The day was warm and absolutely perfect for being outside. At Sweet Apple Acres six friends sat at a table in front of the barn celebrating a special somepony's birthday.
"Happy birthday, Applejack!" Shouted the five friends at once.
"Aw shucks sugarcubes, Ah just don't know what to say! Thank you all," Said Applejack.
The six smiled at eachother as Pinkie Pie excitedly cut the cake and handed out everypony's share.
"You are very, very welcome! You know how much I love throwing PARTIES!" Shouted the pink pony.
Granny Smith, followed by Big Macintosh and Applebloom, brought out a tray with six glassed of fresh apple cider and gave one to everypony.
"I can't remember the last time we had a real party for your birthday, Applejack," said Granny with the tray still in her mouth.
"Ah don't like goin' on makin' a big ol' fuss over myself, Granny, you know that," said AJ through a mouthfull of cake.
"Applejack, please be a dear and chew with your mouth closed, said Rarity with a hint of disgust.
"Oh leave her alone! She's the birthday girl! So Applejack, got any totally awesome plans for your birthday?" Rainbow asked as she flew just above their heads.
"Ah actually was just hopin' to relax and take the day off for a change," said AJ,
"Oh my! You should come with me to the spa! It's simply marvelous! It's melt-in-your-mouth relaxing!" Rarity said excitedly.
"Nah, Rar', Ah think Ah'll just head up to my favourite tree and sleep the afternoon away," Applejack said as she sipped her cider.
"Hmph. Well, suit yourself," Huffed Rarity.
"Oh, Applejack! I almost forgot! It's from all of us," Twilight Sparkle said as she levitated a box over everypony's head with her magic.
"What is it?" asked AJ
"You have to open it to find out, silly!" said Pinkie.
Applejack took the wrapping paper in her teeth and ripped it open. She took the lid in her hooves and threw it over her head. Applejack looked inside and a smile formed on her lips. She picked up the beautiful gift and held it up for everypony to see. It was a wonderfully designed new hat. It was a soft brown leather and studded with silver all around. It was fancy but not too overdone. It was perfect for Applejack.
"D-do you like it?" asked Fluttershy.
It took Applejack a moment to answer. She loved the hat, but was more choked up about how much thought her friends put into this gift just for her.
"Ah love it!" she finally answered.
Applejack went around the table and hugged each of her friends.
"Ah wish Ah could tell ya'll just how much this means to me," said AJ
"It was nothing at all, dear. We love you very much and you deserve nothing less than the best." Rarity said.
"Well, we hate to party and run, but Fluttershy and I are going watch a wonderbolts show in Cloudsdale! Its the last performance they will be making here on their tour, and I can't miss that! I'm sure you understand!" Rainbow Dash said as she tugged on the yellow pegasus.
"Aw, well, have fun ya'll!" AJ said waving.
The group watched until the two pegasi were just out of sight.
"I better get going too. Its about time for Opal's feeding." Rarity said getting up.
"Ooohh! Ooh! Can I come too?! We can feed Opal and Gummy together!" Pinkie said jumping up to meet Rarity.
"Why of course, dear. Oh and happy birthday once again Applejack!" Rarity said walking away, with Pinkie bouncing at her side.
"Thanks, sugarcube!" Applejack shouted waving.
Granny Smith and Twilight had begun to clear the table. Applebloom was putting away the cake. Big Mac was picking up the trash.
"Let me help ya'll with that," AJ insisted.
"No Applejack, today is your day. You go relax and we'll clean up here. My report to Celestia isn't due until tomorrow so I can take your share of the work today," Twilight said.
"Aw, thanks Twi," AJ said.
Applejack took her new hat in her mouth and made her way up to her house. She climbed the stairs up to her room and shut the door behind her. She sat in front of her mirror and took a good look.
She took in all her features. Her golden blonde mane, her bright orange coat, her emerald green eyes, and her freckles. They were all a part of her and all made her who she was. Her hat was no different. She wore her hat as often as she wore the freckles on her face. It was special.
She took her hat in her hooves and looked at the deep wrinkles in the leather. Each wrinkle had a special memory to it, an important part of AJ's life. One special mark, though, told an entire story. A moment that changed Applejack's life forever.
With the leather in her hooves she sat back and remembered the day that changed everything.
Applejack watched as her dad hooked himself up to the old apple cart. It was getting old and gave him a hard time. He stood there fidgeting with the latches and grumbled to himself.
