"Let me tell you something, AJ," Big Macintosh Apple heaved a sigh and pushed his hind legs into the water of the stream. "This is the way to live. With the grass underneath you," He lay back onto the blades of the whispering plants, exhaling as his back settled on the soft blades. "And with the entire sky up above." He waved a hoof over his head, gesturing to the clouds that floated lazily in the sky. "Them clouds up there, they're just like us, AJ; not a care in the world except when the time comes to work." Big Mac sighed again, idly kicking his feet in the cold stream and chewing at his trademark piece of hay that was stuck between his teeth.
A slight wind picked up, blowing through the orchard and rustling the leaves of the apple trees. Big Mac put his nose in the air and breathed in the wind, relishing in the scent of apples that clung lightly to its gusts. He yawned, his jaw cracking and making him wince slightly at the sound that echoed through the trees. The wind soon died down and let silence fall back over the clearing. Big Mac sighed once more, looking back at the clear water that he was soaking his back hooves in. "Eeyup, this is the life.”
The red stallion stood up and stretched, groaning as the joints in his body strained and cracked. Unable to stop himself, he yawned again as he looked over towards his sister. He felt his heart swell as he looked at her, standing atop the hill and silently staring over the farm. He shifted his gaze to the sky, watching the sun slowly move down to the horizon. “Well, looks like it’s time for me to go back and get some work done.” He turned around to look at the orchard that contained dozens of trees waiting to be stripped of their fruit.
He plodded along at an even pace, not rushing to get to work but not wasting any time either. “I’ll be back later, AJ, keep watch for me.” He called it over his shoulder, sure that she would hear his loud voice. The trunks of the trees soon covered the view of the clearing behind him, and he walked over to one of the largest in the farm. He smiled up at the smooth surfaces of the fruit that gleamed in the sun, making the tree’s branches sag with their weight.
“Let’s get buckin’!” He turned around, planting his front hooves in the dirt as he tensed his rear legs. A solid thunk broke the silence, followed by a cascade of red fruit raining down into the buckets that were placed around the tree. Each of the fruits that hit the wooden container created another thud, almost like an echo of the original. The sound never failed to bring a smile to his face, and today was no exception. “Eeyup, nothin’ like it.” He moved to the next tree, his body moving freely and leaving his mind to wander. It chose its usual destination of late: old memories.
He was walking up a hill, panting and groaning with the pain that gripped his side. “Big Mac, why did ya go and hurt yourself? You should have known better than to buck that barn door, stupid stallion.” The barn door in question was in much worse condition than his side, now consisting of splinters and jagged boards after it had endured Big Mac’s strong kicks. After what seemed like an eternity, he crested the hill and stood next to his sister. He smiled at the Stetson hat that she wore everywhere. “You really do like that hat don’t ya, AJ?”
She smiled and patted it with a hoof. “Sure do, Big Mac, fits me perfectly.” He tousled her hair playfully, dislodging the hat and earning a playful shove from Applejack. “Oops, sorry.” She winced in sympathy as he groaned quietly, but she didn’t sound particularly apologetic as she righted her hat and looked away from him with guilty eyes. His sister couldn’t lie to anypony; she had a terrible poker face. He rolled his eyes and walked further on the hill, gesturing for her to follow him.
When they reached the down slope of the hill, Big Mac stopped and looked over the entire orchard. “Boy Howdy, I sure do have my work cut out for me. That there is the biggest bumper crop of apples I ever laid eyes on.”
“Eeyup.” He had shook his head and chewed on his piece of hay. “Too big for you to handle on your own.”
“Come on, big brother,” Applejack leaned to him and nudged his side gently. “You need to get yourself better. I haven’t met an apple orchard yet that I can’t handle!” Big Mac had raised his head in pain as she pushed a hoof into his already throbbing side. He turned to glare at her, raising his leg as she pulled her hoof away. “Oops, sorry.” This time she had sounded sincere in her apology, so he spared her from another hair tousle. “I’ll take a bite out of this job by day’s end.” She stomped a hoof in determined excitement.
“Biting off more than you can chew is just what I’m afraid of.” His tone held a hint of exasperation as he looked over the fields of green intermixed with brown and red. He stared straight forward as his sister leaned in close to him, her green eyes filled with anger.
“Are you sayin’ my mouth is makin’ promises my legs can’t keep?” Her tone was low and full of anger as she glared at him.
