And You'll Get a Tree's Worth
“C’mon now, haul ‘em up and out! Let’s go, gang, bring it on home!”
The dry but clear call of Granny Smith was still ringing in Bright Mac’s ears as he hauled in his cartload of apples from the field. It was nearing the end of the day, Celestia’s sun angling towards the horizon in preparation of the moon’s rise. It’d been a proper day of labor for the red-haired earth pony, tending to not just the harvest of his family’s fields but the personal fields out over the hill near the Apple matriarch’s land. Big Mac had helped in some ways as best he could, but the young fella still had some inches to gain and some muscle to build before he’d really get the hang of things.
“I dunno how you keep your head up on a swivel, Mac.” A voice from behind got Bright Mac’s attention, making him look to his left as another worker pulled up alongside him. The brown-coated and silver-maned stallion gave a grunt as he deposited his cart alongside the others like Mac was doing himself, although Mac seemed to require less effort. “I’m sweatin’ up a storm bigger than a pegasi makin’ thunderstorms in summer.”
“That just means you’re working hard and earning your pay!” Bright reasoned, making the other stallion chuckle. “Speaking of, Granny’s probably got your wages for the week up there. Go ahead and collect, I’ll do the count real quick for us.”
“Appreciate you, Mac, Celestia bless you.”
“Celestia blessed me with my wife, Burnt Oak!” He called after him, chuckling to himself before setting about tallying up the haul of the day. As he counted each apple and each type, keeping a mental tally, he reflected a little on the truth of the matter. His life was indeed blessed thanks to Pear Butter, and through her more blessings came his way in his children, Macintosh and Applejack. Her choice to stay with him over sticking with the Pears was a hard choice, but in the end, she was happier for it.
He always kept in mind what she sacrificed for them, and he endeavored to reflect the love he bore for her every day he could. Sometimes it’d be him taking care of the children when she felt tired. Sometimes it’d be the little moments of romance he’d treat her with, when they were alone. The big moments stand out to a lot of ponies’ memories, like their wedding, but Bright Mac knew it was the little moments that filled the gaps between the big moments. And if you had enough good little moments, you could weather just about anything.
He finished his tally count and checked his clipboard before frowning. That was odd; the numbers didn’t match up with what he was expecting. A second run through gave the same results, and left Mac confused until he looked up at Burnt Oak’s return.
“Hey Oak!” The brown-coated stallion turned his head to the call and came over to the waiting earth pony. “You and me hauled in all our carts, right?”
“That’s right.”
Bright Mac scratched at his cheek in thought. “And everypony else did too?”
“Yep. You, me, the Belles, the Wood Brothers, and uh...well, no, Miss Bon-bon left yesterday.”
Bright Mac frowned in concern. “What for? We just talked the other day. She seemed plenty fine and dandy being here!”
“She was fine and dandy round you, Mac. Round the rest of us, you could hardly get a smile on that teen’s face.” Oak pointed out. “Reckon you was half the reason she signed onto the job. You’re charming like that.”
“Well, she always did have compliments. She’d always ask about how hard apple-bucking was, but I always told her it wasn’t.”
Burnt Oak rolled his eyes. “Bet the bees weren’t there when the flowers were blooming either.” He muttered.
“Did she get stung by bees too?”
“Look, Mac,” Burnt Oak brushed aside the question and pointed out at the fields, “the point is, this work ain’t always cut out for everypony. Takes some hard work and stomaching some tough days to really keep with it. Some ponies don’t got the drive like you or me to stick with our work and feelin’ satisfied with it. Bon-bon’s not a gal to feel real keen on bein’ muddy and sweatin’ every day out in the fields. She’s more a city gal type.”
“Well...all right. But still. I mean, we paid her well, right?”
Burnt Oak rubbed the back of his head. “For simple folk, the pay’s not that bad. But some folk get better pay elsewhere, doin’ other things. Just a way of life, Mac. You know how it goes.”
Bright Mac frowned before sighing through his nose. He didn’t like to dig in on it, but this was yet another pony going on their own way and leaving the apple bucking to the rest. Every laborer gone was another cart-load portion to be picked up by the others like himself. He didn’t mind it all that much, but it was more the principle of the thing. Ponies just up and quitting didn’t sit right with him, not unless they got good reason. Like moving homes, or sickness.
Or bigger paychecks.
