//------------------------------// // Applejack // Story: The Price of Citizenship // by Colgate is best pony //------------------------------// EQY 1007.5 Ponyville, Home Applejack usually winked back at the stars, but tonight, it hardly felt appropriate. It was a real shame, too, as she looked at one of the clearest and most luminous nights that Ponyville had had in a long while, especially considering that their best weatherpony had been gone for a month. Applejack closed her eyes and sighed, her hooves following the winding path through the orchard by memory, letting the worn path guide her as always. Had it really been a month already? She felt a tear start to form, but forced it back. Not tonight, she thought. Please not tonight. Instead, the farm pony continued between the trees until the clubhouse came into view, just as it had done for years. Although, Applejack had to admit, it had never looked as spruced up during her tenure as steward than it did now. A faint light slipped between the cracks in the wood. Applejack climbed through the filly sized door and allowed her eyes to adjust to the light inside the cabin, which was softer and darker than the bright guidance of the stars and Luna’s moon outside. Apple Bloom’s huddled figure was wedged further into the corner than Applejack thought was possible, and she was shivering, though probably not from the cool breeze flowing through the orchard. Applejack was too blunt for these situations, and she knew it; memories of comparing sisterhood to an apple pie popped into her head. She sighed once more, and decided that honesty, of course, would be the best tactic. “Ah’ know yer upset sugar cube. But this is something ah just gotta do, ya see?” The youngest Apple looked up at her sister with eyes the size of her namesake. Her voice was quivering and raspy, and giving away the fact that she’d been crying. “But Big Mac doesn’t have to go!” Applejack sighed. She knew that this was coming. “That’s true, sis, but that is his choice. He thinks his destiny is to be a peasant farmer his whole life, and that his right. But me, ah have to . . .” “But you don’t have to! You should stay here on the farm! Stay with me and Big Mac! Or with Fluttershy!” “Ah’m sorry, Apple Bloom. Perhaps yer too young to understand. . .”. A thought struck Applejack. “What if ah told ya that ma wantin’ to enlist is a lot like yer lil’ cutie mark crusade?” At the mention of her quest, Apple Bloom’s ears pricked up. She considered for a second. “But ya already have yer Cutie Mark, sis! You’re done searchin’ for who ya are!” Sensing a breakthrough, Applejack smiled at her sister. “That’s true, sis, but ah can’t stop asking myself- what if there’s more out there? What if, in this whole big galaxy, there’s hundreds of opportunities of self discovery just waitin’ for me ta, well, discover? Would you be okay with earnin’ yer cutie mark and then quittin’ yer search, even if ya knew that there was so much more for you to see and do?” Apple Bloom wasn’t convinced, but she chewed on the thought for a bit. “I guess not. . .” “And besides, haven’t ah always told ya bout yer duty to yer family?” Apple Bloom nodded. “Aint all of ponydom our family too? Don’t ah have an obligation to help ponies that need it? Who knows? Maybe they’ll have me on an orchard on some colony world, helpin’ build a home for some ponies, like we did with Braeburn and Appleoosa!” Apple Bloom must have not thought of that before, as her smile slowly returned. Small and contained as it was, the room grew brighter with it. “So you won’t be fighting those Antarans?” “Course not! Why, ah reckon as soon as they see these here apples on ma flank, they’ll have me goin in the complete other direction! Probly some gardeb world those Ants don’t even know about. Green pastures as far as the eye can see, just waitin fer an orchard or two.” Apple Bloom considered this for a few seconds. “Well, ah guess that won't be so bad . . .” she said with a bittersweet grin. Applejack thought she was in the clear, but as soon as it had appeared, Apple Bloom’s smile disappeared, replaced once more by that heart wrenching frown. “But that still means that ah won’t get ta see ya, Applejack. Three years is a long time, and ah should know all about waitin for things . . .” Applejack was prepared for this thought process, and meant to cut it off before it could really deflate her sister. “Aww, Apple Bloom, you know yer not alone. Big Mac will never leave ya, ya hear? Plus, with Rainbow and Rarity gone, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are gonna need you more than ever, ah’reckon. So ah’m countin on ya to keep them outta trouble, understand?” The ploy worked as Applejack had hoped, and Apple Bloom perked up again with the chance to make her sister proud. The filly might not have too many things figured out in life, but she takes to a chance to prove herself like a fish takes to water thought the elder sister. “Plus, I’ll be writin’ to ya every chance I get!” Apple Bloom smiled in a way that would have seemed impossible ten minutes ago. “Really!?” “Count on it, sugarcube.” ---- The sun’s rays crept across Applejack's sheets the next morning to find a disheveled earth pony waiting for them. Her discussion with Apple Bloom the night before had comforted her for sure, but she had slept in fits and spurts regardless. Her brother’s glare when she returned from the clubhouse hadn’t helped