Big Mac rolled his eyes. “Eeyup.”
As he had expected, Applejack didn’t take his answer too well. “Why of all the-,” she angrily bit off the words, raising a hoof and stomping it into the ground with frustration. “This is your sister Applejack, remember? The loyalist of friends and the most dependable of ponies?” She stuck her face angrily into his own, her emerald eyes full of disbelief and rage. Oh Celestia, she’s all riled up again.
He looked away from his sister’s accusing eyes as he answered her. “But still only one pony. And one pony plus hundreds of apple trees just doesn’t add up to-“ His sister suddenly pulled away, pointing an angry hoof at him.
“Don’t you use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue! I said I could handle this harvest and I’m gonna prove it to you.” She stomped her hoof angrily again and took a breath. “I’m gonna get every last apple out of those trees this Applebuck Season ALL BY MYSELF!” She stomped another hoof into the ground as she made her declaration. Big Mac couldn’t help but notice the fear in her eyes as she looked again at all of the trees, but he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop her. Applejack was a stubborn as a mule sometimes. With a sigh, he turned around and limped back towards the house, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see a flash of Applejack’s coat through the trees, which occasionally shuddered as the orange pony kicked them angrily.
Pain blossomed from his head, pulling him from his world of recollections. He looked for the offending object that was the source of the interruption, finally setting his gaze on an apple that was lying in the grass beside him. He chuckled and snapped up the apple in his teeth, enjoying the sweet taste of the red fruit. “What was it that those two ponies called them? Scalp-bindingly fragrant and delicious? Something like that.” He looked around at all of the buckets full with the harvest. “Well, whatever it was that they said, they sure had it right.” He sat down as he chewed the apple, his thoughts pursuing yet another memory.
”The teams have one hour to produce as much cider as they can! After which the barrels will be counted, and the winner will be named the sole-cider provider for all of Ponyville!” The mayor smiled as she announced the competition, bringing forth mutters from the crowd. Big Mac stepped lightly on his feet, occasionally stretching his muscles and popping his joints. “Are both teams ready?” He slid his goggles onto his face, which held a determined look. Granny Smith snorted angrily and Applebloom attempted to mimic her, failing in the attempt and only succeeding to blow on her hair.
His sister stood proudly as she looked at her family. “Ready!” Her voice was confident and full, but Big Mac knew his sister was feeling just as nervous as the rest of them.
The two cider ponies lay back on their couch, looking completely at ease. “Ready!” Their voices chorused the word, completely carefree and self-assured.
The grey pony that was the mayor of the town held out a hoof to the time keeper pony. “Then let’s,” She tilted her hoof, gesturing at brown stallion to start the time. When the hourglass spun to a stop upside-down, she shouted the last word with gusto. “GO!”
The wind blew through his mane as he darted towards his station at the grinding wheel. Without stopping, he jumped onto the treadmill, pushing himself to go even faster. The first few apples started to fall into the wheel, producing a sweet-smelling cider from the spigot. Only when the first bucket was filled did he stop, but only to slam the lid onto it and kick it away. He pushed another barrel under the spout and continued his gallop along the machine, driving the heavy stone wheel around.
His sister’s encouraging voice rang across the field. “Good job ya’ll, we already filled an entire barrel! I bet you they don’t even have o-“ His sister cut off with a gasp, and he turned to see a triangle of six barrels stacked by the other team’s machine. He stumbled and lost his footing, falling off of the track momentarily before jumping back on it. By now sweat was forming on his brow, and he hung his head low as he panted. His sister’s voice came to him again, full of encouragement. “Rest when it’s over Big Macintosh!” He looked over at her with weary eyes. “Ride! Ride!” He picked his head up with an effort and galloped even harder. The cider positively sprayed from the pipe into the barrel, filling it to the top. He shoved another barrel under the spraying tap, barely ceasing his running.
Voices came drifting over to him, but he couldn’t tell what they were saying through the pounding blood in his ears. Suddenly, a cyan pegasus jumped up onto the treadmill with him, taking part of the burden from his tired legs. He looked over to her gratefully and she smiled back. They both looked forward at the purple mare who levitated the barrels away as they were filled. Filled with renewed vigor, Big Mac galloped even harder. Everypony is helpin’ us, I can’t let them down now!
