I woke up the next morning and with my role as watching over Applebloom and the whole farm for the day only, I didn't wanna waste time. Cleaning myself up and having a quick drink, I left my home and first of all trotted to Rarity's home where I just saw her come outside.

"Hi Rarity, just came to stop by before I go over to the Applebloom to do my watch-over duty." I said as I walked over to her.

"Morning darling, of course." she replied as she wrapped her forelegs around my neck and kissed me. "I bet looking after a farm will also be a huge chore."

"It will be, but with my alicorn magic, it shouldn't take long."

"I can only imagine. You have a good day at the farm, dear....love you."

"Love you too."

We then shared a passionate kiss before I set off and walked on my way to the farm, I could've flown over there but my wings were still aching after the long trip of escorting the breezies back to their home. When I got there, I saw Applejack and Big Mac packing up loads of apple pies and this made me hungry as I didn't have breakfast yet.

"Morning Applejack, I'm here now." I called.

"Morning Bond, glad to hear it." she replied, "You look a little on the thin side, apple pie?"

"Really? Thanks Applejack."

She then carried a pie over to me and as I was eating through it, Applebloom appeared.

"Stayin' home alone, by myself, on my own!" Applebloom exclaimed as she galloped out of the barn, "Ah can't believe I'm really doin' it!"

She didn't look where she was going as she bumped into Applejack and the pies flew up in the air and Applejack caught them.

"Now, hey there, filly. Ah know you're excited, but bein' the only pony here to take care of the day's chores is a big responsibility." Applejack pointed to me, "And that's why ah also decided to enlist Bond here to watch over the whole farm where ya can't see."

"Ah know it! And it means everythin' to me that y'all think ah'm grown up enough to handle it. Ah won't let you down."

"Well, if ah'm gonna make my train, ah best to be off." Granny Smith said, "When Great Aunt Pine Apple says a pony's gots to ride by a certain time, you better be there! You be sure and take care now, Apple Bloom. Y'all take care as well. Ah don't know which of your delivery routes is tougher, you're each headed to a mighty hard-to-reach town."

She gave them two same maps but each one a different route.

"Eeyup" Big Mac replied.

"We know, Granny." Applejack added as she placed her route map in her bags, "That's the only reason ah agreed to let Apple Bloom stay behind alone, unless she gets into trouble and Bond here is able to solve it."

"It is?" Applebloom asked sadly.

"Oh, ah didn't mean it like that, sugarcube. It's just, ah take my job as your big sister real serious, which is why ah spent all night makin' this."

Applejack then pulled out a very long list.

"What is it?"

"Just a little list of helpful reminders."

I was then done with the apple pie...hmmm, it was quite tasty, but not as good as zap apple jams but I kept that to myself.

"That is a really lost list, even longer than the chores I had to do when Pinkie and I were watching over the cake twins." I commented.

"You don't have to worry about me. Ah can take care of myself and the chores! Ah'm ready for this." Applebloom said with a determined look.

"Ah guess you are. Ah'm just not so sure ah am." Applejack sighed.

"Oh come on Applejack." I said, "You need to trust your little sister that she can do this without you...clinging onto her." I then got up as I stood beside Applebloom. "Sure she's made a few mistakes before, but this could be a really big chance for her to turn it all around and make you incredibly proud of her. That's why I agreed to watch over the farm if for reason she can't. You can trust me, right?"

"Ah know ah can trust you, sugarcube. Ah'm just worried for her."

"Just like any other family member would be, but you don't see my sister watching over me. Anyways, the point is to not worry yourself at all when I've got it covered, it'll drive your crazy and out of character...remember the time you were?"

Applejack nodded sadly as this reminded her of the time she refused to let anypony help her with the applebucking season...she smiled and gulped as if to swallow her stubborn pride.

"Alright sugarcube, guess ah'm still a little stubborn." she replied before she hugged me, "Okay then. Good luck, little sis."

"Okaygreatseeyousoonbye!" Applebloom replied very fast as she helped push one of the apple pie carts.

"Goodbye." Applejack and Granny Smith replied.

"Eyuu-up!" Big Mac added.

Soon the apple family left as Applejack and big Mac walked towards the forest and Granny Smith got a taxi ride. When they were out of sight, Applebloom kept waving until she couldn't see them, she then showed a huge smile.

"Woo-hoo! Ah'm alone! At home! Ah'm home alone! This is gonna be so awesome!" Applebloom exclaimed in excitement.

"Okay calm down, Applebloom." I said, "Sure you may be in charge of the house and the whole farm for today, but don't get too excited, you still have your chores on that list to do."

"Oh...right, ah better get started."

"Do you want me to help? After all, Applejack wanted me to make sure you and the farm would be alright."

"No it's alright, Bond. Ah'm gonna go in the house and place the list up and go over it, ya can help watch over the farm and the orchard since ah I can't be everywhere at once."

"Sure, I'll do that for you, but it take a while, my wings are still aching."

"Why is that?"

"I'll tell you if or when you need me for anything."

"Okay...off ah go."

