As The Seasons Change

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.

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"Leave me alone..."

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As The Seasons Change

Chapter 2: Makeshift Home

Braeburn Apple let his large, green, emerald eyes blink several times as him and his two cousins walked through the darkness of the apple orchard, just recently passing a sign that said in bold letters "Sweet Apple Acres".  The yellow stallion was currently only half listening to Applejack's blabbering about the different trees, and which fields they harvested on which days.  He might have felt bad about hardly paying attention to his cousin, if not for the fact that his eyes kept growing heavier and heavier.  He wasn't sure when the last time he slept was, he hardly got more than a couple of hours on the train.

However, the thought entered the mind of the yellow stallion, the fact that his older cousin trailed behind them, hardly speaking a single word the entire time they walked back, always looking away whenever Braeburn tried to glance behind him, was irritating him more than anything.

Big Macintosh had taken the entire afternoon to show the earth pony around town, and seemed to enjoy himself as they trotted from place to place well enough.  Now he seemed... upset, not exactly angry, but more or less upset.  He wasn't looking at him, didn't speak, and kept his head down as he walked five paces behind him and his cousin.  Braeburn found himself growing worried that he himself had made his cousin upset, after all he had spent the entire day with him, the stallion was likely just trying to show his cousin around, expecting they already knew each other.

Braeburn already bluntly implied that he had no idea that this stallion was his cousin until Applejack decided to come galloping up to meet him.  For all he knew his cousin was just a kind pony until twenty minutes ago.  Boy did he feel like an idiot.

"And there's this mare I want you to meet..." Just as he drifted his ears back to Applejack's voice he found himself met with these confusing words.  He turned back to her, giving his cousin his full attention as he galloped up to her side.

"W-What?" He asked "A-A mare?"  He felt his heart quicken with worry and he gave the other fearful eyes.  He knew that was the reason he was forced to come here in the first place, but what was the point in setting him up on random blind dates?  "I just' got here cousin Applejack, ain't we gonna take things slow?" He almost whined out, trying his best to hind the pure panic in his voice.  He never wanted to settle down so soon in the first place, he was perfectly fine simply working and living his life day to day!

Applejack glanced at her cousin with eyes that held a mixture of both annoyance and determination "Can't expect ta sit on ya hind jus' waitin' for the right mare ta show up at the front door," The orange mare said in an optimistic voice "Gotta get yer hind out there and show the mares of Ponyville what yer made of!"  Braeburn could feel a hoof hit his chest, to which he half winced at and was given yet another glance of annoyance from his cousin.

"Uh... AJ... maybe yer rushin' things."  Braeburn almost stopped as he finally was able to hear the sound of his older cousin's voice once more.  He could feel a small sense of relief flicker in his chest at those words.  As he glanced back, the older still turned away, and his words began to feel more like they came out on their own, and the red stallion was wondering why he said it in the first place.

“Shoot, Big Mac, ya gonna hop on with him too?  Do ya want our cousin ta end up an old and lonely stallion?” She half teased, although there was a sense of serious nature in her voice.  Braeburn briefly wondered why exactly he had to settle down, for he had been living his life just fine without a mare by his side.

Braeburn glanced back at Big Macintosh in desperation, only to notice the stallion was not willing to hold up the argument any longer.

Braeburn felt his heart sink, as well as his ears droop.  His cousin began to speak up again.  “Anyway, this mare ah mentioned, she’s real nice, ya met her when me and my friends traveled ta Appleloosa to deliver Braeburn!” She said.  “She couldn’t stop talkin’ about ya on the way back, she was a little upset for not makin’ a move, what with everything going on she didn’t have the gosh darn time.”

“Really?” Braeburn asked, trying his darn best not to sound completely uninterested by the entire series of events unfolding in front of his own four hooves.  “Which one?” He asked.

“Believe it or not, Rainbow Dash.  Didn’t think she would be into ya… hay ah even thought her barn door might not swing that way.” Applejack paused before nudging her cousin in the chest with her hoof “But maybe she just like’s herself some cowpony after all.” Applejack teased.

Braeburn felt his mind turn wheels as he thought about the name of the mare, the only thing coming to mind was some cyan pony with rainbow colored hair.  “That feisty one?” He asked “Ah don’t know AJ… she doesn’t seem much my type…” He paused.

“Than what is yet gosh darn type?” Applejack said, her voice a mixture of both teasing and also a hint of questioning.

Braeburn half opened his mouth, yet felt it become dry as he tried to speak a word.  Whenever he pictured himself at his wedding, there was never another mare there with him.  When he pictured himself dating as a young colt, he could never see the face of the one galloping beside him.  He had been taught his entire life to work on finding that other mare for him so he could be happy.  Yet he could never picture another mare for him.