Suddenly the entire burden was placed back onto his legs as the pegasus next to him flew up into the air angrily. He clung to the spinning machine as best he could, being dragged wildly around as the speed of it took him around in circles. The spinning liquid in his head made him dizzy, just like that batch of fermented cider he had drank in the cellar as a colt. The pegasus put out a hoof to stop the out-of-control track, jumping back on with him and galloping twice as fast as before. He grit his teeth against the dull ache in his muscles, pushing himself to keep going. “Time’s UP!” Big Mac took one look over at the Mayor, who was brandishing a hoof energetically, and fell forward onto the ground.
He saw an orange hoof reach down to him, and he looked up into his sister’s tired face. “Cmon Big Macintosh, we still got to count em’!”
Silence gripped the crowd as the brown mare counted to herself, bobbing her hoof slightly at each barrel. Big Mac took his sister’s hoof and she pulled him to his hooves. He hobbled over to where the rest of his family was waiting with bated breath for the results. He looked back towards his sister and her friends, smiling a little as they panted on the ground. “Flim and Flam WIN!” The excited mayor’s voice wiped the smile off of his face as he followed the disbelieving Apple family to stand next to their barrels. He felt as if his heart had left his chest and fallen into the grinding wheel. They…won? Sweet Apple Acres isn’t…ours anymore.
“We…lost?” His sister’s voice contained the same dejected tone that his thoughts were in, mixed with disbelief. He felt an urge to put a comforting hoof around his younger sister’s body, but he knew it would only make it worse. How can you help a pony feel better if you are feeling just as bad?
“Aaaw, too bad Apples.” The two cream-colored unicorns walked up, gloating smiles painted on their faces. Flam gestured to them with a hoof, his voice full of insincerity. “Looks like you’ll just have to find a new line of work, one that doesn’t match your names quite so perfectly.”
“Now should we tear down these tacky old buildings and put up new ones, Brother?” Flim’s voice sparked a rage inside Big Macintosh, a rage he hadn’t known since the time a colt had broken Applejack’s heart. He wasn’t a pony for fighting, but he was ready then to pound his hooves into the two unicorns who were taking his life away.
“I don’t see why not, Brother. After all,” Flam’s horn glowed green as he leaned closer to Big Mac and his family. “This isn’t Sweet Apple Acres anymore. How about, Flim Flam Fields?”
He heard a flapping of wings from behind him, followed by an enraged shout. “I outa press you into jerk-sized-“ Applejack’s cyan pegasus friend cut off as the orange farm pony gripped her rainbow tail in her teeth.
“No Rainbow Dash, a deal’s a deal.” Her voice said that she wanted to charge the brothers too, but she knew that she couldn’t. The two cream-colored unicorns laughed cheerfully. Applejack looked them both in the eye, cutting off their laughter. “Congratulations to ya’ll. The Cider business in Ponyville…is yours.” She turned back to look at her family with tears in her eyes. Big Mac felt as if his heart was ripped in two as he looked into her misty eyes. He wanted to tell her everything would be all right, but he knew that she was smart enough to know that it wouldn’t be no matter what he said. “Cmon Apples, let’s go pack up our things.”
Big Mac turned away from the gloating stallions and followed his sister back to the house. More gloating laughter came from behind them as they walked away, and he was gripped with the urge to go and buck them both in the head. He ignored the flaring rage, quenching its fire with his cold sadness. We ain’t the Apple family anymore… Then his sister had said something that made his head whip around.
“They’re gone!” Applejack’s voice was filled with relief and joy as she shouted it cheerfully.
“That means Sweet Apple Acres is still in business!” Applejack’s friend Twilight Sparkle laughed and smiled at Applejack.
“And cuz of this silly competition, we made enough of our cider for the whole town!” Applebloom’s small voice cheerfully announced to the gathered ponies, producing a round of stomping hooves and wild cheers of happiness. Big Mac looked around at all of the ponies and smiled, taking up his post behind the cider barrel. He looked over to see his sister bouncing along happily with a mug of cider on her hat, clanking it against the tankards of her friends and downing it in one gulp.
The absence of heat on his back made him look up into the sky, pulled once more from his world of memories. The sun was lying lower in the sky now, almost kissing the tops of the trees at the edge of the orchard. He had long since swallowed the apple, and he bent down to grab another in his mouth. Chewing on the morsel slowly, Big Macintosh moved to load the baskets filled with apples onto the carts. This year’s harvest was just as heavy as last year’s, and he groaned under the strain of lifting the brimming baskets into the carts.