“Don’t let it get you down. We can always find some young buck to pick up the slack. Plenty of youngin’s out there to hire.”
“Granny’s getting tired a bit of so many though, just doing like Bon-Bon. But, I can’t fault them, Oak.” Bright Mac admitted. “Guess I’ll just have to pick up the slack myself in the meantime. Another hour or so in the field won’t be too bad.”
“Maybe. Your oldest is comin’ along, right? Can’t be too far off from making the land work for his hooves.” The pair of stallions walked down the beaten path going out and away from the Apple farm, where it would break apart and lead to many winding roads around Ponyville. One of them would see Mac home, where he could wager his family was waiting on him to make it in for the day.
“He might do. Still a few years off though. And I don’t wanna bog the boy down with work when he’s got a right to be free on his own. Helps Butter plenty around the house, lookin’ after AJ too.”
Oak hummed in understanding and nodded.
“Oak? You get an answer back yet on that one job out West?”
The brown stallion gave his friend a glance before looking ahead. “Oh, nothing yet. I’ve heard the Post takes it’s time getting to here from there. I’m patient enough to wait though.”
“If they offer you enough, you’ll probably take it, won’t you?”
It wasn’t a question as much as a statement weighed down in reality. Bright Mac would never take insult from somepony making a better life for themselves. Him and Pear had done the very thing themselves when they got married, at least by his standards.
Burnt Oak was quiet for a few moments before he answered. “Just depends on what comes about.” The wind blew by them as Celestia’s sun began to sink into the horizon, deep shades of orange and red blooming into the sky. “You never know what might come your way.”
“Yeah. I guess you’re right.”
Bright Mac parted from Burnt Oak at one of the crossroads and made for home. The little house wasn’t particularly amazing, but it was theirs and that was enough. While Sweet Apple Acres had rolling hills to surround it and a bounty of apple trees, Bright Mac’s home was more calm in terms of terrain. You still had the hills and distant plains one expects on the outer limits of a town like Ponyville, but the trees were more spread out and granted a less obscured view of the world surrounding the home. The humble garden off to the side of the tan brown house was dotted with many a green plant, quiet and humble beginnings of what will hopefully become a bounty of food to help provide for the family.
As he approached the front yard, the door to the house opened and a bundle of yellow and orange came running out to greet him. “Daddy’s home, daddy’s home!” The little energetic ball of pony called out as she ran up to Bright Mac and then around his hooves. He chuckled and reached down to catch the chanting filly with one hoof to hug her to his torso.
“It’s good to be home, Applejack. How’s my littlest sugarcube doing today?” He asked. “Did you have a good day while daddy was at work?”
“Uh-huh, uh-huh! I went into town with momma and got to visit some of our friends in town!” AJ told him as they walked towards the house. “Look momma, it’s daddy!” Bright Mac looked up and to the door, seeing a beautiful orange-maned mare standing there. Her turquoise eyes radiated warmth as they held his gaze, and the smile she gave him had his stomach do a light flip. Here he was, married and raising a family with Pear Butter, and she still could make all the woes and worries float off his shoulders with just a look. She was love, support, and home all bundled into one gorgeous buttercup of a mare.
“Looks like you found him, hun. Bring him on in, dinner’s just about ready.” Pear Butter said, stepping back inside to let them enter. AJ skipped and hopped, her tiny hooves a light thump on the carpeted floor. Bright watched her go before shaking his head, chuckling before looking to his wife.
“And you thought I was the energetic one. She’ll be running laps around me for years to come.” He said to her.
“Well who do you think she got it from, you big lunk?” Pear replied before nuzzling him, the stallion returning the gesture before throwing a hoof around her to embrace her. She welcomed it, and let him hold her for the moment. “Was work alright in the fields today? Ain’t got no sore hooves, do you?”
“Nah, not today. It was alright out there, but I’ll have to be pickin’ up some slack soon.” Pear’s curious look prompted him to explain. “Another one of the helpers left for other work. Till we get another one to replace them, I reckon I can pitch in a bit more to help Granny.”
“Of course, hun. Just don’t go overworking yourself now. I want a whole husband coming home, you know.” Pear teased.
“Well, I think I could manage maybe...three quarters of one?” He replied, making Pear scoff and roll her eyes as he chuckled. “After all, I always keep one part of me here for you.”
“Which part’s that?”