“Strong type…” The stallion felt the words pass his lips on their own.  He squeezed his own eyes shut, for he felt like an idiot because what popped into his head.  “Ah… ah mean… Applejack… mind if ah tell ya somethin’?” He began, his voice just above the audible sounds of a whisper.

“There’s the house.” Applejack said, apparently not hearing her cousin “Now let’s get ya inside, probably tuckered out after the long trip, huh?” She asked, cocking up her brow with a smirk on her face before trotting ahead.

Braeburn blinked several times as he stopped, looking at the house before letting out a sigh mixed with both relief and disappointment that Applejack had in fact not heard him.  He tried to summon memories from his colthood, yet couldn’t come up with anything.  He let out a sigh just as he saw the large red colt from behind him pass by his side.  He shook his head and quickly trotted up to his cousin’s side.  “So… Big Mac,” He began “W-What’s it like… livin’ in this here Ponyville ah mean?” He asked.

The red stallion was silent for several moments.  “Like Appleloosa ah’m guessin’.” He said, his tone almost grumbling the words out, as if Braeburn had interrupted his deep thoughts.  “Jus’ colder an’ more of a mixture of ponies.”

Braeburn looked at him with wide eyes as they trotted side by side, becoming slightly irritated that the other’s eyes wouldn’t meet his own.  “So… what do ya do ‘round here for fun?” He asked.  Why the hay was he feeling so awkward all of a sudden?

Big Macintosh paused “Why don’t ya find out yerself?” He asked.  His voice seemed smaller from before… but his voice was still grumbling.  If Braeburn’s eyes weren’t playing tricks on him, his cheeks were tinted pink.

“W-What?” The stallion asked.  He felt his belly tighten.  Was Big Macintosh really so upset that he didn’t recognize him?  Braeburn felt hurt, the red stallion seemed so nice earlier.  He looked down, feeling like he had done something wrong, which he likely had.  He blinked several times before trotting forward on his own.

Braeburn galloped up to meet Applejack, hoping in the back of his mind that by leaving before Big Macintosh could reply had hurt the red stallion in some way.  He quickly plastered a fake smile on his face, trying to forget about his bad mannered cousin as he reached Applejack right before she opened the door.

As the door cracked open and a beam of light from inside shone on the yellow stallions face.  Just before he reached out a hoof to take a step in, he suddenly felt a creature attack his legs.  Braeburn Apple felt himself topple right over as the sound of barking hit his ears and the long, slobbery tongue of a dog drug itself across his face.  He found himself chuckling as he reached out both hooves “Down girl, down!” He said to the small dog attempting to lick off his entire face.

“Winona, bad girl, ya know not to attack strangers!” Applejack said as she gently pushed the dog away before reaching out a hoof to help the fallen stallion back to his hooves.  Just as Braeburn found himself getting up, another voice hit his ears.

“Is he here, is he really here?” And before he knew it a small body of a filly came running around the corner of the staircase to come running down, eyes wide with excitement as she all but slid into the yellow stallion when she jumped off the last step in front of Braeburn.

“Applebloom, ah told ya ta go ta bed right before I left!” Applejack stated in an annoyed voice as she looked down upon her younger sister with judgmental eyes.  The look wasn’t exactly mean, just one expected out of an older sister.

“Wow, your cutie mark’s so cool!” Applebloom cried, admiring Braeburn’s cutie mark yet completely ignoring her sister “How did ya get it?  It’s really neat!”

“Just kinda… appeared.” Braeburn said, after getting over his initial shock at seeing such a get-up-and-go attitude from the filly, he began to giggle in a bit of envy.  He could remember when he was just a colt, and strived for his own cutie mark as well.  He missed that energy he had before the rules of life began to kick into gear.  He supposed that it was only natural for the world to stop looking so golden the more one aged.  “While pickin’ apples I suppose.”

“Really?” Applebloom asked “Ah’ve tried that, but nothin’ happened yet…”

Braeburn was just about to open his mouth to reply to the filly that maybe her special talent lay someplace else before another, raspy voice hit his ears.  He glanced up to see a pair of shaky hind legs scoot on the floor toward him, on top of them was an elderly, green mare with white hair tied behind her head.  “Well, if it ain’t Braeburn!” She cried out in a cheerful voice “Come here and give yer old granny a big ‘ol hug why don’t ya?” She asked.

The yellow stallion quickly split his face into an only half forced grin before trotting forward and embracing his grandmother over the walker she was leaning on, patting her back softly.  “Howdy, Granny!” He mumbled into one of her ears before breaking away.  “So nice to see ya’ll!” He was addressing his entire family this time, not just his grandmother.

“Oh, Granny Smith!” Applejack said in a disapproving voice “Ah thought ah helped ya inta yer bed an hour ago, what are ya doin’ up?”

