Big Red Macintosh

by UndyingSpirit

RE-UP Revised my original "Red Macintosh". Based off an old picture provided inside . Little is known about Big Macintosh's personal past. Come and see as the red stallion is forced to face the horrors of war. But the biggest fight is coming back home.

"This is for those who know the horrors of war, who've fought for the freedom of any nation, who've lost someone to any war, and for those survivors who must live with the plight of being fighters. May your wounds heal with the flow of time. Salute!"

"Big 'Red' Macintosh"

*based off the comic http:/ponibooru./post/view/6808?search=big_macintosh*

Not many know much about Big Macintosh's youth. Years ago, the young stallion, praised by many, mostly his family as the hardest worker and one of the most eligible stallions in Ponyville, would be sent to fight in the war to preserve the protection of Equestria from the enemies within the Everfree Forest. The draft spared no young, able-bodied stallion from having to go to war, regardless of species. Pegasi were always on aerial duties and bombardment, while the Unicorns were meant to work as medics and mechanics. The Earth ponies however were not so lucky, having been assigned as front line offense. When war broke out, the tough yet calm stallion fought bravely. At rest back at camp, he could hear his comrades bragging about their body count or the trick shots used to kill the enemy, calling each other by their respective nicknames; for him, he was known as "Big Red". Others talked about the fillies that they either banged or were waiting for them back home. Big Macintosh knew what he had, and he hoped that things would be done soon so he could safely return.

However, fate was not so kind as the war dragged on. The once confident stallions who spoke so bombastically could be heard shivering at night, haunted by nightmares. Worst yet, most of the front line stallions were decimated by the enemies and the monsters of Everfree Forest that they exploited. Soon, the Pegasi and Unicorns began to join alongside the stallions. Big Macintosh knew how unprepared most of the ponies were; they shook in their boots, the wings of many pegasi never opened in confidence, the unicorns' horns glowed way before the battle started, frightened by the simplest of hoof steps. The inexperienced ponies looked to the remaining stallions for guidance and protection; many made promises, few ever kept them. Big Macintosh was looked up to mostly, probably due to his relative size and his own track record in battle. How could he refuse them, especially now?

Fate, however, had still not been kind to any who came into contact with the red stallion. Though he tried as hard as he could to keep them alive, many were left wounded and the rest met their unfortunate end prematurely. The final skirmish would come a few weeks later. Big Macintosh killed many, showed no mercy to any enemy. Nothing was to be spared. The climax of the war ended in bloodshed for both sides. For Big Macintosh, the battle claimed the last remaining comrades under his care. Standing alone in the open space of the Everfree Forest he gazed down at the various corpses around him. Many of the soldiers lay strewn out everywhere; some impaled with swords, many with holes in their bodies, a few were ravaged by rabid manticores. Others, unfortunately, met with the jaws of the hydras and dragons, torn asunder by their razor-sharp teeth. Amid the carnage, the birds chirped normally, the sun rose without a second thought; life began to appear, as if the war never happened. As he listened quietly, Big Mac wondered what the point to the war was.

When he came home, Big Macintosh was greeted as a hero by everypony, mostly those whose minds were still on the war anyway. Big Macintosh did attend the various funerals of those that have fallen, swearing that he felt the burning ire of those around him, those who were left to treat their emotional wounds. At home, he found out that his mother and father had left the ranch to help the other Apple family relatives with their orchards. The only ones left were Granny Smith and his younger sisters, Applejack and Applebloom. They were more than happy to see him back home, as he was in kind with them, but none could understand his inner thoughts, his new-found fear. After some time, when the war wounds subsided, the delegates throughout Equestria had agreed to start anew. Princess Celestia herself advocated peace, and the delegates agreed unanimously. Every inhabitant accepted the swift change towards peace. The stallions and ponies who were soldiers had no choice but to follow suit. Not at all surprisingly they met with hardships after peace was declared. Most had been abandoned by society, knowing nothing else but war, having forcibly forgotten their talents born from their own flank marks. Some lived on the streets begging, others were never able to cope with the change and disappeared from Ponyville and even from Equestria itself, dejected and abandoned. A few of them took the easy way out. Big Macintosh was one of the lucky ones who had a place to stay. He took up most of the work around Apple Acres. The yolk around his neck felt as tight as ever, and twice as heavy.