He shook himself and moved back over to more of the buckets full of apples. Pushing his head under another, he tipped the apples into the old cart with difficulty. More time had passed and by the time he had finished his work, the sun was inching down past the horizon. In the half light, Big Macintosh set the final basket down and he sighed as he looked wistfully towards where his sister stood on the hill. He hooked up the carts around his middle and set off towards the barn, his mind drifting further back into memories. It delved into the time of when Applejack had been just a filly and he himself had barely reached stallionhood.
The tree shook at the force of his kick, a hollow thunk reverberating through the orchard. Apples cascaded down onto the ground, very few of them falling into the baskets. He shook his head, sighing as he bent to pick up the apples one by one and place them into the buckets surrounding the trees. He was grateful for the protection that the Stetson hat provided for his head. He counted out aloud the apples he picked up, finding some entertainment in reaching the next number in the line. “Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, elev-“
A rustle in the bushes made him stop in his tracks and raise his head in alarm. Another noise sounded out from the shrubbery; the crunch of an apple being eaten. His grandmother had told him about the nasty critters that raided Sweet Apple Acres from time to time; “Nasty Varmits” she had called them then.
He dug his hoof into the ground, snorting angrily and tipping his hat back as he prepared to charge into the bush. He pushed his hooves into the ground, taking off at a run. “Nnnope!” He galloped faster and faster towards the plants, his head lowered to plow straight through them.
An orange pony’s head popped out from the green leaves, her blond hair loosely tied back in a ponytail. “Well howdy there, big brother! What’re ya up to?” He stopped his gallop, digging his hooves into the dirt. His hoof caught on a rock and twisted, sending him flying over the bush into a tree trunk. He lay there against the wood, upside down and disoriented by the pain. He sister’s playful face looked down at him. “You know, big brother, it’s always easier to slow down runnin’ than just stoppin’ like that.” She giggled and took another bite of the apple she held in a hoof, the juices running down her chin.
He righted himself, groaning as his hooves touched the ground. “Eeyup.” His sister giggled again as he slowly pushed himself to his hooves. He walked over to his sister slowly, snatching the apple from her hoof and chomping down on it. Her protests were cut off by his big hoof tousling her hair. “Now, AJ, what in tarnation are you doin’ out here? Don’t you know it’s dangerous to be out here while I’m workin’?”
His sister glared at him defiantly, drawing herself up to her full height, which wasn’t much to begin with. “I’m here to help ya out with harvestin’ all these apples!” She tossed her head proudly, puffing out her chest and making a show of appearing grown-up. Big Mac merely chuckled at his sister and turned around, resuming his task of picking up each apple. As he bent low to grab another fruit, a hard object collided with his back and pain flared from where it had hid. He whipped around angrily, looking for the offending creature that had hurt him. His gaze settled on his sister, who held another apple poised in a hoof. “I can help ya, big brother! Just let me try!”
Big Mac turned away from her pleading eyes, shaking his head. “Nnnope. You’re still just a little pony.” He held up his hoof as she began to interject. “I said nope and I meant it. Quit askin’ and just go away.” He turned away and grabbed another apple in his teeth, depositing it in the basket. He heard his sister sniffle behind him. Don’t turn around Mac, you know she’ll just use them pony eyes on ya. Don’t turn around. He kicked up an apple and smiled as it landed neatly on the top of another pile. He bent to pick up another apple, still ignoring his sister’s quiet sobs behind him. It wasn’t the brightest of his ideas.
His hooves left the ground and he flew once more through the air as something collided into his side. He felt teeth sink into his leg and he kicked out wildy, trying to dislodge whatever it was biting him. His hoof collided with something, and he heard a small yelp before he crashed into the ground. He rolled a small distance before coming to a stop, his body aching all over. He stood up slowly, wincing at the pain that shot up his hind leg. There was a wound there in the shape of pony teeth; small pony teeth.
His anger evaporated as he heard the pained sobs. Oh Celestia, what’ve I done!? He galloped to the source of the noise, coming to a hard stop as he saw his sister on the ground. She was clutching at her face, blood dripping from behind her hooves onto the ground. He felt as if a hoof was gripping his heart as he made his way over to her, kneeling down and patting her with a hoof. She screamed in fright and scooted away from him, still covering her face with her hooves. “Applejack? I’m sorry…I…I didn’t mean to hit ya! I didn’t know it was you!” Tears flowed down his face as he moved over to where his sister had moved to.
