Long ago when Granny Smith was just filly, she was living in Sweet Apple Acres with her ma, pa, and her two older brothers. The farm was muck smaller backed then, compared to the large farm in the present. Still, her family grew crops, harvest them, and sold them in the nearby settlement of Ponyville.
Then one day Granny Smith's dad got a letter from his brother. The content of the letter explained that his brother is facing some financial problem and won't be able to take care of his daughter Ginger Gold. So because of it she is sending her to him, to take care of.
Her dad was surprised by the letter from his brother. He hasn't seen of heard word from his brother for a long time and now suddenly he's dropping his daughter to him. Done with the letter the father decides to inform the rest of his family.
After telling his family about the letter, he received mix messages from them. Granny Smith was eager and excited to meet her cousin, her two brothers were neutral about the news, and her mother was angry about it.
She told her husband that they already have enough children to take care of and that they don't need another mouth to feed. The father argued that they're family, and family stick together. The two them argued for a while until the stallion managed to convince his wife.
A week later both Granny Smith and her dad were standing at the entrance of their farm. The two of them were awaiting for the arrival of Ginger Gold.
After a few minutes of waiting they spotted a stagecoach approaching them. It stopped and the side door opened, revealing a yellow filly with orange mane.
The two apple family member greeted and welcomed Ginger to their home. They exchange pleasantry and trotted her to their home. Granny was talking to Ginger about all the cool stuff they can do together. While the green filly was rambling on the yellow one was looking around.
As they entered the house Ginger was introduced to the rest of the family and was told that she would be sharing a room with Granny. So after showing her around the house and farm, it was dinner time and they gather around the table to eat.
While there each of the family asked Ginger about her personal life. They asked how she was, how her grades were and all that usual stuff. However, she seems nervous around the questions of her parents. She usually response by giving them short and vague answers, and other times tries to change the subject.
Weeks go by and Ginger was already getting used to living in Sweet Apple Acres, the rest of the family eventually warmed up to her and see her as a new family member. Out of all of them Granny was the most happiest, now she had someone like her to play and talk with. The two of them formed a bond and they were the best of friends.
But then, things started to get weird. When ever Granny Smith was with Ginger Gold she gets a sense that somepony was watching them. Then one day when she was working the field with Ginger, she thought she saw a silhouette of a pony outside their farm.
As days go by Granny continued seeing the the stranger as she started calling him, was getting closer and closer. As the stranger got closer Granny was able to make out some characteristics of the guy. At first she thought he had a black coat and was wearing a white mask, as he drew closer he was actually wearing a black suit with thin vertical red lines. She was correct of the white mask thought.
She ask Ginger is she seen the stranger, and her response was just to ignore him. This only raised further question, in which her cousin refused to talk about.
Smith decided to tell her parents about it and her father plans to meet this stranger. The next day Smith, Ginger, and the father worked together on one side of the field. Then Smith spotted the stranger, she pointed it out for her dad and he instantly trotted towards him.
Smith watch from afar with Ginger and saw her father approaching the stranger. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she guess he was telling him to stay away from his family.
Then Smith' father was levitated and tossed to the ground, the stranger then turned and trotted away. Seeing her father hurt, the young Granny Smith rushed out to check on him.
As she got closer to him, he was already getting up. The father explained that the stranger was using some kind of magic despite having no horn. He used to strangle him and tossed to the soft ground. However, before he left, the unknown pony told him that Ginger owe him something and he is here to claimed it.
Figuring that Ginger is involved the father decides to confront his niece. When both him and his daughter reached the house, they caught Ginger trying to escape. They both caught her and made her explained what the stranger want from her.
Under pressure Ginger told her that her family needed money, so her father got money from some shady pony. In exchange for the loan her father must repay the same amount of money in returned. So at first they were well off, until the day they have to repay.
Sadly her father didn't have the money, and for it he was killed. Her mother was next and she died horribly, they would've gotten her too but she escaped. She thought she could hide from them, but now he track her here and as long she stays here, the apple family will be in danger.
The yellow filly was expecting them to kick her out, but instead she got a hug from the mother. She told her that everything will be alright and that they won't let the bad man get her. Surprised by this act of kindness Ginger openly wept in her embrace.
