Apple Bloom was trying in vain to hold back the tears. She had trotted past this particular plot of land so many times before but had thought little of it. True, she knew it was where her parents were buried, but it had never bothered her the way it did now.
Resting beneath the trunk of the intertwined apple and pear tree were two little patches of dirt, with tombstones bearing the names "Bright Mac" and "Buttercup" respectively.
The farm filly sniffed and sobbed. Why did it hurt so much now? Well, that was a silly question, she knew why. Those words, those careless words from Scootaloo. Even if Scootaloo hadn't fully realized how they'd hurt or even intended for them to hurt the way they did, she had said them to Apple Bloom. And for the farm filly it was like opening a wound she'd never realized she'd had until now. It stung so badly.
She could still remember what had caused it. It had been pretty recent, after all. Just the span of a day or so. Sweetie Belle was out of town, apparently now old enough to go with her parents on their many vacations. So it had just been Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, and the two had decided out of respect not to run their club in Sweetie Belle's absence. The School of Friendship had let out for the summer, so they weren't needed as friendship counselors either.
Perhaps it was because of that that Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had each come to their own ideas about what to do with the free time they unexpectedly found themselves with. And inside that clubhouse that doubled as the place where their "clients" would come to seek out their help, the two had started arguing.
"Come on, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo had stubbornly encouraged. "We can't just sit around here all day and do nothing. I promise, you're absolutely gonna love the new trick I can pull off on my scooter! It's maybe even better than flying!"
But Apple Bloom had shaken her head and protested. "No, Scootaloo. I really ain't much for scooterin'. Besides," She added with the faintest hint of sorrow in her voice. "It's gettin' close to the anniversary of when my ma and pa passed away. I kind of just want to spend the day rememberin' them, especially since I really didn't get to know 'em all that well. They died when I was pretty young, after all."
"So?" Scootaloo had replied in an apparently unconcerned tone of voice. "It's not like it's your fault what happened to them. I'm sure if they were here now, they wouldn't want you to be all sad and mopey," She buzzed her wings. "Let's go have some fun!"
Apple Bloom had rejected the offer, her eyes narrowing as she glared at Scootaloo. "You don't know what my parents would've wanted for me! You never knew them!"
Scootaloo had glared back! "Yeah?! Well, you know how my parents are almost never around! But you never hear me complaining about it!"
The farm filly had then protested. "That's different and you know it! Your parents are still alive, and you've got your aunts to take care of you!"
"And you still have your grandmother and your older siblings!" Scootaloo had protested back. "I don't see what you're complaining about! It could be worse, you could have Sweetie Belle's parents and have them always just dumping you onto somepony else."
Apple Bloom had growled. "You don't understand, Scootaloo. You could never know what it's like to not know your parents!"
And then Scootaloo had all but shouted at the top of her lungs! "You're right, Apple Bloom, I don't know what that's like! But you have memories of them, don't you?! So your parents died when you were little, so what?!" Yet as soon as she had spoken those words, the tomboyish filly had gasped! In the heat of the moment, her emotions had gotten the best of her. Hesitantly, she had tried to correct. "Apple Bloom... I..."
But with tears in her eyes, Apple Bloom had stomped a hoof down and demanded of her fellow Crusader! "Just go! You don't get it!" And in the blink of an eye she had ushered Scootaloo to the club house door and slammed it shut in the pegasus' face.
Even though a day had passed and Apple Bloom had had time to think about what had been said, the hurt had not lessened. Why did Scootaloo have to be the way she was? Why had Apple Bloom let things escalate the way they had? Why did Sweetie Belle have to be out of town when she was always so good at getting Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to see reason?
But there was one nagging feeling that gnawed at the farm filly more than anything else: Why did her parents have to die? They'd never done anything wrong to anypony. Why did she have to be robbed of the chance to get to know them better, and only learn later on from other ponies what her parents were like? Why did she have to be the only one in the family left with only vague memories of her mom and dad? It just wasn't fair!