The first year after the war proved to be grueling for Big Macintosh. Glory now turned to shame, how could he possibly continue living? Peacetime meant nothing as he was soon confined to Apple Acres itself, partially fearing what would happen if he'd been seen on the streets. He knew that some veterans were harassed by the underbelly of Ponyville; the roamers of the night. Others went crazy and spouted nonsensical ramblings that frightened many. Rumors of those who caught the attention of Princess Celestia's guards were never heard from again, allegedly. Everypony else remained silent, including Big Macintosh. At times, all he could think about was going back to the place where things made some sense: the battlefield. At night, he gritted his teeth unconsciously as the soulless, glazed eyes of both friend and enemy surfaced over and over again in his nightmares. The sound of loud explosions and the smell of smoke and flesh burned his senses. He never screamed, though he wishes he could as he awoke in a cold sweat.

Awake, he wondered, 'Why am I still alive?'

The second year was not any stress that he suffered with began to affect his performance on the ranch. The harvest weakened, the fields were plowed less efficiently, and exhaustion overtook him much quicker than before. Big Macintosh suffered quietly, never speaking to anypony, not even to his sisters or grandmother. Though at times, even they saw how his mental health began to deteriorate. During the day he stared often at the edge of the Everfree Forest and twitched his eye and ear. At night, he groaned and shivered in his bed, always breaking out into a cold sweat and could be found on the floor the next morning. Applejack grew suspicious of her older brother's distant attitude towards them. At one point she pulled him aside from work and questioned him.

"Big Macintosh, what's wrong?"

"..."

"You can tell me, I'm your sister."

"..."

Applejack couldn't stand the silence any longer. In one swift movement, she slapped him in the face with her hoof.

"Stop being so dang quiet, it's really starting to worry us."

Big Macintosh still did not reply, only shifted himself away from her. Applejack rushed in front of him.

"Big Macintosh, stop being so stubborn and tell me what's wrong."

Every time he shifted, Applejack stood in Big Macintosh's way. When things got too much for Big Macintosh, he dashed off far into the distance, usually into the Everfree Forest. Applejack, dumbfounded, began to worry even more.

It wasn't until nightfall that Big Macintosh returned, covered in brush and leaves, splotches of dried blood on the tips of his hooves. Applejack waited on the porch, feeling relieved to see her brother.

"Jeez Big Macintosh, where'd ya run off to?"

"Nowhere..." he replied, which caught her off guard. "Sorry for making you worry."

Applejack sighed. "I'm just glad you're home. Come on, supper's ready."

"Thanks kindly."

As Big Macintosh sauntered into the house, Applejack couldn't help but feel that something was different about her older brother. The night played out with nothing special happening. To Applebloom and Granny Smith, Big Macintosh was fine, finally talking after so long. Applejack, however, did not feel the same way as they did. Not sure how, but she knew something was up. Big Macintosh was just somehow...different since he returned. Deep in the night, Applejack crept up slowly to Big Macintosh's room. Through the keyhole, she glanced from side to side. She saw a dark silhouette on the bed in the shape of her brother's frame. Pulling back, she sighed inwardly and took another look, seeing the same figure on the bed again.

'Hmm, must've been my imagination then', Applejack thought to herself as she left quietly.

As the sound of her hoof steps disappeared, the figure on the bed began to stir. An eye opened and glanced at the door. The creaks of the springs softly rang through the room as the figure rose. In the soft moonlight, Big Macintosh gazed out at the window, looking down upon the apple orchard. There he stood, dressed in his ragged army clothing as if ready for action. Below him, in front of the window, was a big rectangular chest. Opening the chest, he hummed a small tune, a forgotten melody of his youth, as he pulled out a wrapped item from the chest. Unwrapping it with his teeth, the cloth revealed a short sword, a souvenir he claimed from the battlefield. Taking the hilt with his mouth, now mentally humming the same tune, he allowed the moonlight to shine against it. The sword flashed twice before it disappeared within the darkness of the room.

