The Apple Doesn't Fall Far

Chapters

1. A Day To Say Thanks
2. Meet The Pegasus Parents
3. Suitor For Success
4. The Boiling Point
5. A Soft-Hearted Tale
6. Puttin' ? and ? Together
7. It's Written In The Stars
8. There Will Be An Answer
9. Rainbows and Butterflies
10. Dressed Down
12. No Love Lost
13. Rough Justice
14. Good-Bye and Hello
11. A Pie-Eyed Pair
A Little Bonus from the Author

1. A Day To Say Thanks

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Chapter 1: A Day To Say Thanks

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Applejack looked around and smiled. Volunteering to host Ponyville's first annual Parents' Day Festival had been a bold move, one that she was skeptical whether or not she could pull off. When she observed the transformation that Sweet Apple Acres had undergone, however, she couldn't help but swell up with pride. A 10-acre plot of currently unused farmland now housed a plethora of carnival-style games and events, including a dunk tank, a shooting gallery, and even a Ferris wheel. Various vendors were already beginning to set up their booths to sell their wide assortment of products, including all manner of fruits and vegetables, snacks, candy, arts and crafts, clothes, and toys. The barn, too, had been cleared out to make room for a bandstand and spacious dance floor. Even though the festival wouldn't officially begin for another few hours, the atmosphere of unadulterated fun could already be felt.

While standing at the farm's entrance, Applejack saw one vendor passing by holding a bundle of white T-shirts that read "I RAISED MY DAUGHTER FROM FILLY TO MARE AND ALL SHE GOT ME WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT!" She got an image in her head of several mothers and fathers walking around the festival with their children, playing, laughing, appreciating each others' company, all while wearing those very T-shirts. She couldn't help but laugh to herself.

"Ugh, puh-leeze! Those T-shirts are SO low class," huffed Rarity, who stood beside Applejack, pulling a cart of her own merchandise. "Why, if I were going to be selling those shirts at MY booth, the stitching on the letters would be MUCH finer!"

"Uh-huh, sure, I can totally picture you sellin' a ton of cheap T-shirts with vulgar jokes on 'em like that!" Applejack said with a laugh.

"Hmph! I was speaking hypothetically. The clothes I'll be selling at MY booth have been made with passion and inspiration, not bottom-of-the-barrel supplies and jokes!"

"I know, I know. I'm just yankin' your tail, sweetheart," Applejack replied, still wearing a big grin on her face. "Say, I could use some help here. Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours?"

"I beg your pardon?" Rarity asked, glancing at Applejack's unwashed back with a grimace.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Do me a favor and I'll do you one?"

"Oh! Of course," Rarity said with an embarrassed giggle. "What do you need?"

Applejack motioned to a large white banner lying on the grass. "Just need some help raisin' this here banner. Once it's up, my work here'll be all done." She grabbed one end of the attached rope in her teeth, and handed the other end to Rarity. "Just go ahead and pull this rope while I pull mine."

Rarity looked at the rope and frowned. "Eww, it's been on the ground! I'm not putting that in my mouth!"

"Aw, fine, Miss Queen o' Clean! Just pull it with your magic then!"

"Ah, yes! I forgot about that..." Rarity said with a blush. She used her horn magic to levitate her end of the rope. With that, both ponies began to pull in opposite directions, hoisting the banner off the ground and up in front of the Sweet Apple Acres entrance sign. Once it was up and spread out, it could clearly be read:

HAPPY PARENTS' DAY!
For All Of Your Love, Your Support, And Your Spanks
We Give In Return A Day To Say 'Thanks'

Rarity studied the banner. "Oh, what a darling little rhyme!" She then put on a polite smile. "But, umm… Is the 'spanks' bit really necessary?"

"Well, c'mon now, go on and tell me how many parenting-like words you can think of that rhyme with 'thanks'!" Applejack retorted, busily tying both ends of the rope down. "Besides, my ma always said discipline was key to raisin' youngin's. Used to say 'spanking hurts us both, but if I don't do it now, it'll hurt much more later'. Couldn't understand what she meant back then for a hill o' beans. But now that I'm older, it makes perfect sense. Doesn't it? Or am I just crazy as a fox in a henhouse?"

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Umm… do I have to answer that?"

Applejack just laughed again. "Naw, rhetorical question. Anyway, thanks for the help. As payback, I'll lend you a hoof settin' up your booth, alrighty?"

"I would appreciate that. Thank you," Rarity replied.

Applejack proceeded to take a large bundle of plastic-wrapped dresses from Rarity's cart and flung them onto her back. She groaned under the weight, but managed to start walking behind Rarity.

"I know I brought a pretty excessive supply," Rarity admitted, "but it's a holiday, so I expect to sell a MOUNTAIN of clothes tonight!"

"Well, your ma and pa are comin' to the festival to see you, aren't they?" Applejack asked. "I'm sure they'll account for at least a couple o' sales!"

Rarity chuckled unpleasantly. "Heh heh… Oh, that's doubtful. Knowing them, they'll probably buy some of those gag T-shirts and then nag to me that I should be selling those instead."

"Really? YOUR parents would do that?" Applejack asked, ready to laugh for when Rarity said she was just kidding. "I would think they were all hoity-toity and fashion-conscious like you!"

"Oh, heavens no!" Rarity responded as they approached her booth. The two began to unload their cargo. "You haven't met my parents yet, Applejack, but trust me, I'm about as different from them as a child could possibly be from her parents. And thankfully so."

"Oh my…" Applejack said, taken aback by the harsh comment. "What do they do that makes you so sour about 'em?"

"Let's just say it's what they DON'T do and what they DON'T understand," Rarity replied bitterly. "In fact, I would be against the idea of you meeting them tonight, but I know you're going to go out of your way to no matter what…"

"Of course," Applejack said, undaunted. "Why wouldn't I? I've been looking so forward to meeting everypony's parents. Twilight's, Fluttershy's, Rainbow Dash's, Pinkie Pie's… Haven't met any of 'em, and I've been dyin' to. So yes, I'll be makin' the effort to get to know all my best friends' folks personally. Including yours."

"Very well, do what you will," Rarity said flatly. She didn't even look at Applejack as she spoke. "Just don't expect me to be around when you do. I'll be minding the store all night. I do have a CAREER to build, after all. I can't just go wasting my time having mindless fun, or talking about settling down, or fake-flirting with every suitor you shove in my face and…"

Applejack's face twisted in confusion. "Uhh… You still talkin' to me, sugar cube?"

"Huh?" Rarity appeared to snap out of a trance. "Oh, I beg your pardon! I got lost in some… memories for a second there. Anyway, like I said, I'll be busy here all night, so have fun chatting with my mother and father if you happen to see them."

"Oh, come off it, you big ol' Drama Queen! Your folks can't be THAT bad. And even if they are, it's Parents' Day! They deserve some of your time. I'm sure you can think of SOMEthin' you can be grateful to 'em for…"

"Not off the top of my head, no," Rarity said without missing a beat.

Applejack was about to protest, but quickly realized that trying to reason with Rarity at that moment was fruitless. Clearly, the topic of her parents was a touchy one. Could they really be as horrible as Rarity was making them sound? It made Applejack wonder if she really did want to meet them…

Applejack then shook her head. It was crazy of her to question that. Of course she wanted to meet them. How awful could they be? They had raised Rarity, didn't they? The most creative, career-driven, generous pony in Ponyville. One of Applejack's very own best friends. They had to be tolerable, at the very least. Rarity must have just been exaggerating, as she tended to do…

Even so, Applejack didn't want to argue about it. In response to Rarity's last comment, she only said, "Well, maybe I'll find something' to like about 'em for myself, then."

"Mm-hmm. Good luck with that, dearie," Rarity said unenthusiastically.

Applejack finished hanging up the last dress from the cart. Rarity's booth was now complete, a true miniature version of the Carousel Boutique. Rarity sighed in contentment and sat herself at the small counter. She put on her work glasses, pulled up some accounting paperwork, and began to sift through it. Applejack saw this as her cue to leave Rarity alone. "Alrighty then, glad to be of service. I better get back to the house now. Gotta chat with Big Mac n’ Apple Bloom about our own family plans tonight.”

"Yes, you do that. I'll be here…" Rarity said, not looking up.

Applejack took a step to leave, but felt a strong desire to say one last thing. "And hey, Rarity, for what it's worth… At least your parents will be here."

At that moment, Rarity stopped sifting through her papers. She sat for a short while in ponderous silence, staring blankly across the horizon. She then let out a heavy sigh and turned to face her friend. "Oh, Applejack, darling. I didn't mean to-"

But Applejack was already gone.

~~~

The late afternoon sun was beginning to settle behind the western hills, casting Sweet Apple Acres and the surrounding countryside in a fiery orange glow that seemed at once powerful and tranquil. Applejack stood at the main gate, greeting the families that were just starting to arrive. She decided to do away with the her usual attire, including her ten-gallon hat, in favor of something a little nicer – she had put her mane up in a stylish bun, accented by a necklace and earrings of turquoise pearls, and to top it all off, a lovely white summer dress that perfectly balanced the line between casual and chic. The dress had been a gift from her mother, and it was extremely rare for her to even consider wearing it. However, she felt a special occasion like the first ever Parents’ Day Festival called for this special look.

From her vantage point, Applejack could see the festivities sparking to life. She heard a splash from the dunk tank, and looked to see a grandfather who had just been dunked by his middle-aged son. He himself appeared to be dripping wet, too, likely dunked earlier by the filly standing next to him. The grandfather poked his head out of the water and splashed the other two. All three were laughing and having a great time. The sight alone was enough to make Applejack smile warmly to herself.

"Umm, hi Applejack..."

That soft, introverted voice... Fluttershy! Applejack whirled around and saw Fluttershy standing there, looking sheepish as always. "Well howdy, amiga! Glad you could make it!" Applejack pulled Fluttershy in for a hug faster than she was ready for. After a slight hesitation, she hugged back.

"Been a little while," Applejack said, releasing her. "How's life been treatin' ya?"

"Good, I guess..." Fluttershy practically muttered. Her eyes seemed to be darting back and forth between Applejack's face and the scene of the festival behind her, as though she was looking for something out there. Or someone.

Applejack noticed right away that Fluttershy seemed more nervous than usual. She chose to ignore it right then, however. "That's good to hear. So hey, check it out!" She motioned toward the fairgrounds. "Welcome to the first ever annual Parents' Day Festival! Courtesy of the Apple Family! I know there ain't much of a crowd here yet, but still, ain't it a doozy of a sight?"

Fluttershy gazed out among the many fun activities and stands. In spite of the fun atmosphere, she only managed a half-hearted smile. "It looks... fun," was all she said, with no hint of excitement.

It was much more obvious to Applejack now that something was amiss. On top of that, it just then dawned on her that Fluttershy was alone. "Say darlin', speakin' of Parents' Day, where are yours? Ain't your ma and pa gonna join you tonight?"

Fluttershy looked at the ground. "Well... My dad is supposed to..."

"Really? That's great! How about your mom?"

Fluttershy was silent for several moments, scraping at the dirt with her hoof. "Umm... You mean... my stepmom, right?"

"Oh!" Applejack gasped. She realized she had just stepped into very sensitive territory. "Yes, of course. Your STEPmom. I'm sorry. You said her name was… Softheart, right?"

"Yes..."

"Right. So, is she coming too?"

"No. She's staying home."

"Aww, I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's OK. After all, like my dad says, this is Parents' Day. And Softheart isn't my real... You know... So, yeah... Umm..." Her voice trailed off.

Applejack merely gave a respectful nod. She considered questioning further, but decided it was not the time. "Understood. So hey, speakin' of your dad, when's he supposed to be here? Soon, I hope!"

"Umm, actually... He should be here already..."

"Huh?!" Applejack raised an eyebrow. She turned to the fairgrounds and scanned them from afar. No more than two dozen ponies had entered at that point. If Fluttershy was right, one of them must have been her father.

"You don't know what he looks like, do you?" Fluttershy asked softly. "You probably wouldn't guess he was my father offhand. He's very big, and kind of mean-looking, and... If you saw his Cutie Mark..."

A suspicion then hit Applejack like a hoof to the forehead. About an hour earlier, she recalled, she had greeted a single stallion as he walked through the gate. He had said nothing back, only shooting her a brief glance that might have been either complete indifference or complete annoyance. He was huge, standing at least three inches taller than Big Macintosh. His coat was similar in color to Fluttershy's, but his mane and trimmed facial hair were both jet black. His face bore the wrinkles of many years of scowls and frowns. This may have had some relation to his Cutie Mark, Applejack thought, which she vaguely remembered being a police badge. Was this rough and tough-looking stallion really the meek and timid Fluttershy's father?

"...His Cutie Mark..." Fluttershy continued, "It's a police badge with a nightstick behind it... Did you see him come through here?"

That was all the proof Applejack needed. She gave a nod and a smile. "Why, I sure did. By golly, I had no idea that big ol' stallion was your pop! Ain't that funny?"

Fluttershy, however, seemed to sink upon hearing the news. "Oh... He DID come after all. Oh no..."

Applejack noticed Fluttershy's sudden fearful change. "What's the matter, honey pie? Don't you wanna see your pa? I can help you find him if you want. I think I remember him headin' into the barn." She pointed to the barn, which was mere yards away.

Fluttershy immediately began to shake and perspire all over. "Oh no... Oh no..." she repeated between heavy breaths. "He's actually here... Oooh, I shouldn't have come... Why did I come...?"

"Shouldn't have come?! Nonsense! He's your pa, and it's Parents' Day! And like my banner up there says, it's a day to give thanks for all the love, support, and spanks!"

Fluttershy seemed to wince at the word "spanks". She continued to stand where she was, quivering and sweating.

"Come on now, that's enough of that!" Applejack insisted. She walked around behind Fluttershy and began to push her by the rump along the grass, towards the barn. "I dunno what's got you so worked up like a cat on hot coals, but your pa is in there, and you're gonna spend time with him. And you're gonna introduce me. And we're all gonna be hunky-dory about it!"

Fluttershy made no real effort to fight back, but continued to cower and shiver as they neared the barn doors. When at last they reached them, Applejack forced her through. The sound of the live country music filled the interior. However, apart from the band, there was only one other stallion in the barn at the time. He sat on a bale of hay with a plate full of apple-based appetizers, facing the band, away from the two girls. Even from the back, Applejack immediately recognized him as the stallion from earlier; Fluttershy's father. Fluttershy clearly recognized him too, for once she saw him, she squealed and hurriedly tried to make her escape back out the barn doors. Applejack blocked her path, and with a disapproving look at her frantic friend, called gleefully out over the sound of the music, "Oh Mr. Fluttershy's Daddy, sir! Your daughter's arrived!"

The gruff-looking stallion swiftly whirled around, an annoyed look on his face. The instant he saw Fluttershy, however, his brow lowered and his teeth clenched, transforming his face into something truly terrifying. Although Applejack had merely been trying to help, she immediately regretted opening her mouth.

"FLUTTERSHY!"

The deep, grating, authoritative voice resonated so strongly within the barn that the band immediately fell silent. Fluttershy froze, her eyes wide with panic. Applejack froze, too. The stallion's outburst had made her heart stop for a good few seconds.

"Fluttershy, turn and look at me!" He was now standing tall with his chest puffed out.

With a heavy gulp, Fluttershy obeyed. She slowly turned to look into the scowling, angry face that she knew all too well. "Y-y-yes, daddy?"

"Come over here! Now!"

Fluttershy hesitantly nodded, and began to trot over to him almost in slow motion. As she did, Applejack felt a guilt so heavy it stressed her already pounding heart. As much as she tried to voice an apology, she couldn't get the words out. She lamentably let Fluttershy go on her own.

At last, Fluttershy stood before her father. She looked at the ground, unable to turn her gaze up into his eyes. He towered above her, simply staring down at her, silent, but radiating anger and power. Next to him, she appeared to be no bigger than an ant. An ant that could be completely crushed at any moment, that would have no choice but to accept its fate. After what seemed to be two forevers, Fluttershy's father slowly lowered his head, putting his mouth right near her left ear. She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of what was coming next.

"Follow me outside," he whispered through gritted teeth. "We need to talk." With that, he turned his bulky frame and began to head for the rear exit of the barn. Fluttershy hurriedly followed closely behind him. She didn't look up. She didn't turn back to look at Applejack. She obediently trailed her father until both of them were outside. A few seconds later, he poked his head back into the barn. "So, where'd the music go?!" he asked forcefully.

The members of the band stood still, looking at one another, twiddling nervously with their instruments.

"WELL?!"

All the band members shrieked and jumped. The music commenced immediately.

Fluttershy's father nodded and grabbed the exit door to close it. Before that, though, he stole a brief, piercing glance at Applejack. He then slammed the door shut. What happened beyond those doors after that instant, Applejack could only imagine. All she knew for sure was that she owed Fluttershy a major apology the next time she saw her. "That is, IF I ever see her again," she told herself.

While Applejack was lost in her thoughts, she heard a familiar voice call out her name over the sound of the music. She recognized it as Big Mac. "Applejack!" he called. "Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie are lookin' for ya!"

"Oh!" Applejack called back, "They're here?!"

"Ee-yup!"

"Oh, uh... A-alright. I'll be right out!" Applejack hesitated for a moment before running to the main barn doors, eager to greet her friends and their parents outside. However, she gave one last forlorn look at the rear exit doors before exiting and closing the main doors behind her…

2. Meet The Pegasus Parents

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Chapter 2: Meet The Pegasus Parents

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As Applejack stepped out of the barn and into the cool evening air, Big Mac motioned towards a group of three ponies standing near the entrance gate. She immediately recognized two of them as Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. The third, however, was an unfamiliar silver Pegasus mare with energetic yellow eyes and a mane of blue, green, and violet, tied back in a ponytail. Her body was extremely slim, athletic, and strong. All three of them were conversing openly, but Rainbow Dash stood much closer to the mysterious mare. Applejack guessed right away that she must have been Rainbow Dash's mother.

Before Applejack had a chance to walk over and say hello, Pinkie Pie suddenly popped out of nowhere in front of Applejack's face. "Hi Applejack! How ya doin'?! Oh my goodness, the Parents' Day Festival looks like a BLAST! I can't wait to go in and start doing stuff! Oh wait, but my mom and dad aren't here. And they probably aren't coming. Isn't that sad? Am I still allowed to do stuff without my parents? I mean, it's PARENTS' Day. The day you're supposed to do stuff with your PARENTS, right? It's not called Kids Do Stuff On Their OWN Day! Cuz that'd be silly, huh? Yeah, it would be!"

Applejack just smiled and shook her head. "Good evenin' to you too, Pinkie Pie. Glad you could come." Her smile then faded. "But hold on - you say your folks might not be comin' tonight?"

"Oh, I KNOW they're not coming tonight!" Pinkie said, still as cheery as ever. "They never come to ANYTHING I do! My elementary school graduation, my 'Best TV Pony' Emmy acceptance speech, my 'Let's Thank Pinkie Pie for SAVING THE WORLD FROM THE NAUGHTY SPACE GOATS' ceremony! They weren't there. They're never there. Never... there..."

Pinkie Pie maintained her bright and shining smile the entire time she spoke. Applejack wasn't sure what to make of it, but smiled politely back. "Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, darlin'. They must be busier than oxen all the live long day if they get to see you so little."

"Oh yes, they're very busy. Busy PARTYING, that is! They're schedule's always chock full of fun, merriment, and goofing off-ness! And partying. Without me. Always partying... Always without me... Partying...!"

At that point, Applejack thought she could see beads of sweat starting to form on Pinkie Pie's forehead. The up-turned corners of her mouth were starting to twitch, struggling to stay up. Applejack couldn't explain why, but she began to feel very uncomfortable. "Well, uh... Don't worry your lil' head there, Pinkie. You're more than welcome to have fun with all of us here, whether or not your ma and pa can make it."

"YAY! That makes me super-duper happy! Thank you!"

"No trouble at all. And hey, in the meantime, maybe we can try to contact your folks and convince them to come party here, with us!"

"Not even worth trying. OH! Hey, you gotta come meet Rainbow Dash's mom! She's really really nice! Come on come on come ON!"

"Wait a minute, hon! Are you sure you don't-?" Applejack started. Pinkie Pie, however, ran full speed back over to Rainbow Dash and her mom before she could even finish.

Applejack raised an eyebrow, and looked over at Big Mac, who was still standing nearby. "Is it me, or did Pinkie Pie seem a little... off? Well, more than usual, anyway?"

Big Mac replied with the usual, "Ee-yup."

Applejack shrugged. "Ah well. I suppose if it doesn't seem to bother her much, I won't let it bother me, neither..." She was silent for a moment, as another important topic surfaced in her mind. "By the way, Big Mac, we all still plannin' on meetin' up at the same time?"

"Ee-yup."

"So Apple Bloom got the memo?"

"Ee-yup..."

"Alrighty, guess I'll see ya’ll in about an hour, then. Oh, and don't forget the bouquet! You got daisies, right? Ma always likes daisies."

This time, Big Mac forsook a verbal response in favor of a simple nod.

Applejack nodded in return. "K. 'Til then, later!" She waved a quick good-bye before trotting over to where her friends were.

~~~

Rainbow Dash was chatting fervently with her mother, who Applejack noticed bore a Cutie Mark that resembled a tornado forming in the clouds, touching down to the earth. When Rainbow Dash spotted Applejack approaching, her mouth immediately turned to a toothy grin. "Oh, mom! This is my friend I was telling you about - Applejack! Next to me, she's the most athletic, rough-and-tumble pony in Ponyville! All of Equestria, even!"

Rainbow Dash's mother turned to look at Applejack with a cool smirk. "Aha, finally! Apparently the only Earth Pony that can make my little winner break a sweat. And here you are, in the flesh!"

Applejack blushed. "Aw, you're too kind. But I'll never measure up to Rainbow Dash. She's the best, through and through."

"Oh, NO ONE'S better than her. I know that!" the mare teased, giving Rainbow Dash a playful punch on the shoulder. Rainbow Dash punched her right back. The two proceeded to trade harder and harder jabs, until Rainbow Dash finally blocked one of her mom's, signaling that she gave in. Her mom gave a cocky smile and flipped her ponytail. "Well, except me! She had to get it from somewhere, right? Haha!" She then held out a hoof in Applejack's direction. "Name's Aeroswift. Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise!" Applejack retorted, clasping both her hooves around Aeroswift's. Aeroswift shook with such enthusiasm and strength that Applejack almost suffered whiplash.

"Say," Aeroswift continued, "Rainbow Dash tells me you were there when she won this year's Young Fliers' Competition. She did fantastic, didn't she?"

"You're darn tootin'! Especially that Sonic Rainboom she pulled off. Knocked the ten-gallon hat right offa my head!"

"Totally! She's got catching up to do, though - I won that competition four years in a row when I was young!"

"Is that right? Wow, that's quite a feat!" Applejack gasped.

"Oh, mom!" Rainbow Dash called out, "Did I ever tell you about the time Applejack and I held an Iron Pony Competition?"

"Ah, yes," Aeroswift recalled. "You said the two of you... tied, right?"

"That's right," Applejack said. "We'll have to hold a tiebreaker match one of these days, won't we, RD?"

"Totally!" Rainbow Dash said, giving Applejack a hoofbump.

"Yeah, totally," Aeroswift butt in. Her lively demeanor seemed to have become a tad more serious. "You'll be sure to win this time, won't you, Rainbow?"

"Of course, mom!" Rainbow Dash said defensively. She turned back to Applejack. "Oh! And we've GOTTA have a rematch at the Running of the Leaves this year!"

"Oh YEEEAH! Now THAT'S a tiebreaker we gotta settle, mano a mano!"

"Hold up," Aeroswift demanded. "You tied in the Running of the Leaves last year, too? You never told me about that..."

"I didn't?" Rainbow Dash asked, puzzled. "I thought I did... Anyway, yeah, we tied, but it was an awesome race!"

"I see," Aeroswift said with half-approval. "Well, I guess there's some honor in tying for first... I did once, but I won all the other five times I ran that race, I assure you of that!"

"Actually, we tied for last," Applejack admitted. This elicited a laugh from both of the younger ponies.

Aeroswift, however, lost her smile altogether. "Whoa, hang on. You tied for last?"

"Yeah, but whatevs," Rainbow Dash said coolly. "I'll kick everyone's butt this year. And I'll make sure Applejack's kissin' MINE at the finish line! Ha!"

"Well, I would certainly HOPE so. I raised a winner, didn't I? You'd best demonstrate that!"

To Applejack, Aeroswift's disappointment was very clear in her tone and body language. Rainbow Dash, however, was either oblivious or just didn't care. "I DO mom! What's your beef? That was just the day I learned how to accept losing, that's all. It's no big deal!"

"It IS kind of a big deal, Rainbow Dash" Aeroswift said coldly. "Not the fact that you lost, but the fact that you're so nonchalant about it. I mean, you 'learned to just accept losing'? That's not the filly I raised. That's not winner behavior. Winners STRIVE to win and HATE to lose! If you start just shrugging and accepting it, you're starting down the path to being a loser. And I, being your mother, have made sure that you don't have a shred of loser in you. Do you understand m-?"

"DADDY!"

Rainbow Dash's outburst brought Aeroswift's monologue to a halt. Everyone watched as she flew at about Mach 3 toward the entry gate, toward a stallion who was just coming through. She practically tackled him to the ground with the force of her hug. He laughed and embraced her back, and the two exchanged greetings filled with glee and excitement. The sight made Applejack feel both happy and surprised. It was rare to see Rainbow Dash exude such raw joy.

Aeroswft, however, looked more displeased than ever. "I take that back," she muttered loud enough for Applejack to hear. "She's got some of him in her..."

Rainbow Dash and the stallion trotted back to the group, talking happily the whole way. The stallion sported an azure coat similar to Rainbow Dash's, violet eyes, and a mane with a red-orange-yellow color scheme that he had let grow to considerable length. Applejack couldn't help but think this stallion had a very effeminate look about him, an opinion supported by his Cutie Mark, which was a simple white lily placed atop a closed book. One look at his soft eyes and easy smile, and Applejack already knew that he was a gentle and friendly soul. As they reached the group, it was noticed that he glanced in Aeroswift's direction and gave a subtle nod. She, in return, made a discreet sneer and looked away. No comment was made about it.

"Girls, this is my dad!" Rainbow Dash announced. "Dad, these are two of my main compadres, Applejack and Pinkie Pie!"

"Boa noite," he addressed. "The name's Sweetgood Mac. It's truly a delight to meet my daughter's friends." He shook hooves with both Pinkie Pie and Applejack who, after Aeroswift's bone-breaker of a hoofshake, greatly welcomed the gentle one that Sweetgood Mac gave. "By the way," he continued, "That greeting I used means 'good evening' in an ancient tongue. Exotic, no? Learned it in this latest book of poetry I've been reading - 'The Spirit of the Age Within the Zeitgeist Within the Bounds of Foreverness'."

"Laaame, dad!" Rainbow Dash remarked with a smile.

"Well," Sweetgood Mac replied slyly, "If it's of more interest to YOU, sweetie pie, I also just finished reading the latest Daring Do book."

Rainbow Dash's eyebrows shot up. "Oh yeah! You told me you were reading it! You already finished? But I'm only up to chapter 12!"

"Well, if you want, I can tell you how it ends..."

"Ugh... Mmph...! No! But, yes! But, I mean... Agh! YES! Tell me! tell me!"

Sweetgood Mac sucked in his lips. "Nope."

"WHAT? Aw, then why'd you even ask? Uurgh! Well, can you at least tell me whether or not Daring Do saves her brother from the Endless Catacomb?"

"Hmm... I would, but... that's pivotal to the ending. So, nope!" Sweetgood Mac now wore a bona fide trollface.

"Hmph! What a bust!" Rainbow Dash pouted. "I hate you!"

His grin didn't flinch. "I don't think you hate me."

"Well, I do!"

"No you don't."

"Yes I do!"

"I think you love me."

"No way. I don't love you!"

"Yes you do."

"Nu-uh!'

"Yu-huh!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Yuh-huh!"

"Oh! Gotcha! You just said 'yuh-huh'!"

Rainbow Dash couldn't hold in her laughter anymore. "Agghh! Fine, ya got me! I do love you, daddy!" She embraced him again and snuggled close to his chest.

"Love you too, baby girl," he replied, putting a loving hoof around her. "So good to see you again."

Applejack gushed at the display, amazed that the usually image-conscious Rainbow Dash showed no sign of embarrassment when acting so playfully with her dad. Pinkie Pie was gleeful too, bouncing up and down and shouting, "Ooo! Ooo! He used my trick! Did you hear it? My switcheroo mind trick! WEEE! I like him! He's cool!"

Aeroswift, however, merely rolled her eyes. "Ugh, OK... Mac?"

Sweetgood Mac looked up at her, his expression blank.

"You done showering my daughter in all your ooey-gooey love?"

"We'll decide when we're done," he replied flatly. "I haven't seen her in a while. Give us some time."

"Careful. Soften her up too much and she might go as limp as you."

"Aeroswift, not now..." he said calmly. He released Rainbow Dash, who turned her gaze back and forth between her two parents, a look of discomfort forming on her face.

Aeroswift angled her lip. "I'm just saying, I've got things I want to do with my daughter tonight. Strong, competitive bonding. Foreign concepts to you, I know."

"She's my daughter too," Sweetgood Mac said through a quivered breath. "And she and I have got our own plans for the night."

"Mom, dad, don't start..." Rainbow Dash pleaded in an attempt to intervene. Her voice fell on deaf ears.

"Well, I arrived at the time that we agreed on. YOU arrived late, as usual. It's only fair that I take her first."

"YOU'VE seen her as recently as yesterday. I haven't seen her in over a month.”

“Well, it’s not my fault you’re always wandering around and never home, is it?”

“Oh, and I suppose it’s my fault that I hardly feel welcome in my own home?”

“Considering the things you’ve done, yes, I would say so.”

“Oh, for goodness sake! Can you ever just leave certain baggage behind you? Come on, have a heart already!”

"Oh, I had one once. Then I gave it to you, and look what happened."

"Aeroswift, if you're thinking of bringing that up, do NOT-!"

"MOM! DAD!"

Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac both broke from each other's glares and looked at Rainbow Dash's frustrated face. She stepped in close to both of them and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Not tonight, please! You promised..."

"I promised I'd try," Aeroswift remarked, shooting another cold look at her husband.

"Well try harder!" Rainbow Dash begged. "All my friends and their parents are here, and I want you guys to make a good impression. And I want to spend time with BOTH of you! Can't you put a lid on it for just for one night? For me?"

The two both stared at one other for several seconds, then back at Rainbow Dash. Sweetgood Mac was the first to nod. "OK... For you, sweetie. We will. Right, Aeroswift?"

Aeroswift looked none too pleased, but eventually consented. She simply nodded.

"Good. Thanks!" Rainbow Dash said with a sigh of relief. She turned back around to face her friends, who were standing by in awkward silence. "So... now that everyone's introduced, wanna go see what Twilight and Rarity are up to?"

The two nodded in unison, eager to move onto a new subject. "Abso-positive-lutely!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"Yeah, I've been wonderin' where Twilight's been," Applejack said. "So she's over at Rarity's booth, eh? With her folks, I'll bet?"

"That's what Big Mac told me, yeah," said Rainbow Dash. "Oh! And I think I saw Fluttershy heading that way, too. Have you talked to her yet today, Applejack?"

Applejack's delighted grin quickly melted into a frown. She suddenly remembered the last moment she saw Fluttershy, being led out of the barn by her hulking beast of a father before he angrily slammed the doors. A slight nausea overcame her. "Uh... y-yeah, I did talk to her earlier. You said you saw her recently?"

"Yeah, just a few minutes ago!" Rainbow Dash chirped, pointing to the fairgrounds. "She went that way. At least I'm pretty sure it was her..."

"Was she with anypony?" Applejack asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie joined in. "There was a big, old, strong, muscular, mustache-and-beard-having, scary-as-all-doody-heck-looking stallion walking in front of her! You didn't see them, Applejack? You must be going blind. Are you going blind? Oh no! Please tell me you're not! Cuz that would really ruin my day! And yours!"

"No, no, I ain't goin' blind," Applejack assured, feeling somewhat relieved that Fluttershy had at least been spotted with her life. "Guess I was just distracted is all. Anyway, that stallion musta been her pa. I met him, briefly..."

"I thought it might have been," Rainbow Dash reasoned. "Cool! Is he nice?"

Applejack bit her lip. "Weeeell, it might be too early to say, but he seemed about as nice as a badger with an ulcer and a skin condition."

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie both put on confused expressions and looked at one another. A few seconds later, Pinkie Pie lit up. "OH! I get it! That's clever..."

Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes. "Whatever. She's probably heading over to Rarity's booth, too. C'mon, let's get over there and meet everypony! And then we can play some games and have some chow! AW YEAH!" She turned back to her parents. "C'mon mom and dad, let's go meet the rest of the gang and have some fun!" She then took off flying towards the fairgrounds. Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac took one last uneasy glance at each other before spreading their own wings and following behind her. Pinkie Pie proceeded to bound effortlessly after them, humming a merry tune to herself.

Applejack stayed behind for a brief while to think to herself. Her Parents' Day with her friends had only just begun, but she couldn't help but notice that some things had already turned out very different than she had imagined. Fluttershy's frightening father, Pinkie Pie's ever-absent (and still absent) parents, the obvious bad blood between Rainbow Dash's parents... She even recalled Rarity's complaints about her own mom and dad. While the idea of gathering them all in one place to meet and have fun had seemed like a great idea, she found herself reconsidering. Could this particular mixture of ponies be a toxic one? As the night wore on, could all these relationships and the tensions brewing underneath give rise to catastrophe?

Applejack couldn't be sure. She herself had never known any of these problems with her own parents. They had always been perfect in her eyes. Loving, to each other and to their children, always there when they were needed. Always...

As she closed her eyes in deep thought, she pondered for a moment, given the busy circumstances of the night, whether or not she would even get a chance to visit them with her brother and sister as she had planned...

No. There was no question. Of course she would visit them. She owed them so much, for making her the proud mare that she was. And, naturally, it was Parents' Day. She had to.

Feeling content with her mindset at the moment, Applejack began galloping in the direction her friends had set off in, eager to meet her remaining friends' parents and later get the chance to see her own...

3. Suitor For Success

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Chapter 3: Suitor For Success

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By the time Applejack was able to see Rarity's booth, she could see Pinkie Pie and Sweetgood Mac in front of it, talking to Sweetie Belle and an unfamiliar mare on the other side of the counter. Rainbow Dash and Aeroswift were at the archery range across the way, both standing with their bows drawn back and arrows ready. They both released their bows at the exact same moment, letting their arrows fly at the same target. Aeroswift's hit the white ring around the bull’s-eye. Rainbow Dash's struck the bull’s-eye almost dead center. She threw her bow in the air and shouted in triumph. "Yeeeeah! How'd you like THAT, mom? In yo FACE!"

"Celebrate all you want. You're still behind 27 points!"

"No way! I'm only behind like... uhh...umm... Ack, you're right! I can still catch up, though. Just you watch!"

Applejack laughed a little to herself and turned back to Rarity's booth. She began to move toward it when she suddenly felt a hoof wrap roughly around her shoulders and pull her aside. Whoever it was forced her into a narrow opening between a nearby candy stand and sports equipment booth. Applejack grabbed the mysterious hoof and, without hesitation, shifted her body weight back, and then quickly forward, flinging the assailant over her head and causing them to smack onto the grass with a sharp thud.

"OWWWWW!" the assailant cried. "W-why would you do that, Applejack?!"

Applejack immediately regretted her action when she realized the pony she had just whomped was Rarity. "Oh, my dear aunt Orange! Rarity, I'm so sorry!"

"Oooggh..." Rarity moaned, shifting on her back. "And I just had a deep tissue massage this morning, too..."

Applejack helped Rarity to her feet, and began to apply a light chop massage to her back. "Allow me. Again, so, so sorry! But why did you go grabbin' me like that? You should know better!"

"I apologize for that," Rarity sighed, "But I'm in a bit of a frantic state right now. I had to pull you aside because I really, really need your help!"

"You coulda just called out to me..."

"No, this is far too dramatic a situation for that!" Rarity argued. "Look over there, at my booth. Can you see my mother and sister there?"

While continuing with the massage, Applejack took a good look over at the mare who she now knew to be Rarity's mother. She bore a soft violet coat and friendly blue eyes, and a very homely outfit consisting of white pants and a red blouse. Her most dominant feature was her mane - it was a gorgeously done-up mound of purple hair that rose like a hill and fell behind her head in curls. "Yeah, I see 'em. What about 'em?"

"They're both here with my father, and they want to introduce me to..." she paused for dramatic effect, "...a SUITOR!"

"Oh, my! I'm... sorry?" Applejack responded, not entirely sure whether or not to be sorry.

"You SHOULD be! Ohh, they do this to me EVERY SINGLE TIME! And look at me - my fear of facing this situation again is keeping me from going back to my booth. I can't work like this! It's stunting the growth of my career! Ooooh, the humanity!"

"The who-what-ity?"

"Oh, I don't know. I make up horrible-sounding words when I get dramatic. You know that."

"Right, right..." Applejack said. She took another look at the booth. "Now hold on. I don't see any stallions over there. Not one that could be your pa OR that suitor!"

"Oh, my father's probably just gone to fetch him. And I'll bet they'll just be waiting for me to get back so they can present him as some big surprise!" Rarity was now gritting her teeth and breathing heavily. "Like they... ALWAYS... do...!"

"Uh, beggin' your pardon, Rarity, but don't you think you're jumpin' to some hasty conclus-"

"EEEK! There they are!"

Rarity squealed and ran behind Applejack's back. Applejack peaked out from between the booths and saw two stallions stumbling through the aisle, hooves around each other's shoulders, babbling incoherently between hearty laughs. One was white with a brown mustache, a blue Hawaiian shirt, a straw hat, and a Cutie Mark resembling three American footballs. Applejack could tell right away that he was Rarity's father. The other was light brown with thick black facial hair, a green poncho, and a sombrero. Applejack's best guess was that he was the suitor that Rarity had anticipated.

Rarity moaned in disgust. "Ooooh, it's worse than I thought! He rounded up another one of those burros from the farm next door..."

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Burro? But that means 'donkey'. He ain't no donkey. He's a pony!"

"I know. That's just what we of, *ahem*, HIGHER society call ponies from that part of the world."

"Is that right? 'Round here, we call 'em Wetflanks."

"Oh, whatever they're called! To me, he's just another suitor that my parents want to push on me to get me to settle down and I want NOTHING to do with him!"

"Aww, c'mon. Give the feller a chance. He might be nice!"

"No stallion is nicer than the fact that I have a lucrative career. I guarantee you, he nor any other suitor is worth me giving that up!"

The two stallions were just now beginning to pass the alcove where the two ponies were hiding. Rarity attempted to duck back further.

"So how am I supposed to help you?" Applejack questioned.

"Just... I don't know! Go tell my family that I've left for the night, and take over my booth for me."

"What? I ain't doin' that! I gotta visit my own folks later!"

"Well, then tell my family I've left, and lure them away from the booth so I can continue working it. You can do that, can't you?"

"This is ridiculous. I refuse to do any of this."

"Please, Applejack!

"No!"

"Puh-LEEEASE!"

Rarity threw her hoof over her mouth. She and Applejack both knew, in that moment, that she had pleaded too loudly. Both looked out, and saw that her cry had drawn the attention of Rarity's father. He squinted to see into the dimness of the space between the booths, and after a few seconds, a joyful grin spread across his face. "Rarity!" he called out. "Is that my lovely daughter back there?"

"Ooooh-ho-ho!" Rarity sobbed to herself. "He's seen me!"

"Yep. Jig's up," Applejack replied matter-of-factly. "Guess you got no choice but to face ‘im now."

Rarity drooped her head and gave a heavy sigh before nodding and slowly walking out. Applejack followed close behind.

"Rarity! It IS you!" Rarity's father exclaimed. He laughed and gave his companion a nudge, who in turn put on a nervous smile. "What on earth you doin' back there?"

"Hello father," Rarity said lowly. "I was just, umm... shopping."

"Shoppin'? For what, candy or sports stuff? Cuz neither one suits you at all! Hahaha!"

"Actually, sir," Applejack butt in. "She was shoppin' with me. I needed some, err, new protein shake mix for when I work out."

"Ah! You must be, uhh... I know Rarity's told me about you...” He clapped his hooves together when he remembered. “Oh, Apple Schnapps!"

"Heh, close enough. It's ‘Applejack’."

"APPLEJACK! That's right," he said, shaking his head. "Beg your pardon. I'm Rarity's father, Hoppin Barley."

"It's a pleasure," Applejack replied, secretly chuckling at his name.

"So you run Sweet Apple Acres, do ya? Now THIS is an impressive piece of farmland! I'm a farmer myself, you know."

"Really? Wow! I had no idea."

"Yeah, I own the barley farm just a few miles east of here, Buckets O' Barley. Know it?"

Applejack was about to answer, but hesitated for a moment when she caught a glimpse of Hoppin Barley's companion giving wooey eyes to Rarity. She, in turn, gave a polite smile that was clearly masking a disgusted look underneath.

"Sure, Buckets O' Barley. I'm familiar with it," Applejack replied. "Heard good things!" This was in fact, a lie. Applejack knew that that farm actually had a reputation as being one of the worst-maintained in Equestria, offering crop that was inferior both in quality and quantity. She had often heard other farmers make jokes about it, and even laughed along sometimes. Now that she knew it was Rarity's father who owned the place, though, she wished she could take all the laughs back.

"I do my best," Hoppin said with a smile. "Now whaddya say we head on over to Rarity's stall? I'm sure my wife'll be delighted to meet you."

"I'd be delighted myself, sir," Applejack insisted.

With that, the group began to head to the booth. On the way, Hoppin walked to Rarity’s side and said, "Say, my little angel, I'd like you to meet Huevos Grandes. He runs the chicken coop in the farm next door to ours! Ain't that somethin'?"

Rarity glanced at the sombrero-wearing pony, who held his head up proudly. "Oh, it's SOMEthing alright," she replied sarcastically. In her head, she continued with "Something BORING and UNCOUTH!"

"You betcha! He's an awful hard worker, and knows a thing or two about treatin' women well, if you know what I mean!"

Rarity groaned under her breath. "Why don't you let HIM brag about himself?"

"Oh, he don't speak English!" Hoppin said with a laugh.

Rarity's jaw dropped. "He doesn't speak... English? Are you serious?!"

"Es un placer conocerte, señorita!" Huevos Grandes blurted with a slight bow of the head.

Rarity just stared blankly before turning to her father. "I... I'm sorry, WHAT did he say to me?"

"How should I know? I don't speak that crazy language!"

"WHAT? Then how did you even-?!" Rarity halted her question, and just stared at her father and Huevos Grandes, who were both wearing big, goofy, drunken smiles on their faces. She eventually rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Oh, heavens..." she said to herself, "this has 'long night' written all over it..."

"It means 'pleasure to meet you, miss'," Applejack whispered to her.

Rarity was about to question how Applejack knew that, but decided that wasn't worth pursuing either. "Whatever," was all she managed to say.

~~~

When at last the group reached Rarity's booth, Rarity's mother looked to her daughter and gasped in delight. "Rarity, sweetheart, there you are! I was beginning to wonder where you ran off to!"

"Just... some shopping," Rarity replied half-heartedly.

"Oh! Well, it doesn't look like you bought anything..."

"I didn't."

"Ah, OK then... Well, Sweetie Belle and I straightened up the booth a bit while you were gone. I hope you don't mind."

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle chirped. "Your booth was a total MESS, Rarity!"

Rarity put on the most fake smile ever. "Thank you both. You're too kind..."

Domicilia turned her pleasantly smiling gaze to Applejack. "Oh, and you must be Rarity's friend who's hosting the festival! Applejack, was it?"

"That's right, ma'am. The one and only!"

"I'm Domicilia. Rarity's mother, in case you hadn't guessed. The festival has been SO delightful thus far! It's so rare that I get to leave the house nowadays. Still got the little one to look after, ya know," she said, patting Sweetie Belle on the head. "But she's been having a great time here, too! Haven't you, Sweetie Belle?"

"Pssh, yeah right! We haven't even done anything fun yet!" Sweetie Belle whined with a stamp of her hoof. "You promised you'd let me try deep-fried cookie dough!"

Domicila just laughed sweetly. "Oh, we will soon, dearest. I promise."

"Heya, darlin'!" Hoppin Barley said as he approached his wife. "I'm back! Miss me?"

"Oh, honey, you were only gone for fifteen minutes..."

"And that's regretful, cuz that's fifteen minutes I wasn't with you, sugar dimple. And that AIN'T just the beer talking!"

"Aww... I bet it is, but it's still sweet!" she replied happily. The two shared a quick kiss. Sweetie Belle gagged and Rarity rolled her eyes.

"Oh!" Hoppin exclaimed, "And hey, look who joined me tonight! You remember Huevos Grandes, don't ya?"

Domicilia turned to Huevos Grandes with her eyes lit up. "Oh, of COURSE! From the farm next door! How are you?"

"Muy bien, muy bien!" Huevos Grandes replied with a bow.

"Good! Good!" she said with a polite, but clueless, nod. She looked at Rarity, who was trying to hide behind a rack of dresses. "Rarity, darling! Have you met Huevos Grandes? He's very nice! And, may I say, very handsome as well!"

Rarity pretended not to hear. She stayed where she was, silent. Domicilia beckoned her with her hoof. "Well, come on over here! Say hello to him!"

"Maybe I could if we spoke the same language!" Rarity called out in exasperation.

Domicilia chuckled nervously and looked back at Huevos Grandes. "My daughter," she said. "She is... Muy bella, sí? Muy bella."

"Oh, sí! Sí!" Huevos Grandes exclaimed with a drunken slur. "Es tan bella como una margarita... Hablo de la flor Y la bebida!" This sent both him and Hoppin Barley into a fit of laughter.

"Sí, sí!" Domicilia said. "I don't know what you just said, but I'm sure it was lovely. Didn't it sound lovely, Rarity?"

"It sounded like gibberish and I don't care to hear another word of it!"

"Oh, come on now, sweetie..." Domicilia pleaded. She began to approach Rarity's position, and motioned for Hoppin and Huevos to follow. "I know you haven't liked the other stallions we've introduced you to before, but, umm... I-I really think Huevos is different! I think he may be the stallion whom you can ride off into the sunset with. Raise a family with. Share a love with like your father and I share..."

"Yeah!" Hoppin shouted out, "And who'll get you to put a lid on this fancy-schmancy fashion enterprise o' yours and settle down!"

"Y para cocinar y limpiar en la casa!" Huevos exclaimed. "Como una mujer verdadera!" Both he and Hoppin began belly-laughing again.

Applejack watched the whole scenario playing out, simultaneously growing more intrigued and unsettled by the second. By that point, Rainbow Dash and Aeroswift had just rejoined the group at the booth. "Yo, what's goin' on?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"A gosh darn soap opera, is what," Applejack replied, not taking her eyes off the scene.

Rarity peaked out from behind the dress rack, a displeased pout on her face. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't WANT the life that you two have! I want the life I ALREADY have! The glorious life of entrepreneurship that I'm HEADING towards!"

"Disappointment, disillusionment, misery!" Hoppin Barley slurred. "You pursue big business, THAT'S what you're headin' towards!"

"No, those are what I'll get if I marry a stallion that I can't even talk to!"

"Oh, but sweetie, your father's right," Domicilia insisted, a genuine concern in her voice. "The stress, the cutthroat nature of that world... It'll cripple a fragile thing like you! Please, we just don't want to see you end up unhappy..."

"Yes you do!" Rarity argued back. "You just want to bring me down to YOUR level because both of YOUR career attempts went up in smoke! And you know it!"

Silence. All the air seemed to get sucked out of the booth in that instant. Both Domicilia and Hoppin Barley looked at one another, frowning. Even Huevos Grandes appeared to understand that a hard blow had just been dealt. Domicilia cleared her throat and, after a brief hesitation, spoke. "Now, Rarity... You know why your father and I had to give up what we did..."

"Yes, I know. And I, for one, refuse to make the same mistake! So don't go trying to FORCE that mistake on me!"

From there, the conversation between Rarity, her parents, and her suitor devolved into a cacophony of arguing voices that, all at once, sounded of anger, annoyance, and frustration. Sweetie Belle backed away, not wanting to get involved. She took a spot next to Applejack. "I hate when they get like this," she moaned. "Guess that means no deep-fried cookie dough for me tonight..."

"What huge jerks!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "How can they force some sweaty dude on Rarity like that! SO uncool!"

"Well, their hearts seem to be in the right place," Sweetgood Mac reasoned, "but still, they really should let her spread her wings and find love on her own. I mean, she shouldn't have any trouble. She's beautiful and successful, after all…"

Hoppin Barley suddenly stepped over and butt in. "Say, did I just hear somepony voice a compliment about my little angel?" He looked Sweetgood Mac up and down. "Well well, you look suave enough! How'd you like to get to know my daughter better?"

"HUH?!" Sweetgood Mac choked in surprise. "N-no! I mean, thank you for the offer, but..." He stole a glance at Aeroswift. She stared back at him with murder in her eyes. "...I-I'm already married."

"Oh," Hoppin Barley replied, looking disappointed. "That's a shame... Oh well, enjoy your wife then!" With that, he ran back over and resumed the argument with his family.

Sweetgood Mac chuckled nervously. "Well, uh... that was embarrassing!" He nudged Rainbow Dash. "Can you believe he asked me if I wanted ‘get to know your friend better’? Ha!"

Aeroswift didn't look the slightest bit amused. "May as well have. Wouldn't be the first time you violated OUR marriage with the help of another mare..."

Sweetgood choked on his own breath. He returned a shocked and angry glare at Aeroswift. She wasn't fazed. Rainbow Dash, in turn, shook her head and covered her face with her hoof.

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow, and looked up at Applejack. "What does she mean by that?" she asked in a hushed tone.

Applejack twisted her lip. "Uh... Nothin' you need to know about, sugar cube," she assured her. She glanced back and forth between Rarity's arguing family and Rainbow Dash's clearly soon-to-be arguing family. She then knelt down close to Sweetie Belle. "Say, how's about we get you some o' that scrump-diddly-umpcious fried cookie dough you were talkin' about?"

Sweetie Belle gasped and lit up. "Really? You'll take me?!"

"Sure! I'm sure your ma won't mind. She promised you, didn't she?"

"Yup yup yup, she did!" She hugged Applejack around her leg. "Thank you, Applejack! Thank you!"

"No prob! Now let's get goin'..." With that, Applejack led Sweetie Belle away from the booth and all its broiling tensions, hoping for once to have a tender and friendly moment that night...

4. The Boiling Point

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Chapter 4: The Boiling Point

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"Oooh! Look, a hay ride! I love those! And over there, one of those hammer-bell-strength tester thingies! I wonder how good I'd do at that... Oh, and look! A dunk tank! I've always wanted to dunk my dad in one. He'd probably get mad, but then I'd let him dunk me too, even though I hate getting wet. Actually, maybe it'd be funner to dunk Rarity...?"

Applejack could only smile to herself as Sweetie Belle skipped to and fro, excitedly pointing out the fun activities and happy families she spotted. Her youthful exuberance, along with the countless scenes of familial bonding and joy all around them, made Applejack feel an elation she hadn't felt in a long time. It was a feeling of innocence, unadulterated bliss... The kind that a child knows when they are spirited away from everyday life by their parents to a place of pure fun and excitement, like the very festival they were at. Perhaps, Applejack thought, what she felt at that moment was just a memory of such a feeling she had long ago. Either way, it was one she was happy to indulge in, if even for just a few moments.

And indulge in it she did, to the point that a strong, almost painful longing for those ages gone by began to creep up on her. Before long, she found herself daydreaming, remembering...

~~~

"Applejack! Applejack, where are you?! You out here?!"

"I'm over here!"

"Applejack! What in the hay are you doin' out here in the orchard so late? Ma's startin' to worry!"

"I'm sorry, pa..."

"You'd best be! I didn't think the old lady would EVER be quiet. My poor, blessed eardrums... Now come on, let's get you inside. Dessert's gettin' cold."

"But pa, I'm still not done!"

"Done with what? What're you up to out here?"

"Applebuckin' this tree. Big Mac says I'm still too little to be applebuckin'. But I'm not!"

"Oh, you're not now, are ya?"

"No way! I can applebuck, just as well as him or anypony else! So Im'a applebuckin' the daylights outta this here red delicious. And I'm doin' mighty fine! See? Look! Look how full my basket's gettin'!"

"Hmm... Well I'll be, that's a good two-thirds full right there! Not bad, lil' missy. How long ya been at it?"

"Oh, I 'unno. 'Bout four, five minutes maybe..."

"Heheh, the sweat on your forehead tells me you been at it for quite a bit longer 'n that! Tell the truth now."

"Aww, alright... More like ten or fifteen, I reckon."

"That's still purty good for a filly your size. Keep it up, and you'll be zippin' past your big brother in no time flat!"

"You really mean it?"

"O' course! Has your old man ever lied to you?"

"You lied about the boogeymare being in my closet. I checked last night again, and there still wasn't nothin' there but my boots n' hats!"

"Oh, well that's cuz she moved to your brother's closet last week. He ain't been keepin' up with his chores, you see, so she's got her eye on him at the moment. So don't worry, you're spared. For now."

"Oooooooh, that explains it... Well, serves him right for tellin' me I can't applebuck!"

"Darn tootin'! Speakin' of which, lemme see that buck o' yours real quick. I wanna see how you're comin' along."

"But didn't you say ma was waitin' for us to go inside?"

"Bah! She can wait. Now c'mon, Babycakes. Show me whatcha got!"

