I was never more scared for my family's well being then I was at that moment.
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After our meeting with Pando Everfree, we went to retrieve the seed from the golden apple. Instead of going straight, ‘Bloom and Applejack remembered bringing the apple itself to the Cutie Mark Crusaders treehouse, where it was eaten. It was actually just the sisters and I, as Big McIntosh went straight back to the farm, to make sure it was still safe. While Pando didn’t care about what happened to the apple itself, the seed's safety would determine the Apple Family's future, as it would decide whether or not he would seek revenge.
"So we just give him the apple seed and we're good as gold?" Applejack asked.
"It may take me a while before I can have his trust again, but we'll be safe alright," I answered.
As we all walked to the the treehouse, I noticed that Apple Bloom was walking slower than the rest of us, having her head lowered in shame. I've never liked seeing the youngins look so gloom and I failed to see any reason she should've been at all., so I turned around to and started to walker slower to match her pace.
"Go on. Smile!" I told her.
"I can't," she answered. "I'm the reason this whole thing happened. I took the golden apple in the first place, and because of that, Pando has been attacking our family. I should never have taken it."
"Apple Bloom, you shouldn't worry about that," I said, as I lowered my head down to her level. "You aren't the first Apple to steal from Pando. Everypony else who took one took it solely out of greed, as they stole multiple golden apples. If anything, you are the first one who had a legit reason for finding them, and that was because I refused to tell you the truth. So if anything, I should be the one to blame."
"It doesn't matter, anyhow," Applejack said. "As soon as we return what the overgrown weed wants, he'll be off our hides for good."
As Apple Bloom felt slightly better about what she had done, she started to speed up and was able to catch up to Applejack, but Applejack quickly stayed back to come by my side. It was her turn to talk to me.
"Granny Smith, I've been meaning to ask. Why in the hay would you work with this guy?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Barkface back there caused the Apple Family Slaughter and took away our parents, and Pa was your son. How can you not be so mad about this? If I were you, I'd take a chainsaw and cut him down for firewood!"
Any parent would feel horrible about losing their children. In fact, our worst nightmare is to outlive our kids, so I felt miserable just by talking about it, but Applejack deserved to know the truth about anything, so without any further hesitation, I told her exactly why I held no harsh feelings towards Pando Everfree.
"I lost my son, and I always had liked your mother, so that was unfortunate too. The day when we lost them both was a real tragedy. It's a pain I will always feel, but you, Applejack, have no possible idea about what it’s like to lose your children. Pando didn't just lose one today, he's lost dozens of his own. I don't think I can ever understand the anger he's been holding in."
"But Granny, they're just trees. I love them too, but-"
"And WE'RE just ponies! It doesn't even matter whether or not we're ponies or trees, the point is that Pando and I both understand what it feels like to lose a child they love. Someday, you will be a mother yourself, and when you are, I pray to Celestia that you will never have to go through what me and Pando both went through. Take my word, Pando isn't doing anything I wouldn't do myself if I were in his roots, for if some monster came and took you, Apple Bloom, or Big Mac away from me, even if it meant committing the most horrendous crime like murdering the one who took you away, I would NOT hesitate to go through with it, for I would demand justice!"
I shocked Applejack, and even Apple Bloom overheard what I said too. They never knew how much I empathized with Pando and I was glad that they finally knew. As I said, Applejack had no idea what I had went through, and to an extent, what Pando went through. She may know how it feels to lose your parents, but she has yet to know the pain Pando and I went through.
"I'm real sorry to hear that," Applejack said with a sad face. "It's true. I have no idea what it's like to lose your kids, and I hope I never do. I guess I just shouldn't say anything."
"That's not completely true," I said. "You do at least know what it's like to lose an important family member, so there's no need for me to be angry at you."
I was happy that I had Applejack understand things from my point of view, although it did cause Apple Bloom to feel bad, since she didn't quite understood how we felt and she knew it. She was a foal when she lost her parents, so she didn't know how to feel, but she wanted to feel something, and that was all I could ever ask from her. Heck, it was probably more than I wanted. She's a good girl, so I don't think she deserved anything like that.
We eventually stopped talking, and got to the treehouse, where what was left of the golden apple was left at.
"Is is this where you brought it?" I asked Apple Bloom.
"Yeah. Me and Applejack ran straight to the farm when Winona came, so it should still be here," she answered.
"Well, I don't see anything."
"WHAT?"
Apple Bloom and Applejack charged to the spot where they left the apple, but much to their surprise, the apple itself, and therefore the seed of the golden apple, was gone. Now, I was certain that the golden apples wouldn't grow legs and walk away, even if they were magic. It didn't make sense to any of us.
