Bird on the Stoop
“I can’t believe you sold out to Filthy!” Applejack yelled.
“Rich,” Big Mac corrected.
“Yeah, that's what he is and why you can’t trust him!”
Both Applejack and Big Mac stood just outside the farmstead near a massive wood cart with several baskets of apples surrounding them. They were sorting out the product to be put to market later that day.
Applejack had asked the question of when they were going to market, and Big Mac answered.
She had not liked that answer.
That had also been several baskets ago.
Mac rubbed his forehead with a hoof. “No, AJ. I mean that he prefers to be called Rich, his second name. Also, you’d do well not to insult him with how much he’s been helping us.”
“Helping us? He’s just trying to take over our business!”
“No, he’s not. As per the contract, he will return any non-farming duties to us once I’m ready to take them back. With you here-”
“He won’t though!” Applejack stomped a hoof into the dirt. “He’s a low down snake and he’s just going to keep everythin’ for himself.”
“We both signed a legally binding document. He couldn’t do that even if he wanted to. ‘Sides that, we’ve been getting regular payments equal to our normal profits for months.”
He failed to mention the foalcare items that had been sent along personally by Rich with the payments. Mac had long since discarded his pride when it came to receiving help, but he didn’t need his little sister to latch onto more ammunition to hold against him.
She’d probably end up accusing him of embezzlement once she looked up the word in the dictionary.
“But he forced you to sign it!”
“He offered it, and was clear on the conditions,” Mac countered.
“That don’t mean he didn’t make you sign under… under...” Applejack scrambled for the correct word. “Coercion!”
Mac snorted. “I didn’t sign under coercion and I don’t appreciate that you are insulting somepony who has been nothing but kind to us.” He punctuated his next statement with a glare. “I also don’t appreciate the insults towards me. I did what I thought was best at the time.”
Applejack puffed herself up in indignation. “You sold us out! If I was here-”
“If you were here, I still would have signed because I’m the oldest and owner of the property. Not to mention, neither of us know anything about the business side of the farm,” Mac retorted. “‘Sides that, you weren’t here. You don’t get to judge what I did to keep things afloat when you couldn’t even be bothered to stay.”
Applejack growled in frustration and turned around to trot away. She slammed head first into the dark furred pegasus she hadn’t seen behind her.
“Hey, AJ,” Thunderlane greeted. “How-”
“What are you doing here?” Applejack demanded.
“Here to visit Mac and help out with the jam making later today.” Thunderlane grinned. “Might even try to sweet talk him into letting me go home with one.”
Applejack’s face flushed in anger. “Well, stop it!”
“What?” Thunderlane asked.
“Helping! I’m here now, so you don’t need to be here any more. Only Apples work on Sweet Apple Acres and you ain’t no Apple.” Applejack snorted. “We don’t need some bird hanging around and mooching-”
Big Mac slammed a hoof into the dirt. Both Applejack and Thunderlane were thrown off balance as the ground heaved and shook. Both looked towards Mac. His eyes glowed with dark green energy and his mouth was set in a straight line.
Applejack froze. “Mac, why’d-”
“Apologize,” Mac interrupted.
“Why do I-”
“Now,” Mac growled.
Another tremor rocked the earth punctuating the statement.
Applejack appeared to want to fight back, but thought better of it. She turned toward Thunderlane with her head hung low and a scowl marring her face.
“Sorry, Thunderlane,” She said.
“No problem, Applejack.” Thunderlane rubbed the back of his head with a spare wing. “No harm done.”
Applejack sniffed in response.
“I left a shovel back in the east orchard,” Mac said. “You mind grabbing it for me, AJ?”
“What do you need a shovel for?” Applejack asked.
“Nothing.” Mac replied. “But you could use some time to blow off steam before lunch.”
Applejack kicked the dirt halfheartedly before trotting off to do what Mac asked with her head hung low. Mac flicked an ear as he caught the tail end of mumbled curses that followed in her wake.
Thunderlane stepped towards Mac tentatively. “You need to talk, big guy?”
“I need to feed Apple Bloom.” Mac sighed. “And talk.”
Thunderlane grinned. “Good, something that can be multitasked. Let’s head inside.”
“Birdy!” Apple Bloom called out as she dashed to the dining room table.
She climbed up into her seat then planted her forehooves on the table and back legs on the chair. She wriggled happily in place with a big grin on her face.
Thunderlane trotted to Bloom with a matching grin as Mac set about heating up a premade casserole in the oven.
Once in range, Apple Bloom bopped Thunderlane on the nose with a hoof. She laughed as Thunderlane went cross eyed inspecting the end of his snout and wiggled his nose. He then retaliated with a boop of his own.
Apple Bloom fell onto her rump while holding her nose and releasing a cascade of chortles.
Big Mac smiled as he closed the oven door and set the timer.
