It was hot.
Really hot.
Putting up with this would be difficult anytime. But today it was harder than ever. The weather report said it was the hottest day that Ponyville had had in five years. She had just been a little filly when that had happened.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt your feelings... Blank Flank? !"
The heat was bad enough. But the taunting, the shoving, the laughing...
It was driving her insane.
"Sorry, Applebloom. This is a cutie mark only game, and, oh, that's right, you don't have one!"
The poor filly couldn't remember a more miserable and more horrible day. Every time that... that bully opened her mouth, it made her see red. Everytime her unsympathetic classmates laughed at her, it hurt her. She felt like crying. She felt like screaming. All she wanted was to go home. To have a glass of lemonade and spend the rest of the day in her room, trying to beat the late spring heat. That's all. But there was still an hour of school left.
One. Agonizing. Hour. Left.
An hour of teasing, torture, taunting and tripping. An hour of snickers and giggles and smirks and cruel laughter, she had all that she could take. Enough was enough.
"Say Applebloom, is that a cutie mark? Oh, wait, it's just a bug! Hah!"
10.
"I mean, wow! Seven years old and no cutie mark yet? Are you ever gonna grow up? Or are you just gonna be a baby for the rest of your life! ?
9.
"BabyBloom, BabyBloom! Come on, Silver!"
8.
"BabyBloom! BabyBloom!BabyBloom!"
7.
"What would your cutie mark even look like, Baby Bloom? I bet it's a pony sitting in the school house with a dunce cap! Or maybe a poor little country hick, stuck on a farm forever!"
6...
"I almost feel sorry for you. I mean, all you'll ever be is a workhorse. And a lousy one at that too! You'll get to spend the rest of your life in a little dirty farm in the middle of nowhere kicking trees with your little legs! I hope your brother and sister can afford some hired help, because you won't be able to buck one single-!"
1!
That was it. The breaking point.
With an angry scream, Applebloom whirled and around and placed her hoof into Diamond Tiara's eye as hard as she could.
Bucking was hard work. Big Macintosh knew that better than anyone.
The workhorse had been bucking apples ever since he was six. He had powerful legs, great endurance and an iron will to work.
But while powerful legs, great endurance and an iron will were great and all, even a pony as strong as Big Mac needed a break once and a while.
Said red pony was currently taking a well earned one. His sister, Applejack, was off with her friends. Applebloom was at school. Granny Smith was fast asleep in her rocker in the living room, while Big Mac had a seat. he had a big glass of ice cold lemonade and one of his favorite books by J.R.R. Coltien. The stallion sighed happily as he sat in his favorite chair, made himself comfortable, took a sip of his drink, and opened the book. He had read through the book several dozen times, but the magical adventures of The Burro were just too good too resist. He flipped to the first page, and began to read.
"In a hole in the ground, there lived a burro..."
CRASH!
Something flew smack dab into the door to the farmhouse. The pictures on the wall rattled and shook in the impact. Granny Smith kept snoring, not stirred at all.
Mac sighed. "Come on in, Derpy.
The door opened and said cross-eyed pegasus came in. "Hiya, Mac!" she greeted with a wave. "Howyadoin'?"
"Fine, thank ya," Mac said. "Ya need somethin'?"
"Uh, yeah I do..." said Derpy tapping her hooves together. "But when I flew into your door, I kinda forgot... Uh... This might take a while..." the mail-pony said.
Mac sighed and pulled up his book again. "Eeyup."
"Uh... Hmm..." Derpy said, living up to her nickname of "Derpy Hooves". "I think it was Bon Bon... No, it was... Uh, Octavia... Uh... Wait! I remember! It was Cheerilee! You know, the teacher?"
"Eeyup."
"She wants to see you! Oh, and she didn't look too happy!" Derpy said.
Mac felt a tinge of worry fill his heart. He placed his book down and took one last sip of his lemonade.
If Cheerilee needed him, Applebloom probably was in trouble.
"Hey, what's the book?" asked Derpy "'The Burro?'"
"Eeyup," said Mac, standing up.
"Can I read it? It sounds interesting!" Derpy said.
"Eeyup."
"Oh, thanks!" said Derpy, taking his lemonade and grabbing the book.
Big Macintosh sighed as he walked outside, closing the door behind him. He looked up at the blistering sun and sighed again, before heading to the road, down to Ponyville.
Good bye, day off.
Meanwhile, back in his house...
"Ooh..." Derpy said, as she read the Burro. "This is good... This Coltien guy was a genius!"
Indeed he was, Derpy. Indeed he was.
"I am very disappointed with you two!"
"I-it was Applebloom's fault, Ms. Cherilee! She started-!"
"Quiet, Diamond Tiara!"
The little filly named Applebloom sighed as she stood in front of the desk of her teacher. Ms. Cheerilee was always such a nice lady (when you were well-behaved), so it always hurt inside when you broke the rules and made her unhappy.
But it isn't mah fault! Applebloom though angrily. Diamond Tiara wouldn't leave me alone! It's not fair! Not fair!
"Applebloom! Pay attention!"
Applebloom looked up at the angry face of Cheerilee. "I expect you to pay attention when I am talking to you!" Cheerilee snapped. "I know you've been raised better than that!"
"Sorry..." muttered Applebloom.
Diamond Tiara began to laugh, but Cheerilee silenced her with the patented teacher glare of death.
"Now," the teacher said, feeling very angry. "I can not believe that you two were actually fighting! Applebloom, look! You've given Diamond a black eye!"
"But Ms. Cheerilee-!" whined Applebloom. "She started it!"
"I don't care who started it!" Cheerilee snapped. "Now, you are both to blame for this inexcusable fight! I have sent a message to your families, and they will all be coming here to talk to me about this!"
"B-but-!" stammered Diamond, terrified.
"No buts!" snapped Cheerilee, her patience for the day quite thin as it is. "Until your families arrive, you will sit in here for the rest of the day! No talking, teasing and no fighting!"
Applebloom swallowed. She had never seen Cheerilee so angry before. She felt awful.
She turned to Diamond Tiara. The pink pony shot a glare at her, which she returned.
Sighing to herself, Applebloom returned to her seat and sat down, quietly wondering how things had gotten so bad...
Author's Note:
Annnnnnnnnnnd there. There goes my manliness. Good bye, manhood. I'll miss you.
Sigh...
Well, yeah. I'm a brony. No need to lie or hide it. I am what I am. Hey, if girls can watch Transformers, boys can watch Ponies!
Besides, this show is okay. it has some really well written characters, and some good animation, and great jokes! What do you want from me? Plus, I really like Macintosh and Applebloom a lot.
Well, enough feeling sorry for myself. I wrote this and I plan on finishing it! So, review and tell me what you think! Was it mediocre so far, or really good? Or somewhere in between? If you think I need to improve, let me know! I can fix in the next chapter!
Well, before I go, I have a question for you. Which of these odd Big Mac pairings do you like the most?
Big MacintoshxZecora
Big MacintoshxTrixie
Big MacintoshxDitzy Doo/Derpy Hooves
or Big MacintoshxChrysilis?
Which pairing do you think would be the most interesting to read? Let me know, after you review!