Big Macintosh grunted as another patch of apples rained down, slamming against the wooden basket designed to catch them all. It held its duty, not a single fruit falling down the steep hill that it laid upon the top of.
"Big Mac?" The stallion paused, dreading he question he knew was bound to be asked. "We need t'talk." he sighed; still had time to make his escape. He stretched his hooves backward. Applejack saw the action and backed him up until his body pressed against the hard tree.
The silence loomed over them both.
And Applejack burst. "What th'hay happened in Luna's shared dream!" she shouted. She planted a hoof over her brother's muzzle to render him from countering. "You were a Unicorn, for Luna's sake! Ah thought it was crazy then, but you..." she froze, wrapping her head around the situation once more.
"Turned to an Alicorn!"
She stomped angrily, leaving Big Mac standing, dazed. "Ah just don't understand! You could've been just a stronger Earth Pony. But you gave yerself wings and a horn! It was so bucking confusing!" Big Mac cringed: he had barely heard her sister swear on any occasion. "Did you not like being yerself?" Applejack slowed to a crawl.
"Is there somethin' wrong with being an Earth Pony? Is it...our family?" the question hung in the air. Applejack sniffled, and Big Macintosh's eyes widened when he caught tears dripping past her muzzle. Guilt began to pile in the pit that was his stomach.
Applejack felt a different action. Her throat closed and she coughed, wiping her hoof to take away the tears flowing down her face. "Eeeynope!" he desperately cried out, waving his hoof to diminish his sister's pain.
"Just...why?" she struggled out.
She winced at the overwhelming silence. The crisp air rustled through the one tree alone which stood behind them both. "The Flim and Flam brothers." he whispered shamefully. Applejack tilted an ear. "What?"
Big Macintosh's eyes stared directly into hers. "The Flim and Flam brothers." he spoke, tone hard. Applejack shook her head, confused. "Why would ya be thinking about those liars? We drove them out of Ponyville. Twice!"
Her eyes wavered as her brother's glossed over. "They had all that fancy unicorn magic to use, and the first time th'had come it made them ahlmost win."
"But th'didn't." Applejack countered. "We beat 'em with th'help of our friends."
Big Mac pushed her back, eyes glued to the fresh grass. "Only because they were there." he muttered. "When th'came back, it seemed th'only made their new 'tonic' by using their magic t'find the items."
"Ah always look at your Unicorn friends and now we could get more done if we had one on our team." he shut his eyes tight. "And then...ah had the idea in my dream."
The words echoed in Applejack's mind. "So," she started carefully. "Ya only had that idea...because ya didn't believe we were good enough?"
Big Macintosh shook his head at the misconception. "Just me." he explained, avoiding his sister's shocked gaze. "Why would ya think that?" she yelled, her voice laced with pain. Her breaths shook as she sighed.
"When ya had t'buck those apples all alone, ah was hurt." Applejack nodded. "And when ah realized just how much that effected mah little sister, ah knew ah couldn't be there all the time t'help."
Applejack gasped. "Ah know that all the time, Mac!" she countered. "Everypony does in our family! And everypony has gotten hurt!"
"And what if I'm not there to help ya if ya get hurt, or worse!?" Big Mac finally shouted back. Applejack's muzzle snapped closed, and she watched, quiet as her brother regained his composure, shuffling.
"Ah don't want that t'happen." he murmured softly.
Applejack suddenly had a spark of understanding. She moved in closer, wrapping a hoof around Big Macintosh's neck. "Ah now ya think ya need t'be there all the time, yer a big brother to Applebloom and Ah." She shifted, gazing solemnly into his eyes.
"Ah reckon if Rainbow hadn't been around, ya would've been the Element of Loyalty back when." she joked, and her brother sent a deep chuckle her way. Applejack's gaze then turned serious once more. "But ya gotta know, Big Mac. Not every time will ya be able to be there when one of us is in danger."
She surprised the stallion with a laugh. "But trust me, when those times happen, all of us will have friends to help us defeat the problems that come our way. Ah mean, ah was able t'take down a crazed Draconequus and reform 'im with help from just five other ponies!"
She nudged Big Macintosh. "That's pretty good if ya ask me."
"Eeyep."
"And little Applebloom's close t'gettin her Cutie Mark, so she'll be off on her own adventures soon enough." the mare placed a thoughtful hoof on her chin. "Safer than th'ones she's already doing with Scootloo and Sweetie Belle."
Big Mac remained still. "Ya know what?" the stallion slightly nodded. "Pegasi an' Unicorns may have more magical abilities on their side, but we got something better." she sucked in a breath.
"Ambition and the strength t'do so."
She leaned in closer. "Not that she hasn't, but have ya really ever seen Rainbow do anythin' with her own will on the farm. Ah think she's done it a few times, but not nearly as much as us."
"Eeyep."
Applejack felt her heart swell with joy. "Now," she turned the stallion to the trees the generations of their family called their own.
"Do ya wanna get back to harvesting our trees? The Earth Pony way?" She winked, waiting patiently for a response.
Big Macintosh grinned back. "Eeyup."
