“And it was upon this day, this glorious day that the Great War of Unification was ended! When the rule of the Most Mighty and Benevolent Princess Celestia was stretched forth across the galaxy, and the wayward ponies who sought to foolishly be independent were returned to the herd. Upon this day, the so-called New Lunar Republic fell, and the great and magnificent Solar Empire shone forth its beauteous glory upon all the stars! The naive Republicans…”
Big Mac sighed, taking a sip of his cider. Sitting on a wooden stool next to him, Applejack laughed. “Some ponies just don’t know when to give it a rest. Eh, Big Mac?” Turning towards her, Big Mac gave her a look.
“I don’t care much about what those ponies are goin’ on about. We’re here to get a job done, and we’ve gone and done it. I intend to leave here, and soon. Ain’t nothin’ for us left here, but the ramblings of drunken ponies using U-day as an excuse for getting drunk.”
Applejack nodded, getting off the stool as Big Mac did, and followed him out of the bar. “They’re mighty luck we heard about their need, and they’re mighty lucky we were able to fill it”, she said. “Damn shame though- I will miss my nightly partakin’ of cider. Especially what we had. Ain't nothin’ in the ‘verse like Apple Family cider to sooth the parched pony after a day’s hard work.”
It was Big Mac’s turn to give a chuckle. “Honestly Applejack, what would ma say? Look at you, drinkin’ and swearin’. She’d tan your flank for the amount of cider you ‘partake of’, and she’d wash out ‘yer mouth for using them curses.”
Applejack gave him a smug look and replied, “Yeah, well, ma would have ‘yer flank for lettin’ me do those things!” Before Big Mac could give her a proper retort, a rock hit his head.
“Hey, you two!” Big Mac and Applejack turned to see a red stallion staring at them. The stallion continued, “How come I didn’t see you two join on in the U-day festivities?” Applejack gave her brother a look, which he returned.
Turning towards to the rock-tossing pony, Big Mac spoke. “No time, I’m ‘fraid. See, we were just here to drop off the cider for the celebration. Passin’ through, as it were. We merely stopped to quench our parched throats, and now we’re movin’ on.”
By this time, a gang of ponies had gathered outside the bar. “Big Mac”, Applejack whispered, “I think it is about time we just leave.” A yellow unicorn, who seemed less drunk than the others, pushed his way through the crowd. Glaring at Big Mac for a few moments, he then shouted.
“Aha! I knew there was somethin’ strange ‘bout you back in the bar. But with the lightin’ in there, I couldn’t see it. See now here, the reason they ain’t celebrating is because they’re Republicans! You can tell by that there brown coat that the big red one is wearing! Them Republicans were too poor to outfit their soldiers properly; only could afford to give’m dusters. The cheap bastards.”
“Now look here, folks”, Big Mac said, “the War is over. Been over for years. I just want to move on with my life, and that is what I’m doin’. Now, if y’all will kindly excuse us, we’ll be leavin’ now.”
“Not so fast”, a pegasus mare in the crowd cried. “We ain’t done with you two Browncoats quite yet. See, we has a special way we celebrate U-day with Republicans. We give y’all a taste of your loss. Remind y’all of just how weak y’all are. Bunch of damn cowards!” The gang of ponies nodded and jeered in agreement, and began advancing on the two.
To everypony’s surprise, however, Applejack approached the group, her eyes dead-locked on the pegasus mare. Pushing through the crowd, she went right to the mare, never once taking her eyes off of her. Applejack came to a standstill in front of the pegasus, and glared at her. And just as suddenly as she had come over, she turned around.
The pegasus laughed. “See, I told y’all! Bunch of damn cowa…” She did not finish her sentence, however, on account of Applejack bucking her in the jaw, and sending her flying back. Turning back around, her eyes were different now. They were hard and cold, and full of fury and death.
“Maybe that’ll teach you to keep yer mouth shut”, Applejack yelled. “Ya shouldn’t be talkin’ about things ya don’t know a rat’s ass about! Coward?! HA! Maybe that’ll teach you to think twice ‘fore ya go on and open yer jabber-jaw again!”
Big Mac saw what was about to happen, and rushed forward to help Applejack. Just as he arrived, the gang of ponies sprang on them, attacking wildly. Acting on instinct, the siblings fought together as a seamless whole, using their hooves to deflect incoming blows whilst throwing their own attacks. Before the fight got very far, however, they heard a shot.
The fighting immediately stopped, and everypony glanced to the source of the sound. Hovering in the air was a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, aiming an assault rifle at the lot of them. “Now see here”, Rainbow Dash spoke, “this is how its gonna go down! You’re gonna let the cowgirl and red stallion go, or I’m going to start shootin’. And I promise ya, the next one ain't gonna be no warning shot. So, move out of the damn way, and get the hell back to your drinkin’!”
After the ponies had cantered off, Big Mac and Applejack continued their trek to their ship, Rainbow Dash flying over to them. “You dumbass”, Rainbow Dash yelled at Applejack. “Going off like that! Could have gotten yourself seriously injured!”
“Rainbow Dash, I had everything under control”, Applejack retorted. “Besides, do you expect me to sit on by while they mock us? And, more importantly, while they’re makin’ fun of ‘ma brother?!”
