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// Problem 2: Applejack's Affection Agony 
// Story: The Alicorn Problems 
// by TheTimeSword 
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Applejack didn't fly. She stuck to the ground, her own four hooves kicking in the dirt. They'd been good for that all her life, and just because she had a pair of wings on her back now didn't change the past. Flying wasn't all that special, after all. A third of ponies could've done that before the change. Same went for magic. But ponies were getting obsessed with the idea of casting spells and levitating stuff around. A rope and her own grit could pull a wagon as good as any fancy magic. Though that horn above her vision could've helped with the last harvest, dragging the buckets of apples from the orchard. But she could never do a tenth of a tenth of what Twilight or Starlight could do. Yep. No sense in rushing head first into spell books and magical tomes, no reason to take to the skies and lay atop a cloud.

Not that she couldn't, or wouldn't eventually. Probably. Maybe. For now, her own four hooves worked just as well. Yet she was outnumbered on that front—her siblings found their new appendages to be the best present ever on Hearth's Warming Eve, and it was still spring. Apple Bloom being enraptured by the event made sense. She had spent many hours helping Sweetie Belle during their Twilight time, as they called it. There must've been something she picked up, or memorized accidentally. That, and she was younger. A lack of experience sometimes made trying new things less scary. Not that Applejack feared casting magic from the new appendage atop her field of vision. Certainly not.

And her brother felt no terror of flying or magic, it seemed. Big Mac flew and levitated objects as though he had always dreamed of doing so. It wasn't flawless or remarkable compared to what she had seen of real unicorns and pegasi, but the fact that he could do it poorly surprised Applejack. But of all ponies she would've thought wouldn't have cared about the change, Big Mac would've been right up there with Granny. 

Yet that stallion had turned a fool. All his grey matter must've been sucked up into that big red horn on his forehead. Applejack had returned home after the events in the Everfree Forest, only to find he had run off into the forest on the other side of the orchards. He had left Sugar Belle, his marefriend—now ex, according to the same mare—crying in their living room. It'd take all the efforts of Applejack, Granny Smith, and Apple Bloom combined to get her calm.

As Applejack neared the front door to her family home, the wailing and bawling sounded through the screen door. "Aw, it ain't that bad now," she heard Granny say. "It could be worse."

"How could it be worse!?" Sugar Belle blustered. Applejack took a step in, cracking the door enough for her head to enter. Sugar Belle sat on the couch with a few dozen tissues littering the area around her. Granny sat in her rocking chair with a book that Applejack recognized as Big Mac's foal photo album. 

"He could've said he hated you and never wanted to see you again," Granny replied.

Of course, that only caused an eruption of tears from Sugar Belle, and the sound that accompanied her cry could've shattered glass at a closer range. While Applejack held her ears, Granny noticed her and rose up from her chair. Pushing outside, the two then stood a bit off from the door. "Granny," Applejack said the name as though she were the elder scolding the child for a misdeed. "I know you're trying to help, but maybe a little less of the ol' what if. Ain't like we know why Mac done did what he did. Unless she said while I was gone. Or did he return?"

"I ain't had time to check in on Mac if he returned to the barn," Granny said with a frown. "But I've tried all that I can to cheer her up. If she ain't gonna fight for him or find out the reason, I'm inclined to send her on her way. I've lost enough of my hearing as is without her making me completely deaf." Applejack thought she might see Granny scowl, but the mare's expression turned tired. "I'm heading to bed. I ain't even sure what the time is," she said, looking up and covering her eyes with a hoof. "If I start goin' to bed early I'll really be feeling my age, but I tried everything to settle the girl and I'm pooped. Your turn."

With that, they returned to the living room, and Applejack became alone with the mare. A very silent moment passed, aside from a few sniffles, before those bloodshot eyes turned on Applejack. Instinctively, Applejack cringed and shied away, but steadied herself quickly. "He-hey Sugar Belle," Applejack greeted, rounding the couch. The floor also contained even more tissues. "You, uh, ain't doin' too much better since I left, huh?" Sugar Belle silently shook her head. "And still no, y'know, explanation?"

"Nooo," Sugar Belle sobbed, the waterworks beginning anew. "It-it would have been so ni-ni-nice being sisters. Now I'll never—never get the—never get the ch—" A sudden but not surprising torrent of wailing and crying erupted from the mare.

Applejack pulled Sugar Belle in for a hug, and kept her there as a way of comfort. There were plenty of reasons to breakup. If two ponies did not like being together, then there shouldn't be any cause of staying. Even small decisions were between the two, and only the two. Yet Big Mac had not given such an answer, and that irked Applejack more than anything. If he had said he didn't love her, or that he wanted to try other options, that was between them.