“So,” Thunderlane started. “How’s being a father of two?”
Mac snorted as he plopped himself into a chair at the table. “Terrible. The older one is argumentative about everything. The younger is alright when she ain’t eatin’ mud off the ground.”
Apple Bloom shook her head. “Nuh uh, I don’t eat mud.”
Big Mac smirked. “Oh really?”
Apple Bloom giggled.
“So, what were you eating this morning then?”
“Pie.”
“Pie, huh? Why was it brown then?”
“Cuz… cuz...” Apple Bloom bit her lip searching for an excuse. She brightened up when she thought of one. “It was chocolate!”
Thunderlane tried to cover his snort with a wing. Big Mac nodded with a teasing grin. He gestured to her forehooves with one of his own.
“So, when are you going to wash all that ‘chocolate’ off your hooves?”
Apple Bloom looked and noticed the mud caked onto her fetlocks. She gasped and galloped off to the second floor bathroom to clean up.
Big Mac started to rise before Thunderlane put up a wing.
“I got it,” He said.
Thunderlane leaned closer to the mud stain. He exhaled causing a small cloud of vapour to form. The vapour condensed further into a small cloud then released a torrent of water that washed the mud away.
He grinned at Mac as he sat down.
“Never gonna get used to your fancy weather tricks, Thunder.” Big Mac shook his head.
“Said Mr. Tremors over here.” He leaned forward with his forelegs crossed on the table. “What happened?”
“Applejack found out about the contract with Rich.” Mac leaned back in his chair with an exasperated sigh. “Told me I’m a shame to the family and that Rich was gonna take the farm. You came in about when I lost my patience.”
“Isn’t he just running the business side of the farm at no expense to you?”
“Eeyup, but try tellin’ her that.” Mac frowned. “I don’t know, Thunder. I thought I did the right thing by tossing my ego, but she’s sayin’ the things I thought not a few months ago. Hard to not wonder if I made some bad calls.”
“Here’s a question then. If you hadn’t taken the deal, would you have been able to keep Apple Bloom and the farm?” Thunderlane asked.
Mac closed his eyes. “No, I wouldn’t. Rich was right. I would have ended up collapsed in some field by now. It was too much work for one pony and if somepony decided to raise a stink, I would have lost Bloom as an unfit guardian.”
“Then you made the right call,” Thunderlane stated. “You chose your family over your pride. Better than what most do.”
Mac grunted. “Don’t mean AJ’s words don’t get under my skin.”
“At least she can be around to do it.” Thunderlane laid his head on the table facing Mac. “I’m kind of jealous of Applejack.”
Mac furrowed his brow. “Why?”
“Because she has you to be there for her.”
Mac opened his eyes, leaned forward, and laid his head down next to Thunderlane’s own. Thunderlane gave him a sad tinged smile.
“Whatcha mean, Thunder?” Mac asked softly.
“I grew up in Canterlot. My dad is a storm breaker, and my mom is a Royal Guard. Dad got called all over Equestria to break up wild storms, while mom was married more to her job than dad. I was home alone. A lot.” Thunderlane frowned. “I hated it.”
Mac nuzzled Thunderlane’s muzzle with his own. “I’m sorry, Thunder.”
Thunderlane smiled. “Thanks, Mac.” He sighed. “Anyways, to get to the point, I have a little brother named Rumble. I foalproofed my home and read some books on foalcare. I’m hoping I can take custody of him from my parents on the basis of ‘he deserves to have someone who cares about him’.”
“I’m sure you’ll do it.”
“I hope so, but, well, you inspired me to try.” Thunderlane laid a wing on Mac’s withers. “It’s hard, but you still kept your family together. I wanted to follow your example.”
Mac grunted. “I did what needed doin’. Nothing inspiring about that.” Mac released a tired sigh. “I don’t even feel worth it sometimes.”
“If you had the chance to change it, would you?” Thunderlane asked.
“Never,” Mac replied.
“And that’s why you’re the best.”
They both stayed in companionable silence with green meeting amber eyes before it was broken by the pattering of small hooves down the stairs.
“Birdy! Mackie!” Apple Bloom called as she raced into the room. “I cleaned up. Can we eat now?”
Both stallions chuckled as they broke apart. Mac stood up from his seat.
“Sure, Bloom. Just let me get the food out of the oven.”
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oof, definitely can see Applejack really doubling down on her initial perceptions with stubbornness like this
ooh, sick burn!
and oof! AJ really is saying the very things to make Mac resent her more at this point
rude!
aww, Thunderlane is so good at being a supportive friend/obvious endgame
augh so cute!
hehehe. and can see AJ getting very upset about Big Mac being called her father
aww, pegasus magic is useful!
aww dang! Thunderlane has so much in common with Big Mac, no wonder! also explains why neither Thunderlane nor Rumble make any references to their parents in their episode
aww, lovely!