"Alrighty, here I go... Hee-YAH!..."

~~~

"Applejack! What flavor cookie dough should I get?"

Applejack snapped to attention. While she had been daydreaming, her body had been on autopilot. She now found herself square in front of the deep-fried cookie dough stand, with an impatient-looking server staring at her and an excited-looking Sweetie Belle at her side. "Oh! Uh, I dunno. What flavors are there?"

"Regular and chocolate-chip!"

"Well, which flavor would your mom rather you have?"

"Umm... she'd say I should get the chocolate chip!"

Applejack smirked and raised an eyebrow. "You sure 'bout that? Tell the truth now."

Sweetie Belle darted her eyes back and forth. "Uh, y-yeah! Totally! I'm no fibber."

"Weeell, alright. But if she gets cross, I'm tellin' her you told me so," Applejack assured. She made the transaction, and handed the small bar of deep-fried chocolate-chip cookie dough to Sweetie Belle, who greedily bit into it. Her eyes shot open in delight. "Wow, this is awesomely good! It's like, a cookie wrapped in a potato chip!"

"Glad you like it," Applejack said with a grin. "Now, let's head on back. Maybe your family's settled down by now."

As the two started back towards Rarity's booth, Sweetie Belle continued to munch on her unusual snack. Between bites, she sparked a question. "Hey Applejack, where are YOUR parents? Aren't they here, too?"

The question almost made Applejack halt in her tracks. "Uhh... No, actually. They're not here."

"Really? But this is your farm. Don't they live here, too?"

"Well, they-" She stopped. "Uh, your sister's never said anything?"

"Nope. Why, does she know where they are?"

"Yeah, she does..." Applejack barely managed to say.

"So where are they, then?"

"Well, uhh, the thing about my parents is..." She hesitated a moment before continuing. "...They're what you might call 'travelling salesponies'."

"Travelling salesponies?"

"That's right. You see, every applebuck season, when we finish the harvest, my ma and pa gather the whole lot of our apples into great, big wagons. So big that your house could fit inside one! Then they cart those wagons around to all the corners of the kingdom and beyond, to lands far, far away, sellin' our crop to happy customers all over the world. It's quite a trek, but my ma and pa love it, so that's what they do most of the year. In fact, it's what they're doin' right now..."

"Really? Wow! They pull those huge wagons all by themselves?"

"Oh, they're mighty strong! Especially my pa. Give 'im some coffee with ginger snaps, and he could move the whole town if he wanted."

"That's so cool!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Her smile quickly melted, however. "But... that means they're never home?"

"Afraid not," Applejack said. "But my brother, sister and I... We go visit 'em now and again. When they're nearby."

"Oh, that's good! So at least you get to see them sometimes."

"Yep. And they always bring home a heap of wonderful stories!"

"I'll bet!" Sweetie Belle said, gulping down the last bit of her snack. "Oh, but will you get to see them tonight? It's Parents' Day, after all..."

Applejack breathed in deeply. "Yeah... Don't you worry, Sweetie Belle. I'll get to see 'em tonight."

"Great! They sound like really neat ponies. Will I get to meet them one day?"

Applejack didn't reply for a short while. "Maybe," she eventually said.

For the rest of the walk back, the two remained silent.

~~~

Upon reaching Rarity's booth, Applejack could see that the scene was quite different from how she had left it. Rainbow Dash and Aeroswift seemed to be having a hushed, serious conversation, while Sweetgood Mac stood several yards away, gazing up into the night sky, alone. Hoppin Barley and Huevos Grandes were bumbling and babbling incomprehensibly off to the side of the booth. Pinkie Pie was standing in front of the booth blowing a party blower. Rarity and Domicilia were behind the counter, speaking with two unfamiliar ponies in front of it. Behind them, however, stood a pony who was VERY familiar. Applejack knew right away - it was Twilight Sparkle! The two others must have been her parents. Applejack noted that they seemed to be doing most of the talking, while Twilight stood behind them with her head down slightly, silent.

While Sweetie Belle went to greet her mother, Applejack happily approached Twilight. Twilight, who seemed to have been wearing a rather unpleasant frown, immediately smiled in delight upon seeing her friend. "Applejack!"

"Howdy, Twi!" Applejack replied, giving her a hug. "How's your night been?"

"It's been..." - a brief pause, as though searching for the right word - "...great! Just great. And yours?"

"Great here, too! How's the festival shapin' up, you think?"

"Oh, it's wonderful! It must have been back-breaking work to make it all possible."

"Sure was, but 'back-breakin' work' is my middle name! ...Well, actually, it's Ashleigh, but ya'll know what I mean. Haha!"

Twilight chuckled, but immediately put on a straight face when she noticed her parents staring at the two of them. Her loose composure quickly stiffened as she stood up tall and straight. "Mother, father," she formally addressed, "this is my good friend, Applejack. As you've heard, she is very hard-working, and is also very dependable and honest."

Applejack was slightly unnerved by Twilight's sudden change in behavior. She looked back and forth between Twilight's mother and father, who seemed to be observing her. Twilight's mother was a beautiful, but very serious-looking white mare with a purple-and-white-striped mane and piercing blue eyes, set behind pointed reading glasses. Her father was equally handsome, but sported the same stern appearance of his wife, with a dark blue coat, darker blue hair, and yellow eyes. Their Cutie Marks resembled a group of three stars, and a double crescent moon, respectively. Applejack couldn't help but wonder what they might represent.

"Twilight," her mother said in an authoritative, somewhat displeased tone, "this is an introduction. What should you do next?"

"Huh?" Twilight stuttered, losing her composure slightly. "Oh, right!" She stood tall again. "Applejack, this is my mother, Starlight Sparkle, and my father, Moonlight Sparkle."

Both Starlight and Moonlight raised their heads slightly as they were introduced. Their dignified stances exuded confidence, even a slight smugness. Applejack didn't want to comment on this, so she simply held out her hoof. "It is an absolute pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle! Twilight's one of my very good friends. Ya'll done good raisin' her!"

"Thank you," Starlight half-replied, not even seeming to notice Applejack's outstretched hoof. She looked her up and down once again. "Applejack, was it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What do you do for a living?"

Applejack was a bit surprised by the sudden, pointed question. "Well, err… I run the day-to-day workin's of Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville's premier apple orchard! O' course, as of today, I'm also overseer of the annual Parents' Day festival. Quite an honor, if I say so myself!"

"Mm-hmm," Starlight said, not looking particularly impressed. "So do you own this property?"

"Oh yes, she does!" Twilight interrupted, still maintaining her stiff stance. "She is the owner and proprietor of the estate, the enterprise, and all assets therein. Isn't that right, Applejack?"

Applejack raised an eyebrow in Twilight's direction. Twilight, in turn, gritted her teeth and nodded, trying to convince her to play along.

Applejack, however, couldn't fight her natural honesty. "Naw, I'm not any of that stuff. My grandma and brother actually own most of this here farm. But I'm a partial owner! And, uh, I do work here!"

Twilight planted a facehoof on herself.

"Mm-hmm," Starlight uttered once again, still looking unimpressed. She glanced at Moonlight, who simply angled his lip. Then, having seemingly lost interest in Applejack, she turned her attention to Pinkie Pie and scanned her as well. "And what do YOU do?"

Pinkie Pie dropped the party blower from her mouth and smiled brightly. "Oh, I work at Sugar Cube Corner, the bestest of the bestest bakeries in Ponyville! I bake, and deliver, and bake, and decorate cakes and cupcakes and muffin-cakes and stuff, and bake, and bake! It's sooooo much fun working there! BAKE!"

"So... a pastry chef, then?"

"Among other things!"

"Mm-hmm," Starlight repeated in the same banal tone. Rainbow Dash was her next subject for assessment. "And you, young Pegasus?"

Rainbow Dash, who had been speaking with her mom, turned to Starlight upon hearing the question, confused. "Who, me?"

"Are there any other young Pegasi present?"

"I... guess not," Rainbow Dash replied, slightly embarrassed. Starlight's no-nonsense glare made her feel like every hair and feather on her body was being judged. "Did you just ask me something?"

Starlight gave a slight exasperated sigh and continued. "What do you do for a living?"

"Oh, well, I don't really, like, have a job right now, exactly... I mean, I was working on weather patrol until last week, but those jerks, umm, laid me off..."

"So, you're unemployed."

"Uh, at the moment, yeah... B-but I'm looking for other work! I'll find some soon, no prob!"

"Mm-hmm," Starlight repeated a fourth time. She looked at her husband, who closed his eyes and shrugged. She then turned her gaze to Twilight. "Well, dear, it seems you've chosen friends with very, err... modest professional lives."

"Well, I guess so..." Twilight replied, glancing apologetically at Applejack.

"Why is that?"

"Because... I don't know... they're just the friends I happened to make here in Ponyville. They're nice, and honest, and we all look out for each other, and care about one another. That's what friendship is all about... isn't it?"

Starlight's expression remained unchanged. "It's nice if your friends happen to exhibit those traits, sure, but Twilight, need I remind you of how your brother got to where he is?"

Twilight moaned and drooped even further at that question.

"He got his position of Captain of the Royal Guard by making the right friends. He made all the time and money your father and I invested in his education and training pay off, largely by getting acquainted with the right ponies. He met royal officials, veterans, military officers... Friends with connections, knowledge, and the expertise he could use to reach his goal. And you, Twilight..." - she punctuated her daughter's name with a glare and tone of voice that could make a Manticore weep - "...whom we have invested considerable time and money in to further your training as Celestia's star pupil, introduce me to YOUR friends... Who I find consist of a farmer, a pastry chef, and an application filler." She gave a deep sigh and twisted her face in disappointment. "What are your father and I to make of this?"

Twilight's frown was even more remorseful than it had been before, which Applejack didn't think was physically possible. Twilight looked at her father, who merely shook his head slowly. She appeared to give up just then, dropping her head and muttering a muffled, "I'm sorry..."

"Now wait just a minute!" sounded an angry male voice. All present turned to see Sweetgood Mac approaching Twilight's parents. He appeared insulted and upset, which belied his usually calm manner. "Did I hear you just refer to my daughter as an 'application filler'?"

"Well," Starlight said, turning her nose up, "she's not the farmer or the pastry chef, is she?"

Sweetgood gawked, and narrowed his eyes. "Now listen here. I don't know who you two are, and anypony here will tell you that I'm a pretty decent stallion most of the time. But I do NOT approve of strangers insulting my daughter like that! Do you understand me?"

Rainbow Dash hovered over to her father's side. "Dad, chill out!" she pleaded, embarrassed. "It's cool, you don't have to defend me. You're causing a scene!"

"I wasn't being insulting," Starlight assured, "I was just telling the truth, as I heard it. Your daughter is unemployed, and is currently seeking employment. That means she must be filling out applications. Which makes her an application filler. Do you deny it?"

Sweetgood Mac breathed in and exhaled deeply. "It's true she's not working right now, but that's not a cause to refer to her in such a derogatory way. She was unjustly let go by the Ponyville Weather Patrol, and lately has been working day and night trying to find a new job. You know how the economy is right now! And how hard it is for young ponies to find work! Don't be so quick to judge!"

Rainbow Dash, in spite of her previous plea for her dad to calm down, now stood close to him, relishing under his defensive wing. Aeroswift, as if in response to seeing this, stepped in. "Hold it, Sweetgood. You're making WAY too big a deal of this. First of all, while I didn't really like this mare's way of putting it, she is pretty much telling the truth. In fact, Rainbow Dash and I were just talking about how she needs to get a job soon. She really hasn't been putting all that much effort into her search..."

"She's EXHAUSTING herself with the search!" Sweetgood argued. "She tells me how she comes home tired every day after talking to employers and answering job ads!"

"That's what she SAYS," Aeroswift said in a raised voice, "But really she just answers a couple ads a week, mainly because I make her, and then blows off half the interviews she gets."

"How can you say that?" Sweetgood asked in shock, wrapping his foreleg around Rainbow Dash and pulling her in closer.

"Because I don't just listen to what she tells me and believe it! I actually SEE what she does! Because I'm actually in her LIFE a lot more! I see things with my actual eyes, not with my dreaming heart, like you do!"

"Excuse me, but I've seen with my own eyes the corruption within the Ponyville Weather Patrol."

"Rainbow Dash didn't get let go because of anything like that! She got fired for skipping work three days in a row!"

"Well, I've seen with my own eyes the stack of applications on her desk at home."

Aeroswift let out an exasperated laugh. "Most of those are still BLANK!"

"Hmm, so she barely even qualifies as an application filler," Starlight reasoned, glaring at Twilight once again. Twilight looked about ready to cry.

"It's true," Aeroswift said with a shake of the head. "My little athlete's got so much potential. But I swear, half the time she just dithers it away on nothing, taking refuge in laziness and an inflated ego..." She sneered at Sweetgood Mac. "And I wonder who can be blamed for THAT?"

"Oh, so I'm the bad guy for loving her?" Sweetgood shot back. "Something you never seemed to be able to do? She wouldn't NEED the refuge I provided for her if you weren't always so hard on her!"

"How dare you say I don't love her!" Aeroswift yelled, getting right up in Sweetgood Mac's face. "It's because I love her that I discipline! I want her to grow up to be strong, independent, and a winner! And YOU seem intent on doing everything in your power to undo that! You are a disease to her!"

"Mom!" Rainbow Dash called, trying to step out of her father's hold. When he didn't let go, she dug her hind leg into his side and pushed her away out. "Don't call dad a disease!"

In response to this, Sweetgood Mac stepped forward more confidently. "Yeah, if anyone is responsible for her bad habits, it's you. YOU'RE the detriment!"

"Dad!" Rainbow yelled with the stamp of her hoof. "Don't call mom a detriment!"

As the argument between Rainbow Dash and both her parents continued to escalate, Applejack began to feel sick to her stomach. She backed away, hoping to find solace in another conversation that might be happening nearby. One of the pleasant, friend-making kind that she had hoped there would be more of among all her friends and their parents that night. However, as she backed up, the voices of Rainbow Dash's family began to be drowned out by the shrill voices of another argument. It was between Twilight's mother and Rarity's mother.

"...But of all of my little Twilight's friends, your Rarity seems to have the most potential to actually BE somepony. How could you want her to forego that just to be a wife and homemaker? It's ludicrous!"

"Well I beg your pardon, miss High and Mighty! I didn't realize 'being somepony' was only determined by money or status. Used to be measured by how much love you had in your life, how much you valued family and friends!"

"Well, such old-fashioned ideas may have served us a few centuries ago, but this is the age of progress, my dear. Those ideas are now just pleasant luxuries. If you want to actually GET anywhere today, income and social standing are paramount. Your daughter seems to understand that. Don't steer her wrong. I actually do like knowing that one of my daughter's friends might be able to do some good for her."

"If that's really how today's high society is described by ponies WITHIN high society, then you can color me mortified. All the more reason to keep my little angel as far from it as possible! I look into your eyes, miss, and all I see is a hollow shell. I'll bet you don't even love your husband or daughter - they're just tools to you, that you can use to build your own wealth and status. Aren't they?"

"You're absolutely wrong about that. But let's take a look at YOUR family... All I see is poverty, and the dysfunction that comes with it. I see your daughter's desire to climb out of that, and your desperate attempts to pull her back down just because you're afraid she might end up somewhere better than you ever got. Face it - love doesn't factor into it. It's about ego. And you're trying to save your own at the cost of hers."

"Now YOU'RE the one that's speakin' falser than my daddy's teeth! I would NEVER put myself before my baby! I only know what's made me happy in my life - my husband and my children - and trying to provide that for her, too. And believe me, I make absolutely sure that all the potential husbands I introduce to her will make her happy as can be!"

A cry from Rarity brought the debate to a halt. "EWW! No, get away from me! No bueno, no bueno!" She came running from behind the booth with a look of disgust and horror, taking cover beneath the counter. Huevos Grandes came stumbling out as well, his eyes rolling in their sockets and his tongue hanging loosely from his mouth. "Ayyy, chica," he slurred, "Sólo quiero un besito. No seas cruel!"

"Yeah, just a little sugar is all he wants!" Hoppin Barley said in an equally drunken tone. "Go on, honey, lay one on him. He might turn into a handsome prince! Hahaha!"

"No, thank you!" Rarity screamed. "I dated a prince once, and it turned out to be the worst night ever!"

"Well goodness, sweetie!" Hoppin Barley complained, "Princes ain't good enough for ya, Wetflank laborers ain't good enough for ya... What in Equestria do you want?!"

"All I want is to be LEFT ALONE!"

Applejack looked around, her jaw hanging open, stunned. It seemed that the tensions between everyone had no hope of dissipating over time, only growing more and more heated. They now had seemed to reach the boiling point, with Twilight's parents only serving as a catalyst to make things worse. It was at this point that Applejack could take no more. She longed to leave the chaos behind. Upon turning around, however, she found herself staring Pinkie Pie in the face. If she had to guess, she'd say Pinkie Pie looked ten times as troubled as herself, despite the plastered grin.

"Wow, things are getting kinda crazy, huh?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Everypony's parents yelling at everypony ELSE'S parents, and parents yelling at each OTHER, and yelling, and parents, and PARENTS! Where are mine?! Where are my mommy and daddy? I wish they were here, arguing with everypony else's mommies and daddies too! I mean, the arguing part wouldn't be nice, but the part about them BEING HERE would be nice! Why aren't they here?" Her toothy grin had all but melted into the saddest, tear-filled, puppy-eyed face Applejack had ever seen her wear. "Applejack, why aren't they here?!"

Applejack couldn't answer. She couldn't stand to look into Pinkie Pie's desperately sad face. She couldn't stand to be there anymore. With a whimper, she turned away and galloped at full speed, away from the booth. Away from the confusion, the anger, the sorrow. It was all too much, and too far-removed from what she had hoped for. The emotions in her chest pounded to and fro, threatening to drive her mad. In that instant, all she needed was some peace. Some comfort. Some assurance that everything was going to be OK.

She needed her own mom and dad.

She had soon left the fairgrounds behind and was beginning to wander among the thicket of trees that surrounded the farm. In the darkness, it was impossible to see far ahead. However, this somehow proved to be relaxing, and she took a moment to let a feeling of tranquility blanket her troubled mind.

"I'll see them tonight," she whispered to herself. Already, the sounds of the festival, both good and bad, were beginning to fade into the background of her consciousness. "With Big Mac and Apple Bloom, I'll see them tonight..."

~~~

Applejack aimlessly strolled through the trees for a short while, feeling at once numb and euphorically pleased to just be alone in silence. She came upon a small patch of fluffy grass nestled between two large trees. Its appearance seemed almost predestined, as if some divine entity had seen fit to give her a place to rest. With a "thank you" to no one in particular, Applejack plopped down on the grass. She rolled over, allowing the soft blades to massage her back. She gazed upward, past the gnarled, overgrown leaves of the trees, and into the mesmerizing starry sky. It didn’t even matter to her that her mother’s white summer dress would get dirt and grass stains from this rest - the rest itself was sublime. She bathed in the feeling of solace that overcame her. "Later tonight," she thought, "I'll go back to my friends and their parents. I'll face it again..." At that moment, though, a brief period of repose was all she needed.

The repose would not last long, however. It was only a few minutes before Applejack began to hear something strange nearby. She stayed down, but perked her ears up, trying to guess what it might be. Before long, she realized it to be voices. Two voices in fact. They were faint, but growing louder and more clear, meaning they were getting closer. Who could be in the woods at this time of night? Applejack's curiosity got the better of her, and she listened intently.

"Now listen to me. You won't tell a soul what transpired here."

"No, I won't..."

"And if anyone asks where you've been, just say you had to run home to take care of something. If they ask for details, tell them it's none of their business."

"Yes, daddy..."

Upon hearing that last line, Applejack gasped to herself. The voices - she knew who they both belonged to. The one who had just spoken was Fluttershy, and she was addressing, of course, the beast of a stallion that was her father. What could they be talking about?

"Let me tell you something - I only agreed to come to this festival because your worthless stepmother threatened to close up her legs again."

"I'm sorry..."

"Your mother never would have done that... Actually, wait, what am I talking about? She did that for good when she left us!"

"I know..."

"I know you still try to write her sometimes..."

"Huh?"

"Your mother. You try to write her letters sometimes. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"What? But, no, I haven't..."

"You trying to lie to me? I saw a letter addressed to her in our mailbox just last week!"

"I don't... I don't know..."

"Don't LIE to me, Fluttershy! You want some more of what I just gave you? Do you?!"

"No! Please, don't! I... OK, I admit, I wrote a letter to her, but it was just a short one! To ask how she was. Honest..."

"Fluttershy, why do you even BOTHER? She's never replied. Never! Not once! Need I remind you why she left us? Cuz we wanted a son, and we got YOU instead. It was too much for her to take, so she took off. Why would she write a reply to the source of her disappointment? You're dreamin'! Wake up! Do you need me to explain this another hundred times for it to bore into your thick skull?"

"No, I understand..."

"And now, your stepmom and I want a son, too. But obviously, that ain't gonna happen with her bein' so tight-lipped. Or, tight-labia'd, if you will. So let's just get through the rest of this night as painlessly as possible, OK? I don't wanna have to give you any more lectures."

"No, I don't want anymore... *gulp*... lectures, either."

"Good. Now while we're here, I wanna go check out the parade of products. See if there are any hardware stands where I can pick up a new high-intensity bulb for my flashlight…”

The voices faded as the two began to head back in the direction of the festival. Applejack felt a strong urge to follow, but felt something holding her back. It was hard to explain, but the brief bit of conversation she heard almost made her feel like weeping for Fluttershy. What a cruel stallion her father was, speaking to her that way! If that was how she had been brought up, it was no mystery how Fluttershy came to be as meek and timid as she was...

But there was more to this story that Applejack wanted to know. If Fluttershy's mother had wanted a boy, why didn't she and her husband just keep trying? Why did she leave? Also, if Fluttershy's current stepmother also wants a boy so badly, why is she ceasing the effort until Fluttershy and her father go to the festival together? These things made Applejack question everyone's motivations. It was an intriguing tale that she was determined to learn more about.

On the flipside, however, she also thought that it might be a good idea to stay as far away from this as possible. After all, this was just another family drama to add to the already rancid stew that was brewing back at the festival. Perhaps, she thought, she should just stay lying in the comfortable grass a little while longer...

Another abnormal noise made her sit up with a start. It was the sound of a hoof stepping on a twig. And it was very, very close. She jumped up on all fours and spun in a full circle, peering into the darkness of the trees surrounding her. She sensed she was being watched. Someone knew she was there, and she couldn't be sure it was someone friendly. Could it be Fluttershy's father? Had that monster caught her eavesdropping? Had she heard something he didn’t want her to hear, and was he now ready to take her out in order to silence her? A lump caught in her throat. She prepared for the worst...

All of a sudden, in her frantic circular searching, Applejack caught sight of a shadow standing partially behind a tree. It was a pony, but who it was or how big they were was hard to judge in the darkness. She saw them slowly step one hoof out from behind the tree, as though intending to approach. Applejack gritted her teeth and got into a defensive stance, ready to whip around and deliver an applebuck into the stranger's face at a moment's notice...

5. A Soft-Hearted Tale

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 5: A Soft-Hearted Tale

_________________________________________________________________________________________

The mysterious pony took another step out from behind the tree. Even in the blackness, Applejack could sense a hesitation in their movement, as though they were afraid of revealing themselves, but she still remained poised and ready to strike. "Come on out n' try me, pardner…" she whispered to herself through gritted teeth, "…if you want some o' my Pa's patented applebuck delivered to your lower jaw!"

The pony raised a hoof to take another step. At that moment, though, they lost balance on their other front hoof and stumbled forward. They let out a feminine shriek as they fell through the foliage and into the moonlit clearing. In a split second, Applejack switched off her hard-as-nails, ready-to-attack mode and now found herself helping the Pegasus mare who had fallen so clumsily in front of her back onto her feet. "Gracious, miss!" Applejack exclaimed. "Are you hurt?"

"N-No, I'm OK. Thank you…" the mare replied in a soft, shaking voice. She visibly struggled to stand on all fours, and rubbed her front left hoof with her right. "Oww…"

Applejack could tell right away that this mare meant no harm, and in fact felt an immediate pity towards her due to her weak and diminutive appearance. "Well, you're awful lucky! Cuz I was about to trounce on you like a bull on a straw matador! Who do you think you are, sneakin' up on me like that?"

"I'm so sorry. So, so sorry…" the mare responded in the same hushed voice. "I wanted to say something, but… My body was moving a little faster than my mind, I guess…"

Applejack wasn't sure how to reply to that. She wondered, considering how slow this mare's movement had been, how slow must her mind be? Not wanting to be rude, she didn't ask. She merely sighed and said, "It's OK, don't worry 'bout it... But who are you?"

The mare, seemingly embarrassed by the question, lowered her head slightly, allowing some strands of golden hair to fall over her sad pink eyes. "Umm… My name is Softh-…."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Applejack asked, turning her ear in the mare's direction.

"Umm… my name is… Sof…hear…"

Applejack moved her ear in closer. "Still ain't hearin' ya, miss."

The mare was silent for a moment, as though ready to give up the daunting task of saying her name. She then clearly reconsidered, for she stood up a little taller and breathed in deep before speaking again. "…My name is Softheart."

Applejack's jaw hung open for a moment. It took her a second to recall where she had heard the name before. When it finally hit her, her eyes went wide. "Oh! I've heard of you. You're Fluttershy's stepmom!"

Softheart nodded. She was a mare of rather small stature, sporting a mellow light pink coat that bordered on being white. The contrast between her coat, her deep pink eyes, and her flowing golden mane was striking, even beautiful. Her Cutie Mark was a blue baby carriage, which served to pronounce her soft, gentle demeanor. On the other hand, Applejack couldn't help but notice some not-so-sweet features about her as well. One was a thick scar that ran from the side of her neck up to the back of her head. Since she couldn't see the whole thing, she could only guess how big it was, or what could have caused it. It was a curious, ugly blight on the otherwise lovely specimen of a pony. Additionally, Applejack couldn't tell for sure how old Softheart was, but she seemed relatively young – probably only about ten years older than Fluttershy, and about fifteen years younger than Fluttershy's father. What kind of home life could such an age situation have resulted in? That topic, Applejack decided, wasn't her business, but it was still an interesting thought. All in all, while the physical resemblance between Softheart and Fluttershy was understandably absent, their personalities seemed exact replicas of one another.

"Well, umm, it's nice to meet you, Softheart," Applejack said with some uncertainty, "…Out here in the woods, at night, in the dark…"

"Again, I'm so sorry for making my appearance like this," Softheart replied.

"Why did you, anyway?" Applejack queried. "And what are you doin' out here?"

"Well, umm… Do you want the short version, or the long version?"

"Short version. I got a festival to get back to soon, after all."

"OK, I see. I'll be quick then… You see, basically, I'm following my husband and my stepdaughter, because I want to reveal something to them that I think may change everypony's lives, especially Fluttershy's. I thought doing so at a public place, like the Parents' Day Festival, would make it less likely that my husband would do anything rash, but now that I'm here, I find that I'm still too terrified. Then I saw you, and recognized you as Fluttershy's friend, from a photograph she once showed me. I decided I should ask for help, so… could you help me? Please?"

Applejack frowned, feeling more confused now than ever. "Uhh… beg your pardon, but that was almost TOO short. None o' that made a lick of sense."

"It didn't? Oh, dear me. I'm so sorry. Let me start over…"

Applejack held up a hoof. "Hold it. You say you wanna reveal somethin' that might change Fluttershy's life? For the better?"

"Yes, that's right…"

"But you're afraid to do so, even in public, because her father might do something 'rash'…"

"Mm-hmm."

"How rash we talkin'?"

"Well, do you know why he brought Fluttershy out here to the woods?"

"I dunno. I figured maybe they just wanted some privacy…"

"They did, but not just to talk. I couldn't see everything, but I could hear it. And I know for a fact that he must have…" - she gulped heavily - "…hit her."

Applejack gasped and covered her mouth with her hoof. Within seconds, she could feel hot tears beginning to rise up from beneath her eyes. "You're not serious…"

"I am. It would be far from the first time he's done it, and far from the worst he's capable of."

Fighting the urge to cry, Applejack lowered her vision, until her eyes settled on the scar that crept up the side of Softheart's neck. "I had no idea. Her father seemed awfully stern when I met him, but I didn't imagine it went this far..."

"She's never said anything?"

"Not a peep. I mean, Fluttershy's always been so quiet about her private life, but how could she hide somethin' like this? All those times she had unexplained bruises and cuts… Every time tellin' me n' my friends that they were just accidents from workin' with the animals… How often was she tellin' the truth?"

"I'm not sure, but I would bet everything I own that most of the time, she was not."

In spite of herself, Applejack let a single tear run down her cheek. "That monster…"

"He IS a monster," Softheart replied. "And you're probably wondering why I'm married to him? Well, I assure you, it's not because I love him. At least not anymore…"

"Then why are you still with him?!" Applejack snapped, feeling a rush of anger overtake her. "Why not just leave the sorry son-of-a-hoofer and save yourself?!"

Softheart looked Applejack square in the eyes. "…Because I love Fluttershy."

Applejack opened her mouth to respond, but found herself at a loss for words. The rush of anger quickly subsided, and was replaced by a throbbing sense of understanding and respect for Softheart. "Oh…" was all she managed.

"I haven't had any children of my own, you see, so when I entered into Fluttershy's family, I immediately loved her as my own. I know, it's strange… I'm young enough to be her big sister. But that never mattered… Even after it became clear how dangerous my marriage was, I understood how much harder it was for Fluttershy, for unlike me, she's never had the option to just leave him behind. And so, I've stayed… To protect her as much as I can."

"And… this thing you wanna reveal…?" Applejack asked.

"I'll explain that, but once again, I can tell you the short version or the long version. Which do you want to hear?"

Applejack took a moment to think. She had just learned the bare facts about Fluttershy's relationship with her father, and knew right away that she wanted to do whatever she could to help her. Softheart claimed to have something that could do just that, but was requesting Applejack's aid. She wanted to accept, but at the same time, she knew she needed as much information as possible in order to do so effectively. She needed to know everything. The entire history of Fluttershy, her father, Softheart… and if possible, Fluttershy's true mother.

"Tell me the long version," Applejack finally said. "And I mean it. Don't leave ANYTHING out. Including your own story. I wanna know that from the beginning, too."

"Are you sure? It is pretty lengthy…"

"No worries. My ma n' pa used to spin mighty long yarns back in the day. I'm used to it."

"Ah, I see… very well," Softheart said. Her demeanor, which at first had been so timid and mousy, now seemed to exude much more confidence and determination. She cleared her throat and began her tale...

~~~

"I come from a place called Zephyr City, a Pegasus city outside of Equestria. I was raised by my mother and stepfather, who both did the best they could for me despite us living in general poverty. My real father left when I was two years old. I've never met him, and even to this day, my mother refuses to talk about him. Throughout the years, I've consulted several sources to learn more… Family photo albums, stories from friends and relatives, the occasional drunken account from my mother… The latter source probably being the most telling. The story, as I've been able to piece together, is that my father was generally a decent stallion, but suffered from some very destructive addictions, particularly gambling. It got so bad that one night, after having gambled away most of our family's savings, he bet his own wedding ring on a poker hand. He lost the round, and the ring. When my mother found out, she was livid, insisting that since their marriage clearly meant nothing to him anymore, it meant nothing to her, either. She threw her own wedding ring in his face and told him he could gamble that away too, for all she cared. She then kicked him out, and he never came back. He's apparently written a few times since then, and has even sent some money, but my mother wants nothing to do with him. She met another stallion a few years after the split, anyway. And I can honestly say I'm glad that she did."

"My stepfather, whom my mother is still happily with, is a wonderful stallion. He's a humble carpenter, not especially wealthy or brilliant, but oh, does he love us. It never mattered that he and I weren't of the same blood, a fact that I understood even as a filly. In truth, he's not even legally my stepfather, as he and my mother never actually married. But that never mattered either. What mattered was that he was there. There to hold my hoof as we crossed the street. There to help me with hard homework problems and treat me to ice cream when I aced a test. There to comfort my mother when she cried about the thousand things she wished had gone differently in her life… Even though I'm far away now, his patience and care still inspire me. He is the best example I've ever known that the concept of family transcends blood ties. That there is a distinction between true parents, bound by biology, and true parents, bound by love…"

"Taking everything my parents taught me, I moved to Cloudsdale in my college years, and quickly found a love for nursing, particularly in Labor and Delivery. Upon delivering my first foal, I acquired my Cutie Mark. I still remember holding that newborn foal, and handing him to his mother, proudly stating that it was a boy. She at once looked so exhausted yet so happy, and it made me happy too. Over the years I delivered hundreds more children, each time admiring the joyful looks of their parents as they beheld their new little blessings, and each time wondering more and more what it would be like to know that joy for myself."

"It was one particular morning when I heard talk of a malpractice case happening at Cloudsdale General, where I worked. I was curious about it, so on my lunch break, I went down to the lobby and checked out the scene. I saw some police officers questioning a pharmacist and a few nurses. Among those officers… was him. He was so handsome, my attention switched from the case to only him. I don't know how long I stood staring, but I remember when they finished questioning the witnesses, he turned to leave… and then looked straight at me. I could feel my cheeks turn hot as I turned away. A few seconds later, I looked back, and saw that he was actually advancing towards me. I was shaking on my hooves, struggling to catch my breath. I must have looked so embarrassed! When he reached me, his face was serious and stern, but somehow alluring. He introduced himself as officer Brawn Bones, and asked me if I had any information on the malpractice case. I told him no, but promised to tell him if I learned anything. He thanked me. He then took a curious look at my Cutie Mark, before looking back at me. A smile formed on his face… a somewhat flirtatious one, I recall, that made me melt inside. He asked me what I was up to, to which I replied I was on my lunch break. He said he was about to go on his, too, and invited me to join him at a sandwich place he liked. I had never been asked out so abruptly, so directly, or by so handsome a stallion… My heart fluttered like a hummingbird's wings! How could I say no? I agreed, and from there, our relationship began, for better or worse…"

"During our first few dates, I was elated every second I spent with Brawn Bones. He was charming and courteous, going out of his way to do the smallest of favors for me. He refused to talk about his earlier life, or what he did at work, and there were times when I saw a concealed, fierce temper rear its head, but my youthful love caused me to overlook such things. Then came one morning, during our fourth or fifth date, when he invited me to his home. As we were enjoying brunch in his dining room, I excused myself to use the restroom. It was as I was walking down the hallway that I encountered his daughter for the first time."

"That first meeting was one that I'll never forget. She was nine years old, and my oh my, was she beautiful. Indeed, the resemblance between her and her father was uncanny. However, her face bore a mysterious, deep-seated sadness that shone through even in her attempts to hide it. The meeting was quite a surprise, for Brawn Bones had not told me about any family or guests that may have been in the house. When I saw her, I said hello. She didn't reply, and merely stared up at me curiously. I asked her name, and after some hesitation, she told me it was Fluttershy. I was about to say that it was a lovely name, when I noticed something odd – a large purple bruise on her flank, visible even under her cream-colored coat. I gasped, and asked her if she was OK. She said yes, but I got the vibe that she was not being honest."

"Brawn Bones appeared at that instant. I asked him who this young filly was that was in his house, and pointed out that she was hurt. He didn't answer me, and merely fixed his gaze on her. I watched as his amiable face scrunched into one of pure outrage. He nudged past me and approached the filly, who lowered herself in complete submission, a look of terror on her young face. 'What are you doing here at this hour?' I remember him asking sternly, 'It's a weekday! You should be at school!'"

"She replied softly, 'It was a half day. My teacher let us out early. I told you yesterday that-'"

"He didn't let her finish. 'You told me nothing. You're lying again. Stop it!'"

"'But… But I'm not lying… Who's this lady…?'"

"That's none of your business! Now go to your room. I'll deal with you later.'"

"Fluttershy wouldn't dare challenge him any more at that point. With wide eyes and tightly-zipped lips, she whirled around and galloped into her room. However, she caught a quick glance at me before entering. The look on her face was hard to decipher, but it almost seemed to be a plea for help. After she disappeared into the room, I turned to Brawn Bones, who was still fuming. I tried again to ask who the filly was, but he only replied by ordering me to leave. I pressed further, but in a move I never saw coming, he pushed me roughly with his front hoof and yelled 'Get out!' I was in such shock and sorrow that I obeyed, crying all the way."

"That should have been the end of it, and part of me wishes that I had just let it be so when I had the chance. However, I still loved Brawn Bones, and was far too curious about the filly to let it go. I visited him a few days later, promising to forgive him if he told me the truth. He remorsefully went on to tell me that Fluttershy was indeed his only daughter, and that he was afraid to tell me about her out of fear that I might leave him if I knew he had a child. While I didn’t like the fact that he had kept that from me, I also found it hard to be upset when he was being so honest and vulnerable.”

“I asked about Fluttershy’s mother. He told me her name was Amazing Grace, and that she had been a gorgeous and sweet-mannered dancer. However, she was now long gone, having left them five years ago. According to him, they had been happily married for three years before they began talking about having a child. Both agreed that they had wanted a boy, and were highly excited when Amazing Grace finally became pregnant. However, when ultrasounds showed that their expected child was to be a girl, Amazing Grace became despondent. Even when Fluttershy was born, Amazing Grace showed no interest in holding her. She fell into a deep depression that lasted throughout Fluttershy's infancy, and despite Brawn Bones' efforts to convince her to let it go and love her daughter as she was, it was of no use. Amazing Grace simply did not love her little girl, instead reserving her love for the son she didn't have. She and Brawn Bones even continued to try and have a son after that, but in spite of all the efforts, she never seemed to be able to become pregnant again."

"One night, when Fluttershy was four years old, Amazing Grace and Brawn Bones had a particularly heated argument. When it all came to a head, Amazing Grace decided she had had enough. She stormed into Fluttershy's room, spit on the carpet in front of her, and then stormed out of the house. It was the last they ever saw or heard of her. Since that night, Brawn Bones had raised Fluttershy on his own, lamenting the fact that he now lacked a wife and Fluttershy now lacked a mother. In spite of this, he did the best he could to provide the love of two parents and raise Fluttershy right."

"I remember being in tears when he finished divulging his tale. I felt deeply for him, but I felt even more so for poor Fluttershy. Her story was so close to mine that it made my heart ache. I had lost my father early in my life, just as she had lost her mother. However, I realized there was a fundamental difference between our stories. After my father left, my mother found a superior replacement – a good, caring stallion who did not leave us. Fluttershy didn't have that. Her mother was gone, but no one had come to take her place... At least not yet. And it was in that moment that I had an epiphany. Perhaps it could be me! I could be the one to replace her mother, and give her all the care that she had been denied, just as my stepfather had done for me. I was so confident in that decision that I blurted it to Brawn Bones without a second thought. He hesitated at first, but eventually thanked me for caring and opened up to the idea."

"After that, he then admitted something that I perhaps should have found puzzling at the time – that although he loved his daughter above all else, he still longed for a baby boy. I, in the emotional moment, revealed that I, too, wished for a child of my own. I wondered, could this all be true? Could all three of us provide for each other what we had desired for so many years? Fluttershy, a mother figure… Brawn Bones, a wife and son… Me, a child of my own and a chance to pay forward my stepfather's love? Indeed, it seemed that destiny had arranged things perfectly for us, a chance to live happily ever after. Needless to say, it was not long before Brawn Bones and I were wed and I moved in with him and Fluttershy. I quit my job as a delivery nurse, and was prepared to become the ideal wife and mother, for both Fluttershy and the future son we hoped to have."

"Looking back on it now, I should have listened to my gut instinct that all of this seemed too good to be true, for lamentably, it turned out to be just that. While my bond with Fluttershy grew stronger every day, my bond with Brawn Bones deteriorated quickly. I found that his desire for a boy went beyond just a simple longing – it appeared an unhealthy obsession. It was all he talked about, along with his bitterness towards his ex-wife for failing to give him one. Throughout our years of marriage, I have only managed to get pregnant twice – both times, it was a girl. And both times, Brawn Bones ordered me to have it aborted. As an ex-delivery nurse, who has always been stubbornly pro-life, I cannot describe to you how much this pained me. Two of my own daughters, whose gender mattered not to me, had their lives taken before they could even begin… Because their gender mattered too much to my husband, and his love mattered too much to me. I still cry myself to sleep sometimes when I remember, wondering how weak I was to allow myself to submit to his demands. My two baby girls… Although they never were, I will love them always."

"I convinced myself not to dwell on them forever, though, because I still had another little girl to look after – Fluttershy. She was a blessing in my life, but I was greatly troubled by Brawn Bones' treatment of her. Although he provided enough for her to live comfortably, he seemed to lose his temper more quickly with her than anyone else, getting upset with her over trivial things and saying very hurtful words in the process. I distanced myself from the issue for a time, until one day I asked about a cut she had on her foreleg. She first tried to say she fell down at school, but I knew her well enough by then to know she was lying. She then confided in me a truth that turned my world upside-down: 'Daddy did it to me.' She explained that while I was out grocery shopping the previous day, he had entered her room, accusing her of going through his magazines. I was actually the one responsible for that, so of course she denied it. He ordered her to stop lying, but when she insisted she was telling the truth, he shoved her, causing her to fall and scrape her leg on the bedpost. I was astonished that my husband, whom I loved so dearly, could do this to his own daughter, and demanded to know if she was being truthful. She said yes, and said he had been doing similar things to her all throughout her life, the worst period being the couple years after her mother left. I then asked Fluttershy if she remembered anything about her mother. 'Only a little,' she said. 'She was really pretty, and really nice to me. But daddy scared her away. I wanted to go with her, but I couldn't. Daddy wouldn't let me.'"

"Fluttershy's account, naturally, deviated greatly from her father's, leading me to wonder which one of the two was lying. I confronted Brawn Bones about it the next day, who blew Fluttershy's story off as a product of her active imagination, and her failing to understand Amazing Grace's true reason for leaving. When I asked if her 'true' reason for leaving was really as he said, he ordered me to drop the subject. I then brought up the cut on Fluttershy's leg, and her account of how it had happened. When I asked what he had to say about that, he withdrew his nightstick and demanded that I shut my mouth, or else he would make me. I was shocked and afraid, for he had never threatened me that way before. However, I was more concerned for Fluttershy than for myself, and so I repeated the question. His answer, as it were, was to swing the nightstick directly at my face. I turned away at the last instant, causing him to land a blow on the junction between the side of my neck and the back of my head…"

"Since that day, whatever love I held for that stallion had disappeared, replaced only by a silent anger. All my love was transferred to Fluttershy, and I strove to keep her safe from her father's abuse as much as I could. However, I'm ashamed to admit that I was, and still am, very weak… He still dominates our lives, and although Fluttershy lives in her own cottage now, he and I still live nearby, and his presence in her life remains very strong. And in spite of all I've seen him do and say, to both me and Fluttershy, I still held onto a naïve hope that maybe his tale about his wife's departure was the true version, and that he was the way he was because of his grief. However, just a few days ago, I stumbled across something that has verified that that is simply not the truth…"

"You see, as Fluttershy went through her teenage years, she began trying to reach out to her true mother, with my encouragement. In fact, it was I who managed to find her mother's current address by snooping through some of Brawn Bones' personal records. Although I think he suspects that I did so, he's never confronted me directly about it... In any case, I passed this information to Fluttershy, and with it, she went on to write and send several letters to the faraway place that her mother now lived. Brawn Bones became furious any time he discovered another attempt, but he insisted that Amazing Grace would never write back, seeing as she detested Fluttershy for not having been born a boy. Fluttershy refused to believe this, sending letter after letter in secret, with no replies ever coming. The most recent one she sent, as you may have heard, was just last week, in time for Parents' Day."

"A few days ago, while Brawn Bones was at work, I was cleaning our bedroom when I spotted something I had never seen before – a sort of trapdoor, partially concealed underneath the bed. I was so intrigued, so certain that something important lay within, that I used a strength I didn't know I had to move the bed on my own. I lifted the trapdoor, and found within it a rather large brown sack. When I opened it and saw its contents, my heart stopped cold."

"Within the sack were the dozens of letters that Fluttershy had attempted to send to her mother. Every single one, unopened, unmailed. Brawn Bones, through his eternal vigilance and perhaps with some help from his connections in the police force, had managed to intercept every letter, and hid them all in this sack. He had effectively barred any communication between Fluttershy and Amazing Grace, and was feeding a lie to Fluttershy to explain why she never got any response letters. The dirty coward! In my anger, I pulled out what I recognized to be the most recent letter, which Fluttershy had written just days before, and decided to mail it myself. Afraid that some of Brawn Bones' connections might be within the Ponyville and Cloudsdale post offices, I took the train to Canterlot and dropped it in a postbox there. I also changed the return address on it to match that of a personal friend, in case Brawn Bones had a method to intercept any reply letters as well. With everything in me, I prayed that my extra efforts would pay off."

"And now, just today, my prayers have been answered. I visited my friend this morning, who told me a reply letter had arrived. Part of me thought it should be for Fluttershy's eyes alone, but my biting curiosity led me to tear open the envelope and read the letter myself. Indeed, it is addressed to Fluttershy, signed Amazing Grace, and contains pages and pages of some of the most beautiful, heartfelt, bittersweet prose I have ever read. It easily convinced me once and for all that, despite her need to leave her abusive husband, Amazing Grace still very much loves her daughter, and longs desperately to see her again, to see the grown-up mare that she has become…"

Softheart slowly reached her mouth into the small bag slung around her shoulder, and withdrew a thick, baby blue envelope. "This is the letter. My plan was to convince Brawn Bones to take Fluttershy to the Parents’ Day Festival, using the only small bit of leverage I have over him: by refusing to continue the effort to give him a son until he agreed to do so. I then hoped Fluttershy and I might find a way to use this letter as a sort of surprise attack against him. Before that, though, she needs to see it. She needs to know the truth…"

Softheart put the letter back into the bag, and let out a quivered sigh. "But I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what the repercussions of this might be. I'm afraid of Brawn Bones… as is Fluttershy. I shudder to think what he might do to her…" She raised her head and looked at Applejack through moist eyes. "Applejack, as Fluttershy's friend, please… I need your help..."

~~~

Applejack had cried several times throughout Softheart's tale. She tried to brush away the warm tear water from her cheeks, but there was so much of it that she just caused it to smear. Then, with some difficulty, she nodded. "Of course I'll help. What do you need? I'll do anything. Anything at all."

Softheart put on the most gracious smile. "Thank you, Applejack. Thank you so much…" She cleared her throat. "OK, here's what I would like to happen… I would like to somehow get Fluttershy away from Brawn Bones, just long enough that I can speak with her shortly and allow her to read the letter. From that point, she and I can confront Brawn Bones together. I'm not sure what exactly we can do, but I assure you, we will do something to improve our lives. Brawn Bones has kept us trapped in a cage for too long. It's time Fluttershy and I found the strength in each other to break free."

Applejack nodded in agreement. "Gotcha. Don't you worry, Softheart. I'll find a way to pry Fluttershy from her daddy's grip, one way or another."

"It won't be easy," Softheart warned. "Remember, he's a respected officer for the Cloudsdale police force. He is extremely watchful, and suspicious of everything and everyone. And he can be brutal when he's upset. Please, be careful…"

"For you and Fluttershy, I'll take the risk. I promise."

"Thank you again," Softheart replied, once again fighting oncoming tears. "So very much…"

"It's no trouble. Alrighty then, you wait here. We can't risk Brawn Bones finding you. When I get Fluttershy, we'll meet you back in this very clearing. Got it?"

"Understood."

"Good. I'll get on it, then. See you soon."

"You too…"

With a determined nod, Applejack left Softheart in the forest clearing and sprinted into the thicket of trees, back in the direction of the festival…

~~~

Applejack caught her breath as she breached the forest's edge, and found herself staring out among the bright, colorful lights of the Parents' Day Festival once again. The cheery atmosphere and delighted hoots and hollers from the fairgrounds belied the heavy emotions weighing on her heart. On top of all the drama that she had encountered between all her other friends and their parents that night, she now bore the burden of a potentially life-changing promise to Softheart and Fluttershy. What had she gotten herself into? She needed a moment to breathe and gather her thoughts.

So many troubles… So many bad histories and old grudges… Could anything truly be done? Could she herself, Applejack wondered, do something about them all…? The more she thought about it, the more she began to build on the plan she had for Softheart and Fluttershy. Perhaps, she thought, there might be a way to include ALL of her friends and their parents into a wide-ranging, brilliant scheme to smooth out ALL their dramas…

It seemed impossible, even crazy, and she knew for a fact that she couldn't fix every little thing. Perhaps, though, she could at the very least get them all to understand each other more clearly and lead their lives in the right direction…

But did Applejack really possess the knowledge and wisdom about healthy parent-child relationships to pull off such a scheme? Did she really have the authority to decide what was best for everyone?

Yes, she eventually decided. While she was not a parent herself, she had the best parental models a pony could ever ask her: her own mother and father. To her, they had always done everything right: supported and guided her, disciplined when necessary, loved always, and so much more. In her eyes, they were the perfect parents, and the example by which every other parent could learn. She would use their example, and with luck, spread it to those who needed to see it the most…

"Everyone deserves a good Parents' Day," she whispered to herself. "And as Celestia is my witness, I'm gonna make sure everypony I care about gets just that!"

Her eyes turned upward, toward the majestic night sky and all its heavenly bodies. The instant she did, she witnessed a sight that gave her chills: a bright blue shooting star. It launched from beyond the forest, cut across the sky in the direction of the fairgrounds, and vanished at a spot directly above them. Whether this astral miracle had been a divine omen or a divinely wild coincidence, Applejack could not be sure. Either way, the sight of it seemed to deeply inspire her, empower her, make her more than ready to confront the challenges ahead…

And so, with the image of her smiling mother and father in her mind, leading the way, Applejack let out an enthusiastic "YEE-HAW!" before galloping back to the fairgrounds, eager to put her plan into action…

6. Puttin' ? and ? Together

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 6: Puttin' ? And ? Together

_________________________________________________________________________________________

As Applejack galloped towards the fairgrounds, her thoughts of her mother and father giving her strength, memories of those days gone by began to play in her busy mind once again…

~~~

"…Lemme see that buck o' yours real quick. I wanna see how you're comin' along."

"But didn't you say ma was waitin' for us to go inside?"

"Bah! She can wait. Now c'mon, Babycakes. Show me whatcha got!"

"Alrighty, here I go... Hee-YAH!"

"Whoa, nelly! You got some power in those hind legs, missy!"

"Aww, but I only made two apples fall that time. The most I've been able to get is four. Maybe Big Mac was right. I'll never be any good at applebuckin'..."

"Oh, now don't get so down. You just gotta change your form a little bit, is all. Do that, and you can get a bear's force in those kicks!"

"How do I do that?"

"Here, I'll show ya. Come over here next to me and just do what I do, alrighty?"

"OK."

"Good. First, get your front hooves firm on the ground, and lower your head..."

"Uh-huh..."

"Then get both hind legs high up in the air..."

"Yeah…"

"Bunch 'em up REEEAL close to your body, like a spring. You'll wanna tighten all your muscles - not just in your legs, but in your stomach too. Like this. Get me?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good. And lastly, SNAP! Release all those muscles. Thrust your legs back and your head forward at the same time, hard as you can. Just like that!"

"Like this? Hee-YAH!"

"Lookin' good to me! Think you got all that?"

"I think so..."

"Great! Now go on, give that tree another whack usin' what I just taught ya."

"OK, here I go... Heeeeee-YAAAH!"

"WOO-WEE! Look at that! Your first time doin' it the proper way, and you done broke your own record!"

"...Awww, but I only made SIX fall that time! That's not a big heap better than I've done before..."

"Six? Naw, darlin', that there was seven."

"Really? It was?"

"That's what I counted. And I ain't blind just yet!"

"Oh, I guess that is pretty good, huh?"

"Shoot, for a greenhorn like you? That's fantastic! And you'll only get better the more ya practice. Tomorrow, that seven'll become eight, then nine, then ten... and so on, 'til you’re strippin' whole trees naked with single swift kicks! And I promise ya, that day's not too far off. Then you'll be able to shove it in your brother's face all the live long day."

"You promise?"

"From the bottom of my heart, sweetums."

"Thank pa, you're the best ever!"

"Aww, shucks, I'm just a stallion doin' what he can for his only little lady. Ya done good today, darlin'. But let's pick it up again tomorrow, yeah? I reckon we should head on in now, else your ma'll buck us both in our behinds for bein' out late."

"Do we have to, pa? I wanna applebuck with you more..."

"You sure? Cuz your ma done baked apple fritters."

"Really?! With whipped cream?"

"EXTRA whipped cream."

"Boy howdy! Let's get on home, then! YEE-HAW!"

"Hahaha! Goodness, girlie! Don't go leavin' me in the dust! Wait up...!"

~~~

Applejack could have rewound that memory and played it back over and over in her mind until the mental reel faded. However, she had by that point passed through the fairgrounds and had now reached the Apple family farmhouse, her first stop in her grand plan (which, she had to admit to herself, was still a work-in-progress). She flew through the front door and began to head up the steps to her bedroom. On the way, she happened to spot Granny Smith on the living room couch. Her back was turned, and she appeared to be browsing through a book. The sound of the door opening caused her to turn, but before she could say a word, Applejack was already ascending to the second floor.

Once Applejack entered her bedroom, she went for her oak desk and opened the largest drawer. She withdrew two thick, leather-bound photo albums, and let them drop on the desk with a heavy thud. One was labeled "10-10-10 to 05-06-11", and the other, "09-17-11 to 04-21-12". As much as she would have loved to sit and look through them at her leisure, she knew she was on a mission. She began to flip through the pages as quickly as she could, glancing at each photo just long enough to know whether it was one she needed or not.

"Nope, nope, YES, nope… YES, nope, maybe, nope… Nope, nope, what the- when was this? Nope… Nope, nope (that's a cute one, though!), nope, YES… Nope, YES, nope (goodness, I look goofy in this one), nope…"

After pulling two dozen or so photographs from both albums, Applejack nodded in satisfaction and stuffed them into her saddlebag, which she slung over her shoulder before darting out of the room as quickly as she'd entered. She descended the stairs so fast she barely felt her hooves land on each step. She was then ready to head back out the door before-

"Applejack!"

Applejack screeched to a stop, and turned around to see Granny Smith beckoning her from the couch. "Goodness, girlie, you're whippin' around faster n' a dern twister! What, are there timberwolves after ye?"

"Naw, Granny…" Applejack huffed. "I've just uh… got some really… *huff!* …important things I'm… *pant!*… doin' right now…"

Granny Smith kept her grin on. "Oh, c'mon now! Can't be so urgent that you can't spend a lil' time with your ol' Granny! Come on over here! Come look through some of our old family albums with me."

"I really can't… right now…" Applejack continued, "I seriously… need to get movin'…"

Granny Smith laughed her hearty grandmotherly laugh. "Oh, of course! How could I forget? You're darn right, you better get movin'! Matter of fact, your brother n' sister were just now lookin' fer ya so ya'll could start headin' out."

