This I Believe

by The Collab Cage

Bits of Independence

Applejack and Twilight stopped on their way to Sweet Apple Acres for Applejack to get the mail. She paused a moment longer after noticing the royal seal on a letter, opening it on the spot.

She frowned at the letter. “Another tax hike?! We just had one last year!”

Twilight read the short notice over AJ’s shoulder. “It’s only a little.”

“A little of my money, goin’ to that big ol’ castle.”

"It’s going to the Crystal Empire though.” Twilight smiled. “Princess Celestia wanted to give the ponies there some help, since they were imprisoned for years.”

“That’s right nice of Princess Celestia to be doin’ with my money,” Applejack huffed.

“Applejack!” Twilight frowned. “Those ponies were–”

“I know, Twilight. I was there,” Applejack said, patiently. “But nopony asked me if I wanted to help them.”

“Well, you should want to help them.” Twilight pointed out.

“That ain’t the point.” Applejack explained. “The point is that Princess Celestia’s never been out here on a hot day, buckin’ trees. And she’s never stood at a market stall ‘till her hooves ached, or plowed a field ‘till she was sore all over.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “I do all that. Doin’ those things is how I make money, so I can keep my farm runnin’, my family fed, and send Apple Bloom to school. I know just how much time and sweat goes into makin’ a bit. Don’t it seem that I oughta decide if I wanna give some to the crystal ponies?”

Twilight stared at Applejack. “I never thought you’d be so selfish, Applejack.”

Applejack’s jaw dropped. “I am not selfish! Maybe I do wanna help the crystal ponies! But if I do, I’d like to decide how much I’m helpin’ ‘em, and what I’m helpin’ ‘em do. If somepony was passin’ ‘round a hat to help ‘em set up farms and stores, that’s one thing. But if they’re usin’ the money buildin’ fancy new stadiums for the Equestria Games, maybe I don’t wanna do that. My own town don’t got stadiums, and I already did what I could to help ‘em.”

Twilight frowned. “You don’t trust Princess Celestia to spend the money well?”

Applejack shook her head. “When Princess Celestia comes down here, works on this farm, and makes an honest day’s livin’, I’ll trust her to spend the money she earns just like anypony else. But as long as all she’s gotta do is sign a paper to get my money, why would I trust her to think like I do ‘bout how to spend it?”

“Well, you’re going to have to,” Twilight said, as if that settled that.

Applejack glared at the letter. “I know it. That don’t mean I’ll like it. What a pony earns oughta be their own.”

Author's Note:

Written by bookplayer.

Comments

[Dusty Sage]

I've heard almost exactly this same discussion among, um, non-ponies.

[nemryn]

Oh, so only the kinds of things that Applejack does count as 'hard work', huh? I see how it is.

[pjabrony]

You know, AJ, you're in tight with the Princess. If you don't pay your taxes, she's probably not going to arrest you. Heck, you can probably get Sweet Apple Acres declared an Equestrian landmark, and the Crown will end up owing you money.

[Titanium Dragon]

2154817
Of course! Isn't that how it works?

[nemryn]

2972840
Er, what? I was talking about how Applejack apparently thinks that hard physical labor is the only thing that counts as 'making an honest day's living', how delegating and organizing and diplomatizing and all the other Princess stuff Celestia does doesn't qualify. I don't see where 'taxes are theft' comes into that.