>“...and that’s why ah I wander in’ if maybe ya could have a talk with Big Mac tonight  after a nice dinner down at the orchard. Y’know, stallion to stallion kinda talk”
>You are, and always will be, Mister Anon in the world of colorful ponies
>Stopping by the Apple family stall for, you guessed it, apples, Applejack struck up a conversation with you
>With a serene grin along with matching eyes, you reply back to her
>”It would be a delight to spend an evening with your family Ms. Applejack. I’d also be happy to speak with your brother, as long as he’s comfortable with it”
>Applejack nods 
>”Ah understand, Mister Anon. We’re just a bit worried for him is all. He’s a pretty quiet colt but never this quiet before”
“I’m happy that Big Macintosh has such a supporting family. I’m sure he’s happy about that too” 
>”Oh it’s nothing Mister Anon, the Apple Clans’ always been closer than the seeds inside an apple” 
“When we see something everyday, we tend to forget how special it is. I think it’s special how much you all love each other. I think it’s special how everyone in this village cares about one another”
>”Aww shucks, I think it’s special just how dang nice you are, Mister Anon. I’m supposing that you’re right about forgettin’ things. It keeps slipping my mind that you ain’t from around here!” 
“I’m honored that you consider me one of the ponies, Ms. Applejack” 
>”it’s more than that. You’re uhh...hmm”
>The orange mare raises a hoof up to her chin as her eyes turn up to the sky in thought
>For a second she thinks about the proper comparison before finally pointing her a hoof at you 
>”You’re a lot like Princess Celestia! Always making sure everyponys’ got enough to eat at snack time and helping us feel better after we get boo-boos. Do you think Big Mac mighta gotten a boo-boo and just ain’t to tellin us?”
“I think that you know your brother better than I do. You’re most likely right”
>”Why don’t he just tell us then or go to the horespital?”
“There’s all sorts of boo-boos, Ms. Applejack. Some of them you can see and some of them you can’t see. Sometimes we don’t tell others how we’re feeling because we think it’ll make them worry about us” 
>”That’s just real silly. If you’re hurt then you should tell somepony! Anytime I’m having some problems I make sure to tell the girls! Well...most of the time anyways. Even I gotta know when I’m bein’ real stubborn” 
“And hopefully he’ll tell me if he’s facing any problems” 
>”Just one little thing, Mister Anon, think you can keep it a little secret that I asked you to talk to Big Mac for me? Don’t want him to think I’m babyin’ him or some nonsense like that”
“It’ll be nice problem at all, Ms. Applejack, little secrets can be fun after all” 
>After a small hug and paying for your bundle of apples, you walk back to your humble abode as you hum a familiar tune about a rowboat and a life of dreams 
>While you were sure that what the Apple family called dinner would be considered a feast for any other family, you wanted to be sure to bring a dish to share as well 
>Some celery stalks filled with peanut butter and sprinkled raisins made for a nice snack that you liked to give out 
>You personally didn’t like raisins
>And that was okay
>Others liked raisins
>And that was okay too 
>After a short shower and a change of cardigans, you were ready to head out the door
>But before you step out, a worn suitcase that you keep inside your living room underneath the coffee table catches your eye
>You have a small hunch that the contents will help you out tonight 
>After pulling the suitcase out and making a quick check over of what’s inside, you start making your journey to the Apple estate with your plate of ants on a log and carrying case
>The sun is just about to set on this warm summer day as you stroll to your destination leisurely, the ponies starting to close up their stalls and shops, foals helping their parents along the way
>You see the Spoon family make a rare appearance 
>They aren’t recluse, you see them individually around time all the time
>It was simply rare to see them all together as a family
>Greasy and his wife Sugar lead on as their daughter Silver Spoon begrudgingly follows behind them 
>Perhaps there’s a dentist appointment for her? You don’t see any visible reason why Silver would look so miserable right now
>You hope that’ll all work out for them as you continue on your way
>Soon you reach the gates of the orchard and off to the side laying down is a familiar filly with a large red bow on her head 
>”Howdy there Mister Anon! Sis wanted me to take ya to the house in case it got dark out!”
