More Than A Stallion

As Big Macintosh flew in, Cheerilee looked up to the stallion from a picnic. The moment she noticed he was flying, she recoiled a bit in surprise.

Big Macintosh landed with a thud. “Sorry I’m late, Cheerilee,” he said quietly.

"Big Macintosh, you-" Cheerilee's eyes remained glued to where Big Macintosh had been hovering. "You flew!"

"Eeeyup."

Big Macintosh went through the events of his day with Cheerilee, who was genuinely surprised that the stallion had uttered more than an 'Eeeyup' or 'Nnnope' in response to her questions for further details. As Big Macintosh finished his story, Cheerilee cocked an eyebrow and asked a question to summarize what he'd told her.

"So you're an alien and you've got superpowers?"

"Eeyup. You aren't gonna start mobbing me with questions like Applejack's friends did at the hospital, are you?"

Cheerilee shook her head. “No, I’m not. You know why?”

"Why?"

"Because even if you have superpowers, or if you’re from another realm, planet, or wherever…” Cheerilee poked him in the chest. “You’re still you, and that’s what counts.” Her hoof remained there, being absentmindedly dragged in patterns along Big Mac’s barrel chest. Their eyes met. "I wouldn't care if losing your yoke had turned you into a spider, a tree, or even a dragon. So long as you’re Big Macintosh on the inside, everything will be all right."

Big Macintosh nuzzled Cheerilee lightly.

"Thanks, Cheerilee."

"Oh it's no problem at all. I'm just glad you've said more to me on this date than on any of our previous dates combined."

Cheerilee spoke more as they walked about the orchard. About dreams. Love. The future. Her favorite topics, and her opinions on them never ceased to amaze Big Macintosh. He felt lucky to have fallen in love with such a positive and upbeat mare.

("Graaaugh!")

Big Macintosh’s ears twitched. What the heck was that?

(BOOM)

Was he hearing things? No. No, he couldn’t have. But an explosion? The sounds came from northward, near Canterlot. He blinked. How could he tell? Big Mac perked his ears again. More sounds. A child playing hide-and-seek with his sister hides in a closet with an old, worn door that was ready to fall off.

"Because Ah ‘kin hear its rusted hinges as it closes."

A pair of cats fighting in an alley over food.

"Because Ah ‘kin hear ‘em hiss and screech at each other, an’ the scuffle’a feet knocks over what ‘kin only be a trash can…"

(Stop the train, it’s gonna crash!")

He breathed in sharply. The train, on its way to Canterlot, was about to crash?

Not if he could help it!

Cheerilee's eyes fell upon his, which gazed deep into space. His ears twitched to the sounds of peril that only he could hear.

"Big Macinto-"

Cheerilee covered her eyes as Big Macintosh zoomed off onto the horizon, the rush of air blowing her mane into her eyes.

A train screeched along its rails, an unavoidable cliff just ahead. Below the cliff lay the burning wreckage of a bridge, the bits that still hung onto the track crumbling into ash. The passengers on board screamed as they rushed to their doom.

The conductor, an aged stallion with steely blue eyes, was arguing with his workers.

"Sir, we've got to disconnect the rest of the train! It'll slow down and only we'll have to go over the edge!"

"Don't you get it you dolt!? I've been riding these rails for years! At this speed, even if we disconnect, the rest of the cars will follow us over the edge! This is a doomed train. We might as well accept that fact rather than die struggling!"

Big Macintosh zoomed over the horizon, the sun directly behind him. His figure was obscured by the light, creating the image of a hero from the times of Roanan Empire. He had to go fast. As fast as he possibly could. He'd heard screams for help, but he didn't imagine he'd be going as far as the Mid-Equestrian Divide to rescue a train.

Still, countless lives were at stake, and Celestia as his witness, he'd stop that train. If he’d been anypony else, Big Macintosh would know right away that jumping in front of a train is a terrible idea. Then again, so was tangling with a Quarry Eel. He shot for the train, hoping he had arrived in time.