“My heart, my buttercup. Can’t no one else have it but you,” he told her, pecking her cheek with a light kiss and making the mare blush before giving his chest a light swat with her hoof.
“You charmer you. Get on in there before you’re too sweet for dinner.”
Bright Mac chuckled before bringing a hoof to her chin and kissing her properly on the lips. She was soft, sweet, and just the balm to his weary mind and body. Pear was surprised, but happy, to return the kiss for a few seconds before -
“Ewww! Mommy, daddy, come on! Stop kissin’ so much! I’m hungry!”
AJ’s voice snapped the two back to look at the pouting filly, whose scrunched up muzzle was pointed at the two lovebirds. They shared a look and laughed before following after her, finding their eldest son, Big Macintosh, also waiting at the table. Dinner wasn’t a complex thing, overall: you made do with the vegetables you could get and the little additions to make it stick with you. Bright was left to laugh as Pear had to convince AJ that eating other vegetables and not just apples was healthy for her, while Big Mac worked at his own plate diligently. The wafting smell of cooked vegetables, butter and oil and just a hint of leftover dessert pastries brought out from the fridge filled that dining room as much as the ponies sitting inside it. The clinking of utensils on plates added the little chirps and tinks that filled the spaces between conversation that full mouths and a need to breathe couldn’t cover.
It was home.
When evening time came around, Bright Mac took up the task of putting AJ to bed in her room since Pear had seen to dinner. AJ was already showing some courage better than other fillies her age: her fear of the dark had been quelled once she’d had both Bright Mac and Pear sit through the night with her and assure her no monsters could ever come into her room. The yawning filly snuggled into her father’s shoulder as he carried her to bed, easily undoing her comforter and pulling back to set the mare inside her bed. She squirmed in a weak protest at being apart from her father, but recognized her bed and relaxed once she laid in it.
“Now, ya’ll get a good sleep in, AJ. You know you gotta sleep well to grow up big and strong like your daddy and momma,” he whispered to her, nuzzling the blonde filly’s mane and the top of her head. “Tomorrow’s a day to do all you wanna. Anything you want.”
“Anythin’?” AJ’s eyes snapped open at the statement, making Bright Mac take a moment to reply.
“Well, yes, darlin’. That’s what days off are for. Should be anyway.”
AJ shuffled about in her sheets, needing a moment to try and get herself out from under the comforter at least halfway so she could better talk to Bright. “I know what I wanna do!” She whispered excitedly.
“Go fishin’? A run in the park? Visit Sugarcube Corner?” Bright Mac listed off, chuckling to himself. AJ’s imagination was always fanciful, but she did keep to some of the simple things of life. But to be honest, he could use a day with the filly to get away from working and stressing. Heck, maybe they could go in and visit his old friend Hondo and -
“I wanna learn how to help do Apple trees!”
Bright Mac’s train of thought derailed and he looked down at the wide grin on the filly’s face. “You wanna help with the trees?” He repeated.
“Uh-huh! Uh-huh!” She exclaimed before Mac shushed her and waved his hoof down, making her cover her mouth as she giggled.
“Now hun, I thought you wanted to do something fun for the weekend. That’s just work is what it is.”
“I know! But I wanna help my daddy when I’m old enough. I can learn early!” She insisted. “Besides, I like seein’ the apple trees. And Granny too!”
Bright Mac floundered for a moment; in the blunt truth of the matter, he really had been aiming to keep away from work for some peace of mind. He wasn’t overstressed or anything like how some ponies get, but he knew he’d wind up like that if he did nothing but work and work and work. The little blonde filly’s wide eyes were hard to say no to, though, especially his daughter’s pleading gaze.
His will crumbled seconds later, and he shook his head. “You know, you’re the only filly who could ask their pop to take them to work with him. Tell you what,” he leaned in to whisper, AJ leaning in likewise in a conspiratorial fashion, “we’ll go out there around midday. Let you visit Granny and I can show you what you can do. Does that sound ok?”
Rapid nods were AJ’s response before Bright Mac kissed her forehead and gently pushed the filly to lay back on her pillow. “Now go on. You definitely need the shuteye if I’m gonna be teaching you tomorrow. You’ll learn the best from the best there is.”
“Course I will. I’ll be with you, daddy,” AJ replied before yawning and closing her eyes. Bright Mac stayed put, minding the filly to make sure she was asleep before stepping out and quietly shutting the door. Wandering through the house, the wood floors creaking under his hooves, Bright Mac eventually found his way to the porch where his wife was waiting. He sighed as he settled in next to her, nuzzling the top of her head as she leaned against him.
