Cowboys and Angels

       Big Mac had never felt so happy, so strong, so filled with pure bliss. Everything was perfect. The girl of his dreams is his marefriend, the apples were coming faster than Rainbow Dash in a hurry, and Applejack is happily giving him a look of pure smugness whenever she got the chance.

     'Applejack's 27th birthday was soon, I'll have to give her something nice for helping me out. She's seemed depressed  lately, now that I think about it. Espescially when Fluttershy is around,' Big Mac thought to himself.

................................................................

    Applejack was in her room listening to some old Pohnny Cash records. She was feeling lonely as of late, especially with her big brother leaving her with more work to do than usual to go be with Fluttershy. She tells him she can handle it but she wants him more than anything to refuse and stay with her.

     'All of my friends and family seemed to have vanished. Twilight has gone into another one of her studying frenzies, and Spike's helping her. Rarity has once again taken a order to large to handle, and Spike's helping her too, which is strangely impressive.' She thinks.

      'Rainbow Dash is following a Wonderbolts tour, hoping they'll recognize her and ask her to join in. Applebloom is constantly out with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, while Granny Smith is out of town at the world apple convention in Saddle Arabia. Big Mac and Fluttershy are constantly out on dates, and Pinkie is... well Pinkie,' she thought sadly.

     "Applejack, ya in there?" Applejack heard Big Mac call from outside.

     "Yeah Mac ahm in here. Who else'd know where yer records were?" She replied somewhat teasingly.

     "Good point, now give em back."

     "Come in and get em, if ya care ta try!" Applejack responding as she always did when this happens.

      Big Mac flings open the door and tackles Applejack. She tries to kick him off but even her legs have trouble with him. She eventually kicks him off flinging him into a coat rack. A giant fru-fru frilly hat Rarity had given her fell on Big Mac's head engulfing him in feathers.

      "HAHAHAHA!" Applejack laughs heartily. Big Mac looks at her slightly confused but he looks in her mirror and joins in the laughter.

     "So what did ya want Mac?" Applejack asks shoving him his records.

     " I came to ask ya watcha wanted for ya birthday." Big Mac told her.

     " I don't need anything Mac I got all I could want."

     " There's gotta be sumthin sis I gotta repay you, you helpin me an all."

     " Don't be ridiculous Mac you owe me nothin."

     " Alright, if you say so," said Big Mac, realizing he was on his own for this. He heads out of her room leaving the records behind.

.................................................................

     Later at night Big Mac woke up to the sound of crying. He thought Applebloom might've hurt herself so he goes to check on her. When he opens the door no one was there.

     "Thas' right, she's at another sleepover with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, wonder if Rarity's begged Flutters for help yet," he mutters to himself, chuckling at his joke.

     Assuming he imagined the crying he starts heading back to his room. Suddenly he starts hearing the crying again realizing that it was coming from Applejack's room.

     He spends five minutes deciding what to do when suddenly it stops. He peaks into the room to see Applejack fast asleep, with tears in her eyes. She had her old teddy bear with the minnie stoic in a  deathgrip hug. Laying beside her was a notebook, apparently still open from her writing in it.

     Big Mac walks over and picks it up and reads the page it was on.

                     "Desertion"

       Friends all gone Family all lost

 I gave up searching but at what cost

                     Im left alone

    Torchered by the Devil's Thrown

            Love finds all but me

         Cupid missed the heart

  and I took an arrow to the knee

      Whats keeping love apart?

     Big Mac was shocked by the beaughty and sadness of what he just read, and he knew what to do.

.................................................................

     Applejack woke up the next morning, and realized she had left out her 'journal'. Quickly hiding it she puts on a mask of happiness and gets ready for the day.

     As she heads downstairs she notices a note. Picking it up it said:

            I've gone to the store

                   be back soon

                                       Love,

                            Macintosh

     'Yeah right, at the store my flank. He just went to see Fluttershy.' She thinks bitterly. 'Well my birthday's tomorrow maybe someone will notice me,' she thinks with a combination of hope and self-pity. She heads to the Cakes' bakery to get a bite to eat.

     "Applejack! Just the pony I wanted to see," Mr. Cake calls from over the counter, "I have a personal sized cake just for you and am baking the big one for your party tomorrow."

     He gives her the personal cake designed to look like a giant apple. "Thank you, Mr. Cake," Applejack says as she exits the store. She goes to the library which has a sign on the door saying 'CLOSED DUE TO EXTREME STUDYING'.

     Spike had made the sign after last time when there was no one to watch the library and three books went missing. She decided to change direction to Rarity's Boutique and went inside as a bell rang.

      "Welcome to Rarity's Boutique were everything is sheeq, unique, and magnifiqe," she could hear being called from across the store, "Oh, hey Applejack, can I help you?"

     "No ahm good just was nearby and thought I'd see how you were doing with that dress order," Applejack replied.

     "Well that was just fabulous of you darling, and I am doing Marvelously on it. I have finished eighty-five of the one hundred dresses I need to finish," Rarity told her, "I hate to leave company dear but I simply must close shop and get some sleep. I have been working for two days straight without any sleep!"