“Shut yer piehole, Applejack!” Granny Smith said, wagging her hoof “Ah wasn’t jus’ gonna sleep ‘round when my grandson needs ta feel at home!  He’s new in the big city, what with all of that there heavin’ and a hootin’ of the youngin’s around!”

“I’m fine Granny.” Braeburn said, feeling a slight warmth come forth to the tips of his ears.  Even with the warm, perhaps too ecstatic, welcome from his family, he still felt a tad out of place.  He began to wonder why he finally gave in and came to this town in the first place, before Applejack’s loud and proud voice interrupted his train of thought.

“Fine, fine, if we’re gonna all stay up ta talk ta Braeburn, why don’t we at least let him sit down and rest, poor sucker likely been on that train all day!” The orange mare said before giving Braeburn a pat on the back “Let’s all head ta the livin’ room, where we can all sit down!” Her smirk screamed trying too hard in Braeburn’s eyes to make him feel welcomed.  However it could be the fact that Braeburn didn’t want to be here in the first place that caused everything.

Braeburn began to follow both his younger cousin and grandmother, leaving Applejack and Big Macintosh to follow.  He paused, only briefly as the next words exited the mouth of Applejack “Big Mac, aren’t ya comin’?”

The yellow stallion turned his head in question as he stared at the red stallion who looked like he was already half way to the steps leading upstairs.  It took Braeburn exactly three seconds of silence before he realized those green eyes were staring at him.  He began feeling fidgety, wanting nothing more than to look away.  There was something about those eyes that made him uncomfortable, made him feel as if they were examining him in all the wrong ways… But that was silly wasn’t it, just his imagination… after all, they were both stallions… not to mention cousins on top of that.

“Why are you blushing then?” A voice in the back of his mind inquired.  He jumped at almost the exact moment, realizing that his cheeks were indeed red.  He began to feel even more uncomfortable, and thanked Celestia that Big Macintosh finally worked up the energy to take his eyes from his own body after what seemed like an eternity.

“Ah feel tired, ah better go ta bed.” The red stallion muttered before turning his head and walking his four legs up the stairs, one after another.

“Kay… g’night.” Applejack murmured.  “What’s got his apples outta the tree?” She asked herself.  Braeburn blinked several times the moment Big Macintosh was out of sight.  Those eyes that he had been inspected with scared him a little, threatened him almost.  But… that had to be in his imagination… didn’t it?

Braeburn turned his head, beginning to trot back to the living room where the rest of his family was waiting.

He wasn’t able to shake the feeling of Big Macintosh’s eyes for the rest of the night.

“Rainbow… Dash…” The name didn’t sit well on Braeburn’s tongue.  It almost seemed like it was a rotten apple that he had accidently swallowed.  He began to think of this comparison as he laid on his back, a blanket covering his lower half, his vest and hat next to him as the lumpy cushions under him began to feel even more uncomfortable by the second.

There was nothing wrong with the name he supposed, nor did the mare seem all that bad the few times he spotted or spoke to her once things settled down.  But he didn’t understand why she would want anything to do with him, why any mare would for that matter.   She seemed nice and all… but Braeburn wasn’t sure if he wanted to even see her for more than just a quick chat, something romantic seemed too much like a blind date.  Did she think he was good looking or something?  Was that why she wanted to date him?

The yellow stallion turned over, unable to close his eyes as his belly churned in itself.  He tightened himself into a small ball before letting out a small, faint sigh out from his lungs as he let a piece of his long mane fall into his mouth before beginning to nibble on it.  It smelled of apples… he was a little surprised he hadn’t become used to that scent yet.

One of his floppy ears stood erect on their own the moment a sound of creaking erupted from above him.  His eyes widened slightly before he glanced up, hearing it again accompanied by a few grunts and gasps, before continuing once more.  “What in the name of Sam hill…” Braeburn mumbled as he sat up, rubbing one of his eyes with a free hoof, letting the corner of his mane slip from his mouth.

His hooves began to work on their own as they stepped in front of each other toward the stairs leading to the source of the sound.  He paused briefly at the bottom of the white steps, sticking his neck out and up before seeing a faint glow.  His ears erected once more as the grunting entered his ears.  He suddenly recognized the owner of the sounds as Big Macintosh.

Braeburn considered turning around right there, those strange eyes and the cold shoulder earlier popping into his mind.  However the stallion shook his head, knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he found out the cause of those strange noises.

The stallion placed his hoof on the creakily, old, first step of the staircase.  He swallowed hard before taking several more steps up and reaching a position where he could clearly see the top.  The yellow earth pony’s head began to turn as his left brow cocked up in question, several boxes and large piles of random junk littered the hallway.

“What in the name of Celestia is goin’ on here?” He suddenly asked as he trotted up the rest of the stairs, avoiding where he placed his hooves so not to trip and fall on some tiny toy or ancient knick-knack.  “B-Big Mac?” He called, remembering to keep his voice just above a whisper so not to disturb the rest of the family.

