Big Macintosh's Lesson
Part 10D (Revised): … Against Itself Cannot Stand
by Neoraichu
Twilight Sparkle X Applejack (X Spike?), Dash X Pinkie Pie, Big Macintosh X Fluttershy
...
Twilight watched over Applejack as she peacefully slept. She occasionally placed her pastern on Applejack's forehead, and realized that she was suffering from a fairly persistent fever. She used her magics to summon ice and an ice pack from her own kitchen so she could load the pack and place it on her forehead without even leaving her side. The coldness of the pack caused the orange pony to jerk in her sleep, making Twilight fear she would wake up, but she didn't.
It didn't take as long as if felt for Big Macintosh to come into the room somewhat noisily in his hurry.
"Shush," said Twilight, "Applejack is sleeping." She glared at the larger red pony before he could say a single thing.
"Just look at her," she hissed quietly, "How can you work her when she's so sick?"
"She dun never complained," he replied in quiet defense of himself, "We all worked just as hard in the fields and she never dun said nuthin about it."
"She shouldn't have to say it to you," replied Twilight, "It should have been obvious just watching her. You know Applejack isn't the kind to complain or ask for special attention. As her Big Brother, you should have figured it out yourself."
"I may be her Big Brother, but I ain't no psychic," he replied, "and I well know that Applejack has her pride and hates to admit she's sick, but I was gonna figure it out soon enough without your buttin in. While I appreciate everthin you've done an all, I think it's long since time y'all went home an let the proper family take care of Applejack."
"No," replied Twilight, "Applejack is the love of my life and I will NOT abandon her."
"Love may be one thing," he replied, "but the bond of kinfolk is stronger and more important."
"I beg to differ."
"Fine," he muttered, "I won't make ya go, but we ain't feedin ya either."
"Fine," she replied, "I ate recently anyway. I'm quite well."
"Don't ya got some books ta read or a report to write or somethin?" he asked with what Twilight felt was a touch of sarcasm.
"No," she replied with a little heat in her tone, "There's nothing I have to do now that can't be done another time. Now I need to return my attention to Applejack, if you don't mind. I think you have your own chores to get back to, don't you?"
"It ain't like were picking the zap apples now," he replied, "but I'll get back to work anyways. But don't you think fer a minute I won't be coming back now and then to check up on my sweet little sister."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
"I dun brung her hat back from the field," he said as he lay her hat on the bed stand, "make sure she knows its there when she wakes up."
"I'll be sure to do that," she answered.
"Fine," he muttered.
"Fine," she replied.
Big Macintosh turned and left the room more quietly than when he came in. Once he was gone from the room, she parked her rump on the floor and rested her chin on the side of the bed so she could keep an eye on her Applejack.
Some time passed as Twilight watched Applejack, checked her temperature and summoned more ice from home to keep the ice pack full. She occasionally paused to pour the melted water out the window so it would flow down into the storm gutters. The orange pony continued to sleep, although it wasn't always a peaceful rest, judging by her twitching and fidgeting.
Later on, the door opened quietly. She turned with a retort ready for Big Macintosh, but saw that it was Apple Bloom standing there instead.
"How's Applejack doing?" she asked quietly.
"She's getting plenty of rest," replied Twilight, "and I hope it won't take long for her fever to break."
"I want to thank you for taking such good care of Big Sister," she answered.
"It's... it's nothing, really..." replied Twilight awkwardly.
"Are you and Big Brother fighting?" she asked innocently.
"Fighting?" asked Twilight, "Uh... no... we just both have strong feelings about Applejack and we both want her to get well. That's all."
"That's good," she answered, "because I like you both. I know Applejack likes you both too."
"Thank you."
"Well," she replied, "I need to get back out an help Big Brother now."
"I appreciate you stopping by to check up on her," said Twilight softly.
"Kay," she replied as she slipped back out and quietly closed the door behind her.
Applejack murmured in her sleep, drawing Twilight's attention back to her. She shifted slightly in her sleep, but didn't wake up.
As promised, Big Macintosh returned later to check up on his little sister. While he said nothing overtly hostile, she could sense his desire for her to leave. It only made her more adamant about her desire to stay by Applejack's side until she was all better. What he actually said, however, seemed to go over her head, as she wasn't really paying much attention to what he said. She murmured some reply or another that seemed to leave him satisfied enough to go back to the fields.
She then caught herself yawning, and noticed that she was a lot more tired than she realized. The time had flown by quickly, and it was well past noon. She wondered why she should be so tired so early in the day. It seemed that fussing over Applejack so was actually rather tiring. That was also combined with the fact she hadn't really eaten anything that day: She awoke thinking about Applejack and ran off for the farm before she had even thought about eating.