So Apple Bloom stood there, kneeling before the twin gravesites of her mom and dad. All the while, the tears continue to flow without end, staining her eyes a shade of crimson red.
"I wish you were still here, still alive!" Apple Bloom sobbed and sniffled. "If only there was a way to bring the dead back to live, even just for a little while."
Unbeknownst to the earth pony filly with a bow in her hair, her breakdown was not carrying on in silence. She was being observed, albeit from afar.
Scootaloo was observing the entire scene. By now, the guilt over the argument from yesterday was starting to eat her up. She really wanted to apologize now that she'd had time to think. But what should she say? What could she say?
The tomboyish pegasus took a step forward, ready to confront the problem head on. But then she hesitated. What if she said the wrong thing and made things worse? What if Apple Bloom didn't want to speak to her? Was it really wise for her to approach this delicate situation now? Now, when she hadn't fully sorted out her own feelings or what she'd say?
The uncertainty was enough to make the filly second guess herself. She did not take another step towards Apple Bloom, instead she turned around and trotted away. She needed to think about her approach. And as luck would have it, she knew of two ponies who might be able to help her out: Two ponies she knew she could always turn to in a pinch, even when she might not feel like talking about her feelings.
So Scootaloo trotted away from Sweet Apple Acres, and back across Ponyville until she reached the house that had once belonged to her parents. But of course, it was now owned and occupied by her aunts, something she was mighty grateful for. Having them in Ponyville full time was a lot better than having them just come to town, stay for a while, and then go back to that cottage several towns over. With her parents away from home, her aunts were the next best thing when it came to family.
Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty were of course there to greet Scootaloo when she came home, though if the looks on their faces were any indication they were quite surprised to see their niece at this time of day.
"Hey, slugger," Auntie Lofty greeted as she wrapped her niece in a tight wing hug. "What are you doing back here so soon? It's a beautiful day, a filly like you should be out making the most of it."
Aunt Holiday was quick to gesture a hoof and instruct her special somepony to ease off. "Now, now, Lofty, my dear," She insisted in that accent of hers. "We mustn't pry. If Scootaloo doesn't want to tell us, she doesn't have to. She should tell us only if she feels like she wants to."
Scootaloo sighed, trying not to look or feel ashamed. "No, it's okay, Aunt Holiday," She replied and took a deep breath. "There's... something I wanted to talk to you and Auntie Lofty about. And no, it's not about my wings."
Holiday and Lofty began to feel just the tiniest bit concerned. This wasn't like their niece at all. Holiday was the first to ask. "Then whatever is the matter, Scootaloo?"
And Lofty questioned with an arched brow. "Did you do something you're not supposed to?"
The tomboyish pegasus filly sighed deeply. "Well, I guess you could say that," And she glumly confessed. "It happened yesterday, actually. I didn't wanna tell you anything, because I was sure you'd both tell me I was wrong. And the thing is, you'd be right. What I did was wrong? Or rather, what I said," She sighed again. "I got into an argument with Apple Bloom. I lost my temper and yelled at her."
"So?" Lofty questioned in a somewhat confused tone of voice. "Holiday and I get into arguments all the time. But look at us, we haven't split up, we're still together. And you and Apple Bloom have gotten into arguments before. Why's this one any different, slugger?"
Scootaloo reluctantly explained. "We started talking about family, specifically her family. And when she said I didn't understand what it was like for her to lose her parents when she was little, I said of course I didn't know what that was like. And then I asked her why that was such a big deal. And that was after I told her she was lucky to have known them at all, to have them around at all. That it could've been like what it is with my parents."
Holiday and Lofty gasped as their eyes widened in shock!
"Scootaloo!" Holiday exclaimed in a sharp and stern tone of voice once the shock had worn off! "What were you thinking saying such things?! Of course she was going to be upset!"
