Apple Bloom was making her way back home from Zecora's. Her saddle bag was loaded down with ingredients needed to make potions at the next Twilight Time. It was almost sunset, and she knew she would have to be back home soon.

Her family was always very worried whenever Apple Bloom journeyed into The Everfree Forest, but they became less worried with each successful trip that ended with her safely back home.

"It sure is nice havin' a friend like Zecora." Apple Bloom said to herself, not really paying too much attention to where she was going. She'd been through The Everfree Forest so many times by now, that she practically knew the route to take by heart. "With potions ingredients like these, I'm sure to get a potion makin' cutie mark."

Unfortunately, Apple Bloom didn't realize that she was heading into danger. She had missed the path that lead back to Sweet Apple Acres, and now found herself in an unfamiliar area.

"That's funny. I don't remember The Everfree Forest bein' so dark." Apple Bloom said nervously to herself "I sure wish I had a flashlight or somethin' so I could get a good look around."

Those words had no sooner escaped Apple Bloom's mouth, when a giant geyser of flames announced its prescence. Apple Bloom looked around, and realized that she wasn't in The Everfree Forest anymore. Somehow, she had stumbled into a fire swamp.

Before Apple Bloom had a chance to be mad with herself for being careless, she heard an unfamiliar growl. She looked all around, but she didn't see anything. "Hello?" Apple Bloom called nervously. The only reply was that unfamiliar growl, but this time it sounded a little louder.

"W-who's there?" Apple Bloom asked, looking all around once again "I-I'm warnin' you, I know karate and I'm not afraid to use it!"

"Well, well. What a pleasant surprise." a mysterious voice hissed. Apple Bloom was not sure, but she thought it sounded like a snake.

"L-leave me alone, or I'll have to hurt ya!" Apple Bloom threatened, even though she was pretty sure that her bluff wouldn't fool this threat.

"Oh, don't be scared, little filly." the mysterious replied, sounding rather different. "If you're lost, I'm sure we can help you find your way." A few seconds later, a creature emerged from the shadows. But Apple Bloom had never seen this sort of creature before.

Said creature had three heads, one looked like a goat, one looked like a tiger, and one looked like a snake. And they all seemed to share the same body. Apple Bloom gulped, she remembered now that this creature was a chimera. Applejack had always warned her to watch out for them.

"Welcome to our humble little home." the tiger head greeted "Please, feel free to stick around for dinner. It isn't often that we have guests."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef3bsEdDLz0

"Uh, listen Ms. Chimera." Apple Bloom said nervously.

"That's Ms. Tiger Head to you!" the tiger head said crossly "In case you haven't noticed, it can be kind of hard to tell who you're talking to, when you don't specify who it is."

"As was I saying, Ms. Tiger Head." Apple Bloom began "I'd love to stick around and chat, really I would. But Applejack says I'm not suppose to talk to strangers in places like this."

"Oh, but Applejack isn't here." the snake head hissed ominously.

"A-all the m-more reason for me to just get out of here." Apple Bloom stuttered "Do any of you know how to get back to Sweet Apple Acres?"

"What's the hurry?" the goat head asked "Why not stay with us for a little bit?"

"Because Applejack's probably gonna be really worried if I don't come home real soon." Apple Bloom replied nervously "I'm sure ya'll are very good company to be around, but I really should get goin'."

Unfortunately, when Apple Bloom turned to leave, the chimera leaped out in front of her and blocked her path. "I'd stay where you are. This is the only safe spot around here." the tiger head said threateningly.

"It doesn't really look safe to me." Apple Bloom replied nervously.

"Trust us, this place is incredibly dangerous. Far too dangerous for a filly like yourself." the goat head said to Apple Bloom.

"We know of a nice little place where you can be safe from the flames." the snake head hissed.

"I don't think I like your idea of a safe spot." Apple Bloom said, and nervously began to back away.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." the tiger head replied.

"Yeah, you don't have to worry about anything anymore." the goat head added.

"Once you're safely inside our belly, you can just relax." the snake head hissed "It's nice and warm in there, far safer than these flame geysers that could burn you to a crisp."

"I think I'll take my chances with the flame geysers." Apple Bloom replied "Say, what's that over there?" And she quickly ran off after pointing her hoof in a random direction.

Unfortunately, the three chimera heads caught on to Apple Bloom's plan, and they once again leaped out in front of her and blocked her path. "Where do you think you're going?" the tiger head asked.

"Anywhere but here!" Apple Bloom shouted.

"And why would you want to leave this place? Wouldn't you rather not have to worry about being grounded for staying out too late, or getting yelled at for something that wasn't your fault?" the snake head asked.

"I'm not interested in becomin' your next meal!" Apple Bloom said to the three chimera heads "Can't you just leave me alone?!"

"Sorry filly, but we haven't eaten in three days. And you look really delicious." the goat head said, licking her lips. The tiger and snake heads did the same thing.

Apple Bloom tried to back away, only to be stopped by the flame geysers. All the while, the three chimera heads were closing in with an obvious intent to eat her whole.

"Help! Somepony, please help!" Apple Bloom shouted, hoping that somepony might be near by and would come to her resuce. Alas, no one did.

