Chained to the Plow

by daOtterGuy

Rotten Core

Life had a habit of catching somepony unawares. Seasons changed, and with it so did the ponies closest to you. In other ways, Big Mac would muse, nothing changed.

The friction between Mac and Applejack was as bad as ever. They argued and bickered at every opportunity about nearly anything and everything.

It always started with Applejack making a subtle jab at some minor perceived wrong decision made by Big Mac. Mac would justify himself. Applejack would dig in her hooves. Escalation ensued followed by intervention from Thunderlane or Apple Bloom shortly before blows were exchanged.

Afterwards, they wouldn’t speak to each other for a stretch of time outside of vague grunts. Eventually, one of them would apologize, the other would reciprocate, then everything would be fine for a period before the cycle repeated.

Despite being a core participant, Mac didn’t know what to do to make it stop.

Conversely, while Applejack seemed to hate Mac, Apple Bloom adored him.

She followed him everywhere and idolized his every move. To her, if Big Mac did it, she did it because that simply must be the best way to do it. Nothing could convince her otherwise.

As she grew into adolescence, Mac noticed that she had a spark. A builder’s prerogative.

Machines. Contraptions. Devices.

Objects of wood and metal and dreams that Apple Bloom built from old parts and disused farming tools.

Mac noticed her ingenuity, her passion, and decided that no matter what he wouldn’t let it die. Not like how he’d let his own spark sputter out.

So, any extra profits from the farm went to Bloom.

New tools, parts, a never ending barrage of encouragement, and everything in between that let Apple Bloom follow that trail of ideas wherever it took her.

Even if… it took her away from the farm.

Applejack hated it. Big Mac did it anyway. It wasn’t like she had any control over the funds. That was his prerogative.

The third consistent pony in his life was Thunderlane.

He didn’t understand why.

He knew how. Hard to not be close to somepony that visits near every day, but why Thunderlane even visited as frequently as he did was a complete mystery to Mac.

A bigger mystery was why his little brother Rumble did as well.

It had taken a year, but Thunderlane had managed to wrangle Rumble away from his parents. He had become a close friend of Apple Bloom’s — Rumble still grumbled about how he was forced into it — and they hung out nearly as much as Mac did with Thunderlane.

Rumble was… odd. He always spoke about the inevitable encroachment of death and was generally a pessimist, but Apple Bloom enjoyed his company… for some reason; so who was Big Mac to judge?

Besides, he was Thunderlane’s little brother and Mac was loath to spurn the family of somepony… who…

Mac didn’t know what Thunderlane was to him.

He was a constant in his life. One he needed in his life, but he didn’t understand why it seemed that Thunderlane reciprocated that need.

Thunderlane had a dating history that spanned the length of the Acres. A revolving door of mares and stallions. Each one had lasted but a few scant months before they broke up and barely talked with each other.

Mac talked to Thunderlane every day.

It had been a source of… tension in most of those relationships. The details of which Mac had never been informed.

It had caused a thought to worm its way into Mac’s head. A possibility that Thunderlane kept coming back because...

He didn’t know how to finish that thought.

He didn’t want to.

More importantly, perhaps, than all of that was that Sweet Apple Acres was officially fully owned and run once more by the Apple family. Several business classes from Rich, Apple Bloom growing old enough to assist on the farm, Applejack returning, and finally having Thunderlane as regular help allowed Mac to slowly, but steadily, take back his other responsibilities.

On the day Mac took back his final duty, Rich had come by to give him a bottle of fine wine in celebration. They had popped the bottle open and talked for several hours over drinks.

When the next major holiday had rolled around, Mac, on a whim, had decided to make a surprise visit to grant his well wishings and to catch up. A whim turned into a regular holiday event with Mac, Apple Bloom, Thunderlane, and Rumble all joining Rich, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon in intimate get togethers centered around Hearth’s Warming, Bunny Day and the other holidays.

Mac, Rich, and Thunderlane chatted each other into a tipsy tizzy while Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom fought like cats and dogs with Silver Spoon and Rumble trying to keep the peace.

It had gotten to the point where Mac had started a betting pool on which would happen first: they both killed each other or they got married.

The pool had grown to some dozen ponies and Mac had promised to never identify the entrants.

At each gathering, though enjoyable, there were always two noticeable gaps in attendees.