Applejack stared blankly back. "Huh? What're you talkin' bout?"

"Don't play silly with me, now. Ya'll are goin' to visit your ma and pa! You forget it was Parent's Day already? My my my, and you're throwin' the gosh-dern festival for it right in our backyard, too…"

Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself when she glanced at the grandfather clock to her right. It was 6:33 pm, three minutes past the time that she had agreed to meet Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom so that they all could go together to visit their mother and father. In that instant, a heavy weight dropped in her breast. With all that had transpired that night, she had completely lost track of the time. Now, at this pivotal hour, she stood at a crossroads. One path guaranteed herself, her siblings, and her parents a satisfying holiday. The other path was a longshot possibility at a satisfying Parents' Day for her friends. Which path to take? Which sacrifice to make?

Perhaps, Applejack thought, it might be possible to have both? Perhaps, she thought, if Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom were willing to wait a while longer, she could quickly lay in place the foundations of her plan to help all of her friends, leaving enough time for her and her siblings to visit their folks together as planned. A less pleasing, but still possible, option was to just have her siblings go ahead without her, while she stayed behind to help her friends. She would just have to hope she had enough time left over at the end of the night to visit her parents on her own. It was hard to tell right then which option was more feasible, for she knew she barely had a two-and-a-half hour window in which she could accomplish all that she wanted…

Eventually, she decided that the dilemma would currently have to be logged in with the rest of the unanswered questions in her jumbled, still-developing plan. After all, she wasn't even sure where Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom were at that moment. Perhaps, by the time she found them, she would have her answer…

"Well, you gonna go meet up with yer brother n' sister, or ya gonna keep standin' there like a loony-faced stump?!"

Applejack snapped back to reality. "Huh?!" She glanced at the clock, and saw that it was 6:35 pm. Realizing that every minute was precious and needed to be made the most of, she quickly nodded her head to her grandma. "Yeah Granny, I'm off to see ma' and pa' now." That wasn't exactly a lie, as she really didn't know the truth yet, but it was still enough to make the pin needle of guilt poke her heart.

"Alrighty then. Tell my son I say hi. Again! Hahaha!"

"Oh, you've already gone ta see 'em today?"

"This afternoon. They're doin' well as whiskey, like always!" She put on a sweet, genuine smile.

"Oh, um, great!" Applejack replied. "I'll be happy to see that fer myself. So… yeah, see ya!" She turned again to head out the door, but a sudden idea struck her. It was a brilliant one, one that needed to be stuck into her sloppy mess of a plan, at the top of the list. She looked back at Granny Smith. "Say Granny, do you know if Aunt and Uncle Orange managed to make it to the festival tonight?"

"They sure did! And they brought along little Julius, too. Oh my, he's become such a handsome specimen of a stallion! Why, if I was his age and not blood-related, I'd be workin' my old-school charms on that one!"

Applejack was delighted to hear the info she had wanted, and not so much the rest. "TMI, Granny. Thank you, but… TMI."

"Whazzat?! I don't git all that newfangled interweb speak you yungins are always blabbin'… Anyhoo, why do you ask? Ya wanna invite them to visit your folks, too?"

"Umm, yeah! That's exactly it!" A real lie this time. The pinpoint stung ten times as much as before.

"Oh, that'd be lovely! OK, well you'd better git your rump movin'. Lemme know how it all goes, alrighty?"

"Will do, Granny," Applejack said. Itching to leave, she hurriedly whirled around and threw open the door.

"And Happy Parents' Day!"

Just as the door slammed shut, Applejack managed a forced "Happy Parents' Day!" in response. She couldn't be sure if Granny Smith had heard her or not. Unable to worry much about it, she aimed herself toward the fairgrounds and sprinted towards her next destination…

~~~

"Ugh, I KNEW I saw them here earlier… Where in the tarnation'd they run off to?"

Applejack was hurriedly trotting up and down the parade of products, checking each booth to see if Twilight and her parents were at any of them. She had spotted them at a jewelry stand while running through the fairgrounds on the way to her house. However, no pony was there now. She searched frantically, for she needed to speak with Twilight as soon as she could.

The sight of a familiar slim, athletic mare halted her, and made her reorganize her thoughts. Aeroswift was playing a game of horseshoes, seemingly by herself. A quick scan of the area for Rainbow Dash or Sweetgood Mac yielded no results. Applejack cursed to herself, for she had wanted to speak with them, too, but then decided that a chance to learn more about Aeroswift personally could only help in her mission. She walked up to her side. "Howdy there, Aeroswift," she greeted. She looked at the post in the playing field, and saw four horseshoes hooped flawlessly around it. "Wow! Looks like you're winnin', huh?"

"Hard to say…" Aeroswift replied half-heartedly. She didn't even look at Applejack, instead keeping her distant gaze on the post. She effortlessly tossed another horseshoe. *TINK!* It hit the post and hooked, swiveling around it before landing on top of the pile.

"Well gosh, sure looks like it to me!" Applejack observed.

Aeroswift sighed. She let her two remaining horseshoes slip from her hoof and onto the grass. "I won at this, I guess…" She peered over the horizon. "But not at everything."

The cryptic and sad nature of her words made Applejack's curiosity pique. "Beggin' your pardon, ma'am, but… what do you mean? And where are Rainbow Dash n' your hubby?"

"Oh, they went off… somewhere. I don't know…" she flicked her hoof in a nonchalant manner. "As for what I mean, well…" She stopped, perhaps to either think about what to say next, or to wonder whether she was willing to divulge such personal things to a pony she had just met. "Let me ask you something… Do you have kids?"

Applejack frowned at the question. "Sweet mother o' mercy, no! It's hard enough for me findin' time to meet fellas at all!"

"I figured. You're still pretty young for that," Aeroswift replied. She lowered her head. "But not TOO young. I was actually about your age when I had Rainbow Dash."

"Oh my…" Applejack responded. "I couldn't imagine... What was it like, becomin' a mother so young?"

"It was Heaven. I couldn't have been happier," Aeroswift said. "…Well, at least SHE was Heaven. But every Heaven has a Hell, I suppose. And my Hell… was him."

Applejack nodded. Somehow, she had seen this coming. "Well, I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't notice some mighty bad blood between you and your husband. But why? Sweetgood Mac seems sweeter n' fresh baked apple fritters with extra cream. Is he really not that way?"

"Oh, he's nice," Aeroswift confirmed. "He's just… TOO nice. TOO easygoing, you know? Too ready to spill his heart out to everyone and everything. I mean, compare that to somepony like me. I'm the most strong-headed, independent, ready-to-win-at-life mare that you'll ever meet. My beliefs have me see the world as one big sports stadium, in which there are a few winners, a few losers, and a ton of do-nothing spectators. HE prefers to see the world as one big family home, where everypony has something to contribute and is obliged to help support one another, even if they haven't earned it…" She frowned. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not heartless, and I don't dislike his ideas. They appealed to me at one time, I admit, which is probably why I fell for him so long ago. But after years of toil and hardship, years of seeing my cotton candy dreams nibbled away by the maw of reality, I see now that that's all they are – ideas. The truth, as I see it, is that the world is not fair, and not everypony is made equal, meaning 'survival of the fittest' is the only sensible way to live. I stubbornly identify as a realist now, and I've learned to take pride in that."

Applejack couldn't help but think that Aeroswift's "cotton candy dreams" metaphor sounded very much like something that would have come from Sweetgood Mac's mouth. She didn't comment however, and let Aeroswift continue.

"But it's not just the difference in our worldviews that's created this friction between us… I mean, sure, I first married him because I was young, and stupid, and lovesick, and idealistic… But even as those qualities about me changed while they remained the same in him, we still managed to love each other just fine. Our perception of our love simply evolved as we did – instead of 'I love you because of our similarities', it became 'I love you because of our differences.' It was a struggle, but we managed to make it work, and I think it's mainly because we knew that we were both too stubborn to allow ourselves to be changed by the other."

Aeroswift sat on the grass. Applejack chose to keep on her hooves, but kept listening. "But then, bada-bing, bada-boom, our little filly came along. It's funny... he wanted to name her 'Rainbow Spectra', and I wanted to name her 'Thunder Dash'. We argued about it, but we were all about compromise back then, so, you know... 'Rainbow Dash'. We both loved her so much, but we loved her in very different ways; ways that reflected our own personal beliefs. We both wanted her to grow up to be like ourselves – me wanting her to be an active, competitive, strong soul, and him wanting her to be a passive, uncompetitive, pushover, bleeding-heart, wuss…" She grunted in disgust. "Our different approaches to raising Rainbow Dash only magnified the differences between us. I saw his influence as negative, as turning her into a pony that might become dependent, and lazy, and proud for the wrong reasons. Of course, he accused me of pushing her too hard, and not showing her enough compassion. Not surprising, coming from a stallion like him… Needless to say, it's only gotten worse over the years. Now she's entering adulthood, and in these crucial years, I still want to make sure his influence is as minor as possible. For every nudge he gives her in one direction, I give her ten nudges in the other. I'll burn alive before I let my little winner become any more like him…"

"Goodness," Applejack said, "That's a mite dramatic, wouldn't you say?"

"If only you knew, Applejack," she mused, "you wouldn't think so… and I probably wouldn't have to be so harsh if, on top of everything else, he hadn't cheated on me."

Applejack gasped. "Oh my, Sweetgood Mac cheated on you?! I couldn't imagine him doing such a thing…"

"Well imagine it, sweetheart, cuz it's true," Aeroswift said bitterly. "With an acquaintance of mine, no less. I don't want to go into details about that. But all things considered, you understand a little better now why I don't want that stallion's ideals to get too buried in my daughter's head, don't you?"

"I suppose I can see your point," Applejack said, still reeling in disbelief. "But… If you n' your hubby have had so many problems, why are you still together?"

Aeroswift was silent for a short while. For the first time since meeting her, Applejack could see that she looked just the slightest bit unconfident. She ran her hoof over her dangling ponytail a couple of times, pondering. Eventually, she said, "Call me old-fashioned, but…I guess I just can't do that to Rainbow Dash. As much as I can't stand her father, I know she loves him, and it would crush her to see us split apart. And if she were to be crushed, so would I be…" She sighed and shook her head. "You know, I really haven't told all this stuff to many ponies. I'm sorry to be spilling my guts to you like this right now."

"No, no, it's alright," Applejack insisted. "You can trust me. I won't go a-blabbin' or a-judgin'."

"Thank you. And thank you also for being a good competitor for Rainbow Dash... And for being her friend."

"No need for thanks, ma'am. Bein' Rainbow Dash's friend is all my pleasure! And I'm sure that's the result of her bein' raised by such a strong mother."

Aeroswift smiled slightly.

"…Although, I would bet her daddy's influence helped make her the great friend she is, too," Applejack replied thoughtfully. "Wouldn't you say? Even just a little bit?"

Aeroswift went right back to frowning.

"Just a thought," Applejack said sheepishly. She forced a smile.

Aeroswift didn't respond in kind. Turning away from Applejack, she picked up her horseshoes to resume her solo game.

Applejack could tell that her last comment had rubbed Aeroswift the wrong way. She hesitantly added, "By the way, ma'am, I was wonderin'… Have you seen where my friend Twilight went to?"

"Oh, the purple unicorn?" Aeroswift said lowly, still not looking at Applejack. "Yeah, she and her parents passed by here not long before you showed up. That direction…" She pointed her hoof to her left. "Don't know where they are now, though…"

"Ah, great, thank ya kindly!" Applejack said graciously. She turned to head that way. "Hope to see you again soon!"

"Yeah…" Aeroswift half-replied as she tossed a horseshoe. *TINK!* Another successful hook on the post.

"And Happy Parents' Day!"

This time, Aeroswift made no acknowledgement of Applejack's words at all.

Feeling satisfied with the info she had gathered, and deciding it was now best to leave Aeroswift alone, Applejack took off running. With luck, Twilight and her parents hadn't gone too far…

~~~

It wasn't long before Applejack spotted Twilight. She could see her standing behind her parents, who seemed to be having an in-depth argument with a shopkeeper selling many antique jars, pots, and pottery. Twilight stood with her characteristic lowered head and slumped posture. It appeared that even just being in the vicinity of her parents made her feel tiny and dominated. Knowing this was one issue she had to do something about that night, Applejack approached from behind and tapped Twilight on the shoulder.

When Twilight turned around, she smiled sweetly. "Applejack! Oh, thank goodness for seeing a friendly face! I couldn't stand to hear my mom argue with any more shopkeepers about how inferior and low-quality their stuff is!"

"Is that what she's doin'?" Applejack asked with a laugh. "Golly-gee, your ma is somethin' else, ain't see?"

"Something else is right," Twilight said. She lowered her voice to a level just above a whisper. "Something not from this planet!"

Both girls began to giggle. Then, before either girl realized it, Starlight and Moonlight were both standing right next to them, gazing down upon Twilight.

The giggling stopped immediately.

"You're wearing that guilty-as-a-cat look on your face, Twilight," Starlight said in a subtly threatening tone. "What did you and your… friend say just now that was so funny?"

"Umm… I-I don't know what you're referring to mother," Twilight replied, wearing a guilty-as-a-cat look on her face.

Starlight opened her mouth to speak, but Applejack quickly beat her to the punch. "Oh, it was nothin', Mrs. Sparkle! I was just tellin' Twilight 'bout a little somethin' funny I saw earlier at the dunk tank. No biggie."

"Mm-hmm…" Starlight uttered, peering over her glasses from girl to girl. "So no comments about anypony being from another planet, I presume?"

The corners of Twilight's mouth dropped like stones. Applejack was equally dismayed. "How in tarnation did she hear that?" she thought. "Great gallopin' Gotlands! This mare is TERRIFYING!"

Starlight smirked and looked over at her husband. He raised an eyebrow, and the two both proceeded to stare Twilight down. Twilight, in response, could only lower her head in submission. "I'm sorry, mother. That was very rude of me…"

"And?" Starlight added sharply.

"…And I accept whatever punishment you give me."

"Good girl. You'd better. Your father and I have worked tirelessly to make you into a worthwhile pony that will bring honor to the Sparkle name. We deserve all your respect, and you well know that. So if you start talking behind my back, I can only assume it's the result of certain bad influences." She swiveled her piercing gaze to Applejack, but still addressed Twilight. "Therefore, the punishment I lay down is this – I will no longer allow you to speak to these 'friends' of yours."

Twilight's guilt-ridden face was suddenly thrust away and replaced by one of shocked sadness. Her mouth hung open, and her heart screamed out, longing to protest. However, whatever drive she had to argue was choked back, blocked only by the simple but overbearing stares of both her mother and father. Shamefully, she eventually swallowed the thorny urge and closed her mouth. She then stole a brief, moist-eyed glance at Applejack before lowering her head again in absolute defeat.

Applejack felt the same surging desire to protest rise up within herself. Unlike Twilight, however, no fear was holding her back. "Now wait just a cotton-pickin' minute!" she shouted. "You are NOT tellin' me at my OWN festival, on my OWN farm, that I can't speak to one of my OWN best friends!"

Twilight's eyes opened in shock. She pleaded wordlessly for Applejack to be quiet, but no one seemed to notice.

Starlight just smiled down at Applejack's outburst, unfazed. "I beg your pardon, Miss Applejack, but I believe you said earlier that you're only a partial owner of this farm. Furthermore, if you think any member of the Sparkle family is even capable of maintaining a real friendship with anypony in YOUR family, then you obviously don't know what 'friends' are." She looked to her husband for confirmation. He nodded in agreement.

Internally, Applejack was boiling. She wanted so badly to scream back into that cocky, stuck-up, conceited mare's face and argue how skewed her definition of “friendship” was, and how blind she must have been to not see how miserable she was making her own daughter. She yearned to say all this and more. Much, much more.

However, any words she wanted to say right then would only create more friction and more difficulty. And those were the last things she needed if she wanted her plan for the night to go as smoothly as possible. And so, completely against herself, she bit her tongue. This did not stop her, however, from returning an especially ugly glare right back at Starlight.

Starlight, clearly feeling confident that she had won the argument, put her nose up and began to walk off with her husband. "Come Twilight," she called. "This farmer pony has nothing more to say to us, it seems. And frankly, I nor you have anything else to say to her. Let us be on our way."

Twilight obediently leapt to her feet to follow her parents. Before running to catch up with them, she took one last, crushing look at Applejack. "I am so sorry…" she whispered. With that, she was off as well.

Applejack was left standing, stunned. This turn of events had been a double-whammy. Not only had Twilight's parents forbidden Twilight from speaking with her, but this also completely threw a wrench into Applejack's plan. She had wanted to speak with Twilight alone so she could gather some intel on her parents, and then use that intel in whatever way she could to find a way to soften their hearts and let in the spirit of the holiday. However, this task was going to be much harder than she thought…

"I'm gonna need somethin' big to get through to 'em…" she thought to herself. "Those ponies… They only respond to wealth and status… Somethin' not me nor anypony in my whole gosh dern family has a lick of…" She reached deep into her brain, trying to extract something that might serve her. "Well… At least not in my IMMEDIATE family... But there are some pretty successful lineages in the whole family tree. Maybe if I could just… get a hold of somepony. Somepony that the Sparkles must've heard of. Maybe somepony the Sparkles look up to, or ENVY, even. Somepony like…"

As she thought, her eyes scanned the scene around her. Within the bustling crowds of the parade of products, her vision suddenly snagged on a family of three. A familiar family…

"Somepony like…"

That orange hair… Those excessively dressy mane-cuts… A mother, a father…

"…like…"

…and a son.

"…Orange Julius!" Applejack exclaimed to herself. "That's it! Oh, my hoity-toity cousin… Have I got some plans for you tonight!"

Knowing she had just scored another breakthrough idea, she mentally opened up the checklist for her master plan and made a few edits in bold…

~~~

...

- Find Orange Julius

- Use Orange Julius to get in good with Twilight's parents

- Introduce Orange Julius to Rarity as a reward for the previous step

- ?

- EVERYPONY HAS A GOOD PARENTS' DAY!

~~~

"Perfect!" she told herself. "At last, everything's startin' to come together!" With a confident smile, she began to gallop in her cousin's direction, for the first time truly feeling that her lofty ambitions might actually come to fruition…

7. It's Written In The Stars

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 7: It's Written In The Stars

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Applejack excitedly approached her relatives from behind. "Howdy Julius! Howdy Aunt n' Uncle Orange!"

All three members of the family turned their heads to her. "Oh, Applejack!" exclaimed Mrs. Orange. "What a nice surprise!"

"It is absolutely, positively delightful to see you again," Mr. Orange added. He and his wife both put on the plastic smiles that Applejack had expected.

Orange Julius' smile, however, was completely genuine. "Applejack! My buzzin' cousin! How's it goin'?"

"Doin' alright, thank ya!" she replied happily. She then put on a mischievous grin. "So Julius, orange you delighted to see me?"

Orange Julius returned the grin, and without missing a beat, responded, "Of course! Of all my cousins, you've always been the apple of my eye."

"Still as independent and free-thinking as always? Hope you ain't turnin' into a clockwork orange!"

"No way! And I hope you're still honest and industrious. Not becoming a bad apple, are you?"

Both of them laughed, reeling in the nostalgia of their playful childhood days. Applejack had always had a profound adoration for the Oranges, especially Julius. In her eyes, they were the one uber-rich, high-class family that had found that magical balance between being rich and being an actual, down-to-earth family. Orange Julius certainly looked the part of a wealthy socialite – he bore the trademark orange coat, along with a well-combed, cream-colored mane and a favorite white flannel shirt, which contrasted handsomely with his deep blue eyes. He also possessed a great education, a circle of influential friends, and a lucrative up-and-coming career as a film producer in Manehattan. In spite of all the impressive credentials, however, he still had a homely side that he wore on his sleeve, and never would have felt too good to play silly word games with his farmer cousin.

"Hahaha! Alrighty, I think that's enough of that," Applejack said.

"I agree. Still funny, though."

"And always will be! So anyway, how ya'll enjoyin' the festival?"

"It's been quite a lot of fun. My parents like all the shopping, but I personally would rather go back to the shooting range."

"I bet! And thank ya, though I'm sure this whole hootenanny ain't nothin' compared to the parties ya'll go to in Manehattan."

"Weeell, that's comparing apples and oranges…" He stopped for a few seconds. Then, knowingly, spread his mouth into a guilty grin. "Sorry, that was unintentional. I swear."

"Liar, liar, pantaloons on fire!" Applejack accused playfully. Before she could let him reply, though, her face suddenly became serious. "But all fun aside, Julius, there's something I really need to speak with you about."

The seriousness of Orange Julius's face quickly matched Applejack's. "Why? What's the matter?"

"Too many things tonight…" she said cryptically. She looked to Mr. and Mrs. Orange, who had been standing by patiently. "Beg your pardon, Aunt and Uncle Orange, but do ya'll mind if I borrow Julius for a spell? I know it's Parents' Day and all, but it won't be long. I promise."

The two looked at each other and shrugged. Mrs. Orange smiled and said, "Just as long as you bring him back in good condition!"

"We'll be here at the parade of products all night," Mr. Orange added. "Just find us when you're done. Now go on, you two. Have fun!"

"Thank ya kindly!" Applejack said earnestly. She then addressed Orange Julius. "C'mon, follow me. I'll explain everything on the way."

Orange Julius didn't have time to ask questions before Applejack took off running. Anxious to hear out his favorite cousin, he followed after her.

~~~

As the two hurried through the crowd of the parade of products, Applejack spoke. "Listen up, pardner. I've got a gi-NORMOUS favor to ask of you, and I need an answer fast. Can ya lend me a hoof?"

"Hmm, I don't know… The last time I agreed to do you a favor, I ended up squashed underneath a cow's butt."

"No no no, it ain't nothin' like that this time!" Applejack assured. "I really just need you to do some talkin' for me, is all."

"Just… talking? With who?"

"Well, your family's pretty well-informed on the who's who in high society, ain’t it? So you must know about the Sparkle family, don't ya?"

"Well, I know Celestia's star pupil has that surname. And, umm… Oh, the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor, used to have it, too. Used to be called 'Shining Sparkle'. Heh heh… no wonder he changed it, right?"

Applejack normally would have laughed at that, but found herself more confused than anything. "Yeah, those two are brother and sister, but… haven't you heard of their parents? Starlight and Moonlight?"

"No. Why? Should I have? Cuz I haven't…"

"Well, cuz…" She stopped when she spotted the Sparkle family just up ahead. Like last time, Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle were arguing with the proprietor of an art gallery, while Twilight stood several feet behind them, sulking to herself. "Never mind. Just please, do this favor for me. You can talk to a couple ponies for a few minutes, can't ya?"

"I'm a film producer. Talking is my job," he said frankly. "But… I still don't understand why you need my help."

It was noticed that, as he finished his last statement, he was eyeing an attractive mare that happened to be passing by. Applejack was well aware of his weakness for beautiful girls, and knew that now was the time to use this as her ultimate leverage. "Forget the why. Just accept this proposal – do this for me, and I'll introduce you to the most gorgeous, successful, creative pony you'll ever meet."

Orange Julius' ears perked up. He gazed at Applejack curiously. "Really? Who is she?"

"A good friend of mine. And she would trust me to pick a good stallion for her, I know it," Applejack said confidently. "And she's TWICE as cute as that floozy you were just givin' googly-eyes too."

Orange Julius' eyes grew just a little wider. "Oh? Well, uhh, w-what's her name?"

"The rest is a secret…" Applejack assured him. She pointed her hoof in the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle. "…but if you can talk to those two ponies over yonder for just a bit, that secret'll be revealed!"

"Works for me!" With a fervent grin, Orange Julius began to trot over to the booth before Applejack could even speak again. She, ecstatic that her plan was working so well so far, followed close behind. As they neared the booth, they both passed by Twilight. She looked up at them in wonder as they did.

"Ah, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle!" Orange Julius said in a formal, enthusiastic voice as he approached. Starlight and Moonlight, who had both been engaging with the shopkeeper, both turned to him, surprised. At first, they wore expressions of confusion and annoyance, wondering who this young stallion was that had so rudely interrupted them. However, over the next few seconds, Starlight's face slowly transformed into one of recognition, then disbelief, and finally excitement. "Oh… Oh my! You're Orange Julius, of the Orange Family! Owners of Orange Bang Studios!"

"That's absolutely right!" he exclaimed with a gracious bow.

"And… y-you know who we are?" Starlight stammered.

"Of course, how could I not? What with, umm… all the wonderful things you've done for the community! Once my lovely cousin Applejack told me you were here, I simply HAD to meet you."

"C-cousin?!" Both Starlight and Moonlight looked at Applejack with shocked expressions. Applejack smiled proudly.

"Oh, yes," Orange Julius continued. "The Oranges and the Apples share a long lineage. I'm sure anypony who's anypony knows THAT."

Starlight giggled nervously. "Oh, w-why yes, of COURSE! I knew that all along…"

Applejack saw this as her cue. "I'm sure ya did, Mrs. Sparkle! By the way, may I speak with Twilight for a few minutes?"

"Sure, sure," she said with a casual flick of her hoof. She turned back to Orange Julius. "So, you know of mine and my husband's work with Marketing is Magic, Inc., in Canterlot, do you?"

"Why, certainly!" Orange Julius replied with some uncertainty.

Applejack leaned in close to him. "Keep it up," she whispered. "Be back in a few." With that, she left him and his two admirers to chat while she doubled back towards Twilight.

~~~

Twilight stared at the scene before her with a raised eyebrow and slack-hanging jaw. "Applejack… What's all this about? And who's that stallion talking to my mom and dad?"

"I'll explain later," Applejack said, urgency in her voice. "Right now, I want you to tell me more about your parents. Just gimme a brief bio of what they're all about."

The confusion in Twilight's expression doubled. "Umm… why?"

"If I tell ya why, you won't tell me anything. So please, just do what I ask. I promise my intentions are the best."

Twilight didn't like the vagueness of Applejack's reply, but hesitantly nodded anyway. "Okaaay… What would you like to know?"

"Oh, I dunno, start with their work. They said they work at Marketing is Magic, Inc., in Canterlot. That's a whopper of a big company, ain't it? What do they both do there?"

"Well, my dad is Head Marketing Consultant. And my mom is, umm…" She stopped and bit her lip. "Oooh… I really shouldn't be telling you this. My mom would eat me alive if she heard me…"

"She won't," Applejack promised. "Now for the love o' milk n' honey, tell me!"

"OK, OK! She's… a receptionist."

Applejack blinked a couple times in silence. "…That's it? A receptionist?"

"Yeah..."

"You mean, like, some kinda high-rankin', super-executive receptionist?"

"No. Just… a receptionist."

Applejack snickered a little to herself. "By golly! Hearin' that mare talk all big 'bout herself, you'd have guessed she OWNED the whole darn company! But you're tellin' me all she really does is sit at a desk answerin' letters all day?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Twilight moaned. "In fact, as long as I'm telling you all this, I may as well say the only reason she even got that job is because of my dad. And even then, the only reason my dad got HIS job is because of a close friend…"

"Hmm, so neither one's even qualified for the jobs they got?"

"Technically, no. My mom is actually way OVER-qualified for hers. She graduated from Silver Saddle University with Masters' degrees in Psychology and Business Management. And my dad? Ugh, hardly! He didn't even finish college. All he has is his diploma from Sack o' Nuts High School!"

"Goodness me…" Applejack mused. "I never woulda guessed…"

"They wear their façade well," Twilight said lowly. "But I think to them, that's all they have. That, and their children… I mean, they've never said this out loud, but I'm positive the only reason they push me and my brother so hard to be successful is because neither one of them feels like they truly are, and so they want to experience some success through us. Especially my mom. Think about it - to have undergone such a lofty and expensive education, only to settle for an unfulfilling desk job… She's just desperate to justify it all, I suppose…"

"Yeah, at YOUR expense," Applejack said in a disgusted tone. "That's hardly fair. Why can't they just let you follow your passions as you please? Why do they want you to sacrifice that just for some fake PR?"

"I wish I knew how they came to believe what they do," Twilight said sadly. "But I'll tell you this - and this is something you HAVE to keep a secret – they both actually gave up their true passion to take their current professions…"

"Their true passion…?" Applejack asked quizzically. She turned her gaze to Mrs. and Mr. Sparkle's flanks, and observed their Cutie Marks once again. They represented a cluster of three stars, and a moon within a moon, respectively.

"Astronomy…" Twilight answered, almost in a whisper.

Applejack had to take a moment to let that sink in. "You're pullin' my tail! You're tellin' me these two stuffy wannabes are really into astronomy!?"

"Hard to believe, I know, but it's true. It's what they both went to school for, originally," Twilight explained. "In fact, it was by being partnered together for a stargazing project that they first met and fell in love."

"Hmm…" Applejack thought for a good few seconds. "Well, I can see where you get YOUR love for the subject…"

"Oh, yes…" Twilight said with a soft smile. She turned her gaze upward, toward the starry night sky, and appeared to be letting positive memories rise up within her mind. "I remember one night, when I was a filly. My dad set up a little red telescope on the lawn, and the three of us just spent hours looking up into space. They knew where every impressive sight was up there… Clusters, planets, galaxies… and pointed the telescope at them so I could see them up close for myself. I still remember that being the night that my fledging mind opened up to all the great wonders and mysteries of the universe. That sense of wonder was something we all shared, all loved…" Her skyward gaze then slowly lowered, until she was looking at the dirt beneath her front hooves. "Their focus changed gradually over time, though. I recall them having an argument once that astronomy was a dead-end field of work, and that if they actually wanted money to be able to support the family, they would need to pursue something else. One thing led to another, and now, so many years later, we are where we are..."

Twilight's face was despondent as she swallowed a lump in her throat. "You know, there's actually supposed to be an alignment of stars tonight. A really special one called the Violet Veneer, where a red star is positioned directly behind a blue one, resulting in a beautiful violet glow. It only happens once every thirty years, and in fact is supposed to happen in about twenty minutes. I… kinda, sorta thought about asking my mom and dad if they wanted to see it with me…"

"Well, why didn't you?" Applejack wondered.

"Well, the thing is, you can only see it if you have a telescope…" Twilight said. "And frankly, I have no idea where that little red telescope of ours is anymore. I'm pretty sure my mom threw it out a long time ago…"

Applejack understood, and gestured that she didn't need to hear anymore. "I'm sorry it all had to happen that way, Twilight."

"It's OK," Twilight uttered. "It's not like there's anything we can do to bring back the past…"

"But there's always the future," Applejack said. "And it might just be closer than you think..."

Twilight looked at Applejack questioningly. The smirk she was wearing implied she was planning something, and was very proud of it. "What do you mean?"

"You'll know soon enough, sugar cube." Applejack gave her friend a sly wink. "And you've told me all I need to know for now. Now hang tight – I'll be back in a jiffy!"

In the blink of an eye, Applejack sped off and slipped between two sales booths, disappearing from sight. Twilight was left standing there, bewildered, wondering what Applejack had on her mind, and still completely clueless as to who this orange stallion was that was chatting excitedly with her mom and dad…

~~~

Applejack found herself in the shadowed, secluded alleyway between the rows of sales stands. She glanced back and forth, making sure no pony was within sight or earshot of her. Feeling confident she was alone, she raised her hoof to her mouth and let out a high-pitched whistle.

"HI APPLEJACK! You rang?!"

Applejack was delighted to see Pinkie Pie drop out of the sky and land right in front of her. Her smile was as toothy and shiny as always. "Sure did," Applejack confirmed. "I can always depend on you to show up quicker n' a dog slidin' on hot grease!"

"Tee hee! Yup! So what are we doing behind all these tents? Are we gonna sneak underneath them and then pop out and surprise everybody working inside? Cuz that sounds SUPER fun!"

"That does sound fun, actually... But no, Pinkie, I have a favor to ask. You keep stuff hidden all over Ponyville in case of emergencies, right?"

"Yes indeedy do! I hide balls, eye patches, pencils, cockatoos, guitars, PS3's, onions, hacksaws, plans for world peace-"

Applejack held up a firm hoof to stop her. "Yeah yeah, that's all hunky-dory. But Pinkie, do you happen to hide telescopes?"

"Telescopes? Hmmmmm..." Pinkie Pie pouted her lips and scratched her chin thoughtfully. Applejack held her breath, praying for a 'yes'. However, Pinkie Pie eventually shook her head. "Nope. I don't keep telescopes hidden around. Why would I? That'd be silly!"

Applejack groaned in disappointment.

Pinkie Pie, however, smiled even brighter. "But I always carry one with me!" With that, she reached into her ear and pulled out a modestly-sized blue telescope. She handed it excitedly to Applejack.

"Oh my, thank you so much!" Applejack remarked, taking the telescope in her mouth. "That's really thoughtful! And, err… disgusting."

"You're welcome!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "So what are you gonna do with it?"

"Oh, nothin'. Just gonna initiate the next step of my plan to make sure everypony has a good Parents' Day!" Applejack said proudly, putting the telescope into her bag. "Speakin' of which, Pinkie, I also called you here cuz I was hopin' to learn more about YOUR ma n' pa. Would you mind tellin' me a little more about 'em?"

Pinkie Pie's glistening smile twitched ever so slightly. "Huh? You want to know about… MY parents?"

"Well, yeah! I mean, for starters, where are they?"

"Where are they…?" Pinkie Pie's voice suddenly became quivered and distant. "Well they're not HERE, that's for sure. Cuz they're NEVER here. Never ever here. Never… ever… ever…" Her shining smile remained unchanged as she spoke, but the rest of her face began a subtle transformation. Her eyes began to drift in opposite directions, and her brow scrunched in a not-so-concealed frustration.

"Well, uhh, I think we've already established that they're not here," Applejack said, feeling a creeping nervousness set in. "But, umm, could ya tell me where they actually are? Or what they look like? Or anything?"

"Saddlem and Gomareah…" Pinkie Pie answered with audible disdain. "That's where they dwell, always. Where they wallow in sin and excess, full of themselves and partying in the darkest pits of all ponykind. Saddlem and Gomareah…" A shadowy pall fell over her face like a curtain, turning the cheery pink color of her coat several shades darker. "Why did I introduce them to partying? Why?! Ever since I did, it's all they've known. They abandoned their rock farm and their daughters, all so they could drift further away into a fantasy land of fun and pleasure. And as they drift away…" She craned her neck to the side and stared blankly off into space, lost in her own disturbing and troubled thoughts. "So do I…"

Applejack couldn't help but feel disturbed and troubled herself. However, her concern for her friend's well-being overcame that. She had seen Pinkie Pie this way before, on that fateful day when she and her friends had turned down their invitations to Gummy's afterparty. Applejack understood right away – this twisted, morose side of Pinkie Pie was born as a result of her feeling neglected by her parents. It was something that must have lived within her and taunted her always, rearing its ugly head anytime she felt she was ignored or abandoned by anypony, especially those who she felt were supposed to be there for her, such as her friends. On top of that, Applejack thought, Pinkie Pie's constant need to smile and appear joyful may have been more of a front to conceal her inner turmoil than she may have ever realized. It broke Applejack's heart to learn this painful truth, and longed more than ever to help her. She grabbed Pinkie Pie by the shoulders and tried to stare into her in her distant, scattered eyes. "Pinkie, I know this is hard for you, but I wanna help you. Please, tell me more. What do your folks look like?"

"I… they…" Pinkie Pie stammered to get the words out. Her mane was slowly starting to melt from a lively mass of cute curls into a cascade of straight, low-hanging hair. She raised her hoof and began to rummage through her mane, as though digging for something. She soon pulled out a paper and handed it to Applejack. "I drew a picture of them. Of us. When we used to work all day and night on the rock farm… We were tired, and dirty, and poor… But we were together. And thus, happy…"

Applejack took the paper and observed it. It was a crude, sloppy crayon drawing of a filly version of Pinkie Pie, standing between a stallion and a mare. Her mother and father. Her father was light brown with a greying mane and beard, and sported an Amish-style hat and tired eyes. Her mother was white-coated and homely-looking, with her grey hair tied up in a bun and reading glasses set over her eyes. They also bore rock-themed Cutie Marks, with his being a pickaxe and hers being a group of three stones. All three ponies were smiling and waving. While it was a very happy scene, Applejack couldn't tell if this picture was a representation of a real memory, or one Pinkie Pie had just invented in her head. Her heart broke all over again. "Say Pinkie, do you mind terribly if I hang onto this?"

"No. Keep it…" Pinkie Pie replied softly. "I have many more pictures. Many, many more…"

"Thank you," Applejack said, slipping the drawing into her saddlebag. "Don't worry. I'm gonna put this to good use, I promise."

"There's no use…" Pinkie Pie insisted. Her body swayed from side to side, powered by some nervous twitch within her gut. "No use…"

"Hey now, you stop talkin' like that!" Applejack demanded. She grabbed Pinkie Pie by the shoulders again. "Now tell me, are Saddlem and Gomareah far from here?"

"Mommy… Daddy… It's Parents' Day. Please be here… Like you always used to. Please, be here…"

"They could be if you would listen to me!" Applejack swore. "Now I'm not gonna ask again! Are Saddlem and Gomareah far from here?!"

Still staring blankly into goodness-knows-what, Pinkie Pie slowly lifted a limp hoof and directed it to the south. "There… beyond that black horizon. Just a few miles past… the rock farm." She squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to hold back an onset of tears. "Oh, our old rock farm...!"

Applejack gently eased up her pressure on Pinkie's shoulders. "That's all I need to know, Pinkie. Thank you. I swear, I'll do whatever I can to take this wrong and turn it into a right. Somehow."

"That's silly, Applejack," Pinkie Pie said morosely. "It's nice of you to say, but… silly."

Applejack tried to ignore Pinkie Pie's doubt. She released her shoulders and stepped back. "We'll see, Pinkie. In any case, I've got only one more question for ya… Do you know if Rarity and her family are still at their booth?"

"No… They abandoned it," Pinkie Pie spat bitterly. "They neglected it… Left it behind… All so they could have fun and party at the dunk tank…" There was a moment of silence after Pinkie Pie finished speaking. However, all of a sudden, Pinkie lifted her head with wide eyes. "Dunk tank… Hey, the dunk tank! That sounds super-duper FUN right now, doesn't it, Applejack!?" Then, all in one instant, Pinkie hopped up in the air as her coat was flushed bright pink, her hair bounced back up into a mountain of youthful curls, her eyes shone with joyful exuberance. "Yeah, the DUNK TANK! I've never done it before, but I'll bet it's awesome! Both to be the dunker AND the dunked! Don't you think so, Applejack? Huh? Huh? HUH?!"

Applejack suffered a bit of mental whiplash from Pinkie Pie's immediate change back to her normal self. "Uh, well, I suppose-"

"Totally! C'mon, we should go! To the dunk tank! AWAY WE GOOOOOO-!" And with that, Pinkie Pie zoomed off as a pink blur, and within two seconds, was out of sight.

Applejack was left dazed and confused, but at the very least, also with the info she wanted. On top of that, she had a (mostly) reliable sketch of what Pinkie Pie's parents looked like. This, she knew, would be the key to fulfilling the "Get Pinkie Pie's parents to the festival" stipulation of her plan. Where it fell in her plan, exactly, was still undecided, as was how exactly she was going to pull it off. However, such details would have to be sorted out later. Right then, she had other things to get done. Feeling for the blue telescope in her saddlebag, she nodded to herself and began to head back to where she had come from…

~~~

When the art gallery once again came into view, Applejack saw that the scene was now slightly different. Starlight and Moonlight were speaking with each other excitedly, but Orange Julius was not. He, in fact, was now speaking with Twilight. And Applejack could tell by the flirtatious grin on his face, as well as the nervous posture of Twilight, that it was more than just a "friendly" conversation. A siren suddenly went off in her brain. "ABORT! ABORT!" she screamed in her head, running over to the scene. "WRONG GIRL, JULIUS! STEP AWAY FROM THE GIRL!"

All present at the gallery turned to see the frantic Applejack running in their direction. She stopped almost directly in between Twilight and Orange Julius, causing them to step apart from each other. "Howdy, ya'll!" she exclaimed. "I'm back!"

"Uh, *ahem*, Applejack," Orange Julius said, clearly upset, "What are you doing?"

"Nothin'. Nothin' at all!" She put on a plastered grin, and turned to Twilight's parents. "Say, Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle! Did you happen to know that the Ferris wheel over yonder was actually provided by the Orange family?!"

Both of them looked over at the large, neon-lit Ferris wheel that stood directly across the way. It stood at least forty feet tall, and shone bright among all the attractions of the festival. With her jaw agape, Starlight shook her head. "Goodness, no! I don't believe Orange Julius mentioned that. Is it true?"

Orange Julius flashed a puzzled and shocked glare at Applejack. She, in turn, put on a stern face and nodded, urging him to go along with what she was saying. With a sigh, he put on his own fake smile and addressed the Sparkle parents. "Indeed, we did. How foolish of me to forget to mention it! It's state-of-the-art, and so much fun to ride!"

"Sure is!" Applejack added. "In fact, ya'll should give 'er a whirl! Don't ya think?!"

"Uh, umm…" Starlight stuttered, "W-why, yes, we should! If the Orange family provided it, it would be most respectable to do so! Wouldn't you say so, Moonlight, my dear?"

Moonlight, looking just as eager to please Orange Julius, nodded enthusiastically.

"It's settled, then!" Starlight announced. "Let us ride on the Ferris wheel! Twilight, dear, are you coming? Or do you wish to keep speaking with Mr. Julius?"

Both Orange Julius and Twilight were prepared to answer, but Applejack spoke up faster than both of them. "No, she don't! She's goin' with ya!"

"I am?" Twilight asked, dumbfounded.

"She is?!" Orange Julius asked, annoyed.

"Yep, she is! No question!" Applejack assured. She stood close to Twilight, who at once looked puzzled and relieved.

"I have no idea what's going on here or what you're thinking," Twilight told her under her breath, "But I'll take any excuse to not have to talk to this guy anymore. He's creeping me out!"

"No worries, darlin'. He ain't for you anyway," Applejack whispered back. Then, with a sly smile, she pulled out the blue telescope and discreetly slipped it into Twilight's own saddlebag.

Twilight stared at it for a second, then at Applejack, surprised and confused. "Applejack… What is this-?"

"You'll know what to do, hon. Trust me," Applejack said. She pointed to the highest point of the Ferris wheel. "When you're at the very tip-top o' that thing, as close to the stars as you could possibly get out here… You'll know."

Twilight would have questioned further, but the demanding glares from her parents beckoned her. She also, somehow, felt that she didn't really need to ask what Applejack meant. With a smile, she nodded knowingly and headed towards her parents. As a group, the three began to walk towards the Ferris wheel entrance.

Applejack stood watching for a few seconds, very pleased with herself. A shout from Orange Julius, however, broke her train of thought. "What the heck, Applejack!? Why'd you interrupt us like that?! I was layin' the MOVES on that girl!"

Applejack sighed and looked at his upset face apologetically. "I'm so sorry, cuz. But that wasn't the girl I was wantin' to introduce you to…"

"I don't care! That was Celestia's pupil! She's freakin' royalty! And she's WAY cute!"

"Well forget about her, cuz you ain't gettin' her!" Applejack shot back. "It ain't in line with my plan!"

"What PLAN?!" Orange Julius asked, fully exasperated. "You keep talking like you have some big agenda you're working toward, but what IS it?!"

"As I said before, I'll explain later. Now if you'll excuse me, stay put. I'll be right back." With that, Applejack took off in the direction of the Ferris wheel.

Orange Julius threw his front hooves up in the air. "Oh, for goodness sake! Fine, but I'm not gonna put up with this much longer, Applejack! You'd better make this worth it for me!"

Applejack only heard about half his message before the sound of the crowds drowned him out.

~~~

What happened in the next few minutes, happened so fast that Applejack had barely been conscious of any of it. Upon reaching the Ferris wheel, she had spotted Twilight and her parents climbing into a bright red gondola. She put up the "Out of Order" sign that she found nearby, thereby discouraging any other ponies from boarding the ride. She then ran around to the control station on the other side, and convinced the ride operator to leave by telling him where the deep-fried cookie dough stand was. After he took off, she figured out the ride controls quickly, and steadily controlled the rotation of the wheel. She stopped each gondola at the boarding station one at a time, and had its passengers disembark. All gondolas, of course, except the bright red one. When its occupants were the only ones left on the ride, she spun the wheel until it was at the very highest possible point. Once there, she stopped it, and put on the brakes. The red gondola, with the Sparkle family inside, remained suspended there, just as she had hoped. "I'll be back to get you down soon, Twilight," Applejack whispered. "Til then, you know what to do!" Then, with a wave of her hoof, she climbed out of the control panel and left the Ferris wheel behind.

~~~

When Applejack reached Orange Julius again, she found him anxiously tapping his hoof and looking ready to leave. "Sorry for the delay," she said. "But you've fulfilled your end of the bargain now, so I'm ready to fulfill mine. Ready?"

He pouted his lips. "Well," he groaned, "I've waited this long, haven't I?"

Applejack smiled warmly. "And I really appreciate it. Now come on, follow me." She began to gallop hurriedly forward.

Orange Julius galloped up by her side. "So… You've dragged me away from my parents, made me talk to two of the most annoying ponies on the planet, and pulled me away from one of the best catches I've met in a long time," he said begrudgingly. "So Applejack, you're sure that this girl you're gonna introduce me to is worth it?"

"All that, and more. I promise!" Applejack replied with no hint of doubt.

And as the two continued on their way, with Applejack leading them towards the dunk tank, she reopened her mental scroll that contained her still-developing plan, and made some more edits in bold:

~~~

- Find Orange Julius

- Use Orange Julius to get in good with Twilight's parents

- Introduce Orange Julius to Rarity as a reward for the previous step

Find Rainbow Dash and ask her to fly to Saddlem and Gomareah to track down Pinkie Pie's parents
Offer to help Rainbow Dash with her situation as a reward for the previous step
Find Fluttershy and get her away from Brawn Bones so she can see her stepmother

- ?

- EVERYPONY HAS A GOOD PARENTS' DAY!

~~~

"That'll do for now," Applejack said to herself. "Details be darned, I'll make it all work somehow!" She was so absorbed in her own thoughts right then, however, that she didn't even notice Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh beckoning her as she passed…

8. There Will Be An Answer

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 8: There Will Be An Answer…

_________________________________________________________________________________________

"Have a seat on the porch swing there, Applejack. We gotta have a lil' chat about this reckless, high-falutin' behavior o' yours. You ain't gettin' any apple fritters 'til we do."

"Aww, but ma, if I don't get inside quick, Pa and Big Mac'll eat 'em all before I get any!"

"Well don't worry, cuz your PA ain't havin' none either 'til I have a chat with HIM! Now what in blue blazes were the two o' you doin' out in the orchard so dern late? The sun's about to set! You know it's almost timberwolf season!"

"Yeah, ALMOST timberwolf season…"

"Now don't you go coppin' that attitude with me, young lady! It's been happenin' too much recently, and I've just about reached the end o' my rope. Am I gonna have to give you a spankin' like when you were a filly?"

"No! Please don't spank me, ma! I'm sorry for everything! Please, don't!"

"Now, now, settle down, Applejack... I don't wanna spank ya, and I shouldn't have to. I think you're old enough now to understand right from wrong without needin' to be steered by fear o' pain on your buttocks. I'm not a hundred percent sure 'bout that, but I wanna give ya the benefit of the doubt. So, do you think you're capable of talkin' things out like a big mare?"

"Yes, ma…"

"Good. OK, so, my first question is very simple: what exactly were you n' your pa doin' out there so late?"

"Well, pa was tryin' to teach me how to applebuck, cuz I really wanna learn how…"

"Why? Ain't I told you that you're still a bit young to be learnin' how to do that? You could hurt yourself!"

"I know, ma, but… I dunno, I just see pa n' Big Mac doin' it all day, and I just, I dunno, wanna help..."

"Just wanna help? Is that so?"

"Yeah…"

"So you ain't doin' it to prove nothin' to nopony? To show off to somepony who told you 'no, you can't' that 'yes, you can'?"

"N-no…"

"Listen up, darlin'. I'ma give you some advice right now that'll save you a lot o' trouble in the future – there are only two things in the world that you can't avoid: death, and your ma's lie detection. Now answer me honestly. What's the real reason you're wantin' to learn how to applebuck?"

"Awwww… Do I have to say it?"

"Yes you do, Applejack."

"OK, well… It's cuz that big dummy Big Mac told me that I'll never be a good applebucker cuz I'm just a little girl who shouldn't do nothin' except play with dolls and wear dresses n' junk! But it ain't true! I can applebuck just as good as him or anypony! And I AIN'T just a sissy little girl!"

"Gosh golly! Your brother said those things to you?"

"Yeah. But I know he's just blowin' hot air! Ain't he, ma?"

"You're darn tootin', he is! Ain't right for a young colt to understate a lady's abilities like that, 'specially a brother to his own little sister. I oughtta have a chat with him, too."

"…So you're on my side?"

"Shoot, yeah! In fact, to illustrate why, lemme tell you a lil' story: When I was first gettin' to know your pa, he once took me to his grandpappy's orchard to show off his applebuckin' skills to me. He ran around and emptied ten red delicious trees in a row with one kick each, and then looked at me with a glowin' look o' pride, expectin' me to be all impressed. But ya know what he saw? He saw behind me a line o' FIFTEEN trees, all stripped clean, with apple buckets below 'em even fuller than his own. Turns out HE was the one lookin' impressed! He once told me I looked more beautiful to him that day than any other... Well, except our wedding day, o' course!"

"Wow! So you were an even better bucker than pa?"

"By leaps n' bounds, darlin'!"

"That's amazin'! And hey, if you can show up pa like that, I'll bet a million smackers that I can do the same to Big Mac. It'd humiliate him so bad! And he'd take back all that hogwash he said about me, haha! Shoot, ma, I'd bet even YOU can still show 'em how it's done!"

"Oh, I doubt that, sweetie. Been a long time since I've worked the orchards, seein' as I've had a big house and wild kids to take care of all these years. Your pa would prolly run rings around me nowadays. I taught 'im all my techniques, after all…"

"You did?! But why? Wouldn't you wanna stay better than him?"

"No, sugar cube, I wouldn't. Cuz that's not what it should be about."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Well, once again, I'll illustrate by tellin' a story… You see, when I first realized I was expectin' our first child, your big brother… your pa was right smack in the middle of developin' his plans for Sweet Apple Acres. He was mortified when I told him, wonderin' how he and I could possibly maintain such an enterprise if we had a little one runnin' around. In that moment, I realized the best thing I could do was to teach your pa my own superior applebuckin' skills, so that he could use 'em durin' the work day while I looked over the household and our firstborn… and then our second born, you, as it were! O' course, this was durin' a different time, when stallions and mares had different social roles. If the same scenario had happened today, it'd have been ME workin' the fields and HIM doin' the house-sittin', I guarantee you that! But, again, all that's beside the point. The point is, while my ego would've loved to remain a better bucker n' your pa, I understood that our circumstances meant reachin' a compromise was more important. By passin' my skills to him and accepting the roles we did, it allowed our farm and our family to become what it is today. By setting aside my pride in being better, EVERYPONY came out better. See what I mean?"

"I think so…"

"That's a good girl."

"…I think I still wanna keep practicin' my applebuckin', though. Not to show off to Big Mac, o' course! But just cuz pa's already taught me some stuff, and I think I'm gettin' really good at it. Can I keep learnin' how, ma? Please?"

"Weeell… I think you're still a little young, but… I remember bein' your age, havin' pretty much this exact same conversation with my own ma. It ended with her forbiddin' me from applebuckin', but with me goin' out and doin' it behind her back anyway… I see you've got that same spirit as I did, Applejack, and you're gonna do what drives ya no matter what I say. So… I think, for once, I'll go against my ma's example, and just tell ya… Buck away, lil' lady!

"Really?! Ya mean it!?"

"As long as you promise not to stay out practicin' too late, all these apple trees you see before ya are ripe for your kickin'. It's a good season for it, too; your pa n' I studied the star charts last week, and the verdict is that we're rarin' to have a jim-dandy of a harvest this year. So, looks like you'll be gettin' a lot o' practice, sweetie!"

"Aww, thank ya kindly, ma! So much!"

"Well, golly, it's hard to say 'no' to a daughter who knows how to say 'thank you' so well! Really, though, it's the least I can do. You're growin' up fast, sugar cube. You're conductin' your own train now. And as much as I might wanna sometimes, I can't stop ya. All I can do is lay down some good tracks to lead the way."

"Don't worry, ma! I promise to applebuck only for the good of everypony. And if I end up gettin' better than Big Mac, I'll teach him what I know and I WON'T rub it in his big, fat face!"

"Aw, well… it's OK if you rub it in his face a LITTLE bit!"

"Really? It is?"

"Siblings do that to each other. It's natural. You should only do it a little bit, though. It's just like with apple fritters – you shouldn't have 'em all the time. Just a couple every once in a while, and only when you've earned 'em."

"Gotcha. And hey, speakin' o' apple fritters, can I go in and have some now?"

"Well, I'd say yes, darlin', but we've been out here a while. I worry if there are even any left."

"Huh?! But you said pa wasn't allowed to eat any cuz you still wanted to talk to ‘im!"

"Well, if I know your ol' buffoonish pa, he loves my fritters too much to let a threat like that stop 'im. I'll take care of 'im, though. YOU'D best hurry your butt on in there if you wanna snatch up some fritters for yourself!"