Applebloom then trotted into her family home happily with the list as I walked to the farm area and began my patrolling across the orchard, good thing I had the apple pie as that was more than enough to keep me full until the afternoon.

Sometime later when I checked all over the orchard with nothing out of the ordinary, I walked back to the main farm area and into the apple family home. I saw Applebloom still going over the list.

"Okay, number one seventy two: 'Make sure to pump the bellows to keep the stove warm.'" she read as she went over to the stove and bounced on the bellow which create a bit of fire on the stove. "Check! 'Make sure the hats and bows closet is fully stocked.'"

"Want me to do that?" I offered.

"No it's fine, ah've got it covered."

She then went over to the closet and began stuffing it with loads of hats and bows...now it looked like a pile that was about to fall out, but she closed the door quickly.

"Just pointing this out to you. That's not quite how you store them away."

"Oh, well how would you put them away?"

"Like this."

I opened the door and with my magic, I brought out the hats and bows and separated them.

"Just place the hats on top of each other like so on one side of the closet and neatly place the bows on the other side."

Applebloom held her hoof out slightly, signalling me to stand back. I watched her did exactly as I instructed and soon she had a much better looking pile of stacked hats on one side of the closest and bows on the other side, she then closed the door.

"Here's the list for you to check that off."

Applebloom grabbed the marker pen by the list and checked it off.

"Check! That's everything on Applejack's list!" Applebloom declared as I looked at the list, I flipped over the list and saw one more chore, but it had a question mark on it. "And now that my chores are done, since there's no one else here, ah get to make all the decisions! If ah wanna listen to music, ah can! If ah wanna read a book, ah can! If ah wanna just go down in the kitchen talkin' to myself, ah can!"

"Wait a minute." I said, "You missed out one last thing which I saw on the other side of this scroll you didn't see."

"Awww...what is it?"

I looked at it closely and fell silent for a moment, "It's quite a delicate one...and a little personal so I much rather not get involved."

Applebloom looked at the last chore...if it was a chore and suddenly, a tear began to fall from her left eye.

"I don't think there's any words needed for this one." I said as I put my hoof around her. "But it has to be done, right?"

"Yeah, ah wanna prove that ah can handle the farm on my own, but that one is a little too much for me to handle."

"Do you want me to go and visit that hill?"

Applebloom wiped her tear away.

"Yes please...ah feel disappointed that ah couldn't do this."

"But you've done every other chore on the list by yourself, so I'm sure Applejack would be incredibly proud of you...for now, it's almost dinner time, I'll go and 'see your parents' after that. You don't have to come along."

"Thank you."

After we had our dinner by sunset, I began to set off out to the orchard whilst Applebloom enjoyed herself by doing what she wanted around the house, I had confidence that she wouldn't break anything, cause my magic would help.

When I had walked to the far end of the orchard, I came across a small hill that I didn't see before. Upon walking towards it closer, I gasped...there on the hill were a pair of tombstones with letters engraved on them.

"This must be the place where thier parents are." I commented.

Just then, I felt a surprising but welcoming presence that went along my back which got my attention, I turned back to the tombstones and sighed as I walked over closer and saw the writing in detail.

The tombstone on the left read, 'Here lies Johnny Appleseed. A loving father to Big Macintosh, Applejack and Applebloom. Son of Granny Smith.' I then read what was said on the tombstone on the right. 'Here lies Honeybell Orange, loving mother of Big Macintosh, Applejack and Applebloom. Sister of Mr and Mrs. Orange.'

I then felt another presence, now I was sure that this was more of a spiritual presence than just my mind playing tricks. My eyes were then locked on a pair of mists that appeared above the tombstones. They then formed into two ponies that stood in front of me, I gasped in fright as I jumped back.

"Well, that's one way to scare a livin' pony, Johnny dear." the orange mare said.

"Now now honey, we have company." Johnny replied. "We're sorry for scaring you like that, we just haven't been contacted around here for so long."

"Nah, don't be, I'm used to it anyways." I assured, "So you must be the parents of Applejack, Johnny and Honeybell?"

"We sure are, at least ya now know where our children get their appearances from." Honeybell replied.

I was going to ask them why Big Mac had a read fur coat and Applebloom had red mane, but remembering back to the cake twins that looked nothing like Mr. and Mrs. Cake, I decided to not bother.

"So yes, I am here on behalf of Applebloom who's watching over the whole house and farm by herself today." I said to them, "It was the last chore on the list of things to do before the rest of the family get back, but she said she couldn't do it. I had a feeling that she didn't want to feel that pain again."

"We completely understand Applebloom's feelings. Because she has done this once before." Johnny replied, "But on a few occasions, it has been Applejack who comes here whenever she has time."

"I see, but there's one thing I don't understand, what happened to you?"

The deceased parents looked at each other in sadness.

"It all happened ten years ago." Honeybell said.

"Ten years...then it must've happened four years before I moved to Ponyville."

"Yes...an event took place that all of Ponyville never wishes to bring up for as long as the town exists." Johnny replied.

"What was it?"

"It was called...the Ponyville Hospital Massacre." they said together.

