked a little bit. It was nice. I really like her."

Applejack smiled. "She's a likeable sort of pony. You still need to get her shelves done, right? Hope you gave her a good price."

"Good as free," Macintosh said with a nod. "Floors, chairs, and tables too. Gonna go get started."

Cold panic started to overwhelm Rarity as Macintosh made his way to the barn. "Wait, Macintosh, do you need any help?"

"Nope," Macintosh said without turning to face her.

"We can talk while we work," Rarity called after him, desperate for a way out of her chores. "We can have fun too." He didn't respond. "I'm a likeable sort of pony!" Rarity slumped her shoulders as Macintosh disappeared behind the barn doors. She sighed and glared at Applejack. "Why does he get to relax and build furniture while I'm stuck here doing all of his hard labor?"

Applejack smirked. "Belly achin' ain't gonna get your chores done any faster. Besides, he's helping out Twilight."

"Oh yes, Twilight," Rarity huffed. "She wants furniture and Macintosh gives her furniture. All for free. Meanwhile, I have to fight him for a meager pair of gloves or the chance to mend his shirt, and do all his chores for him on top of that."

Applejack tilted her head, and her smirk widened into a grin. "Rarity, are you jealous?"

"Jealous? Me? Ridiculous!" Rarity crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "I just think you should show more concern that your brother is playing favorites with your friends."

"Favorites?" Applejack repeated. "Didn’t he make you a fabric rack last year? If I remember right, he didn't charge you anything for it either."

"Yes, yes, the fabric rack is lovely, it's perfection. But ever since I started working on the farm, it's felt as if he's been going against me purely for the sake of annoying me. I could tell him to pick up a bag of bits on the ground, and he would refuse just because I was the one to tell him. It's absolutely frustrating."

Applejack hummed in thought. "That doesn't sound like Mac. Have you tried talking to him?"

"Oh, what would be the point?" Rarity said. She stood up and dusted herself off. "All he would say is 'eeyup' or 'nope', and probably annoy me just for the fun of it."

Applejack chuckled and shook her head. "If you say so. Now let's go, we've wasted enough time already."

The work didn't ease as the day went on, in fact it only became tougher. Thankfully, an hour in the tub at the end of the day managed to ease some of the soreness away, but by the time she reached her room, fatigue racked her body to the point where she couldn't even think about working on her designs. Yet, even once tucked beneath her blankets, Rarity found it difficult to sleep. The thought of repeating the day's chores tomorrow filled her with a slight sense of dread, but she refused to succumb to despair. She was Rarity, after all, and she would face tomorrow with her usual gusto.

Unfortunately, tomorrow did not come and go without a fight, nor did the day after. Rarity had hoped that her body would get used to the work, but if anything the continued soreness only made each day exponentially more horrendous. But she kept going, by Celestia she kept going, even if it was to keep Applejack from saying 'I told you so'.

The third day's setting sun found Rarity on her back on a grassy hill, completely worn out after finishing another round of chopping wood. Was she still alive? Rarity didn't know anymore. Her whole body felt light and incorporeal, as if she was floating up and away to the great fashion show in the sky where silk flowed like rivers and every single pant, jumpsuit, and skirt had actual pockets.

A great shadow blocked out Rarity's view of the orange and purple sky, and she groaned as she recognized Applejack standing over her.

"Gotta say, Ah'm mighty impresses. You might be a good farmer yet," Applejack said with a smile.

"I rather be dead," Rarity moaned. "At least then all these aches would stop."

Applejack chuckled. "C'mon, we're quittin' early today. Twilight's stopping by to have a look at the furniture Mac made."

Rarity sat up and winced as her muscles strained with every movement. "He's done already?"

"Eeyup," Applejack said. "There's still time for a bath before Twilight gets here. Ah know how much you hate being smelly when we got guests over."

Rarity rolled her eyes. "I hate being smelly in general."

"That too."

Applejack waved a farewell and went on her way, leaving Rarity alone to enjoy the view for a few more seconds. A bath sounded divine, and Rarity would be lying if she didn't admit she wanted to see how the shelves turned out. With tiny gasps and groans, Rarity managed to stand and head for the farmstead.

