A Collection of Headcanons

A short(ish) biography of Applejack's parents.

Sweet Apple Acres.

A pillar of familiarity and pride among all of Ponyville's inhabitants. A source of the best apple-based food products around, and the place to go for apple cider, be it alcoholic or not. One of the main reasons for The Silver Horseshoe's popularity in Equestria is because it is the only establishment in Equestria that has a near constant supply of Apple Family Cider.

Of course, a few decades ago, Sweet Apple Acres was not called Sweet Apple Acres. It was called Apple Acres Farm. Owned by a Mr Alexander Apple.

Alexander was not an only foal. He had two sisters; one older, one younger - both by two years; and an older brother - older than Alexander by five; so three years older than his eldest sister.

Jonathan Apple (the aforementioned brother) though a skilled applebucker, had found his talent in charity. He travelled Equestria along with his friends, helping homeless ponies, healing sick ones, and feeding hungry ones. So he had left the farm after earning his cutie mark, bid goodbye to his loving family, and set off in his journey. He wrote to his little brother often, and there was no hardships in their relationship.

There was, however, a considerable amount of tension between Alexander's oldest sister, and the rest of the family. Calvados Apple had not found such a...selfless career. She had been ashamed of her family's unglamorous lifestyle, and so had left for the high-life in Manehattan as soon as she was old enough. She had apparently settled in very well into the life of a Manehattan mare; including finding stallion by the name of Sunstar Orange. Sunstar was a rich, well-mannered pony whose family owned a large orange production company. However, Alexander sincerely doubted that Sunstar had ever seen an orange orchard. The first letter any of her family had received had been a few months after she had left, telling them all that she had earned her cutie mark; it was for oranges. Calvados hadn't written since.

So, with both of his older siblings gone, the upkeep of the Apple Acres Farm fell squarely on Alexander' shoulders. He didn't mind. Unlike Jonathan and Calvados, Alexander had always loved farm life. He supposed that, in a way, Jonathan had too; for Alexander had never seen his older brother look discontent on the farm. But charity had been his true calling.

It had been no surprise, however, when Alexander got his cutie mark, and it turned out to be for apples. The same went for his youngest sister, Ginger Gold. Alexander was very proud to be the stallion who was to take care of the farm, very proud that his parents trusted him. Ginger helped out on the farm too, obviously, but Alexander could sense that she yearned for more. In a few years, she would move to Dodge Junction, and a few years after that would aid some other ponies in the founding of Appleloosa. Ginger Gold was an Apple, but an Apple that yearned for adventure. In that way, she was remarkably like her oldest brother.

When Jonathan had left to go make Equestria a better place, he had been fifteen. Calvados had been twelve, Alexander had been ten and Ginger Gold had been eight. He had left with a large group of his friends, all of whom had similar views. Among them was an Earth mare by the name of Charity - she came from a "very giving family (she had called them nutcases), but had left them to pursue a giving life that didn't result in living in near poverty. She was just as generous and charitable (no pun intended) as her family, but wanted a little more for herself in life; a little more adventure. She later became Jonathan's wife, and the mother of his two foals.

Four years later, when Calvados was sixteen, she threw a tantrum. Her biggest tantrum ever. Her screams shook the farmhouse's foundations and rattled the windows.

"Why can't I go to Manehattan?!" she cried furiously at her mother, "John left! And he was younger than I am now!"

"Calva," Alexander's mother said calmly, "John was with friends, they are a large group, and this was when he had earned his cutie mark. His calling was charity work." Calvados, though sixteen years old, still had no cutie mark. On her sixteenth birthday only a few weeks ago, sh had finally snapped, and decided that she had no mark because farm life was not for her.

"But what if my calling lies in Manehattan?" Calvados spat at her mother, "What if my calling isn't some dirty farm-mare job?"