“She asked you, didn’t she?” Pear Butter questioned.
“That she did. She already told you, huh?” Mac replied, distracting himself a little by running his hoof through Pear’s mane.
“She got the idea from school. The kids were all talking about what their families do, and AJ bragged and bragged about you and those apples. So now she’s got it in her mind to try and show she can do the family work too,” Pear said before chuckling quietly.
“Well, you’re never too young to learn. I’ll take her with me tomorrow, and we’ll have a crack at letting her get some apples. If there’s one thing that makes her happy, it’s getting an apple.”
“That makes two of us.” Bright Mac looked down to see Pear smiling at him before she kissed his chin. “I got my apple years ago. And I’m still pretty darn happy.”
Bright Mac smiled and embraced his wife closer to him, giving her a kiss in kind on her forehead as they stayed there on the porch to admire the night sky above, glittering with stars and the bright moon. Tomorrow wouldn’t be much fuss surely.
How much trouble could showing a little filly the ropes of apple bucking be?
“Alright Applejack, now come along with your poppa. We’re gonna see just how many apples you can get.”
“Yay!” The little filly cheered from astride her father’s shoulders, her weight lighter than the cart handle he was used to latching onto. Of course, the little ball of apples and energy was still bouncing as they made for the fields that made up Sweet Apple Acres’ vast area. Given that some of the trees were still growing and had yet to be ready for harvest, it took a little bit of walking to find a good spot to let her learn the ropes.
“Now, remember, I’m not expecting you to come out of this with whole baskets of apples. Even just a few’s good for a little filly like yourself,” he told her.
AJ patted his neck lightly. “But daddy, I wanna do it good like you do!”
“And you will, honey, you will. But first thing’s first; you gotta let your old dad show you the ropes. Don’t worry, I’ll have you haulin’ apples like a pro in no time!”
Applejack nodded before clambering down off her father’s shoulders to walk beside him. “There’s so many of ‘em, paw! Where’d they all come from?”
Bright Mac looked around the field and among the surrounding trees. An experienced eye could look at the color of the bark, the amount of leaves and branches, and guesstimate the age of the trees. There was enough to match the population of Ponyville, surely enough, and then some.
“Well, sugarcube, they came from all kinds of places. But they all started from one tree, before that tree spread some seeds and got more trees to grow. He was a lonely feller, you see,” he explained to the attentive little blonde mare. “Soon enough, he had a whole little family of trees around him. And then those trees got to make more, and more, and soon enough there’s trees just about everywhere.”
“Wow!” AJ replied, beaming at him. It never failed to warm Bright Mac’s heart to see her grin like that at him. “Do ponies do that too? Like apple trees?”
He paused for a moment before chuckling. “I think I’ll explain ponies when you’re taller and older. Ponies are a lot more complicated than what you’re learnin’ today.,” he insisted before tapping a tree next to him to get her attention. It was a healthy specimen, tall with plenty of apples dotting among the branches with a healthy shine to them all. “This here fella is gonna help us today.”
“What’s his name?”
“His name?” Bright Mac repeated in confusion.
“Yeah! If they’re nice enough ta give us apples, ah think they’d all have names, don’t they?” She told him, like as if the same logic might be why the clouds float in the sky, or why water never seems to go up instead of down. It just simply did, in AJ’s eyes.
“Well...huh. I can’t say I’ve thought of that.” Bright Mac replied. “Maybe he might appreciate you giving him a name?”
“How’s about...Mister Oakley!” AJ chirped.
Bright Mac chuckled and shook his head. “Alrighty then. Mister Oakley here is gonna help us teach you today about harvesting apples,” he continued. “Now AJ, have you ever thought about how we get apples from the trees?”
AJ sat there for a moment, tongue sticking out from the corner of her lips as she tried to think it out. “Uh...well. No, no I ain’t before, poppa.”
“That’s alright. Try to tell me what you think is the best way to do it,” he offered, and he sat down to wait for his little filly to work it out.
AJ looked from him to the tree, then the ground, then all around them in a quiet process that would’ve mentally been filled with the sound of a clock ticking patiently at the seconds spent trying to solve the matter. Finally, AJ seemed to work something out.
“Do we get a ladder?”
“Nope.”
