Later that day, Twilight calls her friends to a meet up in their favorite cafe to discuss Applejack's situation.
"Her depression just gets worse with every passing year," Fluttershy states to the others.
"I'll say!" Rainbow Dash says, "She barely said a word to Pinkie Pie and I; she just stared at us like we were in the wrong for saying 'hi'!"
"Well, I'm sure pranking her didn't help the situation," Rarity states; upon receiving an accusatory glare from her friend, she explains, "Pinkie told me."
Rainbow Dash shoots another glare at Pinkie Pie, who is absent-mindedly enjoying her milkshake. "Well, how was I supposed to know it was AJ? Pinkie was supposed to warn me if it was her because of what day it was!"
"Was I?" Pinkie says, scrunching her face in recollection, "Oh, that's right! Oops."
"Well, what's done is done," Twilight says, "But Fluttershy's right, we should find some way of relieving her of some of this depression, or else she'll never be the same pony again."
"Well, what do you expect we do, darling?" Rarity asks, "She puts the blame on herself for her parents' death, which, I'm afraid, is something she has to resolve herself."
"But maybe we can help her along with the process," Twilight offers to her friends, "Being her close friends, we can try to work out her problems about this ordeal with her."
"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash exclaims, "Like an intervention. My parents and I had to do something like that for my brother, who needed help after he got a little too aggressive during a hoofball match."
"That's actually not a bad idea, Twilight," Fluttershy agrees, "You have no idea how many interventions my parents made to try and get through to Zephyr."
"Then it's settled," Twilight says, "We should get the rest of her family involved, too. They know her the best, maybe they'll be able to help in areas we can't." The other ponies agree and continue their lunch, both excited for and dreading their plan.
* * * *
The next day, Applejack carries about her daily chores about the farm, remnants of tears from the other day still caked on her face. Like every year, she overcame most of the depression since the anniversary, but it still takes her a few days to completely return to normal. When she returns from the fields, however, she notices all of her best friends and family sitting in the den, seemingly waiting for her arrival.
"Well, hey everypony," Applejack says warily, "I wasn't expecting to see y'all here . . all at once . . in my home."
Big Mac shifts in his seat and whispers to Applebloom and Granny Smith, "I still don't think this is a good idea."
"Oh, come on, Big Mac," Apple Bloom replies, "We've got to find out what's wrong with her."
"Apple Bloom!" Granny Smith tries to silence her, but to no avail; Applejack hears her statement.
"'What's wrong with me'?" Applejack repeats and demands, "Alright, what's going on here?"
"It's okay, Applejack," Twilight says, "We thought it would be a good idea for all of us to sit with you and determine the root of your feelings about yesterday's significance to you."
"What in tarnation are you-" Applejack suddenly realizes and takes a deep breath, "I assure you, it's nothing y'all can help me with."
"Oh, nonsense, darling," Rarity interjects, "We're all here for you, and we want to feel like you can come to us with any negative feelings you may be experiencing."
"That," Rainbow Dash says, "and that we're all growing tired of your moping around for days on end."
"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy exclaims, "This is supposed to be an intervention, not a behavior check. We need to help Applejack."
"Like I keep telling y'all," Applejack states, "I don't need any help . ." she trails off after seeing the look of desperation on her little sister's face, ". . but, I suppose I'll stay and humor you," she adds as she takes a vacant seat in an armchair.
"That's the spirit!" Twilight says excitedly, "Is everypony ready to get started?" Everypony in the room agrees, except for Big Mac, who answers with his signature "Nope."
"Alrighty then!" Twilight says, "Firstly, let's get right down to the root of the problem; you feel depressed about your parent's death - why?"
"Because they died," Applejack says bluntly, earning a snigger from Rainbow Dash, who immediately regained her composure after receiving a glare from the others.
"Well, yes, of course, but" Twilight continues, "why do you feel so lowly that you can barely get through a day's tasks?"
"I get through my tasks just fine during this time," Applejack answers, "I don't know who's been feeding ya that . ." she stops as she looks at Apple Bloom, who looks away sheepishly.
"Well, to be fair," Apple Bloom starts to explain, "there were a few things you didn't get done yesterday, and Big Mac and I had to . ."
"Because I had to go into town!" Applejack interrupts her sister, "It had nothin' to do with how I was feeling! If y'all are gonna tell lies about me, then I don;t know why I'm wasting my time here," she adds as she begins to get up.
"Wait, dear!" Rarity says, "Please, we have to do this if we are to help you get through this easier next time it comes around."
"Trust me, there's nothing you can help me with," Applejack says, her anger and heartbreak rising.
"But there must be something we can do," Fluttershy says, "Why are you pushing us away when we only want to help you?"
"Because there's nothin' wrong . ." Applejack starts to say, but she is drowned out by her friends' concerned pleas. The emotional strain becomes too much for Applejack to handle, and she suddenly shouts, "BECAUSE I'M THE ONE WHO DID IT!"