“Eeyup?” The voice startled him as the large, red stallion suddenly emerged, carrying several bags in his mouth before spitting them out.  He looked down on Braeburn with the same eyes as before.  The yellow pony felt his body tense up, he felt like a foal at the moment being looked down upon by an older sibling, or in this case cousin.  He looked away, a blush appearing on his cheeks.

“W-What are ya doin’ in here?” Braeburn asked, he couldn’t help but keep his voice small, as if those eyes would crush him under their weight of whatever emotion they were attempting to make him feel.  He suddenly began to feel weak, both mentally and physically.

“This here is gonna be your room.” Big Macintosh stated without even batting an eye, nor glancing away as he spit the bags onto the ground “Ah’m movin’ everything ta the barn, so ya can have a place ta sleep by tomorrow.”

“S-Shouldn’t that wait till mornin’?” Braeburn asked, staring into the neck of the other, which was about two inches taller than his eyesight.  He began to wonder if he was always this short, or Big Macintosh was just freakishly tall? “Ah mean, yer tired at night, and ya could hurt yerself goin’ up and down these stairs!”

“Couldn’t sleep.” Big Macintosh stated once more.  This time he turned, lifting a great weight off of the yellow earth pony’s shoulders almost instantly.  Dammit, why did he keep feeling so awkward whenever the red stallion looked at him?  “Better now than later, everything is already out.”

“Well… I guess ya have a point…” Braeburn mumbled, putting a hoof to his chin as he thought a moment.  He opened his mouth and began to speak, despite his throat feeling as dry as a desert.  “A-Ah couldn’t sleep either, do ya need any hel-”

“No.” Big Macintosh stated, his voice cool and distant.

Braeburn winced.  He felt as if he had physically been pierced by a sharp object.  “B-But A-Ah…” His voice was beginning to stutter, and he couldn’t think up a reasonable reason why.  “Why not?” He asked “For the sake of Luna, if ah don’t h-help ya, ya might be stuck out here till the roosters crow at mornin’!”

“Maybe.” Big Macintosh mumbled, shrugging his shoulders as he reached out a hoof to drag a box closer to him from inside the room.  “Maybe it would go a little faster if somepony weren’t botherin’ me.”

Those words stung, they truly did.  Braeburn bit his lip and glanced at another box.  “Jus’ let me give ya a helpin’ hoof, ah promise ah won’t get in yer wa-”  A sudden pain shot through his upper leg that he began reaching out as it was suddenly grabbed and twisted in an odd way, causing him to lean toward the stairs, which he would most likely end up tumbling down if his leg was bent any further.

“O-O-Ow…” Braeburn managed to spit out.  “W-What are ya doin’?” He cried out as his eyes began to sting, and he silently cursed himself for suddenly feeling so weak and powerless.  His leg was suddenly released and he all but collapsed onto his lower half.  He did indeed manage to catch himself as his other leg began vigorously rubbing his newly freed hoof with teary eyes.

Braeburn managed to glance up, and he managed to get one final glimpse of Big Macintosh’s hind as he wondered back into the room to get more items for the barn.  The yellow stallion suppressed a sniffle as he got to his hooves, and began to slowly trot down the stairs, tears in eyes.  He felt like a child getting a scolding, and it made him feel weak and helpless.

“J-Jerk!” He managed to spit out, although keeping it below normal tone in fear of Big Macintosh losing his temper.

Wasn’t he so nice earlier?

Braeburn sniffled as he began to trot back to his makeshift bed, in his makeshift home.

Big Macintosh currently lay in his own bed, with his own thoughts, staring out his own window.  His window clearly showed that all his hard work in emptying as much of the room until he almost collapsed had indeed taken him until the start of dawn, where the sky held an orange, heavenly glow.

He curled up tighter under the blanket covering his body, a tiny stuffed, old donkey in his arms.  He normally would have felt a little childish for holding it so tightly, but at the current moment he was a little too focused on his feelings to care.

“Why was I so mean to him?”

The words entered the mind of the red stallion as his weary eyes began to loop a little droopy.  He wasn’t sure of the answer as he closed his eyes.  Maybe he was mad at himself for not recognizing his own cousin, and simply taking out the hidden anger through giving the other the cold shoulder.  That at least would be plausible other than he suddenly turned into a big jerk.

Big Macintosh began to think about his younger cousin, the way he talked, the way he seemed awkward in public and afraid to talk to anypony.  He had a shy nature, but once he opened up he seemed like a naturally sweet stallion…

The red stallion suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the covers back up over his head.  His cheeks began to blush as he felt a mixture of guilt and anger for what he had done only mere hours ago.  It was only instinct…

Maybe he was upset because Braeburn constantly… made his belly seem as if it were fluttery and light for no reason.

Big Macintosh was blushing again… wasn’t he?