“And speaking of your brother” Rainbow Dash said, turning to face said pony. “Some brother you are! Letting your little sister go deal with a pack of drunkard all on her own! And some captain you are! Letting a subordinate rush off without orders! Why, if I were captain…”
“Enough, Rainbow Dash”, Big Mac finally said, just as the three of them reached the ship. “Fact is, you’re not the captain! And no matter how much you complain, you ain’t getting’ the position. Now come on! We’ve got to get going!” Mumbling what sounded like “jackass” to herself, Rainbow Dash went off to her room. “AJ, you wanna get the engine running, and then meet me up in the bridge?”
Giving Big Mac an affirmative nod, Applejack trotted off to the engines while Big Mac headed off to said bridge. Upon arriving there, he found a pink pony in a seat, playing with a set of toy dinosaurs. “And we shall call this land… THIS LAND! And it shall be….. oh, howdy there Captain!” The pink pony swiveled around in her chair, giving Big Mac a salute.
“At ease, Pinkie Pie. And I keep tellin’ ya: you don’t need to call me ‘Captain’, or nothin’ fancy like that. And ya sure as hell don’t have to give me no salute.” Pinkie Pie giggled, smiling at him.
“Oh, I know that Big Mac”, she responded, her voice full of mirth and joy. “Its just that I think it is only proper to give respect to the captain of the ship.” Flailing her hooves out dramatically, she shouted, “My captain! My captain! Oh, my captain!”
“Now see here, Pinkie…” Before Big Mac could finish his sentence, Applejack’s voice came over the intercom.
“Engines are engaged and ready to go! Just give her a few minutes, and we can fly off this chunk of rock! And, Big Mac, could I speak to you real quick like in the front hall? Meet’cha there in a few.” With that, the intercom faded out, and the engines started revving up.
“You know what that means, Pinkie”, Big Mac said.
“On it, Captain”, Pinkie responded, already pressing buttons and prepping the ship for flight.
Nodding, Big Mac left the bridge to meet up with his sister. Sure enough, she was there awaiting him. The ship began to ascend, with Pinkie calling over the intercom, “Leaving atmo!”
Looking his sister straight in the eye, he told her, “Shouldn’t have done what you did back there. Letting’em get you all riled up like that. Thought you knew better, AJ.” Big Mac continued to stare at his sister. She wasn’t no innocent little filly anymore. Oh, how the war had changed her. How it had changed them all.
“Well dammit, Big Mac, what did ya expect me to do”, Applejack said exasperatedly. “Let’em talk about you that way? Let’em talk about us that way? You know as well as I do that I’m a stubborn pony, and I only take fools talkin’ so far ‘fore I have to lay’em straight.”
“I expected you to keep your head cool, and not let yer’self be provoked”, Big Mac responded. “Out of everypony, I need you to keep a cool head. S’bad enough that I have a temper; you don’t need to be goin’ on out and imitating my bad habits.”
Applejack snorted at his comment. “A little late for that, my dear brother. I’ve been imitatin’ you fer years now, and don’t’cha expect it to wear off anytime soon. I keep my cool about many a things. But, when somepony goes off and insults my family or my fellow Republicans, I ain’t gonna sit around. I will show my loyalty for all the ‘verse to see, and I’ll knock sense into ponies’ heads!”
“Yeah, well, the war is over AJ”, Big Mac replied. “You heard’em back there- today is Unification Day. I’d rather just let bygones be bygones, and get on with my life. If they wanna go on and on about how great their Solar Empire is, let’em by all means. I intend to stay out of the Empire’s way, and make myself a livin’. I may not be rich, but I’m free, and the ‘verse knows that freedom is all I want.”
“Speakin’ of U-day”, Applejack said, “we better get a move on, if we’re to celebrate it in our way. Otherwise, Granny Smith will have both our flanks, and she won’t show no mercy to us. And while we’re there, we can get s’more cider.”
“And some passengers”, Big Mac said.
“Passengers”, Applejack questioned. “Why’d we need passengers? If we need the bits, we can just ask for’em…”
“No, AJ. We can’t ask for the bits. Things are tight as it is, and we don’t need to be goin’ and taking other pony’s hard earned pay.”
Applejack just sighed, shaking her head. “Yer a big idiot, you know that? Everypony would be more than happy to help us out. For heaven’s sake, Macintosh, we grew up there! Our friends won’t turn their backs on us.”
Big Mac stomped a hoof in frustration. “It ain’t about that, though I don’t wanna be takin’ any pony’s hard earned bits. No, it’s about appearances. We need the passengers to look more reputable; let’s face it- our beloved ship don’t look nothin’ like a nice ship. Looks more like a smugglin’ vessel. Which it is, mind you. But with some passengers…”
“We’d look like regular businessponies”, Applejack replied.
“Exactly”, Big Mac said. “See, I knew there was a reason I liked you.” Rolling her eyes, Applejack shoved her brother. Putting himself on intercom, Big Mac said, “Pinkie, set a course for home.” Receiving a resounding, “Aye-aye, captain!”, Big Mac began walking towards his room.
Before he got very far, Applejack came up beside him and nuzzled him. “It’ll be good to be home and see everypony again”, she said quietly. She then went off to her own room.
Reaching his quarters, Big Mac entered his room. Taking off his barding and saddle, he threw himself down on the bed. Looking at the ceiling he thought, “Home. Home. Home. Ponyville.” Turning on his side, he closed his eyes to sleep for the remainder of the trip back. To Ponyville…