The ponies from the train looked to the clouds as a deafening boom cracked across the sky, framing their red savior in a ring of condensed water. It was at that same moment that the train began to fly over the edge. As the train plummeted, Big Macintosh pushed himself harder, to go far faster than a speeding bullet.

The train inched closer to the bottom of the crevice, time slowing to a crawl as Big Macintosh flew under the engine and pushed upward with all his might. He had to be more powerful than this speeding locomotive.

All went silent on the train as the landscape that had sped past them on their way down was replaced by a blue sky and clouds. Big Macintosh gave it his all, hauling the train over the skyscrapers of Canterlot, soaring over the tall buildings in a single bound. A bound that started in Ponyville, several miles away.

After he gently set the train down, Big Macintosh stretched his aching muscles and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Big Macintosh turned away from the train to be met by a wide-eyed crowd of dumbstruck ponies. The silence lasted for many minutes until one little colt had the guts to say something.

“That,” breathed the colt. His voice suddenly became loud. “THAT WAS AWESOME!!!”

The moment the colt finished his exclamation, the crowd mobbed him. They struggled against one another to get a better look at this strange stallion. After all, he’d just lifted a TRAIN and flown it back to the station! That’s a feat that could probably be only done by a winged unicorn, like the Princesses.

On a nearby rooftop, a lone griffon with bright red feathers and a denim jacket sighed, drumming his talons onto the camera he held in his talons. An entire day of going around Canterlot and not a single news-worthy story had come up.

"C'mon Oleander. Sure you're at the bottom of the ladder, but before you know it, an amazing story will just fall right into your lap!"

The ground shook a bit, knocking the griffon over. The camera flashed a few times as it clacked onto the cobblestone roof.

"The heck was that!?" Oleander pulled himself up onto the ledge, his eyes falling onto the train station, where the smoke trail from the engine led into the sky instead of down the tracks. As he gazed upon the train, his eye filled with tears. Looking to the castle in the distance, he bowed with his hands clasped together over his had in a show of gratitude.

"Oh, thank you Celestia! Now please make it rain rent money!"

Oleander looked to the sky, noting that he wasn't being buried in a hail of bits. Sighing, he picked himself up and dusted his jacket off.

"Guess it's a one time thing. Ah well, it'll be raining bits once I get to bottom of the sky train!"

Oleander jumped into the air and glided down to the train station. He needed a scoop, and he'd gotten a triple-stack cone.

Something grabbed Big Macintosh by his foreleg and pulled him out of the mob.

A griffon with red feathers gelled back into a 'hip' style took Big Macintosh's hoof and shook furiously. "Hi! I'm Oleander, a reporter for the Daily Canter, the biggest newspaper in the Canterlot area! We'd love to hear about how you single-hoofedly saved that train from a fall, and all without wings or a horn! Care to come with speak with us for a bit?"

"Nnnope."

"Aww come on! You're probably the biggest hero Equestria has seen since the Elements of Harmony! Can't you spare just a few wor-"

"We do believe that this pony hath declined your offer."

The griffon bowed abruptly, dropping his notepad and pencil.

Big Macintosh craned his neck around to get a good look at the pony who'd scared the griffon.

"Macintosh Apple, is it? We've heard much about you from our sister's letters. Could you perhaps come with us? We have read of your humbleness and seen your great feat, and would like to escort you out of this most uncomfortable situation."

Big Macintosh half-nodded, half-bowed to the Princess of the Night. "It would be much appreci'ted, Princess."

"Very well then." Luna took flight, encasing the two in a force field to prevent pegasi from mobbing them in the air. Big Macintosh jumped into the air and followed after Luna, keeping himself within the forcefield.

Oleander grinned even wider. No only was there a new hero, but he was familiar with the princesses! This story wasn't just a triple scoop cone of ice cream, it was a hot fudge sundae, and the hot fudge had just burnt his tongue!