matters either. Applejack tried to be as quiet as possible walking down the creaky stairs, so as to not wake him, allowing for a lecture free breakfast. His presence at the kitchen table robbed her of that hope. “Macintosh.” “AJ.” The two stared at each other, neither moving an inch. Knowing that her older sibling could wait long enough to watch a pipe rust, Applejack sighed and sat down across from the red stallion. “Going to start harvesting the west field this week?” “Eeyup.” “Ah can ask Fluttershy to get all her friends outta there, so ya don’t hafta . . .” Big Mac slammed a mighty hoof down on the table, cutting his sister off. “Don’t you go acting like today is some normal day, AJ. Cuz it aint, and ah reckon we won’t have one anywhere close to normal now that you’re runnin off.” Applejack held her ground, and stared right back at the now fuming stallion. “Ah’ve told ya a hundred times, big brother, ah aint runnin off. Ya’ll don’t need me round here, and you’ve certainly made up your mind about yer future. But ah just can’t go on thinking that I left anything on the table. Ah want to be a citizen. I want to vote, to protect our livelihood, maybe to run for office. And I want to serve the Princesses. Ah’ve respected your choice, so you let me make mine.” “Do you really believe any of them horseapples? ‘Servin the princesses’ and all that? Please, AJ, I know yer friend Twilight has a hard on for those two, but you. . .” “Don’t you talk about my friends that way! Or the princesses either! I know what this is all about. You know that ah’ll come back a citizen, and you’ll be wishing for the rest of yer life that you had what it takes to move up in life!” Mac rose angrily, his chair flying backwards into a wall. The screech could be heard throughout the farmhouse. His voice rose to similar levels. “Ah’ll be wishin that you didn’t come home in a box, and that I didn’t have to explain to Apple Bloom why her sister abandoned her!” Applejack was yelling now, too. “Who says I’ll be coming home in a box? Heck, ah’ll probably not even get to the front. . .” “You don’t honestly believe that, AJ. Ah may just be a simple peasant to you, but I know which way the wind is blowing . Those Antarans are done talking. War is coming, and Sweet Apple Acres needs you here and alive, not blown out of an airlock or ripped to shreds on the other side of the galaxy. Ya’ll can lie to me, and ya’ll can lie to yer sister, but ya can’t lie to yerself, AJ. If you get on that transport, the likelihood of this family losing another member . . .” Her temper now completely lost, Applejack didn’t let her brother finish the thought. “And so what then! At least I’ll have done my part! Not sitting around here plowing something for the rest of my life! At least I’ll have been someone that. . .” Applejack stopped short, noticing that her brother was staring somewhere behind her. The earth mare turned, slowly, and saw Apple Bloom in the doorway, tears streaming down her face. Her voice quivered. “Ah thought you weren’t gonna fight, sis?” Her own tears welling, Applejack turned back towards her brother, beseeching him. He sighed a heavy, defeated sigh, and walked over to nuzzle his youngest sister. “Aw, shucks, sugarcube, yer sis and I were just havin a little fight is all. I’m just worried that AJ’s gonna get hurt, that somethin bad might happen. But I’m just being overprotective is all. S’a big galaxy out there, and I doubt any of them Ants will ever get a peak at yer sister here. ‘Sides, if any of them did, they’d be mighty sorry, right AJ?” Sensing the opportunity borne of silent compromise, Applejack jumped right into the hole Big Mac had opened. “You betcha! Tell me, Apple Bloom, have any Antarans ever seen the business end of the best apple-bucker in all of equestria?” Apple Bloom smiled and shook her head. “Heck, ah bet if any of them get to see so first hand, they’ll be beggin’ for us to let them go back to their side of the galaxy all nice and peaceful like.” Apple Bloom took the bait and perked right back to her normal self. It killed Applejack inside to have to lie to her sister, and Big Mac, sensing her discomfort, started to lead Apple Bloom outside. “Come on now,” he said. “If you’re gonna be our new apple salespony, Ah’ got to teach ya how to sell apples better than your sister did. Ah’ think Bon Bon still has half of last year’s harvest in her cupboard.” Apple Bloom smiled at her older sister, and, after running over to give Applejack a hug, allowed herself to be ushered out of the room. The middle Apple child remained inside and sat to think. Her thoughts were not happy ones. ---- It was midday, and Applejack had already packed her bag with the meager amount of things she was allowed to take. The high speed rail to Canterlot, and to that big shuttle to wherever Celestia’s service deemed her necessary, didn’t leave for a few more hours, so she found herself wandering through town. Ponyville, despite its busy streets packed with lunchtime traffic, seemed empty these days, and with good reason. The populace busied about, unaware and almost uncaring for Applejack’s mental anguish. The mare chided herself for thinking that way, though. Not their fault, I’m the least of everyone’s problems, what with this recession, Ponyville’s continuing hoofball championship drought and the threat of hostile alien invasion constantly on ponies minds. She chuckled at that last bit, but halfheartedly. Big Mac had made a point earlier. Even simple folk like themselves knew that the situation with the Antarans was degrading rapidly, and war was being discussed more and more, albeit in hushed tones after the foals had gone to bed. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, it seemed that Sugar Cube Corner was doing a brisk business, with the line stretching out the door as Applejack approached. She found herself wondering whether this was a sign of a booming cupcake trade within, or that the Cakes hadn’t yet found a way to make up for Pinkie Pie’s absence. She guessed it was the latter. Pinkie had left a week earlier, a special chariot picking her up in front of the confectionery. Despite her reluctance to do so, the Pink earth pony had been coaxed into joining the mining service, and was bound for one of the many asteroid belt outposts surrounding Home. It made sense that Pinkie would choose this path, considering her upbringing on a rock farm. Her skills as a natural organizer had left quite an impression upon the recruiting officers that visited Ponyville, and Applejack was sure that Pinkie would be, in no time at all, in charge of both the happiest and most efficient mining crews in the entire system. Although she still doubted in Pinkie’s claim that she’d have her mining vessel painted bright pink within a week of her arrival. It would be boring work, even for a pony as easily entertained as Pinkie, but she would be relatively safe within the Home system. Rarity couldn’t, however, make the same claim. It was certainly a coincidence that Applejack should wander by what used to be the Carousel Boutique at this point, but the earth pony couldn’t help but let her thoughts drift to her unicorn friend. Oddly enough, Rarity had joined the mining service as well, albeit in a much different capacity. Her talent for finding precious gems, once calibrated to look for metals needed by the Celestial Navy, would be invaluable assets for Equestrian Command. Unfortunately for Rarity, every possible mining target within reasonable distance had already been found, so her talents would need to be utilized thousands of light years from home. The not so well kept secret that Antaran space was minerally rich beyond compare made Applejack feel even worse about her fancy friend. Of all her friends that had enlisted, it surprised Applejack the most that Rarity would have gone off to (possibly, hopefully not) war. But citizen businesses saw extremely favorable tax breaks, and the stallions of the Canterlot Elite were almost always citizens as well, so the choice made sense in the long term. “Besides,” the snow white unicorn had told her friends, “What kind of Element of Generosity would I be without using my talents to benefit all of ponydom?” And so Rarity had left on the same chariot as Pinkie Pie, keeping her composure throughout all of the goodbyes and well wishes, though the slight bags under her eyes hinted at a sleepless few hours the night before. Pinkie Pie was as excited as ever, and delighted in being able to throw a double good luck party before the pair departed. Applejack remembered tracing the flight of the chariot over Carousel Boutique, which she now found herself staring at. It had only been a few days, but the place looked as if it had been empty for years. Sweetie Belle was too young to run things, and three years was a long time to be paying taxes and rent on an empty building, so Rarity had sold the shop to Filthy Rich. Applejack wished she could have bought the place herself, if only to keep Rich’s hooves off of it, but the mare knew that any price she would have offered would both have been much lower than Rich’s, and accepted by her friend at a considerable loss. Continuing her trot through town, Applejack paused to admire the beautiful, cloudless day the weather ponies had conjured up. With Rainbow Dash gone . . . Applejack swallowed hard. She didn’t want to think about Rainbow Dash right now, or about the unopened letter, addressed simply to “AJ”, that was sitting on her nightstand back at the farm. Rainbow was her best friend (and nothing more, she would remind the town gossips) and they had parted amicably, but there were some memories too painful to recall without a lot of time having passed. Instead, Applejack wandered towards the town library. She knew that Twilight had been gone for over two months, but it felt only natural to wander over this way. Even Spike’s subsequent departure hadn’t dampened her internal compass enough to keep the farm pony from wandering to the giant tree in the middle of Ponyville. Much to her surprise, a bright yellow Pegasus was already there, sitting peacefully under the shade of the tree. “Howdy Fluttershy! Fancy seein’ ya round here these days.” “I know,” the pink maned pegasus timidly replied. “But I figured you would walk this way eventually. I know I can’t help myself from doing so.” Sitting down next to the pegasus, Applejack removed her hat and ran a hoof through her mane. The two sat in silence for several minutes, watching passers-by go about their daily business. The sun continued on its course through the sky, stretching the shadows in front of the pair. “Fluttershy, can ah ask ya something?” “Of course, Applejack.” “Do ya ever, ya know, regret your decision?” Fluttershy sighed, but smiled at her friend. “I figured you’d ask that.” Applejack started to apologize, but