Hazen Apple pursed her lips. "Well." she said tightly, "If that's how you feel, and you're perfectly sure that a dirty farm-mare job is not for you, then who am I to stop you leaving?" Hazen stepped aside to allow her oldest daughter to pass and climb the stairs to pack a bag. By this point, Jonathan, or Alexander or Ginger Gold would have been crying for forgiveness at calling their mother -  a proud, hardworking pony - nothing more than a dirty farm-mare.

But Calvados was not Jonathan, or Alexander, or Ginger Gold. Calvados was Calvados. She walked past her mother proudly, packed a bag in moments and was out of the door without so much as a goodbye. The last words Calvados said to her mother were,

"Don't expect any letters."

The instant the front door had closed, Hazen Apple had broken down in silent tears. Spencer Apple, her husband, had comforted her. As had her remaining children. But Calvados Apple had been lost to the family from that moment.

Calvados saw her mother only once more before she died. At the birth of Jonathan's son, Taylor. She had made peace with her parents and family then, but she remained adamant in staying in Manehatten, and still didn't write. The relationship was mended, but still distant. But it was better than a broken one, because, by the time that Charity gave birth to Jonathan's daughter, Katy (when Alexander was twenty-one); Hazen had passed away.

Alexander's father, Spencer, lived for a few years more, but not many. Alexander and Ginger Gold looked after him as best they could, but he had been an old stallion even when Jonathan had been born. He died three years after his wife - when Katy was two. At which point, the twenty-one-year-old Ginger Gold left Apple Acres Farm for Dodge Junction. She wrote often to her brothers, and sometimes visited Alexander. But for the most part, the stallion was on his own.

One year after Ginger left, Alexander was twenty-four and running Apple Acres Farm single-hoofedly. He kept the farm afloat by employing young colts and mares who had earned their cutie marks (by Equestrian law, you cannot employ a pony who had not earned their cutie mark) but were unable to find work.

One day, he was walking through town to drop off an apple-pie batch that had been ordered by his good friend, Carrot Cake. Carrot was opening a bakery - he planned to call it Sugarcube Corner. Alexander admired his ambition, but doubted that the shop would last for long. Alexander had the same thoughts about Carrot's latest marefriend, Cup Cake. I give it five months, he thought, but said nothing, because both were very nice ponies.

He was unloading the wagon in front of the half-decorated bakery when he first saw her.

Albany Sweet.

Albany Sweet was the only foal of Jonagold and Maigold Sweet. Her father had recently died, so she and her mother (who was now going by her maiden name of Smith) had moved to Ponyville for a change of scenery. She was twenty-three, and very, very pretty. She had a beautiful, sunset-orange coat; golden-orange eyes, and a curly golden mane. Her cutie-mark was a slice of raspberry pie - she was a baker.

And she happened to think that Alexander was very handsome. He had a light-yellow coat - so much so that you could barely see the trio of white freckles on each cheek - sap-green eyes and a rich orange-and-red-streaked mane (in fact...the orange in his mane was pretty much the same hue as that of her coat). His cutie mark was a shiny red apple with a bite out of it, and as for the worn Stetson hat upon his head...it couldn't possibly look as good on anypony else.

So when Albany was having a little map trouble, she decided to ask him.

"Excuse me, sir," she said in a friendly voice. Alexander's heart did a little leap as he realised she was talking to him.

"Please, call me Alexander, ma'am." Albany's heart fluttered when she heard his gorgeous Southern accent. She giggled, somewhat involuntarily.

"Only if you call me Albany." she replied sweetly.

"Albany..." Alexander said her name slowly, "That's a beautiful name." he gave her a crooked smile, "But only fittin', Ah suppose. A beautiful name for a beautiful mare."

Albany giggled again, "You're too kind, Alexander." she told him, and he shrugged. Albany smiled and pulled out her map, "I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find Apple Acres Farm? I hear they have a position there."

Alexander's face split into a blazing grin, "Not only can Ah tell you where it is, Ah know the owner." he told her,

Albany's face lit up, "Do you think he'd let me work there?"

Alexander paused, "Ah don't know." he said, "Give me one moment." he stepped to the left.