In the morning, Applejack, feeling somewhat elated from yesterday, rose up early to help Big Macintosh with his work. However, when she went outside, she did not spot him at his usual work. In fact, he was not even outside. Applejack dashed around the barn but did not find Big Mac there either.

'Maybe he's in the apple orchard' she thought.

As she dashed down the groves of apple trees, she tried looking for her big brother, but to no avail. Coming back the way she came, somewhat distraught, she glanced up at the window of the house and soon spotted Big Macintosh's red coat. She waved to him, but received no response. Applejack pouted and grunted as she made her way into the house and up the stairs. She reached the knob with her mouth and opened the door. The sun momentarily blinded her vision as she moved forward.

"Big Mac, what are you still doing up here? I thought you'd be working by now."

Taking her hoof, she nudged it against Big Macintosh's flank. He did not respond. She tried again, eyes now adjusting to the light. She glanced down at his flank and saw a crimson mark upon the red fur, in the shape of a hoof. Her hoof. She quickly upturned her hoof and saw the same crimson color. Looking down, she found the source of it; a trail of blood leading up to Big Macintosh's front legs. She cautiously took a glance at his front legs and instantly looked away in horror at the sight of two medium-sized gashes running up from ankle to knee. Her eyes momentarily glanced down again at the gashes, all she could see was the fresh blood running down the leg. All she heard were disembodied screams afterwards.

The next moments were mostly a blur. In her mind, the day's events played out vividly, yet her senses made it difficult to comprehend. The medics came rushing in as a sobbing Granny Smith tried to keep up with the ambulance bed holding her own grandson. Applebloom was purposely blocked by some of the officers, preventing her from seeing the gruesome detail, her eyes watering slowly by the refusal to see her big brother. A forensics team roamed Big Macintosh's room looking for evidence, picking up the small sword, covered in dried blood, from across the room. Many ponies flooded the scene, some gave condolences to the family, a few of Applejack's friends in Ponyville stayed by her side, but she was pretty much out of her mind to realize it. Her eyes never darted anywhere else but forward. At the hospital, the doctors eased the family's despair, reassuring that Big Macintosh was alive. Had he been like that any later, he would have really died. Granny Smith and Applejack heard it first at the hospital, and though shocked by the result, they were mildly relieved. Applebloom was reassured that Big Macintosh was going to be fine, but the near-death part was left out intentionally. At her request, the hospital allowed Applejack to stay overnight. She asked her friends to take care of Granny Smith and Applebloom while she stayed at the hospital, and they obliged.

In the room, Applejack looked at the bed that Big Macintosh was kept in. The sound of the I.V. chimed a slow, haunting tone, like water drops from a leaking faucet. Big Macintosh's eyes were closed, his mouth covered by an oxygen mask, his heart beat slow and calmed. Applejack wondered why she did not see it coming. It made sense, the silence, the sudden change in outlook the previous night; yet, she did not think it would come to this. Applejack pulled her chair up to the side of the bed and glanced down at the sleeping figure of her brother. The knowledge that he could've died broke her stride and soon tears streamed down her soft eyes, her sobs soon filled the room.

Days passed by but Big Macintosh had not opened his eyes yet. Applejack wondered why he was not getting better. When she asked, the doctors stated that Big Macintosh had PTSD, which was the reason for his attempted suicide, and fell into a comatose state. Applejack, gripped by horror decided to stay by her brother's side, even if it meant disregarding her duties. The first week made no progress in getting Big Macintosh to awaken. Applejack knew what she was doing was selfish, but to her, the well-being of an Apple family member, the life of her older brother came first.