Oleander took wing and glided after the pair of powerful ponies with a pen and notepad in his talons.

The two looked back on occasion for any pegasi that might've tailed them, but Oleander managed to fly out of their line of sight whenever they did.

"Good thing I took those private eye correspondence courses!"

As Luna and Big Macintosh landed on the princess' balcony, Oleander made himself comfortable on a cloud just outside the room.

They touched down upon Luna’s balcony. Her guards took their posts on either side of the balcony’s door, becoming almost like statues.

As Big Macintosh followed Luna into her room, he got a face-full of her… unique taste in interior decorating: skulls and wicked masks lined the walls, creepy-looking dolls occupied shelves (and he could swear one of them was watching him), burlap sacks of mysterious ingredients hanging from the ceiling, a giant painting of surreal terrors above her bed…

“We take it thou hast already been informed of your abilities,” Luna said suddenly, breaking Big Mac from his distraction. He turned to meet the Princess’s steely gaze and silently hoped she hadn’t caught him staring at her room.

“Eeyup.”

Luna nodded, and walked over to a large treasure chest near the corner of her chamber. It was black, lined with spikes, with a cow's skull over the lock. Its dimensions seemed warped and ghoulish. Big Mac raised an eyebrow. If anything could be kept in a box THAT ominous, he’d rather let it stay there.

Luna inserted her horn into the lock, breaking its seal. As it opened, Big Mac could hear tortured screams erupt from the box. He looked away, suddenly terrified. He heard Luna hush the voices like a mother to an upset child, then a few seconds as the screams quieted. Some… slithering? A sound like shuddering snakes rang in his ears. Then finally, the box was shut with a deafening slam.

He breathed deep and turned around. The Princess stood before him, with a scroll in her telekinetic grasp. “Our sister has informed us of your discomfort with your recently-revealed powers. We have witnessed that today, ourselves. Thus, we shall make thee an offer, Sir Big Macintosh of the Apple Clan.

“We have in our possession a spell to recreate another dampener to reduce thine abilities. Shall we proceed?”

Big Macintosh thought this over. His new abilities could be very useful. He could be more helpful to his family than ever before. Cheerilee didn’t seem to mind his becoming a superhero. But there was that whole “crowds mobbing him” thing. He hated it. He didn’t think he could ever hate anything if he tried, but it turned out there really was something he hated after all.

Fame.

He could give up these powers and become normal again. He could get back to life as he had before. No big deal, no fuss, no mobs of ponies trying to touch him as if he’s some kind of savior. And Cheerilee wouldn’t mind either way, so long as he stayed who he was on the inside. Big Mac nodded and gave his answer.

“Eeyup.”

At this, Luna nodded as well, and opened her scroll. “Then let us begin. Please stand over there.” Luna pointed to a dark rug, which Big Macintosh could've sworn was made from the hide of some eldritch beast.

Big Macintosh moved to the center of the rug, as ordered. As he moved, he noticed the complex, crater-like designs of the room. It looked like a simple design choice when he'd first entered the room, but only now that h'd looked closely did he notice that the room's walls formed an inside-out map of the light side of the moon. He noticed several formations, like the Mare Tranquillitatis, weren't covered by shelves of macabre knick-knacks, and were instead marked with co-ordinates of some kind. A desk based under the part of the wall dedicated to the formation held images of a trio of ponies, as well as several scrolls stamped with a bright red [TOP SECRET] on their seals.

"Ahem."

The sound of Luna's voice snapped Big Macintosh out of his curiosity over such delicate information.

"We should warn you, we are not as well-versed in conjuring magic as our sister is, so the new nullifier yoke will be a bit, um, bigger than your old yoke."

Big Macintosh nodded, standing firm.

"Alright, we shall begin with the spell."

A blue light shot from Luna's horn and into the rug Big Macintosh stood on, causing the fibers to glow like a set of runes. The light reached over Big Macintosh's body, like a set of warm clothes.  He felt a familiar weight around his neck, with new additional weights on his legs. With a snap and a pop, the light faded, showing Big Macintosh what his new dampener looked like.