>She looks at you with her big orange eyes and an excited smile as you kneel down to her level
“You must not be afraid of the dark yourself, Applebloom”
>The filly rises up and assumes a fierce pose with her head hanging low, looking ready to pounce
>”Nope not me! If anything comes at us from the dark I’ll yell at it to go away!” 
>She lets out an adorable growl with parted lips as she eyes you fiercely 
>You try all you can to not giggle at her display as a hand starts to pet her head
“It’s good to know I have a guardian to escort me. Let’s get going so that we can all have a pleasant meal in pleasent company” 
>Applebloom briefly stops her tough act to smile
>”Okay!”
>Her tough act then comes back on in an instant as she salutes you and turns around, her hooves coming out one at a time in a precise manner to imitate a military march as she trots 
>You rise up and walk in your leisurely pace behind your escort 
>The sun starts to fall and you can hear the sounds of rural life throughout the Apple trees
>Crickets perform their songs, frogs croak, and gentle breezes cause the branches of trees to rustle in their own performances 
>The smell of unripe apples permeates throughout the air 
>Today would have been a good day for a picnic, you’ll have to invite the Apple family to join you on one after today 
>Applebloom turns her body and starts to walk backwards in her military march as she eyes your suitcase 
>”Watcha got there in ya case, Mister?” 
“I thought I’d bring something to entertain everypony tonight”
>”Really?! Can I see what it is, pleasssee?”
“Just not right now, I want to keep it a suprise”
>”Can’t ah just get one little peek?” 
“Tell you what, how about when I open it up, you’ll get to be the first one to try it out” 
>The young mare gasps and can’t help but jump in joy before falling down and landing on her flank hard
>You can hear a loud thud as she hits the ground but thankfully no cracking noise 
>She takes up a pained expression with tear droplets forming and looks up to you with a slight pout 
>You know what’s happening, you’ve seen it in children and ponies of nearly every age in this world
>She does not know how to react to her fall and is looking for a trusted adult to react in order to gauge the proper reaction she should take
>Overreacting would cause tears, so instead…
“Wow, nice tumble there! You must be tough to be able to take a fall like that”
>She wipes the tears away from her eyes and starts to smile again
>”Ya really think so?!”
“Of course, not a lot of ponies could have done what you did and come out unscathed. How about I give you a victory piggyback?”
>She yells in joy again as you kneel for her to get on top of your shoulders
>Soon she is stridling your head with the plate of snacks in her hooves and you can feel her small heartbeat and warm belly behind your cranium
>Soon you both reach the door to her home and a gentle push opens it for you
>”Sis, Big Mac, Granny, I brought Mister Anon back!”
>An elder voice replies back to her
>”What you yellin’ in the house for?! We’re all right at the table!” 
>As you walk into the kitchen, the smell of freshly cooked dishes embraces you 
>The dining table is lined with green bean casserole,vegetable medley, roasted eggplant, and beet stew
>And of course for desert is a apple crumble pie cooling at the windowsill 
>”Well I’ll be, ya got him over here without roping him in one of yer crusades”
>This time it is Applejack speaking as she turns to look at you from the dining table, the little filly replies to her
>You crouch by an empty seat for Applebloom to hop into as she places your plate on the table 
>”Already made today’s attempt. Cutie Mark Crusader Auctioneers didn’t work out like we planned, but we found out Sweetie Bell can rap real good!”
>At the table is Applejack, Grannysmith, and the reason why you came here, Big Mac
>From what you can see, he is as stoic as ever as his eyes follow you 
>He politely nods as you take your seat and you nod at him back
>Grannysmith is the first to speak as she points with her hoof at the plate you brought
>”What ya got there, sunny? Some sorta fancy Manhattan bites?”
“Oh no, just a snack I like to make every now and then for everypony. They’re called ants on a log” 
>”Why’dya name it dat? Not very appetizing if ya ask me!”
