Applejack turned on a dime as she trotted her empty apple cart from Ponyville, back to Sweet Apple Acres. She kept up her trot even as her poor spirit was broken. The apple farm’s harvest this year had been poor at best, and all of the apples she could buck had been sold.
She had left Granny Smith with what apples she could for her special jam, but that still meant far too little to pay the bills for the farm. She was despondent. There was no way for her to pay off their creditors.
Maybe, she thought to herself, she could beg them for an extension. There had to be someway she could pay for it. She couldn’t let Granny down. Or Big Mac. Or her little sister, Apple Bloom.
If only her duties as the Element of Honesty wouldn't keep her from her farm duties, then maybe she could have spotted the apple blight sooner. They had only lost three trees. That was an acceptable loss, wasn't it? It could have been worse, right? The rest of the trees hadn’t wanted to bloom and bear fruit.
The worst part of it all, was the feeling of abject failure. She couldn’t lie to herself. Even if it took every bit she had, AppleJack was going to do right by the farm.
Her brother, Big Mac, came trotting up beside her, chewing on a hay stalk. “Hay, Big Mac,” Applejack winced at the pun, even as the stallion did his usual bi-syllabic reply. Her brother moved the cart’s harness onto his back with practiced ease. For the rest of the journey to Sweet Apple Acres, the two ponies trotted along in silence. The siblings didn’t need to talk, and the stallion’s presence was comforting to the filly.
They rounded the last bend and Applejack couldn’t help herself anymore. “Ah ain’t sure we gonna make it this year, Big Mac. The blight and the crops. We ain’t got enough for the bills. It would be a shame if the bank took the farm. Ah don’t think Granny would get over it.”
“Eh-yup,” Big Mac replied, hanging his head.
“Maybe, Ah should take a part-time job at a store in Ponyville? Maybe Ah could talk to the bank and get an extension. Ah’m good for it,” Applejack was ranting, loud enough for the stallion to hear.
“We’re gonna loose the farm?” Apple Bloom’s sudden appearance without the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders startled Applejack. “We can’t. Ah don’t know what Ah’d do without all dem apples!”
Applejack shook her head, her braids bouncing under her hat. “Gosh, darn tooting, we ain’t gonna be loosing the farm. Ah’ll talk to the creditors about it. Ah’ll get a job. Ah’m a dependable worker and can build and Ah’m good for it. Ah’ll save the farm, somehow.”
“Eh-yup,” Big Mac said, as Applejack felt her brother nuzzle her gently. The three siblings had stopped to talk, before entering the gates of the farm.
“Are we gonna tell Granny?”
“Only if we have to, sugahplum,” Applejack reseated her hat on her head. “Ah don’t plan on it, if’n we save the farm.”
“I know! I can sell lemonade and the Cutie Mark Crusaders can do a benefit.”
“That’s going a little far, sugar,” Applejack sighed. “We’ll figure something out,” then sighed under her breathe, “Ah’ll make sure of it.”
“Eh-yup.” Big Mac’s confirmation of her promise gave Applejack the courage to smile. Although the stallion was of few words, he knew what to say when.
Applejack helped her brother unharness himself from the apple wagon and put it away. With a sigh, she entered the Apple family’s home.
Inside, she was struck with a sight. Apple Bloom was sproinging, happily chattering to Granny Smith, as the aged mare laughed at her grandfilly’s antics. Upon spying Big Mac, the old grey mare bounded up to her grandstallion.
“There’s a parcel for you, Big Mac,” Granny said, pointing a hoof to a letter in the corner.
“Stuff,” the stallion said, working the seals on the letter. After reading it, the big stallion snorted, “I have to go.”
Applejack had never seen her brother run that fast in her life. He was out the door and hit full gallop, the letter held tight in his mouth.
“What was that about?” Applejack asked Granny.
“I dunno. Have another piece of fritter!”
It was late that night when Big Mac got back to the farmhouse. Granny was sleeping, Applebloom was reading a book over in the corner about a moongoose named Riki. She was practicing reading to younger fillies by reading out loud to Winona, Applejack’s faithful dog. “Wow, can you believe it, Winona? Riki took on that icky snake all by himself! Let’s find out what happens next.”
Applejack counted her bits for the third time. She had barely half of what she needed to pay off the farm’s debts and keep them solvent. She sat back on her haunches and resigned herself to tell her grandmare in the morning, when a sack full of bits the size of four apples high landed in front of her from a toss made by her brother.
“What’s this?”
“Bits,” said the normally taciturn stallion. “Enough for the farm.”
“Where did you get these?” Applejack asked her brother, completely puzzled.
“Books,” he said, trotting over to Apple Bloom. He plucked the book from his youngest sister to a startled complaint from the younger filly. He placed it in front of Applejack on the table. “Look.”
Applejack’s eyes bugged out when she read the name of the author, “‘Riki Tiki Tavi’ by Big McIntosh? When? How? Why?”
“Little foals love stories,” the big stallion spoke, as Apple Bloom stole the book back and settled back down to continue her story. She looked up occasionally, to give her big brother evil looks.
“I know they do, Big Mac,” Applejack rubbed her forehead, pushing a lock out of her eyes.
“Sold four books,” Big Mac snorted, and continued, “there’s bits enough for the farm.”
“And then some. With this, we have the farm completely paid off!” Applejack threw her forelegs around the big stallion’s neck and hugged the stuffing out of him.
“Eh-yup,” he said, and explained, “Ah don’t speak much, but Ah can write. Writtin’s good for readin’. Foals love my words.”