And so the idea had come to Applejack to stay with the Oranges for a while, leaving Macintosh behind. Aunt and Uncle Orange were more than happy to accommodate the young filly, and though Redstreak took some convincing he eventually agreed to the idea, although he wasn’t happy about sending his “l’il AJ” away to the big city of Manehatten. However, he wanted his daughter to have the best chances she could in life, and if that meant letting her stay with some far away relations for a while then so be it.
Macintosh was less than thrilled. Applejack was his best friend, and he didn’t want to lose her at all, even if only for a while. And none of them had definitively decided how long she would be away for. Despite his begging and pleading his sister would not be turned, and it wasn’t long before their stubborn sides came to the fore, almost resulting in a falling out between the two before Granny Smith stepped in and sorted everything out just in time.
It was decided that Applejack should leave from Sweet Apple Acres rather than their own orchard as it was marginally closer. Though Redstreak and Pink Pearl had to stay behind and tend the apple trees, Macintosh wanted to accompany her on the short trip to their grandmother’s home and see her off. They walked in silence for quite some time, Applejack happy she was finally going places, Macintosh somewhat happy that she was happy but little more besides. He wanted to say something, anything, to make her change her mind, but nothing valid presented itself, nothing that was anything more than cheap and petty and likely to just cause an argument again. And so he kept quiet, trying to content himself with the fact that he was, at least, sharing in her last short while of being “home”.
Why did it matter so much to him? Why was it so important to spend so much time with Applejack? He was practically the only colt in his year at school and he didn’t get on wonderfully well with the fillies there, why was Applejack different? Yes she was his sister now so that counted for something, but was that the sum and substance of his feelings? He was filled to the brim with emotions his youthful mind did not understand, questions his lack of life experience could not help him answer, and he hated it.
The one thing he was clear about was that the prospect of Applejack leaving left him feeling empty, and that didn’t really help his mood.
“Hey big brother?” Oh, Applejack had asked him a question. He shook his head to clear it and looked at the filly.
“Yeah, sis?”
“What’s wrong? Y’all ain’t looked happy this whole walk, and we’re nearly at Granny’s orchard.”
“Well, Ah’m not feelin’ happy.”
“How come?” Applejack stopped and motioned for him to do the same, and drew him over to her as she ran a little hoof across his forehead.
“Y’all ain’t feelin’ sick or nothin’ are ya?”
“Nah, it ain’t that.” He brushed her hoof away with a blush and began walking once more, the much smaller filly having to canter a little to catch him up again.
“Well then, what’s wrong?” Realisation dawned on her face and she harrumphed a little.
“Y’all ain’t still mad at me goin’ to Manehatten are ya?”
“Ah ain’t mad at nothin’,” he said, quickening his pace to a trot.
“But that’s what’s makin’ ya unhappy, ain’t it?” She was struggling to keep level with the colt, but for now her faster trot kept her just ahead of him.
“Maybe.” Applejack rolled her eyes.
“Mac, Ah thought we talked about this! Ah ain’t gonna be gone forever! Ah’m just gonna stay with Aunt’n’Uncle Orange until Ah can figger out what mah cutie mark’s gonna be!”
“An’ how long is that gonna take?” he asked in a loud voice, increasing his speed again so that he pulled ahead of Applejack.
“A few days? A week? Months? What am Ah gonna do whilst yer gone? Yer the only friend Ah’ve got round here, AJ! There ain’t no other colts mah age at school! Ah’m gonna be alone, ain’t gonna be no pony fer me to play with when Ma’n’Pa’n’Granny Smith are all workin’ the apple trees!” Macintosh knew it sounded selfish, and that he shouldn’t be taking it out on Applejack, but he didn’t know what else to do.
“Ah’m *gasp* Ah’m not a colt! And Ah’m *gasp* Ah’m not yer age, either!” Applejack was galloping full pelt, trying and just starting to fail to not fall behind his canter.
“Yeah, but you’re… you’re…” Macintosh didn’t know how to finish, so he screwed his eyes shut and galloped on ahead, leaving Applejack behind.
“Macintosh! *gasp* Mac, wait!” Applejack called to her brother but he wouldn’t listen. Soon he ran around a bend in the road, and she couldn’t see him for the trees.
“C’mon, Mac! Wait *gasp* Wait up! Wai-aaaah!” A root was jutting out from the bushes to her right, and she tripped over it whilst still galloping at full speed. Applejack felt the world spin head-over-hooves as she was thrown through the air a short distance, impacting against the ground with the shin of her right foreleg before the rest of her body crashed to earth as well.
“Ow…” She sniffed miserably as pain began emanating from a cut on her foreleg, as well as the other small scratches and scrapes elsewhere. A few tears started to spill onto the dirt path as she tenderly sat up, putting as little weight on her injured leg as she could. Normally Daddy would be on hoof now, scooping her off the ground oh-so-gently and bringing her back inside, where he and Mommy would clean her up and stick a colourful plaster on her wound. They would then finish the healing procedure by kissing it better, and everything would be ok again.
But there was no Mommy or Daddy to kiss it better, they were both back at home, and not even Mac was nearby to help. She hugged her leg close to her body and started to cry.
“A-Applejack? Are you ok?” He had come back! Mac stood a little away from her, hoofing at the ground awkwardly. Much as Applejack was happy to see him again, her leg still hurt too much for a display of positive emotions, instead choosing to whimper and show him her cut.
“Oh mah! H-hold on, Ah’ve got a box o’plasters in mah saddlebag, somewhere…” He stuck his muzzle into the right bag, then the left, before going back to the right and finally producing the little medical kit his mother insisted he take with them.
“Hold still, this might sting a little.” He took her hoof gently and cleaned the cut with a wipe, then he picked out a plaster and stuck it in place with his mouth.
“K-kiss it better?” Applejack asked as he began to pull away, and the colt blushed a deeper crimson.
“But Ma or Pa usually does that…”
“Well they ain’t here! An’ it ain’t ok until it’s kissed better! C’mon, Mac, pleeeeeease?” She sniffed again, looking at him with watery eyes. He knew she would probably cry again if he didn’t, so he swallowed and leant down once more and pressed his lips briefly against the part beside the plaster, standing straight up again as soon as he could manage with an even brighter blush than before.
Applejack smiled brightly at him and he turned away, motioning her to climb onto his back so that he could carry her for the rest of the way. He had to bend down a little and give her a hoof up, but she was soon perched on his back and they were on their way again. The filly leaned forward and kissed the back of his neck once, causing him to start though he kept his hoofing.
“Thanks fer everythin’ big brother. Ah love ya!” Somehow, even though he was now loaded down with his sister and the things she was carrying as well, a weight seemed to lift from Little Mac’s spirit with her kiss, and he practically skipped for the rest of the journey.