"Oh NO! Pa, Big Mac, don't eat all o' ma's fritters! I still ain't got any! Hold up-!"

~~~

*SPLAAASH!*

Just as the dunk tank entered Applejack's field of vision, she heard the sound of a heavy body colliding with the water. From her vantage point, she could make out Sweetie Belle, Domicilia, Huevos Grandes, and Rarity all standing in front of the tank, shielding their faces from the droplets of rolling, disturbed water that flung over its edges. A moment later, Hoppin Barley's face popped up from the murky water, looking completely drenched and happy. Rarity appeared to be the only one not enjoying herself, watching the display from a few steps away with a clear look of disdain. She stood out from the others in a different way, too – she was the only one not wearing one of the white T-shirts that read ‘I RAISED MY DAUGHTER FROM FILLY TO MARE, AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT!'. Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, looked overjoyed, having clearly thrown the winning shot.

"YES! I did it! I did it! I totally dunked dad! Mom, did you see me?"

"I did, Sweetie Belle. You dunked your father wonderfully!"

"Pbthbthbth! Goodness, what a DUNK! Good job, sweetheart. Ya got me good! Hahaha! Aw, woo-WEE this water feels good! Hey Rarity, none of the fancy clothes you sell could ever take a drenching like THIS! You oughtta sell some of these T-shirts at your booth!"

"Oh yes, of course, father. I'm just DYING to appeal to the crowd that finds dunking one another in a filthy, glorified fishtank amusing…"

"And you rightfully should. It's a big market! I'll bet Huevos Grandes would agree too. Wouldn't you, amigo?"

"No me importa lo que esta chica vende. Solo que ella me cumpla mis fantasias sexuales!"

"Ha! See, honey? You heard the stallion! In fact, I do believe it's now YOUR turn for a dunkin'!"

"Ex-CUSE me? I do NOT think so!"

"Oh, c'mon, it'll help you understand the mindset of the target demographic better, won't it? You can just call it 'aggressive marketing research', hahaha!"

"No, that's a completely stupid idea. I refuse! And- hey! No, daddy, don't touch me! You're dripping wet! And I just got a briller de l'or coat-shining this morning!"

"Aw, for Celestia's sake, will you can the fancy-schamcy talk already? C'mon, let's get you up on that dunkin' platform! Yo, Huevos, gimme a hoof here! Help me give your future lady a little lesson in hygiene and fun!"

"Sería un placer, señor Barley. Hehehe!"

It was difficult for Applejack to watch as Hoppin Barley and Huevos Grandes double-teamed to lift a screaming, kicking, all-out protesting Rarity off the ground and into the dunk chamber. Once she was inside, Hoppin Barley closed the latch behind her, securing her inside the small compartment that featured a large acrylic glass window, through which everypony could see her, and a trapdoor beneath her hooves, suspended two feet above the misty, chlorinated pool. Applejack could see that Rarity immediately began to call on the magic within her horn, hoping to cast a spell that could help her escape. However, the unicorn who was supervising the booth appeared to be sustaining a sort of crude, magic-nullifying bubble around the chamber, precisely to keep participants from escaping via magical means. Any spell Rarity tried to initiate was choked out right away. Had she been a more skilled magician, she probably could have easily overpowered this barrier and broken free. However, she had throughout her life limited herself to perfecting only simple levitation and clothes-designing spells. And so, she remained humiliatingly trapped, at least until somepony struck the nearby target with a ball, thereby opening her only escape – a swift plunge into the filthy, glorified fishtank of shame. It was a situation that must have been a gross nightmare-come-true for Rarity, but it induced a sly smile from Applejack, for she saw it as a golden opportunity to fulfill the next stage of her plan…

"Geez, Applejack! Mind running a little slower than the speed of sound? I almost lost you!"

Applejack turned toward her gasping, sweating cousin, who was just catching up. "Oh, sorry, Julius! Guess I shoulda kept a closer eye. Glad you could keep up."

"I'm shocked I did," he sputtered, trying to fix his sweat-matted mane with his hoof. "So why did you stop? Are we where you want us to be yet?"

"We sure are."

"Well, where is that, exactly?" he asked. He briefly scanned the scene, and rested his eyes on a stand that featured a standard 'knock down the pyramid of milk bottles' carnival game, along with a myriad of flashy prizes. "Is it there? Are we gonna win a prize?"

"Oh, YOU might," Applejack replied slyly. "But those prizes there ain't nothin'. YOUR prize, should you choose to play MY game…" She lifted a hoof, and swiveled it in the direction of the dunk tank. "…is on display right over yonder."

Orange Julius followed Applejack's pointed hoof, and eventually settled his eyes on the pony within the dunk chamber. That trapped, pitiful, frowning pony. That beautiful, stunning, unbelievably gorgeous pony with the perfect hair… the perfect eyes… the perfect everything.

"Looks nice, don't it?" Applejack questioned knowingly.

Orange Julius' wide eyes remained fixated on Rarity. The infatuation he felt was palpable, to the point that Applejack half-expected him to levitate off the ground and float lovingly towards her like a cartoon character. The smallest, but most telling, of smiles crept across his wordless lips.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," Applejack surmised.

Orange Julius turned his intense gaze to Applejack. "Take it as a 'Hell yes!' I've gotta meet her. Now!"

"Now pull back your reins, pardner!" Applejack insisted. She surveyed the scene once again, and could see that Hoppin Barley and Huevos Grandes were debating over who should have the chance to dunk Rarity. "Not quite yet. I gotta go over there n' pull some strings first…"

"The only strings to pull are those of that lovely mare's heart," he said with surefire cockiness. "Cuz even from way over there, she's pulling on mine!"

"You'll get your chance," Applejack promised. "Just hear me out: that up there is my friend Rarity. Can you see that she's trapped in that chamber, about to be dunked?"

"Yes, and it's terrible!"

"…And do you see that feller with the tanned hide and the floppy sombrero? Rarity's parents are pushin' her to marry him, even though he and her don't even speak the same language!"

"Unfair and intolerable!"

"You betcha! And to top it all off, I'll bet you anything that he's the one that's 'bout to dunk her!"

A fierce, chivalrous determination flashed across Orange Julius' face. "No way! This will not stand! I've gotta help her. I've gotta be her savior!"

"You CAN be," Applejack assured, "and you WILL be! But first, you've gotta let me do my thing! I gotta set the scene just right for ya!" She looked again, and could see that Hoppin Barley was now gleefully handing the telltale ball to Huevos Grandes, who took it with a mischievous grin. There were only seconds to spare before he would make his throw. "So please, wait here while I do that. Ya understand me?"

Orange Julius breathed deeply, resisting the urge to spring forth and make his daring, fairy tale rescue. However, he knew right then that he still owed it to Applejack to trust her. He nodded his head, though rather impatiently. "Alright. But hurry! He's about to throw the ball!"

"On it!" Applejack said. "When the right moment comes, I'll signal ya!" She then whipped around and darted towards the dunk tank. As she did, she watched as Huevos Grandes quickly chucked the red ball in the target's direction. She winced, watching the ball's flight. *Swoosh!* It sailed right over the target, missing it by an inch. She sighed in relief, and sensed that Rarity had done the same. Then, just as Huevos Grandes was readying his second ball, Applejack halted in front of the group. "Evenin', ya'll! Enjoyin' the dunk tank?"

Huevos Grandes froze, looking surprised. Hoppin Barley, Domicilia, and Sweetie Belle all looked at her with pleasant recognition.

"Hey, Apple Schnapps!" Hoppin Barley exclaimed. "Good to see you again! And you're just in time – Huevos Grandes is about to dunk Rarity! Wanna watch?"

"Really?! Oh my, well that'd just be the bee's knees, wouldn't it? I'd LOVE to see that!" Her wide grin then quickly transformed into a contemplative face. "Hmm… but ya know what? Rarity and Huevos Grandes are lookin' to get hitched, ain't they? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to give the two of 'em some private time? I mean, this dunking could become a VERY special memory for 'em, ya know? A story about the night they met that they could recount years down the road and laugh about. It'd be best if it was a moment they shared together, by themselves. Wouldn't ya'll say so?"

Hoppin Barley didn't seem to heed Applejack's words too seriously. Domicilia, however, smiled gently at them. "You know what, honey? I think Applejack is right. Maybe we should leave them be for a little while…"

Sweetie Belle just scoffed. "Pssh! Are you kidding? No WAY! I've been waiting my whole LIFE to see Rarity get slammed into a dunk tank. I'm staying and watching!"

"Hmm, well that's a mighty shame…" Applejack said, "Seein' as the deep-fried cookie dough stand's gonna be closin' up shop in just a few minutes!"

"It is?!" Sweetie Belle gasped.

"It IS?!" Hoppin Barley exclaimed.

"Darn tootin'!" Applejack said with a fervent nod. "So you better go n' round some up while it's still hot!"

"Agh, no! I still haven't tried any!" Hoppin Barley complained, prancing frantically in place. "Is it really as good as you say it is, Sweetie Belle?"

"As good as that and BETTER!" she squealed. "Let's go get some, dad! Before it's too late!"

"You're right. We can dunk your sister later, but deep-fried cookie dough can't wait! Now c'mon, let's hoof it!" He looked at Applejack gratefully. "Thanks for the tip. I owe ya one!"

Applejack nodded. Then, suddenly, a flash of inspiration sparked in her mind. Another genius nugget that could be applied to an upcoming stage of her plan. "No trouble, Mr. Barley. But hey, if ya don't mind, maybe in return you could lemme have a couple o' those brews you've been downin' all night."

"Oh, these?" He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out two brown bottles. The paper labels on them, which read 'HOPPIN BARLEY'S BOMBASTIC BREW', were cheap and adhered with scotch tape. "Sure! This here beer was made usin' barley homegrown on my very own farm. It's some of the finest, hoppiest beer you'll ever try. Guaranteed!"

Applejack took the two bottles and dropped them into her own bag. "Great! Pleasure tradin' with ya, sir!"

"Right back at ya!" he replied hastily.

At that moment, Hoppin Barley and Sweetie Belle took off running, leaving no time for the shocked Domicilia to protest, or for the confused Huevos Grandes to understand what exactly had just happened. Applejack, though, was delighted to have sent those two away. She glanced up at Rarity, who had her face and front hooves pressed hopelessly against the glass, awaiting her humiliating dive. She looked very surprised, however, to see Applejack had arrived, and had sent her father and sister running off. No doubt that she, along with everyone else, wondered what devious clockwork was clicking and whirling in Applejack's mind.

Domicilia gazed with scrunched lips at the figures of her husband and young daughter as they disappeared into the crowd. "Sweetie Belle, you've already had some of that disgusting stuff! Come back here! And Hoppin, you should know better! Your high blood pressure…!"

"Don't worry, Domicilia," Applejack said. "That stand is already closed up. I saw so myself on the way here."

"Huh…?" Domicilia queried. She gazed at Applejack in wonder. "Then why did you…?"

"Just come with me," Applejack said confidently. "There's somethin' you need to see."

Applejack began to lead Domicilia away from the dunk tank, but before doing so, turned to Huevos Grandes. He was still standing by idly, rolling the red ball between his hooves, wondering when he should throw it. Applejack addressed him with a nod, "Cuando te dé la señal, lanza la pelota."

"When I give you the signal, throw the ball."

Huevos Grandes put on a face that was just as perplexed as those worn by Domicilia and Rarity. It was a face that questioned 'What are you planning?', but carried with it an addendum that said 'I have no idea, but for whatever reason, I'm going to trust you anyway'. And so, with some reluctance, he listened, and waited.

Applejack then continued to trot away from the tank, with a curious Domicilia trailing behind her. When the two reached a spot about twenty yards away, Applejack stopped, and turned back around. She gave Domicilia a sly glance, then directed her attention to the two stallions ahead: Huevos Grandes, in front of the tank clutching the ball, and Orange Julius, several yards from the tank in the other direction, still fidgeting nervously, wondering when his moment would come. Both of them had their eyes on her, awaiting their command to make their move. Confident that she had everypony right where she wanted them, Applejack raised her hoof in the air. Then, with a small smile, she waved. The signal was sent.

Huevos Grandes was quick to heed. He grinned with a sick satisfaction as he reared the ball back, ready to hurl it at the target. The determination in his face showed that he intended not to miss this time. Rarity shielded her eyes, unable to face what was coming next.

However, Huevos Grandes wouldn't get his chance. Orange Julius, the noble steed he was, also heeded the signal, and boldly came galloping in at the last microsecond. He stopped square in front of Huevos Grandes, halting his throw. What transpired next was a dramatic and exciting display that Applejack and Domicilia could only watch with utter fascination. The distance and the sounds of the surrounding crowds made it impossible to hear, but they could see everything. Huevos Grandes at first showed aggression, trying to force Orange Julius out of his way so he could experience the fun of dunking his bride-to-be. Orange Julius stood firm, launching a verbal assault right back at him. Applejack knew Orange Julius was multilingual, and so assumed he was addressing Huevos Grandes in his native tongue. The two argued for several seconds, getting right up in each others' faces. Rarity stared at the quarrel with great anticipation, all at once afraid for her own fate, delighted that a dashing stranger had seemingly come to her rescue, and overall completely baffled as to what in the world was going on.

The argument continued to escalate, and began to draw a growing crowd of onlookers. It soon reached a point where the two looked about ready to start trading blows with their front hooves. The possibility of things getting physical worried Applejack, for Huevos Grandes was the heftier stallion and would clearly have the upper hand. An urge to run to her cousin's aid began to rise up within her, but she forced it down, trying to maintain faith in him. Domicilia simply watched in silence, unsure of what to say or do.

Then, just as the situation appeared ready to blow its top, Orange Julius made one last strong comment to Huevos Grandes. Applejack could only wonder what that comment was – her best guess was that he lied and said Rarity was already his wife. It made sense, given the look of astonishment and defeat that overcame Huevos Grande's face upon hearing it, and the crowd's resulting enthusiastic chatter. Whatever it was that Orange Julius had said, it had clearly been enough to seal his victory. It wasn't long before Huevos Grandes fell into a humbled silence. He then dropped the ball, bowed his head respectfully, pulled his sombrero down over his face, and walked away in retreat. Within seconds, he vanished into the crowd, never to show his face there again.

Orange Julius held his head up proudly as he pranced over to the dunk chamber's door, with onlookers cheering him all the way. He undid the door's latch and let it swing open, revealing a stunned and ecstatic Rarity, who gazed down upon her hero in amazement. The two exchanged a few simple words, but that was all it took for Rarity to clap in glee and jump down from the elevated platform into his front hooves. He caught her effortlessly. The surrounding crowd let out all manner of hoots, hollers, and "Awwww"s.

Applejack's smile was beaming. She had long humored the thought of introducing Rarity and Orange Julius to one another, for she had felt in her gut that they would make an excellent couple. It was an absolute joy to see this fantasy beginning to take shape right before her eyes. However, she knew that her reasons for getting the two together went beyond just Rarity and Orange Julius' potential happiness. She turned to Domicilia, who stared at her daughter and her mysterious, handsome savior with a mixture of delight and wonder. "Applejack…" she muttered, "What is all this? Who is that young stallion that's holding my daughter in his forelegs…?" She directed her gaze at Applejack. "Did you… orchestrate all this?"

Applejack nodded. "I did, ma'am. And before you say anything, please, let me explain. That fine specimen of a stallion there is my cousin, Orange Julius. He comes from a wealthy, educated family in Manehattan, and is an up-n'-comin' film producer. As such, he's got tons o' connections in the entertainment industry. You know that kinda network could be extremely beneficial to Rarity and her fashion enterprise! That's why I assumed long ago that they'd be the perfect match. Just imagine, Orange Julius producin' the next big, sweeping blockbuster film, with Rarity's own costumes bein' worn onscreen by some o' the most respected actors and actresses in the world… Wouldn't that just be a dream come true?"

When Domicilia did not answer, and merely continued to give the same bedazzled stare, Applejack knew she had to try a different angle. "And don't think the mutual benefits end with business. If I know my cousin, I know that while he's a hard-nosed business stallion, he's also a sweet-hearted family guy. He ain't above givin' hugs to his folks and his friends, and he certainly knows how to show love n' respect to his lady. If Rarity were that lady, I promise ya, she'd be happy not only with her business gains, but her personal gains as well. He can be everything she wants, as well as everything you want for her…"

Domicilia still appeared somewhat dazed. "B-but… What about Huevos Grandes? And… Hoppin… Oh, what would my husband think about all this?" She swallowed heavily. "…He wouldn't approve. I know it. He would see that your cousin is wealthy and educated, and distrust him right away, regardless of any good qualities he might have… This simply won't happen, Applejack. I'm sorry. I know you worked hard for this, but I have to go over there and put a stop to this now. If I don't, my husband will before long…" She began to trot forward, aiming to do just as she said.

"Now hold on," Applejack said firmly. "I can tell you're used to submittin' to your old man's opinions, but I know you’re capable of makin' your own…"

Domicilia stopped in her tracks, curious what Applejack had left to say.

"…For once, try not to just fall back on what you think HE would want. Try and actually look for yourself. Go on, look! Look over yonder at your daughter. Look at her excitement, her joy. Look, and tell me what you honestly feel."

Domicilia took a moment to let Applejack's words register. Then, with a small swell of courage, she looked. The crowds from before had dissipated, but Orange Julius and Rarity remained by the dunk tank, talking, laughing, and enjoying getting to know each other. At one point, Orange Julius made an inaudible claim and an enthusiastic sweeping gesture with his hoof, to which Rarity responded with a delighted gasp. Even over the noises of the fair, her shrill cry of "That's so amazing!" could be heard.

Applejack looked at Domicilia and cocked her head to the side. "So? What's your heart sayin' to ya right now?"

Domilicia observed the scene with an intense focus. The look on her face appeared almost nostalgic, lost in memories of an era long gone, but not forgotten. "My goodness…" she barely managed to say, "I've never seen her look this way before. Certainly not with any of the suitors we've introduced her to. In fact… Yes, she looks just the way I did when I met her father…" She swallowed a rising lump in her throat. "That summer night, at the block party on our street… A friend of mine introduced us. He was so funny, so charming… My friend took a photograph of us. For laughs, to be able to poke fun at me. She would wave it in my face and say things like 'Aww, you look so in looove!' Of course, to her surprise, she turned out to be absolutely right. And now, to my surprise, I'm seeing that old photograph all over again. But this time, it’s my baby's face I see…"

Applejack nodded in understanding. "And what would have happened if, during that meeting, your own folks had stepped in and interrupted? If that first meeting had been your last?"

Domicilia closed her soggy eyes. "Oh, I don't even want to imagine that… We would not have married. My two daughters wouldn't be here. My happiness, as I know it, would never have come to be…"

Applejack gestured towards Rarity and Orange Julius. "So… Do you still want to interrupt that meeting? Do you want to risk denying Rarity the possible happiness that you've already found…?"

Domicilia's eyes shined more brightly than ever before. An invisible, but powerful truth seemed to have entered her heart at that moment. The emotion within her became so potent that she couldn’t keep her eyes from tearing up. "…I would never do that to her."

"Then let it be," was all Applejack added. "Let it be..."

Domicilia looked ready to concede, but let out a heavy sigh. "I'm still worried for her, though. After all, this fellow will only fuel her desire to make it in the world of big business. What if it proves too much for her? What if she fails?"

"Indeed, so what if she fails?" Applejack asked. "According to her, you and your husband also had career goals early on that couldn't be fulfilled…"

"Well, yes, that is true… When we met, he was aiming to be a professional football player, and I actually had a pretty promising career in manestyling."

"I coulda guessed. That manestyle of yours is gorgeous as the harvest moon. I'll bet you did it yourself?"

"I did, thank you! Rarity's manestyle is also my own design, in case you hadn't guessed."

"I had indeed, ma'am. But please, go on."

"Ah, yes. My husband and I did have our dreams, and for a time, things looked hopeful that we could both achieve them. However, I became pregnant rather unexpectedly. And then, when we had Rarity, raising her took priority over all else. We had to leave our dreams behind… But, in time, we were able to make new ones. Our dreams shifted from ourselves to our daughter. We dreamed that she would grow up to be a happy, loving pony, just as we both had."

"If you ask me, I'd say you already achieved that goal," Applejack said happily. "But the point you've just illustrated is that, while your own career goals didn't pan out as you'd hoped, you still managed to find new happiness after that. And believe me, there is no reason to think that, if things don't work out for Rarity as she hopes they will, she wouldn't be able to find new happiness, too. It's by trying to restrict her, and protect her from unhappiness, you are in fact only making her more unhappy. It's FREEDOM that she needs, don't ya see? Sure, she also needs you to support her, to be there for her, to help her up if she falls… But she doesn't need you to make her choices FOR her. Whether she ends up in a high-falutin' penthouse in Manehattan, or some down-home farmhouse with a litter o' crazy kids, like her folks… It's not the outcome that matters. It's her freedom to choose how she ARRIVES at that outcome. And that, more than ever, is what you and your husband need to give her now…"

Domicilia stood wide-eyed, astonished by Applejack's words. "You really think so?"

"I know so. Rarity's conductin' her own train now, Domicilia. At this point, you can't stop her. All you can do is lay down some good tracks for her…"

Domicilia managed a slow, but understanding nod. She looked again at the scene of Rarity and Orange Julius. They had moved from their previous spot, and were now at the bottle-pyramid-game stand. Orange Julius threw the baseball at the bottles, seemingly trying to win Rarity a prize. He managed to knock the top bottle off the stack, but that was apparently insufficient to win anything. He slumped in disappointment, but Rarity patted him on the back and gave him a smile. He smiled right back. With that, all was forgiven, and the two went right back to their flirtatious banter.

"You know, Applejack. All that you've just said… All the wisdoms you've just expressed… Somehow, deep down, I've known them to be the truth for a long time. Somehow, I've known that trying to forcibly steer Rarity away from her dreams was wrong… That trying to make her settle down with any of those countless suitors was wrong… That all of our efforts to provide her with happiness were, in some effect, robbing her of the very thing we were trying to give… But I was never sure of it. The only other opinion I’ve ever heard was my husband's, and since he's the head of the household, I've always felt obligated to agree… But now, hearing those very beliefs that I held dormant in my heart expressed by a caring stranger, by you… That is all the confirmation I need. As Celestia is my witness, I will speak with my husband about all this. I will make sure he listens, and I will make sure we give Rarity the space she needs to forge her own path... Thank you so much, Applejack, for what you've done for my daughter, and what you've told to me. If nothing else, I treasure the fact that Rarity has managed to make such a wonderful, wonderful friend."

Applejack found herself beaming once again.

Domicilia wore a watery-eyed smile herself. She gave a gracious nod to Applejack, then aimed her gaze back toward where Rarity and Orange Julius were. Or, at least, where they had been. Scanning the area now, she realized they were nowhere to be seen. Her warm expression suddenly became traced with alarm. "Oh dear… Where did they go?"

"Aww shucks, who knows?" Applejack said with a cool shrug. "They've prolly just gone off ta have a little fun."

"Fun?" Domicilia gulped slightly at the word. "What kind of fun?"

"Well, I'd reckon the same kinda 'fun' you and your husband musta had the night you two met!" Applejack snickered.

"Oh my, oh my…" Domicilia stammered. "I-I realize I should give her some space, but… b-but there's a limit, right? I mean, I should put a stop to SOME things, right?"

"That's between you n' her," Applejack mused. "But anyway, Domicilia, before you run off huntin' her down, can ya do me one last favor? When you can, round up all the members of your family and have 'em all meet at the barn at 8:30 tonight. There's a dandy of a hoedown gonna be happenin' then and there. Can ya do that?"

"8:30 at the barn. Got it. Will do, Applejack!" With that, Domicilia began to trot into the crowd, sweat already dotting her brow. "Rarity! Rarity, darling, where are you? Please don't do anything you'll regret! Oh, I hope Hoppin doesn't find out about this…"

Applejack could only smile and shake her head. On the inside, however, she felt a swelling sense of pride, knowing she had successfully achieved another milestone in her plan. She had done all she could for the situation between Rarity and her parents, she felt, but there were others that needed attention now. With this in mind, she opened up the mental checklist of her plan and again made some edits in bold:

~~~

- Find Orange Julius and use him to get in good with Twilight's parents

- Introduce Orange Julius to Rarity as a reward for the previous step

Meet with Sweetgood Mac and hear his side of the story

- Find Rainbow Dash and ask her to fly to Saddlem and Gomareah to bring Pinkie Pie's parents to the festival

- Offer to help Rainbow Dash with her situation as a reward for the previous step

- Find Fluttershy and get her away from Brawn Bones so she can meet with Softheart

Start spreading the word to have everypony meet at the barn at 8:30 pm for the "hoedown"

- ?

- EVERYPONY HAS A GOOD PARENTS' DAY!

~~~

Just as Applejack finished her edits and was storing the mental list away, she caught the familiar sight of a faded rainbow streak fly overhead. Rainbow Dash appeared to be heading in the direction of the barn. As Applejack followed her trajectory, she also happened to spot Fluttershy's father hulking his way down the line of hardware stands, with Fluttershy trailing slowly and obediently behind him. Seeing the opportunity to fulfill multiple parts of her plan right in a row, Applejack galloped onward. Considering how far she had come, there was nothing that could bring her to quit now…

9. Rainbows and Butterflies

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 9: Rainbows and Butterflies

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Applejack followed the fading rainbow streak with her eyes. From her vantage point, she could make out with just enough clarity that it ended at the distant barn. She considered sprinting over there right at that moment to meet up with Rainbow Dash, but after a moment's thought, another idea occurred to her. She whipped around and located the rainbow streak's origin point before it completely vanished into the night air. It appeared to have come from a small, nearby open-air lounge. She decided to head there first, figuring a certain stallion would be there that she really needed to speak with. She only hoped that Fluttershy, Brawn Bones, and Rainbow Dash would all remain within their relative positions in the meantime.

Applejack scanned the lounge as she approached. It consisted of a crude wooden stage situated in front of a small auditorium of hay bale seats, of which there were only enough to seat around two dozen ponies. On the stage was a jet-black mare with a long silver mane reciting poetry. Only about half the seats in the audience were occupied, so Applejack was quickly able to spot the familiar red-orange-yellow mane she had been looking for. She ran to the stallion's side and took a seat on the bale of hay to his right.

"Evenin', Sweetgood Mac," she whispered, careful not to disrupt the onstage poet's performance.

Sweetgood Mac did not immediately acknowledge Applejack's presence. He sat with slouched posture and a low-hanging head, his tightly shut eyes showing that he was deep in emotional thought, taking in the poet's words…

"The lovely skylark sings her tune,
from dreary dusk to shining noon,
The day then fades, as does her song,
I strain to hear, to sing along…"

Applejack admitted that the poem's words were touching, even melancholy, but Sweetgood's intense concentration implied that they resonated far stronger with him. He seemed to be analyzing the poem between the lines, extracting deeper meanings from the cracks, and making parallels to his own troubled life. The muscles in his face clenched with each soft, heartfelt word the poet breathed.

"Recall the day she hatched to birth,
The day I freed her from this earth,
My love helped her to sing and soar,
But now, her song I hear no more..."

The poet allowed for a few seconds of silence. She then gave a graceful bow, and exited the stage. All the dozen or so ponies in the audience clopped respectfully, including Applejack. When the applause faded, she heard Sweetgood Mac's soft voice sound from her left, "Evening to you, too, Applejack."

Applejack turned to him and looked into his soft and friendly, but deeply sad violet eyes. "That poem was awfully nice, wasn't it?" she asked. "I mean, I only caught the tail end of it, but still, powerful stuff."

"Sure was. Most of the poetry at this Parents' Day Poetry Showcase has been quite beautiful. She was one of the best, though. She verbalized really well the pride and pain that one feels as they watch their little one grow more and more distant…" His own voice grew more and more distant as he spoke.

"Are those a pain and pride that you're familiar with, too?" Applejack asked sincerely.

Sweetgood Mac merely nodded his head, staring ahead at the empty stage.

"I see," Applejack replied. She thought a minute about how she should continue. "…I spoke with Aeroswift earlier. She said you and Rainbow Dash had gone off together. But I swear I just saw Rainbow Dash fly away from here... Was she just here with you?"

Again, Sweetgood Mac returned a wordless nod.

"Why did she fly away?"

Without looking directly at her, Sweetgood Mac answered, "Well, I'm not one to hide the truth. In reality, she's been flying away for a long time now…"

"Not one to hide the truth, maybe," Applejack said to herself, "but certainly one to obscure it behind some gosh dern poetic metaphors!" She continued aloud, "I'm sorry, but do you mind explaining that in more concrete terms?"

"Oh, please excuse my poet's tongue," he said. "You see, ever since Rainbow Dash was born, she has been the source for all my prose. Watching her grow, and learn, and master her own abilities… It's the pride that I live and breathe for. And I know, deep in my heart, that the reason she's blessed with such skill and confidence is because I've been there to love and nurture her, to remind her how proud I am of her, to wrap a hoof around her when she's tired and sore after a hard day's work. She, herself, has told me multiple times that I am her rock that she can cling to in the raging river of life…" He paused for a moment and chuckled. "Oh, I beg your pardon. My language started to become a little flowery again there… Anyhow, in spite of all the love I've given her, I find that she's been slipping away, desiring to explore her own horizons. I've struggled to come to terms with this, but the more I imagine letting her go, the more unprepared I fear she still is. She still has many… weaknesses that I feel need to be fixed before she's ready to face the world as she wishes to."

"Weaknesses, ya say?" Applejack wondered aloud. "What might those be?"

"I see a certain value disorder in her. You see, with her amazing strength and skills, she has the ability to do great things, to help so many ponies in need. And yet, the more I watch her, the more I see that she tends to waste them on frivolous sport. She reserves all her time and energy to succeed in contests that benefit nopony but herself. And even when she does perform the occasional heroic act, it all seems to be for the wrong purpose. After all, what good will her trophies and prize money do for the miserable, impoverished masses who have nothing? A degree of compassion for our all of our fellow ponies, I believe, is instrumental to leading a happy, fulfilling life. 'Never look down on anypony unless you're helping them up', I always say. But it sometimes seems that all Rainbow Dash can do, when looking down on the less fortunate, is boast about her position above them, and condemn them for not being able to help themselves." He then went on to say the very thing that Applejack had been anticipating. "…No doubt, her mother's philosophy has influenced her so. It's something I greatly, greatly wish to turn around before I can, in good conscience, allow my daughter to soar away from me."

Applejack could not agree with Sweetgood Mac's words in the slightest, for she knew that Rainbow Dash was much more genuinely heroic than he was saying she was. It made her wonder just how detached he really was from his daughter's life. Regardless, she simply nodded. "Ya know, when I spoke with your wife earlier, she mentioned something similar. I mean, she flipped the values on their heads, but the sentiment was the same – that she feels HER teachings are the best for Rainbow Dash, but that YOUR influence is a gnarly weed corruptin' the garden."

Sweetgood Mac snickered. "Hm-hm-hmm… That was awfully poetic right there."

"Well, I reckon you're influencin' me a lil' bit, too!" Applejack joked.

"I suppose so! …But yes, I'm not surprised Aeroswift would say that. She's yelled things just like that to my face. And, truth be told, I've explained my point of view to her just as frequently. I only wonder how long it will be before I can make her understand…"

"Hmm… despite you two lovin' Rainbow Dash so much, you seem to butt heads with each OTHER an awful lot," Applejack reasoned. "And based on what I've heard, it sounds like ya'll won't ever agree. So, Sweetgood, I gotta ask you somethin' I asked your wife – why are you two still together?"

"Well, for Rainbow Dash, of course," Sweetgood Mac replied, sounding almost offended. "My wife and I disagree often, sure. Fairly heatedly sometimes, sure. And yes, she and I have spoken about the possibility of divorce. But through those talks, we did agree on one thing: that we both want to maintain our family bond however possible, because we both know that Rainbow Dash's heart would break if our family did…"

Applejack felt an urge to make a comment about how their family already seemed pretty broken. She also felt an urge to bring up Aeroswift's claim that Sweetgood Mac had, at one point in their marriage, been unfaithful. However, Applejack decided that neither comment would help her cause right then, so she held back. "That makes sense, I suppose. But with all due respect, I think we kinda wandered off track from my original question: why did Rainbow Dash fly away just now?"

"Oh! Right, I forgot about that," Sweetgood Mac answered sheepishly. "Well, you see, we actually got into a bit of a discussion about this very thing. The same discussion I've had with her many times before. I guess she's just gotten sick of hearing me talk about it. Frankly, I'M getting sick of hearing me talk about."

"I reckon ya'll would be," Applejack said. "But somethin' else I wanna know – in all your talks with Rainbow Dash, have you ever asked her opinion about all this? What SHE wants?"

Sweetgood Mac said nothing for a short while. He seemed to be digging through his memory bank. "You know," he replied, "I can't remember if I have…" He looked at Applejack seriously. "Perhaps I should, shouldn't I?"

"I would say so," Applejack said with a nod. "And you'll get your chance to very soon. I promise."

Sweetgood Mac, being skilled at reading between the lines, recognized that there was a hidden meaning in Applejack's words. "What do you mean?"

"You'll know what I mean," Applejack replied in a hushed voice, "If you meet me at the little toolshed behind the barn at 8:15 tonight. Can you make it?"

Sweetgood Mac was about to reply, but an announcement from the stage interrupted his thought. Another poet was getting ready to perform. He looked at Applejack, who was now standing on all fours, ready to leave. "Think it over," Applejack said with a wink. "For Rainbow Dash's sake." That was her last message to him before galloping off.

Sweetgood Mac was left slouching on the bale of hay, his mind racing with more challenging thoughts and questions than it had been in a very long time. Even as he reeled, the new poet began to recite her words:

"A honeycomb broke cannot be repaired
Just melted down to sweet honey, and shared
Two halves of a nutshell, cracked and near death,
Must be split for the fruit to draw breath…"

~~~

Applejack returned to where she had been standing just minutes ago, and looked over at the line of hardware stands where Brawn Bones and Fluttershy had been walking. She didn't see them there now, and began to worry about how far they had wandered. "Oh golly, where'd they go? Where'd they go?" she asked herself, prancing along and scanning each stand. Her worry was short-lived, however, when she spotted the massive frame of Brawn Bones walking down the aisle further ahead, with Fluttershy still trailing closely behind.

Just seeing the two again brought the whole lot of Softheart's life story surging back to Applejack's mind. It filled her with the strangest mix of sorrow and rage, which she directed at Brawn Bones from afar. It took everything she had to keep herself from sprinting right over there and crippling him with a steam-powered applebuck to the spine. Again, she knew to hold back for the sake of her plan working out, but she also held back out of fear. Indeed, seeing Brawn Bones again reminded her of just how bloody huge he was. He easily surpassed all the other ponies in the crowd in both height and girth; the only other pony that Applejack thought might compare was Snowflake, the steroid pegasus, and even then she wasn't so sure. Brawn Bones' body was a mountain of muscle and his brain a machine of cunning, and according to Softheart's testimony, he knew how to use them both frighteningly well. Applejack knew he would not loosen his iron-tight grip on Fluttershy easily, so if she planned to separate the two, she would have to do so with great care. She took a deep breath, and began to advance toward them.

Applejack treaded swiftly but quietly through the crowds until she was a mere three feet behind Fluttershy. Both she and Brawn Bones were facing forward, unaware of her presence. Applejack whispered in a volume that she hoped would be loud enough for Fluttershy to hear, but not her father. "Fluttershy… Psst! Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy did not hear her. However, much to Applejack's chagrin, she saw Brawn Bones perk up his alert ears, and quickly look back. The moment his tense gaze fixed on her, Applejack's breast swelled with dread. Fluttershy, startled by her father's action, turned around too, and was shocked to see her friend standing frozen behind her.

"Whoa nelly, not good!" Applejack exclaimed to herself, "OK, new plan: act friendly, gain his trust, and then ask if I can borrow Fluttershy for a bit. No sweat!" She did her best to smile. "H-Howdy, Mr. Fluttershy's daddy! And hello to YOU, Fluttershy! What's happenin' with ya'll?"

"Umm…" Fluttershy began, "Nothing much, really…" She looked nervously at her father. "R-right, daddy?"

Brawn Bones did not take his eyes off Applejack. "What do you want?" he asked directly.

Applejack realized she was shaking on her hooves. She struggled to keep still. "Why, I'm just sayin' hello! In fact, my good sir, I don't believe we've been introduced yet. I'm Applejack, partial owner of Sweet Apple Acres, and Fluttershy's most dependable and hard-workin' friend! What's your name?"

"What do you want?" Brawn Bones repeated more sternly.

"Well, like I said, I'm just sayin' hello!" Applejack assured. "Don't ya'll remember me? I'm the one who let you know that Fluttershy had arrived at the festival earlier tonight!"

Brawn Bones nodded without hesitation. "Yeah, I recognize you. I'm good with faces."

"Well, color me not-surprised! I'd reckon you would be, considerin' you work for the Cloudsdale Police Department and all!"

Brawn Bones raised a suspicious eyebrow at that statement. "How do you know where I work?"

It suddenly hit Applejack that she had learned that particular bit of information from Softheart, something she absolutely could not reveal. She hesitated, trying to come up with a good fib. "Uh, w-well… Fluttershy told me, o' course!"

"I did?" Fluttershy questioned, growing increasingly shaky.

"Aw shucks, sure ya did!" Applejack said, giving her a friendly nudge. "Don't ya remember? When we met at the gate earlier today, ya told me your pa's Cutie Mark was a police badge. I even saw it with my own eyes! Purty obvious..."

"Well, yeah, but…" Fluttershy shifted her eyes frightfully between her friend and her father, "I didn't say he worked in… Cloudsdale…"

"Oh, you silly goose! You must be all flustered. Can't even remember the details of our own convo!" She tried to address Brawn Bones in a cheery manner. "Ain't she just the cutest lil' thang?"

Brawn Bones, however, stared down at Fluttershy with a palpable disappointment. "Fluttershy, is this true? Did you tell this pony where I work?"

Fluttershy gulped audibly and shrank down several inches. "N-no, daddy, I didn't. Honest…"

"Then explain to me how she knows that I work for the Cloudsdale Police!"

"I, umm… I c-can't. I don't know how she kn-"

"Fluttershy, what have I TOLD you about revealing specifics about my job to strangers?!"

"To not to. I know that, daddy. I know that…"

"Then how does SHE know?! Tell me! Now!"

Applejack suddenly felt herself squeezed between a rock and a hard place. If she kept up with this fib, Fluttershy would soon suffer another torrent of abuse from her father. But she couldn't tell the truth about Softheart's presence at the festival, could she? Brawn Bones' voice was growing more demanding by the second, and Fluttershy's was growing more helpless. The surrounding crowds stared and murmured, but not one pony dared get involved. Even with no clear plan, Applejack knew she needed to intervene quickly.

"Wait!" Applejack shouted. "Sir, I was wrong! Fluttershy actually didn't tell me that you work in Cloudsdale!"

Brawn Bones and Fluttershy immediately fell silent. They both directed their stares at her, eager to hear an explanation. "Ya see, Fluttershy told me you worked for the police, but didn't say what station you worked at. I, uhh… actually figured that out m'self!"

Brawn Bones squinted his dark eyes. "How?"

"Umm, b-by lookin' at your, uhh…" She did a quick survey of his body. He didn't have any giveaway clues that said ‘Cloudsdale P.D.’, but he did have his nightstick. "…y-your black beater stick thingy! Yeah, that's right! I recognize yours as being from Cloudsdale. After all, the ones the popo carry up there are a lil' different from the ones they carry here in Ponyville…" She stopped to gauge Brawn Bones' reaction. It was difficult to tell if he was buying it. "…Aren't they?"

Brawn Bones appeared to observe Applejack's expression and stance for several seconds. She had heard stories of highly-trained police ponies being able to detect lies just by noticing the subtlest muscle twitch, and so tried to maintain her best poker face. He eventually looked away from her and at his own nightstick, then jutted out his lower lip and nodded. "Yeah, that's true. They are different. Slightly…" He looked back at her. "You must be pretty observant to have noticed that."

Applejack made a hushed sigh of relief. "Yep. Observant like a chicken hawk, sir!"

At that point, Applejack half-expected Brawn Bones to apologize to Fluttershy for yelling at her over the misunderstanding. It was what any decent pony would do, after all. However, Brawn Bones did no such thing, and merely said, "Well, Applejack, you've said hello, so we'll be on our way now."

"Whoa, pull the reins there, sir!" Applejack blurted. "I actually wanted to ask if I could borrow Fluttershy for a sec. Ya see, she and I had plans to check out the petting z-"

"No."

Applejack was caught off guard by the sudden, sharp reply. "Uh, I beg your pardon?"

"No. Fluttershy won't be going with you. She's to stay under my watch all night. After all, this is PARENTS' Day." He stared down at Fluttershy. "Isn't that right?"

Fluttershy gave a weak, obligatory nod. She didn't look him in the eyes.

Applejack feigned a sad face, going for the sympathy angle. "Aww, but sir, Fluttershy and I ain't seen each other since the last blue moon! Can't ya let her free for just a few minutes? I'll bring her right back, I promise!"

"No," Brawn Bones replied impatiently. "And there'll be no more discussion about it. Let's go, Fluttershy." With that, he turned his back and began to continue on his way. Fluttershy, after casting a forlorn glance at Applejack, began to follow.

Applejack, however, was not ready to give up so easily. She had made a promise to Softheart, and intended to keep it, no matter the risk. "C'mon, Brawn Bones, have a heart! We just want a lil' fun, is all!"

Before Applejack even finished her statement, both Fluttershy and Brawn Bones halted in their tracks, stunned. Brawn Bones again whirled his head around and glared at Applejack with a raised brow. The suspicion in his face was tripled from before. "I never told you my name..."

Applejack stiffened. She felt herself go numb with fear all over again. "Uh, umm… R-really? Cuz I'm puuurty sure ya did…"

"Fluttershy, did you tell her my name?!"

"What?! No, daddy! I would never, ever do tha-!"

"You're lying to me, Fluttershy! You KNOW what I've told you about telling strangers my name!"

"I know, daddy, I know. But I didn't tell. P-please, believe me…"

"Then you'd better explain how she knows, or I'll MAKE you explain! Do you understand me?"

"I… I…"

"I said DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

Applejack bit her hoof, trying to combat the panic rising within her long enough to decide what to do. She would have tried the "I figured it out myself" defense again, but there was no clue with his name on it that she could point to. Then, in a split-second, an idea occurred to her. It was incredibly risky, but if she could pull it off, it would not only spare Fluttershy a world of torment, but might also be the ticket to separating her from Brawn Bones…

"Sir!" She yelled over his booming voice, "Fluttershy actually didn't tell me your name!"

"Then who did?!" he snarled at her. "And I know you've been lying to me thus far. Tell me the truth!"

"Softheart did! She's here, at this festival! Right now!"

A long silence followed.

Fluttershy and Brawn Bones both exchanged expressions of disbelief. However, while Fluttershy's bore a trace of joyful hope, Brawn Bones' exuded nothing but disgust. "You're still lying. You have to be."

"You can look me square in the face all you want," Applejack said boldly. "Examine every muscle, every hair, every nook n' cranny. Then tell me I'm lyin'."

Brawn Bones examined for a short while, as Applejack had challenged. It wasn't long before the suspicion faded from his eyes. Instead, it became replaced by a black anger. "Where is she…?"

"I met her at the main gate, 'bout ten minutes ago," Applejack said. "She told me she was lookin' for her husband Brawn Bones and her stepdaughter Fluttershy. I agreed to find you two for her. Wanted to make it a surprise but, well, circumstances bein' what they are…"

"Is she still waiting there?"

"Yes, she is. The gate's clear across the fairgrounds, way over yonder." She extended her hoof and pointed.

An aura of red rage enveloped Brawn Bones at that moment. He didn't even seem to care to pick apart Applejack's statement to make sure it was true. He fixed his eyes on the distant gate, and with a throaty grunt, thrust opened his wide, impressive wingspan. "That mare's got a lot of nerve, showing up here. She better have a damn good reason!" He flashed a stern glance at Fluttershy. "You, stay here until I get back. You're NOT seeing your stepmother tonight! Understood?!"

Fluttershy gulped, and as always, nodded at his command.

Brawn Bones then flapped his mighty wings and lifted off, leaving Applejack, Fluttershy, and the curious bystanders to gasp in wonder and shock. Despite his stocky frame, he flew at a speed towards the entrance gate that could only be described as phenomenal. He would reach it in a matter of seconds. There was precious little time to act.

Fluttershy looked at Applejack, confused and scared. "Applejack… My stepmom, is she really-?"

"Yes, she's here," Applejack replied quickly. "But she's not at the gate."

"Huh?! Then why did you send my dad there?!"

"To get him away from you, so I could take you to her. She has something very important to give you."

"But where is she?!"

Applejack figured that Brawn Bones had likely reached the gate by that point, and had likely already caught onto Applejack's lie. He would come roaring back at any second with a terrible vengeance. "In the woods. Now c'mon, let's go!"

"The woods?! But what's she doing there?"

Applejack could already see the distant speck that was Fluttershy's father growing bigger as he made his return trip. "I'll explain, just follow me!"

"B-but, Applejack, my dad-!"

"RUN!"

Without another word, Applejack launched into a full gallop, aiming for the narrow space between two sales booths. Fluttershy followed just as quickly. It was unknown to them whether Brawn Bones saw their retreat or not. Applejack couldn't care at that moment. She couldn't look back. She stared only straight ahead, beyond the fairgrounds, towards the edge of the forest where Softheart awaited them. Once they reached there, she thought, they would be able to rest easy. She only hoped that she and Fluttershy would get there in one piece. She prayed with as much effort as she ran.

The two forced their way through the crowds, snaking a course that took them under the cover of sales booth shadows and narrow alleyways, yet always heading for their goal.

"FLUTTERSHY…!"

Even above all the sounds and voices of the festival, Applejack swore she heard Brawn Bones' deep, thundering yell reach her ears. Fluttershy had, too, for she let out a yelp and urged Applejack to keep moving.

"FLUTTERSHY! WHERE ARE YO-!"

His booming voice seemed to be growing more distant. That must have meant they were losing him, Applejack thought. However, she dared not look back to confirm this. The sound of Fluttershy's heavy breathing sounded from close behind her every step of the way. At one point, Fluttershy shouted that she wanted to fly, but Applejack ordered her to stay on the ground, for she would remain better hidden that way.

After a full minute of frantic running, the girls finally ran out from behind a game stand that marked the edge of the fairgrounds. From there, it was a lengthy sprint across the grassy field until they reached the woods. It was so close, and yet so far…

For the first time since taking off running, Applejack turned her head back. Fluttershy was still hot at her heels, with petrified eyes and her coat already matted in cold sweat. However, she was astonished to see the bulky form of Brawn Bones flying high and fast over the fairgrounds, shining a high-powered flashlight down among the crowds and scanning with ferocious intensity. With luck, he would not expand his search to the surrounding fields.

"FLUTTERSHY! SOFTHEART!..."

The girls were now halfway across the expanse. Only another fifty or so yards and they would be safe under the shelter of the trees.

"Applejack! You said Softheart has something to give me?"

"Yes!"

"What is it?!"

"…A letter from your real mother!"

"WHAT?!"

"You'll see for yourself. Now c'mon, don't stop! We're almost there!"

The forest edge was now mere yards ahead. A few more seconds, and they would be home free…

Suddenly, Applejack saw the trees directly ahead become illuminated by a faint, moving light. Whatever the source of it was, it was behind her and Fluttershy. Could it be…? She turned back once again, and saw the distant glare of a bright flashlight beam aimed directly into her eyes. A wave of terror overtook her, and her adrenaline spiked to 11. Fluttershy, too, took notice, and in her dread, opened her wings and took flight. She soared with alarming speed right over Applejack's head and disappeared into the thicket of the trees.

"FLUTTERSHY!"

The monstrous voice was now frightfully close. And yet, so was the forest. Applejack felt a sensation of half-relief as she finally broke into the foliage. However, with their pursuer being so close behind, could the shelter of the trees protect them now? She didn't have time to stop and ponder, nor could she take even a second to locate Fluttershy. She could only keep running. The leaves kicked up beneath her hooves and the twigs scratched at her face, but she kept running. Even within the forest bounds, the light of the flashlight could still be seen flickering among the tree trunks. At every moment, she expected Brawn Bones’s full wrath to bear down upon her back, to put her lights out right there on the forest ground. Such thoughts only kept her running, running running…

"Applejack!"

Fluttershy's shrill cry stole Applejack's attention. It seemed to come some distance from her left. "Fluttershy?!"

"Applejack! Help!"

Applejack turned and sprinted in the voice's general direction. "Where are you?! What's wrong?!"

"Help! He's got me! HELP!"

Applejack gasped in horror. "Don't worry, Fluttershy! I'ma comin'!"

It wasn't long before she ran into Fluttershy. Something in a bush behind her seemed to have her bound by her rear hoof. She was flailing and thrashing frantically, tears streaming from her eyes. "Applejack! He's got my rear leg! HELP ME!"

With a rush of courage, Applejack dove headlong into the bush, fully prepared to tackle Brawn Bones into submission. She was undaunted by the consequences, her only goal being to help her friend escape. However, she was quickly disillusioned to find herself wrestling only with a bundle of leaves and sticks. She then noticed that Fluttershy's hoof was only tangled up in the bush's roots. She chomped down on them hard with her teeth and ripped them from the earth. Fluttershy was freed.

"Oh my goodness, thank you so much! You saved me!"

"Aw, come off it! It was only a bush! Now giddy up!"

The two began to sprint forth again, eager to continue their escape. The light of the flashlight still danced faintly among the trees, the exact location of its source being impossible to pinpoint. They could only hope fate would be on their side that night…

~~~

Softheart sat on the bushy grass of the forest clearing, the baby blue envelope with the telltale letter lying in front of her. She wrapped her front legs around her small body, trying to fight off the chilly air that was beginning to settle around her. She was cold, hungry, tired, and alone. Every one of her bodily instincts was telling her to get up and go home. However, the sight of the envelope helped her spirit to endure. For almost an hour, she had waited, and she would continue to do so until she heard from Applejack again…

As if on cue, Softheart heard a sound echoing through the trees. It was the sound of rapid hoofsteps. Then came two muffled voices, the genders of which were difficult to determine. They were most certainly heading her way. Softheart stood on all fours to greet these strangers, hoping for the best, and preparing for the worst.

A few seconds later, two forms emerged from the foliage and into the clearing…

And Softheart felt a warm well of joy spring within her chest as her beloved stepdaughter galloped straight at her and embraced her tightly around her torso.

"SOFTHEART!"

"Fluttershy! Oh, my Fluttershy! Thank heavens you're safe!"

The two stood wrapped in each other's forelegs for a long time, cradling one another, drawing in deep of each other's love. Fluttershy sobbed incessantly, still recovering from the fear of her narrow escape from her father, and indulging in her relief for having found her stepmother.

At long last, the two parted, and looked into each other's watery eyes.

"Thank you for coming," Softheart choked.

"Of course," replied Fluttershy. "In fact, it was Applejack that led me to you."

Softheart looked over at Applejack, who was standing by humbly and silently. "And thank YOU, Applejack, for fulfilling your promise to me. Somehow, I never doubted you."

"Aw shucks, ain't no thing but a chicken wing!" Applejack answered with a smile.

Softheart smiled back, and placed a gentle hoof over her heart. She then looked to her stepdaughter. "Fluttershy… I don't know if Applejack told you, but there's something we need to discuss. I have something to give you…"

"She did tell me," Fluttershy confirmed. "She said you have… a letter from mom."

Softheart nodded slowly. "I do indeed. It's right here..." She picked up the baby blue envelope from the grass and held it out for Fluttershy to take.

Fluttershy stared blankly at the envelope for a moment, hesitant to take it for herself, lest it contain everything she ever wanted. Eventually, she reached out her own shaking hoof, and took it. "So many letters I sent, over so many years…" Fluttershy murmured, clutching the envelope tightly. "…And now, a reply! I… I don't know what to say…"

"Perhaps," Softheart said gently, "you can first see what she has to say to you."

A tear-filled smile crept across Fluttershy's face. "Yeah, I should… I will!" She carefully withdrew the six yellowed pages from the envelope, unfolded them, and after a deep breath, began to read the cursive letters that had she knew had been written by her own mother's pen…

In that instant, Softheart turned to look at Applejack again, ready to ask her if she cared to join them in this special moment…

However, she frowned in remorse, but also in understanding, when she saw that Applejack had already gone. All that remained instead was a hastily written note laid down on the grass:

Meet at the barn at 8:30. See ya'll then.

~~~

Applejack's first stop, after returning from the woods, was the barn. As she had suspected, this was where she was able to find Rainbow Dash. What she hadn't suspected, though, was spotting her silhouette on top of the barn's roof. The position she was in was hard to verify in the darkness, but she could hear that she was making a faint sound. She perked up her ears. Though distant and soft, it seemed that Rainbow Dash was sharing a whispered dialogue with herself.

Applejack ran around to the side of the barn, and leapt atop the mountain of hay bales that she and Big Mac had set up months ago for the very purpose of climbing onto the barn's roof for fun. Once up there, she carefully made her way across the rickety shingles to where Rainbow Dash was. Applejack was immediately struck through the breast to see that her friend was lying on her side, with all four legs huddled close to her body, muttering to herself in shuddered breaths. It wasn't long before she noticed Applejack approaching her, at which point her eyes went wide and she leapt to her feet. She cleared her throat and tried to play off like everything was fine and dandy.

Applejack approached gingerly. "Rainbow Dash…?"

"H-Hey Applejack! What are you doing up here?"

"Well gosh, I was about to ask you the same thing!" Applejack exclaimed. "I saw you up here, and thought I'd check up on ya."

"Oh, well, I'm doin' fine. No problems. Just hangin' out, ya know?"

"…By yourself? On the barn roof?"

"Pssh, yee-AH! Why not? All the cool ponies chill out on rooftops! Didn't ya know?"

Applejack could tell Rainbow Dash was avoiding what was really on her mind, and that she was not going to talk about it of her own accord. "Rainbow Dash, I'm gonna shoot straight - I came up to check on ya because I heard you talkin' to yourself up here like some two-headed loony."

Rainbow Dash's weak smile quickly dropped away.

"And that ain't all. I've also spoken with both your ma and pa tonight. Clearly, there's been a lot o' friction between the three of ya this evenin'. I'll bet that's what's troublin' ya. Am I right?"

Rainbow Dash made like she was about to argue. However, she reconsidered, and merely stared down at the roof shingles, rubbing one foreleg nervously with the other. A trace of despair and even anger began to form in her eyes. "Hmph… I guess you must know just about everything then, huh?"

"Yep. You ain't pullin' no wool over these eyes, pardner," Applejack assured. "But don't worry, I ain't here to talk about that. At least not yet."

Rainbow Dash gazed at her curiously, wondering what she meant.

"First, I have a very, VERY big favor to ask of you. Can you lend me a hoof?"

"Umm… That depends, I guess. What is it?"

"Well, truth be told, it's actually more of a favor for Pinkie Pie than for myself."

"Huh, OK. I'm listening…"

"Good. First off, do you happen to know of some places called Saddlem and Gomareah?"

