Mike's POV

As I walked to Applejack's house, I wondered why she hadn't left the last few days. Usually around this time of year, she would be in Ponyville selling apple products.

When I got to Sweet Apple Acres, she wasn't even outside. There were lots of trees with apples still on them, yet Applejack wasn't here bucking the trees.

I knocked on the door to her house, and she didn't answer. Instead, I heard a slight sobbing. It was Applejack's, but I also heard Rarity sobbing. What in Equestria is she doing here? And sobbing, no doubt?

I knocked again, and Apple Bloom answered. "Whaddya want? Can't y'all see were busy here?"

I managed to hold a straight face. "Actually, I can't see anything going on, but I sure can hear it going on."

"Oh, y'all can hear her?"

My composure started to crumble. "Listen, I just wanna make sure she's alright. I haven't seen her in a few days, and I'm getting worried."

"She's just havin' a bad week is all. Come back next week."

She tried to close the door, but I stuck out my hoof, ignoring the pain that followed. "You're not going to stop me, okay? I'm here to check on her, and that's what I'm gonna do."

"She figured y'all mahght do that. Come on in."

I never really got a good look at the interior of the farm house. It was pretty neat. I asked where AJ was, and Apple Bloom pointed upstairs, saying to check the second door on the right.

I went upstairs, knocked on the correct door. When Applejack replied to go away, I answered.

"AJ, it's me, Mike. I know everything is most certainly NOT alright. Just tell me what's wrong and I can help you. And I will NOT take 'go away' for answer."

I waited a few seconds before I got a reply. "You never were a quitter."

"Neither were you. Now let me in, my legs are killing me."

I heard a slight click, and the door opened a few inches. "Hey there, Mahke."

"Hello AJ. What's Rarity doing here?" I noticed Rarity sitting on Applejack's bed.

"You wanna know whah Ah haven't been in town recently?"

"Only if you're comfortable talking about it."

"Here's the story. This hat has been worn on mah head for as long as Apple Bloom's been 'round, but it's not somethin' Ah wear because Ah lahke it. Ah wear it because, well, it's the last reminder Ah have of mah parents."

Applejack's Flashback

I was cuddling my baby sister Apple Bloom like I always did, when my mom and dad came up to me. They asked if I wanted to walk with them and check out the scenery outside.

"Yer mother and Ah were wonderin' if y'all wanted to walk through town and check it out. Granny Smith's asleep, and yer brother Macintosh is waitin' for his friend at the train station, so it'll just be the three of us."

"Sure, daddy, that sounds lahke fun. Just hold on a quick second." I placed my baby sister in her crib, and I joined their side. Little did I know that was the last time my parents and I would ever go on a walk.

Applejack's Flashback (continued)

As we walked, we heard a scream for help. We galloped towards it, and I saw Rarity hanging for dear life on a broken rope bridge.

"Help, I can't hold on much longer."

I told Rarity that we would help her.

"Mom, Dad, we gotta help her."

"Already on it, kiddo." My dad grabbed a rope out of his saddlebag and tied it around himself and to the post holding up the bridge. He crawled over to Rarity, who was now holding on by one hoof. He reached out for her, and she grabbed on. He was pulling her up as the panel under him gave way, and he would've fallen to his death if he wasn't tied to the post.

He threw Rarity towards me, and she landed on her side. My dad was struggling to climb up, when suddenly his rope snapped, and my mother rushed up to grab. However, try as she might, my mother could not pull him back up. Before she fell with him, she shouted her last words to me.

"Take care of Apple Bloom."

I watched as she also threw her hat up. It landed right next to me and Rarity. I stared down in the canyon as I watched my parents fall down and down, until they disappeared in the fog below. I stood there, shaken by what had just happened. I felt like jumping in there to join them, but Rarity stopped me.

"Don't do it, Applejack. It just isn't worth it."

I was distraught. Upset beyond belief. I just saw my parents fall to their death. I would never see them again. I ran home as fast as I could. I didn't stop for anything. I got home, and Rarity followed me. We went inside, and Apple Bloom was sobbing like crazy. She probably knew what had happened, and she was also upset.

I ran to my room, and shut my door before Rarity could get to it.

Applejack's POV (present day)

"...and that's whah y'all haven't seen me a few days before. Some kid got really angry at me and made the rude remark about mah parents being gone."

"Why is Rarity here? I know she's part of your backstory, but how'd she find out?"

Rarity looked over at me with puppy eyes, and replied, "I was there with her when the kid made his snide comment."

I hung my head in shame, and asked if I could join them.

"What for? Y'all haven't lost any relatives."

"My parents died not long after Alex was born. They were poisoned, and had to embody skeletons to live on. I had to kill my own brother. You think you had it rough?! My own brother died by my hoof! I didn't want to, but I HAD NO CHOICE!" My tone of voice was raising as I said each sentence.

Applejack cowered in fear. "A–ah'm mahghty sorry, it's just..."

I suddenly realized my actions, and immediately calmed down. "No. I'm sorry. Sorry for lashing out like that. It's just, they were important to me, like your parents were to you."

"Oh, Applejack, I'm so sorry. If I hadn't started that argument all those years ago, none of this would've happened."

"Argument? What argument?"

Applejack started. "Rarity and Ah had been arguin' about whose style of dressin' was better. Eventually, we decahded we weren't friends anymore."

Rarity continued. "I went home, and I realized what I had done. I went across the bridge to apologize, and that's where it all fell down. If only I hadn't started that argument, I wouldn't be crying right now."

She was sobbing, and Applejack joined her. I just stood there, sobbing to myself. After about a minute or two, we all calmed down.

"It wasn't yer fault, sugarcube. I kept the argument goin' and all. If it was anypony's fault, it was mine."

I decided to step in. "Girls, don't beat yourselves up over all that. What's passed is past. Just forgive, forget, and move on. It worked for me, and it could work for you."

Mike was right. It happened, I couldn't undo it, so I decided to put the past behind me. Thirty minutes later, I was back in town, selling apple fritters, apple pies, apple sauce, apple tarts, you name it. And ponies were flocking towards my booth.

Sure, I still miss my parents, but now I don't feel so bad anymore.

Disclaimer: I do not own MLP FiM or any of its characters. I don't really even own 2/3 of this storyline. This is all based off an MLP comic dub I found on YouTube called "Core of the Apple." I probably just made it sound a little more positive. Again, don't own MLP FiM, characters, or most of the storyline, just Mike, my OC.