The bath did wonders for her aches, and, though not completely gone, the pain dulled enough to allow her movement without flinching. Putting on a pair of sandals, Rarity left the coziness of the farmstead and stepped into the chilly night air. The lights inside the barn were on.

"Hey Rarity," Twilight waved from down the path, and Rarity waved back as she quickly walked to join her. Thankfully, the awkwardness of their previous encounter had mellowed out with time, and Rarity was content to leave that bit of embarrassment in the past.

"Good evening, Twilight," Rarity said as the two walked side by side. "I heard your shelves are done. Excited?"

Twilight grinned and nodded. "Eeyup. I can't wait. How's working on the farm?"

"Grueling," Rarity said without hesitation. "Especially since I've had to pick up the slack Macintosh left."

"Slack?" Twilight asked.

Rarity quickly backtracked. She feared that going into more detail would cause Twilight to unduly think she was the reason for Rarity's increased workload. Well, technically she was, it was her shelves Macintosh neglected his farmwork for after all, but Rarity didn't want Twilight to overthink it.

"Oh, it's nothing really," Rarity said. They were at the barn door now, it stood slightly ajar with a strip of light peering through from the other side. Rarity took the chance to distract from the current topic and knocked hard on the heavy wood.

"Eeyup."

Rarity took it as an invitation to come in and swung open the door. The scent of sawdust and wood stain assaulted her nose as Macintosh busied himself with painting another coat on a chair.

Twilight's eyes widened. "Macintosh, they're beautiful."

Once Rarity became accustomed to the smell, she turned her focus on the furniture. The shelves, chairs, and tables all looked like exact replicas of ones Twilight already had in her library. Rarity wouldn't call them ornate, but they surely were not plain. The sleek wood each had tastefully carved lines and whorls to give them a more whimsical feel. The shelves were tall and deep, painted to match the library. Their construction was far more impressive than their design, would be Rarity's review. Nonetheless, she had to admit that the design suited Twilight's aesthetic perfectly.

"Not a bad job at all, Macintosh," Rarity said as Twilight bounced from chair to table to shelf in the cramped barn space.

"They're perfect!"

"Eeyup, Macintosh said. "Just gotta finish staining this chair. They'll be ready by tomorrow."

"Are these the floorboards?" Twilight asked as she picked up a long narrow sheet of wood, one of many stacked against the wall. It was stained a light amber that highlighted the natural grain of the wood.

"Eeyup."

Twilight grinned. "I can't wait to see what it all looks like in the basement." She seemed to have calmed down a bit as she looked at one of the chairs. "Would it be okay if I sit?"

"Eeyup," Macintosh said, "just make sure it's dry."

Twilight trailed a finger across the chair's seat. Finding it dry, she took a seat and a deep breath. "Thank you, Macintosh.”

“Eeyup,” Macintosh said. “So anything interesting happen to you lately?”

Twilight hummed. “Well, Applebloom stopped by the library after school asking for help with her math homework."

"Sorry about that," Macintosh said. He dropped his brush into the can of wood stain in order to inspect the underside of the chair. “Hope she wasn’t bothering ya while you were doing something important.”

"Oh no, it's not a bother at all," Twilight said quickly. "I just thought you'd like to know. She's actually really good at math, though it takes her a little longer to understand the concepts, but I find that she's more interested in the 'why's more than the 'how's."

Macintosh grunted. "That's good to hear. 'Bout time one of the Apple siblings got their head around advanced math. Could barely get past algebra, Applejack got as far as trig."

Rarity tilted her head. Was...was Macintosh opening up to Twilight? Rarity pulled up another chair and sat down. This she had to see.

Twilight chuckled. "Yeah, not a lot of ponies really like math. Were you a good student, Macintosh?"

"Nope," Macintosh said, tightening a screw with his hand. "Mom and dad used to get real worried about my grades. Hard as I tried, could never get any higher than a 'C'."

"Really?" Twilight said. "That's surprising considering you're so good at cooking and building things."