Rainbow Dash's face scrunched into a grimace. "Saddlem and Gomareah? Eww! What about it?"

"Oh, so you know 'bout them cities?"

"No no no, 'Saddlem and Gomareah' isn't the name of two cities. It's the name of a nightclub." Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out in disgust. "A really, REALLY seedy one, from what I've heard. Only the lowest of the low and the crudest of the crude go there."

"Hmm, well wrap me in bacon and call me sassafras," Applejack said in disbelief. "Didn't expect THAT…"

"So what does Saddlem and Gomareah have to do with Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "Ugh, don't tell me she goes there…"

"Oh, SHE don't," Applejack replied, "but accordin' to her, her FOLKS are there just 'bout all the time."

"Aw, really? Gross…"

"I hear ya, sister. But listen up – I dunno if Pinkie's confided this in you, but she misses her folks an awful lot since they're never around. In fact, she feels all but neglected by 'em. So, I figure it'd mean the world to her if, somehow, we could get 'em to leave that stinkin' pigsty and come here, to spend time with her at the Parents' Day Festival! Wouldn't ya think?"

Rainbow Dash held up a hoof in protest. "Oooooh no! There's no WAY I'm setting a hoof in that place. I heard about a girl there who got her drink spiked with some magic powder. To this day, she still has kaleidoscope vision freak-outs whenever she closes her eyes!"

"So what? I ain't askin' you to go there to have a drink! All I'm askin' is that you find Pinkie Pie's ma n' pa, and bring 'em back here!"

"Oh yeah? Well what if they're not there?"

"The odds that they would be are high enough to take the chance. Pinkie would insist so."

"Well, what if they don't want to come?"

"Then, uhh, tell 'em we've got beer here!"

"Applejack, they're at a NIGHTCLUB. There's already beer there, not to mention a bazillion other types of drinks and substances…"

"Well dag nabbit! Tell 'em it's the best diddly-dang beer in the whole wide world! Whatever you gotta say to git 'em here, just say it!" She took a minute to cool down. "…Please, Rainbow Dash. It'd make Pinkie Pie so happy..."

Rainbow Dash moaned to herself. "Aww, but she's ALREADY happy all the time…"

Applejack angled her lip. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Rainbow Dash... Do you remember that one birthday of hers? When we all planned a surprise party for her, but had to turn down her invitations to Gummy's afterparty in order to do so? Remember how she got?"

Rainbow Dash frowned. "Ugh, don't remind me. That was so freaky…"

"I know it was. For all of us," Applejack said seriously. "And I'm convinced that that dark n' twisted side of Pinkie is born out of her feelings of parental neglect. But I really feel that, if we could just get her and her folks to spend some time together, it might help put that side of her to rest for good…"

Rainbow Dash was looking at the roof tiles beneath her feet again. She really seemed to be considering taking on the favor, but was not quite ready to say yes. "But… I don't even know what Pinkie Pie's parents LOOK like…"

Applejack dug into her saddlebag and withdrew Pinkie Pie's crayon drawing of herself and her parents, depicting the good old days of them back on the rock farm. She handed it to Rainbow Dash, who studied it curiously. "I know it's only a drawing," Applejack said, "But the depiction's clear enough. You should be able to know 'em when you see 'em."

Rainbow Dash remained silent, clearly still not completely convinced. Applejack realized this, and decided it was time to pull out the big guns. "…And don't think you wouldn't get nothin' in return, Rainbow. In case you haven't heard, I've been on a mission tonight to make sure all o' my good friends have the best Parents' Day they can possibly have. And that includes you."

Rainbow Dash looked up from the drawing and into Applejack's shining eyes. "Huh? I don't follow…"

"Just answer me this," Applejack said, "Wouldn't you give anything to be able to see your ma n' pa reconcile…?"

"Reconcile?!" Rainbow Dash asked with a laugh. "MY parents? Ha! Yeah, maybe in some mirrored, tripped-up, parallel universe!"

"There's a possibility I can help it to happen," Applejack said sincerely. "I can't go into detail right now, but… do you see that little ol' toolshed behind the barn there?" She pointed down to the small, weathered shed in question. "If you can meet me there at around 8:00 tonight, you'll see what I'm talkin' about."

Rainbow Dash appeared intrigued, but still couldn't help but shake her head. "You're dreamin' Applejack. I mean, I'll see what you're up to, but… yeah, I don't expect much. No offense." She stored Pinkie Pie's drawing away, and then spread her wings open. "I'll go see if I can find Pinkie Pie's parents, though. You convinced of that, at least."

"Really? Oh, wonderful! Thanks, RD. You truly are the most loyal o' ponies!"

Rainbow Dash smiled proudly. "And don't anypony ever forget it!"

The two gave each other enthusiastic waves before Rainbow Dash sped off like a rainbow-tailed bullet, disappearing beyond the southern black horizon…

~~~

The door to the tool shed creaked loudly as Applejack pushed it open. She stepped gingerly inside before letting it close behind her. She pulled the nearby chain with her teeth, causing the single light bulb to flicker on, illuminating the interior with a dim orange light. Various gardening and farming tools were shoved haphazardly to the left and right walls, leaving a decent-sized open space in the center of the floor. She trotted over to where she had left her hammer and nails, scooped them up, and brought them over to the rear wall which, save for the small window near the ceiling, was completely bare. She reached into her saddlebag and withdrew the various pictures she had gathered from her photo albums earlier that night. Then, one by one, she began to nail them to the wall.

When all the photos were up, Applejack took a step back, and admired the collage she had just created. It was a collection of photos celebrating all the amazing things Rainbow Dash had accomplished since Applejack had first met her. Her Sonic Rainboom at the Young Fliers' Competition… Her rescue of a filly from a deep well… Her leading the team of Ponyville Pegasi to create the annual waterspout up to Cloudsdale… These and many more were featured, and at the center of it all, was a photo of Rainbow Dash proudly sporting the fabled Element of Loyalty.

Applejack smiled to herself. "Now THIS is one heck of a conversation piece!" she thought aloud.

The sound of the door creaking behind her made her heart skip ever so slightly. She didn't think much of it, though. "That darn door's always creakin' closed on its own," she said under her breath. She went back to observing her project.

A few seconds later, a realization hit her that made her blood run ice cold: she had let the door close behind her when she entered the shed.

With wide eyes, Applejack slowly turned around…

The shed door was, as she suspected, now wide open. And, standing in the door frame, was the shadowed, humongous form of Brawn Bones, his face clenched in a scowl and his eyes radiating fury. He carried his black nightstick tightly in his teeth, and it was as clear as crystal that he was prepared to use it…

10. Dressed Down

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Chapter 10: Dressed Down

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Applejack was no stranger to fear. She had stood face-to-face with some of the most wicked and dangerous creatures in all of Equestria, from dragons to Changelings to draconequuses, and stood her ground against them. In fact, with all that she had triumphed over in the past, she at one time believed that fear was an innocent emotion that she had grown out of, and that there was nothing in the world that could truly frighten her to the core anymore. And yet, that night, she now stood before a new wicked creature, one that instilled in her a sense of dread that she had not felt in ages. The sight of Brawn Bones slowly advancing towards her in the dim light of the shed, with his nightstick in his teeth and a maniacal look on his face, made Applejack's guts roll in her stomach. She instinctively backed up, trying to keep her distance, but only managed a few steps before she bumped into the rear wall. Her breath and heart rate began to quicken. She was trapped.

Brawn Bones stopped less than four feet from Applejack's position. He pulled the nightstick from his teeth. "Fluttershy and Softheart…" he said, softly but menacingly, "...where are they?"

As afraid as Applejack was for her own safety, she was even more afraid of the consequences of giving Brawn Bones the information he wanted. "I've got nothin' to say to you."

"Hmm… Not sure I believe that. I think you have a LOT to say to me."

"…You know what? You're right. I DO have a lot to say to you. How about I start off with: You're a sick, deranged, cowardly son-of-a-hoofer that can only torment ponies weaker than him cuz his balls obviously never dropped."

Brawn Bones appeared unfazed. He observed his nightstick nonchalantly. "Hmph, I've heard worse... But let's stay on topic, shall we? Just a short while ago, I saw you and Fluttershy escape into the woods. But only you came back out. I know you know where she went. You took her to Softheart, didn't you?"

Applejack was shocked that he had been able to deduce this. She hid it, though. "…I did. And if you're wondering how I know so much about you, it's cuz Softheart told me everything. So yes, she's in the bounds o' this here farm with Fluttershy right now. And no, I'm not going to tell you where they are or what they're up to." She did her absolute best to stand tall and appear bold, in spite of the debilitating fear she felt inside.

Brawn Bones looked Applejack up and down carefully. "Courageous…" he breathed."…Your words, I mean. Your stance, not so much."

Applejack shrank a couple inches.

"Now, Applejack," he said, his dark eyes gleaming in the orange light, "Let me make something very clear – I am going to get the information that I want out of you. YOUR only choice here is whether you divulge it peaceably, or after some persuasion…" He tapped the nightstick on the wooden floor. It's soft *thunk* echoed within the shed's walls. "Do you understand me?"

Applejack felt an impulse to simply nod, but fought it. "What are you gonna do to 'em when you find 'em?"

"Depends what they're doing. And how much I disapprove of it." He raised a knowing eyebrow. "So, Applejack, as you said yourself, Softheart told you everything. So, how much do you think I would disapprove of what they're up to?"

Applejack knew it was fruitless to try to lie her way out of the situation. "It's the most outrageous thing I'm sure they've ever done. It's somethin' that could turn your purty lil' world of dominance right upside-down."

Brawn Bones simply grunted. "Hmph, well, if I'm going to dislike it THAT much, then I'll just have to make sure they both dislike it even more." He tapped the nightstick on the wooden floor once again.

Applejack narrowed her eyes. "How does a pony turn into such a monster…?"

Brawn Bones appeared slightly surprised by Applejack's question, unsure whether to shut her up or ask her to elaborate.

"You started out as a newborn foal, innocent n' pure, just like everypony else," Applejack continued. "What happened to you to make you grow up to be such a vile creature?" She could feel a tide of strength rising within her. "…I'll bet your own father was a monster, too."

It was difficult to describe the brief emotion that flashed across Brawn Bones' face in that moment. His eyes swelled with a subdued, but visible shock and pain, as though struck by a set of repressed memories that came bursting back to the forefront of his conscience, like a long-submerged buoy breaching the ocean's surface. The moment lasted less than a second, and Brawn Bones concealed and recovered from it remarkably well. But it was unmistakable: Applejack had struck a major, decisive chord.

"Don't change the subject," Brawn Bones ordered, his tone less calm and more demanding than before. "Softheart and Fluttershy, where ar-?"

"He was, wasn't he?" Applejack interrupted, determined not to let her leverage slip by. "I'll bet he made you feel worthless and scared every wakin' and sleepin' minute that you were a child. I'll bet he hurt you physically and emotionally every chance he got. He made you wonder why other foals had happy relationships with their own daddies, and what you did wrong to deserve the one YOU got. Am I right?"

Brawn Bones just stared silently, breathing deeply and twisting his lip.

"Am I RIGHT?!"

Brawn Bones' expression made a subtle, angry shift. He quickly raised the nightstick and pointed it directly at Applejack's face. It was mere inches from her nose. "My father was not a monster…" he growled through clenched teeth, "…He was what monsters FEARED. He scarred me in ways that I don't even want to begin to remember. But as horrible as he treated me, it was nothing like how he treated my younger sister…" His lips began to quiver. "The only thing more painful than receiving his abuse, was watching her receive it even worse… For goodness sake, I watched him beat her with a rake once. A rake! Can you believe that?! I was helpless to do anything about it… And my mother, she was just sitting there, watching, cowering, not helping…"

Applejack held her breath as Brawn Bones spilled his horrid personal history all at once. As much as it surprised her, she found herself feeling a twinge of sympathy for him. "Is that all true…?" she asked in a hushed tone.

The muscles in his face tensed with sorrow and rage. "As much as I wish it wasn't, yes."

Applejack looked past the nightstick pointed at her face, and into Brawn Bones’ eyes. "I'm sorry that all had to happen to you…"

Brawn Bones reacted curiously to Applejack's apology. His features and posture seemed to soften for a moment, but also express some confusion, as though he had never heard the words "I'm sorry" before. However, not long after, he put on a suspicious scowl. "Hmph! Had me goin' for a minute there... But if you're trying to play some kind of mind game on me, fat chance. It’s not gonna work."

"No!" Applejack protested. "Honest! I didn't know the circumstances of your life. And now that I do, it all explains so much… How you're able to treat Fluttershy and Softheart the way you do. And why you seem to have an obsessive preference for a son over a daughter..."

Brawn Bones hesitantly nodded. "It’s true... When you grow up in a household like mine, it can leave a pony rather… warped. And bitter. Which I admit, I am those things. And I admit, I've carried it over to my treatment of my own family. But what can you expect? It's all I've ever known. It's all that was given to me, and so it's all I can give back."

"I understand that much," Applejack replied.

"Good," Brawn Bones said. All the heavy emotions seemed to drain from him in the following seconds, leaving behind only his original, beastly self. "But none of that changes the reason why you and I are here. Now, back to my first question: Where are Fluttershy and Softheart?"

"I'm still not sayin'."

"You're being unbelievably stupid. This could be completely painless for you if you just tell me!"

"I won't. I have too much faith in what Fluttershy and Softheart are doin', and I refuse to jeopardize it."

Brawn Bones's pupils began to shake like mad. "What the hell are you TALKING about?"

"You'll see soon enough," Applejack boldly proclaimed, taking a step forward. "Cuz lemme tell you somethin', Brawn Bones. As much as you like to use your childhood as an excuse for your disgusting behavior, there's a major flaw with that excuse. You, sir, are a monster, but Fluttershy, who has endured the EXACT same abuse at your own hooves, is anything but! In spite of all you've done to her, she's grown into the sweetest, humblest, most caring pony I ever did meet! You may have killed her confidence, but unlike you, she's still got her soul. So where does the difference between you two lie, huh? Come on, you're a police pony! You studied psychology! Tell me, what is the factor that made her turn out so much better than you?!"

"Shut up!" Brawn Bones thundered. He used his muscular foreleg to raise the nightstick high. At that instant, the shed's light bulb flickered and the dimness dropped several shades, casting a pall of horrifying shadows over his face.

Applejack was so frightened she felt her heart tie itself into knots. But she did not fall silent. "Face it, ya self-pitying, egomaniacal, overgrown crybaby! Fluttershy is stronger than you! She and Softheart both! And they're gonna prove that to you tonight, once and for all! 8:30 in the barn - Be there! But only if you're stallion enough to face it!"

"I swear to Celestia, I will hoofcuff you to a post and beat you bloody if you don't shut your mouth and tell me WHERE THEY ARE!"

Applejack buckled her legs and snorted like a bull. "Beat me with a rake, for all I care!"

Her next actions happened at a speed that she never believed she was capable of. She whirled her body around, reared up her hind legs, bunched up her muscles like giant springs, and let loose with an applebuck so powerful that it would have stripped a sequoia tree. She could feel her rear left hoof make contact with his jaw, and force the muscle and bone out of position. A sickening *crack* filled the air, followed by a primal yell from Brawn Bones' throat.

In a frenzied panic, Applejack did a 180 and ran around Brawn Bones' massive frame, towards the door. For a second, it seemed she would be able to escape scot-free. Her hope was shattered, though, when a sharp, stinging pain exploded on her flank, just above her Cutie Mark. She screamed, feeling tears instantly beginning to form in her eyes. As a knee-jerk reaction, she delivered another blind, but equally powerful applebuck behind her. She struck nothing but air, causing her to stumble. The panic in her doubled, fearing that her mishap had cost her her escape. However, her ears picked up the sound of Brawn Bones scuffling on the ground behind her, disoriented, and groaning from the pain of his shattered jaw. He had been able to land that one blow on her, but he was now incapacitated. Hope burst forth within her again. Without wasting another second, she bolted out the shed door and slammed it shut behind her.

~~~

Applejack ran toward the fairgrounds, away from the shed, desperate to get as far from it as possible as fast as possible. The wound on her flank throbbed ceaselessly, smarting with each step she took. The pain, and her receding adrenaline, allowed dizziness and a slight nausea to start overtaking her. Other ponies moved out of her way as she staggered through the aisle, their slurred, jumbled voices all expressing concern. She heard the voice of a filly call out "Look, she's bleeding!" She ignored the curious onlookers, and through sheer willpower, managed to make it to the farm's water pump, behind a cotton candy stall. She pressed the pump and took a big gulp of cool, refreshing water. The dizziness began to fade. With a sigh of relief and exhaustion, she collapsed onto the grass.

Applejack would have fallen asleep on the grass right then and there, but the sting of her injury nagged at her. She looked back at her flank, and gasped when saw that the rear part of her mother’s white summer dress was now lined with red snakes of blood, all coming from a large blot localized right at the spot where the pain radiated from. Seeing the damage a single blow from Brawn Bones' nightstick had been able to do, she considered herself lucky that Brawn Bones hadn't struck her in the head with it.

Over the next few minutes, Applejack used the water pump to clean the messy wound. She decided to tear off and dispose of the bloodied part of the dress, and also to rip off a clean strip that she could use to wrap the wound.

"I know you always loved this dress, ma," she said to herself lamentably, "I'm sorry..."

As Applejack took another couple minutes to recover, she looked out to the nearby field and happened to spot a family of three – a father, a son, and a daughter – all gathered around a telescope, taking turns peering through it, up at the wonders of the star-studded space above. She could make out some of their dialogue…

"Daddy, will the stars turn purple again? Will they?"

"No, I'm afraid not, sweetheart. At least not right now."

"Aww, but it was so cool! I want it to happen again!"

"Yeah, me too!"

"Well don't worry, it'll happen again eventually."

"Really?!"

"Yeah… In thirty years! Haha!"

"What?! Aww, but that's like, forever!"

"We'll be all old and stuff by then!"

"I know… Sorry kids, but hey, be glad you got the opportunity to see it at all! Trust me, you'll remember this for the rest of your lives…"

The conversation suddenly made Applejack remember – Twilight and her parents! They were still on top of the Ferris wheel! With everything else that had happened that night, she had completely forgotten about them. She looked at the tall, neon-glowing structure across the fairgrounds. She figured the three had been sitting in the top gondola for more than a half-hour by that point. Applejack immediately sprang to her hooves and galloped towards the ride, hoping her tardiness wouldn't result in any major setbacks.

~~~

When Applejack reached the Ferris wheel, she could plainly see that the red gondola, which Twilight and her parents had been aboard, was still settled at the very top. She also found that the "Out Of Order" sign was still up and that the ride operator had apparently never returned. With a gulp, she ran to the ride controls and fired the wheel up, causing the red gondola to gently make its way back into the loading station. From afar, she could see the three family members disembark, but she could not tell what they were saying or what mood they were in. "Oh… I hope to high heaven that they ain't cross for bein' stuck up there so long!" she exclaimed to herself.

When Applejack galloped over to meet Twilight and her parents, she was overjoyed to see that all three of them were actually engaged in excited, jubilant conversation. Twilight, who carried the small blue telescope in her saddlebag, walked between her mother and father, talking back and forth between them and smiling in delight. They likewise did the same, and for once, appeared to show no sign of caring about how they might be perceived by any other ponies around them.

"Howdy, Twi! Howdy Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle!" Applejack chirped as she approached.

"Applejack! Hey!" Twilight exclaimed. The first thing she noticed was Applejack's defiled outfit. "Oh my, your dress! And your flank! What happened? Are you hurt?"

"Aw, it's nothin'. Just a lil' mishap, is all. It was a cheap dress anyway," Applejack lied. "So what are you n' your folks up to?"

"Oh, OK, if you say so… Well, anyway, we just got off the Ferris wheel. And, oh my goodness, you won't believe what just happened to us!"

"Oh yes, it was glorious!" Starlight said, holding up an enthusiastic hoof. "Our gondola got stuck at the top of the Ferris wheel!"

"Ya don't say!" Applejack replied, feigning surprise. "Well gee, what’s so glorious about that?"

"Well, the getting stuck part wasn't so glorious, I suppose," Starlight mused, "But my little Twilight just so happened to have a telescope handy, and so we used it to watch the Violet Veneer. The Violet Veneer! I had always heard it was one of the most stunning cosmic events that one could witness, but I had never gotten the chance to see it. That is, until tonight! And WOW, what a spectacle! The fusion of the high-frequency light waves from the blue star and low-frequency light waves of the red star created just the most GORGEOUS display of dazzling violet!" She turned to address Twilight. "Didn't they, sweetie?"

"Did they ever!" Twilight replied. "And it's so amazing that such an event could be visible even at 6.793 light years away!"

"6.794 light years, to be precise," Starlight corrected with a smile.

"Really? I’m pretty sure the last digit is a 3…"

"No, my dear. Astronomy 275 at Silver Saddle University. I still distinctly remember learning that fact." She turned to her husband. "Isn't that right, darling?"

Moonlight put on an easy smile. He winked at Twilight. She, in turn, openly laughed. "Ha! See mom? Even dad says I'm right about this one!"

Starlight made a face like she wanted to argue, but simply chuckled and shook her head. "Oooh, well… I guess it has been a long time. My memory about everything up there is a bit hazy. But my, it was certainly nice to be reminded of it all again." She gazed up at the night sky, counting the stars. "Thank you, Twilight, for reminding me that the Violet Veneer was happening tonight. I'd have completely missed it otherwise! For all we know, I may not have gotten another chance to see it in my lifetime…"

"Aww, mom, don't say that!" Twilight said with pouted lips.

"Oh, it's nothing to fret over, dear," Starlight insisted. "I'm not exactly young anymore, you know. I'm officially over the hill at this point – I now have more days behind me than ahead of me, it seems. Every day it gets harder to say 'Oh, I can do that later on in my life!' I do believe that this is something I wouldn't have gotten another chance to see…" She peered over her glasses at Twilight. "…but the important thing is, I saw it. And I must say, I haven't felt so thrilled since…"

Twilight breathed in deeply. "…Since the night the three of us took our old red telescope out onto the lawn and went stargazing together?"

Starlight fell into a ponderous silence. She peered at Moonlight, who still wore his easy smile. He nodded in full understanding.

"Wow, sounds like ya'll have some pretty firm common ground after all!" Applejack exclaimed. "Maybe stargazin' is somethin' you could do more often together?"

Twilight lit up. "Yeah! Mom, dad! We totally should! You've seen my huge telescope in my treehouse, haven't you? You should come over sometime. There's supposed to be a meteor shower next week, actually!"

Starlight and Moonlight both seemed to light up in that instant, too. However, Moonlight soon put on a glum face, and nudged his wife. She, in turn, frowned as well. "Oh… That would be lovely, dear, but I'm afraid we can't. Marketing Is Magic, Inc., is currently expanding, and so all staff is experiencing an increase in work hours. Besides, I wouldn't want stargazing to interfere with your studies, either. Let's not forget our roles in society, dear."

"Oh, right…" Twilight moaned, dropping her head a little. "It's OK. It was just a suggestion…"

Applejack observed all three members of the family wearing the same disappointed looks. It was such a shame, considering they had been so joyful only moments before. The looks they wore expressed an inner passion that wanted to be released, but was being forced back by a perceived sense of duty. She decided she couldn't allow this anymore. And so, she spoke up. "Hold up, ya'll work for Marketing Is Magic, Inc., do ya?"

"That's correct," Starlight responded.

Moonlight nodded, too.

"Well, I have a proposal for ya'll that I think you might find very interesting…" She pointed a hoof up at the night sky. "Here’s the deal: For years, my ma n' pa used to observe star patterns n' such to predict good apple harvests. Never understood how they did it for a hill o' beans, but I swear, their predictions were always spot-on. And I'm sure my Granny Smith knows the techniques, too…" She paused a moment, to see if the Sparkle family was listening. They all were, intently, as she suspected. "And, as it so happens, I've been tryin' to strike up a new marketing campaign for Sweet Apple Acres. Haven't had any good ideas… 'Til now."

"What's your idea?" Twilight asked eagerly.

"Starlight, Moonlight, Twilight," Applejack listed off, "How would ya'll like to help me design a marketing campaign to publicize my parents' techniques? Ya'll could research the star patterns, find the connections that foretell good and bad apple seasons, and then together, we can advertise our findings! It'd be a great way to spread word about our family's crop, especially if the stars predict that we got a jim-dandy of a harvest comin' up!"

Twilight's excitement about the concept could not be contained. "Oh my gosh, Applejack, that's a GREAT idea! We could use my telescope at home to track the stars and compare them to the state of the apples in your orchard! Don't you think so, mom?"

Starlight nodded her head slowly. "I do recall learning about such practices. And you know what? That does sound like a fascinating idea. Yes… Yes, I can see it now. A particular constellation in a particular part of the sky…"

"On a particular date!" Twilight added gleefully.

"Yes, of course! All that, predicting an abundant harvest from Sweet Apple Acres... We could arrange for posters, radio announcements, the whole nine yards, advertising the good fortune. Your farm would reap the benefits of great publicity, and Marketing Is Magic would have another successful campaign project under its belt. It's a win-win! It's foolproof! Isn't it, Moonlight? As Head Marketing Consultant, you should prepare a pitch for this and present it to the board right away!"

Moonlight grinned, prancing excitedly in place.

"AND, let's not forget the most important thing!" Applejack exclaimed. "That the three of you would be able to indulge in your passions together WITHOUT havin' to give up your other duties. After all, who says work and pleasure have to be mutually exclusive? My daddy sure didn't, I don't, and neither should ya'll!"

All three members of the Sparkle family now sported genuine grins. They once again began to talk amongst themselves, happily looking forward to this new project that could bring their work, passion, and family closer together. Applejack imagined the three of them peering through Twilight's telescope, studying the motions of outer space, analyzing their data, and all around just loving what they were doing, accentuated by the fact that they were doing it together.

Applejack's thoughts were interrupted, however, when she spotted two faces in the crowd staring at her from afar. When she recognized them, her heart shriveled up.

"Excuse me, Applejack," Starlight asked formally, "Is there any chance your cousin Orange Julius might be able to produce a television commercial?"

Applejack was only paying half-attention. "Uh… y-yeah, possibly. I'll rap with him about it. Anyhoo, I'd be more n' happy to talk further about the proposal, but I got stuff to attend to right now. Tell ya what – how 'bout all three of you meet me in the barn at 8:30 tonight? We'll talk more then…"

All three looked back and forth between one another, and nodded in unison. "OK," Twilight confirmed. "8:30 in the barn it is."

"Great!" Applejack said with a wave. "Alrighty then, see ya!"

"Hold on!" Starlight halted. "One more question, if you please."

"Sure. Shoot."

"You say these star-reading techniques are used by your parents. Is there a chance we could consult them directly for details?"

Applejack's jaw hung slightly open for a couple seconds. She stammered with her following words. "Uh, I, u-um… Not at the present time, no."

"Ah, well, when WILL they be available?"

"Err, it's hard to say at this point…" Applejack replied. She looked in every direction as she spoke, except directly at Starlight. "I'll have that info later, I promise. But for now, I really gotta get goin'. Good-bye." Without another word, she turned and trotted away.

"Hmm…" Starlight hummed thoughtfully. "She seemed a bit skittish there, didn't she? I hope I didn't upset her…"

Moonlight angled his lip, also expressing concern.

"Don't worry, mom and dad. She'll be OK." Twilight said softly. "It's just that, when it comes to her parents… She's had to cope with a lot recently…"

"Oh dear," Starlight moaned. "With what, exactly?"

Twilight looked seriously at both her mother and father, a hint of melancholy in her eyes. "Well, it's kind of a long story…"

~~~

"Evenin', you two…" Applejack said half-heartedly as she approached her siblings.

Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh stood before her, the latter carrying a bouquet of white daisies in his teeth. Both appeared to be quite exhausted and stressed.

"What in the name o' dirt have you been up to all night, big sis?!" Apple Bloom squealed. "Big Mac n' I have been chasin' you here, there, n' everywhere for the last hour! It's time to go visit ma n' pa! Did you forget?"

Applejack didn't even look at them. "I…" She squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't right now. I'm sorry."

Apple Bloom stared in disbelief. "What?! What do you mean 'you can't right now'?"

"I got a lot o' things I'm jugglin' at the moment," Applejack explained. "All for the sake of my friends. Their havin' a good Parents' Day depends on me. I gotta see to that first. I just gotta. So ya'll go on ahead and see ma n' pa without me. I'll just have to see them later on my own time."

Apple Bloom's big eyes stared up into her sister's in sorrow. "But… But we've always gone to visit ma n' pa as a group. All three of us. They wouldn't want it any other way. Ain't that right, Big Mac?"

Big Macintosh nodded, and even with the flowers in his teeth, managed a muffled, "Ee-yup!"

Apple Bloom grinned and turned back to Applejack. "See? Even Big Mac says you should come! You gotta now!"

Applejack remained steadfast. "Ya'll must be deaf as earthworms. I said I can't go right now. In fact, with all that I'm obligated to do here, I may not even be able to make it at all tonight…"

Big Macintosh looked at the ground, his posture drooping a little. Apple Bloom's annoyance was quickly giving way to anger. She gritted her teeth and puffed up her chest. "You might not even make it?! How could you say that?! It's Parents' Day! Ya know, the day you're supposed to honor your PARENTS?!"

"I didn't say I don't wanna see 'em!" Applejack shot back. "I'm doin' everything I can to make sure that EVERYPONY has a good Parents' Day, including myself! But I just can't let myself enjoy the holiday if my friends aren't enjoyin' theirs. I have to help them, before I help myself. That's just how I do. It's how ma n' pa taught me how to be, and ya'll know that!"

Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh stood in silence, unable to reply. They knew their sister's stubbornness all too well; when she made up her mind about something, all they could do was nod and let her run her course.

"I'm awfully sorry ya'll have been on a goose chase after me for so long," she continued, "So I'm tellin' you right now, ya don't gotta bother anymore. I don't wanna waste more o' your time any more than I wanna waste mine. So please, go on and visit ma n' pa without me. I'll make it when I can…"

"But sis, how late are ya gonna be?" Apple Bloom asked urgently. "Remember? The gates to Avalon Fields close at 9 o' clock!"

"I'll do what I can in the time I have. And, like I said, by the time I finish helpin' out my friends, it may be too late. If that happens, I'll deal with it. It'd be my problem, not either of yours. So don't worry 'bout me. Understand?"

Big Macintosh managed to utter a soft, "Ee-yup."

Apple Bloom kicked at the dirt with her hoof, clearly despondent. "Weeell, OK, Applejack… But please, try your hardest, OK? Ma n' pa will REALLY wanna see you."

Applejack nodded in understanding. She then flicked her hoof, indicating that the conversation was over and it was time for them all to move along. Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom nodded back, and began to walk away. As they did, however, Apple Bloom caught sight of the ruined state of the rear part of Applejack's dress. Her pupils grew wide. "What in tarnation?! Applejack! What in all heck did you do to ma's dress?!"

Applejack tried in vain to cover her dress with her hoof. "I… I had an accident. It's no big deal."

Apple Bloom puffed her chest out once again. "No big deal?! That's ma's favorite dress!"

"It ain't her dress anymore!" Applejack argued. "She gave it to ME! It's MINE now! So I can do what I darn well want with it!"

"She gave it to you because she LOVES you!" Apple Bloom shot back, her eyes glazing over with tears. "And this is how you thank her?! By dirtyin' and rippin' it all up?! How could you?"

Ire and guilt bubbled up within Applejack liked a cauldron of caustic fluid. She couldn't bear to respond. "Just go!" she shouted. "Both of you!"

"You ruined ma's dress, and you also might not even SEE her tonight?! You're horrible! You're the worst daughter in all of Equestria!!"

At that point, Big Macintosh wrapped a large foreleg around his flailing little sister and lifted her up before beginning to carry her away. All the while, she continued to scream. "You're the worst daughter in the whole WORLD!!"

Applejack's face clenched in bitterness. She turned and began to hastily trot away. She simply couldn't hear any more...

~~~

"So Applejack, what are we doing here on the barn roof? Tee-hee, 'roof'! That's such a funny word. 'ROOF!' Hee-hee-hee! It's like the sound that a dog makes! Oh, did they name the part of the house after the dog sound? Or is it the other way around? But why? What do the two have to do with each other? One is the 'ROOF' of a house and the other is a dog saying 'RUFF!'… Oh wait a minute, they're NOT the same! The sound that a dog makes actually sounds more like 'ROUGH!' Does that mean dogs are rough? Applejack, you have a dog. Is Winona rough?"

"…To answer your first question, Pinkie Pie, we're on the roof cuz we're gonna be meetin' Rainbow Dash here in just a few minutes. At least I hope so…"

"Oooooh, okie-dokie-lokie! But what about my other six questions?"

"Umm… I forgot 'em all. Sorry."

"Oh, that's OK! I guess I do talk a little too much sometimes. Maybe a little too fast, too. Do you think so?"

"I know so, Pinkie. I know so. And anyway, before you ask, we're meetin' Rainbow Dash cuz she's bringin' some guests to the festival that I think you'll really want to meet."

"Guests? That you want ME to meet? YAY! New friends! I LOVE making new friends! Are they new friends?"

"Uhh… not exactly. You'll just have to see for yourself."

"A surprise? YAY! I love surprises, too! Either way, this sounds like it's gonna be a blast. Just like the whole festival has been so far! By the way, Applejack, why do you keep looking at that shed down there? Are you expecting somepony to go in?"

"Huh? Oh, naw. I'm actually, uhh… kinda hopin' nopony comes out…"

"Comes OUT? Huh, that's weird. Why would you be worried about that? Somepony would have to go IN first before they could come OUT, ya know. And I sure haven't seen anypony go in. Common sense, Applejack. Doy!"

"Never mind. Let's just keep our eye out for-"

"Rainbow Dash! There she is! Coming in fast! HEY RAINBOW DASH! OVER HERE! YOU'RE CLEAR FOR LANDING! BEEP BEEP BEEP!"

Applejack and Pinkie Pie both watched as Rainbow Dash came speeding over the air of the fairgrounds, before pulling a wide banked curve and touching her hooves down on the barn's roof. She slid several feet, blowing bunches of shingles off the rooftop. She sported a large grin on her face.

"Howdy again, Rainbow!" Applejack exclaimed. "So how'd it go? Any luck?"

"Did you bring the new friends?!" Pinkie Pie blurted right after.

Rainbow Dash, through her panting and sweating, nodded triumphantly. "Mission accomplished!"

Applejack threw her front hooves in the air with glee. "Yee-haw! I knew you'd be able to do it! You rock, RD! You rock hard!"

"Thank you, thank you," Rainbow Dash said with a bow.

"Right then…" Applejack said, looking around, puzzled. "…So, where are they?"

Rainbow Dash snickered. "Dunce! They're right behind you!"

Applejack and Pinkie Pie both excitedly whipped around. Upon seeing the two ponies now standing across from them, however, both exchanged looks of surprise and confusion. Somehow, the sight they saw before them was nothing like what either of them was expecting. Pinkie Pie, in particular, could not contain the dismay that swept over her.

"Mommy? Daddy?..."

12. No Love Lost

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Chapter 12: No Love Lost

_________________________________________________________________________________________

"Baby, you DROP that apple fritter right now!"

"Mmph, but I'f already got shome in my mouf!"

"Then spit it out! You ain't earned it yet, ya hollow-headed hooligan!"

"But shweetie, I-"

"NOW!"

"P-TAGH! Aww, shucks, what a waste…"

"That's about to become the least o' your worries! Didn't I tell you not to have one bite 'til I was through scoldin' both you n' Applejack?"

"Aw, but sweetie, you were takin' so dern long! And honestly, how can you expect me to resist when the sweet, delicious, heavenly aroma of your fritters beckons me so?"

"Ooooh no, you ain't gonna sweet-talk your way outta this one! Not after worryin' me half to death! Oh, you'd better WIPE that stupid smirk off your face!"

"I'm sorry, darlin'. I didn't mean to make you fret, but didn't Applejack already explain? When I went out to look for her, I found her tryin' to teach herself how to applebuck. And so, bein' a good daddy, I just gave her a quickie of a lesson. That's all. Ain't that a parent's job? To teach his young ones all that he knows?"

"Yes, but also to do so RESPONSIBLY! To not be stagin' lessons when the sun's settin', and when the timberwolves might be sniffin' about!"

"…Did you whack your head this mornin', honey? It ain't timberwolf season for another couple weeks…"

"Oh, great! Now I see where Applejack's been gettin' that snappy, comeback-y attitude o' hers. She said the exact same thing to me!"

"Did she? Well hey, then she knows what she's talkin' about! Give 'er some credit, and for goodness sake, ease up a bit!"

"Two weeks ain't that long, baby! What if one o' them snarlin' beasts had decided to start the hunt early? What if one of 'em had attacked while you were givin' your poorly-timed lil' lesson? Why, you both coulda been… Agh! I don't even wanna think about it!"

"Then DON'T think about it! Honestly, why do you always go off imaginin' the worst possible 'what ifs'? Don't do that, and just look at the reality: nothin' happened! Applejack and I are both home, safe n' sound! Look at me – I'm right here in front of you, talkin' to you, alive and well! We ain't been mauled and eaten by no imaginary timberwolf. We. Are. OK!"

"Please, PLEASE don't talk about you and Applejack gettin' mauled n' eaten. I can't… It's just too hard to…"

"Oh, c'mon now! I said we AIN'T been mauled and ea-!"

"Shut up shut up SHUT UP!"

"…OK! OK… I'm… I'm sorry."

"…Applejack doesn't come home, even when the sun's clearly settin'. You go out lookin' for her, promisin' you'll come RIGHT back. But then YOU disappear, too. All the while I'm on the porch, lookin' out to the orchard, scared as a cornered rabbit, wonderin' where my hubby and my only daughter are… Then, even after you DO come home, you eat my fritters even though I told you not to, and now you're arguin' in my face when my only crime was worryin' too much! Could you POSSIBLY disrespect me anymore tonight than you already have?!"

"…I… Oh, darlin', I really didn't mean to… Oh, no. Please, darlin'. Don't cry. Don't cry!"

"Well - *sniff* - what can you expect me to – *sniff* – do right now?! I can't remember the last time you made me so upset. Get away from me! Don't touch me!"

"Darlin', truly, I never meant to cause any bad feelin's. But, I really still think you're overreactin' about this whole thing-"

"I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Ma! Pa! Stop fightin'!"

"Applejack?!"

"Ma, Pa! Please, don't yell at each other no more! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to stay out late and make you two get so cross! I'll never do it again, I promise! Just please, please don't yell at each other no more!"

"Oh goodness… It's OK, baby doll! It's OK. Come on over 'ere. Let daddy give you a hug. It's OK…"

"Pa, I heard you n' Ma yellin', and it was so scary! I don't want you to hate each other!"

"Oh, no no no no... Don't worry, baby doll. Your ma and I don't hate each other…"

"Absolutely not, my sweet lil' strudel. Matter o' fact, the complete opposite's true. I was only so upset with your father because... well, I love you both that much."

"…R-really?"

"O' course. That's why I was so scared when ya'll didn't come home when you should have. But then again, I reckon it's not right of me to start raisin' such a big storm about it… Your pa's right, after all. You two did come home OK, and that's all that matters. Maybe I did overreact a little bit…"

"Well, don't heap all the blame on yourself there, darlin'. I s'ppose I shoulda been more considerate of what was goin' through your mind, too. I mean, Applejack and I knew we were safe, but you didn't. I'm sure I'd be just as nervous if I was in your horseshoes. So, yeah… I'm sorry for, uh, givin' you a reason to yell at me, haha!"

"So… So you both still love each other?"

"Always, baby doll. Always."

"And we love you too, Applejack. And we're sorry to you, for makin' you worry 'bout us."

"It's OK! I'm just happy you don't hate each other and you're not gonna split up or nothin'..."

"Split up? Ha, now THAT'S a hoot n' a holler! Trust me, sweetie: your father and I have made it through MUCH rougher times. We're bound like gorilla glue: ain't nothin' can tear us apart. I promise. Does hearin' that make you feel better?"

"Yes indeedy, ma! Much better!"

"That's a good girl."

"Glad to hear it, baby doll! Oh, but just to make your ma feel a little more secure for the future: if we HAD run into a timberwolf, you and I coulda taken it on, couldn't we?"

"We sure coulda, pa! Why, with the applebuckin' trick ya taught me, we coulda turned that dumb timberwolf into FIREWOOD together!"

"Better believe it, girlie! Oh, but, of course, it's certainly best that we didn't have to do that at all. Right, darlin'?"

"You're absolutely right, baby. Anyhoo, I'm glad we've all came to some sort o' closure here. That said, I'm done discussin' stuff! Who wants apple fritters?!"

"Oooh! Me, me! I do, ma!"

"Well then, get your lil' behind in the kitchen n' help yourself, sugar dimple! There's still plenty!"

"Alright! YEE-Haw! Apple fritters, here I come!..."

"Say, can I go have some more, too? You made me spit out my other one…"

"Honestly, I think you n' your lil' potbelly have had enough there, mister."

"Aww… Alright. But… there wouldn't happen to be some, uhh, OTHER sweets waitin' for me in the bedroom, now would there?"

"Hmm, well, I might have a lil' somethin' I'm willin' to share…"

"That right? Well, what might I have to do to… stroke your generosity?"

"Hm-hmm… Come on up and we'll discuss it further, big boy."

"Woo-wee! Sounds yummy!"

"Hahaha! Oh… Baby, only you can make my mood whip around so fast!"

"Well, that can only be because you love me, can't it?"

"No doubt, baby. I do love you."

"I and you, darlin'…"

~~~

"Mom, dad," Rainbow Dash announced in as formal a voice as she could manage, "I'm moving out."

All was still and quiet in the tiny work shed for a long while. Rainbow Dash's words had echoed off the walls and entered into the ears of her parents who, in spite of their polarized personalities, both reacted in very much the same way – with looks of shock, followed by contemplation, and then bewildered amusement. "What?!" they demanded in unison, as though they had just been told an offensive joke.

Rainbow directed her vision at her friend. "Take it, Applejack."

"With pleasure, RD," Applejack replied with a smile. "Aeroswift, Sweetgood Mac, allow me to elaborate. We here at Sweet Apple Acres have always prided ourselves on being able to spread our crop to the farthest reaches of Equestria and beyond. However, recent events have left our delivery department stuck in the mud. Ya see, we used to have two travelling salesponies here on the farm that would transport our wares to all of our clients the world over, but an unfortunate accident has rendered them, err... unable to fulfill those duties any longer. With apple production more backed up than a hibernatin' bear's behind, I've been on the prowl for a pony with the right stuff to serve as a replacement. Somepony with the stamina to make deliveries, and the confidence to sell…" She gestured a hoof towards Rainbow Dash, who stood tall and proud. "And tonight, I believe my search has ended. Sir and madam, the Apple Family would like to hire your daughter, Rainbow Dash, to be its new travelling salespony! We will pay handsomely, of course, and also happily allow her to live in our guest bedroom at the farmhouse for the duration of her employment. It's a win-win for ever'pony!"

"Yeah! So there ya have it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Applejack said I can move in and start working tomorrow. Nice, huh? So when we get home tonight, I'm gonna pack up all my stuff and get ready!"

Aeroswift opened her mouth, but was clearly at a loss for words. She slowly shook her head when she finally spoke. "No, you're not."

Rainbow Dash's prideful grin quickly drooped into a stunted frown. "Huh?"

"You're not moving out, Rainbow Dash. Not yet. You're not ready. Not NEARLY ready!"

"Whaddya mean? I totally am!" Rainbow Dash argued. She glanced at Applejack, whom she expected to be just as dismayed. She was surprised, though, to see Applejack looking rather calm and collected, as though she had been anticipating this turn of events.

"I understand you wanting to go out on your own. I really do," Aeroswift said with a genuine motherly concern, "but you are just not responsible enough. I mean, look what happened with your weather patrol job! What makes you think you'll be able to keep this one?"

"OK, I admit, I messed up last time," Rainbow Dash said, "But give me another chance to prove myself. I can totally keep a job AND be responsible enough to live on my own! I know it!" She turned to her father with pleading, puppy dog eyes. "You believe me, don't you, daddy?"

Sweetgood Mac looked at the floor and bit his lip. In his mind, he strongly desired to say that he, too, did not believe Rainbow Dash was ready to leave home, albeit for different reasons than Aeroswift. When confronted with his daughter's never-failing big, sad eyes, however, he felt himself melt inside. "Well, Dashie, if it's really what you want… perhaps your mother and I can-"

"No!" Aeroswift shouted, cutting him off. She glared in his direction with an all-too common hatred. "No no NO! You will not concede to this, Sweetgood! You will NOT let her play with your silly putty heart and get you to side with her again! Especially when she's asking for something so ridiculous!"

Sweetgood Mac clenched his eyes and mouth shut, trying to force back the flood of anger quickly rising within him. "OK… I understand that what she's asking for is pretty radical," he shuddered, "And I don't believe she's fully ready for this, either. But maybe there's a-"

"No! There is no 'maybe'!" Aeroswift interrupted harshly. "She's not ready, and you and I both know it!"

"Beg your pardon, ma'am," Applejack said in a polite, calm tone, "but if I may ask, why do you believe Rainbow Dash ain't cut out for independence?"

"Oh, MANY reasons!" she snapped back. "Rainbow Dash has got stamina, sure, but she's also got a seriously inflated ego, and without the sense of responsibility to back it up!"

"M'kay," Applejack continued. "And… what do you believe to be the cause of that defect?"

Aeroswift narrowed her eyes, and shifted them in the direction of her softie of a husband. "The cause? Oh, that's easy. You can blame HIM, all the way."

"Oh, I'M the one to blame. Of course!" Sweetgood Mac yelled sarcastically, finally losing his cool. "Well please, Aeroswift, tell everypony for the thousandth time why I am such a horrible father! Go on! I'm sure we're all just DYING to hear it!"

"Oh no, not again…!" Rainbow Dash whispered fearfully, putting her hoof over her mouth. "Applejack, watch what you say! You might make them fight even more!"

Applejack seemed to hear Rainbow Dash's plea, but her following words indicated otherwise. "I'M dyin' to hear it! Spill the beans, Aeroswift. What did Sweetgood Mac do wrong?"

Aeroswift sneered at Sweetgood Mac as she spoke. "This weak, bleeding-heart stallion is the reason my little winner is still stuck in her pre-adolescent mindset! I've tried to raise her to be tough, and all he's ever done is soften her right up again! He's babied her, comforted her, made her overly proud of herself… And look what it's done. She just lost her job for being too lazy, and now she thinks she can move out on her own? That type of delusion could only have come from HIS influence!"

"Woo-wee, them's sound like fightin' words!" Applejack hollered. "Well go on, Sweetgood Mac! I'm sure YOU got somethin' to say back to that, don't ya?"

"Oh, I certainly do!" he answered sharply. His return glare to Aeroswift was just as bitter. "It's true – Rainbow Dash does have issues with her ego and her sense of responsibility. But the fault is undeniably her mother's. She's been pushing her selfish, every-pony-for-herself worldview on Rainbow Dash since she was a baby, and forcing her to train in meaningless athletic events until her bones ached. Indeed, how could such rigorous, fruitless discipline NOT result in the development of such value disorders? I've shown my little Dashie all the compassion I could in order to offset that! She might have grown up to be an emotional WRECK if I hadn't!"

"OK, OK, so lemme get this straight," Applejack said to neither parent in particular. "You’re sayin’ that the other parent is responsible for all of Rainbow Dash's flaws?"

"YES!" Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac both cried out at the same time.

"But what exactly do you want her to be?” Applejack asked Aeroswift. “What GOOD traits would you want her to develop?"

"Like I said," Aeroswift answered, "My goal has always been for her to grow up into a strong, thick-skinned mare with a drive to succeed at everything she does."

"And you, Sweetgood? Same question."

"I want to see her as a confident, compassionate mare who looks out for the good of herself and everypony else."

"Bingo!" Applejack said with a smile and a nod. "You both have just told me exactly what I wanted to hear."

Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac both fell silent, perplexed. "Huh?"

"Don't ya'll see?" Applejack continued, "You've both just demonstrated, through your own words, that Rainbow Dash is exactly the travelling salespony our farm needs! After all, she's got the speed and strength of a great delivery mare…" She pointed her hoof at the photo in the collage of Rainbow Dash participating in the Iron Pony Competition," …AND the brimmin' confidence of a tried-and-true salespony." She pointed at the photo of Rainbow Dash wearing the Element of Loyalty. "Those are exactly the qualifications I'm lookin' for, and she's got 'em in spades! And that is, no doubt, thanks to the influence of both of you." She signaled to Rainbow Dash. "Got anything you'd like to add there, pardner?"

Rainbow Dash took a second to register Applejack's question. When it finally hit her, she nodded in understanding, and spoke. "Yeah, mom and dad! I may not be the perfect child, but you've gotta admit, I've got some pretty awesome qualities about me! I mean, just look at all the stuff I've accomplished in just two years!" She made a grand, sweeping gesture to emphasize the whole of the collage of photos. The instant she did, each and every captured moment appeared to glow in the dim light. "I pulled off a Sonic Rainboom. I attended the Great Galloping Gala. I ranked at the top of the Wonderbolt's Academy. I helped to defeat Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, King Sombra… I'm the holder of the fabled Element of Loyalty, for crying out loud! Flaws be darned, I would totally say I've got a lot to be proud of…" She smiled sincerely at her parents, looking between the two of them as she spoke. "…And as the one who was raised by both of you, I can honestly say, Applejack is totally right. It was the influence of you BOTH that has made me the awesome pony I am today. Mom… you pushed me to be active and instilled in me my competitive spirit. Dad… you gave me the confidence and the compassion I needed to put those skills to the right use. And again, I know I've got some character kinks to work out, but I inherited THOSE from both of you, too. So both of you pushing your values on me and demonizing each other isn't doing any good anymore."

'I think what your daughter is trying to say," Applejack concluded, "is that all that is perfect and, yes, not-so-perfect, about her is the result of both your teachings equally. And on top o' that, it's clear as the morning after the rain that you both have already contributed all that you possibly can to her character. She's grown up now, and any bumps that she needs to smooth out will need to be done so by her, on her own…" She was silent for a moment, to observe that the two spouses were listening intently. "Your jobs are done. And in spite of what you may feel about each other's views, you both have done wonderfully. So it's now time to let your seed do her own growin'."

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Couldn't have said it better myself, AJ!" She addressed her parents, who were both still examining the collage, and seemed to be allowing the speech they had just heard to sink in deeply. "Well, mom and dad, I'd ask you what you think, but I don't really see the point anymore. Applejack's job-and-housing proposal is just too perfect to pass up. I've made up my mind: I'm doing it, and I start tomorrow. You both have given me the springboard launch I need to feel prepared for it. More than ever… I'm ready to fly."

Aeroswift's rock-hard demeanor appeared to have softened tenfold in the past few minutes. Her expression teetered somewhere between a heated desire to argue back and a readiness to tearfully accept her daughter's words. Sweetgood Mac stood with his eyes closed, trying to allow his wildly thrashing ocean of thoughts to become settled and serene, so that he may have a better chance of seeing the truth.

"All that said," Rainbow Dash announced graciously, "I think it's obvious what the future of our family should be now. Concerning that, I'm about to say something that I've been dying to say for a long time..."

Applejack fidgeted in place, anxiously awaiting Rainbow Dash's next words. "Here comes the moment!" she told herself excitedly. "Here comes the moment when Rainbow Dash's ma n' pa are finally able to look past all the negativity and see the light! The moment they realize how proud of their little girl they really are… How foolish it was for them to have spent so many years arguin' over her…"

"Mom, dad…"

"…How much they really do love each other…"

"…when I leave home, and when you're no longer bound by your disagreements of how to raise me…"

"…and that it's time to give their marriage the second chance it deserves!"

"…you two will have no reason to stay married anymore. You can finally divorce, as you've been wanting to for years."

In the following moments, all the air seemed to get sucked out of the shed, replaced by a palpable sense of collective shock. Aeroswift gasped under her breath. Sweetgood Mac's eyes went wide. The spouses looked at one another briefly, asking each other wordlessly if they had heard their daughter correctly. Applejack's jaw dropped like an anvil to the floor. Of all the things she expected might come out of Rainbow Dash's mouth, that hadn't even been at the bottom of the list. Her fantasy of mending this troubled family vanished like the wind.

"Dashie, sweetheart," Sweetgood Mac said in a soft, quivering voice, "you can't possibly mean that. Your mother and I, we… I mean, we don't always get along so well, sure, but… A divorce!? But… that would break our family apart…"

"You're wrong, dad," Rainbow Dash went on. "First of all, you two don't just 'not always get along so well'. Try 'never get along at all, period!' Honestly, when was the last time you two had an actual NICE conversation? When was the last time either one of you gave a compliment to the other? Or heck, even an APOLOGY?"

Neither spouse could answer. Neither spouse could remember.

"And you're saying it would break our family apart? Mom, dad, our family is ALREADY broken! And let me tell you something - I know the only thing that's even keeping you two together is me. You really think that you need to put up with each other's bull, even though you hate each others' guts, because you think I won't be able to stand the thought of you two going your separate ways? I'll TELL you what I can't stand – seeing you two fight, and fight, and FIGHT! And knowing that the only reason you continue to do so is because of me! I swear, I feel like you two are just angry dogs, bound together by a chain. And I'M that chain! All you can do is bite one another, hurt one another… And I'm sick of it! We ALL are! So please, just let it rest in peace, already! By leaving home, I'm undoing that chain. Be free now. Find happiness elsewhere. Do ANYTHING besides stay together. Please!"

Aeroswift blinked several times, left absolutely speechless by the complete spill-out of Rainbow Dash's feelings. "Rainbow…" she uttered after a long pause, "…have you honestly felt that way for so long…?"

"Yes!" Rainbow Dash cried back, exasperated. "But neither one of you ever asked me what I wanted. Well, I'm saying it now anyway. BAM! You've just been smacked with the truth! So, what are you two gonna do with it?"

