Twinkle/TOCP's Thirty Minute Ponies Stories

by Twinkletail

Prompt #62: A Memorable Pep Talk

The Prompt: A childhood memory from one of the Mane Six that they never want to forget.

OR: A childhood memory from one of the Mane Six that they would rather forget.

Applejack stomped her little hooves angrily as she headed home. It wasn’t fair. Everypony at school was so mean, and she was never ever going back there again, no matter what any of the big ponies said. If Granny Smith tried to force her to go, she’d just go hide in the little corner of the barn that she couldn’t reach. She’d stay there forever if she had to, just so she didn’t have to go back to school. If Big Macintosh tried to force her to go, she’d just tell Granny Smith about the Playcolt magazine she found under his bed, and then she’d make sure to get to the corner of the barn first cause it definitely wasn’t big enough for both of them.

“What’s wrong, AJ?” Big Mac asked as AJ stomped into the house.

“Ah ain’t never goin’ ta school again!” Applejack yelled. Big Mac sighed and offered a hug.

“Ah don’t wanna hug!” Applejack shouted.

“Yes ya do,” Big Mac said calmly. Applejack pouted, then galloped up to Big Mac. Big Mac hugged her tightly. He knew his little sister well enough to know that once she got this upset, even if she said she didn’t want a hug, she really did.

“Now what’s wrong, AJ?” Big Mac asked, sitting down on the couch and inviting her to sit with him. AJ hopped up onto the couch and rested her head on Big Mac’s side.
“All the other ponies at school’re makin’ fun’a me!” AJ said. She started to tear up a bit, but took a deep breath and calmed herself. Big ponies didn’t cry, and if she wanted to be a big pony, she couldn’t cry.

“Why?” Big Mac asked. He noticed the near-cry but chose not to say anything about it. He knew Applejack was a prideful little pony. He did give her a light nuzzle, though, because that always made her feel a bit better when she was close to crying like this.

“Cause Ah don’t got mah cutie mark!” Applejack said, frowning. Big Mac hid a roll of his eyes.

“C’mon now, AJ,” Big Mac said, bringing a foreleg around her. “Who cares ‘bout that? Don’t mean nothin’.”

“Yer one ta talk!” AJ said, looking up at him with a big frown. “You got yer cutie mark last’f yer class!”

“So?” Big Mac said, giving a small shrug.

“Cutie marks mean yer growin’ up, an’ if’n Ah don’t got mine, that means Ah ain’t a big pony yet!” Applejack whined. Big Mac gave her another gentle nuzzle; he could already see those tears threatening to fall.

“What’s the rush ta be a big pony?” Big Mac asked, putting a hoof under AJ’s chin so their gazes could meet.

“Cause nopony listens ta lil’ ponies,” Applejack whimpered. Big Mac considered trying to stop the tears again, but sometimes it was good to let it out. He pulled AJ close to himself and let her cry into his side. He waited until she was done, then looked back into her eyes.

“Ah listen ta ya,” Big Mac said. “An’ so does Granny Smith.”

“But yer family,” AJ said. “Yer s’posed ta listen ta me.”

“What about yer lil’ friend Carrot Top?” Big Mac asked.

“Well…yeh, she does listen ta me,” AJ had to admit.

“An’ June Bug?” Big Mac asked.

“…Yeh, her too,” AJ answered, nodding.

“An’ yer teacher?” Big Mac continued.

“Yeh, all the time,” AJ agreed.

“So who don’t listen ta ya?” Big Mac wondered.

“All’f the popular ponies who already got their cutie marks!” AJ said, drooping.

“So who cares?” Big Mac asked. “D’ya even wanna be friends with ‘em?”

“Not really…” AJ said. “They’re mean.”

“Then why worry?” Big Mac said. “The ponies that matter ta ya listen, an’ if’n other ponies don’t wanna listen ta ya, they prolly ain’t worth talkin’ ta.” AJ tilted her head.

“Ah guess yer right…” AJ said, nodding.

“So that was the main reason ya wanted ta be a big pony?” Big Mac asked. “Cause Ah’ll admit, yer lucky.”

“Lucky?” AJ asked. Big Mac nodded.

“Once ya b’come a big pony, ya stay a big pony fer the rest’f yer life,” Big Mac said. “Ya only get a lil’ bit’a time as a lil’ pony, so ya gotta make the most’f it. Got it?”

“Ah guess so…” AJ said.

“An’ b’sides,” Big Mac said, grinning. “Sometimes Granny Smith don’t listen ta me, an’ Ah’m a REAL big pony.” AJ giggled and hugged Big Mac.

“Ah’ll always listen ta ya, big brother,” AJ said.

“Ah’m glad,” Big Mac said, hugging her back. “So ya goin’ ta school t’morrow?” AJ looked thoughtful for a moment.

“Ah guess so,” AJ finally said.

“Good,” Big Mac said. “Now c’mon, Granny Smith’s makin’ apple fritters.”

“Apple fritters!” AJ said excitedly. Big Mac stood up and scooped AJ up, placing her on his back. AJ giggled happily as Big Mac carried her into the kitchen.

Comments

[Makokam]

...why hasn't Big Mac given Apple Bloom that speech?
Still, very nice.

[Makokam]

1015617
Nope

[Twinkletail]

1026876

That would be Thirty Minute Ponies . They post a prompt every day.