     "I understand Rarity," Applejack said. She decided to head back to the Sweet Apple Acres. As she gets near she spots something in the distance and as soon as it's out of view she hears a rumbling. Galloping as quickly as she could when she reached the barn. She notices Big Mac locking up the garage.

     "What are you doing Mac?" Applejack calls to her brother in the disatance.

     "Just locking up the garage," he yells walking to her.

     "Well why? We never do that," she replied curiously.

     "You'll just have ta wait and see tomorrow," Mac replies with a sly grin.

.................................................................

     The next morning Applejack wakes up with a grin that would give Pinkie a run for her money. 'Finally I can have some time with my friends, they'vs been so busy lately,' she thinks to herself.

     When she goes down the stairs she sees Big Mac in the kitchen, apparently making pancakes, Applejack's favorite, but rarily gotten, breakfast. Granny Smith usually makes breakfast and she has hundreds of apple-based recipes.

    "Mmmm, that smells delicious Mac," she tells him.

     "Well I did my best, it is your birthday after all," he replies, "Granny Smith would have made them, but she's running behind. She should be back in time for the party."

     "Thas fine," Applejack told him, having already eaten four pancakes.

     "Rarity called she said that she got the full package at the spa and be  there at one pm," Big Mac tells her. He knows that, even though she'd never admit it, she really enjoys those spa trips.

     "That's about six hours long isn't it?" she replies with a hopeful glint in her eye.

     "Yeah, that'll give you fifteen minutes to get back. I'll set up the decorations, Pinkie will be over to help and bring the cake, and everyone else will arive just before you do," he tells her.

     "Well I'd better go see Rarity"

.................................................................

     After the spa trip she came back to the farm. Pinkie had outdone herself and somehow managed to decorate the whole orchard. The food was delicious and games were fun. Her gifts were all nice but it was Big Mac's that left a mark.

     "Well Applejack, I think that's all of the gifts," Twilight tells her.

     "Not yet! Big Mac still needs to give his gift," says Pinkie.

     "Where is Mac?" asked Rainbow Dash curiously.

     Suddenly a large roaring sound is heard and a huge object jumps over them. A truck with a large bow on top lands in front of them and starts doing doing donuts, and Big Mac steps out.

     "Happy birthday Applejack!" he yells over the distance. He walks over and is nearly crushed in a hug by  Applejack.

    "Thank you Mac!" she yells.

     "It has 1500 horse power so you'll be able to do alot of damage," he tells her. Now you got to remember were talking about a world were Big Macintosh and Rainbow Dash exists. That's a hell alot of horse-power. About 200,000 horse power here.

     "How in Celestia's name did you afford this?" Applejack asked stunned.

     "I got it piece by piece and put it together myself, took nearly a year," he tells her.

     "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Applejack responds.

    "Thank you!" yells Pinkie-Pie. After everyone stares at her she responds, "What? I thought it was a game."

.................................................................

    Hours later Big Mac takes Applejack to the garage. Everyone else had gone home and he was ready  to give her the rest of her present.

     "There something we need to talk about Applejack," he tells her seriously.

     "What Mac?" she asks seemingly worried.

     "I didn't get you this truck just to drive around the orchard. I got it because I want you to travel," he tells her.

     "What?" Applejack asks confused.

     "I read that notebook of yours, and it held some pretty dark stuff," he tells her nervously.

     Applejack was stunned for a moment until she broke down in tears, "Mac i'm getting old, and I still haven't found that special, somepony. Usually I can get over it but between you and Fluttershy and all my friends being so busy, I was left in my thoughts," she tells him pouring out her feelings.

     "I understand that's why I got you these," he rummages through his saddlebag pulling out two cards.

     "One is a card that'll let you take as many boat trips as you want for the next two months the other is a credit card for food and gas," he explains, "I also got you a front row ticket and a backstage pass to a Hayson Aldean concert in three weeks."

     "Thank you Mac but why?" she asks.

     "The tickets were to chear you up and the journey might just let you find that somepony," he replies, "we're here." They arrived at a small house at the back of the orchard. Then they go inside and Big Mac gives her the key.

     "What is this place?" Applejack asks.

     "Your new home for when you come back," he tells her. Inside there is a small kitchen a bathroom and a bedroom with a kingsize bed for two.

     "Why are you doing all this for me?" Applejack asks.

     "Because I love you," Macintosh tells her with all his heart.

    Macintosh then gets out his Guitar and sings:

You belong among the wild flowers

You belong in a boat out at sea

Sail away kill off the hours, you belong somewhere you feel free

Run away find you a lover

go away somewhere all bright and new

i have seen no other who compares with you

you belong among the wildflowers

you belong in a boat out at sea

you belong with your love on your arm

you belong somewhere you feel free

run away go find a lover, run away let your heart be your guide

you deserve the deepest of cover

you belong in that home by and by

You belong among the wildflowers you belong somewhere close to me

far away from your trouble and worry

you belong somewhere you feel free

you belong somewhere you feel free

Applejack got in the truck and left leaving to find herself.

.................................................................

     Across the country, a lone man sits sadly. 'I'm tired of all this traveling and stardom. I want to settle down get married, work at a farm like I did as a kid," the sad thoughts of Hayson Aldean.