>You hold the tray out to her and grin
“Why not try one and see? You folks were so kind to share dinner with me so I thought I should try to share something with you all too”
>”Ya didn’t need to bring anything with ya, beanpole. But I’ll thank ya anyways and there ain’t no way I’m gonna deny somepony’s hospitality” 
>Grannysmith hesitates before using a fork to stab at a log and taking a bite
>”Hmm, not bad. Course nothin’ beats a fresh juicy apple for a snack but can’t say I’d say no to another one”
>Applejack starts to scoop some of the food into her plate as she speaks, the dinner finally starting
>”Hoowhey, Mister Anon! Consider that a compliment from granny. Her taste are more picky den Twilight’s dedication to colorin’ in da lines” 
“I’m very glad to hear that you like it. I can share the recipe with you if you want. I’d also be interested in getting the recipe for this interesting stew here” 

>Dinner goes by well and by the end of it there are satisfied three ponies and one human sitting at the dinner table with empty plates and trays 
>Words were exchanged throughout it all  about how the farm was doing, gossip around the community arts and crafts events, and the nice recent weather
>Small talk for a small town
>Throughout it all though, Big Mac was as silent as a rock
>He isn’t the most chatty of ponies in public, but it’s common for at least some amount of code switching to occur when transitioning between social groups
>You’ve seen the coldest people become the most expressive around loved ones and vice-versa 
>Applejack mentioned that he’s been quiet even around them, so it seems like he’s closing himself off from even his loved ones 
>But why? You can’t imagine the gentle giant of Ponyville to get angry about something and his own family would know if tragedy struck him 
>You help put the plates in the sink to be washed, the Apple family insistentent that you keep relaxing as a guest, but you help them anyways as a small repayment for the meal
>Soon all five of you are sitting at the dinner table making idle talk again and digesting the banquet 
>Applebloom sighs in contentment as her mind remembers the promise you made it earlier and voices it excitedly 
>”Is it time for ya to open your suitcase now, Mister Anon?”
>You grab your travel case from beside your chair and lift it up to your lap 
>On the way to the table with Applebloom earlier, you eyed the myriad of pictures that hung on the walls
>They were filled with precious memories of friends and family both near and far
>But one particular picture caught your attention 
>One that you think may have clued you in on the issue Big Mac faces
>It’s time to test your thesis 
>The Apple family eyes you curiously 

>Except Big Mac
>He just looks at you with the same interest as slowly drying paint 
>The clasps of the case come undone and you start using the props inside
>From the top of the case peeks out a pair of ram horns followed by two black button eyes
>He slowly rises up as his grey waistcoat comes into view, contrasting his light brown fur
>This being of felt cloth sports a small goatee and a golden chain that goes into the pockets of his coat 
>He is the owner of the Spinning Tea Cups Librarium, the only place in the world were you can ride tea cups and have a book you want land right into your arms 
>And he is about 21 inches tall 
>”Old Billy Goat!” 
>Applebloom shouts in recognition as stars form in her eyes
>You turn the puppet on your hand towards her and start to speak with an kindly older gentlemen’s voice as your fingers move his mouth 
“Hmm, oh hello there young filly. Would you be as kind as to tell me where I am?”
>”Our kitchen!”
>Old Billy Goat looks around the room in silence and his rounded nub hand rubs his head
“Ahh, so it would seem” 
>Applejack interjects
>”Well ah’ll be, it’s one of dem finger things ya use for ya shows!” 
>Both you and your hand puppet nod in unison
“I was thinking we could all have some fun with them and you folks would get a little bit of the behind the scenes view” 
>You take Billy Goat off of your hand and place him back in the suitcase as you take it from your lap and set it on the table
“I promised you, Applebloom, that you could try it out first. Who would you like to play with?”
>Her eyes dart back and forth in the case as her teeth are held tight in a wide smile
>She points her hoof to a puppet shaped like a pony with yellow fur and a green mane
>A tiny apron is stitched on her but even with that fear on, there are splotches of different colors all over her hooves and fur
>On top of the yarn mane is a tiny red beret 
>”Can ah be Color Palette?” 
>You nod as you grab the puppet and reach out for Applebloom’s hoof
>Her hoof is much smaller than your own hand and the puppet fits somewhat loosely over it, but she doesn’t seem to mind it one bit as she squeals once Color Palette is secured 
>”How do ah make her move like ya do, Mister Anon?” 