Spoiled Rich, who couldn’t bring herself to fraternize with the common rabble, and Applejack who refused to give any reasons.

Mac had also run into a problem in recent years. A personal one that he didn’t know what to do about.

It had started one day when he was working the fields. A gale of wind had sped through the orchard causing the tree branches to shake. Normally, Mac would have tuned it out, but this time the sound had been distinct.

It had sounded like the rattling of chains.

A month later, he had felt it harder to breathe as the kerchief around his neck felt akin to a metal collar.

Not a few weeks after that, the trees had taken to appearing more like iron bars.

Dread had settled inside of him to become a constant companion. He felt trapped, tied down in a cage. The farm had become unwelcome; a type of prison only he could see.

It abated when Apple Bloom would show him some new invention she had created or Thunderlane talked about his latest dating failure, but as soon as he was alone, the cage reasserted itself.

He didn’t know why it was happening.

He didn’t understand where the feelings were coming from.

Not until Applejack returned from the defeat of Nightmare Moon.

---

The farmstead was quiet the evening after the full day party celebrating Nightmare Moon’s defeat.

Apple Bloom was in bed. She had wanted to stay up to see Applejack, but the stress of the events prior had forced her to sleep.

Thunderlane and Rumble had stayed for a short while. Thunderlane had been restless the entire time. He fidgeted and glanced towards Rumble constantly while talking nonstop. Rumble on the other hoof was pale and seemed shaken by recent events.

Tired of watching the brothers in such a state, Mac had, over the course of several firm affirmations, convinced them to return home. With some lingering reluctance, Thunderlane had flown back to Ponyville with Rumble on his back.

Thus started the waiting game. Mac paced from kitchen to living room and back as he grit his teeth, trapped with his own thoughts. He was abuzz with various emotions, the primary of which was concern.

They might not get along, but he still needed to know if his sister was okay.

He flicked his ears as he heard the front door open from the kitchen. He dashed into the other room to find Applejack standing in the living room.

He did a quick once over. After finding no physical injuries, he dropped his rump to the floor with a sigh of relief.

“Well, howdy to you too, Mac.” Applejack grinned widely. “What’s with the theatrics?”

“Where were you?” Mac asked.

“Celebratin’ with the other girls at Twilight’s new home.” Applejack trotted past Mac and into the kitchen. “Had some talks with the Princess and hashed out the whole Nightmare Moon, er, Luna thing.”

Mac followed Applejack into the kitchen. “And you’re okay? You’re not hurt?”

“I’m fine.” AJ grabbed an apple from a bowl on the counter, and took a big bite of it. “I’m a little frazzled, but me and the girls are all okay.”

“That’s… that’s good.” Mac collapsed into the nearest chair.

“Worried about me?” Applejack sat at a second chair and took another bite of her apple.

“Eeyup,” Mac drawled. “Hard not to when your little sister goes to fight a thousand year old alicorn.”

“Fair enough.” Applejack snorted. “Have you heard about the Elements of Harmony?”

“Cherilee told me. You’re one of ’em?”

“Sure am.” She took another bite of apple and talked as she chewed. “Princess said we’d be sent on missions together from now on. Saving the world from evil. Goin’ to be real heros.”

Mac felt a bitter thought worm its way to the front of his mind.

He frowned. “That so?”

“Eeyup,” Applejack finished off her apple in one final bite. “Did Cherilee tell you which Element of Harmony I got?”

“Nope.”

“Honesty.” Applejack leaned forward with a big grin. “Shows you that-”

Big Mac laughed.

Applejack leaned away from him as he released a chorus of unrestrained wheezing guffaws that brought tears to his eyes.

“What’s so funny?” Applejack asked indignantly.

Mac let his laughter subside into errant giggles. “I just figured out the irony is all.”

Applejack looked at Mac in confusion. He took that as a sign to continue.

“We don’t talk about our problems, at all. We are both probably the biggest liars in Ponyville with how much we bicker about nothin’.” Mac wiped a few remaining tears from his eyes. “Meanwhile, you get the Element that describes this family the least and get to have what I wanted without actually wanting it.” Mac snorted. “No wonder this place feels like a cage. You got to be free once because you were a coward where I got forced into this position and have to stay here toiling away on these fields until I die. Alone.”

“What the hay are you talking about, Mac?” Applejack slammed her forehooves on the table. “You’re just spouting random nonsense!”