For the first time in as long as either could remember, Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac took an extended, thoughtful look at one another. Of all the disagreements they had had over the years of their rocky marriage, they had always agreed on one thing: maintain the marriage, however possible, for Rainbow Dash's sake. But now, that night, they were being told by Rainbow Dash herself that she did not wish to see it maintained. That she did not wish for the thorns of pain and anguish to dig into them any longer. It was clear: with their only reason for staying together now made completely null and void, there was only one thing left to do…

"Well, our baby girl has spoken…" Sweetgood Mac mused. "Aeroswift, she's moving out tomorrow, and she's made it clear what she wants. For herself, and for us…"

Aeroswift nodded slowly. "I suppose you're right. No need to keep up the façade of the 'troubled, but still happy deep down' married couple. May as well just say it aloud: Sweetgood, we both know it's true. Our love died so long ago, and there's no reason for us to remain husband and wife."

Although he had known this truth for a long time, hearing it put into words still made Sweetgood Mac's eyes begin to tear up. He chuckled uncomfortably. "Heh… I guess that became especially true the night I… did what I did…"

Aeroswift closed her eyes, pained by memories. "Just call it what it was, Sweetgood: your infidelity. And yes, that's probably the straw that broke the camel's back… but to be completely honest, that's not where the problems even started. In fact, I wonder if I ever even loved you at all…"

"If you never loved me, then why did it hurt you so much?"

"Because... because we were married! Husband and wife, bound by holy matrimony! And you're not supposed to do that in a marriage!"

"...And the words 'matrimony' and 'marriage' mean nothing if there's no love. Please, for once, be direct. You did love me, didn't you?"

Aeroswift sighed, and slunk down in defeat. "...Yes, I did love you. You and I both know that. But the key word is 'did'. You need to understand, not only was what you did wrong, but it reflected badly on me, too. I was raised by my parents to be a winner. Not just in sports, but at life in general. That included finding the perfect husband, raising the perfect family... And when we first married, I DID feel as though, at least as far as marriage was concerned, that I was a winner. But then you did what you did... And I saw it as a personal failure. The stallion that I, myself, had chosen to be my winner of a husband, had cheated on me. And I had never felt like such a loser in my entire life. It's a blow that my ego has never fully recovered from. And I don't think it ever will..."

"I've apologized before, and I'll apologize again. I'm sorry..." Sweetgood Mac sank even lower than his wife, crippled by a stinging guilt. "...but, I just can't beg for forgiveness anymore. You can't always win. That's just the nature of life. Everypony fails sometimes. Everypony... is a loser sometimes. What matters is that we learn from those failures and move on to be successful at new endeavors."

"You know what? You're absolutely right. What I'm saying right now might just be the result of having been married to you for so long - Heaven help me! - but... you're right. We do all fail sometimes. And it is something we must learn to accept, learn from, and move on from... To that end, Sweetgood Mac, let us admit to ourselves that our marriage was a failure. Let us admit that this is a game that we both lost. Let us admit that it is time to accept that fact, learn what we can from it, and move on..."

"...That's a very poetic way of confirming that you want a divorce. I guess I have had an influence on you!"

"Cut the crap. Do you agree?"

"...I do. Although I greatly disagree with your philosophy that you need to find that 'winner' of a husband. I prefer to believe that all romances, given enough time, will eventually fade, leaving both parties to strike up new romances elsewhere, which in turn will fade, ad infinitum. In spite of our different perspectives, though, I agree that our role in each others' lives is over."

"Good."

Sweetgood Mac managed a small, bittersweet smile. "Good, indeed. It actually feels kind of nice for us to agree on something for once."

Aeroswift nodded in response, unable to smile back, but still feeling a curious warmth within her nonetheless. "Yeah… Kinda does."

The two then directed their gazes toward Rainbow Dash, who now stood mere feet in front of them. Her eyes were damp and her breaths were heavy, but she was beaming. "It's kinda sad it all had to end up like this, huh?" she asked. "But under the circumstances, I couldn't be happier. Thanks, mom and dad... Whether you're married or not, you're both still my parents." She opened her front hooves, longing for an embrace. "And no matter what, I love you both. Always."

Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac both returned tear-filled smiles to Rainbow Dash, and at once, stepped forward to hug her. When they each saw the other advancing, however, they stopped, repelled, uncertain of what to do. They silently questioned which of them deserved to hug her first. Rainbow Dash, in response, leapt up and tightly wrapped one foreleg around each of them. They were at first surprised, but in the end, wrapped their own forelegs around her as well. Although they did not to touch each other, the love that flowed between each of them and their shared daughter was equally strong.

~~~

Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood outside the barn's rear entry doors. Bright multi-colored lights leaked underneath the doors and lively country rock music blared from within the structure. Rainbow Dash hopped up and down excitedly on her hooves. "Aw yeah, sounds like that 8:30 hoedown is JUMPIN'! I can't wait to get in there and start bustin' out the moves! C'mon Applejack, let's go! My mom and dad are already in there!" She grabbed her friend to pull her along, but was surprised to see her with her head hung low, looking glum and disappointed. "Yo, AJ, what's the matter?"

Applejack didn't raise her head. "What happened, back there in the shed…" she moaned, "That's… not at ALL what I was hopin' for…"

Rainbow Dash craned her neck. "What, you mean about having my mom and dad reconcile and save their marriage and stuff?"

"Yes!" Applejack replied, looking up. "I was so sure that if I could pinpoint and fix up the root of the problem, ya'll coulda still been a family. But look what all my grand plannin' resulted in: your folks, agreein' to get a divorce! This is more awful than my grandpappy's BO…" She lowered her head shamefully again. "I'm so sorry, Rainbow. I failed you…"

Rainbow Dash smiled softly, and gave her friend an affectionate pat on the back. "Totally not true, AJ. Your plan didn't result in my parents splitting up. It was something that was bound to happen anyway; either that, or they would have lived in their lame misery until the day they died. Honestly, I think your intervention helped make the split happen sooner than it would have otherwise, and at the end of the day, I'm sure both me AND my folks will be super grateful for that."

Applejack managed to return a small smile. "Ya really mean that, do ya?"

"Cross my heart…"

"…hope to fly!"

Together, the two girls then shouted, "Stick a cupcake in my eye!" They then proceeded to laugh for a good full minute.

"Thanks for that, RD. I needed the lift," Applejack said. "I guess I was just a bit in the dark as to how sour a married couple can possibly become. I mean, my ma and pa never even came CLOSE to bein' that way! If they ever argued 'bout anythin', they'd always find a way to sew the rips back up and go on just bein' happy…"

Rainbow Dash placed a friendly foreleg around Applejack's shoulders. "…Don't worry, Applejack. I promise I'll do their job well. It's the least I can do, after all you've done for me…"

Applejack nodded in appreciation. "Thank you again, RD. So much."

"No problemo!" was the reply. Rainbow Dash then released her and ran up to the barn doors. "So hey, no more standin' around like dopes! It's 8:30 – everypony should be here now, right? The party's just gettin' started!"

"Heheh," Applejack chuckled to herself, "You can say that agin'!"

With that, the two ponies opened the barn doors and walked inside, ready to spend the last moments of their night at the Parents' Day Festival in style. Applejack advanced with a spring in her step and a fire in her belly, determined to make the final and greatest part of her grand plan a success...

13. Rough Justice

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Chapter 13: Rough Justice

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Even as Applejack stepped her first hoof into the barn, she was overcome with elation when she witnessed the festivities happening within. The band was playing an upbeat country rock version of "Raise This Barn", and the whole interior had been outfitted with multi-colored stage lights that swept to and fro, casting the walls, floor, and ceiling with an ever-changing array of colors that moved with the rhythm of the music.

As energetic and fun as the setting was, though, Applejack found herself more fascinated by the party guests themselves. On the wooden dance floor were Rarity and Orange Julius, the latter showing off some wild shuffling techniques that left the former looking quite impressed. Domicilia, Hoppin Barley, and Sweetie Belle all sat on a nearby bale of hay, making idle chit-chat while occasionally gesturing toward their daughter and the wealthy young stallion she was with. Domicilia bore a sweet smile, while her husband appeared conflicted; not quite accepting, but certainly not angry, either.

Also on the dance floor were Pinkie Pie, Rock Candy, and Stone Muffin, who were all clasping each others' hooves and running rapidly in a circle, laughing all the way. The two older ponies were still clearly very inebriated and probably only half-aware of what was going on, but they all at least appeared to be having fun together.

Rainbow Dash, who had entered the barn just seconds before Applejack, had immediately flown over to Sweetgood Mac and shared a brief but lively father-daughter swing dance with him. After a quick hug, she then flew over to Aeroswift and pulled her onto the dance floor as well. With a nod, Sweetgood Mac respectfully handed his daughter off to his soon-to-be-ex-wife, and took a seat beside Rarity's family, joining in their conversation. Rainbow Dash and Aeroswift then proceeded to headbang their brains out to the rockin' beat.

In a far, relatively quiet corner of the barn, Twilight, Starlight, and Moonlight Sparkle all sat around a small table, examining what appeared to be several large sheets of paper. They were pointing things out on them and discussing them in-depth, raising questions and drawing conclusions about goodness-knows-what. Surprisingly, there were two others with the Sparkle family that had not yet been seen at the Parents' Day Festival: Shining Armor and Spike! They were off to the side, talking amongst themselves, probably wondering what in the world the Sparkles were so caught up in. Applejack was curious, too. Additionally, seeing the two newcomers suddenly sparked a brilliant idea in her mind. If the last stage of her plan was to happen right there in that barn, it needed to be executed perfectly, and she believed with their help, it could be done so…

Applejack began to trot over to the table where the Sparkle family was. On the way, however, she felt a tingle in her breast when she happened to spot Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh sitting on a hay bale against one of the far walls. They had their backs to her, and appeared to be having their own hushed conversation. "Are they already back from seein' ma n' pa?" she asked herself. "Hmm, musta been a purty quick visit. Not surprisin', I reckon, all things considered…" Not wanting to face them right then, she changed her trajectory to stay as far as she could.

At that moment, Pinkie Pie suddenly popped out of nowhere and grabbed Applejack's hoof with her own. "HI APPLEJACK!" she chirped in as cheery a voice as Applejack had ever heard, "Come spin with us!" Before Applejack could even think of a reply, she was drawn straight into the whirling merry-go-round with Pinkie Pie and her parents.

"WHOA! Well howdy to you too, Pinkie!" Applejack shouted as she spun, "Havin' a good ol' time, are ya?"

"Totally!" Pinkie Pie replied with a beaming smile. "And with my PARENTS, no doubt! It's a dream come true! Isn't that right, mom and dad?"

"Dude, is it US spinning or the WORLD BENEATH us, man?!" exclaimed Rock Candy. He let his head and tongue hang loose and flap in the wind.

"This is so RAD! WOOOOOOO!" screamed Stone Muffin, tilting her head back and calling out to the sky. "Sweet idea, Pinkie! Who'd have thought spinning like crazy would be so AWESOME?!"

Not two seconds later, the twirling circle began to wobble and break up. All four ponies' hooves suddenly slipped from one anothers', and they all fell down on their rumps, laughing uproariously. When Applejack managed to cool down, she was delighted to see Pinkie Pie and her parents all continuing to chortle together. She wiped a laughter-induced tear from her eye and asked, "So, what did you three end up doin' out there 'mong the fairgrounds?"

"Oh, TONS of stuff!" Pinkie Pie squealed. "We played horseshoes,"

"Went to the shooting range," answered Rock Candy.

"Played the dunk tank," added Stone Muffin.

"Rode the Ferris wheel,"

"Ate deep-fried cookie dough,"

"Went clothes-shopping,"

"Played the dunk tank again,"

"Painted a mural,"

"Learned Japanese,"

"Watched every episode of My Little Pony G3 while cracking jokes, MST3K-style,"

"Took shots of tequila with Discord,"

"And saved the world from The Naughty Space Goats. THREE TIMES!"

Applejack stared wide-eyed at the three grinning family members. "Well, butter my biscuits! You three did all that in… half an hour?!"

"We sure did!" Pinkie Pie replied. "I mean, we THOUGHT about doing more, but we figured we might be stretching ourselves a little thin, wouldn't ya say?"

"Heh, I certainly would," Applejack said. She glanced at Hoppin Barley, who was sipping one of his own beers. "But… In the middle of all those shenanigans, didn't ya'll ever get some more of Hoppin Barley's beer? He's sittin' right over yonder, ya know…"

Rock Candy and Stone Muffin just returned blank stares, then looked at each other quizzically. "Uhhh… What beer?" Rock Candy asked. "I don't remember any beer…"

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Oh? But, I thought that was the reason ya'll came here in the first place."

Stone Muffin snickered. "Pssh! Geez, honey, what've YOU been inhaling? This is the PARENTS' DAY Festival! Duh! We didn't come for any stupid beer. We came to spend time with our daughter!" She wrapped a foreleg around Pinkie Pie's shoulder, who did the same back. "That's what the holiday's all about! Isn't that right, baby?"

Rock Candy shimmied over and wrapped his large forelegs around his two ladies. "…Yeeeah, pretty sure that's the only reason we came!"

Applejack smiled warmly at the display. "I'm so happy ta hear that, ya'll. Glad you've enjoyed your evening so much thus far."

Pinkie Pie nodded joyfully. She then lit up and jumped in the air. "Oh, hey, mom and dad, let's SPIN again!"

Rock Candy and Stone Muffin made no objections. With a start, they all stood, grabbed hooves, and resumed their familial tornado. Applejack was about to make a comment when a hoof tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around to see Rarity and Orange Julius greeting her. They stood close to one another, looking sweaty and tired from dancing, but happy.

"Oh Applejack, you simply MUST meet my new special friend!" Rarity said excitedly, motioning for the two to shake hooves. "Orange Julius, this is my darling friend, Applejack. And Applejack, this is Orange Julius! He's a film producer in Manehattan, and I met him earlier tonight when he so boldly rescued me from being dropped into that disgusting dunk tank by that Wetflank Huevos Grandes!"

"Wowzers! Ya don't say?" Applejack asked, giving a subtle wink to Orange Julius. "That's purty darn fantastic!"

"Oh, it was!" Orange Julius replied, winking back. "Wish you could've been there to see it. It was quite the show! Straight out of a romantic comedy. Seriously, haha!"

"Comedy?!" Rarity gasped. "Oh, no no no! Me, the damsel in distress, about to be plunged into the murky depths by a selfish, unwanted suitor, being saved at the last second by a strapping, handsome stallion that comes swooping in out of nowhere? THAT spectacle could only be part of a romantic DRAMA of the highest order!"

Applejack and Orange Julius could only laugh. Rarity pouted her lips, annoyed, but also couldn't help but notice the level of comfort that seemed to already exist between the two. "Hang on just a moment – do you two know each other?!"

"THIS feller? By golly, course I do!" Applejack announced. "He's only my favorite cousin!"

"And she's MY favorite cousin!" Orange Julius echoed. "But don't worry – I'm not a country pony like her, so the fact that we're cousins doesn't automatically imply incest or anything!"

Applejack rolled her eyes, and Rarity frowned. Orange Julius put on a crooked smile, embarrassed. "Oh, alright... That joke was in poor taste. I'm sorry."

Applejack grinned. "Aw, shucks, I've heard worse things come outta your mouth, cuz. 'Sides, I'd have never dated you anyhow. You're too goofy for me!" She gestured toward Rarity. "But YOU two… You're a match made in high heaven. I'll tell ya that right now!"

"Well, at least ONE of us has to have come from heaven," Orange Julius remarked in a smooth, charming voice, "cuz I'm standing with an angel right now." He put a hoof around Rarity, and all at once, his bad joke was forgiven and forgotten. She melted at his touch and went into a fit of delighted giggles.

Applejack looked over at Domicilia and Hoppin Barley. When Hoppin witnessed what Orange Julius was doing to his daughter, he grimaced, and made a move like he was about to march right over and put a stop to the romantic scene. Domicilia, however, was quick to grab him and keep his behind planted on the hay bale. Hoppin appeared to want to resist, but a soft, reassuring look from his wife made him loosen his composure. He eventually nodded slowly, agreeing to stay put, but not without popping open another beer. Both he and Domicilia then noticed Applejack looking, and they both gave her a polite wave. She waved back.

"Oh! Rarity, about the upcoming production I was telling you about," Orange Julius said, releasing her, "The Costume Supervisor will be in Canterlot until tomorrow doing research. I still might be able to get her to pencil you in for a meet-and-greet so you can show off some of your designs. Would you like that?"

Rarity threw her hooves to her mouth and squealed. "Would I like it? I'd give up my LIFE for it! Oh, please, tell me more! What must I do to help make this possible?"

Applejack saw this as her cue to leave. She still needed to speak with Spike and Shining Armor, after all. "Alrighty, I'll leave you two lovey doves alone, then. Catch ya later!"

"Later, Applejack," said Orange Julius, "and thanks again!" He turned to address Rarity. "OK, so I'll need to send a letter first thing in the morning…"

The conversation faded as Applejack moved away from them, and toward the Sparkle Family and their guests. On the way, an uncomfortable sensation began to creep over her. She could see someone out of the corner of her eye, staring intently. She turned, and saw it was Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh, still in the same spot as before, only this time, they had noticed her, and they appeared none-to-pleased to see her. Apple Bloom, in particular, scrunched her brow in the bitterest disappointment that one could imagine from somepony so young and innocent. Applejack stared back for a few seconds, wanting to say something, but fearing there was nothing adequate she could say. Her eyes then met with Big Macintosh's. His were not so angry, but rather melancholy. They seemed to say, "I understand your decision, Applejack, but it still hurts us – and mom and dad – to see you make it." For a brief moment, her vision then jumped to her flank. To her mother's beautiful white summer dress, which was now covered in grass stains, and with a large chunk torn off and being used as a tourniquet to shield a bloody wound. When she looked up again, she witnessed Apple Bloom pout her lips, cross her forelegs across her chest, and turn away in disdain. Big Macintosh nudged her and said something that Applejack could not hear. Whatever he had said, it seemed to make no difference; it was clear that Apple Bloom was beginning to cry. Big Macintosh cast one more forlorn glance at Applejack before tending to his younger sister.

Applejack then knew for certain that there was nothing adequate she could say. She lowered her head, sighed deeply, and continued forward. "They deserve an explanation," she whispered to herself. "The WHOLE explanation. But not right now. In time, Applejack. In time…"

~~~

As Applejack drew near to the Sparkles' table, she made a quick stop at another table on the way, on top of which sat a pencil and a stack of papers, normally used to maintain a milking schedule for the cows. She ripped herself a clean sheet and hastily wrote a letter. Once finished, she signed it, folded it, and placed it in her saddlebag to carry over. As she neared Spike and Shining Armor, they both noticed her approaching at the same time. Once they did, they dropped their conversation right away. "Applejack!" they said in unison.

"Howdy, Spike! Shining Armor!" she answered. "Sure is a tickle of a surprise to see you two here. Welcome to the Parents' Day Festival!"

Twilight and her parents heard the exchange, and all looked up from their papers. "Oh, hello Applejack!" Twilight greeted. She motioned toward the large, yellowed papers sprawled across the surface of the table. "Check it out! We were just looking at some of your family's star charts."

"Yes, we inquired one 'Granny Smith' about them," Starlight added. "Your grandmother, I assume. She didn't hesitate to let us study them. I do hope it's OK with you."

"Oh, by all means, study yourselves silly!" Applejack assured. "Me, Granny Smith, my ma n' pa… You've got permission from all of us. I guarantee it."

Applejack's mention of her mother and father appeared to make all the members of the Sparkle Family somewhat uncomfortable. Moonlight, in particular, nodded and gave a forced smile. Eventually, Starlight said, "We appreciate it very much, dear. Thank you. We're determined to make this marketing campaign a success, for both you and ourselves."

"Glad to hear it! So let me know what you come up with, OK?" Applejack replied.

"Will do!" Twilight promised. With that, the three resumed their studying and discussing.

Applejack turned her attention back to Shining Armor and Spike. "So, yeah, as I was sayin', welcome to the Parents' Day Festival! Havin' a fun time, I hope?"

"It sure looks really lively," Shining Armor remarked. "I haven't been here that long, though. Just came in from Canterlot. Gotta work royal guard duty even on the holidays, ya know? But at least Celestia was nice enough to let me off early tonight so I could see my folks. Gotta love 'er for that…" His eyes drifted as he spoke, eventually settling on Applejack's defiled dress, as well as her injury. His amiable face turned serious. "Oh my goodness! Applejack, what happened to you?"

Applejack was prepared to answer, but Twilight spoke up first. "Oh, don't worry, bro! She told us earlier she just had a little mishap. It's no biggie – Applejack's tough. She has those all the time! Isn't that right, AJ?"

Applejack had actually been prepared to tell Shining Armor the truth - that Brawn Bones had struck her with his nightstick as she tried to make her escape from the harrowing situation in the work shed earlier that night. In fact, this was a major development that needed to happen for the final stage of her grand plan – to have Shining Armor learn about Brawn Bones and his awful domestic crimes. However, she was reminded that, although it was now well past 8:30, the most crucial players in this plot – Fluttershy, Softheart, and Brawn Bones himself – all had yet to arrive at the barn. Not wanting to get too ahead of herself, and not wanting to pin anything on Brawn Bones without solid proof, Applejack decided it was best to, for the time being, run with Twilight's explanation. The truth could wait until the opportune moment. "Yes indeedy," she eventually said to the respected captain, "Just a lil' ol' scrape is all. Nothin' to cry about."

"Oh, alright, well that's good to know," he said, relieved.

"And how about YOU, Spike?" Applejack asked. "Did you get to see your own folks today, too?"

"I sure did!" he said happily. "I hadn't seen 'em in a while, so it was great spending time with them again. We had lunch, played at the park, got caught up with each others' lives… Yeah, typical stuff, but necessary once in a while, if you ask me."

"Well that's just dandy! So, err, no family drama or feuds or nothin' o' that sort?"

"Umm, no. Just a pleasant family day, really. Why, did some of that stuff happen here tonight?"

Applejack scrunched her lips. "No," was all she said. In her head, though, she was saying, "as in, you have NO idea!" Then, ready to get down to business, she withdrew the letter she had written just minutes before and held it out to him. "Anyhoo Spike, mind doin' me a solid? I need you to mail this letter to Celestia right away."

Spike took the folded letter and examined it curiously. "Sure, no problem. But what's it about?"

"Never mind. Just please send it. Right now."

Both Spike and Shining Armor expressed a slight confusion. Spike, though, eventually just shrugged. "Alright, if it ain't my business, then whatevs. No scales off my back!" With that, he blew his signature green fire breath upon the letter, effectively sending it on its way.

Shining Armor, however, did not appear as ready to just let his curiosity slide. "You sent a letter to the princess? At this time of night? On such a big holiday? It must be something very important…"

"It is," Applejack said seriously. "I'm afraid I can't say what it is quite yet, but Shining Armor, I'm gonna have to ask a favor of you, too: Keep an eye out for any suspicious types. You can expect to be seein' some soon…"

Shining Armor's interest was now piqued. "Suspicious types? What do you mean? Who should I be looking out for, exactly?"

Applejack did not answer. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the rear barn doors open swiftly. Through them stepped a familiar, hefty-bodied stallion that made her blood begin to run cold. "You'll find out in just a spell. Now hang tight," was all she said before taking off. Shining Armor and Spike were left standing there, scratching their heads, the former wondering if perhaps Applejack herself was the suspicious one that he should be keeping an eye on…

~~~

"Hello again, Brawn Bones. Thank you for coming."

"Hello, Applejack. I would say thank you for inviting me, but forgive me if I'm not feeling too gracious right now…"

The two stood face-to-face for the second time that night, this time in one of the barn's far corners, isolated from the other guests in the building. As Brawn Bones had entered through the doors, his eyes had immediately settled on Applejack. She, in turn, had wordlessly guided him into the corner so that the two could speak in private. Once they were there and facing one another, Applejack could not help but gasp at the ugly sight of Brawn Bones' broken jaw. Its color scheme ranged from black to purple to maroon. The left side was so swollen that he may as well have had half a grapefruit lodged in his cheek. At least two of his teeth were gone. It was plain to see, too, that the jaw was off-center, having been forced marginally to the right. It was a minor miracle that he was even able to speak, albeit in a very quiet, hoarse, and muffled voice that Applejack needed to strain to hear. The fact that she herself had caused this horrific injury disturbed her ever more to look at it.

"So, err, how's that, uhh…" Applejack hesitantly pointed to her own jaw. "How's that holdin' up?"

"Oh, it's holding up," Brawn Bones replied flatly. "I took a sedative for the pain, and I'll have my doctor take a look at it tomorrow. Nice thing about being a police officer – the local government pays for all my medical benefits. And those tax dollars come mainly from independent businesses, like, for instance, your apple farm..." Brawn Bones managed a slight smirk despite his injury, "…So don't worry, Applejack. This will heal, and in essence, you and your family will be footing the bill."

Applejack sneered. "Yeah? Well you wanna know somethin' Brawn Bones? That jaw o' yours may heal up just fine, but I'm tellin' ya right here, right now, Fluttershy and Softheart are rarin' to dish out a mental blow that you're NEVER gonna recover from! They will prove that you can't keep 'em locked in the stable forever, and that they ARE the stronger ponies!"

Brawn Bones did a quick survey of the barn, and looked back at Applejack, unfazed. "Really? Well, if that's true, then tell me: where are they?"

Applejack scanned the barn as well. It must have been at least 8:40 by that point, but Fluttershy and Softheart were still nowhere to be seen. She began to feel her nerves vibrate in worry. "W-well, I'll bet they're just… psychin' themselves up, ya know? Stockin' up their courage, which they have a TON of, by the way! You'll see. Any minute now. They're gonna march through those doors, and with my help, they're gonna bring you to your knees!"

"With YOUR help, you say?"

"Darn tootin'! Matter of fact, I've been orchestratin' this whole thing from the start. You think you're cunning, Brawn Bones? Well, I just so happen to be bakin' up a warm batch o' humble pie, and when my plan succeeds, you're gonna be SCARFIN' it down!"

Brawn Bones leaned in close. "So… you're saying if we could just… remove you from picture, then this whole 'brilliant orchestration' of yours will fall apart?"

Applejack felt a pinch of fear from the implication of his words, but stood steadfast. "You wouldn't dare do nothin' to me right now. Not in a barn chock full o' other ponies! Shoot, see that feller over yonder in the corner? That, mi amigo, is none other than Shining Armor, the Captain of the Royal Guard himself! You try any funny business, and that stallion will be on ya faster n' a cat on a sparrow!"

Brawn Bones observed the captain for a short while, appearing to recognize him. "That IS Shining Armor, isn't it? Interesting..." A small, sinister smile began to creep across his mustached lips. "Why, anypony that could get HIM on their side would certainly have the upper hand, wouldn't they?"

His smile made Applejack's nervousness double. "…What are you gettin' at?"

Brawn Bones didn't reply. He instead began to trot casually over to Shining Armor's position. Applejack felt an impulse to follow, but something held her back. What could it be? Some irrational fear? She wasn't sure, but whatever the reason, she simply stayed where she was and watched from afar. She saw Brawn Bones introduce himself to Shining Armor with a courteous bow of the head. Shining Armor greeted him back, and, looking concerned, asked him a question. Brawn Bones went on to explain something, gesturing towards his jaw several times. At one point, he reached into his pouch and pulled out what looked like a police badge, which Shining Armor studied intently. Then, in a move that Applejack perhaps should have seen coming, Brawn Bones turned and pointed an accusatory hoof straight at her. The two exchanged a few more words, and then, quite suddenly, began to advance across the barn in her direction. Applejack guessed what she was in for, and so did her best to maintain a calm composure as the two stopped and stood directly in front of her.

"Applejack," Shining Armor said in a very grave tone, "This Cloudsdale police officer is claiming that you attacked him and broke his jaw. What's your response to this?"

Applejack did another quick sweep of the barn. Still no Fluttershy or Softheart. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "Sir, Captain, sir… That is the truth." She maintained a stoic face. "But believe me, I only did so out of necessity. This 'police officer' is, in fact, an unhinged, wild n' crazy sociopath. He's abusive to his own family, and even threatened me earlier tonight. Take a look here." She pointed at the wrapped wound on her flank. "HE did this to me with that there nightstick o' his! I had no choice but to buck him to last Tuesday in order to escape! If I hadn't, who KNOWS what more he coulda done to me!"

Shining Armor swapped his gaze back and forth between Applejack and Brawn Bones, troubled by the discrepancy between their two accounts. He tried to determine which he was more inclined to trust: his sister's good-hearted friend, or one of Cloudsdale's supposed finest? For a moment, his intense gaze focused on the latter, leading all present to believe that he had made his choice of the guilty party. However, not a second later, he furrowed his brow in confusion as a new thought struck him. "Wait a minute!" He whirled around and looked Applejack in the eye. "Applejack, didn't you say your injury was caused by an accident?!"

Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but only choked on an unknown answer. In the stress of the moment, she had completely forgotten about that detail. "I, err… N-no, Twilight's the one that said that."

"But you AGREED with her," Shining Armor confirmed.

"Uhh, y-yes, I did…"

"OK then, so why are there two stories now? Which one is the truth?"

"Captain, sir, allow me to elaborate," Brawn Bones butt in. "The truth is, she DID have an accident. I actually witnessed it myself. You see, about an hour ago, Applejack was exiting her work shed out back, when a heavy tool fell from a high overhead shelf and landed on her flank there. I happened to be near the barn's rear entry when I heard her call out, so keeping true to the Cloudsdale Police mantra 'Protect and Serve', I ran to her aid. When I got there, she was in hysterics, flailing and kicking in pain. She showed a lot of aggression as I drew close, yelling that she didn't want me to touch her. In my effort to help, I managed to rip off a part of her dress and fashion a tourniquet for the wound. It was during this procedure that she kicked me in the jaw. All things considered, perhaps my earlier claim that she 'attacked' me isn't wholly accurate. I don't believe her action was carried out with malice. However, it WAS deliberate, and I fear she may not be in a healthy state of mind, possibly due to some outlying factors, such as recent family trauma. I highly recommend taking this pony into custody, sir. Whether she means to or not, she may pose a danger to herself and others."

Applejack snarled in protest. "Oh, ain't that a huge sack o' bull! Shining Armor, don't believe this whack job! He's just makin' up a big ol' fib to make himself look like the righteous victim!"

"No, my dear, that's what YOU'RE doing," Brawn Bones replied confidently. He looked to Shining Armor and shook his head. "I see this all the time, Captain, sir. Most individuals, after committing even relatively petty crimes, will usually try to justify it via scapegoating, claiming they were coerced into their actions by another. Applejack here, afraid that her injuring of a well-meaning police officer will get her in trouble, is ludicrously trying to claim that I threatened her first, in attempt to use the 'self-defense' plea. I've been in the force for many years, Captain. Believe me, I know it when I see it."

Shining Armor's head was spinning, trying to process the overload of conflicting information. He shut his eyes and breathed deeply. "Your version of the events does seem to add up, officer…" Shining Armor admitted. "But I wonder, if you believe Applejack's assault warrants an arrest, why didn't you just arrest her yourself?"

Brawn Bones appeared slightly caught off guard by the question. He quickly regained his composure, however. "I would have, Captain, but I'm with the Cloudsdale Police Department, so Ponyville is legally outside of my jurisdiction. I was going to contact the local police, but then I saw you here, and decided that you would be the best to handle this. After all, as Captain of the Royal Guard, your jurisdiction covers all of Equestria."

Shining Armor nodded in agreement, but still found it difficult to fully go with either side. "OK, I need some more info," he said. "I'm going to ask around about the situation. See if anypony in here knows anything about anything, just to make sure all bases are covered. You two wait where you are. This shouldn't take long." He then proceeded to gallop from one family to the next, running a brief inquiry with each guest that lasted no more than thirty seconds. The majority of those questioned did not appear to know anything of value, but most were quick to look over at Applejack and Brawn Bones with looks of concern and wonder. This continued until Shining Armor eventually reached the last guests in the barn to be interviewed: Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom. Unlike with everyone else, Shining Armor's conversation with them lasted for at least a few minutes. Apple Bloom did most of the talking, and the information she was giving seemed to interest Shining Armor greatly. He nodded and stroked his chin thoughtfully as he listened.

"You're not gonna get away with this lie, ya filthy hog," Applejack uttered angrily.

Brawn Bones massaged his bruised jaw. "You've got no proof to back up your story," he replied. "And Shining Armor already believes that mine holds water. As a twenty-year police stallion, let me tell you, that pretty much seals the deal. YOU'RE the one that's trapped."

"Fluttershy and Softheart. They can back me up. They have definite proof of your domestic crimes…"

"They're also not here," Brawn Bones added. "And even if they were, they wouldn't do anything to convict me. They've lived under my influence for years on end, and not once have they ever reported anything to anypony on the outside. Why? Because they're too afraid. They always have been, and they always will be."

"You sure must feel big n' strong, bein' able to induce fear in a couple o' young ladies like that." Applejack narrowed her eyes. "I bet your daddy would be awfully proud…"

The comment made Brawn Bones scrunch his lips in disgust, which caused him visible discomfort. "You're firing blanks, Applejack. Try all you want to anger me, it won't change the fact that you'll be behind bars by the end of the night."

As if in response to Brawn Bones' words, the two ponies turned to see Shining Armor fast approaching them. Applejack sensed that his intense focus was directed at her. She gulped loudly as he stopped in front of her. "Applejack," he said sternly, "those two over there, the yellow filly and the red colt; they claim to be your siblings. Is this correct?"

Applejack glanced over at Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh. They were staring right back at her. "Yes, sir."

"Well, according to your younger sister, you told them both earlier tonight that your injury was, in fact, the result of an accident."

Applejack had forgotten that detail, too. She cursed to herself under her breath.

"Any explanation for this?"

"I… I j-just… I told 'em that cuz I didn't want nopony to get involved, ya know? Or for nopony to worry 'bout me…"

"Another common response in the offender's handbook," Brawn Bones interrupted. "But if I really assaulted her, as she claims, she would have had no reason to keep it a secret for so long."

"No!" Applejack argued, feeling her hope rushing down the drain, "Shining Armor, don't listen to this dirtbag of a stallion! He's lyin' through his teeth! Lyin', I tell ya!" She held out a hoof to put on Shining Armor's shoulder. "Please, ya gotta believe me! I'm Twilight's friend! I wouldn't lie to you!"

Shining Armor stopped Applejack's hoof with his own, and roughly pushed it to the floor. "I want to believe you, Applejack," he said sincerely, "but I just don't know what to tell you anymore. I mean, I've got a confession from you, at least four others validating the 'accident' story, NOTHING validating your story, and on top of that... I have reason to believe that you may be under some severe emotional distress, as officer Brawn Bones claimed you might be. Applejack, your siblings told me about your parents…"

Applejack returned a wordless stare. It was a penetrating mixture of disbelief, hurt, and seething ire all at once.

"…I don't know if all that's enough for a conviction," Shining Armor continued, "but at this point, it seems like it's your word against everypony else's. And any case dealing with an injured police officer is a HUGE deal, and will almost always end up in Royal Court. Best to just get that ball rolling now…" He used his horn magic to fabricate a shining blue lasso and, with a frown, quickly looped it around her neck, tightening it just enough to keep her helplessly bound. "I'm sorry, Applejack, but I'm afraid you're going have to come with me."

Applejack wanted to reply. She wanted to argue. She wanted to protest, to riot, to scream until her throat was raw. And yet, she was numbly silent. Her once-racing mind had, quite suddenly, become a blank screen. She stared dead-eyed at the floor as Shining Armor began to lead her to the barn doors, to the outside, and eventually, she knew, to a holding cell. Even as the band continued to play, she heard throughout the barn all the murmurs and whispers of her fellow ponies. One voice, which she thought she recognized as Rainbow Dash's, asked "Applejack, what did you DO?" Another voice, which sounded to her like that of Starlight Sparkle, drolly stated, "Hmm, I thought she was a decent farm pony. Well, Twilight, seems I was wrong…" Applejack thought she heard these and so many more accusatory questions and comments, which cut and stung like flying razor blades, but she dared not look up to confirm any of it. As she made her walk of shame, she could sense, without a doubt, that Brawn Bones was smirking his wicked smirk, watching her be led away with a sick satisfaction.

In the midst of all the garbled voices and sensations, however, a particular sound caused her ears to perk up. As Shining Armor began to lead her through the barn's main doors, she heard the sound of the rear doors being forced open. With a swell of hope, she raised her head and looked. There, standing in the doorway clear across the barn, were Fluttershy and Softheart. The two stood close together, and the former carried the baby blue envelope in her saddlebag. Applejack's mouth spread into a grin. She raised a hoof and waved frantically. "Fluttershy! Softheart!" she yelled with all the energy she could muster, "Read the letter!"

The two ponies acknowledged her, and then Brawn Bones, who stared at them curiously, as though amazed that they had shown up at all. Without hesitation, he opened his wings and began to hover toward them slowly, menacingly. Fluttershy was visibly frightened, causing Softheart to clutch her tightly.

"Read the letter! You got nothin' holdin' you back now!" Applejack called out.

"That's enough!" Shining Armor ordered, tugging her through the doors. "Let's not make this harder than it already is!"

"Don't be afraid! You've got all the ammo you need!" Applejack yelled, desperate to get her last message out before being forced outside. "Just DISH IT OUT! READ THAT LETTER!"

That was the last she managed to say before the closing of the heavy barn doors shut out her voice for good.

~~~

Brawn Bones stood tall and straight with his chest puffed out, staring down at his wife and daughter with a hot fury that had never been seen even by them. He darted his eyes back and forth between the two, wondering which he felt deserved to be punished first. Eventually, his eyes settled on those of his wife, who stared up at him with a present, but quickly collapsing sense of courage.

"Softheart…" he grunted softly, "What… are… you… DOING here!?"

Softheart swallowed and squeezed her stepdaughter harder. "I came for Fluttershy…" she answered in a shaking voice. "I came to… give her something that you've been withholding from her for many years…"

Brawn Bones leaned in close and whispered his next words forcefully, so no one else in the barn could hear. "The only one withholding anything from anypony is you, withholding my son from me! Our agreement was that if I joined Fluttershy at the Parents' Day festival, without YOU, then you would open up your legs again. Well, I've held up my end of the bargain, but it looks like you've failed to hold up yours, doesn't it?"

Softheart shuddered and shut her eyes as she felt his hot breath descend upon her face. "Y-yes, I d-did…"

"Well then," Brawn Bones went on, "you'd better have a good explanation for this when we get home, or you're gonna owe me, big time! You no-good, dirty tramp!"

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!"

The outburst was so loud, so striking, so unexpected, that Brawn Bones, Softheart, and everypony in the barn immediately froze, and stood at attention. The band's instruments screeched and stopped playing. All was still and silent. Fluttershy, the one who had shouted so boldly, forced her way out of her stepmother's tight grip and, for the first time in her young life, marched right up and stood hoof-to-hoof with her titanic father. She had to crane her neck up almost 90 degrees to look straight into his dark eyes, but she did so undaunted. She bore an expression every bit as furious as his, right back at him. He, in turn, stepped one hind leg back, visibly surprised.

"We don't owe you ANYTHING, daddy!" she screeched at the peak of her voice. "What have you given to US, huh?! Nothing but torment! Heartbreak! ABUSE!"

Brawn Bones clenched his smarting jaw, wanting desperately to use either his mouth or his hoof to plant his daughter right back in her place. However, he knew better than to do so when at least a dozen strangers' eyes were fixed on him right at that moment. The last thing he wanted was to validate everything she was publically accusing him of, true as they might be. "Fluttershy, sweetheart, what's gotten INTO you?" he asked, feigning the voice of a concerned parent. "Why are you saying such awful things to your own dad?" He turned to his still-quivering wife. "Softheart, honey, back me up here!" In a much quieter voice, he angrily added, "Now!"

Softheart's gut instinct had always been to concede to anything her husband demanded, no questions asked. But on this particular night, seeing her stepdaughter display such raw bravery in the face of their eternal tormentor inspired her like never before. In an instant, this inspiration channeled itself throughout her whole body, causing her to stand tall, straight, and unafraid. "No," she replied confidently. "What Fluttershy is saying is true. Every word of it!"

Brawn Bones took another step back, the shock in his visage increasing twofold. "What?!" he stammered, continuing his charade for the spectators. "What on earth are you two talking about? C-crazy! You've both gone crazy!" He did a full 360, acknowledging every pony in the barn staring accusingly at him. "Everypony, don't listen to these two! It's all one, big lie!"

"One big lie…?" Fluttershy snorted, her small body beginning to tremble. "One big lie?! I'll TELL you what's been ONE BIG LIE!!" She reached into her saddlebag and whipped out the baby blue envelope, which she held in plain view for him and everyone else to see.

Brawn Bones stared at the envelope with a frown. "What is that?"

"It's a letter, genius!" Fluttershy snapped. "Three guesses as to who it's from. Though I'll bet you anything it's the first pony that comes to your mind…"

Brawn Bones stood silent with his jaw hung open for a long while, contemplating. He knew what his first guess was, but it seemed so outrageous to him that he could not bring himself to believe it might even be possible. However, the wild look in Fluttershy's eyes told him everything. Her eyes… they looked just like the ones he remembered. Without making a sound, he mouthed the name. "Amazing Grace…?"

"Mom," Fluttershy said simply, angrily.

The urge to shut Fluttershy up in whatever manner possible rose up inside Brawn Bones like a burning tide. He pushed it down, and instead held out a demanding hoof. "Fluttershy… give me that letter… right now."

Fluttershy shook her head. "No, daddy. I won't." She then turned to address the crowd. "Everypony, listen up! My father here has barred any and all communication between me and my mom ever since I was four years old, the only reason she left being that he abused her so badly in the first place! Now, on this Parents' Day, I've finally managed to get a reply letter from her! Should I read it?!"

"YEEEAH!" every mouth in the barn shouted in righteous enthusiasm.

Brawn Bones felt a bead of sweat begin to run down his nose. For the first time that night, he was speechless. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was anything but. With a reassuring nod from her stepmother, she yanked the six yellowed pages from the envelope, and began to recite the words loud and clear to her stunned, immobile father, and to everypony within earshot:

~~~

My dearest Fluttershy,

Words cannot describe what a blessing it is to finally read words written by your own pen, that have come from your own heart. I have attempted to write you so many times over the years, but when I never received any replies, I thought that perhaps you and your father had moved to a new address. It seems I was correct; I see that the return address on the letter I received from you is different than the one of the home where we once lived. If you hadn't sent this, I may have continued to send letters to that outdated address in vain until the day my hope ran dry! Thank you, my little cream dollop. Do you remember how I used to call you that? You were so young, I would be surprised if you do. I certainly remember, though. Memories of those days are some of my most vivid and joyful, and hearing from you again makes them all come roaring back like a flood that I would be happy to drown in. Truly, this is bliss.

I know you must have many questions for me, Fluttershy, and I can guess which you would want to ask first: Why did I fly away? Why did I never come home? Why did I leave you to live alone with your father? You have been no doubt asking these questions your entire life, and I feel the least I can do is give you a full, uncompromised answer. First of all, please know that it brought me no pleasure to flee. Indeed, it is a shame that has weighed on my soul all these years, a plague that has sickened me, and has, many times, made me question my will to live. I am glad I have managed to carry on until today, however, for now I can finally reveal these truths to you. Perhaps, as a result, we may both find some peace.

When you were first born, and I looked into your large, wondrous eyes, I knew that you were my world. Your father, however, expressed disappointment that you had not been born a boy, a disappointment that seemed to grow over the course of the next couple years. We tried many times after that to get me pregnant again, but a medical exam eventually revealed that, due to complications resulting from my pregnancy with you, I was now rendered infertile, unable to bear any more children. Your father could not accept this fact, claiming that he loved me, that I was the only one he would dream of bearing a son with, that there must have been something wrong with the results of the exam. Further attempts to get me pregnant still yielded nothing but more frustration for him. That frustration soon began to manifest itself in the form of beatings, which became more brutal and frequent all time. Why I stayed with him in the face of such abuse, I still do not know… Perhaps a naïve part of me still loved him, and wanted to satisfy his desires. My insistence on clinging to such a fantasy, however, would end up being my undoing.

I still remember the night I left, the most regretful night of my life. You were four years old, and I was tucking you into bed. Your father entered the room, and asked why I was giving so much love to 'that little girl' when I should have been reserving it for our son. I reminded him that we didn't have a son, that we never would, and that we had an actual, living child to take care of, gender be darned. He lost his temper all at once, and using his nightstick and his hooves, gave me a beating so savage that I can still remember the stings to this day. It went on for at least a few minutes; there was a moment when I honestly feared that he was going to beat me to my last breath, and I was completely helpless to do anything about it. The burning pain, coupled with your hysterical crying, drove me to the edge, and for the sake of my own life and sanity, I fled out the door and flew away.

In a dazed search for someplace safe and familiar, I flew all the way to the far south side of Cloudsdale to my own childhood home, which I found to be long-since abandoned, bereft of furniture and filled with dust. I was amazed that I had managed to carry myself so far, for it was only when I landed and my adrenaline died down that I realized the extent of my injuries. My front left shin was unmistakably broken, and a stabbing pain in my abdomen made me wonder if at least one rib might be broken as well. The worst ailment, however, was a grueling pressure at the base of the back of my neck, where I remembered one of my husband's particularly hard blows had struck. These, along with the countless other aches and bruises all over my pathetic body, guaranteed that I would not be going anywhere for the rest of the night.

I stumbled into my old bedroom on the first floor and tried to sleep on the old cot I found in there. But I could not. All I could do was think. Think about how much of a fool I had been to put up with my husband's torment for so long. How my plan for the very next day should have been to go to the hospital for my wounds, and then immediately go back home to rescue you from that monster of a stallion. With you in my care, I wanted to leave for someplace far away where he would never find us, someplace where we could start a new life. I was only a modest dancer back then, and hardly had any money, but I was determined to make it work somehow. For you, and only you, I wanted to take the risk.

However, when the sun rose the next day, I found myself unable to leave that old house. Part of the reason was physical – the state of my body made it a painful chore to even move and hover between rooms, let alone among the city streets. I would have taken a form of public transport to the hospital, but I did not have any money with me. I would have asked somepony for help, but I had no one I trusted that I could turn to, nor any form of communication I could use. The other, bigger reason, however, was purely psychological – I was terrified. Brawn Bones' last beatdown had been so cruel that it traumatized me to the core. All day long, I asked myself the most paranoid of questions, like, 'What if he followed me here last night?' or 'What if he uses his connections in the police force to track me down?' I feared every moment that I turned a corner or opened a door, lest he be standing there, nightstick in hoof, ready to finish what he started on that awful night. I tried to think of you, to work up the courage to face my fear, if only to spirit you away from that beast, but alas, it proved to be an obstacle that I was too weak to surmount.

I did not leave the house that day, nor the next day, nor the next. I spoke to nopony, not that there were any ponies to speak with in that ghost town. The days were a constant struggle to deal with my bodily pains, and the nights were sleepless and full of nightmares. I subsisted on a stash of canned food that I found in the basement, but the darkness down there was so black that I saw my husband's face glaring at me from within it no matter where I looked, forcing me to only go down there when I was on the brink of starvation. As miserable as the existence was, however, I somehow managed to convince myself, over time, that it was at least safe. After all, going outside meant the possibility of encountering my devilish husband again, a prospect that was even more undesirable than staying where I was. And so, I stayed. And I lamented, knowing you were still out there, under his control, and that my crippling pains and cowardice were preventing me from saving you.

Weeks passed, and I constantly wondered when the day would come that my courage would come roaring back to me, and I would finally be able to step out that door and do something about my situation. But that day never came. As much as I pleaded for it to, my resolve did not grow. What did seem to be growing, however, was the discomfort of the lesion at the base of the back of my neck. It smarted more every day, and at points would unexpectedly erupt in a sharp, pinching sensation so strong that my whole body would go completely numb. One cloudy day, such an attack struck me as I was getting ready to descend the basement steps. My legs and wings all but failed me, and I cried out as my limp, useless body careened down the staircase. I recall the back of my head slamming the wooden floor as I reached bottom, igniting the most ferocious of pains from my neck lesion. Mercifully, I blacked out.

When I came to later that night, I was still on the basement floor, lying on my back. I consciously commanded my legs to move and hoist my body up, but to my horror, I found that they would not obey. I felt a strange sensation all over my physical being, or rather, a strange lack of sensation. Indeed, I felt as though I was but a severed head, with no feeling at all below the neck. The realization was a cold arrow through the heart – I was paralyzed. The further implications of this fact then came rushing to me – with nopony nearby to help me, or hear my cries for help, and with me unable to even reach the food rations I was aiming to get in the first place, it was a very real possibility that I could die right there where I lay. Despite the odds against me, I screamed. I screamed, and cried, and called out for hours on end, praying for a savior. All the while, I also wondered, 'What if my husband finds me in this state?' I would have been utterly helpless to defend myself against his attacks. I still saw his face anytime I peered into the darkness of the basement, but I also saw him when I closed my eyes. Awake or asleep, I was in a perpetual nightmare. When I wasn't being harassed by my own fear, it was hunger pangs and dizzy spells. At times, I longed for death to just come and take me from this torture, but I had no way of expediting even that. All I could do was lay and suffer.

I endured this horrific state of affairs for what seemed to be days. Then, just as my last bit of hope dripped out of me, a morning came when I suddenly heard a noise from upstairs. Somepony had entered the front door. Elated, I called for aid. As raspy and coarse as my voice was, the stranger was able to hear me, and came running at once. He was a young, college-aged stallion, whose job apparently was surveying abandoned homes for possible renovation and resale. When he saw me at the foot of the stairs, injured and malnourished to the point of desperation, he immediately sent for help. I'm sure he and his team had never expected to find anypony in any of these rundown homes, but alas, they found me, and I thanked heaven for it.

I was immediately taken to Cloudsdale General for an evaluation of my condition. The focus, naturally, was my paralysis, and whether or not there was any chance of it being treated. There were no spinal or nerve specialists at that hospital, but the doctor knew of a highly-recommended facility that might be able to help. The only catch was that it was very far away: in the city of Thistledown, clear on the other side of Equestria. When the doctor asked if I wanted to go with that option, claiming it was likely my best one, I immediately said yes, knowing full well that I would never be able to pay for any operation.

The kind doctor paid for my train ticket to Thistledown, where I soon met with the spine specialist. I went in hopeful that he may be able to restore my body to its previous state. However, while he was able to treat my broken bones and other minor blemishes, it did not take much examination of my neck and spine for him to shake his head, and say there was nothing he could do: I was doomed to be paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of my days. He admitted me into the neighboring assisted living facility, which provides food, a bed, and care to those with handicaps such as mine. Such a facility is not free to stay in, however, and so in order to cover the cost of the monthly fee, as well as to pay off my medical bills, I took up a job at a local snack factory as a taste tester – one of the only jobs available where the only thing I need to use is my mouth. It is actually quite fun sometimes, with my favorite snack I've ever tried being deep-fried cookie dough. I know it's terrible for my health, but it's so delicious, haha!

In any case, that is the life situation I have fallen into, and it is where I am to this very day. Although I am comfortable enough in my current life, I unfortunately still feel very much trapped here by an obligation to pay my debts. My health as waned over the years as well, so travel has become an extremely difficult and risky proposition; so much so that my caretakers don't even consider it an option for me. I still have the occasional nightmare of your father, and the lingering anxiety of that night has prevented me from ever telling anypony the true cause of my injuries. In spite of these things, I still have my necessities: I am well-nourished, safe, and in no more pain. If nothing else, please know that I at least have that.

I want you to know, Fluttershy, that throughout all my ordeals, I have never stopped thinking about you. The fact that I did not follow through with my plan to rescue you from your father is a regret beyond words. Not a day has passed where I haven't considered what you might be going through, worried about your well-being, longed to be able to communicate with you somehow just to hear you tell me that you're OK. What makes the longing more painful is knowing that I could have saved you if only I had been stronger. If only I had not let my selfish fears block me from leaving that dusty home and doing what needed to be done. For in the end, neck injury aside, I realize now that it was my FEAR that truly crippled me. By allowing it to, I effectively gave my life away, and can only imagine that I put you through terrible hardship as well. I do not expect forgiveness from you, but please, please, know that I am sorry.

Being absent from your life for so long, it makes me think of all the good, motherly advice I could have given you that you missed out on. In an effort to make up for it, I want to give you the best, most hard-earned piece of advice I can possibly give: Fluttershy, don't be afraid. Do not let fear be your master. It is a poison that incapacitates, and robs us of life. All the things we hold dear in this world - pride, love, comfort, friendship, peace – they can all be yours, if only you do not let fear prevent you from taking the first step. Your father and I may be very different on the outside, but we both made the same grave mistake in our lives: we let fear be our master. Do not make that mistake, Fluttershy. Be strong. Be courageous. Stand up for yourself and what you believe in. Even if you get hurt, even if you fail, you can still always walk forward with a sense of pride. If your father has caused you pain, know that you can rise above him by simply heeding my words, and doing what he could not. That is all I want for you. My dear, beloved daughter. My cream dollop. Please promise me that you will do this.

One more thing: the fact that you knew the address to send your letter to tells me that you may know where Thistledown is. As such, I have managed to scrape together some savings to purchase a train ticket for you. It, along with a map, are included in this envelope. That's right – at the soonest convenient opportunity, I would love it if we could see each other again. It would mean more than the world to me if I could just see you now, to see the mare that you have become. If you are too busy, or if you simply do not wish to see me because of the ways that I have failed you as a mother, then I understand. But please, at the very least, respond and inform me of your choice. And, of course, promise me that you will follow my advice. Do this, and you will be happy. That is my promise to you.

With all the love in my heart, Fluttershy, may the path ahead of you be rife with blessings.

Your mother,

Amazing Grace

(with help from Nurse Daffodil, who is writing this letter for me!)

~~~

A thick silence settled in the interior of the barn as Fluttershy read the closing words of the letter. She had been reading through tears and sniffles since the halfway point, and had provoked similar emotional responses from several of the guests in the barn, including Softheart herself. Brawn Bones stood wide-eyed, his mouth closed and his chest heaving. He shifted uncomfortably on his hooves, feeling the glares of hatred aimed at him from all directions.

Fluttershy calmly folded the papers of the letter, and placed them back in her saddlebag. She then withdrew two other pieces of paper: the map to Thistledown, and the train ticket there, as the letter had described. When Brawn Bones saw them, his jaw hung open. He glared at Fluttershy seriously, who returned the glare without flinching.

