The walk back from to the house was a quiet and uncomfortable one. The only thing that broke the silence was the sounds of hoof on grass, and the occasional grunt of pain from Grapevine from time to time, as Big Mac went over a particularly lumpy patch of dirt.
Applebloom was silently following her big sisters hoof steps, starring down at the ground in deep contemplation, as she let the realisation of what happened go over and over in her mind. The confession from Applejack about her long lost Uncle had left even more unsolved questions in the filly’s head.
What exactly happened to him for the ever loyal family to cast him out like that? She thought. Somehow she knew that in some way he was responsible for what happened to her parents but she was always told it was a tragic accident that had ended their lives, so how could her uncle have been involved.
Why was it that Applejack was treating her uncle like it was all his fault? The young filly sighed audibly this was just too much to deal with right now, she wasn't going to get the answers by thinking she was going to have to get them from the only pony who knew the whole story her Uncle, she silently determined that even if she was going to break her sisters rules, one way or another she was going to find out the truth.
Applejack turned her head at the sound of the filly’s saddened exhale, she looked in pity at her little sister and turned back towards the silent duo in front of her, as her mind also began to wander. Applejack was also about Applebloom’s age when she last saw her now disowned stallion, although those times where short lived she couldn’t help but think back to the simpler time when she called him her favoured uncle...
The sound of lasso wiping around the rooms signalled another failed attempt as the stuffed teddy bear or ‘Mr Fuzzy paws’ as it was referred to by its owner, just refused to go through the hoop. With a loud “Dangit” the young farm filly let the rope fall to the ground, as she slumped down pouting.
A loud rapping came from the outside of the old thin wooden door, catching the young filly’s attention as she flicked her ears towards the noise instinctively. Turning from the stuffed teddy she was trying and failing to lasso, with a frustrated sigh she threw the rope out of her mouth and trotted over towards the front door.
“Who is it?” She asked in a grumpy, yet still inquisitive tone.
“Why it’s just some devilishly handsome young stallion come ta see his favourite little filly.” The familiar voice announced from the other side of the door, instantly snapping the young filly out of depressed mood as a giant smile graced her muzzle.
The young filly flung the door open, and pounced on the figure before it had a chance to react, bringing it into a small bone crushing hug.
“Uncle Grapevine!” She shouted in childish glee. As the force of her little body tackled both of them to the ground.
The young adult stallion chuckled and ruffled the little Applejacks mane with a hoof. “Heya little Seed, how ya’ll been?”
The young filly pushed the hoof away from mane and looked up again with a grumpy pout on her face as she hit him in the chest with her little hoof.
“Ouch Applejack, what was that for?” looking utterly confused at the pony’s incredibly sudden change of emotions.
“That’s for being late you were supposed ta be teachin’ me how to Lasso two hours ago.” She said leaning into her uncle’s chest with a pout.
The stallion sighed and picked up his little niece, gently placing her down next to him on the front porch of the house, as he turned over onto his stomach. He frowned as he racked his brain for a good way to explain himself.
“I’m real sorry little seed, I tried to get here as fast as I could, but somethin’ came up and I had ta take care of it.” he stated apologetically as he looked over to the saddened filly.
“It’s about those pony’s on the side of town aint it, the ones your hangin’ out with who are always being boozing’ and fighin’ in the saloon.”
The stallion looked away from the filly, surveying the farm in front of him as he thought. There was no lying to the little mare, she was too smart for that.
“I know it’s hard for ya ta understand little seed but, I can’t just step away from this.”
“But Papa says that the pony’s you hang out with are bad pony’s, and I know you’re not a bad pony Uncle.” She said softly looking into her uncles eyes.
Grapevine winced from that, the words from the filly cut into him like a knife, it was basically the same conversation his brother and sister in law kept grilling into him on a regular basses but they were just too naïve to the real world to see the facts. None of them knew what this was all about, Grapevine was doing this for the family, one day they would see that!
Grapevine lifted a foreleg over the filly and brought her into a sideways hug as they both stared into the small farm surrounding them. “Look Little seed, what I’m doin’ now is for the good of the family, I don’t like it anymore than you do but if it means helpin’ family I would do it every day for the rest of my life.”
The little filly leaned into her uncle’s side, as she tried to grasp what her uncle was trying to say.
“So your sayin that sometimes you have to do things you dont like if it means helpin’ the ones you love.”
Impressed with how applejack was taking such an complicated moral topic Grapevine couldn’t help but smile softly, yep that filly defiantly got a good brain on her. “That’s exactly what im sayin little one, family should be the most important thing in any ponys life, especially for us Apples, ya’ll understand me dontcha.”
Applejack looked down and rubbed her chin with a hoof in contemplation “I think so.”