Drapped over his neck was a thick, steel yoke. Where th yoke covered his chest, it formed a diamond shape with ruby lining. Within this ruby diamond lay a ruby 'S'-shaped rune. The rest of the diamond was filled in with a golden metal that was lightweight, but strong.

Over front legs was what felt like a pair of hoof-guards mixed with boots. The boots themselves were red and had an area on the bottom where horseshoes made of some unknown, but incredibly dense material were seamlessly integrated into the boot. Over the fronts of the fore-boots was a blue plate of armor with edges made of the same golden metal as the fillings of the 'S'.  On his hind hooves were red boots nearly identical to the ones on his forehooves, save for the fact that they lacked plating.

Thick, metal-like materials made up a sort of armor that covered the rest of his body, keeping his vitals safe from harm while not overheating him like normal armor would.

Under all of this was a one-piece suit of a blue cloth that was not unlike spandex, save for the fact that it was far more comfortable and form-fitting, showing off Big Macintosh's muscles in a most flattering manner. Most peculiarlly, it covered up his cutie mark.

And what Big Macintosh had found out almost immediately, was that the suit didn't even nullify his powers.

The smell of smoke alerted him to a burning scroll. Luna looked at him apologetically.

"We are very sorry Big Macintosh, but the last time We have performed a conjuring spell was before our banishment. This was a one-use spell, and We seem to have accidentally crafted a suit of armor instead of a nullifying yoke." She bowed her head a bit in shame and rubbed her hooves together. "Forgive us?"

Any attempt at an angered response had been halted. Luna genuinely seemed sorry for mussing up a single-use spell. Big Macintosh defaulted to his basic answer.

"Eeeyup."

"Thank you for your forgiveness, Macintosh Apple. We appreciate it greatly."

Big Macintosh nodded to Luna. Taking notice of the position of the sun through the window, he remembered what he'd left when he'd heard the train.

"Oh no! Cheerilee!" Big Macintosh rushed out of the window, the rush of air blowing away stray papers.

Luna watched him go over the horizon and thought deeply. Conjuring up a small conch shell comprised mostly of magic, she spoke into it.

"Sister, We have successfully tricked Macintosh Apple. We have given him the armor his father sent with him. He thinks the conjuring went through a sort of accident, as planned. A laughable thought, really, when one considers that We are the former Bearer of the Element of Magic."

Some time passed before a reply came back through the shell.

"Good work, Luna. If we want to take on General Swift Sword and that foul magic that corrupts him, then we'll need Big Macintosh's help. I'll be back at the castle soon. I just hope what we're doing will turn out for the best."

Oleander put his talons to his beak, blocking a surprised gasp.

The princess had lied. She'd done something that most politicians did already, but to hear a blatant lie come right from the mouth of a princess, one of three ponies to be regarded as a god by many was just earth shattering.

But, if both Luna and Celestia were in on a lie, then it must be something that not even the press had a right to reveal.

Taking the notes he'd written subconsciously of the princesses' conversation, he ripped them out and crumpled them up, tossing them down into the bushes below.

Dusting his talons, Oleander took flight to the Daily Canter office building. He had a story to write.

A unicorn wearing an obsidian suit of armor passed by a set of bushes. His coat was a light tan, his mane a dark brown. Some white streaks went through it. On his chin was a mustache-goatee combo with the same white streaks. His eyes were covered by thick goggles that glowed with an eerie green color. An orange unicorn mare stood next to him. Her features were angular and aggressive, made more intimidating by her lab coat and black latex hoof-covers.

The stallion looked around. To the unicorn mare at his side, the world looked exactly like the gardens below Luna's balcony, but to him, the world was burning. Dying. Where he stood, in the palace gardens of Canterlot, there was a great mountain supporting him. The world he saw had a massive city spanning from Canterlot to where Ponyville would be. The location of the small town itself was replaced by a massive palace forged from a green metal that emitted the same eerie glow as his goggles. An explosion erupted at the palace, sending spires and towers crashing into the ground.

