Chained to the Plow

by daOtterGuy

Follow the Rainbow

“So, Blossomforth threw a glass of wine down my dress shirt and called me a dumpster fire in the making.” Thunderlane said with a snicker.

Big Mac shook his head. “Ya got terrible luck with mares, Thunder.”

Both stallions sat in the living room of the Sweet Apple Acres farmstead. The large space made small by several massive worn out couches and shelves burdened with various family trinkets.

While the two talked during their break from harvesting the trees earlier that day, Apple Bloom played with wooden blocks in a corner by attempting to build… something. Mac honestly couldn’t tell, except that there was a concerning number of blocks being put towards what appeared to be a catapult.

“And stallions.” Thunderlane laughed. “Remember my date with Time Turner?”

Mac rolled his eyes. “One of the few times I was in town and you made a complete spectacle of yourself. Didn’t help that you wouldn’t stop talking to me and asking what I was doing. I didn’t even know Time Turner could kick that hard.”

“He sure can, as somepony who’s been on the receiving end.” Thunderlane shrugged. “Some ponies just aren’t into the blunt approach to dating.”

Mac gave him a blank stare. “Thunder, there’s blunt and then there’s whatever you do.”

“Aw, come on, Mac.” Thunderlane waved a wing. “I-”

The front door slammed open as a pony charged into the room. “I’m home!”

Thunderlane launched himself from his seat and flew into a corner of the room with a scream. Big Mac calmly turned towards the interruption and widened his eyes in surprise.

Standing in the doorway with a proud smile on her freckled face was an orange mare wearing a stetson overtop a long blonde ponytail and a Cutie Mark of two red apples on her flanks.

“Howdy, Big Mac,” She greeted. “How’s the farm been?”

“Fine,” He managed to say evenly despite his surprise.

He pointedly kept the without you to himself.

“Good to hear.” Applejack looked around the room and happened upon Apple Bloom. She trotted to her baby sister and picked her up in her forelegs. “Heya, Bloom. Lookin’ chipper as ever.”

Bloom happily clapped her hooves together while shouting ‘AJ’. Applejack leaned in close for a hug then pulled back as she got a whiff of something foul.

“Oowee, somepony needs a bath. Why does she smell so bad, Mac?”

Mac grinded his teeth. “We were out harvesting the orchard. Bloom was playin’ in the dirt. I’ll wash her later, after-”

“Well, you should do that now, Mac. You can’t not give her a bath when she’s dirty.” Applejack interrupted as she placed Apple Bloom gently back on the floor.

Big Mac snorted.

At this time, Thunderlane had managed to peel himself off the back wall and trotted towards both siblings with a concerned look on his face.

“So, uh, Applejack, why did-” Thunderlane started.

“Who are you?” Applejack asked.

“Thunderlane. I’m a friend of your brother’s. We-”

“Oh, okay.” She sat her rump down in front of Big Mac. “Anyways, Big Mac, you won’t believe what happened to me.” She looked up at him with a joyful expression.

Mac struggled to keep his anger in check. Applejack’s careless remarks were riling him up and he found it difficult to keep himself under control. He took a deep breath to calm himself. No point ripping into her right after she arrived.

“What happened?” He asked.

“Well, I was looking out the window thinking about stuff and this big rainbow went BOOM across the sky.” She threw her hooves up in the air and leaned back while making the proper sound effect. “I decided to follow it and it led me right back to the farm! Then my Cutie Mark appeared and I finally knew what the most important thing to me was.” She nodded.

“And what’s the most important thing to you?” Big Mac asked.

She gave Mac a manic grin. “Leavin’ Manehattan and staying here on the farm with you and Bloom!”

Big Mac stared back at Applejack with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Aren’t ya happy, Mac?” Applejack asked nervously.

Big Mac stayed silent.

Thunderlane stretched a tentative wing towards Mac. “You okay there, Mac?”

“You left Manehattan? By hoof?” Big Mac said. “Does Aunt and Uncle Orange know about this?”

Applejack gulped. “No, it just sorta happened. Spur of the moment.”

Mac sighed. “I’ll have to send them a letter with an explanation this afternoon then. They’re probably worried sick.”

“S-sorry,” Applejack said.

“Too late now.” Mac massaged his forehead with a hoof. “Why did you come back here?”

“I told you. Because you and Bloom are my family.”

Then why did you leave in the first place?

Mac buried that thought. It would do no good saying that now.

“You realize that you won’t get a second chance, right?” Mac said instead.

“What do you mean?” Applejack questioned.

“Mac, maybe you should-” Thunderlane tried to interject.

“The Oranges are the only ones willing to give you a chance, Applejack,” Mac said. “If you decide you don’t like it here, you won’t be able to leave again.”

Applejack glared. “Well, that’s fine because I’m never going to leave.”

“You’re twelve,” Mac retorted. “You can’t know you won’t change your mind later.”

“I’m plenty old enough to make up my mind.” Applejack stomped the floor with a hoof. “You took over the farm and you ain’t even twenty yet.”

“I’m still an adult, Applejack. I-”

“So?” Applejack interrupted. “That just means you’re a little older than me. Why can’t I make that choice too?”

Big Mac clamped his mouth shut. A thousand thoughts demanded to be told and he knew that too many of them would cross a line he wasn’t willing to cross. Regardless of his opinion, he couldn’t turn her away.

A large part of him didn’t even want to try.