“Atta girl, now where’s your folks I gotta speak to them real quick.”
“Ma and Pa took Mac to Appaloosa for new horseshoes, they won’t be back till sun down.
“They just left ya’ll here by your lonesome?” Grapevine asked raising an eyebrow and staring at the filly.
“Well I did tell them somepony was gonna be here lookin’ after me.” she said in a sarcastic tone looking up at her uncle.
Grapevine lifted his hoof to stroked his mane sheepishly. “Ah hay little seed again I’m real sorry about that.”
The filly sighed and leaned into her uncles side again with a small frown. “It’s ok Uncle Grape I know ya didn’t mean ta do it.”
Grape simply stared into the slowly setting sun letting the warm orange glow was over him and his niece enjoying the rare moment of tranquillity they got to share. After some time he looked down at the filly with a smirk.
“Tell you what how’s about I stick round her for the night, that way I can teach you how to lasso up that teddy right up till bedtime.”
“You mean it!” Applejack yelled giddily.
“Eeyep, n’ heck if you promise not to tell your ma or pa about me being late, I’ll even rustle up some of my apple pie for ya, I know it’s your favourite.”
“You’re the best Uncle Grapevine!” Applejack shot up and nuzzled her Uncle, before rushing back to fetch her lasso.
The stallion chuckled and lifted himself off the porch. “And don’t you forget it.”
Applejack snapped out of her thoughts as the rest of the Apple’s finally made it back to house, just as the sun was beginning to set.
Big Mac was already trotting towards the barn their uncle still tied to his back. His exhausted looking body was slouched over the muscular stallion breathing faintly and trying to keep his eyes open, it was clear to Applejack that her Uncle was doing his best to stay conscious despite himself.
She was finding it harder and harder to look at the stallion, as the painful memory's leading up to that moment kept flooding back. He looked almost nothing like when Applejack last saw him he was far more beat up and looked like he aged twice as much as he should have done, in fact the only reason Applejack even recognized him was because his trademark Emerald eyes and smile. Despite everything she knew, the sight of him in such a state deeply saddened her. “Why couldn't ya have just stayed away.” She whispered to herself.
“Why can’t who stay away?” A loud mysterious voice called behind her.
“Hey is that the trespasser?” Another one chimed in.
Applejack and Applebloom both jumped up in shock at the sound of the two new voices. both farm pony turned to see both, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo Looking over Applejack sholder desperately trying to get a view of the stallion.
“Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo what the hay you two still doin here?!” Applejack bellowed In confusion.
“You told us to stay here and wait till you got back.” Sweetie belle Answered.
“Yeah me and Sweetie where waiting for Ages, what took you guys so long anyway?”
Applebloom looked up at her sister silently as if to ask permission to tell them, Applejack simply shock her head at the filly and looked back towards the other two.
“Listen girls I’m gonna level with ya here, This is a personal Apple matter, and I can’t have you girls goin’ off and tellin’ everypony. So I’m gonna cut ya a deal. But first off, from now on ya’ll should know that if you see somethin’ shady or not quite right goin’ on, you have to tell an adult. You girls as still too young to be handling this type of thing on your lonesome, ya hear me?”
Both Filly’s nodded their head in unison.
“That goes for you too Applebloom, Now then I’m willin’ to spare the wipe, metaphorically speakin’ ,if you filly’s promise not to talk 'bout what you saw tonight. If your Mama’s or older Sister asks, you where here with Mac 'n' me, andyou were out doing you’re crusadin’ or on one of yer little escapades you, got that.”
“Yes miss Applejack” the both answered in unison.
Applejack hated the idea of making the filly’s lie. But this matter was just too important, too personal to risk anypony else getting involved. So with a sigh and a nod she accepted the girls understanding of the situation.
“Well alright then, now you two little lady’s wait here ima get Big Mac to take you both home, it’s getting to late for you two ta walk back by your Lonesome’s.”
She turned back to her little Sister waiting patiently at her side. “Applebloom can you go upstairs and get the First aid Kit it’s in the storage room, next ta Granny’s nittin needs.”
Applebloom nodded and turned quickly to her friends to say her goodbyes giving Applejack ample time to slip away as she turned towards the barn.
Applejack entered the barn and closed the door carefully. Just in time as Big Mac lit a large lantern to the side of the barn room. Lying in the middle was a still hogtied Grapevine, who was looking down at the floor unable to meet the eyes of his two family members. His Hind leg was still twitching somewhat but thankfully as Applejack took a closer look noticed that the blood was congealing somewhat, and wasn’t coming out at an alarming rate anymore.
She turned her gaze towards Big Mac who stopped next to her looking down at the old Stallion.