Macintosh shrugged and went back to painting. "I'm better at things that got to do with my hands. Heck, the only reason I learned to do all those things was 'cause of my poor grades. I remember one day grandpa Cedar took me aside and told me 'Boy, if a pony ain't got brains and he ain't got skills, then he ain't got a damn living.' That's when he taught me carpentry. Then my dad taught me construction. My mom taught me farmwork, and Granny Smith taught me how to cook."

"Oh," Twilight said. She stared at her feet for a moment before looking up at Macintosh again. "Well I have brains and not a lot of skills, so I guess we're even." She smiled, and Macintosh returned it, yet an awkward silence still developed.

Twilight's eyes darted around the room. Rarity knew that look, she had seen it dozens of times before. It was the desperate search a pony undertook to find a change in subject. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Twilight found her next topic, much to Rarity's dismay.

"So what's it like having Rarity help you on the farm?"

Rarity cringed, a small, tiny, minuscule part of her afraid of what he might say.

"Fun," Macintosh said, and Rarity's jaw opened slack. "Couldn't work with her the past few days, but Applejack told me she's really surprised at how well she's doing. Even after giving her all my chores."

Twilight chuckled. "I'm sure Applejack didn't think she would last this long."

"Eeyup, she actually made a bet with me that Rarity would give up by the first day. Made a nice twenty bits on it. Got another twenty comin' my way if Rarity pulls through for the whole month."

"You bet on how long I would last on the farm?" Rarity asked. "And you bet that I would last the entire month?" A hodgepodge of anger and flattery boiled in her gut. On the one hand, as soon as she saw Applejack again she would surely give the farm mare a piece of her mind. On the other hand, she hadn’t expected Macintosh to have so much confidence in her. "I thought you would have bet a week at most."

Macintosh finished staining the chair and wiped his hands on his jeans. "You might be frilly and dainty, Rarity, but you're also an Element of Harmony. Didn't think you would be this good at it, but I knew for sure you'd handle the whole month all right."

Rarity shot to her feet and took a deep breath. "Well why didn't you say that yesterday or the day before or the day before or any of the other days since I started working here?" Rarity asked. “I would have loved for you to tell me that when my whole body felt like a rug burn.”

"You never asked," Macintosh said.

"Oh I never asked, indeed," Rarity spat. "How can you stand there going on and on with, 'Oh, Rarity can do it without a problem', 'Oh, Rarity is so dainty yet tough', 'Oh Rarity is so fun to work with'," Rarity puffed out her chest, flexed her arms like a strongpony circus attraction, and stomped in place to properly invoke Macintosh's mannerisms. "When you've made it quite clear time and time again that you love nothing more than to frustrate and annoy me?"

Macintosh tilted his head. "I annoy you?"

"Don't play dumb!" Rarity pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Not two days ago I offered to mend your shirt, and you refused. Who refuses to have their shirt fixed!?"

"Rarity, wait," Twilight stood and rubbed Rarity's back in an attempt to calm her down. "I'm sure Macintosh had a good reason. Did you even ask him what that reason might be?"

"I didn't need to ask him," Rarity grabbed Twilight's shoulders and shook her. "I already know he's just doing it to frustrate me. Look, look! He's even wearing it now just to parade it's flaw in front of me. Do you know how poorly that tear reflects on me? On my workmanship?"

"I didn't do it to frustrate ya," Macintosh said, and Rarity stopped shaking Twilight to listen. Macintosh grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted up the torn part to his chest in order to see it better. "The reason I didn't want you to fix it was..." Macintosh sighed, looked away, and dropped the torn fabric. He showed his back to them and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a little embarrassing," he admitted.

"Spill," Rarity urged, letting go of Twilight and taking a step closer to Macintosh.

"It's, uh, it's been a long time since someone gave me a shirt as a gift," Macintosh said, his back still turned to them. "Even longer since someone gave me a shirt I couldn't tear apart. I...really liked it...a lot." He finally turned to face Rarity, but didn't look her directly in the eyes. Rarity wasn't certain if it wasn't just a shadow across his face, but his cheeks looked much darker than usual.