“You don’t have fingers like Spike and I do, but tell you what, just move your hoof back and forth gently and it’ll move her limbs and head around”
>She does as you say and sure enough the flailing of the puppet is good enough to convey whatever Applebloom’s imagination wants it to do
>Without prompting her to, Applebloom deepens her voice and starts to speak with her slight accent 
>”Let’s paint the town red! And pink and blue and green and all the other colors too” 
>She giggles as she looks at the puppet on her hoof 
>You had a feeling she would pick little Pallette 
>Color Pallette was younger than your other characters and quite excitable, curious, as well as not risk averse
>It reminds you of a certain filly right next to you 
>It’s natural for children to play with toys they either easily relate with or have some aspiration to be 
>Afterall, all forms of play is escapism 
>The easier it is to become immersed, the easier it is to be part of the fantasy
>You turn your attention towards Applejack and motion for her to choose her own puppet
>She doesn’t take more than two heartbeats to take out the Huntsmare, a serious and hardworking wilderness caretaker who nonetheless always made time for her friends when her chores were finished
>The brown felt fur fits snugly over her hoof and the green bycocket hat balances over the whole thing
>Applejack’s accent is prevalent even as her voice goes lower 
>”That dere is just ridiculousness, Palette, ain’t enough paint ta cover it all up! What we shoulda’ been doin’ was roundin’ up all da bears ta get em’ ready for winter!” 
>Applebloom doesn’t miss a beat as she waves her puppet around
>”Ahh, that ain’t no fun! 
>”Dey’ll be plenty of time for fun later. Ya see Sir Knight anywhere around these parts?” 
>A blue earth pony dressed in grey armour and a helmet suddenly appears in your own hand, his visor covering his eyes
>Your voice morphs into one of an upper class gentleman with a few years pass his warranty 
”Fear not, for a Knight of Make-Believe has arrived fair Huntsmare!”
>Applebloom tries to container her laughter as she voices Color Palette
>Yoohoo, Mr. Knight, we’re over here!”
>His face is turned in the completely wrong direction
>You turn SIr Knight’s  head a few times before using his cloth hoof to lift up the reflective cotton visor 
“Oh, I see now”
>After turning the puppet over in your hand, you use your fingers to make the velvet knight salute
“Sir Knight reporting for duty!”
>Your attention turns towards BIg Mac and Granny Smith
>Granny Smith seems to be enjoying herself and is content to just watch her grandchildren have fun as she smiles at them
>You notice a twitch of a hoof from Big Mac as he eyes your case with additional puppets in them
>But he still has that trademark stoneface of his
>With your free hand you make a motion for him to choose a puppet if he wants to
>”Nope”
>Well, that’s that then

>The evening continues on as Applejack, Applebloom, and yourself play with your hand puppets, occasionally switching to different characters and acting out your own miniature plays 
>There isn’t a moment for the next hour where there isn’t a smile present in the room
>Applejack still has a consistent tone and annunciation in her voices, but she’s trying her best and that’s good enough for anypony
>Applebloom on the other hand seems to do very well in a variety of roles and blending her tones to new octaves 
>You’ll have to consider asking her help out in your shows
>For the first time in the night, Big Mac creates a complete sentence
>”Ah should make a final check on everything for the evenin’. Never know if somethin’s outta place”
>”Now hold it dere Big Mac! I can check on everythin’ muhself”
>”Let me just do it”
>”Ya know as much as I do that we can miss things that other ponies might not. Ya been the one to make final checks for the past month, not it’s time for me to do it”
>You can tell that Big Mac wants to argue with his sister but can’t summon enough energy to do so, especially with the legendary stubborn streak she has
>Applejack speaks again
>”Ah/ll also bring Applebloom with me so she can learn a bit about how to do it” 
>Applebloom looks at her sister with a hint of disappointment as the puppet in her hand deflates along with her
>““Aww, do I gotta go too? I wanna play with Mister Anon’s hand things some more!”