He grabbed her hooves and peeled them away from her face to inspect the wound. She looked at him with fearful eyes, the grip on his heart growing tighter and restricting his breathing. The cut wasn’t deep and he brought out a small handkerchief to press against the bleeding skin. Applejack whimpered, but she stayed still, looking at him with those same accusing eyes. She mumbled something, and Big Mac leaned in closer to hear her. “I’m sorry, big brother.”
He stroked her hair gently with a hoof, shaking his head. “You got nothin’ to be sorry about, it was all my fault.” He held out a hoof to help his sister to her hooves, smiling sadly as she grabbed it. “I’m sorry Applejack.” He kissed her forehead, making her draw away with her face flushing.
“Aw stop it , Big Mac! I ain’t a baby no more!” She shoved him away with a hoof. “Just cuz you hit me by accident doesn’t change my age none!” Big Mac chuckled and picked his hat up from the ground, dusting it off with a hoof.
“Eeyup, ya sure aren’t a baby no more, little sis’.” He put the Stetson hat on his sister’s head, pushing it down over her eyes. “You’re gonna need that if you wanna work the fields with me.”
She pushed the brim of the hat up, smiling at him. “Really?” He laughed again at the look of excitement in her eyes.
“Eeyup.”
He unhooked the carts from around his body slowly, trying not to fumble the clasps in the dark. The moon was high in the sky now, shining down and bathing the entire world with a silvery light. He looked up at it as he stepped out of the barn. “Time to go back.” He stretched, groaning as the muscles tensed and relaxed. He set his hooves back on the ground and set off into the apple orchard to where he knew Applejack was still standing, watching over the farm.
The trail seemed to be full of more unseen bumps and roots as he walked through it, stumbling over an occasional object. He grunted with pain as one of his stumbles sent him off of the path and into the trunk of a tree. He shook his head and continued plodding down the same road, occasionally looking up to the stars that shined brightly in the sky. The hill loomed up in his vision, the path winding up its surface to the top. He took a deep breath and started to climb, panting with effort by the time he reached the top. His legs, still sore from the day’s work, were now trembling with the effort of not collapsing. He walked slowly over to where Applejack stood, lying down on the soft grass next to her.
He rolled over and looked up into the night sky, absorbed by its beauty. “Look at that, AJ, the sky sure is beautiful tonight.” He sighed contentedly. “Eeyup, it sure is.”
“Big Maaac!” The red stallion’s ears perked up as the call broke the night’s silence. “Big Mac where are you?” He looked over to where the voice was coming from, still lying on his back. His cream-colored sister came trotting out of the orchard, looking up the hill for him. He waved at her as her eyes found him, chuckling at the displeased look on her face. She climbed the hill at the same pace, panting slightly when she reached the top. “Big Mac, why are ya out here in the middle of the night? Are you talkin to that tree again? You know that she can’t hea-“ She cut off at the angry glare he cast her direction and she blushed. “S-sorry.” She lay down next to him on the grass, looking up at the stars; their bright lights reflecting in her eyes. “You know…I miss her too.”
“Eeyup.”
“But, she wouldn’t want you to just live out here Mac! She’d want you to live on with your life. Don’t ya remember Cheerilee? I thought you’d ask her for a date before it happened.” She sounded as if she wanted to say something else but decided on different words. Big Mac knew what she had wanted to say, the words pounding inside his skull. Before she died when that barn collapsed. I know what happened Applebloom. I was there. And I…I couldn’t save her. He could still hear her pained shouts and whimpers from beneath the jagged boards.
“Ee…yup.” His sob broke the reply, and he felt the tears begin to flow from his eyes. He felt a hoof touch his shoulder gently and looked over to see Applebloom’s eyes brimming with tears of their own. Without another word, she enveloped him in a hug. Something inside him broke, letting the tears flow unabated into his sister’s mane. After what seemed to be hours, he pulled away from Applebloom and stood up, walked down the path a small distance to stare over the many trees of their farm.
He heard his sister’s hooves clop up to him slowly and felt her lay a hoof across his shoulder. “Cmon Big Mac, let’s go home.” She pulled him back towards the Apple house.
“Eeyup.” His simple reply held more sadness than any wordy speech ever could. As they walked down the hill and approached the trees, he looked back at the tree atop the hill. In its branches, amid the orange-colored apples that hung there, sat a brown Stetson hat.