“It don’t matter, AJ. It don’t matter at all.” Mac rested his head on the table. “You tired?”

“Am I-,” Applejack sputtered. “Course I’m tired! I ran all over the Everfree Forest just yesterday and had no rest yet.”

“Then go to bed, AJ.”

“What?”

“Go to bed. I don’t want to deal with you anymore tonight.”

“What are you- Ugh!” Applejack gave Mac a furious glare. “Fine, ya big oaf. See if I care!”

“You never cared before, don’t know why you’d start now.”

Applejack looked hurt for a moment before her face twisted into fury. She stomped past Mac, and up to the stairs to her bedroom.

When he heard Applejack slam her door close, Mac released the silent tears he had been holding back.

Comments

[Death is bliss]

This for some weird reason is not getting any comments so I deicide I would comment.
1 You are doing a wonderful job of keeping the expense coming and you are having a wonder full pace,
2 I am loving how you are portraying Big Mac,
3 Keep at and can't wait for more.

[Grainne Ni Bhroin]

You've been keeping me hanging on every word here.

[Bicyclette]

Mac noticed her ingenuity, her passion, and decided that no matter what he wouldn’t let it die. Not like how he’d let his own spark sputter out.

So, any extra profits from the farm went to Bloom.

aww! also nice in-story explanation for where a young Apple Bloom gets all those resources for her inventions from!

The third consistent pony in his life was Thunderlane.

He didn’t understand why.

He knew how. Hard to not be close to somepony that visits near every day, but why Thunderlane even visited as frequently as he did was a complete mystery to Mac.

dang, years and years without figuring out why… okay i def believe that for Big Mac

Rumble was… odd. He always spoke about the inevitable encroachment of death and was generally a pessimist, but Apple Bloom enjoyed his company… for some reason; so who was Big Mac to judge?

lmao so true. love existential goth friend Rumble

Thunderlane had a dating history that spanned the length of the Acres. A revolving door of mares and stallions. Each one had lasted but a few scant months before they broke up and barely talked with each other.

Mac talked to Thunderlane every day.

It had been a source of… tension in most of those relationships. The details of which Mac had never been informed.

figure it out, Mac! or maybe, figure it out, Thunderlane and Mac!

When the next major holiday had rolled around, Mac, on a whim, had decided to make a surprise visit to grant his well wishings and to catch up. A whim turned into a regular holiday event with Mac, Apple Bloom, Thunderlane, and Rumble all joining Rich, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon in intimate get togethers centered around Hearth’s Warming, Bunny Day and the other holidays.

aww, a nice big merged family! that’s so nice! also, wait, what’s Silver Spoon’s deal here? does she not have her own family???

It had gotten to the point where Mac had started a betting pool on which would happen first: they both killed each other or they got married.

Homestuck…

Spoiled Rich, who couldn’t bring herself to fraternize with the common rabble, and Applejack who refused to give any reasons.

hoowee, what company for AJ to keep…

It abated when Apple Bloom would show him some new invention she had created or Thunderlane talked about his latest dating failure, but as soon as he was alone, the cage reasserted itself.

He didn’t know why it was happening.

He didn’t understand where the feelings were coming from.

Not until Applejack returned from the defeat of Nightmare Moon.

well, that’s a twist! Applejack’s main character adventures would feel a lot different from the perspective of a family she does not get along with

“Sure am.” She took another bite of apple and talked as she chewed. “Princess said we’d be sent on missions together from now on. Saving the world from evil. Goin’ to be real heros.”

Mac felt a bitter thought worm its way to the front of his mind.

and oof… yeah, that’s going to feel very unjust 

“We don’t talk about our problems, at all. We are both probably the biggest liars in Ponyville with how much we bicker about nothin’.” Mac wiped a few remaining tears from his eyes. “Meanwhile, you get the Element that describes this family the least and get to have what I wanted without actually wanting it.” Mac snorted. “No wonder this place feels like a cage. You got to be free once because you were a coward where I got forced into this position and have to stay here toiling away on these fields until I die. Alone.”

damn… but yes, exactly what Mac would feel in this situation

“What are you- Ugh!” Applejack gave Mac a furious glare. “Fine, ya big oaf. See if I care!”

“You never cared before, don’t know why you’d start now.”

oof! you are so good at twisting that knife and then twisting it some more