>Your hand starts to pat Applebloom’s head and you smile at her
“How about you just keep one of them tonight and you can return it to me whenever you can?” 
>“Really?!”
“Just promise me that you’ll play along with it with Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell. My little friends enjoy seeing all the ponies they can” 
>”Thankyouthankyouthankyou!”
>Applebloom hugs your leg as she hops on her chair once again to take a look at the case
>She leans over it and uses her teeth to softly bite Color palette away from the suitcase and trots along with Applejack outside the backdoor, happily bopping along with the puppet still in her mouth 
>Grannysmith stands up from her rocking chair and cracks a few of her bones as she stretches
>”Well I gotta be goin’ off to bed now, you young folk don’t stay up too late now, ya hear? And make sure our guest is entertained before he gots to get going, Mac”
>”Yes Granny” Big Mac says nonplussed 
>Before she heads out of the room, Granny Smith gives you a hearty pat on the back and a wink
>Looks like Applejack has been talking to her
>As she leaves the room, you readjust the collar of your sweater and let out a small burp
“Execuse me”
>“Mhmm”
>It’s obvious that Big Mac doesn’t want to be in this situation but his filial duties keep him glued to his seat
>His eyes are drifting to anywhere in the room besides yourself, but they do go back to your open case every now and then
>You remind yourself that everypony is unique, but there are still universal guidelines to use if you want Big Mac to open up to you
>Ask questions that don’t have judgements attached to them
>Ease into any advice you have
>Reciprocate showing vulnerability with your own vulnerability 
>“So what have you and your friends been up to lately?”
>His dull eyes shift back to your own
>”Can’t say we been doin’ anything”
“Oh, I wonder why’s that?”
>”Busy”
“I see. When’s the next time you plan to see them?”
>At this he shrugs his shoulders
>“Can’t say”
“Sorry to hear that. A lot of times I get sad when I can’t see my friends since I miss them” 
>”Ah don’t really feel sad about it much. Gotta keep the farm up and runnin’, that’s what’s most important” 
“I think that you’re a very responsible Stallion, Big Mac”
>”Thank ya”
>Hesitantly he says his next thought, as if he wasn’t sure if they really are his own words
>”Ah think that the shows you put on are purrty good”
>There it is, the first link in the bridge between you and Big Mac
>It’s something you both will have to build together 
“I’m happy to hear that you like them! I remember a few weeks ago you attended one”
>”Yeah. It was nice”
“Back where I come from, I used a lot of puppets in my job. It made a lot of people laugh and I’d get to know them better”
>”How many of dem did you have?”
“Oh I had plenty! A whole case of them that kids liked to play with. But my favorite is avery special one. I keep it in a special place”
>You give the Stallion a mischievous grin from across the table 
>”What did it look like?”
“He looked like...this!”
>From your case you pull out a well protected compartment from the top and pull out what at first looks like a rag 
>As you place it over your hand, the bundle of black feathers and angular beak take shape into a Raven
>A well worn one at that
>One wing is ripped with stuffing hanging out of it, his tail has been nearly plucked out, and one of its onyx eyes are missing, leaving only white thread dangling from where it once was
>But he is still as important to you as the first day you got him
>One of BIg Mac’s eyebrows are raised as he stares at your oldest puppet
>”Ah like his...feathers?”
>Using one of his wings to hold his waist, you have the puppet give a bow as your voice turns scratchy with a sing-sing flow to your words 
“Well thank ya kindly, stranga! Name’s Evermore, what’s yours?”
>Big Red considers talking directly to the puppet but decides to look towards your face instead
>”So what makes the fella so special?”
>Your voice goes back to its normal calm and slow flow 
“Evermore and I have been together since I was a kid. He was my very first puppet and was given to me by someone very special to me”
>He nods at your words respectfully
“Do you have anything like him? A toy that might make you feel more comfortable or is special to you in anyway?”
>Once again he pauses before answering you
>”Well, there’s one. It ain’t somethin’ real special but I like it”
“If you like it, then that makes it special. What kind of toy is it?”