But Big Mac sullied the Apple family name. Even something small, such as if Sugar Belle snored and Big Mac didn't like that, would be more valid than nothing at all. Nothing! Big Mac was a grown stallion, older than Applejack, and should know better! He'd have to be scolded, and she might just be the one to do it. With Sugar Belle still around, however, no matter how uncivil Big Mac was, Applejack couldn't do it in front of the ex. That would only cause more strife between the two, and perhaps the Apple family entirely. She didn't want to lose her big brother just because he had foolish notions. 

"Sugar Belle, I know you're upset and wantin' answers, but I don't think you're going to get 'em," Applejack eventually said. 

Sugar Belle stifled a set of sniffles, and almost broke into another sob. "I-I know," she answered, just before a hiccup.

"It's early to say you should move on, but there's no use crying over spilled milk. I'm not sure what's gotten into Big Mac, I always thought he had more sense, but I'll bet it has to do with the fancy wings and horn he's got." Applejack paused as Sugar Belle looked up at her, tears pouring down the purple cheeks. "It's a new world, what with everypony in Equestria gettin' a little upgrade. Maybe you should put all that pain and sadness into finding your way—maybe a new you."

Those big eyes swelled with tears before falling into Applejack's fur. "Big Mac was—he always wanted something new. F-for us!" Sugar Belle slammed her face into Applejack's neck, a wail and sob pouring out against her clavicle.

The pain of a sudden cry striking her ears wasn't what finally cracked Applejack's final straw. Unlike unicorns, other ponies hadn't ever had to worry about horns poking or stabbing another pony. Now, however, with everyone an alicorn, the horn prodding against Applejack's throat and chin made her regret her attempt to soothe the saddened mare.

"Alright!" Applejack whipped up in a flash, grabbing Sugar Belle by both shoulders. "You're an alicorn, Sugar Belle! You should be happy like everyone else. Instead of mopping around waiting for Big Mac to maybe change his mind, I want you out there becoming a, uh—a princess!" Applejack didn't really believe that anyone could just be a princess, but if it got Sugar Belle on her hooves then she'd say it. "You can do anything you want. As much as you and I don't understand it, Big Mac is out there right now showing off his gumption. You can't let him hold all the power over you. You're a good mare! Get out there and find your own path! Let him rue the day he let Princess Sugar Belle get away!"

It hurt talking down Big Mac, her own brother, but he deserved it. Sugar Belle had done nothing wrong. Not to mention the headache Applejack had growing from the mare's hollering. 

"Princess Sugar Belle?" Sugar Belle repeated, wiping a few tears from her cheeks. "I haven't tried flying yet. It might be nice." The look she had made Applejack think the mare would slip back into sobbing, but it stifled. "Princess," she muttered in a hoarse voice.

When Sugar Belle stood and trotted to the door, Applejack followed after her, out down the first steps. "You go, mare!" Applejack cheered as she stood behind Sugar Belle. "I know you probably won't want to come back around, considering, but if you ever need help you can count on me."

"Thank you, Applejack," Sugar Belle said, though her eyes stared in the direction Big Mac had gone. "I'll see you—" She didn't finish her sentence, as neither could know when next they'd meet again. Without another word from either, Sugar Belle trotted out of Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack watched the mare go as far as she could see, though Sugar Belle remained with her head craned in the direction of Big Mac the entire way.

"Big Mac." Applejack gritted her teeth. Of all the ponies whose flanks Applejack wanted to kick, the Grandmaster of the secret society was top of the order. She had caused all this mess. But Big Mac held second place on that list. It would be difficult to scold her elder sibling, but it needed to be done. It had to be done. He had his business as to why he wanted to breakup with Sugar Belle, it was his right, and Applejack knew that. But if she had to be the one to help Sugar Belle get back on her hooves, to put up with the wailing, crying, and sobbing, then Applejack had the right to know why.

Marching out into the orchard, Applejack thought of what she'd say on her way to him. Starting out angry wasn't the best approach. She could be calm, simply ask why, but that might not get an answer. "It's not your business," he would answer. Applejack could see him pulling the older brother card—he was older, he knew better. She wanted to hogtie him and drag him by his hindquarters through the mud.

As Applejack reached the border of the orchard to the south, she found herself in a field that had not been there previously. Tall grass filtered around holes and flattened in some areas by uplifted dirt. Applejack could see the red stallion flying in the distance, working his levitation magic on a river birch. A few piles of logs sat against the treeline of the orchard, marking where he had started and would not cross. 

