A week had passed, and Applejack and Fluttershy had spent much of the time in each other's company. The two had explored Ponyville top to bottom together, having a series of childhood misadventures, and becoming closer. Fluttershy had come to Sweet Apple Acres a few times, and was no longer as shy around Applejack's family. The two loved being able to run around, and Rainbow Dash even visited a few times.
There was one thing that Applejack found peculiar. Fluttershy never mentioned her family, or who she lived with. She had never even been to Fluttershy's cottage. It worried her, but she never brought it up.
The two fillies were in an orchard, playing tag in the rows of trees. They had just finished lunch, and were excitedly running unending patterns in the rows of plants.
Applejack stopped, out of breath. Fluttershy snuck up behind her. "Tag," she whispered, "You're it."
"Ya got me. I'm just a lil' bit outta breath." Applejack sat down. Her friend sat next to her. "What's your place like?"
Fluttershy looked a little startled from the sudden question, but quickly recovered. "Oh, very small. It's a quiet little place where I can take care of my animals. We all live there together."
"Who's 'we'?" Applejack inquired giving her a concerned glance.
"Me and my animals. Its very nice." Fluttershy put a hoof over her mouth, having realized her slip-up. Her eyes shut tightly.
"Fluttershy. We're friends. Can you be honest with me?" Applejack asked, in a serious tone.
She nodded unable to speak. Tears had begun to form in her eyes.
"Are you livin' all alone in tha' cottage?" Applejack asked, putting a concerned hoof around the yellow filly's distraught shoulders.
A dam broke in Fluttershy's heart, and the tears spilled forth from her unendingly. "Y-yes, I am."
"Oh, Sugarcube, I'm so sorry. Don't you worry a bit. Ah won't tell nopony. Trust me." Applejack wrapped her best friend in a tight hug. "Wha' happened?"
"My mama... She was sick. We didn't know what happened. One day she was teaching her class at the kindergarten, the next she couldn't move. We tried everything, took her to so many different doctors. None of them knew what was wrong. One mentioned a faraway city, with cures and doctors like nowhere else. My papa flew off to there, hoping to save Mama. She-" a sob escaped Fluttershy's throat, and she continued, "She didn't make it. I was there, holding her hoof. She told me she loved me more than anything, that I was going to be a beautiful mare someday. Then... Then... She left. I didn't know what to do, where to go. She had always been the best thing in my life. I was so lost. I didn't know what to do. But I did know one thing. She would want me to get an education. She was a teacher."
Applejack nodded. She had lost her parents too, Not too long ago. The pain wasn't nearly as fresh as Fluttershy's, but she understood. A tear trickled out of the corner of her eye.
Fluttershy continued, "I went to flight school, after the funeral. My papa still hadn't returned, and I feared the worst. But I stayed in school, like Mama would have wanted. I couldn't fly nearly as good as the other fillies and colts. I'm... Scared of heights. Weeks passed, and Papa didn't return. I cried and cried, having lost both Mama and Papa. One day, some colts were teasing me, cuz I couldn't fly real well. That's when I met Rainbow Dash. She stood up for me. They raced her, and I fell off a cloud. Some butterflies broke my fall. I fell in love with the ground, and the animals. I got my cutie mark, and I knew I was meant to stay. I found my cottage, empty, abandoned, and moved my stuff here. And then I met you." Fluttershy grinned a tearful smile.
"Oh, Fluttershy," Applejack whispered. The two friends wept as one, locked in a tight embrace. "I lost my parents too. It'll be ok."
Fluttershy looked up. "You really think so?"
Applejack smiled. "I know so."