"Where in Tartarus did the apple go?" Applejack asked.
We didn't know it at the time, but some time after this whole series of events went by, I found out exactly what happened to the golden apple.
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When the dog went and found the sisters, they left the apple to be all by itself. Do you remember a while ago when I brought up the pink and grey fillies? Those two are schoolmates of Apple Bloom, named Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, a pair of girls who are lucky that they don't live in an age where spanking is common for parenting. They were walking by at the time and saw Apple Bloom and her friends eating the giant apple. They stayed, as they noticed the girls were really enjoying the fruit, and were tempted to get a piece of it themselves. I don't see why they were so envious though, considering they come from wealthy families. Diamond Tiara is actually the daughter of an old friend of mine, but I digress.
As Applejack and the Cutie Mark Crusaders completely devoured the apple, all that was left was the core. As they couldn't enjoy the apple like the others did, they thought of another idea.
"All we need to do is plant the seeds in this thing and we can have all of the giant apples we can eat!" Diamond Tiara said.
"Sounds great. Let's get those seeds out then," Silver Spoon answered.
"Eww. I'm not sticking my hoof in that. It looks rotten now."
"Why not, you already took a bite out of it."
"Oh, forget it. Let's just bring it back at my house. I'll have the maid take them out."
After Diamond Tiara gave the apple core a hard back kick, the apple flew up into the air and landed on her friend's back, forcing Silver Spoon to balance it. After getting herself to stand up straight, Silver Spoon marched forward as Diamond Tiara followed, making sure her precious stolen good was safe. The spoiled brats could eat fancy stuff, yet they don't mind stealing from farm folks. Their parents aren't hard enough on them.
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Since we had no idea that Diamond Tiara and her friend took the apple and the seed, we had to give up finding it and return to the farm. In an instant, everything had went wrong. The deal was that if we returned the seed of the orphan tree to Pando Everfree, he would forgive my family for what Apple Bloom did, but since we couldn't find it, he would an expect an eye for an eye.
"You don't suppose he would forgive me for my mistake, would he?" Apple Bloom asked.
I really didn't want to answer that question.
"I'm afraid not, dear. In every scenario, Pando lost more then he took from us. This time he would demand a fair vengeance."
"And we're really going to let him have Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked.
"Nope!" Big Mac answered.
I let out a miserable sigh before continuing. "I would be more than happy to take her place, but I know Pando, and he would never accept me as a sacrifice. I could probably insist on it, but he'll probably just get angrier," I put my hooves in my face, being so angry and sad by what was happening. "But I can't just let this happen to my grandchild."
"Then what will we do?"
There was a long silence in our home. I couldn't think of anyway to make everypony happy. No matter what, Pando would send his timberwolves back to take apart of my family away, and like I said, Pando would never let me take Apple Bloom's place due to our little friendship and the fact that I'm as old as I am. Without that one little seed, I could do nothing to protect my family. This was a worse feeling I had then when my own son died, because I was about to lose his own child. It's not right for the old to outlive the young.
"Apple Bloom, you have school in the morning," Applejack said. "You'd best get to bed."
"But Applejack, I still want to-" Apple Bloom tried to say.
"Don't even think about it anymore. I've already got it all figured out."
"You do?"
"You do?" I asked.
"Take my word for it. By tomorrow, Mr. Firewood will stop bothering us and the farm will be saved. Big Macintosh, can you go put her into bed?"
"Eeyup."
"Good. I'll see you in the morning, sis. Just rest easy and think happy thoughts."
"Well... okay then. Goodnight, Applejack."
As she had ordered, Apple Bloom was sent off to bed with Big Mac going up to tuck her in, leaving the living room to just me and Applejack. I didn't know what Applejack was thinking, and I certainly wished she hadn't thought of it.
"So what's your plan, Applejack?"
"Granny, do you remember when you said that I don't know what it's like to outlive your children?" She asked me. "Well, I don't plan on ever knowing what it's like, and like I promise, he's not going to lay a root on my little sis."
"Applejack Ashleigh Apple!" I shouted. "I know what you're planning, and I'm not going to let you do it!"
She looked at me with a sincerely miserable look on her face, but after thinking for a moment, another entered her mind that made her look even worse, but then a final thought made her smile weakly.
"I can't let Apple Bloom suffer for this, especially since I did what she did at her age and got off scott free. Besides, I love her, and I value her life much more than I my own," she said with a smile. "I've made up my mind Granny Smith, and there's nothing you can do to talk me out of it. Tomorrow, I'm giving Pando my life to spare Apple Bloom."