There were plenty of logs too—large green ash, bitternut hickory, and several broadleaf trees. It didn't seem to matter to Big Mac what he removed, it just needed to be a tree. "We ain't had to do something like this since we expanded the eastern orchard," Applejack said to herself, and realized the truth of it. "But why breakup with Sugar Belle just to expand the orchard? I don't get it."

She tried to piece it together, looking over the logs, standing in the field. As she went deeper into Big Mac's project, avoiding the leftover holes and roots, she tried to imagine his plan. The line of logs stood out to her—there weren't more than three or four logs in a pile before he started a new pile. Even if he only used them to mark the treeline so not to pull up apple trees, Big Mac was smart enough to tell the difference on sight alone. A batch of unmatched trees stood out compared to symmetrical rows and columns of apple trees.

"Big Mac!" Applejack bellowed at the top of her lungs, though she did not turn to face the flying stallion. "You will come down here and explain what you're doing right this instant!"

She waited a moment. If he had heard and ignored her, then she'd have a right to be angry. If he hadn't, she'd lasso him down. Either option worked, so long as it made him upset. When she turned, however, Applejack found herself unbalanced, surprised by the stallion hovering behind her. 

Big Mac was always two things: big and quiet. His newly acquired wings were no different. They were large enough to batter anyone with the wind they could create, yet silent enough for him to sneak up without notice. When he found her staring up at him, he landed and crinkled the tall grass beneath his hooves. 

He didn't say anything, he didn't even look upset. Sweat beat his brow and ran down his long cheeks, but he didn't even appear tired. Nonplussed, maybe. He had a bewildered look in his eye. As if he had no idea what would've upset his younger sister. The audacity! Sometimes stallions seemed like a different species altogether. 

"You have some nerve, Mac," Applejack growled, putting on her best scowl. "Granny and I have been dealing with Sugar Belle, and you're out here hiding from her!"

The confused look he held dissipated at the mention of Sugar Belle. He almost appeared relaxed, or bored, as though he knew what Applejack came to rant about. 

"I'll have you know I've already managed to get her back on her hooves and on her way, so you don't need to hide out here in the fields. Working." Applejack snorted at the thought. "We ain't ever even talked about expanding the orchard, so I know you're hiding out here. You can't fool me, Big Mac. Now I'm not expecting you to talk to Sugar Belle, or even an apology. But you are going to tell me why you did it—I don't care if it's even a poor excuse. After what I put up with, I have the right to know!"

Big Mac stared down at her—and then he rolled his eyes. The nerve! That sent Applejack into a blisteringly angry mood. But before she had a chance to box his ears, he answered, "I'm not."

That shocked her. He wasn't breaking up with her? "What d'ya mean you're not?" Applejack said, squinting up at him.

"I'm not expanding the orchard," he replied. "I'm building my own."

Applejack jumped so hard that she had to catch her hat before it fell to the ground. "Build your own!? But Mac—Sweet Apple Acres is family run, you're part of that family! Why would you want to leave that?"

"I am not leavin' it. I can help with the farm and work my own myself." He said it so matter of fact that Applejack knew he truly believed that. Big Mac must've seen the skepticism in her eyes as his brows furrowed in a face full of resentment. "I can," he continued. "I am a princess now, I can do it myself!" He nodded, and then his cheeks went pink with embarrassment. "I-I mean prince! Alicorn!" He quickly turned away. "Eeyup."

"But Mac—"

The stallion cut Applejack off. "I know you don't understand, Applejack. I'm just not worthy of Sugar Belle. She's always been my princess, regardless of wings. Now, I've got to do everythin' I can to prove I'm worthy. And that means doing the impossible. You'll see soon. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to attend to." He then trotted off with a haughty tilt of his nose, mimicking nobility, though too high compared to the rich ponies living in Canterlot. He definitely had let being an alicorn fill him with arrogance.

"He must have hay between the ears if he thinks—" Applejack remarked but stopped herself. "Build a new orchard, huh?" Tapping her chin, Applejack fell into thinking. He had already cleared a large space, and still more needed removal. It would've taken weeks to do the same before. "No!" she cursed herself. "I'm not gonna be like Mac and let myself fall prey to the ease of magic." She wasn't, was she? For some reason, the thought of using magic sounded terrifying. "No!" she cursed again. "Ain't nothing to fear." Her eyes shot to the horn on her forehead, then to Big Mac. "And ain't nothing changed about who I am. Whatever you can do Mac, I'll do the same—as a pony, like I've always been."