Love Letter pt. 1

Applejack watched as the tired Big Macintosh walked to the barn, tired as hell.

  "Gal-ly!  That was a lot of apple-bucking out there big brother!  Ya must be plum tired!" she cried.  The red stallion turned to her and replied with his trademark, Big Mac approved response: "Yup."

  "Think you'll be up for some more work tomorrow?" Applejack asked.

  Mac turned to his younger sister and replied with his other trademark response: "Nope."  Applejack was surprised to hear this.  Big Mac was always up for more work.

"All this 'ere apple-bucking has me beat.  I jus' don't think I can work tomorrow." he said.

  "Ah well, you can just relax, you've done enough work for one day." Applejack said.  She watched as her big brother walked inside, half dead, half alive.  The stallion was on the verge of passing out right there on the spot.  He almost fell on his side just walking through the doorway.  Big Mac was having a harder time just standing up than Granny Smith had walking.

  "He jus' don't know when ta quit." AJ remarked, giving a giggle at how sometimes her brother could seem a little stupid in the head.  She looked to the orchard, were buckets lay underneath the trees, about three quarters of the entire bucket count overflowing with apples.

   The trees were all bare, their green leaves glistening in the setting sun.  The sun reminded AJ of her aunt and uncle up in Manehattan.  She then looked at the three apples on her flank that was her cutie mark and sighed happily.  She was glad she returned to the farm, or she never would have gotten her cutie mark.

   The mare walked amongst the trees of the orchard, her peachy orange coat blending in with the sky behind her.  She inspected every inch of the orchard.  Not one apple left on the trees.  Big Mac had really outdone himself.  Mac had gotten up that morning, and didn't even eat breakfast.  He just threw on his harness and instantly went out to the field and bucked like it was his last day alive.  He said he was going to break the Apple family record for most apples bucked in a day.  He broke it alright, with an estimated 965 total apples bucked, blowing away the original record of 728.

   "My Celestia, big bro.  You are the best damn brother ever." Applejack said to herself.  "If only I had a special somepony to walk with me along your work..."

   "Hey Applejack!" cried Applebloom.

   "What's the matter, Applebloom?" AJ asked.

   "Supper's ready!  C'mon an' eat!" the filly cried excitedly.

   "Ah'll be in soon.  You run along and make me some room at the table." AJ replied.

   Applebloom ran back to the barn, and Applejack resumed her walk.  She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, which felt empty.  "Ah guess I should eat." AJ said to herself.

   "What's up with yer mood honey?  Ya barely touched your food." Granny Smith said.

   Applejack had hardly even glanced at her apple fritters, let alone touched them.  She didn't feel hungry.  Her stomach was begging her for food, but AJ wouldn't eat.

   "Is everything alright, sis?" Applebloom asked.

   "Yes." Applejack said blankly.

    "Yer sure?" Granny Smith asked.

   "Yes!" AJ said, a bit annoyed.

   "Something ain't right, I can tell." Big Mac said.

   Applejack had had enough.  She slammed her hoofs onto the table, standing up.  "IF YOU REALLY WANNA KNOW, EVERYTHING AIN'T OK!" she screamed.

   The other three ponies looked at her, a bit shaken from her outburst.

   "Well then, what's wrong?" Applebloom asked.

   "Ah don't wanna talk about it." AJ replied, stepping from the table, heading for the stairs.

   The next morning, Applejack was late to breakfast.  When she finally came down, she had saddlebags and a train ticket.

   "Where are you goin' to?" Granny Smith asked.

   AJ said nothing, she just sat at the table and ate her apple muffins, rather quickly.

   "Did ya not hear me?" Granny asked.

   Again, AJ said nothing, and chewed her muffins.  Once she finished, she got up and walked out the door, not even saying goodbye.

   "Did that just happen?" Applebloom asked.

   "Yup." Big Mac answered, with a worried tone in his voice.

   Pinkie Pie sat at a table in front of Sugarcube Corner, sipping a bubbly milkshake.  She was enjoying herself when she saw Applejack pass by.

   "Hi, Applejack!" Pinkie said bouncing over to AJ.

   AJ didn't even care to notice Pinkie.  Instead she just kept walking.  Pinkie noticed that saddlebags and got excited.

   "Oooh!  Where ya going?" she asked excitedly.

   "Buck off, Pinkie." AJ said just loud enough for Pinkie to hear.  Pinkie stopped bouncing.

   "You're up to something!" Pinkie cried, bouncing in circles around Applejack.

   "And what do you think Ah'm up to, Pinkie?" AJ asked.

   Pinkie took a huge breath, and shot away her hunch.

   "You feel like your life is empty, you need somepony to be your coltfriend, you want to marry him, raise a family, and all that so your life isn't so lonely!"

   AJ looked in disbelief.

   "You little bitch." she said.