Deep in the twilight, Big Macintosh had a dream. He was back at Sweet Apple Acres, overlooking the vast spread of apple trees. A breeze came by and knocked an apple off a branch, landing right beside him. Glancing down, Big Macintosh took the apple into his hoof and gazed at it. Another cold breeze blew causing Big Macintosh to flinch. Reopening his eyes, the apple changed into a skull. He glanced back at the orchard and saw that the trees had changed. Each became withered and bare. Hanging from their branches were bleached skulls. Big Macintosh glanced back down at the skull in his hoof and quickly tossed it away. Another breeze blew by, one more chilling than ever.

'Big Red' whispered the wind.

Big Macintosh froze up. 'Big Red' rang the voice, this time closer. He glanced down at the skull once more. The skull's bony jaw moved.

'Hey there, Big Red.' Big Macintosh's eyes remained wide open.

'We've been waiting for you!' screeched the skull. It continued to speak as it rose into the sky. 'Come, your comrades are waiting for you!'

A dark light appeared beyond the orchard. As it appeared, the fallen skulls began to disappear into the vortex, swept up by a voracious wind. A shadow appeared underneath the levitating skull and rose up to greet it. Wrapping around the skull like a cloak, Big Macintosh watched in sheer terror as it transformed before his eyes. A dark stallion soon stood in its place, its violet eyes glowing. It raised a skeletal foreleg towards Big Macintosh.

'It's time to go'

Big Macintosh shook his head and began to run in the opposite direction. But to no avail, he was slowly being pulled towards the spectre. He ran harder than ever, questioning his resistance.

'Why am I running? I should just let it take me, after all I tried to commit suicide...' Big Macintosh began to slow down, wondering if he should just accept his doom. As he slowed down though, an object was hurdling towards him. He raised one hoof and caught it. It was a small apple, ripe and firm. Briefly surprised, Big Macintosh decided to take one last bite of it before he would the dust. He bit into the apple. The sweet flavor of the fruit resonated throughout his body. Time stood still as memories came flooding into his inner conscious, happy memories where he was most comfortable. As the feeling began to spread to his whole being, a voice from deep within boomed, making itself known to Big Macintosh.

'Don't give up! You still have purpose! Now fight!'

Big Macintosh, reinvigorated, furrowed his brow and sped up once more.

The spectre boomed. 'Stop resisting Big Red! You know it is inevitable!'

Big Macintosh smirked. "Eenope!"

Buckling his hind legs, he threw himself upwards into the air. With one swing, Big Macintosh turned and threw the apple at the spectre. Upon impact, the figure lost its composure and succumbed to the wind tunnel. Once it collided with the vortex, both imploded and disappeared. Big Macintosh landed hard on the ground, the impact knocked him unconscious.

Applejack was not ready to give up, even after the update that her friends gave on the orchard. Apples were over-ripening, many had fallen onto the ground and could barely even be considered edible. They had a tough time filling the quota that Applejack could do within the day. The barn animals themselves were becoming a handful to take care of as well. In short, Apple Acres basically was in a state of imminent chaos. But still, Applejack could not leave Big Macintosh alone again and risk something else going wrong. When her friends left, she returned to her seat. Before she could sit down, however, she was caught by surprise when she met with Big Macintosh stare, eyes now softly beaming with life.

"Big Macintosh? You're awake!" Applejack shouted, holding back the tears and her desire to embrace her brother.

"Applejack..." he spoke softly, his voice somewhat rough.

"Yes?" she replied nervously, still surprised by his sudden change.

"Apple..."

"Big Macintosh, I'm here. Don't worry."

Big Macintosh shook his head. "Apples..."

Applejack paused, processing her brother's words, and sighed. "I know that the apples need harvesting, but I won't leave you alone again. Ever. Not until you are better and back home safe again."

Big Macintosh suddenly replied. "Listen..." For a moment Big Macintosh went silent like before, cleared his throat, and then he spoke again, this time looking directly at her.

"Our parents left the orchard to us. The orchard is our livelihood, without it we'd have nothing. Don't be like me, who couldn't save a single thing."

"But Big Macintosh..." her voice cracked; her hat now lowered to cover her face. "If I leave you again..."

