The footsteps grew louder, causing Dylan's heart to speed up. It was all leading up to this moment. The door handle turned and the door slowly opened.

"Get the shovel, boy... I have a job for you."

A scream echoed throughout the farm in the middle of the night, waking everypony up. Applejack was the first to barge into Dylan's room to find him sobbing uncontrollably. His words were incoherant, and his eyes were red from the excess use of tears. Applejack rushed over to the crying boy and held him against her, making soft shushing noises.

Big Mac and Applebloom entered the room to see Dylan clinging to Applejack and crying into her now soaked foreleg. His words were hard to make out, but one word was unmistakeable: "mama." Soon after, more words became clearer... and they were disturbing.

"I buried my mama! I buried my mama! I buried my mama!" Dylan cried over and over, unable to stop.

The Next Morning

The breakfast table was quiet. Applejack chewed slowly on her oat cereal, looking down at her bowl. Applebloom had already gone to school, and Big Mac was out plowing the fields. It was only her and Dylan, together in silence. She thought to herself a dozen times, trying to figure out how she was going to get Dylan to talk to her. He'd been silent since last night. Occasionally, she would open her mouth slightly, but not noticeably in an effort to say something, but no words would come to her.

Dylan was the same way, thinking to himself about how he would explain to Applejack about the words he spoke the night before. He would have to talk to her sooner or later, he thought. He couldn't keep it to himself any longer. The baggage he had on his soul needed to lifted away if he were to continue living with the Apple family. "Applejack..."

Applejack looked up at Dylan, trying to put on her normal face. "Yeah?"

"I... Can we talk? About last night?" Inside, Dylan was hoping she would say no.

"Of course, Sugarcube," She replied.

Dylan stared at his bowl as he spoke. "When I was growin' up, I didn't have the best life... My pa was always very strict, and would hit either me or my mama when we did somethin' he didn't like."

Applejack, now concerned, stared intently at Dylan as he spoke.

"He was always so angry," Dylan continued, "and I couldn't do anything to make him proud or happy. I had always hoped he would notice the work I do, but he would always find mistakes in the way I did things." Dylan's eyes began to well up with tears. He had to force himself to speak. "Then one night... Mama burnt the food again... and Pa hit her too hard... I couldn't see it cuz I was in my room, but I could hear every single noise. He killed her, and he made me... he made me bury her..."

Applejack's eyes also welled up with tears as she heard Dylan's tale. "Dylan... You did nothing wrong for him to hurt you like that."

"But everything I did," Dylan protested meekly, "It was all my fault. I made so many mistakes..."

Applejack jumped down from her chair and trotted over to Dylan. She took his face in her hooves and looked him in the eyes. "Dylan! You've made no mistakes whatsoever while workin' here! If he can't see that, then he ain't even your family! He ain't your pa! We're your family now!"

"Wh-What?" Dylan was confused.

"Ya heard me right! As long as we're kickin, we'll be your family!" Applejack smiled, her eyes filled with pride and determination.

Dylan's mind raced as he tried to piece together what Applejack had just told him. "My family? I dunno what to say..."

Applejack smiled as she patted him on the back. "You don't gotta say anything! In fact, you don't gotta go back to that place! You can stay here with us!"

Dylan's cheeks were wet with tears flowing down from his eyes. For years he had been in hell, and had suffered through countless beatings. Now he had a chance to get away from it all for good. He wrapped his arms around Applejack and buried his face into her neck, sobbing with joy. He was finally home.

The Chaos Realm

"Would you like some more tea, Mr. Tantabus?" Discord asked, holding up a blue teapot. He sat on an old couch in front of a small dining room table, floating in the infinite void that is his realm. The dark shadowy mass growled and made odd buzzing noises, as if angry with the draconequus.

"Well don't get angry with me if he found his place in Equestria," Discord scolded, "I did what you asked of me. How was I supposed to know he'd end up with Applejack?"

The shadow creature hummed a melodic tone that echoed throughout the realm.

"I see," Discord remarked, "But how are you going to get dear old papa into the equation?"

The Tantabus shifted into various shapes and forms, one of them being the silhouette of Dylan's father.

"I like the way you think," Discord complimented. He poured some tea into a small blue teacup, and then shoved the entire cup into his mouth, swallowing it whole. "But you have to promise me you'll come with me to the dance club. I can't go with myself, it's too embarrassing."

Another Discord chimed in, "All I did was spill a drink on you and you can't even let that go?"

The original Discord snapped his fingers, folding the copy up like a piece of paper and stuffing the folded clone into his nonexistent pocket. The Tantabus groaned and growled, annoyed with the being of chaos. It would have its freedom soon enough, and Equestria would be its new playground.

"And for those of you reading this," Discord commented, "I just wanted to let you know that I don't have to be serious when it comes to making deals with a nightmare creature. I'm the spirit of chaos for Celestia's sake!"

Author's Note

I had to introduce Dylan's darkest day sooner or later, so I thought sooner was better.