Brother, Don't You Care?
Applejack stood at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres as Big Mac held his head low in front of her. A brilliant summer sunset shined brightly like a fire in the sky as it slowly melted away and was giving into night. He didn't make any effort to say anything more except a soft 'eeyup' after she asked the question: "You're really leaving us?"
Big Macintosh didn't understand why things happened the way they did, but what happened happened and no pony could prevent it from happening. After receiving the letter in the mail addressed for him specifically, he had no idea his whole life would change around him. Now he wished he never had opened it and read those words.
Big Macintosh,
Congratulations on this year's full harvest! The apples were the sweetest they had ever been and all of Manhehatten will appreciate the hard work you and your family have put into this supply. We would be honored if you would join us at the Manehatten Farming Corporation and work as our executive supervisor! We have been following your statistics since you joined our branch and would love to have you as part of our staff. We will have a meeting on Monday, so you have all Saturday to make your way down here by train, we will even pay for the ticket. The ride should be about a days worth so we can have your living arrangements done by Sunday night. We look forward to a long and 'fruit'ful partnership!
Big Macintosh stopped reading halfway through before Applejack asked him what he was reading. After a long argument and some tearful eyes, they were helping him pack up his belongings.
"I'm sorry, Applejack... We need the money and Celestia knows how long before Granny Smith gives out on us. The hospital bills are going to add up! With this job, I can support the family for the rest of our lives!"
"I don't care about that, Big Mac! We can pay for Granny Smith using the money I've saved up over the years. I don't need no fancy shmancy new hoe, I can use the old one in the shed!"
Macintosh knew what hoe she was talking about, but it was rusted and broken. It would make her job even harder than it already was. He shook his head and took a step closer to his sister, resting a hoof on her shoulder.
"You know that old hoe don't work no more, AJ. You'll get nasty cuts and stuff all over you and that's the last thing we need, you to be in the hospital and Apple Bloom all alone working the fields day and night," he said, his posture staunch and stiff.
"She won't have to work alone if you just stay with us! We will find another way to lay the bills. We can plant twice as many seeds and sell more apples than ever!"
"AJ, the ponies we sell to are just fine with the amount they get from us now. What makes you think they will buy more just because we planted more?"
Applejack could feel her heart sinking into an abyss, turning her depression to anger in a split second. She threw her hat on the ground and looked at Big Mac in the eyes, tearfully crying aloud: "It's always questions and never answers, Bjg Mac! The only time you show any sign of emotion, it's just an eeyup or an eenope. Not once have you ever given a second thought to anything without showing even the slightest compassion!"
That made Macintosh angry as well.
"I am showing compassion! I'm leaving the farm to save all of you! You'll all live safe, healthy lives because of this! You won't have to worry about the crop going bad or locusts eating the harvest anymore! You can relax and not have a single worry in the world!"
Applejack turned away.
"You won't be there. I'll worry about you day in and day out. Money means nothing when a family is torn apart by it!" Applejack shouted.
Big Macintosh could understand where Applejack was coming from in a way. He knew that this was the best choice, even if it meant a little bit of suffering. He only hoped that AJ would learn to cope with him gone. It was true: they wouldn't have to worry about crops going bad again or any other disasters. They could finally rest and no longer have to work long days and sleep short nights. He would save his family if it was the last thing he did.
"You don't understand what type of pressure this is, Applejack. This is my once chance to make everything right again, before Ma and Pa-"
She slapped him quickly. Mac stepped back and rubbed his cheek. It wasn't hard, but what it meant made it much harder. He didn't get upset over it, he shouldn't have mentioned Ma or Pa to Applejack. He knew better.
"Don't talk about them, Big Mac, you big idiot. They left us willingly and you know that! I would visit them if I could but I just can't bring myself to look at them now. I'm a disappointment to them and to Granny and Applebloom and even you! I'm the reason you're leaving! I can't work the farm as good as I used to and now you have to leave to fix my mistakes!" She said, shaking her head and breaking down once more.
Big Macintosh knew she would blame herself for this, even though she had nothing to do with it in the first place. He trotted over to her once more and hugged her. She hugged him back tightly and mumbled:
"Don't leave us, Big Mac, please don't leave us."
He knew the answer already.
"I'm sorry, AJ. I gotta save the family."
She looked at him with sorry eyes and said: "Don't you love us anymore?"
Big Mac knew what to say: "Eeyup."
She laughed through the tears, a small giggle.
He continued, "I love you, Granny, Apple Bloom, and the whole rest of this gosh darn town, but this is for the best. I'll still visit you all on holidays and whenever I get the chance."
"It's gonna be tough, Big Mac," she said, wiping the tears from her face. "What will Apple Bloom think?"
"She's a youngin', but she'll learn to accept the fact. I don't know if I made the right choice in leaving her a note instead of telling her in person."
"No, she needs the rest for tomorrow. I'm gonna miss you, Big Mac."
She went in for another hug and Mac accepted it. He knew it would be a long time before he would see his sister again. A whole year at least before he could even begin to think about making plans to visit.
"I'm gonna miss you too, sis," he said, burying his snout into Applejack's blonde mane.
He picked up her hat from the ground and dusted it off. He placed it on top of her head and smiled.
"You're all grown up now, Applejack. You'll do fine without me for a long time, after Granny is gone and Apple Bloom is a mare. You were built to last. This isn't the last time we'll speak, I'll write as often as I can."
"I'll do the same..." She looked out towards the sunset, "I'm sorry for slapping you."
"No harm done, sis. It didn't even hurt," he gave a playful punch on her leg.
"So I guess this is it then, huh?" She said, looking diminished again.
"Eeyup. I'm not very good at final final goodbyes, but I guess all I have to say is... Goodbye Applejack," he said with a blank expression.
Applejack was hit hard by that, but she managed to pull herself up and muster out: "Bye, Big Mac. Write to me as soon as you get there or I'll give you the biggest smack down of your life."
They hugged one last time and Big Mac picked up his suitcase with his feet and traveled down the dusty trail into the future, where he would one day be thanked by his family for all his hard work and could die a happy stallion, knowing that he did right.
As he took one final glance when he reached the end of the road, exiting out into the main trail to the train station; he could make out the shape of his sister still waiting for him to disappear on the horizon. He waved but couldn't tell if she waved back.
He took his first step in the direction of the station as a train whistle could be heard echoing for what seemed like forever in the crisp summer air.