"Daddy," she said in a calm, but intense voice, "I'm not going to reply to mom's letter. Instead, I'm going to do one better – I'm going to use this ticket and map first thing tomorrow morning, and am going to visit her. I know you will object. You might even hurt me. But one thing you will NOT do; you will not stop me. This, I promise you." She inhaled deeply and stood tall. "And another thing I can promise you, daddy: you're going to remember this night. You're going to remember this night as the one when your huge, lifelong lie was finally revealed. The night I learned that my mother was able to display more love to me in a single letter than you have ever managed to in your entire life. The night I chose to take her advice, to refuse be a victim of fear. The night… I chose to stop being afraid of you."

Brawn Bones was visibly flabbergasted by Fluttershy's display of strength. He knew she was not just talking – she meant every word she said. She was going to see her mother the next day, and there was nothing he could do to coerce her out of it. But he needed to. The fact that his daughter could look and speak to him so boldly was maddening. He felt the world had flipped upside-down. Normal was not normal anymore. His shy, meek daughter was unafraid; this fact, in some twisted way, actually made HIM afraid. Afraid that his control, which he believed he would always have, was now slipping away. He might go crazy. He could feel himself GOING crazy. He needed to set things right again. The map and ticket… Courage and spirit aside, Fluttershy could not physically get to Thistledown without them. Yes, those were the keys. Those were what he needed. He held out a hoof forcefully. "Fluttershy," he demanded, "The map and ticket… Hand them over to me."

"You heard what I said, daddy. I'm taking these, and there's nothing you c-"

Brawn Bones did not let her finish. In one swift move, he suddenly lunged forward, attempting to grab the items from her by force. She shrieked and drew them back, stuffing them into her saddlebag just in the nick of time. She turned, aiming to run out the rear barn doors. Brawn Bones made a grab for her tail, determined not to let her leave. Softheart, predicting his action, boldly leapt forward. "Let her go!" she exclaimed. She thrust her whole body at his outstretched hooves, hoping to block him. In her attempt, the top of her head unwittingly slammed into the underside of Brawn Bones' broken jaw. The hit caused a jet of pain to course through his head and a guttural scream to sound from his throat. Then, in a primal, rage-filled second, all reason left his shattered mind, and without hesitation, raised his enormous foreleg and swung it, smacking Softheart hard across the face and sending her to the floor in a heap.

"SOFTHEART!" Fluttershy cried, turning around. With no regard for her own safety, she ran to her stepmother's aid. Brawn Bones made a move like he intended to take her down, too. At that moment, however, a chorus of angry voices from behind suddenly drummed up, causing him to snap to attention.

"Hey! Who do you think you are, hittin' a defenseless mare like that?!"

"You better not lay a HAIR on that little girl!"

"Everypony, let's help! C'mon!"

Brawn Bones whirled around, only to see that all the members of all the families in the barn had formed a unified mob, and were beginning to encroach on his position, yelling jeers and threats. He felt himself beginning to shake, knowing that not only was he surrounded, but that every one of these ponies was a witness to his assault. In his panic, he withdrew his nightstick and aimed it at the crowd as he backed up. "N-none of you saw this!" he yelled in vain. "NONE OF YOU SAW THIS! YOU HEAR ME?!"

"We ALL saw it, you huge lunkhead!" Hoppin Barley spat. "It should be YOU gettin' arrested! Not poor ol' Apple Schnapps!"

"Absolutely!" Domicilia cried. "Somepony should go get Shining Armor here right now to take this terrible stallion away!"

"NO!" Brawn Bones protested. "Nopony leaves this barn, understand?! NOPONY brings Shining Armor here!"

Sweetie Belle, who was the only one in the barn too afraid to join the mob, jumped up from her hay bale seat. "Ooo! Me! I'll do it!" she chirped with zeal. "I'll go get Shining Armor! Just WATCH me!" Before anyone could tell her 'no', she leapt boldly from the hay bale and began to dart toward the main barn doors as fast as her tiny legs could carry her.

Brawn Bones, in turn, zeroed his attention in on her. "Oh, no you don't!" he growled. "I said NOPONY leaves!" With a newfound rush of energy, he spread open his giant wingspan, and swiftly flew up and over the stunned mob, before beginning to descend upon the escaping filly. Rarity and Domicilia gasped in terror. "SWEETIE BELLE! NOOO!"

Orange Julius and Hoppin Barley acted immediately. Without wasting a second, Orange Julius sped forth and leapt at Brawn Bones just as he was bearing down on Sweetie Belle, throwing off his trajectory and causing him to flail about. Orange Julius hung on, determined to ground the flying monstrosity. With the distraction in effect, Hoppin Barley used his limited magic to snatch up Sweetie Belle and draw her into his foreleg, clinging her tight and carrying her away to safety.

In the midst of the chaos, Twilight turned to her parents urgently. "Come on, mom and dad! Let's US go get Shining Armor! He can't have gone far!"

"My thoughts exactly!" Starlight exclaimed. She looked to Moonlight, who nodded quickly. Twilight then leapt up and embraced both her parents tightly, immediately triggering her teleportation spell, causing the three to disappear from the barn in a flash of violet light. Just as they did, Brawn Bones succeeded in throwing Orange Julius off his body, causing him to slide painfully across the wooden floor. Despite this, the collective mob of families was far from finished. One way or another, they would meet their shared goal of bringing this dangerous, maniacal Pegasus to justice, even if every single one of them had to take some hits in the process…

~~~

Applejack looked around and frowned. As Shining Armor led her across the Parents' Day Festival grounds, she could see that the crowds had thinned out considerably. Mothers and fathers with their happy, but tired, fillies in tow were beginning to head for the exits. Shops and stands, which had been bustling with activity all evening, were now beginning to be brought down and folded up. The Ferris wheel was still, and its neon lights black. The dunk tank had been drained, ready to be carted to a new event somewhere else, on some other day. It seemed that, as far as everyone was concerned, they had had their fun, and it was now time to let this Parents' Day Festival come to its dignified end.

"We're just gonna head out to that clearing, there," Shining Armor explained calmly. "Got a couple Royal Guard Pegasi on the way with a transport. They'll take you to Canterlot and keep you in a holding cell until further notice."

Applejack said nothing, and just nodded. She could barely muster the energy to walk properly, scraping her hooves along the grass as she moved forward. She had never felt so defeated in her entire life.

"We'll get the local police to do a thorough investigation of the incident. You can only hope that whatever evidence they find will help validate your story," Shining Armor said. "I mean, it'd be quite a shocker if it turned out a police officer really assaulted you first! But, of course, these things have happened before…"

Applejack just moaned. Shining Armor could tell that that conversation topic was not the best for that moment. "Yeah, so… The Parents' Day Festival looks like it was quite a success, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess…"

"I think it's an important holiday, ya know? Take a day to say thanks to your parents for all the 'love, support and spanks', as that banner at the entrance puts it! It's true, none of us would be who we are if not for them, for better or worse…"

"Yep…"

"Did you… happen to get a chance to see yours tonight?"

Applejack looked up at him with dim, sad eyes. She then returned her gaze to the grass. "No."

Shining Armor gulped and turned away. After a long pause, he said softly, "I'm sorry."

Applejack sighed. "It's fine… It was foolish of me to think I woulda had time to visit 'em anyhow. It's gotta be about 9 o' clock by now. That was my deadline. So, yeah, no need for sour feelin's, Shining Armor. It's my own loss, my own fault."

Shining Armor nodded silently. Just as he did so, however, he and Applejack were both shocked and blinded by a violet flash that appeared directly in front of them. When the light residue vanished, they both were greeted by the Sparkle family running toward them with a very visible panic in all their faces.

"Mom! Dad! Twily!" Shining Armor gasped. "What's the matter?"

"Shining Armor, you need to get back to the barn!" Twilight ordered. "That police officer, he's gone totally berserk!"

Shining Armor's eye went wide. "What?!"

"Ponies are getting hurt! C'mon, there's no time! Get back there and arrest him!"

"B-but… I'm already making one off-duty arrest tonight as it is. I really shouldn't be-"

"Whatever this farm pony is being accused of, I guarantee, it's not as serious as this!" Starlight butt in. "Now come on, dear, teleport with us back there this instant!"

"Look, I would, but even for somepony like me, it would be INSANE to go up against a stallion that size without backup!" Shining Armor argued. "Here, I'll get the local police here asap! I just need to-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH, SON!"

All present directed their eyes at Moonlight Sparkle, who was giving his son the king of all disapproving fatherly stares. "Now listen to me, son!" he shouted, "I speak for everypony here when I say that there is NO time to lose and NO time for excuses! What's happening in the barn right now is exactly the type of emergency that your mother and I have paid for you to train for! Now get your flank to that barn and STALLION UP! PRONTO!"

A brief silence ensued among the group. Applejack, in particular, stared at the domineering stallion, stunned. Twilight looked at her brother with a cocky smirk and, as if reading Applejack's thoughts, said, "Yeah, bro. When dad talks, everypony listens. Isn't that right?"

Shining Armor stiffened, and nodded obediently to his father's command. Moonlight nodded back. Then, without a moment's hesitation, Twilight got the whole group to huddle together, and sparked her teleportation spell once again…

~~~

"Yo, meathead! So you like hitting girls, huh? Well go on, try me! See what happens when you try to deck the Rainbow!"

Brawn Bones, in his desperate struggle to avoid persecution for his assaults, had changed tactics: instead of trying to convince everyone in the barn to stay there and not seek out Shining Armor, he was now trying to get out himself to make a run for it. As he approached the main barn doors, Rainbow Dash had boldly landed in front of him, blocking his retreat and mocking him. His first instinct, as it usually was, was to use force. He raised a foreleg, ready to make Rainbow Dash eat her own words. Before he could, though, Sweetgood Mac suddenly landed hard next to Rainbow Dash, and got right up in Brawn Bones' face. "Your hoof touches my daughter, my hoof goes THROUGH YOUR HEAD AND OUT YOUR REAR END!"

"Dude, YES! Tell him, dad!" Rainbow Dash cheered.

"I'll mangle the BOTH of you if you don't move it!" Brawn Bones snarled with a shaking hoof.

"Yeah, and risk adding MORE assault charges to your already long list?!" Sweetgood Mac quipped. "You wouldn't dare!"

Brawn Bones gritted his aching teeth, ready to force his way out those doors at whatever cost. Then, out of the blue, a swift grey blur came down on him from above, tackling him to the wooden floor. Aeroswift, with her expertise in pony wrestling, managed to get the heavy Pegasus on the ground and pin him down with a wicked half-nelson. "Try and get out of THIS one, you creep!" she yelled, even as she visibly struggled to keep him subdued. All the others in the barn cheered her on enthusiastically.

At that moment, a familiar violet flash erupted from the center of the barn. From the aftermath of the teleportation spell spilled Applejack and the entire Sparkle family. Everyone in the building, including Brawn Bones and Aeroswift, turned to the source of the commotion. When Brawn Bones and Shining Armor met eyes, the former's went wide with panic. In a last ditch effort to make his getaway, he threw open his powerful wings with every ounce of energy he had, effectively hurling the distracted Aeroswift off his frame. She was sent flying backward, painfully smacking her back against a wooden post. Rainbow Dash and Sweetgood Mac gasped in unison, and were quick to fly to her side. Brawn Bones, now with no one blocking his retreat, made a mad dash for the exit.

"STOP!" Shining Armor ordered. "YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!" He aimed his horn at the escaping Pegasus and sparked a detaining spell. However, he had acted a split second too late. Brawn Bones had already kicked the doors open and was speeding out into the night. Everyone ran to the doors to give chase, with Shining Armor leading the pack. Despite their efforts, it seemed that their collective attempt to administer justice had failed. Brawn Bones had escaped, and was set to become a wanted fugitive…

A deep, masculine cry from the outside suddenly stole everyone's attention. As the gaggle of families continued to pour out the barn doors into the night air, each and every member looked up to see a miraculous sight: a whole squadron of at least a dozen Pegasus Royal Guards, with four of them clutching a flailing and struggling Brawn Bones in their fluorescent blue lassos. The group on the ground let out with a chorus of hoots, hollers, and uproarious cheers. By some wild twist of fate, Brawn Bones had been detained, and with so many eyewitnesses to his crimes, it was clear that he would be behind bars by the end of the night.

Shining Armor looked up at the scene overhead, ecstatic, but also confused. "Good timing, boys!" he called up. "But how did you know to come here?! I didn't call for any backup!"

"YOU didn't!" replied the Pegasus squad leader, "but Princess Celestia did! She ordered us to come here herself. Claims she got an urgent request from somepony to send a squad of Royal Guard Pegasi to the barn at Sweet Apple Acres. That there was a dangerous individual in need of arrest. This the right fella? He fits the description in the note…"

The whole crowd called up in response with various forms of phrase, "Yes, that's him!" Brawn Bones, by this point, had stopped trying to flee his predicament. He hovered in place with his eyes closed and his head hung in shame.

"So who sent the note, then?" Twilight asked.

The squad leader scratched his chin. "I forget the name. It was somepony that Celestia said she knew personally. I think it was Apple-something. Let's see… Applesauce? Apple Juice…?"

Spike thought for a second, before a realization struck him like a lightning bolt. The letter he had been asked to send earlier that night… "Applejack?!"

"Applejack! That's right!" the squad leader confirmed.

"Of course!" Shining Armor exclaimed. "It all makes sense now… Brawn Bones must have really attacked her first, and she attempted to protect everyone else by calling for a fleet of Royal Guards to have him arrested. Yeah, that has to be it. She was telling the truth the whole time…"

"Oh my, Brawn Bones attacked Applejack earlier tonight?" Fluttershy queried, approaching the captain. "I didn't realize… She saw Brawn Bones' wickedness before anypony else. No wonder she was so intent on helping us."

"Absolutely," Softheart added, still recovering from the blow she had received. "It was incredibly brave of her to do what she did. In fact, where is she?" She looked around among the group, but frowned when she did not see Applejack anywhere. "I was hoping to say 'thank you' to her…"

All the ponies around the barn, both on the ground and in the air, searched the area thoroughly, but no one was able to point out Applejack. They called out to her, but she seemed to have disappeared. Applejack, the one who they knew had made this triumphant moment possible, was all but gone…

"But where to?" they all silently wondered? "Where…?"

~~~

A heavy fog had begun to settle in the thick of the woods. That, coupled with the darkness of the night, made the path ahead difficult to see. Applejack stumbled several times, but would not allow herself to slow down. She galloped at full speed, a bouquet of daisies in her teeth and a look of panic on her face. She knew full well that she was already late, and that her efforts were most likely in vain, but miracles happen, and she was praying that one would bless her that night.

At last, through the fog, the sight of the large white iron gates that she had been hoping to see came into view. They were wide open. Applejack thanked her lucky stars and pressed on. "I'm comin' Ma n' Pa," she told herself.

As soon as she finished that thought, however, a loud squeaking sound reached her ears. It was the sound of iron scraping against iron. Applejack feared she knew what the sound was, but refused to believe it, until the sight before her confirmed her suspicions.

The iron gate - it was beginning to close. And with Applejack mere yards from reaching it.

"No!" The word echoed in her head. She gritted her teeth and sprinted ever faster, her eyes wide with anxiety. The bouquet of daises slipped from her teeth and fell behind her, but she couldn't be bothered to turn back for it. The gate, it was so close, yet so close to being shut. Would she make it? Could she? How could she not? She had to. Nothing, she decided, was going to keep her from breaching that gate.

"Hold it!"

A stunned Applejack forced her hooves into the dirt to stop herself. She came inches from crashing into the beige male pony that had stepped so suddenly from the fog in front of her.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but visiting hours are over. We're locking up."

As if in response his words, the sound of the white gate slamming shut pierced the air. Applejack stood there silent, an expression of pure shock. It took several seconds for the expression to melt into one of grief.

"Awfully sorry ma'am, but we do have rules," the male pony said in an unsympathetic tone.

Applejack didn't reply. She merely stood, looking straight through him at the gates. The shut and locked gates. The gates that, had she arrived just one minute earlier, would have been wide open for her to enter through.

"Ready to head home, Diggs?" came another male voice from the left. Applejack snapped out of her trance and looked over. There she saw another, much older beige male stallion hooked up to a loaded carriage. He looked excited about something, albeit very tired. "Been a long day. You gotta go visit your folks now. It's Parents' Day, remember?"

"Sure thing, Mort" said the pony named Diggs. "Lemme just finish dealing with this young mare here." He turned back to Applejack. "Ma'am?"

Applejack swiveled her head toward him. She felt so numb that even that basic maneuver took effort.

"Did you hear me before? We've locked up for the day. No more entry allowed. I apologize. Good night."

Applejack heard him, but needed to let his words sink in for a moment. Once they did, she felt a spark ignite within her. The numbness she felt was beginning to be replaced by a hot anger. "No," she said, barely above a whisper.

"I beg your pardon?"

"No," she replied more loudly. "I refuse to hear this. Let me in there."

"Ma'am, it's past 9:30 pm. Visitor's hours usually end at 9:00, but we had a bit of a delay. In a sense, you had a whole extra half-hour to get here on time. You didn't. So, I'm afraid you're going to have to turn back."

"No!" She stood tall and stamped her hoof. "I gotta get in there now! Ya hear me? Open this gate! Don't make me applebuck you into orbit!"

Diggs took a step back at her outburst. "Easy now, ma'am. You can come back tomorrow morning at 6:00. That's when visiting hours start…"

"And we can walk you home if you'd like!" the stallion named Mort called out. "It's the least we can do for ya."

"Ya'll don't understand!" Applejack protested more angrily than ever. "It can't wait 'til tomorrow!"

"I'm sure it can. Now for the last time, good night," was all Diggs replied. He turned and started to head toward his partner, clearly ready to go home.

At last, Applejack let it all spill out. "But my Ma n' Pa are in there! And it's Parents' Day!"

Diggs suddenly froze in place. Mort bit his lip. The two looked at each other for a moment, unsure of what to say or do.

"I haven't had a chance to visit them today," Applejack continued, struggling to get the words out over the lump in her throat. "Please, just let me in for two minutes! ONE minute! That's all I need! Please…!"

After a short while, Mort finally spoke up. "Err, not to be disrespectful, ma'am… but what prevented you from coming earlier?"

Applejack took a couple deep breaths. This quelled her boiling rage just enough to maintain some composure. "Well… My family and I hosted the first ever Parents' Day Festival this year. I would have come earlier, but I was so darn busy makin' sure everything went smooth as margarine…"

"Ah, I see…" Mort replied. "I heard they held the festival at Sweet Apple Acres. So you're of the Apple family, then?"

"Yes sir."

"Love your family's apples. Always have. Especially the red delicious!"

Applejack managed a faint smile. "Thank ya kindly… But there's actually an even bigger reason than that. See, my five best friends were at the festival too, but they all had some issues with their own parents that needed some workin' out. I had to do what I could to help, ya know? I wanted to make sure they all had a good Parents' Day, too…"

Mort bit his lip again. "Even before yourself?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"Yes. In the end, I think they all got what they wanted. I was awfully happy to see it. Mainly for them, o' course, but also partly for me. Cuz I knew that meant it was now my turn to enjoy my Parents' Day, too…"

Mort swallowed and looked at the ground, a deep sympathy in his eyes. Applejack surveyed the scene, and saw that Diggs seemed to have vanished.

Mort unhooked himself from his carriage and slowly trotted over to Applejack. He looked her in the eyes. "You helped others make their day special. Bless you for that..." He then closed his eyes and shook his head. "However, as much as I want to help you with the same, I simply can't." He turned to the enormous white gate. "I would open her up for you right now if I could. I'd wait outside for you, however long you needed. I promise you that."

He turned his body so that his hind legs were facing the gate. "But this gate is sealed every night by a magic spell." He raised a hind leg and gave it a swift kick. A flash of green light rippled from the point of impact outward all along the gate. A force field. "This spell is timed, you see. Activates when the gate shuts at night, deactivates at 5:00 every morning. I wouldn't know nothin' about how it works, though. Just an Earth Pony, like you. Can't do nothin' about it. But believe me, if I could, I would."

Applejack sighed heavily once again. The fruitlessness of the situation was beginning to dawn on her. Her steaming anger had dissipated. All that filled her heart now was despair. "I appreciate the kind words, sir. But I woulda never asked you to wait for me. After all, I'll bet you've been workin' all day. You deserve a chance to see your own parents, just like anypony else."

"Oh, I've already had my chance," he responded. A bittersweet smile formed on his face. "My mom and dad are in there, too."

Applejack's eyes went wide. She stared knowingly into his for a few seconds. At that point, she felt she could take no more. She lowered her head in sorrow.

Mort placed a gentle hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "Come," he said softly. "Like I said before, we'll take you home. It's the least we can do."

She looked up, tears already glazed over her eyes. "We?"

Mort motioned to her left. She looked. There was Diggs, a disheveled bouquet of daisies in his teeth and a softened look about him. "Are these yours, ma'am?"

Applejack hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was even worth it to take them now. Eventually, she gave a weak nod. "Yes sir. Thank you, sir." She took the daisies into her own teeth.

The three of them then trotted to the loaded carriage. Mort and Diggs attached the harnesses to their bodies. Applejack looked for a place to hook herself up, but Mort raised a hoof. "That's alright, ma'am. You can hop in the carriage. We'll cart ya, no problem."

Applejack almost felt insulted at first, but quickly realized that in their eyes, they were doing something nice for her. On top of that, she was feeling very weak again, so the thought of a ride was pleasant. Without a word, she nodded and hopped into the carriage. She lay down on top of the pile of sacks and boxes containing goodness-knows-what, making herself as comfortable as she could at that moment.

"All settled?" came Mort's voice.

She really didn't want to have to talk right then, but Applejack managed a forced, "Yeah."

With that, the carriage began to roll forward. The slight bumps and grooves in the dirt path made the ride surprisingly relaxing. Applejack felt her mind and body giving way to sleep. As her vision faded to black, she stared at the sight of the massive white gates growing further away, sinking into the mist. Looking up slightly, she barely had a chance to read the large white sign suspended above the gate before it was swallowed up by the fog for good:

AVALON FIELDS HOSPICE

Where Love and Memories Never Pass Away

14. Good-Bye and Hello

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 14: Good-Bye and Hello

_________________________________________________________________________________________

*BONG!... BONG!... BONG!...BONG!... BONG!... BONG!... BONG!... BONG!... BONG!... BONG!*

The distant sound of the Ponyville clock tower bell rippled through the air, dutifully delivering its message of "It's 10 o' clock!" all across the town and the surrounding fields. To the few guests and vendors still roaming the Parents' Day Festival grounds, eagerly trying to glean the rest of what they could from the experience, the sound carried an additional message: that it was time to go home. All the ads and promos leading up to the festival had said that it would last "until 10," and so, with the chime of the final bell, all remaining attractions began to be folded down, and all remaining families began to clear out. Within minutes, they knew, all the activity would fade into the night, and the only remnants of the Parents' Day Festival left would be ten acres of garbage to clean up and hundreds of memories to cherish.

While the life at the fairgrounds was dwindling down, however, there remained an air of excitement and energy around the barn. Apple Bloom, who knew 10 o' clock to be her usual bedtime, could simply not be made to sleep right then. She sat on a milk crate outside the barn's entrance with her elbows on her knees and her chin resting on her hooves, observing. Four Ponyville police stallions – the only ones currently on duty – had been dispatched to investigate the crime scene at the barn and the nearby tool shed. Caution tape was stretched across the entrance to both structures, and all ponies had been questioned about the events that had transpired over the course of the past few hours. The only members of the Equestrian Royal Guard still present were Shining Armor, and two other Pegasi guards bound to a caged chariot. These were the two that had originally been sent to cart Applejack to her holding cell in Canterlot while she awaited trial at Royal Court. Recent developments being what they were, though, it was now Brawn Bones who was locked in that cage, and destined for that fate. He sat on his rump inside the dark, claustrophobic box with his head hung down, facing away from everyone. As satisfying as it was to see that vicious animal locked up, Apple Bloom couldn't help but wonder to herself what his story might be. Strangely, she found herself curious even about her own curiosity.

Fluttershy and Softheart were standing near the caged transport, speaking with Shining Armor and one of the police stallions. Apple Bloom could only make out snippets of their conversation, but from what she gathered, Brawn Bones was to be put on trial for repeated domestic violence, aggravated assault against two of the wielders of the Elements of Harmony, and mail tampering, among countless other things. She didn't know what a lot of these terms meant, but just based on the horrors she saw, she knew for certain that he was a stallion that deserved to be put away for a very long time.

It shocked her greatly when she first learned that he was none other than Fluttershy's father. "How in tarnation does a scary lunatic like that have such a shy, sweet-as-sugar daughter?" she asked herself. She watched as Fluttershy calmly approached the carriage and peered through the bars at Brawn Bones, his back still turned to her. She said something inaudible. It was impossible for Apple Bloom to tell whether or not he replied. Regardless, Fluttershy placed a gentle hoof on the barrier of bars, and gave one more earnest message to him. She then turned, walked to her stepmother's side, and looked back. Then, with a whistle and a command from Shining Armor, the two Pegasi spread their wings and began to take off, trailing the caged transport and its prisoner behind them. Brawn Bones did nothing but stare through the bars and out across the plains as the chariot travelled away, growing smaller and smaller beyond the horizon until it completely vanished into the night sky. As it did, Fluttershy and Softheart watched while embracing one another tightly, the latter stroking the former's mane in a motherly manner. If one didn't know better, Apple Bloom thought, it would have been easy to assume Softheart WAS Fluttershy's mother, seeing them as they were now. "Maybe Fluttershy's kinda lucky in a way," she figured. "After all, she may have an awful daddy, but she's practically got the love of TWO moms to balance things out!"

When Fluttershy and Softheart went back to speaking with Shining Armor, Apple Bloom shifted her focus, and spotted Twilight, her parents, and Spike nearby. They were still studying one of the Apple Family star charts, this time with the chart spread out on the grass, and with Twilight providing illumination from her horn so they could see in the dark of the night. At one point, Starlight pointed to an unknown constellation in the western sky. She began to explain something when, all of a sudden, a quick breeze flew by, sweeping the large, unwieldy chart off the grass and into the air. All four of them, in a frenzied panic, leapt up and attempted to grab at the chart to pin it back down with their limbs and teeth. It didn't take long, though, for Moonlight to see the foolishness of this – he quickly cast a levitation spell and captured the chart in its hold, then lowered it back down on the grass. The two ladies looked at one another, and then laughed, embarrassed by their spazziness. Moonlight and Spike chuckled along with them.

Domicilia and Hoppin Barley, who happened to be nearby, saw the silly display of the Sparkle family, and joined in on the laughter, too. Starlight and Moonlight did not look the slightest bit on edge, and in fact exchanged a few friendly words with their fellow married couple. Within minutes, though, the Sparkles and Spike were right back to their intense studies, and Rarity's parents began to head off in another direction.

Apple Bloom traced the trajectory of Rarity's parents, and saw that they were heading toward a fallen log that Rarity and Orange Julius were sitting on. Orange Julius sat on the log leaning forward, arching his back up, while Rarity applied a rather rough-looking massage to his left shoulder blade. Sweetie Belle stood beside her older sister, carrying a bag of what appeared to be various lotions and oils that Rarity swapped between frequently. As Rarity pressed her slicked hooves on Orange Julius's shoulder, he would constantly flip between wincing in pain and sighing in euphoria. Apple Bloom stuck out her tongue, wondering why one of her favorite cousins was letting Rarity massage him like that, and why one of her best friends was helping. But then it suddenly struck her: she remembered how, during the confrontation against Brawn Bones, Sweetie Belle had attempted to flee in order to warn Shining Armor. When Brawn Bones attempted to stop her, Orange Julius had been the one to shove him out of the way, thus allowing Hopping Barley to get her to safety. Apple Bloom surmised that Orange Julius had been hurt in the encounter, and Rarity and Sweetie Belle were helping to ease the pain as an expression of gratitude. Satisfied with this explanation, Apple Bloom nodded, and quietly thanked Orange Julius for saving her friend, as well.

Rarity greeted her parents as they approached, all the while continuing to apply her massage. They greeted her back. Then, after Domicilia whispered some seemingly demanding words into Hoppin Barley's ear, he slowly trotted around to the other side of the log and faced Orange Julius. The two nodded wordlessly to one another. After a brief hesitation, Hoppin Barley rummaged through his saddle bag and withdrew two bottles of his home-brewed beer, pried the caps off with his teeth, and handed one to Orange Julius before plopping his rear end on the log himself. The two spoke briefly, and then, with nods of approval to one another, tinked their bottles together and drank. This elicited many smiles and expressions of glee from the three ladies present, even as Orange Julius gagged and discreetly spit out the disgusting brew. It appeared to Apple Bloom that Hoppin Barley was also grateful to Orange Julius for his daring rescue, and wished only to say that he had earned his respect.

Two paramedic ponies passing by with a patient on a stretcher stole Apple Bloom's attention. She recognized the patient right away – it was Aeroswift, Rainbow Dash's mother. According to bits and pieces she had heard from scattered conversations, Aeroswift's back was injured when Brawn Bones had thrown her off of his body, causing her to smack into a wooden post. The injury wasn't serious, apparently, but it had the potential to become so if left untreated, so she was to be carted to the hospital right away. Apple Bloom followed the paramedics and Aeroswift with her eyes as they hurried to their ambulance wagon parked in the clearing. Rainbow Dash and Sweetgood Mac stood by the wagon, the former leaning against her father's body, worry written across her features. The concern in her expression, however, did not seem to equal even a fraction of that in his. Even from the distance she was at, Apple Bloom could see the glisten of tears in Sweetgood Mac's eyes as he watched his aching wife pass by him on the stretcher.

Just as the medics were about to load Aeroswift into the back of the wagon, Sweetgood Mac halted them. He and Rainbow Dash then proceeded to hover by her bedside, praising her for her heroics and wishing for her to get well soon. At the end of it all, Sweetgood Mac placed a caring hoof on her shoulder and, through a faint smile, mouthed what looked to be the words, "Thank you." Aeroswift looked him in the eyes, and although she did not smile back, she placed her hoof on top of his, and very clearly responded, "You're welcome." With that, the medics calmly explained that they could not delay any longer, to which Rainbow Dash and Sweetgood Mac nodded in understanding. Aeroswift was then quickly brought into the back of the wagon, but not before giving an enthusiastic wink and hoofpump to her daughter. Rainbow Dash returned the gestures with gusto. The ambulance wagon then shut its doors and began to roll away, leaving Rainbow Dash and Sweetgood Mac to converse about whatever it was they conversed about.

The sound of voices to her immediate right made Apple Bloom turn her head that way. There she saw two police stallions exit the barn's main doors by crouching under the caution tape, talking as they did.

"We definitely found traces of the stuff on the floor," explained one. "No idea what it is, though. We'll need to send a sample to the lab to have it analyzed."

"Well, judging by the smell, it's gotta be SUPER potent. Possibly lethal in high enough doses. But who knows? Whoever injected it into that crazy pegasus cop might have actually helped things out a great deal. The royal guards said they might not have been able to restrain him if he hadn't been sedated by that stuff first…"

"You're sure he was injected with it?"

"There was a syringe hole on his left buttock. It seems to add up."

"Ah, OK. But still no idea who actually did it?"

"It happened during the whole scuffle, so no one's really sure. But we're asking around…"

As the two cops carried on with their talk, Apple Bloom happened to notice Pinkie Pie, Rock Candy, and Stone Muffin all huddled in a tight bunch just a few yards behind the cops' backs, snickering mischievously. All three of them looked at Apple Bloom. Then, Rock Candy, with a goofy grin, held up a syringe and wiggled it in the air. This led the three family members to chuckle to themselves even more, and they clearly wanted Apple Bloom to chuckle along with them. Although she did not fully understand the situation, their infectious smiles managed to bring one out of her as well.

"…So if this sedative stuff turns out to be illegal, do you think whoever injected it might be able to get off easy? Ya know, for helping the guards to take that maniac down?"

"I don't know about the ethics of the whole thing, but I'll bet you all the bits in the bank that the stuff is DEFINITELY illegal, and whoever owned it could face some charges, no matter how much good it happened to do…"

The eyes of all the members of Pinkie Pie's family went wide. Rock Candy slowly tucked the syringe away into Stone Muffin's saddlebag. Then, looking Apple Bloom's way again, they all put their hooves to their lips, urging her to remain quiet. She nodded in agreement. With that settled, the silly trio all embraced one another and, as a unit, tip-toed Looney-Tunes style around to the other side of the barn, and out of sight.

As Apple Bloom studied the families all around her, it began to make her think about the state of her own, and, by extension, her relationship with her older sister. "Ugh, Applejack…" she muttered to herself. "How could you do this to us…?"

"Well, Applejack ain't at the house…" sounded Big Macintosh's deep voice from the left. He ambled over and took a seat on the grass beside her.

Apple Bloom acknowledged him with a frown. "Hmph, so did she just go a-runnin' off in shame, then?"

Big Macintosh didn't know whether to answer with a "Ee-yup," or a "Nnn-ope". And so, he simply shrugged, clearly concerned.

Apple Bloom, however, displayed nothing but scorn. "Well she oughtta have, after what she pulled tonight! I mean, can you believe it? She said she missed out on visitin' Ma and Pa on Parents' Day cuz she needed to help all her friends to enjoy theirs first. Hogwash! I'm lookin' round right now, and everypony looks to be just fine n' dandy to me! Fluttershy n' her stepmom, Twilight n' her folks, Rarity n' hers, Rainbows Dash n' her daddy, Pinkie's family… I'm seein' nothin' but smiles n' sunshine all around!" She crossed her forelegs across her chest and pouted her lips. "If there's any family here that needs help, it's ours! And she's a PART of it! How could she just abandon it like that?!"

Big Macintosh, again, did not know whether to reply positively or negatively. He stood silent and still, observing the other families. He could see that Twilight and her kin were now engaged in talks with Fluttershy and Softheart. Their speech was inaudible, but their faces implied that the subject matter was very serious.

"…And to think, on top o' all that, she went on to ruin ma's old favorite dress, too… Ma loved that dress. I loved that dress! Applejack promised she'd hand it down to me someday. Well, looks like I can toss that dream in the compost heap. Now that that dress is all marked n' ripped n' bloodied up…"

"It only got ruined cuz Fluttershy's pa attacked her, ya know," Big Macintosh calmly explained. "Ain't her fault…"

"Well, what was she doin' gettin' involved in all that nonsense in the FIRST place?!" Apple Bloom argued. "What did she think to gain by standin' up to a big ol' stallion like that by herself? I mean, Big Mac, even YOU couldn't hold him down by yourself in there. I saw you try!"

Big Macintosh nodded in agreement. "Ee-yup..."

"I just don't see how her doin' that coulda helped her, or Fluttershy, or ANYpony. Just seems like plain ol' tomfoolery to me. Boy howdy, when she shows her face 'round here again, I'm gonna let her have it!"

Big Macintosh sighed and shook his head. He then turned to address the Sparkle family, Fluttershy, and Softheart, as he saw them all approaching.

"So, Big Mac," Twilight said, leading the group, "was Applejack at home?"

Big Macintosh shook his head again. "Nnn-ope."

Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged worried glances. The latter spoke up right away. "She's not home? Oh my… Where could she have gone?"

"What does it matter?!" Apple Bloom blurted out. "For all I care, she shoulda been carted off to jail right along with that other brute!"

Twilight's jaw dropped upon hearing Apple Bloom's comment. It was as heated and sharp as a tempered blade. "Apple Bloom! How could you say that?! She's your big sister! She's family!"

"Coulda fooled me," the filly snapped back. "You oughtta be remindin' HER what the word 'family' means! I'm serious – she should be thrown right in jail! It oughtta be a CRIME to not see your own parents on Parents' Day!"

"I beg your pardon?" Softheart asked, stepping up next to Fluttershy. "Did… you just say Applejack didn't see her parents tonight?"

Apple Bloom closed her eyes and turned away. "Wish it wasn't so… but it's true."

"What?!" Twilight gasped. "That's unbelievable! She has to have seen them! How could she not?"

"I'm afraid Applejack told me the same, Twily," Shining Armor chimed in. "She mentioned something about 9:00 pm being her 'deadline' as far as being able to see her parents, but by then, it was already well past that hour."

"But… But why? What could possibly possess her to forsake her own parents on a night like this?!"

"Well, apparently," Apple Bloom explained, giving Twilight, Fluttershy, and their respective relations a rather cold eye, "she was tryin' to help all of YOU."

"Huh?" Fluttershy queried, looking to Softheart, "But… That doesn't make any sense. I mean, yeah, Applejack DID help us tonight. A lot. More than we could have ever asked for. But… Still, it's not like it took her all night. She should have still had time to go see her own mom and dad…"

"Indeed," Softheart continued, "there were very long stretches of time where we didn't see or hear from her. I assumed that, during one of those stretches, she had found the time to go."

"Now, hold on," Starlight said inquisitively, "Applejack was trying to help us? Do what, exactly? I mean, she told us about her family's harvest-predicting star charts, but that's about it…"

Twilight, ever since hearing Apple Bloom's claim, had been deep in thought. She tried to remember every moment she had seen Applejack that night, and everything that Applejack had said and done. Trying to 'help'? Could that have meant…? "Mom, I think what Apple Bloom means to say is… Applejack was trying to help mend everypony's familial problems so that we could all enjoy the holiday..."

Starlight and Moonlight both returned quizzical stares. "I don't understand," the former stated. "What issues? And what do you mean she was trying to 'mend' them?"

"Mom, don't tell me you've never noticed," Twilight said, taking a step towards her. "Ever since you and dad gave up on astronomy so long ago, you've been pushing Shining Armor and I down career paths that we didn't necessarily choose for ourselves. It's like what we wanted didn't matter; it's like you didn't want us to pursue our true dreams because you yourself didn't get to realize yours. You just seemed so… empty, and unfulfilled. When you gave up what you loved, you gave up love itself…" Twilight turned her gaze from her mother and towards the distant farmhouse. "Applejack recognized that. And it pained her to see my relationship with my parents be so broken. She wanted to fix it. And she knew the only way to do so was to remind you and dad of your long-lost passion, and to help you realize that it was a passion that I possessed, too… That it was something we could share together." She pulled the blue telescope from her saddlebag and held it out for both her parents to see. "Do you remember how she convinced us to ride the Ferris wheel? She gave this to me just before we boarded, and told me that when we reached the top, I would know what to do. Don't you see? She wanted us to witness the Violet Veneer together. She wanted to revive that passion in all of us, not just for astronomy, but for each other…"

"But Twilight, sweetie," Starlight argued, "we only got to see the Violet Veneer so clearly because the Ferris wheel just happened to malfunction as we were at the top of it. Surely, you're not implying that Applejack is responsible for that, too."

"You underestimate her resourcefulness, mom. I fact, I KNOW she's responsible for that. And the marketing idea she told us about when we got down? I'm positive that, when she was pitching the idea, she wasn't thinking about how much it would benefit the farm. No, she was thinking about how much it would benefit US. Our family. She did all that planning, went through all that trouble… just because she couldn't stand to see us unhappy on Parents' Day."

Starlight stared with upturned eyebrows and a sad twinkle in her eye. He looked to her husband. "Moonlight, dear… You're good at reading ponies. Is what Twilight is saying true? Does Applejack seem the type to do such things?"

Moonlight closed his eyes and thought for a minute. When he reopened them, his curt reply was, "I believe so."

Starlight looked at the ground, a rare hint of humility in her features. "Oh my…" She removed her glasses and turned away from the group. Moonlight and Shining Armor walked up to her sides to tend to her.

Apple Bloom was ready to make another remark, but was surprised to see Rainbow Dash, Sweetgood Mac, the entirety of Rarity's family, and Orange Julius approaching as a group. Rarity and Orange Julius noticed Apple Bloom's pouty demeanor, and walked up to her. "Apple Bloom, darling, you look positively dreadful!"

"Yeah. What's the matter, cousin Bloomie?"

Apple Bloom didn't look at either one. "Applejack. That's the matter," was all she said.

"What about her?" Rainbow Dash asked. "And where'd she go, anyway?"

"We don't know," Twilight replied. "She's nowhere around the crime scene, and she's not at home. But wherever she is, we all owe her a humungous thanks. Rainbow Dash, Rarity… She sacrificed her visit with her parents tonight in order to help all of us!"

"WHAT?!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "No way! How could she do that?!"

"She's certainly a compassionate one," Sweetgood Mac mused. "And she did spend a good amount of time with our family trying to help, err, get us out of the rut we were in… But, I would never have expected her to leave her OWN family behind just to help ours. That… almost transcends nice. That's the type of self-sacrifice reserved only for the holiest of saints. If what you're saying is true, that girl deserves a halo and angel's wings!"

"Oh, our poor, sweet Applejack!" Rarity cried, raising a calf theatrically to her forehead, "Why, the only way this could be more dramatic is if it turned out that she just secretly set me up with her cousin in order to somehow ease the tensions within MY family!"

Orange Julius and Domicilia exchanged glances. "Uh, Rarity," said the former, slightly embarrassed, "that's… actually EXACTLY what happened."

Rarity's mouth went agape. "WHAT?! How could that-!?" She whipped around to face her parents. "Mother, father, is this true?!"

Hoppin Barley simply shrugged. "Accordin' to your mother, yeah. Not that I have anything against it. Orange Julius has proven himself to be A-OK in my book!"

"I agree wholeheartedly," Domicilia answered, "and that is exactly what Applejack wanted - to introduce you to a suitor that both you AND us would like! And beyond that, she imparted to me some wonderful advice that I won't soon forget. Clearly, she is a pony wise beyond her years. So don't be upset at her for keeping the set-up a secret, dearie. She was only trying to make us all happy."

"Upset?! Oh, heavens, no!" Rarity exclaimed gleefully, brushing up close to the beaming Orange Julius. "Applejack has just orchestrated a fantasy-come-true for me. How could I be upset? I've never been more thrilled in my LIFE!" From her dramatically cheery stance, she suddenly drooped down, feeling a small hole be punched into her breast. "Why, if there's anything UNpleasant about the whole thing, it's that I just feel absolutely AWFUL for Applejack. Why, it's as if she just tore out a great, big chunk of her own happiness and handed it right to us. And without asking for anything in return... Oh, how could any of us EVER repay her?"

"APPLEJACK TORE OUT A CHUNK OF HERSELF?!" sounded a surprised voice from the left. Everyone swiveled their heads to see Pinkie Pie, Rock Candy, and Stone Muffin, all having appeared out of nowhere in typical fashion. The one who had just hollered was Rock Candy.

Stone Muffin clocked him on the back of the head with her hoof. "No, you dumb brandy-for-blood!" she scolded. "She was talking about a metaphor! Saying that Applejack sacrificed all her time and fun on Parents' Day just so everypony else could enjoy theirs!"

"Oooooh!" Rock Candy replied drolly. A few seconds later, his eyes went dim and his lip sagged. "Uhh… Who's Applejack again?"

"My super-duper great friend, daddy!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "The one who gave you guys the beer on the top of the barn! The one who spun around and around and around with us IN the barn! The one who was responsible for bringing you and mom here in the first place!"

Rock Candy just blinked a few times.

Stone Muffin rolled her eyes and groaned. "The chick with the gnarly wound on her flank who almost got arrested."

"Oh YEEEAH!" Rock Candy yelled with excited eyes. "She was cool!"

"Seriously, she was," Stone Muffin said glumly. "Almost TOO cool. Too cool for us anyway. I mean, did she really blow off her own parents just so WE could have a good time? Man… I feel so lousy now. Why would she give up so much just to help a bunch of aimless, party-hardy losers like us?"

"Because Applejack wouldn't care about that, mommy," Pinkie Pie replied sincerely. "When she saw me, sad that you two weren't here with me on Parents' Day, she did what it took to make sure you DID come. Because rich or poor, smart or dumb, serious or silly… None of those distinctions matter to her. She sees only what we all have in common: in need of love, and compassion, and family. She wanted that for us, mom and dad…" She did a sweep of the whole group, making eye contact with every pony as she did. "She wanted that for ALL of us."

Some of the ponies in the group looked morosely at the ground. Others looked up into the sky, as though searching for an answer among the stars. Others looked at one another, with visages that ranged from apologetic, to blissful, to deeply understanding. Regardless of their manners of expressing it, however, they all shared the same heavy, collective sentiment in their hearts: That all the joy they had experienced, and all the wisdom they had gained that night, was all thanks to Applejack, and her unbelievably selfless efforts. The fact that she was not even there for them to express their gratitude to made the situation all the more somber.

One angry voice, however, soon broke the silence. It was that of Apple Bloom, who jumped up on all fours onto her crate and yelled with moist eyes. "Great Gallopin' Gotlands, I can't believe what I'm hearin'! How can ya'll go on n' on about how GREAT and WONDERFUL and HIGH-FALUTIN'LY AWESOME Applejack is?! She abandoned US to help YA'LL, when WE needed her the most! I dunno 'bout the lot of you, but that's pretty much the opposite of great to me!" She leapt off her crate and began to trot away in haste, her lips quivering. "If ya'll wanna keep up your Applejack praise party, go on ahead. I'm outta here. Can't take another minute…"

Big Macintosh put a hoof to his mouth in worry. "Whoa nelly, not good," he mouthed. With a quick nod of the head to all the present families, he trotted ahead to catch up with his troubled sister, leaving them all to discuss the ponderous events of the night and what it meant for all of their futures…

~~~

The night was dark, still, and silent as the grave. Apple Bloom lay on her back atop her bed, staring at the ceiling through dry, bloodshot eyes, completely unable to close them. She studied the star-themed decorations that adorned the ceiling, the highlight of which being a single shooting star that stretched long and wide from one corner of the room to the other. Normally these images, which conjured up fantasies of her floating weightlessly through space, brought her peace and ease of mind. That night, however, she felt grounded as a stone. Granny Smith and Big Macintosh, she figured, were already fast asleep. She envied them. She feared nothing would be bringing her peace anytime soon.

She heard the distant sound of the Ponyville clock tower chime once again. This time, she heard eleven distinct bongs. 11 pm… and as far as she knew, Applejack had still not returned home. She turned onto her side and moaned to herself. "I hope she never comes home…" the bitter part of her thought aloud.

A mysterious sound then reached her ears. It was very faint at first, but as it grew ever-louder, she thought it to be the sound of wooden carriage wheels, as though someone was making a late-night delivery to their front door. The sound stopped, causing the air to hold its breath for a good full minute, before starting up again. This time, it grew further away, becoming fainter and fainter until the silence of the night swallowed it up. Immediately after, she heard the sounds of the front door opening and closing slowly, then soft and delicate hoofsteps ascending the stairs, concluding with the door to the bedroom next to hers – Applejack's – opening and closing as well.

"She came home…" Apple Bloom breathed to herself, at once subtly relieved and bone-wrenchingly furious. The latter emotion quickly took hold of her, and without a second's thought, she leapt up and out of bed. "Who does that pony think she is?!" she asked internally. "Thinks she can just pull a vanishing act like that to avoid gettin' a scoldin'? Well, I'll show 'er! I'll show 'er right NOW!" She stepped into the hallway and trotted over to her sister's bedroom door. As she quietly put her hoof on the knob, turned it, and opened it a crack, she took in a deep breath, ready to unleash the acidic torrent of heated emotion that for too long had been brewing inside her tiny body…

When Apple Bloom peaked in through the door crack, however, what she saw and heard caused that torrent to go rushing right back in the opposite direction, choking her, and stopping her dead in her tracks.

If there was one thing Applejack had always prided herself on not being, it was a crier. If there was one thing their mother and father had always taught all their children to strive not to be, it was a crier. Applejack had always followed that principle religiously, and Apple Bloom well knew it. She swore she would see the heavens fall to the earth before ever seeing her big sister weep. And yet, at that moment, she saw what her mind could never fully conceive. The way Applejack slouched on her knees, with her head buried in her forelegs atop her bed, crying her soul out… Every muffled sob made Apple Bloom's heart sink further into the abyss of her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, perhaps some words of sympathy, but another sudden wail from Applejack clamped her lips shut. Unable to look or listen anymore, she stepped back, and quietly closed the door. She shuddered and swallowed heavily. The heavens had fallen.

Apple Bloom slowly, dizzily, made her way back into her own room and climbed into her own bed. She could still faintly hear the sound of her sister's choking cries as she pulled the covers up to her chin. She stared at the ceiling through dry, bloodshot eyes, completely unable to close them. No peace would be coming to her that night, she knew. This time, though, she was certain that the cause was not anger…

~~~

"C'mon darlin', you know the fastest way to Appleloosa is through Crackety Canyon! If we just hike by hoof, we can get there a whole day before the train ever could."

"You're nuttier than a silo o' cashews! You expect us each to haul two-hundred pound carriages o' apples over all them rocks n' ridges? The hassle alone would cost us more time AND energy! Assuming we even made it through that death terrain ALIVE!"

"But it'd save us money, too! Think 'bout it – the railroad would charge us for a whole boxcar just to store these apples. We ain't got the budget for that right now. So c'mon, let's just rough it n' hike. That'll mean a hundred percent profit!"

"I don't see the profit in exhausting ourselves right into a coma. There was a time when we used to do be able to do that kinda thing, baby, but we ain't so young anymore. Heck, that ankle injury you got when you was a teen is startin' to bother you all over again! Face it – we ain't the delivery ponies we used to be. And we DO have enough money nowadays to afford a boxcar. Let's just take it easy on ourselves for once."

"I can't be bothered with all that. This is too big n' important a delivery to be lazy about. We oughtta make it as speedy and punctual as possible."

"Yes, it IS a big n' important delivery. All the more reason why would should be more careful, with the cargo AND our own bodies, to make sure it and we all get there in one piece!"

"I ain't arguin' about this no more…"

"Neither am I."

"Good."

"Good indeed. So let's go – we're catchin' the next train."

"What?! Whoa now, darlin', you listen here…!"

"Ma! Pa! Are you leavin' already?!"

"Applejack! Goodness, girly, what're you doin' up so early?"

"Oh, I was just practicin' my applebuckin'. I just knocked down EIGHT apples with one kick! I already done beat my record from last night!"

"Is that right? Well shoot, wrap me in bacon n' call me sassafras. You're dynamite!"

"Hehe, thanks pa! Wanna come see?"

"Aww… I'd love to, baby doll, but I'm afraid we gotta be hittin' the road… Just as soon as I can convince your ma to take the FASTER delivery route."

"Yeah, but first I'll need to convince your PA to take the SAFER one…"

"Hmm… Say, baby doll, what do YOU think? Which route should your ma and I take?"

"Umm…. Uhhh… Well, if ya'll take the faster route, does that mean you'll get home sooner?"

"Why yes, we certainly would! An EXCELLENT point! Wouldn't ya say, darlin'?"

"Hmph, sure, but it's not like there's some big ol' occasion we need to rush home in time for…"

"But ma, there is! Parents' Day is next week!"

"Oh, a-NOTHER excellent point our baby's just made! C'mon darlin', would you miss Parents' Day just to be able to play this delivery more safe?"

"Oh, come off it, now! YOU'RE the one who promised our client that we could have this delivery there next week in the first place! …Besides, sugar dimple, Parents' Day is nice n' all, but I really don't see it as such a grand occasion. I mean, what's the point in settin' aside just a single day to say 'thank you' to your own folks? In my opinion, everypony should be doin' that EVERY day…"

"But ma, Parents' Day's always a heap o' fun!"

"Yeah, darlin'! BUCKETS o' fun! And c'mon, we all know it ain't about the sentiment, it's about the PARTY! And my ma's got a big one planned this year. C'mon, let's take the quick route so we can be home in time for it. I promise, we'll make it through OK."

"Please, can ya go the faster way, ma? Pleeease?"

"Oooooh, why do you two always gotta gang up on me like this? *Sigh*… Alright, ya'll got me on my knees. I'll do it. But Applejack, sweetie, ya gotta understand – the fast route is very difficult, so there's a chance your pa and I might not be able to make it back on time anyway."

"Really? You're gonna miss Parents' Day no matter what?"

"Your pa and I will do our best, but we can't guarantee anythin', I'm afraid."

"But that's not fair! How can we not see you on Parents' Day?! Everypony else is seein' theirs! Pa, you promise you can make it back, right?"

"Hate to admit it, baby doll, but your ma has a point… I'd like to be able to make that promise, but we can't see the future. We only try as hard as we can."

"…Well shucks, this stinks worse than a fertilized bean field…"

"Aww, we're sorry, sweetheart. Your pa and I both are. But like I said, at the end of it all, Parents' Day is really only an arbitrary holiday; just like any other day, except with a special name slapped on it. Applejack, you love your pa and I just as much on ANY day of the year, don't ya?"

"Of course I do, ma! I guess I never thought of that…"

"That's a good girl… But ya know what? I'm feelin' kinda gracious today, so I'll tell ya what: just in case we come back a lil' tardy, I got a special pre-Parents' Day present, just for you."

"Really? What is it?! What are you diggin' for in your suitcase there?"

"It's a surprise! Just close your eyes for a spell. And no peekin'!"

"OK, not peekin', ma!"

"Good. Alright, let's see, uhh… I thought it was… somewhere around… Ah, here we are! OK sweetheart, on the count o' three, go ahead n' open your eyes. Ya ready?"

"Hehehe, yep!"

"Alrighty, here we go. One… Two… Three!"

"Oh! WOOOOW! Ma, it's your pretty white dress!"

"Darn tootin'! And it's all YOURS now, sweetie."

"But ma, this is your favorite dress! You used to wear it all the time!"

"Yeah, USED TO is right. I thought about takin' it with me on this trip, but who am I kiddin'? I ain't worn it in over a year, and I'll bet a million smackers I don't even fit in it no more... I spent a lot of pleasant evenings with your pa in this dress, including our wedding night. But I reckon it's about time I handed it down. Go on, Applejack. It's your turn to spend your OWN pleasant evenings in it."

"Oh, ma! This is the most wonderfullest pre-Parents' Day present EVER! Thank you thank you THANK YOU!"

"A thousand times welcome, sugar pie. I'll bet you're still too small to fit in it, but I reckon until you're big enough, you can play dress-up with it in your room or somethin'. Just be careful not to rip or dirty it up TOO much, OK? You'll want it to look nice n' pretty for when you can actually wear it out!"

"Hehehe, alrighty, ma. I promise I'll take good care of it forever and ever!"

"Glad to hear it, sweetie… Anyhoo, the day's growin' old. Your pa n' I better be on our way, now. Gotta put some road behind us."

"Really? But… I don't want ya'll to leave yet…"

"Awfully sorry, baby doll, but remember: the sooner your ma n' I head out, the more likely we'll be able to make it back in time for Parents' Day! And I'm sure you want that, don't ya?"

"Oh, more than anything, pa! I want ya'll to come back so you can see me at Granny Smith's party wearin' ma's purty white dress!"

"We would absolutely love that! Just as long as you only wear that dress indoors, ya hear?"

"Loud n' clear, pa!"

"Hahaha! Alrighty… Well, I reckon this is good-bye for now, baby doll. We'll see you next week – hopefully by Parents' Day, but if not, definitely the day after. OK?"

"OK… I'm gonna miss you…"

"Oooh, uh-oh, uh-oh, looks like someone's 'bout to turn on the waterworks! C'mon now, baby cakes, don't you cry. Tell me, what are daddy's rules about cryin'?"

"Umm… *sniffle*… number one: It's OK to cry for other ponies, but never cry for yourself."

"That's right. And rule number 2?"

"…Number 2: If somethin' happens that pushes rule number one, it's OK to shed one or two tears, just to remind everypony that you have a soul, but then ya gotta dry 'em up and move along."

"Right again. So hey, looks like you've just shed one tear there. You shed another, and you gotta promise that it'll be your last one, OK?"

"…*Gulp*… It's OK, pa. I ain't gonna cry no more. I'm fine. Don't worry."

"That's my tough lil' lady!"

"I'm still gonna miss you, though…"

"Awww, we're gonna miss you too, cutie. But you remember what to do when you miss mommy n' daddy, right?"

"Yup! I sing the lullaby!"

"Ding ding! That's correct! So hey, can you sing it for your ma n' I once real quick, just so we know you ain't forgotten the words?"

"Sure thing, pa! *Ahem*… Far and away in the night sky; A shooting star brightly flies by; Although we had to say good-bye; Look up above and remember; Though we are far in the background; We're bound eternally somehow; Watching the same star fly by now; Spirits and hearts together!"

"Yee-haw! That was beautiful! Bravo! Encore!"

"Goodness, sweetie pie, when did your voice become so gorgeous!?"

"Aw shucks, ma n' pa, you're makin' me redder n' a ripe Ambrosia!"

"Glad we could leave ya on a happy note, baby doll. Now come on, give your ma n' pa a big ol' hug before we head off, OK?"

"OK! Here I come! BIG HUG!"

"Hahaha, awww, we're gonna miss you, sweetie. But we'll be back as soon as we can. You be good for Granny Smith and Big Mac until then, OK?"

"OK, ma!"

"And keep practicin' your applebuckin'. And your wonderful singin'! OK?"

"OK, pa!"

"Alrighty, off we go. Love you, Applejack."

"Love you both, too! Hope to see you on Parents' Day…!"