A rustling sound in the bushes put the unicorn mare on her guard. Moving over to investigate, she snatched up a pair of paper wads that sat upon the shrubbery. Her emerald eyes glanced over the note.

"Sir Swift Sword, it seems that the princesses have begun to take action against StarLabs." The mare glared at Swift Sword with disdain. "Normally, I would completely support your swift fall from power, but as you've so graciously managed to blackmail me into helping you with these goggles, I have no choice but to give you a quick estimate of the time you have left before the iron hoof of the law comes crashing down unto you."

"And what timeframe would you propose, Miss Lack Luster?"

"I would say a couples of weeks at the most. If you want these goggles completely de-bugged within that time, I suggest that you take away research and development's snack breaks."

Swift Sword removed the goggles, placing them on his forehead. His orange eyes flashed green for the briefest of moments. "I want the order given five minutes ago."

Lack Luster nodded. "Consider it done."

Big Macintosh touched down in Ponyville. He'd looked over the entire town for Cheerilee, and had eventually found her walking to the Ponyville Library.

He followed her in, the clunk of his heavy armor on wood making her jump in fright.

"Hey Big Macintosh!" Spike popped his head out from behind a stack of books. "Where'd you get the cool armor?"

"Big Macintosh?" Cheerilee turned around, facing the stallion, glaring at him. Despite being much weaker than him, her glare made her seem like an unstoppable force. "I was talking to you, and you just zoomed off. I demand an explanation as to what could possibly be urgent enough for you to fly off mid-sentence!"

Cheerilee stomped a hoof. Big Macintosh shrunk back, as if the stomp had actually struck him.

"I-I... uh"

A loud belch cut him off before he could explain.

"Twilight, your parents just sent you the newest Daily Canter! It's a breaking news edition too!"

Twilight Sparkle rushed down the stairs and nearly slammed into Spike. Taking the newspaper from his grasp, she read over it aloud, for all to hear.

"Strange 'Superhorse' Saves Steam Engine From Smashing Into Stones."

Spike smirked. "Say that ten times fast!"

Twilight glowered at Spike as she continued to read.

"A strange red stallion with a green apple cutie mark saved a train headed to Canterlot from crashing into a ravine simply by lifting it. Eyewitnesses claim the stallion had not only lifted the train, but had flown it into the station. The stallion fled the scene before he could be asked to comment.

"An investigation is being carried out to find out exactly how the bridge was destroyed. Current suspects include local dragons Smaug and Sharptooth, but the search is not being limited to those of draconian heritage. More details as they come.

Everypony and dragon looked over to Big Macintosh with awe in their eyes.

Cheerilee grabbed Big Macintosh into a hug.

"Um, I-"

"Apology accepted!" Cheerilee let him loose and scanned him over, smiling. "You look handsome in this armor. Who gave it to you?"

"Luna."

Upon the mention of the princess' name, Twilight practically pounced onto him.

"Princess Luna gave you a suit of armor! Oh you must feel so honored!"

"Actually, she tried to conjour a new damp'ner, but she mussed it up a bit."

"So instead of something to remove your powers, you got a whole suit of armor? How exactly did she 'muss it up'?"

"She said she weren't no good at conjouring."

Twilight deadpanned.

"Spike, bring me the book, 'Conjouring and You: A Guide to Summons and Matter Creation'."

Spike's feet pattered on the wood as he raced to the stack of books he'd been behind and grabbed one off of the top, tossing it to Twilight. Twight caught the book deftly and fanned to page one. Turning it to Big Macintosh, she pointed to the portrait of a pony credited with the invention of conjouring magic. A mare with a midnight blue coat and a mane of etherial magic smiled lightly to anypony who read the book.  Princess Luna.

"Big Macintosh, as much as I hate to say it, Princess Luna lied to you."