“Some tiny ropes the size a’ apples?”
“Nah-ah.”
“Lots and lots of wind from them pegasus ponies to blow them down?”
“Clever, but that ain’t the earth pony way.”
Applejack pouted. “Well, then, ah don’t know!”
Bright Mac gave a laugh and waved a hoof at his daughter. “All of ‘em were good guesses hun. But the real truth is simple enough, done with your own hooves.”
“But you said we ain’t got a ladder!”
“We’re not climbing the trees, honey,” he told her before standing up to position himself next to the tree’s base. Planting his forehooves firmly in the ground, he reared one leg up, cocked it, and struck out against the base with a firm “thwack!” that shook Mister Oakley enough to loosen a few apples, making the red fruits fall to the ground in dull thumps. He gave a satisfied nod and turned to AJ, but paused at the almost horrified expression on her muzzle. Her little eyebrows had risen up and her jaw was hanging down leaving her still-growing teeth exposed in an awe-struck gape.
“AJ? Honey? What is it?”
“Paw, why’d you go and do that for?!” She demanded.
“Honey, this is how we’re supposed to do this. It’s how we always do it.” He told her matter-of-factly.
“But...but I thought?”
“It’s ok, honey, really. It looks tough, but it’s not, I promise,” he insisted. “C’mon, now. You give it a try.”
AJ fidgeted where she sat. She looked indecisive, pawing at the ground with her forehoof while biting her lower lip. Bright Mac raised an eyebrow.
“C’mon, AJ. Just the one kick to try. Every other Apple farmer and family member does it, and you can too,” he urged her. He reckoned it was just nervousness about kicking as good as he did. She was a little competitive like that, AJ was. Never mean spirited, but if she had a chance to show off, she’d try to take it. He liked to think it came from watching some of the Appleoosan relatives practicing for the rodeo shows out west.
“...ok,” she let out timidly, coming to join her father’s side at the tree. He nodded, and waited until she turned around like he was by the tree. “...you sure, poppa?”
“I’m sure, honey. Now plant your forelegs on the ground, real firm. Like you’re trying to push down through the dirt,” he instructed. Once AJ had done so as best a little filly could do, he continued. “You got a leg you favor more, AJ? You always struck me as a right hoofer.”
“...can do either, poppa.”
“Well, have a go at it then. Kick hard, and try to keep your balance,” he told her before stepping back to give her room. The little filly looked to him for a moment, and he gave a nod at her and then Mister Oakley. Applejack turned her gaze to the ground, and scrunched up her muzzle in a focused effort as she brought one tiny leg up like he’d done. Her form wasn’t perfect, far from it. She’d probably fall over if she went too hard.
Applejack’s hoof lashed out, and a tiny thud came from the tree. It hardly shook, the leaves swaying more from the breeze than the impact. The apples budged barely an inch, leaving Bright Mac as he expected to be: humored, but not surprised to see none of them come down. A soft sigh left his lips as he kept watching the tree branches in case one did happen to fall.
“Well, that’s alright, AJ. You ain’t got a whole lotta weight behind those hooves,” he said, having been working on prepared lines of reassurance that morning with Pear Butter in case AJ got upset. “But it ain’t your fault, you’re only a little filly.”
Sniff
Bright Mac looked down at his daughter, and saw her head ducked low while still standing on all four hooves. Her mane fell over her eyes, and her shoulders were giving a little shake. He knew that shake.
Sniff Sniff
Uh-oh. “Honey? AJ?”
She brought her head up, and her usually bright green eyes gleamed with wetness. Her lips quivered as she stared up at her dad.
“...sugarcube?”
AJ broke out into a bawling sob, making Bright Mac’s whole body lurch in response as he rushed to her side, pulling her to him in a heartbeat. Did she hurt herself? Was there a splinter in her hoof?
“AJ, baby, it’s ok!” he talked, but it did little to dissuade the tears rolling down her cheeks. Cradling her close, he let the crying filly’s sobs and sniffles be muffled by his chest. He looked about for something to help him, but there was nopony but him and his youngest. “Shhh, shhh, Applejack what’s wrong? Did it hurt you?”
“N-no! I mean. A little! But daddy!”
“What is it, hun? I’m here, daddy’s here, it’s ok!”
“N-no it’s not! I...I kicked Mister Oakley!”
Bright Mac listened, but could only nod at first. “W-well. Yes, honey, yes you did.”