“Big Mac, I need you to take Applebloom’s friends home I can handle this.”
Big Mac looked at her sister hesitantly a worried expression plastered on his face. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Please Mac, I need to deal with this, and the longer those two are runnin' around the more they’ll start askin' Questions.”
The stallion looked at her in silence for a moment before sighing defeated. “Ok Sis, but I don’t like this one bit.”
“I know Mac, but I can handle it fine for now.” She stated, reassuringly placing a hoof on her brother’s shoulder for a moment.
With that the Red stallion began making his way towards the exit of the barn, throwing one last long glance at the two before frowning deeply and shutting the door.
Applejack flicked her ear and turned to hear the stallion laughing weakly, she furrowed her brow and trotted towards him.
“What’s so funny!” she said narrowing her eyes.
“Nothin', its just good ta see you too getting along so well, I remember A time where you’st ta bicker like cat’s an Dogs. Remember the first day Mac bucked a whole tree by himself?”
Big Mac strolled up towards the final apple tree on the little farm, after this his chores would be complete and he could finally go hang out with his friends. He looked at the tree with determination when all of a sudden, his thoughts where rudely interrupted by a sudden collision to his head.
‘Thud’
“Ouch what the hay was that!?” He yelled staring at the remains of an Apple that had just collided with his forehead.
The sounds of rustling and muffled giggling could be heard coming from inside the foliage. However it wasn’t loud enough for big Mac to be concerned with.
“Huh Musta just fallen.” He said shrugging as he placed the bucket down and began pickin up the fallen apples around the tree. He continued in silence, when all of a sudden.
‘THUD’
Youch!, Dag nabit, that smarts!” The little stallion yelled, grabbing his head as the apple that just hit him bounced off and landed on the floor.
The Giggling and rustling of the tree got even louder than before this time.
Big Mac eyed the tree with suspicion, he had a feeling now that his misfortune was getting to convenient to simply be unlucky fate.
Slowly Big Mac turned away from the tree and back to his job, this time however listening out for any unusual noise behind him. He waited for a moment when at last he heard the faint rustling from the leaves above him as he turned back.
“Ha got ya—“
‘Splat’
Big Mac starred up with an annoyed deadpan expression, as pieces of apple slid off his face, to the sounds of Applejack laughing loudly above, she fell onto the branches she was standing on holding her sides as she laughed uproariously.
“Haha I got you good, ya’ll should see your face!” the little filly mocked, trying to catch her breath and whipping a tear from her eye.
“APPLEJACK! What ya do that for, an howd you get up in that tree?”
“That’s for hiddin Mr fuzzy paws yesterday!” She yelled pointing an accusing hoof at the little stallion.
“I told ya, that wernt me, and now get down from there now!” He growled back.
“Na-ah ,no way.” The filly yelled blowing raspberries at the red colt.
“Well, you asked for it.” Big Mac stated, rearing up his back hooves and bringing them down with all his might onto the tree trunk.
WAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! ‘Thud’
Applejack landed completely flat onto the floor groaning in pain as waves of apples flew down from the tree.
“There. serves ya right for bein’ mean.” Big Mac said with a smug grin.
Applejack stood up on shaky hooves, trying to stop the tears that where forming in her eyes.
“Im-Im Tellin’ Mama!” The little filly wailed, as she turned towards the house with tears in her eyes.
Big Mac simply rolled his eyes and looked back at the now Appleless and Applejack-less Tree.
“Hey, I think I got them all... Sweet!”
“Ya two used to be like that all the time. Your Ma used ta always worry you to would grow up hating each other, But I always used to remind her that me and your pa where the exact same back in the day.” Grapevine finished looking up with a smile.
Applejack thought back for a moment, it was strange to think about her brother in that way again. She all but banished those thoughts from her mind after leaving Appaloosa. It was a shame, as much as she and her brother would fight she did miss how much more talkative and social her brother used to be, it was so hard even for her these days to get the big stallion out of his shell after their parents passed away its why he rarely left the farm at all.
The stallion winced again as he tried to make himself more comfortable on the pile of hay Big Mac set him on.
“Don’t worry some pony's fetching the med kit for ya.” Applejack stated in a cold monotone voice.
“Ah, for this little think, don’t bother, I’ve been though worse.” He motioned to his eye with a hoof “that one hurt like bucker. I can tell ya that, the legs just a scratch.”
Applejack rolled her eyes at the stubbornness of the stallion, as much as she hatted to admit it there was no denying that they were family alright, at least in the physical sense.
“Why are you here Grapevine?” Applejack stated in a monotone voice trying desperately to keep her voice from hinting at the emotional cauldron that was still slowly brewing inside her.