the pegasus waved a hoof to calm her down. “It’s fine you know, everyone else asked me the same thing. There are times when I do regret not going with you all, but then I remember that my place is here, with my animals and my cottage. And Angel of course, although he’d never admit it.” She chuckled at the thought, and Applejack joined her. “But what if ma place isn’t out there, and it really is here with the apples? What if ah’m making a mistake?” “Oh Applejack, you’re not making a mistake. For me, I was absolutely sure of where my place was from the moment I got my cutie mark. I can care for animals, and I love doing it. I’ve never once looked to the stars for more than anything but a glance. But you, Applejack, you’re destined for more than that. We’ve all seen the way you look to the sky for so much more than the rest of us. Plus, you’ve always wanted to be a citizen, even more than Twilight. And I just know you’ll make a great one!” Applejack blushed a shade similar to the apples on her flank. “Wait a sec, yer saying Twilight doesn’t want to be a citizen? Have you been listening to her for the past two years?” “Oh, of course I’ve been listening, but I’ve been seeing, too. I think that citizenship has never really been the goal for Twilight. I think she wants to impress the princess, and citizenship has been an end to that goal. She also gets to do her research in the best laboratories in the Galaxy and not a rather flammable basement, so that definitely doesn’t hurt,” she added with a smirk. “But you’re citizen material! And how can the Element of Honesty not be a citizen?” “What about Kindness?” “Oh no. Sometimes I think that our society has no room for kindness anymore.” Fluttershy’s ears dropped, and she looked as dejected as Applejack could remember. “And I’m sure that when those nasty Antarans attack, kindness will be the last thing on anyone’s mind.” A tear rolled off of Fluttershy’s face, landing with a soft splash in the grass. She continued, “Oh, look at me, crying on your big day. I’m sorry Applejack, I know you want me to be strong for . . .” This time it was Applejack’s hoof that shushed her friend, and the earth pony shuffled sideways until she had Fluttershy in a full on hug, the kind reserved for a sick Apple Bloom or, in this case, a distraught friend. “Now listen here, sugarcube. Ya once told me that sometimes, we all need to be shown a little kindness. Never forget that, ya hear? Never, ever forget that, and never stop being who you are. Celestia knows that kindness might just get us out of this mess someday. Understand?” The pegasus peered through her long, pink mane and smiled at her friend. “Good. And as fer me, don’t you worry. This old farm pony can handle herself no problem. And when ah get back, you’re gonna show me all the new bunnies we have to count up, ya hear?” For the second time that day, Applejack had brought a mare back from the brink of tears. “You promise?” “I promise.” “Pinkie Pie promise?” “Now don’t you start with that too, sugarcube.” ---- The train was in the station, but Applejack knew that it wouldn’t depart for at least twenty more minutes. She had said goodbyes to everyone else in town, grabbed her things from her room, and passed her hat down to Apple Bloom, who’d likely never wear it off of the farm. That suited Applejack just fine, as the bow worked much better on the filly anyway. Still, the ritual was important, and Applejack felt very odd to be walking around without her trusty stetson. She hadn’t been hat-less (on purpose, at least) since before her mother had passed it down to her. She checked once more to be sure that the sealed letter from Rainbow Dash was secure in her saddlebags. She didn’t know why it remained unopened, and had no idea when she would actually read the darn thing. Perhaps she wanted something to look forward to during her future ordeals. Perhaps she was afraid it would contain only pain, although she wasn’t sure what kind of pain that would include, regardless of what Aloe and Lotus would tell their clients. She made her way to a worn apple tree a ways off from the farm itself. The aromas of the orchard, the grass and the rich soil wafted through the earth mare’s nose as she sat in front of three large stones, one of which was still rooted in dirt, as opposed to the grassy surroundings of the other two. “I know ya’ll said that its no place for a farm pony to go running around the stars but . . .” This time, Applejack started to tear up, the combined emotions of a month of agony pouring out all at once. “Ah want to go and make something of ma self. This farm, these apples. . . this was all you three. You three and Big Mac. Ah want to do somethin for ma self. Ah’m mighty grateful, of course. But. . .” Struggling for words now, Applejack was openly sobbing. “Ah just want to make ya’ll proud of me. Ah want to serve and for my service to mean something. Ah know its dangerous, but ya raised me to be able to handle anything and ah love you guys, and ah just want to prove it so bad, but ah can’t. Ah just can’t. So I need to prove it to myself first, ah guess.” She sat for a few more minutes, allowing the tears to flow down her face. The whistle of the train, which years of experience told her would leave in five minutes, sounded across the orchard. She rose up, tears still falling, and wiped the dirt off of her hooves. “And if things go wrong, we can keep each other company.”