"But you, well," Macintosh continued. "You probably make hundreds of shirts like this a week. It probably wasn't all that big a deal for you to give me one, and I was okay with that. But then it had that loose strand, then it became a tear...well, I figured even if it was a bad thing, that sort of mistake made this shirt special to you too." Macintosh sighed and looked down. "After all, a big ol' blunder like this in one of your shirts is a real...rarity."

The air inside the barn thinned itself free of motion and sound for several seconds. Slowly, Macintosh inched his chin up to make eye contact with Rarity, and Rarity glared back. His face was stoic as always, for about two seconds, then the facade slowly crumbled, and the corners of his mouth raised in a wrinkled smile.

A muffled snicker escaped from Mac's tightly sealed lips, and Rarity clenched her hands into fists.

"You just like annoying me, don’t you?"

"I prefer the word 'teasing'," Macintosh said.

"Big Macintosh!" With a growl, Rarity dove for Mac's neck.

Thankfully, Twilight managed to magic them apart before any of her precious furniture could be destroyed. Twilight forced Rarity and Macintosh to sit on the floor a few feet across from each other.

"It's true...I didn’t want to believe it, but it’s true," Rarity groaned with her head in her hands.

"I don't mean to,” Macintosh said, “you just make it so dang easy. For example, did you check to see if that chair you sat on was dry."

Rarity tensed and slowly brought her hand to her backside. No, the chair had definitely not been dry.

"But it ain't like I wasn't telling the truth before," Macintosh continued quietly. "That really is the reason why I didn't want ya to fix my shirt."

Rarity glared at him, but found no sign of dishonesty. She sighed and cupped a cheek with her hand. "Honestly, Macintosh, what a silly reason. Do you think I mass produce shirts and pants? I don't. I make each one individually in order to make sure they not only fit a pony's body but a pony's personality as well. That plaid shirt, with all those different shades of red, it's already special, Macintosh, because it represents what I think of you."

Macintosh smiled and chuckled. "I really am impressed with ya, to just come to the farm and commit a month to it. Did you expect it to be so tough?"

Rarity shrugged. "I knew it would be, but not to what extent. It didn't matter, anyway. I could have languished over whether I was strong enough or tough enough to do it, but then I wouldn't be doing what I wanted to do. Beside, if it's for my passion, then I'll gladly suffer anything."

Macintosh blinked, and considered her like a pony might consider a piece of fine art.

"Even Macintosh's teasing?" Twilight asked with a smile as she sat on the floor with them.

"Yes, even that, I suppose."

"Sorry," Macintosh said with a sheepish smile.

"You can make it up to me by fetching me and Twilight a couple bottles of cider," Rarity said with a smirk. "Chop chop, we're waiting."

Macintosh chuckled and stood. "Eeyup."

Applejack had her feet up on the kitchen table, figuring out what she would do with her free time today. None of her friends had invited her to anything, so her night was wide open. She supposed she could tuck in for the night and read a book. That sounded nice. Just as she stood to carry out her plans, Macintosh entered the kitchen. He went to the fridge and took out three bottle of cider.

"What're you doing, big brother?" Applejack asked.

"Fetching cider for me, Twilight, and Rarity," Macintosh said. He reached into the fridge and took out a fourth bottle. "Wanna join us."

"Ain't gotta ask me twice," Applejack said with a smile. Macintosh returned it and tossed her a bottle, and she deftly caught it by the neck with just one hand. She started to head for the front door when Macintosh placed a hand on her shoulder. Applejack looked up at her brother with a raised eyebrow.

"The draft horse races," Macintosh said. "This is the year."

Applejack smiled. "Well look at you, finally grew a pair?"

Macintosh shrugged and passed his sister to get to the front door. "Guess you could say I got a bit of inspiration." He opened the door for her, and Applejack didn’t hesitate to step outside. “Oh, almost forgot, I told Rarity about the bet we made. I’m sure she’s gonna be real happy to talk to ya.”

Applejack spun around and glared at her older brother. “You did what!?”