"Oh great...a Texas Chainsaw Massacre rip-off?" They looked at me very sternly, not pleased with what I said. "Umm err I mean, carry on."

"At the hospital, it seemed like a normal evening. Ah was rushed to the hospital as ah was about to give birth and welcome Applebloom into the world." Honeybell said. "When the procedure was over, Johnny and ah looked at her with tears of happiness and love."

"We couldn't wait till we were out of the hospital so Applebloom could be seen with the rest of the family." Johnny added, "However after a day later since the birth, it all went tragically wrong. There was a patient on the loose and had been declared insane by the staff who worked there."

"We heard screaming and the ponies crying for help from where we were. It was far too dangerous for Applebloom, we had to get her away from the hospital and back to the farm as quick as possible. So our chance came when a staff member galloped into the room. We asked the pony to get Applebloom to the farm safely and he accepted it by opening the window beside us and he escaped the hospital. But in front of us, the hospital door opened again and what we saw was very disturbing."

"It was the patient that had gone on a killing spree as he was covered in blood and grinned evilly. However, he revealed himself to not be a patient at all but explained that he was a hit-pony, hired...by Filthy Rich's father who ordered to put me down and anypony else who got in his way."

"So ah got out of the bed and stood in front of Johnny, knowing if my husband goes down, ah'm going with him. But he didn't care...he wanted to put an end to Johnny's past con dealings with the rich family, he then pulled out a huge machete knife that was in blood and dived straight at us...and then, we were no more."

Hearing all this made me emotional as it almost sounded familiar to what happened to my parents.

"So when Applebloom was brought to this farm safe, I guess the bad news broke out later?" I asked.

"Yes and we knew they would be devastated by what had happened." Honeybell answered, "There had been no other incidents like that since then."

That would also explain why Diamond Tiara hates the apple family, I thought. So her reasons for the constant bullying antics towards Applebloom go back even further than what happened to her mother.

"Since then, the rest of the apple family became more protective of each other." Johnny added, "It seems that at last, our daughter Applejack has finally come to terms in being less protective of her sister. We would've been very disappointed if she had started acting differently for the wrong reasons."

"Believe me, I know what it's like to feel this way." I said to them, "I lost my parents in a similar way, so I know how they feel."

I then saw the mists beginning to fizzle out beneath them.

"Looks like it's time for us to go again." Honeybell said.

"Indeed." Johnny replied, "But before we go, we have a message for Applebloom and Applejack."

"Okay, I'm all ears." I replied.

"We just wanted to let them know that we are mighty proud of our daughters and our son who we love all very much." Honeybell said.

"And we also wanna thank you as well for helping get through a few problems we have witnessed around us." Johnny added. "Now, go on back to the farm, we'll make sure to say hi to your parents as well."

"If you can do that, than that would be cool...thanks." I replied.

Soon the two parents disappeared as the mists fizzled away, leaving just the two tombstones in front of me. I smiled and bowed towards them, paying my respects before I turned around and began walking back to the farm. When I arrived, I walked into the apple family home to see Applebloom looking tired.

"Evening Applebloom, are you well?" I asked.

"Yeah, just a bit tired and all." Applebloom yawned.

"Well, I think you've worked very hard today, so you really should get some sleep."

"So ya did the last chore for me?"

"I did and I come back with a message too. Your parents showed up on that hill and they say that they are mighty proud of you and the rest of family for keeping the family home alive and they love you very much."

"Thanks Bond...ah wish ah had a bigger brother like you."

"Well you have Big Mac, I'm just a Prince...and a caring friend."

Applebloom hugged me before she went upstairs.

"Alrighty, goodnight Bond."

"Goodnight Applebloom."

She then waved before she yawned and walked slowly to her bedroom. I walked on out to the outside and when I sat down and looked up at the night time sky, I heard my name being called out. I looked to my left to see Applejack and Big Mac returning with thier apple pie carts.

"Evening sugarcube, how's Applebloom?" Applejack asked.

"She's out for the count after working through her chores today." I replied. "I helped her when she needed it, but she did nearly all of the work on her own."

"That's good to know...ah wanna thank you for watching over her, especially when you helped her."

"Eeyup." Big Mac added.

"You can walk on back home now, Big Mac and ah will take it from here...oh by the way."

"Yes?" I asked.

"When we were on our way from the forest, Pinkie Pie showed up from nowhere and told us to meet at Sugarcube Corner early tomorrow morning."

"Why?"

"She wouldn't say...but ah guess we'll find out tomorrow."

"Okay, goodnight to you both."

Applejack hugged me and then I began walking out of the farm and all the way back home. It was really quiet around town, except for a bit of noise coming from Sugarcube Corner, but I decided to wait until the early morning. I walked back home, headed on inside and went over to my bed.

As I began to sleep, I recapped on today. I for one believe that Applebloom is now far more than capable of looking after the whole farm on her own and I finally saw their parents and learnt more of the past events that happened here before I came along. They were proud of them...just like how my parents are proud of me. Next Chapter: Maud Pie Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours, 42 Minutes