Grapevine winced at the words, the way his little Seed didn’t even want to call him Apple or Uncle hurt way more than any wound, but despite that could he didn’t blame her for not wanting to. “I-I needed to see yall again even if it was for one last time.”
“You had years to see us and you never did, why come now!” She stamped her hoof down angrily as the walls defending her emotions solely but surly began to crack.
“I have somethin’, somethin’ I need to give ya before I go, it’s important.” He softly pleaded in his gruff voice.
“We don’t want nothing to do with it, or you for that matter, you already gave the apples a bad name, what makes you think I’m gonna trust anything you give us.”
“Applejack listen to me! I know your upset I get it, I Bucked up in a way I no pony could ever forgive but I made a promise to your folks to ma Brother and by Celestia I’m gonna keep it.”
Applejacks face began to redden as she clenched her teeth, she was at her wits end with the stallion in hindsight he didn’t really do anything to provoke her but right now with all the memories flooding to the forefront of her mind everything he was saying seemed to enrage her.
“No you listen! How dare ya think that you can just come waltzin back here after all this time and demand I listen to a buckin word out of your mouth, you have any idea what it’s been like, how hard it’s been keep this family together after what you put us through!”
Applejack began pacing around the barn stopping only to continue her rant, not letting the stallion out of her sight for even a moment.
“Me and Mac had to give up our whole lives because of yer actions. Applebloom never got a chance to have real parents because of what happened, I had to raised her myself, my own sister, when I was just barely a teen myself you know what that’s like! No you don’t cos for all your talkin and balberin about family. It’s obvious to everypony that all you ever cared about was yourself!
Finally applejack slumped down letting the tears fall off her face, as she took long methodical breaths gazing down at the ground in between them. “W-why? Why did they have to go running off and get themselves killed for no reason?”
The stallion looked up tenderly at the mare yet still not daring to move to console her slowly he came to the realisation that this wasn’t just aimed at him.
“This isn’t just about me is it, you blame them for goin’ don’t ya.”
Applejack shot up with force as she stared daggers at the stallion, the tears continued to fall from her muzzle.
“They left us, they abandon me, Mac and Applebloom, I didn’t even get chance ta say goodbye. Why did they do it why’d they choose you over us, their own children it aint right?!”
“I ask myself that question every Celestia damned day. Your folks, my Brother and sister in law they were tough, loyal people right to the end, same as you. Your father would always say that Apples always stick together no matter what… I can never forgive myself for getting them into that situation where they did what they did, but I know there was no damn way your Ma and Pa would have left you on purpose.”
Applejack wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed she felt completely drained at this point, the pains of her past and the releasing of so much pent up anger after all these years left her feeling completely hollow inside.
Knock Knock.
Both pony’s turned to see a little red bow protruding out from behind the door, followed by the rest of the filly clutching the first aid kit between her teeth. She walked up to Applejack and placed it down by her side.
“Sorry sis, I would have come sooner but I heard yelling and thought I should wait outside.” Applebloom explained pawing at the ground.
Applejack swong her hoof over the fillys sholders and pulled her close to her chest “Don’t worry about it Applebloom, me and Grapevine here where just discussin’ old storeys is all.” she shot her uncle a venomous look and tossed the first aid by his side. “Here this should be all you need to clean up” she turned to look at her uncle one more time “Im leavin dinner out on the side in one hour eat it or not I don’t care and count you’re blessin’s that’s more than you deserve.” She turned to leave “common Applebloom leave Uncle Grapevine to his lonesome.” She said trying her best to hide the previously used tones from her voice.
She turned motioning for Applebloom to follow, who starred sadly at the pony before walking behind her big sister. Much to her surprise however the stallion was in fact smiling very softly at Applejack, she didn’t know but in the stallions mind all he could think about was the nostalgic name he hadn’t heard in so long, at least in anything said in a non-aggressive manor, the word ‘uncle’ Grape considered the possibility that it could have been a simple slip of the tongue, but it was enough for Grapevine to hear it at least one more time.
As Applebloom exited though the double wooden doors, Applejack peered into the barn one last time to speak “You stay here tonight whist I decide what I’m gonna do with you, and don’t even think about leavin’, I won’t think twice about callin’ the Guard on ya, that is right after I deal with you myself, you got that.
She didn’t wait for the stallions rely as she promptly began closing the doors to the barn and barring it from the outside with a solid hunk of wood. The stallion sighed and began rummaging through the first aid box like he had done thousands of times before looking for the cleaning solution whilst hoping to be done long enough to get some shut eye before sun up.
Little did he know that one more pony was about to visit him real soon, a small bow wearing earth pony, who was now desperate for answers, and was not going to take no for an answer.