Have you ever faced fear itself before? Apple Bloom certainly did, and its name was Pando Everfree.
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The mere idea that the owner of the Orphan trees, and the master of the timberwolves was a giant tree sounded like a joke, but the fact that the very same tree had Apple Bloom being constricted by a giant tree root made it no laughing matter.
"You let my sister down, bark face!" Applejack shouted.
"This does not concern you," Pando answered. "Beside, at least I have bark."
"Should I take that as an insult?"
"If I wanted to insult you, I would've pointed out your horse face."
That time, Applejack did get mad at Pando's words and started to give him a death stare, but Pando thought very little of it. This was because Pando didn't think very highly of anypony, except for me. If you remembered from before, he tried to kill Apple Bloom and her friends earlier just because they trespassed.
"Pando, let my granddaughter down," I said. "She won't hurt you and I'm pretty sure she's not going to get far if she runs. Even you can be that reasonable."
As angry as Pando was at Apple Bloom and despite having her with her reach, he knew that I was right. He quickly released his hold on Apple Bloom and brought his root back underground, but he did it so fast that he didn't care if Apple Bloom would get hurt from the fall. Fortunately, Big Mac was able to run and catch her before she touched the ground.
"There. Now, let us continue. You have to explain to me about what happened to Limp Root's seed."
"Limp Root?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Look to your right," Pando ordered, turning us all to where we saw a dying, rotting tree. "That dead tree was Limp Root's tree before her apple was plucked off her, and if you know anything about my Orphan trees, they die as soon as they lose their apples."
"Wait a moment. You name your trees? Why do you do that?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I don't know. Why did your parents name you and your family?" He asked, which made Apple Bloom silent. Just as your parents named and cared for you, Pando felt the exact same thing about his Orphan trees. "Look around. I have named every single Orphan tree that has ever been grown. There's Dark Leaf, Strong Bark, and the twins, Alder and Ash. All nineteen Orphan trees are named, as well as the other eighty-one that have been destroyed because of your kind."
"Ponies destroyed the Orphan trees?" Applejack asked.
"No, dear," I answered. "The Apple Family alone did it."
I shocked my grandchildren when I told them about what happened to all those trees. There had been one hundred Orphan trees at one point, but because of the Apple family, they had been nearly wiped out. That was when an epiphany had hit Apple Bloom.
"Granny Smith, is this connected to the Apple Family Slaughter?"
"I'm afraid so," I answered, finally being left with no other choice than to start telling my family the truth. "Years ago, we found the Orphan trees throughout the Everfree Forest, and Pando here didn't like it very much."
"That is correct. I still remember that dreaded day when you first entered my forest," Pando answered. "Your clan found each and everyone of my Orphan trees, the direct descendants of myself. All trees in Equestria are connected to me in one way or another, but none need more protection than the Orphan trees, especially after your ruthless family first came to this land."
"You wiped out a lot of our family for picking apples and you call US ruthless?" Applejack asked.
At that time, a large pointed root emerged from the ground and appeared in front of Applejack like a spike track, causing her to jump back in fear.
"Next time, I will aim for your heart, pony."
"Don't you threaten my granddaughter like that, Pando!" I ordered. "She has no idea about what's going on."
"How can that be? She would've went through a very similar experience you went through, considering all three of them are the next ones to have found these trees," Pando said, being confused about what I said. Then, after thinking about it, he realized something. "You never told them, did you?"
"Told them what?" I asked.
"Surely, they've been curious about their mother and father."
"Well... I told them that the timberwolves got them, but that's because it's true."
"Then they should've pieced it together by now."
Apple Bloom, Applejack and Big Mac were all confused about what Pando and I were talking about, not realizing that we were talking about their parent's death. After thinking about it carefully, Apple Bloom thought of something.
"Wait a second..." Apple Bloom said. "Aren't you the master of the timberwolves, Mr. Everfree?"
"That's right. I am also their creator. Their sole purpose is to keep everypony away from my territory."
"If the timberwolves belong to you, and they..." Applejack said, as she too came to the realization. Then she looked up to Pando in horror as she finally pieced it together. "You're the real one responsible for... Did you kill our parents?"
"Ah, yes. Now I remember you," Pando said. "You, the big one, and the little one, came here before and found my Orphan trees. You foolishly stole the golden apples of Lone Pine, Thick Sap, and Pando Jr. I originally had twenty-two survivors from my attack on your family, but lost three more because each of you took more of my children away."