"Hey, Alexander," he said to the thin air next to him, "Ah met this mare earlier, and she was wondering if she could get a job down at your farm." he then took two steps to the right, took off his hat, and turned to face the thin air again; he was conversing with himself.

"Well, hey, Alexander!" he said to himself, "You met a mare who wants work, huh? Is she pretty?"

He stepped to the left and replaced his hat, "Very." he smiled, winking at Albany, and she laughed, "Have you got a job opening?"

Alexander took off his hat again and stepped to the right, "Ah think Ah do." he said, "Tell her to come by later." he then put on his hat again and turned to face Albany. "Ah think the owner likes you."

Albany was laughing, hard. She wiped her eye and grinned at Alexander, "Well, aren't you a charmer!" she exclaimed, "When can I start?"

"Right now, if you like." Alexander said, "Ah could use a little help unloading these pies."

After she aided him with the pies, and introduced herself to the Cakes, Alexander later took Albany back to Apple Acres Farm and showed her the ropes. When she accidentally mentioned she had no home, he insisted she stay in the farmhouse. Her mother too, as the farmhouse had five bedrooms. Albany turned out to be a very talented applebucker, but her real expertise was for cooking. She made the best apple pies that Alexander had ever tasted.

By the time Alexander was twenty-six, he was married to Albany. It had been quite literally love-at-first-sight, and in honour of their union, Alexander had the farm re-christened as Sweet-Apple Acres (eventually, however, the hyphen was dropped for simplicity). They were a happy couple, and they worked hard on their farm, which was their baby.

But by the time he was twenty-seven, he had a real baby. A colt, to be exact: MacIntosh Apple. There was no prouder father anywhere, for MacIntosh looked like a dependable, strong and capable colt, who would grow to be a great stallion; of that, Alexander was sure. For the first few years of his life, however, he was known as Little Mac due to his endearingly scrawny build.

"Aw, ain't he a cute one?" Maigold cooed at the little colt. Alexander gave a small laugh,

"Just you wait, Maigold." he said, "Mah brother Johnny was a right lil' thing when he was a young'un. But look at him now, he's huge. Ah'll bet mah hat that MacIntosh turns out the same."

A few years later, MacIntosh was given a little sister. A sister with her father's eyes and her mother's coat. Albany was so overjoyed to have a daughter that she genuinely cried when she was born. MacIntosh was confused, at first by this strange creature, but grew to love her.

"Little Mac?" Albany said softly, "Come say hello." MacIntosh - who was nearly three at this point - had been poking his head around the door of his parents' room. He hadn't been allowed in for days, and he had barely seen his mother at all. His curiosity had finally gotten the best of him today, and he had finally taken a peek. He was surprised to see that the only apparent difference was the large cot in the middle of the room, and that his mother no longer had a very round stomach. His mother was gently waving him over to the cot that she was stood beside.

Tentatively, Macintosh crossed the room and poked his dark red head over the edge of the cot. His head cocked in confusion, one ear flattening, the other standing upright.

"What's that, Mama?" he asked, his big green eyes gazing in wonder at the tiny orange bundle in the sheets.

"She's not a that, Little Mac." Albany smiled, "She's a she." And 'she' began to stir, mumbling. Albany reached down and picked up hr little daughter, rocking her softly and humming.

Macintosh nodded. But he still looked confused, "Who is she?" he asked.

Albany chuckled, "She's your little sister, Macintosh. You're a big brother now." she continued rocking the baby. The confusion on MacIntosh's face vanished with a large grin. He sat down quickly on his parents' bed and held out his forehooves.

"Ah wanna hold her!" he grinned. Albany smiled warmly.

"Okay," she said, "But you'll have to be very careful. She's only little."

"Don't worry, Mama," he promised, "Ah will." and he took his little sister in his forehooves and held her close. She gazed up at the strange red creature with eyes as green as his own.

"What's her name?" he said, his voice excited and calm all at once.

"We haven't named her yet." came his father's voice, and MacIntosh looked up to see Alexander come in. "But do you have any suggestions."