Scootaloo hung her head. When even her Aunt Holiday was telling her off, she knew she'd truly messed up. "Yeah, I know now that I was wrong to say the things I said. I was just... so angry... I wasn't thinking! And when I did, it was too late," She swallowed hard. "So, since then, Apple Bloom and I haven't spoken to each other at all. She's just been spending all her time at her parents' graves, crying and sobbing. I feel guilty. I want to make it up to her," She fought back tears. "But... I don't know how."
What followed was a long silence between the three as Holiday and Lofty didn't say anything to Scootaloo, and Scootaloo waited for whatever response they might give.
At last, however, Holiday (after looking across to Lofty and getting a reassuring nod) lifted Scootaloo's chin up with a hoof and looked her niece in the eyes. "Well, it's good that you understand what you've done wrong, Scootaloo. And it's good that you want to apologize. But Lofty and I can't tell you what to say or what to do."
Lofty nodded. "This is one time where you're gonna have to sort things out for yourself, Scootaloo. It's not our place to say what you should do or how you should do it," And she explained. "You're just gonna have to go to Apple Bloom, and do your best to try to apologize on your own. After that..." She trailed off.
Scootaloo got the message, however. "Thanks Aunt Holiday, thanks Auntie Lofty," She said to the both of them. And then, suddenly, a courage she had rarely known before came to her. "I... I think I know what I have to do!" Nervously, she added. "I just hope it's not too late to make things up to Apple Bloom."
After another long trek across Ponyville, Scootaloo arrived back at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. Despite the time that had passed, she saw that Apple Bloom had not budged an inch from where she'd stood. About the only thing that had changed was that the farm filly had ceased in her crying and sobbing, she was emotionally spent.
Scootaloo slowly stepped forward. No turning back now, she had to see this through to the end!
Apple Bloom suddenly became aware of the sound of approaching hoofsteps, and glanced over her shoulder in time to see Scootaloo approaching. She soon turned back to the gravesites in front of her, unwilling to look her fellow filly and Cutie Mark Crusader in the eyes. She didn't even acknowledge Scootaloo's presence, that's how hurt she was.
The tomboyish filly felt ready to give up. But she knew that if she did so now, the wounds might never heal, she and Apple Bloom might never become friends again. She had to do this, no matter how difficult it might be. "Apple Bloom..." She spoke slowly, trying to find the words she wanted to say.
Apple Bloom only growled in a low tone of voice. "Go away, Scootaloo! You already made it clear how you feel."
Scootaloo shook her head from side to side. "Look, Apple Bloom, I know I can't take back what I said yesterday. I know how much your parents must mean to you. Really, I do. It wasn't right of me to say what I said."
The farm filly just replied. "You don't really know, you just think you do! Havin' parents who aren't around isn't the same as havin' parents who are dead!"
Scootaloo sighed, continuing to trot forward. "Apple Bloom, I just want to apologize as best I can," She reached out a hoof to her fellow Crusader. "Losing somepony so close to you at such a young age, it's not right. Whatever your parents were like, I'm sure they loved you to their very last day. I know now how it hurts, it's a kind of hurt that never truly goes away no matter how much time passes," Sympathetically, she stated. "I want to share your pain, because that's what friends do."
"Scootaloo..." Apple Bloom began.
The tomboyish pegasus insisted. "-Apple Bloom, if you can't forgive me right now, that's fine. I'm not asking for forgiveness. And I don't know what your parents would want you to do in this situation. Any words I could possibly say about them would mean nothing. I never knew them, I don't know what they'd be like if they were here now. The best I can do is say sorry, and try to atone," She then turned to leave. "That's all I wanted to say. That's all I can say, all I can do."
Apple Bloom was silent for a moment, before calling out to Scootaloo. "Do you want to know?"
Scootaloo turned around very slowly, hesitant even though she was certain she knew what Apple Bloom was talking about. "Know what?"
