Stronger Than You Thought (Applejack’s Poem)
Ah look down o’er the rollin’ hills
All ma apple trees are in full bloom
Each tree, filled round and round with fresh apples
Each tree jus’ waitin’ to get bucked
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Everypony else is inside, sleepin’ to their heart’s content
More peaceful ‘an a bundle a bunnies in a haystack
S’nice outside, all here by my lonesome
Mighty peaceful here as well, the tranquil farm is silent an calming
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Buckin’ apple trees ‘ere at the farm has been ma whole life
E’er since Ah was a little filly
E’er since I came back from Manehattan, leavin’ the Oranges behind
Ah knew Ah wanted to live with the family on the farm
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Sweet Apple Acres was the finest, most well run apple farm in all Equestria
‘S interestin’ to think that one day Ah’m gonna hafta take over
S’not that Ah aint ready, but it always hurts t’ think a why
The day Ah start runnin’ the show is gonna be the day that Big Mac caint
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Wasn’t often Ah thoughta Big Mac passin’
But these here mornin’s Ah had the whole wide world to maself
Jumbled ma head up more an a drunken rattlesnake in a tornado
But Ah managed, somehow
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T’was pretty nice, sittin’ there on the hill
I rested ma orange hoof against one a the trees
Even the light tap caused a single, small apple to fall down
The lil’ red blob hit me square on the noggin
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“Gosh darnit” I angrily told off the tree, though it couldn’t respond
“A bit stronger than ya thought ya were AJ?” chuckled a deep, familiar voice
Ah turned ma head to make sure Ah wasn’t hearin’ things
Ah wasn’t, “Mac, what’re you up for?”
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Big Mac let out a hearty laugh
“Aw AJ, y’aint known I’m up this early everyday?”
He couldn’t be tellin’ the truth, jus’ couldn’t
Ah’ve been comin’ here e’er since Ah was a little filly, never saw ‘im once
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“Mac, now doncha go an lie to your sister now”
“T’aint lying, sis; E’ery mornin’ afore sunrise” he smiled
I looked incredulously at him “But Mac, Ah’ve –“ ‘e cut me off
“I know AJ, I know”
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Not only had Ah been taken aback by having somepony else outside
But it was ma brother, an ‘e never told me; Ah felt a might betrayed in a sense
“Big Mac, why dincha say somethin’?” I asked of him
“Y’all sounded like ya wanted t’ be alone” he replied, as if the answer was plain, clear as day
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“Oh” Ah shrugged back a bit, feelin’ bad Ah accused him, “That’s mighty nice of ya”
“Eeyup” he smiled
“Course,” he continued “If there was some’in you wanna talk about, I’m here”
Big Mac was always caring for other ponies, ‘specially his kin
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Ah di’nt think Mac would appreciate my talkin’ to him about the farm
So Ah shook ma head, a concealin’ frown drooping across ma face
“Nah Mac, Ah’m fine, S’all right”
Ah di’nt like lyin’, specially to Mac; it felt wrong
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Big Mac waited for a moment
‘E knew me too well, bein’ ma brother an all
When Ah was lyin’, Ah couldn’t hold
Always felt better tallin’ th’ truth
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“Ya caught me Mac, there is somethin’”
“Eeyup”
“But t’aint that big a deal”
“Nnope” the tone in ‘is voice was tellin’ me he disagreed
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Ah was trapped, Mac wasn’t gonna let me go without tellin’ ‘im
“Mac Ah’m sorry, Ah’ve ju’s had a right plenty bunch a things t’ mull over”
“Y’all c’n tell your brother”, ‘e hugged me
Ah started t’ tear up, and the little droplets fell down onta Mac’s big shoulders
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“What’m Ah gonna do without ya Macintosh?” I sobbed
He hugged me a might harder
“Is that what this is about AJ?”
“Ah sure as hay wish it weren’t”
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Ma brother let go and looked me square in the eyes
“Follow me” he says, guidin’ his hoof out yonder
We walk down th’ green and familiar hills aways until we get to a tall, old apple tree
Tree was thick as Sunday molasses an’ as tall as all Canterlot
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“Y’all remember this tree, AJ?” he asks
Ah stare at it for a long time, turnin’ ma head, tryin’ to git a better view
“Ah don’t reckon Ah do”
“This ‘ere tree” he starts “was the first tree you e’er bucked”
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The memories flow back into ma head
Ah was a real young filly, maybe as old as Applebloom now
Big Macintosh was standin’ there talkin’ to me
“Give it a real good buck” he tells me
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Ah put all ma power inta ma legs an bucked as hard as Ah could
The big tree shook a bit ‘an down came the apples
Apples went everywhere
Big Macintosh lifted me up an’ cheered me on
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“Tree’s grown up now AJ, why doncha give it a buck?”
Tree was a lot smaller then, lot easier t’ buck
Ah wasn’t sure if Ah’d be able to buck it
“Are ya sure Big Mac?”
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“Eeyup” he said with ‘is customary response
Ah wound up Bucky Migilicutty an’ Kicks Mcgee real good
Fwoosh, Ah sent ‘em flyin’ into that tree, instantly knockin’ all th’ apples onta the ground around us
“Looky there, Ah did it!” I yelled excitedly
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“Jus’ cause the tree’s gone and grown don’t mean you ‘avent too” ma brother smiled
“What do ya mean by that?”
“AJ, you’ve been buckin’ bigger apple trees every single day”
He was so matter o’ fact, Ah wasn’t sure how to take it
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“What do ya mean, Mac?”
“E’er since you could buck, you’ve been buckin’ bigger an’ bigger trees”
“Well Ah guess so, but –“ ‘e cut me off again
“When Applebloom learns t’ buck, she’ll do it too”
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Th’ thought sank in and ma mind whirred about like a jackrabbit in a cactus farm
“Growin’ up means plenty more ‘an you think, little sis”
“You’re right, Big Mac; It does”
“But” he counters, smiling “It don’t mean that when ya grow up you lose your family”
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Ah’m still heavy at heart on the idea of not havin’ him around
Ma face shows it better ‘an the sun shows a shadow in the desert day
“AJ, everypony’s gotta go someday”
He lifts his hoof up to ma chin and raises it so Ah’m lookin’ ‘im square in th’ eyes again
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“Ah aint goin’ anytime soon, Applejack”
“’An there aint no use worryin’”
“But Big Mac, Ah don’t want you t’ ever go; how will Ah deal with it?”
Ma dark red brother keeps his steady gazin’ in my eyes, makin’ sure I was listnin’
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“AJ, you’re an honest, hardworkin’ pony here”
“T’aint nothin’ gonna stop you from doin whatchu gotta do, ‘n t’aint nothin’ that c’n tear a family apart”
Ah looked at him, grateful for his words and love, but still a bit unsure
“How are ya so sure, sugahcube?”
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“S’like I’ve always said, sis ‘You’re a lot stronger than you thought’”