>“It’s...it’s uhh…”
>He leans closer to you and whispers his words, his cheeks turning red
>”She’s a doll”
>Another step in the bridge
>You nod at him as your smile doesn’t drop for even a second 
>You consider that maybe his recent issue was fear of being ridiculed for playing with dolls, but drop it immediately
>Big Mac does not seem to be the type that cared about the opinion of others 
>Besides, you’ve seen plenty of stallions out and about town playing with dolls occasionally 
“Neat! What kind of doll is she?”
>”She’s ah pony with button eyes and blue shorts that have polka dots on em. She’s always happy to see me. Her name is Smarty Pants”
“Smarty Pants sounds like a very pretty pony. I think I’d like to meet her one day. Do you think that might happen?”
>He turns his eyes to the side in thought as he lets out a long breath of air
>”...maybe”
“That sounds good to me”
>Your hand that controls Evermore is pushed forward to present him to Big Mac as the bird lets his wings drop to his side 
“You must have a lot of reasons why you like Smarty Pants so much. One of the reasons why I like Evermore is because he has special powers”
>”In puzzlement, Big Red looks to Evermore curiously and examines him closely before turning his attention back to you”
>”Ah don’t see nothin”
“That’s because his powers only work when he’s on somepony else’s hoof. You see, he can listen to brains”
>”Really?”
“Yeah! He’s a real good listener and listens to anything anypony says that’s on their mind or how they’re feeling. Sometimes he’ll even listen to things that our brain is telling us that we don’t even know about!” 
>”Ya mean to tell me there’s things we know but don’t know?”
“Sometimes we hide things from others and sometimes we hide things from ourselves because we don’t want to think about them. It’s a very normal thing to do. What’s important is talking to somepony about it if it becomes a problem”
>”We hide things from ourselves? That don’t make no sense” 
“But it is something Evermore can find. Ravens are very good at finding things, afterall. The best part about his powers is that he doesn’t judge anypony about what they tell him! Instead he’ll tell a responsible grown up if he thinks they need help. And he always uses the best words possible to say them”
>Using one of his wings, you make Evermore wave at Big Mac as his single glass eye glistens in the light
>After blinking a few times, the stallion across from you gingerly waves back
“I wonder if you want to see his power in action. You don’t have to if you don’t want to of course”
>Again Big Mac cautiously eyes both you and your puppet 
>This is it, the moment of truth on whether Big Mac wants to externalize it feelings
>The seconds tick by before you hear his response
>”Sure”
>Beaming, you nod and take Evermore off your hand 
>Big Mac slowly shows you his hoof and you fit the feathered puppet to it
>He retracts his hand and puts it close to his face, eying the individual details of your puppet
>”So how does he do it?”
“First you just have to whisper to him some of the things on your mind so that he knows which brain to listen to” 
>The stallion turns away from you and you can make out the tell tale signs of whispering 
>You can’t hear anything that he’s saying
>But you don’t have to
>Evermore will tell you everything you need to know 
>Big Mac turns back around and holds Evermore up 
>Your attention shifts fully to the feathered friend 
>Freud had his patients face away from him during their sessions so that they wouldn’t feel any judgements when they opened up about their dreams 
>Instead of a couch, Big Mac will have a puppet to hide behind 
“Good to see you again, old friend”
>The horse clears his throat before attempting to speak in a higher tone in short tense words as his hoof slowly sways the toy back and forth
>Through it all the pony has a neutral look going on with only the corner of his mouth opened to speak
>”Good ta see ya too”
“Have you met one of my newest friends, Big Mac? He’s a good pony”
>Evermore nods
>”Ah did, but Ah think he’s selfish” 
“Now why would you believe that? I don’t think he’s selfish at all”
>”Sometimes he wants to go on breaks even when deres a lotta work to be done”
“I think he deserves to have those breaks since he’s such a hard worker”
>”But what about all the chores? Somepony’s gotta do em”
“And I’m sure that his family is more than happy to take up some of his duties. Applejack is a hard worker too and Applebloom learns things quickly. You should see all the adventures she gets into” 
>”But Big Mac’s gotta be the one to do em!”
“And why’s that?”