The farm filly adjusted her bow before explaining. "What happened to them? I only found out for myself a few years ago," Her voice became tinged with sorrow and regret. "It's not somethin' I like to think about. It happened when I was three years old, so there wasn't anythin' I could've done anyway."
"If you want to, you can," Scootaloo replied in uncertainty. "But if you don't... that's fine too. I'm not sure if I'm better off not knowing," She gulped before asking. "Was it the timberwolves? I've heard stories about them, about what can happen to ponies who don't know how to scare them off."
Apple Bloom shook her head and then winced. "It wasn't timberwolves, Ma and Pa were too smart and too careful," She shut her eyes, trying to picture the tragic event. "Granny Smith told me, and there's records at town hall to prove it: It was a barn fire. A neighbor's barn caught on fire, Ma and Pa went to help. They were always the kind of ponies who'd go runnin' off to help at the drop of a hat."
Scootaloo asked rather slowly. "So... did they... not make it out?"
Apple Bloom nodded. "More or less. They were tryin' to rescue some cows still trapped in the barn, but Pa had hurt his legs the other day and he wasn't as strong as he usually was. Ma tried to help him," She shuddered, remembering what she had been told and had found out. The picture was not one she liked to think about. "They got the cows out by breakin' the barn door open. But that caused the whole barn to go up, somethin' called a flashover. The smoke and flames were too much for 'em, best Pa could do was toss his hat out to save it."
The tomboyish pegasus gasped! "I... didn't know!"
The farm filly simply replied in a sorrowful tone of voice. "Well, apparently, ponies say they overheard 'em singin' somethin' just before it was too late. The last things they said to each other:" She opened her lips and began to sing the song she'd learned, a song that had once seemed so sweet but now carried such sorrowful implications:
We're far apart, in every way.
But you're the best part of the day,
And sure as I breathe the air,
I know we are the perfect pear.
On a prickly path that goes on for miles.
But it's worth it just to see you smile.
And I cannot be pulled apart.
From the hold you have on my heart.
And even if the world tells us it's wrong,
You're in my head like a catchy song.
The tears returned to Apple Bloom's face in an instant as she finished singing. "When the fire was under control, ponies brought 'em out and tried to save 'em. But by then it was too late... they were gone," She forced a smile as she added. "Can't imagine they'd have wanted to go any other way, though. Riskin' their lives to help others, because that's what they did. Not because they wanted to be heroes, but because they'd never be able to live with themselves if they didn't help others no matter what," Something of a chuckle escaped her lips. "Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in that regard."
Scootaloo was slow to reach out a hoof, pulling Apple Bloom close. "I see now why their deaths mean so much to you, Apple Bloom. Sounds a lot like my parents, actually. There's been times where I've been worried they won't come back alive. But even though they know the risks, they choose to go on doing what they do because they believe it's their way of helping others," She then hugged her fellow filly and Crusader. "Thanks for telling me more about your parents. I feel like I understand them better now, what they were like and what they lived for."
Apple Bloom managed to smile. "Yeah. In a way, it's almost like a part of them lives on, somehow. It's just funny like that, I guess." Yet as she looked up to the sky, even though it was the middle of the day, she swore she could see two shooting stars pass overhead. And she knew at once what they meant. Her mom and dad were watching over her.
Author's Note
Cailtin Peterson on FanFiction.net proposed something way back in early 2023 covering the deaths of Bright Macintosh and Pear Butter, and of having it be a fire that claimed their lives. She said that supposedly, the show staff have said that it was either that or timberwolves that caused the Apple parents' deaths.
I did suggest a willingness to do it at some point, then my life changed: I got another part-time job, my Uncle Tony died unexpectedly, and a series of closures and moves necessitated my finding new healthcare providers for various things. So this just kept getting pushed back and pushed back, especially as inspiration for other things took priority.
Ultimately, I decided to partially do the request in this way. I thought about having Scootaloo write to her parents for advice, seeing as I find her canonical parents to be overhated. But I decided against it since I felt doing so would drag out the fic unnecessarily.