"Just hold still and make this easy on all of us!" the tiger head said crossly.

"Any last words?' the snake head asked Apple Bloom.

"None you'd wanna hear!" Apple Bloom said crossly.

"Enough talk, let's eat!" the goat head shouted.

"Leave my little sister alone!" Applejack shouted, appearing suddenly between the chimera and Apple Bloom. She was clad in black rubbery flameproof boots, and her saddle bags seemed to be heavier than usual, as if they were holding some very large objects.

"Get her!" the goat head instructed, and all three chimera heads turned their attention to Applejack.

"Those chimera heads are in for it now." Apple Bloom thought happily to herself, as she watched Applejack prepare to fend off the attackers "No one messes with my big sister and gets away with it!".

The snake head hissed, and prepared to lunge at Applejack. But Applejack was already prepared for such a situation, and quickly whipped out a snake charming flute. Reacting quickly, she blew into the flute, creating a tune that the snake head found irresistible.

"You won't be so lucky with me!" the tiger head growled, and tried to lunge at Applejack. Applejack dodged the attack, and pulled out a chair not unlike the ones used to tame lions and tigers in a circus.

"That's right, you're not so tough when somepony knows your weakness." Applejack said confidently, using the chair to protect herself from the tiger head's attacks.

"You haven't won yet!" the tiger head roared, and chased after Applejack.

Applejack wasn't worried even the slightest, as she allowed the chimera to chase after her. In a matter of seconds, she was able to trick the snake head into wrapping itself around a tree branch. Applejack then delivered a blow to the tiger head while it was distracted, and subdued it.

This left only the goat head, who was quite furious at what had happened. "You've got some nerve picking on my sisters like that!" the goat head said angrily "I guess I'll have to teach you some manners!" And it lunged at Applejack.

Reacting quickly, Applejack pulled out a hunk of an unknown substance from her saddle bag, and tossed it at the goat head. Once the got head got a taste of the substance, it quickly stopped chasing Applejack. "Mm, ricotta!" it said, and set to work on devouring the tasty treat, forgetting all about its fellow heads.

"That'll teach ya to not mess with my big sister!" Apple Bloom taunted.

Applejack quickly raced over to where Apple Bloom was, and scooped her up. "Come on! We've gotta get out of here, now!" she said seriously, and took off as fast as she could, carefully but expertly dodging the flame geysers.

Applejack didn't stop running until she and Apple Bloom were safely back at Sweet Apple Acres, by which point she was almost out of breath. "Are you okay?" she asked Apple Bloom.

"Thanks to you, I am." Apple Bloom replied.

"You're lucky I found you when I did!" Applejack said seriosuly "That chimera was about to have you for dinner! Just what were you doin' in that swamp anyway?!"

"I didn't mean to go into that swamp, I just got lost, honest." Apple Bloom told Applejack.

"Well, I'm just glad you're safe and sound." Applejack said honestly "Now, head on up to your room and get ready for bed! We'll discuss this more in the mornin', alright?"

Apple Bloom sighed, but did as she was told. "Yes, Applejack." she replied glumly. "It's not like I meant to get lost or anythin'." Apple Bloom thought to herself, as she got ready for bed "I just don't understand why Applejack's always gotta be so overprotective of me! I can take care of myself!" And with those thoughts, Apple Bloom went unhappily to sleep.

Since Big Macintosh and Granny Smith were already sound asleep, Applejack didn't bother waking them up to tell them about what had happened to Apple Bloom. "They don't need to worry about it like I did." she thought to herself "I saved Apple Bloom, and everythin' is as it should be. Or at least, almost everythin'."

Applejack sighed, as she looked at the picture of her parents that rested on a little table off to the right of her bed. It was hard to believe that it was almost eight whole years since she had seen them for what turned out to be the last time. If it weren't for that freak accident with the rope bridge, they'd probably still be alive.

Looking out at the night sky, a pair of shooting stars passed overhead. And as Applejack saw them pass by, tears formed in her eyes. "Ma, Pa, I sure do miss ya." she said to herself "I've tried my best not to let it bother me, but Sweet Apple Acres just hasn't been the same without you. Granny Smith's a wonderful pony, but she can't fill the hole in my heart that you two left. And today it was worse, Apple Bloom almost got eaten by a chimera. I know it's silly of me, but I can't help but worry about her. I don't wanna lose another family member."

Trying to her best not to cry, Applejack climbed into bed and went to sleep. All the while, her thoughts drifted towards how she could protect Apple Bloom, and make sure she didn't get hurt.

The next morning, Apple Bloom woke up to the crow of the rooster, and had no reason to believe that today would be any different from the days before. Applebuck Season had come and gone, but there were still lots of chores that needed to be done in order to get Sweet Apple Acres ready for the winter. Everypony on Sweet Apple Acres was expected to help pitch in and do their fair share of chores, fall was always a busy time of year for the Apple family.