>”Because he’s the Stallion of the house. Dere ain’t no other pony to take up da responsibility to make sure his family is gonna be okay...no other pony anymore” 
>Out of the corner of your eye you can see the one holding the puppet droop a little as his head lowers 

>You’ve seen pictures of them
>Bright Mac and Pear Butter 
>Applejack was excited to show the photos to you during community show and tell one day
>It was a big old photo album with a stitched cover and perfectly preserved pictures 
>You saw the arc of their life together 
>The first photo was of a tale of Romeo and Juliet, star crossed lovers who found happiness with each other
>The next one showed nervous, yet excited first time parents with a red bundle of joy in their hooves
>Another picture showcased exhausted farmers who nevertheless made time with their young colt as he makes his first steps 
>Another flip of the page showed a new addition to the family, an orange filly within a crib, her older brother proudly posing next to her as he leans over the railing
>Time moves on and soon they all are portrayed in a variety of activities 
>Picnics in spring weather
>Page Flip
>Swimming at the local creek to cool off on hot summer days
>Page Flip
>Harvesting the bounty of the land during autumn
>Page Flip 
>A wedding anniversary where a laughing grandmother proudly helps her grandfoals serve breakfast in bed to her son and daughter-in law 
>Page Flip
>Another addition is added to the family, an event commemorated with a full shot of three generations of the Apple Clan as they stand in front of their home 
>Page Flip
>Nothing 
>Nothing but a blank page with no photos to fondly remember
>That is where their arc ended 
>You never asked what happened to them 
>The tears that welled up in Applejack’s eyes as she flipped through the album was enough for you to guess
>It reminds you of that certain photo you saw on your way here
>It must have been taken at least a decade ago 
>A young Big Mac was hitched up to a plow nearly twice his own size in a field
>Next to him was Applejack, still a filly, as well as Granny Smith, already in advanced age
>In Granny Smith’s hooves was a bundle of blankets with a small head poking through, presumably Applebloom
>They were all smiling  in the photo, but you’re good at reading eyes, just as how bad ponies are at hiding their feelings
>You didn’t see any youth anymore in those big green eyes of his

“How long has he had to be the Stallion of the house?”
>”A very, very long time. Sometimes...sometimes he wishes he didn’t have to do so much work and go on fun adventures like his sisters do. He never got to do those kinda things”
“How does he feel when he thinks about those things?”
>”He feels bad. It hurts his heart. He’s suppose to be mature and responsible so he shouldn’t abandon his family”
>You don’t see a big and strong stallion sitting across the table from you anymore, instead in his place you see a colt
>A colt that had to grow up far too fast 
>You wonder what he was like before his parents were ripped away from him
>You saw the photos, but those are hardly a way to judge a child 
>Did he play hopscotch with his friends? Pretend to be a superhero as he ran through the house with a cape? Read books under the shade of an apple tree in lazy afternoons and nap as the words blended together? 
>He is a Lost Boy taken away from Neverland
>And now in his age he truly is at a lost to either find Neverland again or continue to cast aside a childhood that ended too soon 
“I think you’re being too harsh on him. He’s done a lot for his family already, more than most ponies will ever have to do”
>”But he can still give more. Applejack and Applebloom are happy, and that’s good enough for him” 
>He feels that he owes everything to his family
>And nothing for himself
“Can you do me a favor?”
>”What is it?”
>You lean in closer to the puppet and speak to it in a sound that’s barely above a whisper
“Can you ask if Big Mac is happy?” 
>You are met with silence as you stare at the puppet 
>The pony holds up Evermore before turning around and speaking to it again
>Once that is over, he shifts his body back to you again and speaks in that scratchy voice as Evermore’s feathers are ruffled once again by the movements
>”He thinks it doesn’t matter if he’s happy”
>You feel for him, but this is the first time your smile falters before you control it to a neutral expression
>Big Mac has no empathy for himself
>Just guilt and shame for wanting to have fun and a life outside the farm
“I think it really matters to his family. And I know for a fact it matters to me if Big Mac is happy. You know, I heard about another friend of his just recently. I think she cares also if he’s happy”
>“And who's that?”