"How about Apple Jam?" MacIntosh said excitedly, "Then she can be AJ for short."

Albany made a face, "Definitely not Apple Jam." she told her son, "Besides, there's no such thing as apple jam."

"But Ah like the 'AJ for short idea'." Alexander added, putting a hoof around his wife. She giggled as he nuzzled her neck affectionately. MacIntosh made a face.

"Ignore them," he told his little sister, "They're just being gross because they're adults."

Alexander chuckled at this comment and Albany 'awww'ed. Both of them smiled at their son.

"I know..." Albany said softly, "How about Applejack?"

"Then she can still be AJ!" MacIntosh grinned.

"I like it," Alexander said, "I think that's perfect: Applejack Apple."

MacIntosh smiled and looked down at his little sister. "Hey, AJ." he said quietly, "Ah'm your big brother, MacIntosh. But you call call me Lil' Mac if you want."

The baby filly's cooed happily. Alexander chuckled, "Ah think she likes you." he told his son, ruffling the orange mane that matched his daughter's coat.

Unfortunately, this is where Alexander and Albany's story starts to sadden. Five years on after the birth of Applejack, Albany was once again pregnant, and gave birth to a second little filly, one whose coat matched Alexander's and whose mane matched MacIntosh's mane. By this point, the young stallion was eight, and he was close to earning his cutie mark. Applejack was five. Both were fascinated by their newest little sister, who was called Apple Bloom.

Only a week after Apple Bloom's birth, Alexander received a letter in the mail. He could hardly believe his eyes when he read the cursive script.

Dear Alex,

Calva here. I daresay you're surprised to see that I'm writing, huh? I know, I wasn't expecting to write either, but I felt that you needed to know this: Sunstar proposed!

I know, I know. I'm thirty-nine years old, it sounds silly, but he decided that "marefriend" was too informal for what he had, so soon I will be Calvados *Orange*. And, even though you don't approve of the life I have chosen, you are still my little brother, so I'd like you to come and attend the wedding. Bring Albany too, she's a darling.

Give the children my best, and I really hope to see you soon.

Love Calva.

Alexander gaped. Calvados was inviting him and his wife to his wedding? It was incredibly kind of her, for she almost never wrote. In fact, this was the first he had heard from her in six years. She wasn't even aware of Apple Bloom.

"We have to go." said Albany, reading the letter of his shoulder.

"Are you sure?" Alexander asked her, "We haven't heard from her in years - and little Apple Bloom-"

"-Will be fine." Albany calmed him, "My mother is still perfectly capable of caring for the children, and she'll have Little Mac and AJ to help."

"Darn tootin'!" Came Maigold Smith's voice. Of course, everypony had been calling her Granny Smith since MacIntosh had been born, "There's still plenty of life in these bones!"

Alexander chuckled, "If you're sure, honey." he said to his wife, "The wedding's the day after tomorrow." Mail from Manehattan often took about three days to arrive in Ponyville. And that was if it was first class.

"Which gives you whippersnappers just enough time to get there, if you leave on the first train." Granny Smith pointed out. And when neither made inclination to move, she nudged them. "Go on, git! Pack a bag, get some rest!"

Alexander and Albany laughed, "Okay, okay, we're going, Mama." Albany said, "But you should get some rest too." she pointed out, "AJ and MacIntosh are bad enough, but with another baby? You'll need your sleep whilst you can get it."

Granny Smith smiled, "Ah know, Ah know." she said, "Come on, we're all gonna need some shuteye."

And so, very early the next morning, Albany and Alexander bid goodbye to their three children, told them they loved them, and left for Ponyville train station. Granny Smith took care of the children for the next three days quite happily. On the fourth day, she expected that Alexander and Albany had been held up; for they had yet to return. On the fifth day, she began to worry. On the sixth, her worries turned to fear. On the seventh, her fears came to pass. The train that Alexander and Albany had been taking back from Manehattan...had crashed. There had been six survivors of the seventy ponies that had been on that train.

Alexander and Albany weren't one of them.