Big Macintosh smiled. "Don't worry, little sis. I will be fine, I promise." He raised a hoof and brushed a loose strand of hair from Applejack's face. She raised her head, revealing the tears she had tried to hold back. "I promise to get better and return to you, the family, and the orchard. Trust me, I am your big brother after all."

Applejack turned her eyes towards his and smiled despite her blurred vision. "Yeah..." She nodded, and after a quick hug left the room.

A few days later Big Macintosh was released from the hospital. When he came home, he was given a surprise celebration fit for the hero that he once was. The attendees of the party were mostly comprised of his immediate family, excluding the mother and father, and Applejack's friends. It was a relatively small party, but one he deserved nonetheless. While the fillies were lively, Big Macintosh was more reserved, only engaging in small talk with other ponies. The party lasted until the night came. Big Macintosh, however, was in the orchard, gazing heavily at the moon from under a young Bloomberg's branches. His mind took him back to the days of the war, at night surrounded by other ponies around a campfire talking about aspirations and the like. There were certainly peaceful times in the army: the colt talks, the short songs and battle hymns, the nicknames and what little other things that could be remembered. He closed his eyes and dreamt away. In his mind stood visions of his comrades, all were smiling as if proud of him, instead of bearing sullen faces of spectres that plagued his nightmares. They had forgiven him for the burden they bore on his shoulders, reassuring him of the gratitude and honor that they had serving beside him.

'Goodbye, Big Red' they spoke.

He nodded and smiled as they disappeared into the light.

"Hey Big Macintosh?" said a voice that awoke him from his dream. He opened his eyes and saw a pink flash.

"Yes, um..."

"Pinkie. Pinkie Pie" said the young pony.

"What can I do for ya, miss Pinkie?"

"Oh, nothing, I just saw you under this here tree and thought 'Were you playing hide and seek', so I rushed over and now we're talking."

The rush of words was slightly overwhelming to Big Macintosh, but he kept calm and just nodded.

"So, what are you doing here? The party is not over yet. We've still got games and cake and drinks and music going on. Why don't you join in?"

Big Macintosh shook his head. "I'm good. Thanks." The silence afterwards lasted for a while.

Pinkie stood perplexed at the stallion. "You don't speak a lot do you?"

Big Macintosh shook his head again.

"How come you never say much?"

The question reminded him of his first sit down with other soldiers. While they spoke loudly like most, he remained silent for the most part. That didn't stop the others from asking him the same question. He never really opened up to that many, but to those that he did, now long gone, he felt comfortable. And though the sit down was interrupted by gunfire and explosions, he would never forget the first time he opened up to his comrades.

"Hello~? Big Macintosh~?" Pinkie's voice broke his reverie. "Did you hear me?"

Big Macintosh nodded. "Yeah, I heard."

"You never talk that much...Is it because of something?"

He shrugged, remembering the vow of silence he so carelessly adopted. "You can say that."

"Well then, I don't want to force you to do something you're not comfortable with. I'm fine with either or. But you've gotta live life while you can, like one BIG party."

Big Macintosh smirked as she bounced around him playfully.

"Are you always this random?" he spoke.

"Yup!" she replied. That reply struck a cord in Big Mac. So simplistic, yet it answered his question completely. "In any case, the party is still going on, and I'm ready to get down for round two! See ya later." With that, Pinkie disappeared into the orchard.

Big Macintosh chuckled to himself and went back to gazing at the night sky. 'Gotta live life while you can?' he thought softly, thinking on both his family and his fallen friends. 'I guess I got a lot to live for then.' Standing up, he patted Bloomberg on the trunk, silently thanking it for bearing with his company. In the distance, Big Macintosh saw his sister trotting faster towards him.

"Hey" she started once she stopped trotting, "come on, the party just got started up again. That Pinkie Pie sure knows how to start up the festivities. You comin' or..." Glancing up at her brother, she saw a sight that she had hoped to see once more.

"Eeyup."

It was like she traveled back in time, back to when she was a younger filly, and how she would always look up and see that soft smile that "He" always wore. And she knew then, under the moonlight and Bloomberg's branches, the Big Macintosh that she loved and cared for had returned.

The End.