"Oh Jackie, this old cart ain't what it used to be," he said, finally getting it to work.
"Why don't you get a new one?" little AJ asked.
"Well, bits are hard to come by nowadays, Jackie," her dad explained. "With the new foal, ends are gettin' harder and harder to meet."
"Oh," AJ said.
Applejack's dad pushed open the doors to the barn and began walking down the worn down path to the orchard with little Applejack right at his side.
"Ah'm so excited you're gonna finally let me help you harvest!" exclaimed AJ.
"Well, you're gettin' to be a big girl, Jackie. You ain't gonna earn your cutie mark by sitting on your rear end!" said Aj's dad laughing.
"Ah'll earn my cutie mark soon!" Applejack said blushing a little.
"I know you will, sugarcube," her dad said, laughing again.
They came up near the orchard and her dad began working right away. His strong back legs hitting the bark with great force, cause apples to fall into the cart.
"Now, little Jackie, this is how you applebuck!" her dad said giving a demonstration. "You center yourself square in the middle of the trunk and-" he gave a hard buck.
AJ watched as the apples fell. She decided to give it a try. She centered herself just as her father said and bucked with all her might. Only a few apples fell though.
"Haha, you ain't gonna earn your cutie mark like that, darling!" said her dad. "Put your heart in it, Jackie!"
Determined little AJ centered herself again and took a deep breath. She lifted her hind legs and with a great thud she hit the bark as hard as she could. This time, a shower of apples fell.
"Yeee-haww! Now that's how ya do it!" said her dad proudly.
Applejack had a proud grin on her face. Her and her dad applebucked for hours.
"Whew, almost done." her dad said with a heavy breath.
Her dad turned to buck the last tree and his face fell completely. He was looking off in the distance at something little AJ couldn't quite make out. In a swift motion he flung Applejack on his back and bolted towards their house.
"Daddy! What's wrong? Why did we leave the apples? Why are you running?" AJ questioned while trying her best not to fall off.
"Not now Applejack!" her dad growled.
Applejack's dad busted into the house and frantically searched for his wife. He finally found her sitting with their son Macintosh, and their new foal Applebloom.
"We have to go! C'mon, now!!" he shouted.
"What's going on?" AJ's mom said scrambling to get the children together.
"They're here. Coming up from the south field," He said.
"What?!" AJ's mom yelled.
"Where's Granny Smith?" Applejack's dad asked.
"In the cellar, preparing for zap-apple season," AJ's mom replied.
Applejack's dad glanced out the window. He saw the gang of outlaws drawing closer. He had feared this moment all his life. He had always knew it would come, but always hoped it wouldn't.
"Oh Celestia, it's too late." whispered AJ's dad.
He rounded up Applejack and Macintosh and scooted them down the stairs to the cellar. AJ's mom followed with Applebloom in her mouth. Her parent's ran up to Granny Smith and quickly and quietly informed her of the situation.
The only words Applejack could make out were "outlaws", "returning", and "revenge". It didn't take long for Applejack to catch what was going on. She knew her parents had a life that they weren't proud of, but they gave that up to settle down. They traded all that for a family. What could the ponies they used to run with possibly want from them?
Applejack's parents ran back up the stairs and locked the door behind them. She heard loud shouts outside. She made her way across the celler to the wooden door that led outside. She was able to peek through a hole in the old wood. She caught a glimpse of her parents. They were standing in front of a group of stallions. They looked rough, and tough, and like they hadn't bathed in weeks. Applejack tried to listen to their conversation.
"What do you want from us?!" she heard her father yell.
"You've been runnin' for far to long, you old mule." said the biggest one.
He was huge, even for a stallion. He had a dusty gray coat and a black rat's nest of a mane. He wore an eyepatch and spoke with a toothpick sticking out of his mouth.
"We don't want any part of our old life!" yelled AJ's mom. "We left your gang years ago!"
"Now, you see, there's the problem. The only way out of this here posse, is death." said the big stallion as he spit on the ground.
"We ain't done you nothin' Deadeye!" her father shouted.
"That's where you're wrong." he grinned.
Applejack watched as the one her father referred to as "Deadeye" pulled out a pistol and dropped her mother first, and then her dad. She felt hot tears run down her face as she watched their blood pool together.
Granny Smith ran up to her, tears welling up in her eyes too, and pulled her away from the door. She sat them all in the cornoer farthest away from the door.
The posse's hoof steps grew faint as they gallopped away.
The group sat in the corner, the only sounds were their breathing and their tears.