Everypony in the room grows silent after Applejack's outburst. Tears begin streaming down Applejack's face as Fluttershy asks, "Y-you did what, Applejack?"
"I-I'm the one," Applejack stammers, "w-who k-killed my p-parents."
"What are you sayin', AJ?" Apple Bloom asks when Big Mac suddenly speaks up.
"Allow me to explain," he says, "It was a long time ago, when you were only a few months old, Applebloom . . ."
"Hurry up, Mama!" Applejack cries out, racing Big Mac up the hill to their favorite picnic spot.
"I'm coming, Applejack!" a pale cream mare trots after them, "I'm not as fast as you guys!" She carries a small yellow filly wrapped in a pink blanket across her back as a red-maned stallion follows next to her, a picnic basket in his mouth.
"Ah, go on ahead, Buttercup," he says as he puts the basket down, "I'll take little Apple Bloom." Buttercup smiles gratefully at him as she transfers the blanket to him and races after her other children, who are already far ahead. They laugh with delight as they see their mother gaining on them. When the stallion arrives with his cargo, the trio lay on the ground, panting yet giggling at the same time.
"So, who won?" he asks as he sets Apple Bloom and the basket on the ground.
"I did!" All three of them shout at once, and the giggle fit continues. They soon set up their lunch on one of the many rocks along the edge of the Everfree Forest, happily enjoying each other's company. As soon as Big Mac finishes, he asks his sister, "Hey, AJ, wanna play catch?"
"Sure, Big Mac!" Applejack says as they begin to trot off in between the rocks.
"Be careful in the rocks, you two!" Buttercup exclaims.
"Don't worry, we will!" Applejack answers and they soon disappear among the rocks.
"You need to learn to be less cautious, honey," the stallion tells his wife.
"You know me, Bright Mac, it's my job to watch out for my children," Buttercup replies as she feeds Apple Bloom. "Besides," she continues, "I've heard that some of these rocks aren't that stable!"
"Oh, I'm sure that's just the older foals at school spreading rumors," Bright Mac replies, "Think about it, how many times have we come up here since we had Big Mac?"
"Too many times to count," she says reminiscently.
"And how many times did we experience falling rocks?" he asks again.
"Um, well . . none," she answers.
"Then there's little chance it will happen now," he says reassuringly, "Come on, let's go join them, I think little Applebloom here's had enough," he adds upon seeing the filly covered in baby food.
"You're right, dear," Buttercup eventually agrees, "Let's go enjoy ourselves for once," and the two make their way through the rocks to find their other children.
Meanwhile, Big Mac shows Applebloom some tricks with their ball that he learned from various places.
"Cousin Braeburn showed me this one," he says as he balances the ball on his nose while standing on one leg.
"Wow, Big Mac," Applejack squeals, entertained, "That's super cool!"
"He told me he won a medal in the Appleoosa Rodeo's foals division," Big Mac says as their mother and father emerge from the rocks.
"Mama! Papa!" Applejack exclaims, "Look what Big Mac's doing!"
"We see, and it's very spectacular, son," Bright Mac says, admiring his son's handiwork.
"Now let me try, Big Mac!" Applejack says, "I'm gonna buck that ball so far you'll be searching for it until next week!"
"I don't believe you can manage that, Applejack," Big Mac teases his sister.
"Oh really?" Applejack returns the favor, "Well, did you know Granny Smith won the buckball championship when she was younger? She told me that apple-bucking runs in the mares of the family, right Mama?"
Buttercup chuckles, "You bet your buns they are," she says, poking Bright Mac playfully in his side.
"Yeah, so you'd better stand back!" Applejack calls out to her big brother.
"Oka-ay," Big Mac says as he tosses the ball at Applejack, who turns around and kicks the ball as hard as she can with her hind legs. The ball goes sailing over Big Mac's head and strikes a rock - which supports a much bigger boulder. It tumbles down the mountainside, headed straight for Applejack and Big Mac!
The next minute is a blur of actions . . . their mother and father gallop in their direction . . Applejack closes her eyes . . one moment she sees the panic in her parent's eyes . . the next she is a few yards away, the boulder covering the sot they were standing . . no sign of their parents . . Big Mac cries in despair . . she cannot hold back the tears, either . . . .
When Big Mac finishes the story, everypony holds mixed looks of shock and despair in their faces. Twilight wipes tears from her eyes and asks, "W-why didn't we know about this?"
"Because w-we didn-t want anypony t-to know about m-my mistake," Applejack stammers through her tears, "n-not even my own f-family. I'm s-sorry, everypony."
Suddenly, Apple Bloom, who sat in shock throughout the whole story, completely breaks down, "H-How could you, Applejack?! Not t-tell m-me about my o-own p-parent's death! And I-I was t-there, too! And to t-think you, of all p-ponies c-caused it . . . how could you?!?!" and she lies on the floor, crying her eyes out.
Applejack cannot bear to look at the despair she has brought upon her friends and family any longer. She screams and races out of the house, tears soaking her cheeks, trying to get as far away from her problems as possible.