The next day the apple family prepare for the arrival of the stranger. The father called in a few favors from the ponies in town and they lend their hoof to help him out. The rest of the family are hiding in the barricade house and Smith was watching through the window on the second floor.
Then the sun set and the stranger appeared. From her view from the window she saw her dad and his friends approach the stranger. He demanded for his niece and he responded by not only telling him no, but to also never come back here.
They both stared at each for a minute then the stranger made his move. He pushed him back using his unknown magic, sending him to a wall of a barn.
With the first attack, the rest of the ponies began charging at the stranger. The lone pony easily defeated the the mob, by using magic or simple hoof to hoof combat.
This battle was one sided as the stranger barely broken a sweat from fighting the onslaught of ponies. Soon he defeated all the mob and trotted to the house. Using his magic he easily shattered the wooden barricades. With the door gone Smith's mother told her and Ginger to run while she and her two sons hold him off.
Smith wanted to argue but realized that she'll need to protect Ginger from the stallion. Both her and Ginger sneak out the window and ran for the town. The both of them managed to left the farm, but when they thought they were in the clear the stranger appeared in front of them.
Smith got in front of her cousin, to defend her. She told him to leave her innocent cousin alone. Then stallion just laugh, confusing the little filly. The stranger explained that she doesn't know her cousin that yell and that she is using her.
Smith was about to call out on his lies, but Ginger interrupted her. She told Smith that she hasn't been totally honest with her and decides to tell her the true story.
Ginger told her she was born in abusive household, her father was a bitter drunk who hit her and her mother was just as worse as him. Years of mistreatment has bottled up inside her, made really angry and wished her parents are dead.
Then he appeared, the stallion in the black and red striped suit. He offered to take care of her parents, but in exchange he want something in returned. The thing he wanted is the heart of young child. She of course accepted the deal and the stallion murdered both of her parents. One the deed has been done the stranger told Ginger she had one month to repay him.
So after that day Ginger plotted how she could obtain a child's heart. She then remembered the relatives she had, the apple family. She knew that they had a young daughter and is the perfect choice for her deal. So her plan was to stay with the family for a bit and befriend the green filly, earn her trust and take her heart.
Things at first was going as planned, unfortunately she was caught off guard by their friendly demeanor. She never experience such kindness before and soon warm up to them, she was having such a good time that she forgotten all about the deal.
With her story done the young Granny Smith was shocked by her cousin's revelation. Ginger told her that her family has been good to her, but now she has to repay the debt. The little yellow filly approached the masked stallion and offered her heart.
The stallion didn't say anything and just raised his right hoof. He then shoved his hoof into her chest and pulled out a beating red heart.
Ginger fell down to the ground and Smith rushed to her side. With the deal done, he had no reason to stay and then he just trotted away leaving the green filly to cry for her dead cousin.
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"And that was the last time Granny ever saw the stranger" Applebloom said in low menacing voice.
"Wait, if this guy could use magic why doesn't he just simply teleport to where she was?" Scootaloo questioned.
"Yeah, also why does it want heart?" Sweetie asked next.
"Look girls it doesn't matter, it just a story" the yellow filly explained.
"Still doesn't cover up some of the plot holes"
"Oh and you're stories were any better!"
While the three crusaders were arguing, just below Big Mac was shaken in fear from hearing those stories, then he felt a hoof touching his shoulder.
"Boo"
The red stallion jumped upon hearing that word. Shortly after he heard laughing.
"Oh man that was hilarious" Rainbow Dash laughed.
"Dash, leave poor Big Mac alone" Rarity scolded her cyan friend. "I apologize for my friend rude behavior".
The red pony simply nodded to the white unicorn. Once done laughing Dash flew next to door of the clubhouse.
"Are the girls in here?" she asked and the stallion replied "Eeyup"
The blue pegasus then knocked on door and told Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle it was time to head back home. The two fillies left the clubhouse and left with their escorts, leaving Big Mac with his little sister.
"Well I guess we should head home" Applebloom stated and headed towards their house with Big Mac following from behind.
Later that night all the ponies at Sweet Apple Acres were sleeping peacefully in their beds, all except for a certain stallion. He tossed and turn having nightmare of her little sister and friends tale. For the next couple of days Big Mac won't be having any restful night for him in a while.