So she sat in a chair beside the bed and propped herself on her forelegs, resting her chin on her hooves. She remained vigilantly watching Applejack even as her eyelids slowly closed. Before she knew it, she was peacefully sleeping right at her Applejack's side.
Applejack lay in bed, twitching and rolling her closed eyes as she slept.
...
Applejack awoke with a start. It was late at night, and she was sleeping nose to nose with Twilight. The two were entwined in each others legs underneath the bed sheets sloppily covering them. She was so happy that she used her nose to nuzzle against Twilight nose and cheek.
"So yer finally awake?" asked the voice from her other side.
She rolled her head over and realized that Big Brother was in bed with her too, wrapping his legs about her from the other side. "Big Brother?" she asked.
"Eh-yup," he answered, "and I love you."
"But Twilight Sparkle loves me too," she answered sheepishly.
"But I'm family," he retorted, "and she's a Unicorn. My love is true. She can't truly love you."
"No," she replied, "She loves me deep and true."
"Y'all can't have it both ways, sugar-cube," he answered, "Do you love the Unicorn or does you love yer family? Do you want to take care of our apples, or do you want to move to the city with her and her books and her magics?"
"Making me choose just one ain't fair," replied Applejack, "I wants ya both."
"It ain't fair if you don't make a choice. That's what ain't fair."
"I don't wanna choose," she whined, "Don't make me choose."
"You gotta choose one way or another," he replied, "and if I don't does it, then your Unicorn love will."
"No, she won't. She understands how things is. Twilight loves me for who I am, an she don't wanna make me change no how."
"He's quite right," came the reply from the other side. She rolled her head back to see Twilight looking back into her eyes.
"You have to choose eventually. If we got married, you'd have to leave your home and live with me. A mare cannot stay home once she's married. You couldn't work the apple fields anymore. You'd have to study books, scrolls and magic with me. You'd have to live with me and Spike forever."
"But Twilight," she cried back, "We ain't married yet. I still wanna tend the apples down here on the farm with Big Brother. I ain't ready ta leave Apple Bloom an Granny Smith an the rest of the Apple Clan right now."
She felt as if she were being pulled on from two sides at once.
"Stay with tha family," said Big Macintosh forcefully.
"Stay with me," said Twilight with equal conviction.
"I cain't choose," whined Applejack, "I cain't choose yet!"
...
She awoke with a start to find herself looking into the concerned gaze of Twilight Sparkle.
"Are you okay?" she asked with concern.
"I's feelin better," she replied.
Twilight put her fetlock on Applejack's forehead and announced, "You still feel a bit fevered. You still need sleep. You were crying in your sleep about not being ready to choose. What did you not want to make a choice about?"
"Oh," she lied, "it twernt nothin. I couldn't choose between Big Brother's zap apple pie and Granny Smith's zap apple cobbler. Ain't tha silly?"
"Why would you have to choose one?"
"I told y'all it was a dream, an dreams don't has to make sense, right?"
"No," replied Twilight, who apparently accepted the lie, "I guess they don't. How are you feeling?"
"I's feelin better," she lied again, "I'm sure I'll be right as rain an ready ta work the fields tomorrow an all. Don't cha sweat it none."
"Well I'm going to stay right here by your side until you're better."
"Was you sleepin in that chair?"
"A little. Why do you ask?"
"Cuz someone put a blanket over you."
She looked at her shoulders and realized that someone had in fact put a blanket over her.
"When... who?"
"Well," mused Applejack, "If'n y'all gonna stay here all night an all, ya might as well snuggle up her wif me. Just sleep ta my back so I don't breathes in yer face."
"That's all right?" she asked, "It won't upset Big Macintosh?"
"Hey, I's a big mare now an I can make some decisions on my own," replied the orange mare confidently, "I says it's okay, so it's o-kay-doe-kay."
Applejack rolled away from Twilight as she lifted the covers and slipped underneath them, but only after folding the blanket over her shoulders neatly and laying it down at the end of the bed. She wrapped her forelegs about Applejack's barrel and nuzzled her nose against the orange mare's ear.
"Good night, apple-tart," sighed Applejack as she closed her eyes again.
"Good night, love of my life," replied Twilight quietly.
After the two drifted off to sleep, the door opened a little and very quietly, and a certain red stallion poked his nose inside.
"So you've made up your mind, sugar-cube?" he asked quietly.