“I don’t wanna kick the tree!”
“Why not, AJ?”
She hiccuped and wiped at her muzzle with her hoof. A little dribble of snot from her nose clung to his chest, but Bright Mac paid it no heed.
“Cau...cause,” she hiccuped again, “cause kicking’s mean! It’s mean, poppa! Why we gotta do that for?”
Bright Mac ushered out a slow soft “shhhh” sound from his lips and ran his hoof along the top of AJ’s head, continuing to hold her as she clung to him. “Applejack, honey, it’s ok. They don’t think it’s mean.”
“It is too! You ain’t supposed to kick other ponies. Y-you and momma told me that, an-and I kicked Mister Oakley, a-and he’s gonna be mad!” She cried into his chest, tugging at every little heartstring Bright Mac had in himself. He raised his head to look at Mister Oakley, but being a tree, he could only give a silent sway of his leaves in response.
“Shhhh baby, shhh. You didn’t do a bad thing. Calm down now, it’s ok. I can tell you everything.” AJ’s sobs slowed little by little as he tended to her, and before long she had enough composure to look up at him. Tear streaks were visible on the fur of her muzzle, and he was sure he’d need to clean off his chest fur later at home. “Now. You listen to your daddy, ok?”
“Ok, daddy.” sniff
“Ok. Now,” Bright Mac took a second to try and figure out how to approach this particular matter. Parenting books and classes don’t exactly prep you for moments of judgment from a filly feeling bad about a tree she only just met. “You are right in thinking it’s wrong to kick other ponies. That’s what we taught you. Remember?”
“Uh-huh. I-I only did it cuz you told me to. I promise!”
“I know you did honey, I know.” Bright Mac assured her. “But, you see, for folks like...well, Mister Oakley here and his tree friends, see, kicking...helps them.”
“It does?”
“Uh-huh.” He sat down on the ground and crossed his hind legs, bringing AJ to sit in his lap. She stubbornly held onto one of his forelegs, and he didn’t even try to stop her. “See, Mister Oakley and the trees, they’re...well, they’re big fellas. Right? Ain’t they tall?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Right. But these tall fellas, they can’t get the apples down themselves. It’s real difficult for them. On account of them not having hooves like you and I do.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Now sometimes the wind knocks a few of them apples off, or something else comes along to knock them loose. But otherwise, baby, there’s no one and nothin’ else to help them ease their load. Carrying them apples all day is real heavy on their big ol’ arms. Those tree branches, you see?”
She looked up at Mister Oakley as he stood resolute over them, many an apple hanging from its branches.
“So you see, us earth ponies like the Apple family, we gotta help shake them loose to make it easier on the poor guys.”
“Ain’t there lady trees too?”
“And gals. Guys and gals,” Bright Mac corrected himself right away. “Now you might think kicking them like that is bad, but it’s good for them. Trees are different than ponies are. They ain’t gonna get mad at you for kicking them and knocking some apples loose.”
“They’re not?” hic
“Not at all, honey,” he told her. AJ seemed to take this and think on it for a few moments. They remained seated there, Bright Mac letting her take her time to absorb what he was saying into that precious little noggin of hers. She looked up at him again.
“So...it’s ok? If it’s the trees like Mister Oakley?”
“Mmhmm.”
“What about lil trees?”
“We let ‘em grow up big and strong first. Ain’t no sense or right in doin’ that to the little ones.”
AJ took this in and he waited again. A gentle breeze blew by, the rustling of the leaves and the distant ringing of Ponyville’s bell tower the only real noise outside that moment between him and his daughter.
“...I think I get it now, poppa.” She told him. “But...I still feel bad a bit.”
“You do?”
“Uh-huh. I don’t ever wanna hurt the trees. These trees are mah friends! They give us apples and are really pretty in the fall, and, and...they’re not ponies. But. That don’t matter!”
Bright Mac only nodded as AJ got up from him and looked up to Mister Oakley.
“I’m real sorry for kicking you, Mister Oakley. I promise I was only doin’ it cuz poppa said its good for you. But even so, that’s the only time I’d ever do it. I only wanna help you and your kin, cuz you help me and my family!”
Mister Oakley gave a silent sway of his leaves in reply. But this somehow seemed to satisfy AJ, from Bright Mac’s perspective. The filly nodded and turned back to her dad. She wasn’t sad anymore, and that was more than a relief for him.