“Fine. Your room is exactly how you left it. Up the stairs, second door on the left. Grab your saddlebags and meet me at the east orchard.” Mac adjusted the kerchief around his neck and got up off the couch. “We got harvestin’ to do this afternoon.”

“Work already?” Applejack whined. “I thought with me coming back, we could take the day to celebrate. Together?”

“Farm don’t care what day you’re back. Work still needs to get done. If you’re gonna stay, you’re gonna work.” Mac trotted the short distance to the door and opened it. “Come on, Bloom.”

Apple Bloom scrambled to her hooves and raced out the door with a happy giggle.

Applejack stared at Mac with an expression bordering on hurt and betrayal.

“Git a move on, AJ. We have work to do.”

“You’re really- ugh!” Applejack growled and stomped up the stairs.

Thunderlane trotted gently to Mac with his head hung low. “Mac, do you need to talk?”

“Later, Thunder.” Mac gave Thunderlane a warm smile. “I appreciated your company and help this morning, though. Always enjoy your visits.”

Thunderlane smiled back. “Glad to hear it. Catch up another time?”

“Eeyup. Still need to hear about that time with Caramel. Bet that was a real disaster.”

Thunderlane snorted. “You don’t know the half of it, but yeah another time.” He trotted out the front door. “Talk to you later, Mac!” He called back.

Thunderlane launched himself into the air with a hard flap of his wings. After a quick circle around the farmstead, he flew off towards Ponyville proper.

Presumably to unsuccessfully date somepony with a mean back kick. Again.

Mac left the house, shutting the door behind him, and followed the trail of small hoofprints Apple Bloom left behind. He arrived at the biggest tree in the east orchard where Bloom was spinning in circles. She dropped onto her rump, dizzy, before looking up at him with a wide smile.

He smiled in return before trotting up next to the tree. The baskets had been placed earlier to collect the apples ready for harvest and all that was left to do was a deft kick to the trunk.

Before he could rear back, he noticed Applejack trotting towards him with a scowl on her face.

She stopped within speaking range, and kicked the dirt. “So, what needs doin’?”

Mac tried to think of an apology or some string of words to make things better between them, but came up with nothing. Everything still felt tinged with bitterness.

“Start at the end of the treeline and work your way back to me. Once we meet back up, we’ll be done for the day.”

She nodded and trudged past him with a slow, but steady gait. After a few steps she stopped.

“Love you, Mac,” She said quietly.

“Love you too, AJ,” Mac replied immediately.

Applejack snapped her head back to look at him in surprise. He looked back at her. She appeared to want to say something, but instead bit her lip and galloped away.

Her surprise hurt, but Mac found it hard to feel guilty.

She had started this by running away after all.

Mac reared back his legs and kicked the tree. The crop of apples fell and landed perfectly in the placed baskets.

He dropped to his rump and hung his head with a weary sigh.

“Welcome home, AJ,” He whispered.

He felt something clasp his leg. He looked down to see Bloom wrapped around it. She giggled.

Bloom babbled a string of nonsense.

He smiled. “Love you too, Bloom.”

Comments

[Graymane Shadow]

Didn't expect to see Applejack back so early.

I love the imagery of young Apple Bloom following Mac around the farm all day.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Only two apples, because she only came home to two Apples. Ouch.

[Bicyclette]

“So, Blossomforth threw a glass of wine down my dress shirt and called me a dumpster fire in the making.” Thunderlane said with a snicker.

dang that is so Blossomforth

While the two talked during their break from harvesting the trees earlier that day, Apple Bloom played with wooden blocks in a corner by attempting to build… something. Mac honestly couldn’t tell, except that there was a concerning number of blocks being put towards what appeared to be a catapult.

hahaha i see the seeds of mad inventor Apple Bloom here and i love it

“And stallions.” Thunderlane laughed. “Remember my date with Time Turner?”

yay casual bisexuality! this is why i love ponies and reading and writing them

Standing in the doorway with a proud smile on her freckled face was an orange mare wearing a stetson overtop a long blonde ponytail and a Cutie Mark of two red apples on her flanks.

ooh, that’s how you know it’s an AU! 

Bloom happily clapped her hooves together while shouting ‘AJ’. Applejack leaned in close for a hug then pulled back as she got a whiff of something foul.

“Oowee, somepony needs a bath. Why does she smell so bad, Mac?”

oh what a way to underscore how long AJ’s been away from the farm! love it

“Well, I was looking out the window thinking about stuff and this big rainbow went BOOM across the sky.” She threw her hooves up in the air and leaned back while making the proper sound effect. “I decided to follow it and it led me right back to the farm! Then my Cutie Mark appeared and I finally knew what the most important thing to me was.” She nodded.

aww, so that still happened! neat!

“You’re twelve,” Mac retorted. “You can’t know you won’t change your mind later.”

i mean Big Mac just says the reason right here why he shouldn’t hold Applejack leaving against her, but then again, he is barely an adult himself and really going through it

“Eeyup. Still need to hear about that time with Caramel. Bet that was a real disaster.”

haha dang, Thunderlane is really going through all the young adults in town!

Presumably to unsuccessfully date somepony with a mean back kick. Again.

at this point is this, uh, what Thunderlane wants?

He felt something clasp his leg. He looked down to see Bloom wrapped around it. She giggled.

Bloom babbled a string of nonsense.

He smiled. “Love you too, Bloom.”

aww! this does make me hopeful that this tension will only be a temporary thing the siblings grow out of but then again considering how much story’s left…

[Bicyclette]

11037913
so true, never thought of that, damn