“She’s a doll, her name is Smarty Pants. But I bet you know all about her since you listened to Big Mac’s brain, of course” 
>”She’s just a doll though”
“You’re right. She doesn’t move on her own, she doesn’t judge him at all, and she’s always right where he left her” 
>”Then why is she special?” 
“Because even if she doesn’t do anything, Big Mac loves her all the same. She doesn’t have to do anything because she deserves to be happy. Everypony deserves to be happy” 
>You turn away from your old friend as he sits on the hooves of Big Mac
>Your eyes meet the large green ones of the red pony as he stares at you back 
>Your mouth forms into a small gentle smile as you put your own hands together into a ball on the tableau you address Big Mac directly 
“You deserve to be happy”

>Big Mac’s hooves fall down gently onto the table, the puppet still attached but discarded for all intents and purposes 
>Once again his head droops down and he frowns 
>You give him a moment to collect his thoughts and feelings, to sift through them 
>While with his head still hung low, you see that his eyes turn upwards to you 
>It is a look you’re familiar with 
>Applebloom have you the same look earlier today 
>This is the first time in a long time since he acknowledged his own feelings 
>And he doesn’t know what to think 
>So he looks to you to guide him
>You notice wetness develop around his eyes
“It’s okay to cry, tears just mean that you have a boo-boo and you want someone to help”
>And cry he does
>There is no scream or wail, it is a sort of crying that you would expect from Big Mac
>Tears slowly drop down as he silently sniffles every now and then 
>His breathing is controlled as his chest raises up and down, inhaling and exhaling from his nose 
>You get up from your seat and sit next to Big Mac
>Your hand gently pats him on the back for reassurance
“What do you want to do?”
>”I want to be happy”
>He turns his head sideways to you, his frown gone as he’s back to his neutral expression
>”But it’s too late for all of dat. I ain’t no colt anymore” 
“It’s never too late to be happy” 

>It’s been a few days since that night you talked with Big Mac
>You offered to stay and talk with his family in support, but he wanted to talk to them himself
>Before you left though, you mentioned that your door was always open if he wanted to talk or play, or do whatever was on his mind
>It’s rare for your invitations to be denied, but Big Mac can make his own decisions
>You just hope that whatever decision he chooses, that he’ll have his peace
>Applebloom still had Color Palette but you didn’t mind it at all
>The last time you saw her, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and some of their friends were sitting in a circle in a sandbox and taking turns voicing her 
>Each foal brought their own characteristics to the puppet, projecting their own special qualities that made them unique 
>It was a treat to watch them all laugh together, even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon played along after pretending to not be into such “silly filly things” 
>Right now you’re in your own home and writing down sheet music as you tickle your piano keys, letting inspiration come to you bit by bit
>Octavia was going to visit tomorrow so you wanted to give her a few pieces to try out, the mare needed challenge to thrive and she was afraid she had hit a dead end in her abilities 
>You had an idea for  how to give her that stimulation to go ever onward and improve the community, but it’ll have to be a proposal for another day 
>Suddenly, you hear a solid knock on the door
“Now who could that be?”
>You readjust your shirt and smooth out your pants as you stand up from your piano bench and walk towards the front door
>A swing of the door reveals a large red stallion with a saddlebag by his side
>You beam
“Good to see you again, Big Mac”
>At first he is as you always have seen him
>As expressive as a rock with eyes that droop
>But then you saw it
>A slight smile 
>More rare than the most precious gems and infinitely more valuable given who it is from
>He reaches into his saddlebag with his mouth and pulls out another treasure
>She is as pretty as he described it, button eyes with yarn mane and polka dot shorts
“And hello to you too, Smarty Pants! It’s nice to finally meet you. Big Mac has told me all sorts of things about you. Would you two like to come in and enjoy some lemonade with me?”
>Big Mac takes Smarty Pants by the neck with his hoof and shakes her slightly in an imitation of speech for the little thing
>He transforms his voice into a higher pitch, a joyful young filly who who’s excited to guide somepony to Neverland again 
>”I’d sure like that, Mister Anon!”

The End