This next part is Pando's exact words.
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Several years ago, you three entered my forest as foals. As I normally have trust in my timberwolves and am rendered motionless, I normally slumber until I am needed. The three of you found my domain and found the Orphan trees, taking home three of their fruit. My life's duty is to keep the trees living, and keep their population from going down any more. They are my children, my family, and as you know, they die as soon as their fruit is picked...
I will show no mercy to anyone who tries to take my children away from me. I didn't when the Apples first did so many years ago and I chose not to the second time either.
I sent wave after wave of timberwolves to your farm in an attempt to avenge my children by taking away the ones who had took them away. After a few days, your parents and Smith found out about me, and offered me a deal. In an attempt to protect their own children, they offered me their own lives. They were the first of your kind to show the empathy I desired, so while I only received justice for only two of my three lost children, I accepted it, for they were only the second and third ponies I had any respect for.
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"I accepted their sacrifice to me and spared the three of you, not that selfish ponies like you deserve it."
The kiddies stood in shock when they learned from Pando about the heroic sacrifice their parents made. Apple Bloom felt great sadness about why she never grew up with her parents, while Big McIntosh tried to keep strong. Applejack, however, felt nothing but anger.
"YOU KILLED MY MA AND PA?" Applejack shouted in rage. "I'LL BUCK YOU UP GOOD FOR THAT!"
"Applejack, STOP!" I shouted.
In her blind rage, Applejack charged toward Pando Everfree without using her brain. Before she ran past me, I jumped into her and knocked her down to the ground. As soon as I did, another spike-shaped root appeared a mere hoof away, which would've been the exact spot Applejack would've been at, had I not stopped her.
"It's a shame, Smith," Pando said. "If I had struck her heart as I promised, this whole issue would've been resolved, for it would've been an eye for an eye."
"Mr. Everfree, can I ask you something?" Apple Bloom asked. "If you don't want us to take your apples, then why do you let her take them as much as she likes to?"
Pando grew silent, as he didn't quite knew how to answer, since he had a very good reason as to why him and I got along as well as we did, despite his feelings toward ponykind. I made it easier on all of us by answering her myself.
"It's not the apples he actually cares about, Apple Bloom. It's the seeds he wants." I explained.
"The seeds?"
"As I told you, each Orphan tree bears only one golden apple. What I didn't bring up is that each apple has one, and only has one seed inside to grow a new tree. This means that there will always be a fixed number of Orphan trees, and as long as I return the seeds back here, he lets me bring home golden apples whenever they're ready."
"But why does he let you do that, and not anypony else?"
"Because she's the only one I trust," Pando answered, interrupting me. "When the Apple Family found all of the Orphan trees in this forest, she was the only one responsible enough to keep any seeds, while the others had been thrown away or eaten. In exchange for her kindness, I had the timberwolves take the seeds back, spared her and the rest of her family, and returned them to the forest. When we finally met face to face, shortly after your parents died, we made a deal to prove my trust in her. In exchange for keeping this whole thing a secret, I would trust her with the seeds of my children to do whatever she pleased with their fruit, and until recently, she did a fine job."
And that was it. That was everything I had kept my grandchildren from knowing for all these years. I did it because I was afraid of how they would feel if they knew. At that time, I had something completely new to fear.
"Our original deal still stands, Smith. Your are to return the seed of Limp Root to me or I will have to take the child's life."
"Oh, come on. She's a little filly!" Applejack said. "You can't honestly-"
"YES I CAN!" Pando shouted in anger, followed by eight wooden spikes appearing from underground, surrounding Applejack. "One more word from you and I'll feed you to the Timberwolves!"
"Applejack, stay as silent as Big Mac. I highly doubt he likes you," I told her. "I will always honor our deal, Pando. Rest assure that I will return your seed."
"Very well then, but remember. I want either Limp Root returned here and buried back into the ground, or I will come get the child make her pay."
Apple Bloom was really scared by what me and Pando agreed to, but I had no intention of letting his roots so much as touch little Apple Bloom. I didn't entirely knew how to protect her as I wasn't sure where Apple Bloom left the golden apple she had brought back, therefore I didn't know where its seed was. All I knew was that I needed to bring everypony back home, for they had a hard enough time just being with Pando Everfree.
I was also pretty sure that I still had a little more to explain to my Apple Bloom and the others, since they had to take in so much all at once, but at the same time, they had a few things to explain to me as well.