“Poppa? Maybe...maybe when I’m older, I can help you here? In the fields?” she asked. “I wanna...grow up some more. An’ so I can help Mister Oakley and his tree friends like you do. Is that ok?”
“Sugarcube, that is more than ok,” Bright Mac told her, smiling all the while. “Tell you what; go on ahead and run down to Granny Smith’s. We were gonna visit her later, and there ain’t no time like the present to see family.”
“Yay! Granny Smith has the best stories!” the filly declared before dashing off in the direction of the house. It wasn’t far away, a clear shot from where they were and over one hill. Bright Mac watched her go, and shook his head with a chuckle at the filly’s rapid change of emotions.
“But that’s my girl. Applejack,” he said aloud before pausing to look at the tree, now named Mister Oakley. He didn’t know what possessed him, but as he got up, he trotted up to the tall specimen and stared up at it. It gave no stare back other than what could be given from the knotted lines and etched marks a tree trunk could manage.
“...she meant it, you know. She cares. A lot about you all. About family,” Bright Mac said aloud.
Mister Oakley offered nothing in reply.
“She’s a good girl. A hard worker. Even for a little filly who shouldn’t think of nothing but having fun, making friends. Like when we were all her age.”
Mister Oakley was silent.
“Seeing her cry like that tears my heart in two. I could never forgive myself if I made her do that on account of myself. She’s my daughter. My youngest yet. And already she’s got as big a heart as her momma does.”
Mister Oakley would likely have agreed or perhaps evaluated that she came from a healthy crop of ponies, much like trees from strong and tall parents. But he was a tree, and thus said none of this aloud.
“I work so hard to give her what I can. Her, Macintosh, Pear Butter. They all depend on me to be their rock. I never wanna let them down. So I try to never show it when I do feel bad. Like when the work’s getting tougher because everypony keeps going for other jobs. Jobs that might pay better, sure, but just how many bits makes a pony happy? Next to work you do with your own two hooves.”
Mister Oakley swayed with the wind. His branches creaked a little from the collected movement of several pieces of wood adjusting to the push of the air around them.
“...whatever I can do to see my family happy. To make sure my daughter has a good life. That my wife feels happy in being with me and not regretful. That’s what I’d want most. I’ll give everything I have, if it means I do right by them.”
Bright Mac turned his gaze away from the many trees surrounding him and centered on Mister Oakley again. The patient listener of an apple tree stood there and waited.
“So uh...well. Look at me. My daughter’s got me talking your leaves off you.” He muttered. “But uh. Well. I suppose she’d like me to apologize too. Even though we’ve all gotten along pretty well. But I know some of the workers aren’t the best at the job. I’ve seen a few trees fall over from too much kickin’ and not enough thinkin’.”
Mister Oakley offered perhaps the most silent but sincere acceptance of his apology that an apple tree could manage.
“I think when the time comes, when me and Pear are gone a long ways down the road in time, she’ll take good care of all y’all. Trees and cousins and everypony alike. If she can help, she’ll do it. Even if it’s on her own.” Bright Mac said. “So, uh...well. If it comes to that, I suppose I’d just ask you to...do good by her as you’ve done good by me and my family all this time. Keep the goodwill a-trottin, as they say.”
Bright Mac felt the wind blow by his head, ruffling his red mane and making him clutch at his hat to keep it on his head.
“I better go on after that filly, before she wears Granny out. I’ll be back tomorrow, bright and early.”
He turned to go, his hooves aiming him to walk towards Granny Smith’s house, but stopped. Something touched his hind hoof, and he looked down his side. A bright red apple, lively and shiny, rested there. The earth pony gazed up at Mister Oakley.
Mister Oakley offered no answer, nor an accurate headcount of how many apples he had. It always mattered to have apples, rather than just how many apples really.
“...um. Thank you.” Bright Mac said aloud before plucking up the apple and taking it with him, the beaten path leading to Granny Smith’s house his guide as he walked. Something in his spirit felt lighter now, he could admit, and he started to whistle as he trotted, the sound climbing along the wind and through the branches and leaves of all the trees around him. They stood stalwart, minding the path for him as he found his way back to Granny, and most especially, his sweet little AJ.
Author's Note
You can learn a lot out on a farm, if you know where to look and listen.
Another fun filly AJ tale, for all you folks. Take what you will from it; there's plenty to gleam if you know where to look.
