Life of an Apple

     Applejack had not yet sent any letters to the Apples.

     Big Mac was angry at himself for letting his little sister go. He took out his anger by bucking the apple trees.

He kicked harshly again with his hind legs, and instantly green apples rained down around him. He didn't bother placing buckets today.

     Redstreak then came outside. His orange eyes widened as he noticed Big Mac. "No need to be so rough, Macintosh!" he shouted. He galloped over to the red colt, who was still fuming. After calming his son down, Redstreak asked softly, "Are you mad at Applejack?"

     "I'm mad at me," Big Mac replied. "I shoulda stopped her. She belongs here. Her name's Applejack, not Orangejack."

     Redstreak gave a sad smile. "I couldn't bear to see her leave. I always thought we'd grow up together, one big happy family. Momma and I, Granny Smith, and you, Applejack and our unborn filly." He blinked. "What did you do with your hat?"

     "I buried it," Big Mac said. He had, a few feet down behind the barn. It reminded him too much of his sister. Big Mac tried to push the memory out of his mind, but it still replayed. It was a couple years before Applejack started school. She had stolen Big Mac's hat and was wearing it, giggling, when her brother found her in his room.

     "Look, Big Macintosh!" Applejack had squealed. "I'm you!" She tried kicking his bed with her hind legs, but stumbled to the ground.

     For a moment Big Mac was angry at his sister for stealing his hat. Then he laughed it off with her.

     Now, Redstreak sighed. "I understand. You wanna get rid of those memories, don't ya?"

     Just then, an enormous explosion happened in the sky. A flaming ring of color expanded with a strong force of wind below it. As the force hit Sweet Apple Acres from his left, Big Mac and Redstreak clung to apple trees, even though they were nearly pulled sideways from the ground.

     Windows in the barn shattered. Part of the roof fell to the gusty ground. Big Mac glimpsed his mother and Granny Smith escaping and hurrying toward them.

     Big Mac shut his green eyes tightly, waiting in fear for the chaos to be over. It was a minute or two before his surroundings were still. He opened his eyes to see Apple Drops and Granny Smith letting go of a nearby apple tree. The colt turned to see his father's crimson body sprawled unconscious on the ground.

     "Redstreak!" Apple Drops cried, hurrying over to her husband. She stroked his dark brown mane quickly. "You're okay, you're okay, you're okay..." She continued whispering the words to herself.

     Big Mac trotted over to Granny Smith. Her amber eyes held concern. "He must've let go by accident," she murmured.

     "What was that?" the red colt asked.

     Granny Smith held him close. "A sonic rainboom," she whispered into his ear. "I didn't know it was possible. Who coulda done that, I wonder?"