~~~

The moon and stars still hung in the sky overhead as the containment spell around the iron white gates dissipated, allowing the gateway to slowly and majestically swing open. Applejack gave a quick and thankful good-bye wave to Mort and Diggs, who waved back before pulling their cart through the gates and heading toward an open field to begin their work day. Applejack yawned, for she was operating only on a few hours of sleep, but her determination drove her to trot through the gateway, and make a start towards the Avalon Fields Hospice.

It was only a few minutes past 5:00 am, and visitors normally weren't allowed in the facility for another hour. However, even though the gates only opened at 5:00 for employees, Mort and Diggs had agreed to let Applejack in at the same time as them, as a way of making amends for what had happened the previous night. She was truly grateful to them, for while an extra hour may not have seemed like much of a difference to anyone on the outside, she knew that, given her circumstances, every last minute was crucial.

Applejack made haste along the curvy dirt path that wove through the beautifully tended lily and rose gardens. It was not long before she approached the facility itself; a modestly-sized, but incredibly pristine white building with a peaceful little fountain in the courtyard and a silver sign above the main entry doors displaying the name. She trotted through the doors, ignored the receptionist at the front desk, headed up two flights of stairs, and immediately spotted the room she was aiming for: Room 308.

A nurse that Applejack recognized was just exiting the room. She walked up to her silently and greeted her. "Mornin', Aloe Vera."

Aloe Vera looked shocked to see her. "Oh! Good morning, Applejack. How are you?"

"Well, good as I can be, all things considered. Yourself?"

"Umm… A little surprised, to be honest. I beg your pardon. Visitors usually aren't allowed in here this early."

"I got special permission," Applejack lied, "on account o' my not bein' able to see my ma n' pa last night…" She gestured with her head towards the door to the room. "…So how's he doin'?"

Aloe Vera nodded with a blank face. "Stable. For now. He's actually asleep at the moment." She gazed at Applejack curiously. "Your grandmother and siblings all came by last night. But you didn't? Why not?"

"I wanted to, but I was a mite busy hostin' the Parents' Day Festival at the farm."

"I see… But why come so early today? You couldn't wait until 6:00 am when visiting hours actually begin? You could get kicked out if you're caught here right now."

"Again, I woulda waited, but I've got a full work day ahead o' me cleanin' up the farm now that the festival's all wrapped up. I won't get another chance today, plain n' simple. And you and I both know how precious little time he has left. I can't waste a single minute no more. Please, let me stay…"

Aloe Vera darted her eyes up and down the hallway nervously. She then leaned in close. "OK, go on in. Just keep a low profile until 6 o'clock. I'll cover for you."

"I'll be outta here by then, but thank you. Thank you kindly."

"Certainly."

With that, Applejack gave a curt nod. Aloe Vera did so in return, then turned and walked away to attend to her other duties.

Applejack proceeded to slowly open the door to Room 308. The air was silent, save for the humming of the air conditioner, and the lights were off, the only source of illumination being the beam of light leaking in from the brightly-lit hallway. The more she opened the door, the wider the beam became, and the more she could see. It first revealed nothing but tiled floor and blue wallpaper, but soon grew to encompass the foot of a singular bed with lime green covers, which barely covered a set of familiar red hooves.

Another slight push on the door, and the light now illuminated the full bed, revealing a red stallion with a shaggy brown mane lying under the blanket, breathing quick and rapid breaths in his slumber. His body showed signs of having been very muscular at one time, but those muscles had all atrophied away as a result of being bedridden for months, leaving behind a physique of nothing but bone, skin, and a bit of fat around the belly. He bore a handsome face, with many wrinkles that would imply a lifetime of smiles and laughs, but that now seemed to express nothing but pain and exhaustion. Even in his sleep, the basic bodily functions of breathing and pumping blood appeared to take great effort. Applejack swallowed deeply upon seeing him. "Good gravy, he looks a heap worse than when I last saw him…" she thought to herself. She stepped into the room, and closed the door behind her just enough so that there was still some light with which to see. She tip-toed up to the bedside, and when she stood over him, looked down upon his ragged, sleeping face. With a struggled smile, she spoke softly. "Mornin' pa."

Her attention then shifted to a nearby corner of the room, which was obscured by a layer of darkness due to it not being within the hallway's light beam. In the corner was a small nightstand, atop which stood a decorative red urn adorned with golden apples. Sitting at the foot of the urn was a single framed photograph. Applejack addressed it hoarsely. "Mornin', ma…"

The photograph depicted the beautiful, joyful face of a yellow-hided mare wearing a ten gallon hat over a hairstyle identical to Applejack's own, save for her mane having the color and purity of fresh, dew-coated oranges. Her whole expression, from her toothy grin, to her crinkled nose, to her shining eyes, radiated with life, lighting up the dim corner of the room, and eliciting a small but genuine smile from Applejack.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, sliding her gaze back and forth between the two. "I reckon I owe ya'll an explanation… I mean, I'm sure Apple Bloom already gave you her own last night, but trust me, she don't know the half of it…" She hesitated a moment while she gathered her thoughts. "Ya see, as I'm sure everypony else already mentioned, we hosted the first ever annual Parents' Day Festival right on our very own Sweet Apple Acres, and I was the main hostess. Oh, it was mighty grand, I tell ya! There was a whole gaggle o' food, shops, games, rides, entertainment… More n' you could shake a stick at! And so many happy faces, to boot. I couldn't tell ya how much it warmed my lil' heart to see so many ponies of all ages, from all walks o' life, enjoyin' the company of their mommies n' daddies. After all, like you always told us, ma, 'You may run into a mare or stallion one day that seems different from you in every way, but guaranteed, just like you, they've got somepony in their life that they call mama. They fear her, and they love her.' Right on the money, as usual, ma!"

The mare in the photograph smiled back.

Applejack raised her hoof and gently caressed her sleeping father's shoulder. "…But my excuse ain't just limited to havin' to overlook the festival. The truth's quite a bit more personal… Do ya'll remember Parents' Day last year? When we stopped at that one party real quick in the afternoon?"

Her father shifted and made a soft moan. Applejack took this a positive response, even though she knew better. "I introduced you to my friends that day. My five best friends. It's a cryin' shame we didn't get to spend more time with 'em that day, on account of you havin' to go make a delivery n' all, but believe me when I say, behind the two o' you and the rest of the Apples, they've been the most important ponies I've met in my entire life. They are my personal extended family, and I'd wager dollars to donuts that, if only you'd gotten to know 'em better, you'd have welcomed right into the family, too. And that's exactly why I so desperately wanted to help them last night…"

Another long hesitation. Both her mother and father waited patiently for her to continue.

"…I couldn't tell ya how ecstatic I was to finally get the chance to meet all their parents last night. The fantasy in my head was all six of us, surrounded by our smilin', proud, lovin' mothers n' fathers, eatin' the good food, havin' the good fun, and makin' good friends with each other, thereby creatin' some kinda huge, super-extending MEGA family, ya know? Hahaha!" Her brief smile quickly went flat. "Oh… But my oh my, how my expectations were crushed to dust when I finally met them all… Twilight's parents were overly critical and judgmental; Rainbow Dash's would never stop fightin' over her; Rarity's kept smotherin' her with icky suitors; Pinkie Pie's were neglectful druggies; and Fluttershy – Gosh golly! – her daddy was a maniacal, abusive monster that kept her and her stepma crushed under his iron hoof! Needless to say, I could see all these problems, and the sadness and pain that they brought to each of my best friends. To see 'em havin' to deal with such deep, far-reaching parental conflicts, on Parents' Day… I felt like if there was any greater justice in the universe, it would right this wrong. Then, somehow or another, I decided to take the role of that greater justice m'self, and set out to help 'em all out. It was a brutal night, in more ways than one… As a matter of fact, ma, you're prolly wonderin' what happened to your dress. Yep, that there is blood on it, and that THERE is a part of it wrapped 'round the wound on my flank. I took that blow from Fluttershy's daddy to achieve my goals. I'm so sorry, ma… I know you loved this dress. I did too. But it was the price that had to be paid. I hope you can forgive me…"

The photographed mare's smile indicated that, yes, all was understood, and forgiven.

"At the end of it all, though, I sure like to believe I made some difference. I ain't claimin' to be no Messiah, but I think that through my efforts, everypony closed out the day just… a little bit wiser. A bit more compassionate. A bit more ready to examine their parent-child relationships, face their flaws, and promise to work on 'em in the future. It's a lofty dream, I know, but sometimes, all that it takes is a single night to change one's life. Maybe, for my friends and their folks, last night may have been the one. That, in a nutshell, is why I couldn't make it here last night…"

Her father's breathing had, over the course of the past couple minutes, become much slower and more relaxed. Examining his face, she thought she could see the slits of his eyes cracking open ever so slightly.

"…But even if the experience did little to change any of their perspectives, I can positively say, ma n' pa, that my OWN did. Throughout the night, as I was runnin' round, solvin' troubles left n' right, there was only one I thing I ever had to consult; my memories of you. Both of you. All the advice you shared, all the encouragement you gave, all the… love, support, and spanks." She chuckled to herself before continuing. "All I needed to help, to put smiles on all their faces, was already inside me - and you two planted it in there. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit that it took me so long to realize that. I'm ashamed to think that I, for all the years that you were in my life, took all the wonderful things you gave me and did for me for granted. It was only after seeing my friends' problems with their moms n' dads that it really sank in just how many ways parenting can go so horribly WRONG… And how grateful I am that you two managed to get it so RIGHT…"

She hoisted her whole upper body up onto her father's bed, and carefully wrapped her forelegs around and underneath his back, pressing her head to his chest in a tight embrace. "You never stopped loving. That was it. Plain n' simple. You didn't pick n' choose the days that you did, or set no conditions for earning it… You just did. With me, you created a vessel full of all the love n' wisdom you could, and set it out into the world, to spread to others. I'm so happy to be the result of that. Thank you. Thank you so much. You were right all those years ago, ma. There ain't no point in just reserving one day outta the year to say those words to one's folks. I could say them every day. I will say them every day. Because they will always be true. Thank you, ma n' pa. Thank you for making me…" She paused, uncertain how to finish that thought. One look at her mother's beaming face, however, sparked the correct word in her mind right away. "…me."

She hugged her father for a long time, her face buried in his chest as it rose and fell with each calm breath. Although she could not see his face, she knew, somehow, that the pain in his expression had vanished.

"…When you both had your accident," Applejack said, with wet eyes and a lump in her throat, "I was crushed. I wished it had been me. I wanted to be in that casket right along with you, ma. I wanted to curl up in there with you, just fall asleep, n' never wake up. I wanted you with us too, pa. I didn't want to see you suffer. All them broken bones, blood clots, brain damage… It killed me knowing you had to live with that. That's no life. And much less so havin' to spend it in this here hospice. I wanted to convince Granny Smith to let you spend your final days at home. I wanted to scream, to riot, n' to cry…" She gripped him tighter. "But then I remembered what you taught me about cryin', pa. That it's OK to shed one or two tears, just to remind myself that I have a soul, but that after that, I gotta dry 'em up n' move on. And I'm proud to say, that's what I'm rarin' to do. I promise I won't cry no more. I'll dry my tears, and march on forward. I'll continue to be the vessel of love n' wisdom that you always wanted me to be. On this post-Parents' Day, and forever after, that's my way of honoring you."

At long last, Applejack loosened her grasp on her father's body. She slowly raised her head, and looked at his face. As she had known, it was no longer scrunched in ache, but rather was surprisingly serene, his brow unwrinkled and the corners of his lips turned ever-so-slightly upward. Her expression matched his.

"Ya know somethin', pa… earlier tonight, just as I was rarin' to set my grand plan into motion, I saw a single shooting star in the sky. And I knew, right then and there, that it was ma, guiding me, inspiring me, wishing me the best of luck." She looked to the photograph of her mother. "…But that shooting star looked lonely. She needed her companion. Her husband…" She placed her hoof over her father's heart. "I want you to be with her now, pa. And I want you to get up there soon. You go ahead and do that, OK? I'll stay here and live the best I can. I promise to meet ya'll later, after the final bell tolls. But for now, I'm ready to say good-bye, when you are…"

With her hoof still on her father's chest, she inhaled deeply. When she opened her mouth next, she let her singing voice fill the silence of the room, loud enough for both her parents to hear:

"Far and away in the night sky;
A shooting star brightly flies by;
Although we had to say good-bye;
Look up above and remember;
Though we are far in the background;
We're bound eternally somehow;
Watching the same star fly by now;
Spirits and hearts together."

As Applejack recited the final words of the song, she swore she saw her father's eyes open the tiniest amount more. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, clearly more comfortable than he had felt in a very long time.

And her mother grinned her jovial, bright-and-shining grin evermore.

Applejack knew now that it was time to leave. She removed her hoof from her father's chest, then knelt down to give him a kiss on the cheek. She then carefully trotted around the bed, towards the photograph sitting at the foot of the urn, and kissed it as well. With a nod, and a profound feeling of satisfaction, she started for the door. She turned the knob and stepped out, then took one last look into the room, before imparting her final message:

"Love you, ma. Love you, pa."

With that, she walked away, letting the door shut softly behind her.

~~~

The dawn had not yet broken when Applejack arrived at the main entrance of Sweet Apple Acres once again. The "Love, Support, and Spanks" banner, which had been hung above the entrance sign last night, was laying on the ground in a dirty heap. She knew that once the sun showed itself, she could expect the rest of her family to rise, and begin to help her with cleaning up the massive mess that the Parents' Day festival had undoubtedly left in its wake. She did not look forward to the clean-up, and much less so to having to face Apple Bloom again. She knew it was inevitable, though, so she held her head high as she trotted onto the field, ready to get a head-start on the labor ahead of her.

Once Applejack got a good look at the field, however, she was surprised to not see the ocean of litter and trash that she had expected. Instead, right smack in the middle of where the fairgrounds had once been, stood an enormous pile of trash bags, completely full and tied up, ready to be taken away. Applejack stood stunned for a good minute. Someone had already taken the liberty of clearing the entire field of rubbish and consolidated it into one heap. She couldn't believe her eyes, nor her good fortune. But who had done this?

"It's a preliminary thank you. I hope you don't mind."

Applejack turned her ears to the friendly voice from behind, and then her head. She was delighted to see Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy, all standing in a horizontal row. They looked dirty and sleep-deprived, but happy. Twilight, who had spoken, continued, "None of us were sure how to express our gratitude for everything you did for us last night. So this was just our first idea. You threw this great festival – it's not fair for you to have to clean up the aftermath, too. So we did it for you."

Applejack's mouth hung open, still in a slight state of shock. "Did you really? But… By Starswirl's beard, this musta taken you girls all night!"

"Eh, not quite," Rainbow Dash said coolly. "After all the stuff at the barn settled down and the cops left and stuff, we all went home. But we agreed to only sleep for a couple hours, and then meet up back here to clean up all the junk during early morning. All in all, it was probably about two, three hours' work, tops."

"Oh my… Thank you so much, girls," Applejack replied graciously. "But ya'll really didn't have to do this…"

"You didn't have to do what you did, either," Fluttershy stated confidentially. "Recognizing our problems with our parents, going out of your way to help us, missing the chance to visit your OWN parents… None of us would have EVER asked you to do so much. But you did anyway... So, what kind of friends would it make us to NOT want to pay you back somehow?"

"Even though there's really nothing we imagine could POSSIBLY come close to repaying you," Rarity claimed. "But, I suppose cleaning up after your festival is a pretty good start. I mean, do you realize how much this briller de l'or coat-shining cost me? I was willing to muck it all up this morning, just to prove how grateful I am. THAT should tell you something!"

"Yup-yup-yup!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, hopping on all fours. "But don't worry, we wanna do LOTS more stuff to say thank you! Me especially, starting off with baking you a big, fat, chocolate-and-raspberry MUFFIN STRUDEL CAKE! I really hope you like it! Cuz it's in the oven right now, and my mommy and daddy and I worked really really really really hard on it!"

Applejack shook her head, her brain wanting to answer all of her friends at once, but her mouth unable to. In her silence, she happened to spot the top of Twilight's large, violet air balloon, parked discreetly behind the barn. She tilted her head to the side. "Hold up a sec. Twilight, what's your balloon doin' back there? Is that how ya'll came here?"

"Well, yes," Twilight responded. She then turned to the eastern horizon, over which the sun would be rising any moment to cast out the star-studded night sky and bring on the day. "…And in fact, we're going to be leaving on it, too. Soon, actually. We're all going to Canterlot, and we wanted to start heading out before the sunrise. We just really hoped to be able to thank you in person before we did. Glad you came back just in the nick of time!" She then put on a questioning face. "By the way, where are you coming from just now?"

Applejack scraped at the grass with her hoof. "The hospice," she said frankly.

"Oh…" Twilight replied softly. She and the other four looked at one another in understanding. "So, you got to see them after all! Even if it IS a day late…"

Applejack returned a wordless nod.

"So…" Twilight continued hesitantly, "…how are they?"

"Well, ma's still smilin', as usual," Applejack replied, putting on a slight smile herself. "And pa, well… He's good. Good as he's gonna be for the rest of his life, anyway!" She chuckled a little bit, but then stopped when she saw that her friends all appeared somewhat uncomfortable. "Sorry. Too soon, I guess… In any case, everythin' with me n' my folks is A-OK, so don't ya'll worry none. And no hard feelin's about me visitin' a day late. Parents' Day… It's nice n' all, but in truth, it's just like any other day, just with a special name stuck on it. Really, we oughtta be respectin' our parents every day, wouldn't ya agree?"

"Hmm… I suppose you're right," Twilight said contemplatively. "In fact, speaking of parents, that's kind of why we all need to get going…"

"Is that so?" Applejack asked. "Why, what's happenin' with all ya'll n' your folks?"

"Well," Twilight began, "Last night, my mother and father took your parents' old star charts home. They stayed up super late examining them, and working on a pitch for my dad to present to the board so we can get your marketing campaign off the ground. And guess what? They want me to join them in the presentation! The main focus is gonna be on the Violet Veneer: we found out, through our studies, that the appearance of that star formation tends to coincide with a rise in Golden Delicious tree populations. We're gonna pitch it as 'Violet Gold Season at Sweet Apple Acres'! Doesn't it sound great? I'm so excited, I can't even WAIT!"

"Nor can I, darling," Rarity chimed in. "But I'm going to Canterlot to see none other than Orange Julius. He and I plan to meet the Costume Supervisor of the film he's currently producing. We're going to show her some of my designs, and do whatever it takes to convince her to sign me onto the role of Chief Costume Designer! It's destiny, I tell you! DESTINY! Oh, and my mother and father want to come along too, to wish me luck. And also, I'm sure, to keep an eye on Orange Julius and I. Just for short while. I know they're only doing so because they love me and want the best for me, so I can't be too annoyed. It won't be long before they feel comfortable enough to trust us and leave us be. This, I know."

"My stepmom and I are going to Canterlot, too," Fluttershy announced. "That's where they're currently holding my father. He's set to appear before the judge in Royal Court today. We plan to testify against him, but instead of pushing for the ultimate penalty, we're going to also try to defend him as being a victim of circumstance. Regardless what everypony else may think, I know for a fact that he is only the way he is because he, himself, suffered such horrible abuse as a child from his own father's hooves. I insist on never allowing myself to become like him, so by showing this small mercy, I feel I'm maintaining my stance above him. And who knows? If Softheart and I show him compassion when he least expects it, it may move him to start down the path to some kind of change. I'm certain it's what my mother would advise that I do… Speaking of which; after the trial, I'm going to catch the first train to Thistledown to finally visit her after so many years. I'm not even sure what I'm going to say yet, but I guarantee, it will be nothing to put her down for being absent from my life for so long. All I want to focus on is how overjoyed I am to finally have her back in it. For the first time in forever, I'm actually looking forward to the future. So much so, in fact, that I think I feel a cheer coming on!" She took a deep, prolonged inhale, then followed up by letting out a very modest, "Yay!"

It was now Pinkie Pie's turn to share her plans. "Well MY mommy and daddy and I are going to Canterlot to see my two younger sisters! It's just kind of a funny coincidence that they both happen to be there right now. One's, like, some Costume lady for some movie they're making, and the other's some kind of judge about to preside over a big case regarding a crazy police stallion or something. Either way, we're gonna have so much FUN! My mommy and daddy REALLY wanna see my sisters cuz of Parents' Day, ya know? We know it's a day late, but hey, like you said Applejack, it's just a dumb holiday! EVERY day can be a celebration of parents! Which is what we're gonna make TODAY! WOOOO!"

"Heh, OK, yeah, these four are going to Canterlot," Rainbow Dash clarified. "Me? I'm hittin' up Cloudsdale General Hospital right now to see my mom. She's doing fine and all, but she says she wants to see me kind of often while she's there, cuz once I move out, she knows she won't be seeing me as much anymore. Also – and this is SUPER weird – she wants to see my dad, too. I don't really get it, but when we saw her in the hospital last night, I saw the two of them looking at each other in kind of a funny way. It was familiar, like I'd seen them look at each other like that a long time ago, back when the three of us were still tight… but I dunno. Maybe I'm just nuts. In any case, after I see them, I'm headin' home to pack up my stuff, and then to come back here to Sweet Apple Acres! That's right: Brace yourself, AJ! Your farm's about to get rocked by a new delivery mare AND a new roommate! Awww yeah!"

Applejack listened to all her friends' plans with the greatest glee imaginable. In the last few minutes, she was suddenly made certain that all of her toil and hardship from the previous night had paid off in a stunningly beautiful way. As brightly as she was grinning on the outside, she was doing so even brighter within. Her sacrifice had not been in vain. She felt so proud, and knew that her parents would have, too. Seeing her friends look forward to their bright futures with their own parents, she decided, was the pinnacle of bliss.

"…And we all have you to thank for all of this, Applejack," Twilight said earnestly. "So again, thank you. Thank you so much."

Applejack blushed, rubbing one hoof with the other. "Aww shucks, I'm just glad to have done some good for my best friends." She added an addendum in her own mind. "And if you wanna thank me, then you oughtta thank my folks, too, for makin' me the pony I am today!"

Twilight nodded appreciatively. She then turned to the horizon again, her expression serious. "Well, we'd better get going now. C'mon girls, let's get to Canterlot before the traffic hits!" She turned and began to trot in the direction of the balloon. The other four followed, and upon reaching it, all but Rainbow Dash hopped into the basket. Twilight then used her magic to cause the balloon to rise off the grass, over the barn, and majestically into the air. Rainbow Dash, in turn, flew up right alongside it. As the balloon changed course and began to hover in the direction of Canterlot, all those in the air waved down to Applejack and gave their sweet farewells, taking one last chance to shower her with friendship and gratitude. Applejack accepted it humbly and happily. She waved good-bye as the balloon flew far over the black horizon, eventually fading from sight altogether. Rainbow Dash sped off in the opposite direction, her rainbow streak, too, soon dissipating into nothing against the black background of the sky.

Applejack now found herself alone in the middle of the dark, silent field. The activity within her heart, however, was absolutely buzzing. She looked up at the sky and observed the stars. She stared for almost a full minute, just admiring their majesty, and contemplating the powerful mixture of emotions swirling within her breast. Then, just when she thought the sentiments might overwhelm her, something absolutely miraculous happened.

A duo of shooting stars, trailed by brilliant, heavenly light, streaked together across the night sky, clear from the western horizon all the way to the east.

Immediately after, the first rays of the sun began to peak up over the eastern hills, emerging from the very point where the shooting stars had disappeared. The darkness of the night began to give way to the rolling sapphire tapestry that was the morning sky. Applejack had to shield her eyes from the brightness, but out of the corner of her eye, she continued to focus on the spot where the shooting stars had vanished.

"See you later, ma n' pa…" she whispered to herself.

The emotion was now too much, overflowing. She felt the tears rise quickly from underneath her eyes. One managed to squeeze its way out of her left eye, and roll down her cheek.

"One…" she counted with a gulp.

Before she was even ready for it, a second tear escaped from her right eye, ending up in the grass before her hooves.

"Two…"

The third tear that sought to manifest did not get its chance. Applejack quickly wiped her foreleg across her eyes, drying them. She then took in a deep, cleansing breath, effectively sucking all the emotion straight down into her gut. Once it was suppressed, she began to replace those thoughts with those of the work day ahead. "Well, back to the daily grind…" she told herself. Her father had set rules for her, after all, and she intended to abide by them as long as she lived.

The light of the sun spread across the whole of Sweet Apple Acres, eventually reaching the distant farmhouse. Applejack looked in its direction, and was not too surprised to see Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and even Apple Bloom all standing on the porch, greeting the dawn as well. They all noticed her standing out in the field, which prompted a wave from the elder two ponies. Apple Bloom, however, just stood staring. It was hard to tell what the expression on her face was, but Applejack could sense from her posture that she did not bear the same ill will that she had the previous night. Why was that, she wondered? She couldn't be sure, but she knew she would get her chance to talk to her once the work day began. Applejack returned a wave to the three of them, beckoning them to come. They heeded her, and as a trio, began to descend the porch steps and make their way across the field towards her.

And so, Applejack looked around and smiled. Volunteering to host Ponyville's first annual Parents' Day Festival had been a bold move, one that she was skeptical whether or not she could pull off. However, when she contemplated the transformation that all of her friends, their parents, her kin, and even herself had undergone over the course the previous night, she couldn't help but swell up with pride. For she knew, from within the deepest reaches of her heart, that she certainly had.

THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR

by KholdstareV

THE END

11. A Pie-Eyed Pair

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Chapter 11: A Pie-Eyed Pair

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Pinkie Pie stared at the two ponies before her with wide eyes and a slack-hanging jaw. Her face was an array of contradictions: she could have been looking at dearly-held loved ones or complete strangers. She could have been delighted beyond belief or equally resentful. Somehow, her expression exuded all emotions at once. Every feature on her face, from her eyebrows to her lips, quivered in painful indecision.

"Mommy, daddy," she repeated, scarcely above a whisper. "You came…"

Applejack studied Pinkie Pie's mother and father as they stood side by side, barely seeming to notice their own daughter, or anything else going on around them. They looked very close to their depictions in Pinkie Pie's crayon drawing, but with the major exception of their attire. They had been drawn as wearing simple Amish garb, but in the present reality, her father sported a flashy tie-dye T-shirt and his mane up in a purple Mohawk. Her mother wore a yellow, ripped T-shirt that said "I DIDN'T FALL – THE FLOOR JUST NEEDED SOME LOVIN'!" in black letters, and a mane done in a cascade of beaded braids. Applejack also couldn't help but notice that their eyes, while full of energy, also appeared bloodshot and a bit hollow. Everything about their appearance screamed "carefree", "fun-loving", and "no responsibilities and proud of it!"

"Sooo, like, where are we?" Pinkie Pie's mother asked with a lazy drawl. "How did we get on top of this roof? I seriously don't remember the last five minutes…"

Pinkie Pie's father laughed. "Wow, baby, that stuff really DID do a number on your brain cells! But I dunno, this rainbow chick said she'd hook us up with the gnarliest beer in Equestria. Gotta chance it!"

The two inebriated, party-minded ponies continued to babble on about nonsense that only the two of them could ever understand. Pinkie Pie went unnoticed still, despite her standing mere feet in front of them. She waved a hoof in vain. "Mommy, daddy, I'm right here! Don't you see me…?"

Applejack took a few steps back until she was next to Rainbow Dash, who was still sweating and panting from her flight. "Gosh golly, these two are flashier n' a pair o' lightning bugs! Didn't expect this…"

"Tell me about it," Rainbow Dash huffed. "And I can see where Pinkie gets that insane, Looney Toons-style stamina from. I could barely keep up with them coming back here!"

"So, how was it over there? At that nightclub?"

"Ugh… disgusting. I saw them hanging out at a bar on the far side of the club. There was a strict 'No Flying Indoors' rule, so I had to squeeze through a crowd of sweaty, whacked-out ravers to get over to them. I swear, I'm lucky I didn't get a contact high just by rubbing past some of those ponies!"

"Yeesh, sounds like a pretty sticky wicket. Sorry about that."

"Heh, 'sticky' is right, in more ways than one. But I figured it'd be worth it to help out Pinkie. It's weird, though… When I told them I was there because Pinkie wanted them to join her at the festival, they almost seemed like they didn't know who I was talking about."

Applejack glanced over at the nearby scene of Pinkie Pie and her parents. The latter two were looking out at the view of the festival and laughing uproariously about something. Pinkie Pie had pulled out two red flags and was waving them frantically, still aiming to get their attention. "Really…?"

"Yeah. When I tried to explain, they just called me a crazy 'carpet farmer' and blew me off! You believe that?"

"No kiddin'? Well, that don't make no sense. I mean, first off… Why in the wide world would they call you a 'carpet farmer'?! Is that supposed to be some kinda insult?"

"I wondered the same thing! But apparently, 'carpet farmer' means something in the language of stupid. Anyway, that didn't convince them, so I went with your idea and told them that they could taste the best beer in all of Equestria here. THAT got their attention!"

"Well, it certainly got 'em here! By the way, did you happen to catch their names?"

"Yeah. The dad is Rock Candy, and the mom is Stone Muffin." Rainbow Dash planted a facehoof on herself. "And no, I'm not joking. I really hope those aren't their real names. SO lame…"

Applejack continued to observe the scene before her. Stone Muffin was now leaning off the edge of the barn roof, with her hind hooves barely touching the shingles and her front hooves stretched out far over the drop. Rock Candy was holding her by the tail, preventing her from falling. She hooted and hollered in exhilaration. "WOOOO! Yeah, I'm a Pegasus! Look at me fly, baby!"

"You're flyin' like the angel that you are, sweet thing!" Rock Candy exclaimed. He lowered his wife a little bit more, causing her body to lean even further out over the edge. Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, had upgraded to doing a hat-and-cane dance number in trying to get herself noticed.

"Celestia almighty! These two are gonna kill themselves!" Applejack thought to herself. She addressed Rainbow Dash urgently. "Listen up, RD, I think now's a good time for you to go find your ma. When you do, ask her to meet at the little shed behind the barn at 8:15. Can you do that?"

Rainbow Dash was watching the idiotic antics of Pinkie Pie's parents, trying to hold in her laughter. "Aw, do I have to go right now? This is entertaining!"

"Well it won't be so entertaining when they start pesterin' ya for that beer ya promised, will it?"

Rainbow Dash's grin vanished immediately. The thought of what Applejack just described appeared to bother her to the core. "Ugh, you're right... I'm outta here. I'll leave the crazies to you."

"Alrighty. Come on back here once you're done. See ya soon!"

"You too," Rainbow Dash replied with a nod. She then spread her wings and took off toward the fairgrounds.

"Hey! The Rainbow chick's flying away!" Stone Muffin shouted in disdain. "HEY RAINBOW CHICK! WHERE'S THAT AWESOME BEER YOU TOLD US ABOUT!?"

"Aww, she's holdin' out!" Rock Candy yelled accusingly. "YOU CARPET FARMER!"

"I gotta fly after her!" Stone Muffin decided. "Gimme a throwing start, baby! I'll catch her!"

"Good idea, honey. Let's get you in the air!"

Applejack ran up to Pinkie Pie's side, who was still fruitlessly spinning her cane and hat. "Pinkie," she interrupted, "If you're gonna get your folks' attention, now's the time!"

"What do you think I've been TRYING to do?!" Pinkie Pie asked angrily. Already, her morose Pinkamena side was beginning to show through the cracks.

"Ya gotta make some more noise!" Applejack demanded. She glanced at Rock Candy, who was holding the giggly Stone Muffin in his front legs, swaying her back and forth, ready to hurl her off the edge of the barn roof in attempt to make her fly. "Quickly now! Don't you have somethin' loud?!"

A lightbulb immediately illuminated over Pinkie Pie's head. "Something loud? Oooh, good idea!" She then magically whipped out her one-pony band set and began to play the Parasprite Polka at an eardrum-splitting volume. The blaring tune made Rock Candy and Stone Muffin freeze in place, and stare at her with looks of surprise and disgust. Pinkie Pie then silenced her instruments, glad to see that her parents finally seemed to acknowledge her. She eagerly awaited their next words.

"Yo DJ, change the record!" Rock Candy complained. "The 19th century called. They want their music back."

"Seriously," Stone Muffin said, lying limp in Rock Candy's forelegs, "Can't you, like, play some dubstep on that thing?"

Pinkie Pie pouted her lips. "What? B-but… don't you guys recognize me?"

Rock Candy and Stone Muffin just stared blankly for several seconds. Stone Muffin then spoke up. "Umm, you look familiar... Oh! Are you the chick we bought that 8-ball off of last week?"

"Hello!" Applejack exclaimed in exasperation. "She's your DAUGHTER! Don't tell me ya'll are too high in the sky to realize THAT!"

"Geez. Say it, don't sonic boom it," Stone Muffin sneered.

Rock Candy, however, examined Pinkie Pie with squinted eyes. "Wait a minute… Yeah, you know what, I DO know you! You're our… youngest, right?"

"I'm your OLDEST!" Pinkie Pie corrected. "How could you forget that?!"

"Well excuse us," Stone Muffin replied sarcastically. "It's been, like, a lot of years since I squeezed you out. Big whoop. And you shouldn't be here. Saddlem and Gomareah is only for grown-up ponies."

"Honey, we're not at Saddlem and Gomareah anymore."

"We're not? Then where are we?"

"On the roof of a barn. I was about to throw you off for some reason."

"Huh? Oh yeah! Throw me, baby!"

Rock Candy once again reared back his ecstatic wife to toss her. Applejack sped over at the last second and grabbed Stone Muffin by the hind legs. "Now put the brakes on, you too! Don't tell me ya'll haven't figured out the reason you should be here!"

"Agh! Let go of me, you hick!" Stone Muffin spat, flailing her legs. Applejack held on tight.

"The reason we're here?" Rock Candy questioned. His lower lip sagged as he pondered for a moment. "Oh wait, yeah! The beer! We came to try the gnarliest beer in Equestria!"

"Oh, that's RIGHT!" Stone Muffin confirmed. She looked at her daughter. "Hey, Pinkie Pie!"

Pinkie Pie gasped and lit up. "Mom, you remembered my name!"

"Well, ch'yeah! Listen up, are you friends with that rainbow chick?"

Pinkie Pie's bright face dropped several shades darker. "Huh?"

"Are you friends with that rainbow chick that just flew off?" Stone Muffin asked impatiently. "She promised us the best beer ever. And then she just bailed. We gotta catch her now to justify us coming all the way here. So, like, where'd she go?"

Pinkie Pie frowned and looked out over the fairgrounds. "I, umm… I don't know…"

"Tsk, whatever," Stone Muffin blurted. She motioned for Rock Candy to put her down, which he did. "If you two can't supply the goods, then we're outta here. Right, baby?"

Rock Candy nodded. "Yeeeah, pretty sure that's the only reason we came..."

Stone Muffin nodded too. "Cool. Now c'mon baby, let's go try that beer!" She showed the two younger ponies off with her hoof. "Peace out, you two."

"Wait, honey, wasn't I gonna throw you off the barn to help you fly after that chick?"

"No way! Why the heck would I ask you to do THAT?" Stone Muffin asked with a roll of her eyes. "I can't fly, dummy. I'm an Earth pony!"

"Oh, duh! That's true. Heh, that coulda been ugly…" With that, the two began to trot hastily towards the hay bale staircase that led from the barn roof to the ground.

Pinkie Pie was left standing with her hoof outstretched and her eyes large with sadness. "What?! But mommy, daddy, today is Parents' Day! And this is the Parents' Day Festival!"

"So what? My parents aren't here," Stone Muffin shot back. "They're in a home somewhere. I don't even know…"

"But, you're MY parents! I thought YOU both came to see ME!"

Pinkie Pie's words reached Applejack's ears, but not those of their intended recipients. Rock Candy and Stone Muffin continued to trot away, unresponsively. Pinkie Pie's hoof dropped, just as her heart did. "...But no…" she whispered to Applejack, "They're just leaving me again. Like they've always done…" Already, her coat was beginning to fade to grey, and her curly mane was stringing down, one hair at a time. "…Like always…"

Applejack was at a loss. She had hoped that just bringing Pinkie Pie's parents to the festival and placing them in front of their daughter would have done the trick. Clearly, it was not enough. They had come with certain expectations, and if they were not met, they would go right back to the dank pit of sin that they had come from. Pinkie Pie would once again be without her parents on Parents' Day, and Applejack's plan would have failed. She couldn't allow that to happen. Not after coming this far. But what could be done? Thinking back to her plan, she rummaged through her mind for an idea…

It did not take long for her to stumble upon an option. She immediately called out to the two departing ponies. "Hold it! Ya'll wanted to try the best beer in Equestria?! Well, that rainbow chick don't got it no more!"

Rock Candy and Stone Muffin screeched to a halt and looked back with their ears standing tall. They questioned with their eyes what she meant.

Applejack answered by reaching into her saddlebag and pulling out the two beers that Hoppin Barley had given her back at the dunk tank. "I got it. Right here!"

In a flash, the two ponies zoomed right up to Applejack and stared at the beer bottles with star-studded eyes. "Wow, the awesomest beer in all of Equestria!" Rock Candy exclaimed. "What's it called? Hmm…'HOPPIN BARLEY'S BOMBASTIC BREW'. Is it really as great as they say?"

"You're darn tootin'!" Applejack said in her best salespony voice. "Why, this here beer was brewed usin' barley homegrown on a friend's very own farm. It's the finest, hoppiest beer you'll ever try. Gua-ran-teed!"

"Man, look at that cheap-looking label," Stone Muffin observed. "It's moonshine, no doubt. It's GOTTA be good! Let us at it!"

"Certainly!" Applejack said. She used her teeth to pry the bottle caps off. Before handing the bottles over, however, she took a quick, curious sniff of the contents. A noxious odor invaded her nostrils and brought on an urge to vomit. She hid it as best as she could, and handed the bottles over with much hesitation. "Bottoms up!" she said with a crooked smile.

Pinkie Pie's parents snatched the bottles and began to gulp them down quickly. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both watched with great anticipation. When the bottles were emptied, the two older ponies stood still for a moment, with blank expressions. Applejack held her breath, awaiting their judgment. If she had had fingers, they would have been tightly crossed.

"That beer…" Rock Candy began, staring at the bottle curiously. His mouth spread into a wild grin. "…was the AWESOMEST-TASTING *%&# THESE LIPS HAVE EVER TOUCHED!"

"Oh my gosh, it's so strong, so robust, so…" Stone Muffin squealed and jumped in glee. "…hoppy! I love it love it LOVE IT!"

Both ponies tossed the bottles in the air in celebration, before running right back up to Applejack. "Do you have more?!" they asked in unison.

Applejack was equal parts astounded and ecstatic to see that the two had loved that vile, rancid-smelling liquid. She smirked, knowing she had just earned herself the leverage that she needed. "I'm afraid that's the last of it for now," she replied. "But don't fret – the stallion who brews that beer is here at this very festival. And, if you can hang out 'til about 8:30 or so, you'll be able to meet him in this here barn, right under our hooves!"

The two looked at one another excitedly. Rock Candy then raised his foreleg to his face and examined a watch that seemingly only existed in his brain. "Aww, but it's barely 8 o' clock! That's, like… a long time from now!"

"Lame!" complained Stone Muffin. "What are we supposed to do to kill time until then?"

"Weeell," Applejack said, putting a hoof around Pinkie Pie's shoulders, "let's not forget where we are. This is the Parents' Day Festival. And ya'll are the parents of this here lovely lil' thang, ain't ya?" She gave Pinkie Pie a wink, who, from beyond her cascading straight hair, returned a small smile. "Why don't ya let Pinkie Pie show you around? You can try out the fun activities, eat the good food, enjoy the once-a-year experience! Ya'll are already here, and you're all together. No reason not to, right?"

Stone Muffin peered out over the scene of the festivities, her lips angled. "Ehh, I dunno. Looks a little kiddy to me. I mean, look out there. It's all families and stuff…"

"Exactly! Families!" Applejack chirped. "That there's the whole point!"

"Yeah mom, it'll be super-duper FUN!" Pinkie Pie jumped in. Her skin color and mane were beginning to return to their usual, cheery brightness. "There's SO MUCH to do out there! There's a shooting range, horseshoes, a dunk tank, a Ferris wheel, pottery-making, pastry-making, memory-making, and MERRY-MAKING!"

In contrast to his wife, Rock Candy appeared more than convinced. "Wow, they got all this for Parents' Day?! It DOES look fun out there! C'mon honey, let's check it out! Saddlem and Gomareah's been getting kinda boring, anyway."

Stone Muffin still looked uncertain, but eventually shrugged. "Eh, whatever. Why not? It's just 'til we can get more of that beer, after all."

Pinkie Pie erupted in excitement and joy. "YAY! For once, I actually get to spend Parent's Day with my PARENTS!" She skipped over to them and hugged them both. "Don't worry, mommy and daddy! I'll make this night the most fun any of us have ever had since I first introduced you to partying!"

"Lead the way, girlie!" Rock Candy said happily. He then looked at Applejack. "By the way, what was your name?"

"Applejack, sir," she replied. "A good friend of Pinkie Pie's. It's a pleasure to meet ya." She caught sight of Rock Candy's Cutie Mark, which she saw depicted a red electric guitar. "Nice Cutie Mark ya got there. Do you play?"

"What? Haha, naw! It's just for show. It actually used to be a pickax, but I had a tattoo artist alter it a bit!"

"You… tattooed over you Cutie Mark?" Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow. "Isn't that kind of… illegal?"

"Kind of? It totally is! Isn't it awesome?" he asked jovially. "But hey, it's not TOO big of a change. I mean, c'mon, it's still a type of 'ax', isn't it?"

"Heh, I suppose you're right," Applejack replied, shrugging it off.

"Oh, and check out MY Cutie Mark," Stone Muffin insisted, flashing hers in Applejack's direction. It represented three yellow rocks suspended above a pipe. "MINE used to be just three regular rocks, cuz we used to live on a boring rock farm. I had mine altered into something way cooler, too... But it's not too big of a stretch – I mean, it is still a type of 'rocks', right?"

Applejack could only laugh this time. "No question about that!"

"Come on, mom and dad!" Pinkie Pie shouted. "The night's still young! No more dilly-dallying! We got a FESTIVAL to hit up!"

"WOO! Let's do it!" Rock Candy called out, taking a spot next to Pinkie Pie and trotting alongside her toward the hay bale steps. "And after that, beer time!"

"That's what I'M looking forward to," Stone Muffin mused, trotting on Pinkie Pie's other side. "Although, that dunk tank DOES sound pretty awesome…"

"It will be!" Pinkie Pie promised through her shining smile. "Let's make this Parents' Day ROCK!" She turned her head and acknowledged Applejack as she and her parents descended the steps. "Thank you, Applejack! Thank you so very very very very very…!" Her voice faded as the three ponies disappeared from view, ready to go off and enjoy at least a small chunk of the evening together.

Applejack smiled back, and with a nod, said softly to herself, "You're welcome, Pinkie." A feeling of deep satisfaction rose within her like a warm spring. This reunion, she felt, was worthy of a pat on the back. A part of her worried that Pinkie Pie's parents really only cared about getting another taste of Hoppin Barley's beer, but she had confidence that the opportunity to spend time with their daughter at the festival could win them over. Perhaps, at the end of the night, they may find that they did, in fact, have more of a reason to be there than just great booze. And, even if not, Pinkie Pie would at least get to spend some time with her mother and father on this special night, which in reality, was all she had asked for. Either way, Applejack felt she could count this as another success to check off her list.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the familiar roaring sound of Rainbow Dash's flight drawing near. She turned to see her Pegasus friend land gently on the rooftop, then gallop up to her excitedly. "OK, it's all cool! My mom's gonna be at the shed at 8:15."

"Nice work, RD," Applejack replied.

"Thanks. I didn't really know what to tell her, though. I mean, YOU still haven't even told me what's gonna be happening there."

"We'll discuss it right now. So c'mon, let's head on down there."

The two proceeded to descend the hay bale pile from the barn roof to the grass below. As they did, Rainbow Dash perked up. "Oh, hey, I saw the juiciest thing while I was out there! Rarity was at her booth, and she was with this HOT Earth pony! I was a little jealous, I admit, but man, congrats to her! She bagged herself a good one! I wonder who he is?"

"Oh, I know who he is. Matter of fact, I introduced the two earlier tonight."

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. "No. Way. Details! Now!!"

Applejack shook her head. "Hate to break up the fun gossip n' all, but we got other things to focus on right now. Namely, your folks."

"Oh, right," Rainbow Dash replied glumly. "You said you were gonna try to make them reconcile or something, right?"

"Sure am, sugar cube," Applejack said confidently. "After talkin' to 'em both, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of why they're at each others' throats so much, and what needs to be done to make 'em find peace with each other and save their marriage."

"Save their marriage? Heh, it’s still impossible for me to picture that. Some broken things really are just beyond repair, Applejack…"

"C'mon, have a little faith," Applejack pleaded. "Not just in me, but in them, too. I mean, how can you be so sure they'll never be able to patch things up?"

"Well, let me put it this way…" Rainbow Dash explained. The two were now nearing the telltale shed. "You know how when a healthy couple fights, they get really heated for a while, maybe stop talking for a bit, but at the end of the day, are able to face each other again and say they're sorry? Then, you know, reach a compromise, kiss, and just move on?"

"Sure. Seen it happen with my own ma and pa plenty of times. So, your folks do that too? What's the big deal, then?"

"They do that too, yeah. Except take out the parts about them saying sorry, or compromising, or kissing, or moving on… Those parts never come. With them, it's just one long, never-ending fight, interspersed by long periods where my dad's away and they don't talk, only for them to continue where they left off next time they have to see each other because of me…" She sighed heavily. "Seriously, I love them both, and I wish it could be like the old days when the three of us all got along. But now, we only get together maybe once a month. And I dread it every time. Cuz to me, all it means is more drama, drama, drama…"

They now stood mere feet from the shed's door. "Well, that's what we hope to fix tonight," Applejack responded. Before she could let Rainbow Dash give another negative reply, however, she raised a hoof, ordering her to be still and silent. Applejack approached the shed slowly, visibly cautious. Rainbow Dash noticed, and began to grow worried. "Yo AJ, what's your beef?"

"Shhh!" Applejack shushed. She pressed herself against the wall next to shed door, and hesitantly placed her hoof on the knob. She then took in a deep breath, and carefully opened it just enough to be able to peek inside. She did so, and after several seconds, gave a sigh of relief. "OK," she said, signaling to her friend to come, "Coast is clear."

"Clear from what?" Rainbow Dash asked, anxiously trotting over.

"Never mind. Just follow me. We'll talk in here while we wait for your folks to arrive."

"Sure," Rainbow Dash said, allowing Applejack to lead her into the unoccupied barn. Once inside, she caught sight of the collage of portraits on the rear wall. Her eyes went wide with wonder. "Applejack, what in the world IS all this?"

"That's what we're here to talk about!" Applejack said with a grin. "So hear me out, pardner. I got a proposal that I think you AND your folks will find mighty appealing…"

~~~

Aeroswift sailed over the barn, curiosity plaguing her mind. Behind it, she spotted a small, wooden toolshed. "That must be the place," she said to herself. "But where's Rainbow Dash?" She gracefully touched down on the grass and took a look around. Her only daughter had asked her to meet at the “little shed behind the barn” at 8:15. When she had last seen a clock just minutes before, it was around 8:12. She knew she was on time, as she always was. And yet, Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen. At least not out in the open. "She must be inside," Aeroswift reasoned. "Wonder what she has planned?"

She moved at a casual pace towards the small, indistinct structure, and raised a hoof to open to the door. At that moment, the sound of another Pegasus landing next to her made her heart skip. She turned toward the sound's source in alarm, ready to knock out any threat if the need arose. When she saw who it was, her readiness to deliver a kick did not subside in the least. "Sweetgood!"

Sweetgood Mac was standing there frozen, equally as surprised and dismayed. As the two laid eyes on one another, a painful jolt of electricity jumped between them. "Oh! Aeroswift! Umm… hello."

Aeroswift swallowed her shock, and took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself. "Err, hello to you, too…" She craned her neck. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm… not entirely sure," Sweetgood Mac admitted. "Rainbow Dash's friend, Applejack, asked me to meet at the shed by the barn at 8:15. Said it was something important concerning Rainbow Dash. So, here I am."

"Hmm, OK…" Aeroswift replied, suspicion written across all her features. "Well, Rainbow Dash asked me just a little bit ago to meet here at 8:15, too."

"Really? Interesting…"

"Very." Aeroswift shifted her eyes to and fro. "You don't suppose there might be more than one shed near the barn, do you?"

"This is the only one I saw," Sweetgood Mac answered flatly.

"…So, could this be… a coincidence, maybe?"

Sweetgood Mac shook his head. "I don't believe in coincidence."

"Right, of course YOU wouldn't."

"You know me too well, don't you?"

"Unfortunately."

"Mm-hmm…"

"So what do you think this is all about?"

"No idea. Applejack didn't give me specifics."

"Rainbow Dash didn't give me any, either."

An uncomfortable silence followed. The invisible miasma of disdain thickened between the two spouses, the very nature of which desired to push them away from each other. However, they both stood where they were, kept there by their shared curiosity of what their daughter had in store. One way or another, they both knew that they would be entering that shed together.

Sweetgood Mac cleared his throat. He then raised a hoof, gesturing for his wife to proceed. "Well, after you, dear…" The last word came out awkward and forced.

Aeroswift couldn't look at him as she approached the door. "Don't call me that." She turned the knob and entered with haste.

"Right…" Sweetgood replied softly, a sinking feeling in his chest. He slipped through the doorway soon after. Once inside, he took a stand several feet to Aeroswift's right. The two looked ahead at the rear wall, both equally perplexed and fascinated by what they were looking at.

In the center of the rear wall, they witnessed the great collage of photos of Rainbow Dash. Every photo depicted one of her fantastic achievements that she had accomplished over the course of the past couple years. To the left of the collage stood Applejack, and to the right, Rainbow Dash herself. The two younger ponies stood at attention, as though ready to speak when the two elder ponies indicated that they were ready to as well.

Aeroswift was the first to open her mouth. "Rainbow, sweetie… What in the world IS all this?"

"And why did you have your mother and I come together?" Sweetgood Mac questioned.

"Mom, dad," Rainbow Dash declared, "It's been too long since the three of us have had an honest talk about the state of our family. With the help of my friend Applejack, I really think it's time that we do. I want to kick things off by making a very important announcement…"

Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac glanced at one another, then back at their daughter, eager to hear what she had to say…

A Little Bonus from the Author

Hello everyone. As a bit of a treat to all who have enjoyed (or are enjoying) this story, I decided to throw together some artwork depicting some of my original characters, or at least as I pictured them in my head. If you're curious, see how much my vision matches up with yours, haha!

Brawn Bones and Softheart:
http://serenityserenade.deviantart.com/art/Brawn-Bones-and-Softheart-366359945?q=gallery%3Aserenityserenade&qo=1

Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac:
http://serenityserenade.deviantart.com/art/Aeroswift-and-Sweetgood-Mac-366361186?q=gallery%3ASerenitySerenade%20randomize%3A1&qo=0

I considered drawing more, but I didn't feel the need. We already know what Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie's parents look like, and the characters of Amazing Grace and Applejack's parents are, in my opinion, better left to the reader's imagination.

Although, in regards to Applejack's parents, I do particularly like this artist's depiction of them:
http://graystripe64.deviantart.com/art/Apple-Parents-345595063?q=gallery%3Agraystripe64%2F11513093&qo=12

That's all for now, folks. Til next time, happy reading!