Apple Bloom arrived in the kitchen to find that Applejack was busy preparing breakfast, and this came as a surprise to Apple Bloom. Even though Applejack was an early riser, she usually either let Granny Smith cook breakfast, or allowed each family member to make breakfast on their own. It wasn't that she was a bad cook, in fact Applejack was quite a talented chef. But she was always either busy with chores, or helping one of her friends. Her making breakfast was certainly a surprise.

"Good mornin' Apple Bloom." Applejack greeted with a smile that would make Pinkie Pie proud "Did ya sleep well last night?"

"I sure did, Applejack." Apple Bloom replied "But since when do you have time to make breakfast? Shouldn't you be out in the fields, collectin' firewood for winter?"

"That firewood ain't goin' anywhere anytime soon. It can wait. I figured a little quality time with my little sister wouldn't hurt anypony." Applejack explained.

Apple Bloom had the feeling that Applejack wasn't telling her the whole truth. "Is that so?" she asked suspiciously.

"Why, it most certainly is. There's nothin' wrong with me wantin' to spend some time with my litte sister, right Big Macintosh?" Applejack asked.

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh replied. Was it Apple Bloom's imagination, or was he as suspicious of Applejack's behavior as she was?

"Just have a seat, and your pancakes will be ready in a minute." Applejack said to Apple Bloom, and went back to work on making breakfast.

Breakfast itself wasn't anything out of the ordinary. The Apple family talked about various things of importance, whether it be chores, upcoming events, or whatever was on their mind. The only thing that felt even remotely close to not being ordinary, was Applejack herself, at least in Apple Bloom's mind. "Why do I get the funny feelin' that the reason she made breakfast today, is because she doesn't think I can make breakfast on my own without gettin' hurt?" Apple Bloom thought to herself, in between bites of her pancakes.

"Thanks for the pancakes, Applejack." Apple Bloom said, once breakfast had been finished. "I can't wait! Today's the day I'm finally gonna learn how to buck apples!"

"Not so fast, Apple Bloom!" Granny Smith called "Aren't ya forgettin' about somethin'?"

Apple Bloom skidded to a halt, she remembered that she hadn't washed off her plate after she had finished eating. And she really didn't like having to wash off dishes. But rules were rules. "Oh yeah, thanks for remindin' me." she said with a sigh, and marched back into the kitchen.

Much to Apple Bloom's surprise, however, Applejack picked up the plate and placed it in the kitchen sink before the filly could do it herself. "I'll take care of your dish for ya Apple Bloom, I can tell you really wanna get a head start on your buckin' lesson." Applejack explained, and proceeded to wash it off.

"But I-" Apple Bloom began.

"You don't have to thank me sugarcube, I'm just doin' what any good big sister should do." Applejack interrupted, as she scrubbed the plate clean with a brush.

"First breakfast, and now this? Why is Applejack doin' all of these things for me?" Apple Bloom thought to herself "She's always been insistent on lettin' me do these things in the past." She quickly shrugged it off, she was looking a gift horse in the mouth when she really shouldn't be.

Maybe Applejack knew that her little sister wanted to get a head start on her apple bucking lesson, and was doing all of these nice things so that Apple Bloom wouldn't have to wait as long for the lesson to start. (Big Macintosh had wanted to teach Apple Bloom how to buck apples, but Applejack insisted that she be the one to teach her. Big Macintosh had reluctantly agreed).

Before long, Applejack had finished cleaning the plate and placed it into a pile with the other cleaned dishes. "Okay Apple Bloom, let's get that buckin' lesson started, shall we?" Applejack offered.

Apple Bloom didn't reply, she just raced away as fast as her legs could carry her. Clearly she was excited, perhaps a little too excited for her own good (or at least that's what Applejack thought).

"Slow down, Apple Bloom." Applejack called. But Apple Bloom didn't listen, she was too busy thinking about how much fun it would be to buck apples from trees. After all Big Macintosh and Applejack always did, and Granny Smith used to be able to do it, and they'd made it look easy. How hard could it really be?

Before long, Applejack caught up to Apple Bloom, who was eying the trunk of a nearby apple tree. "This is the perfect tree for me to start practicin' my applebuckin' skills on!" Apple Bloom said eagerly.

But Applejack was worried. What if Apple Bloom messed up the bucking process and sprained a hoof? Or what if an unharvested apple fell from the tree, and hit Apple Bloom on the head? Or what if Opal had gotten loose and was stuck in that very tree, and clawed fiercely at Apple Bloom as a result of the bucking? If Applejack was thinking clearly, she would've realized how foolish it was to worry about those things. But at the moment, there was only one thing she was thinking about, and that was keeping her little sister safe from harm. "I made a promise to protect her, and I've got no intention of goin' back on that promise now!" she thought to herself.

Before Apple Bloom could plant even one hoof against the trunk of the tree, Applejack cried out "Stop!".

Just seconds before her back right hoof could make contact with the tree, Apple Bloom brought it down. "Just what's the big idea, Applejack?!" she asked crossly "I was just about to buck that tree and collect the apples!"

"I didn't teach ya the proper buckin' process." Applejack explained, and quickly stepped between Apple Bloom and the tree, all the while sporting the same smile she'd worn at breakfast.

"Whadya mean, of course ya-" Apple Bloom protested.

Applejack quickly cut Apple Bloom off "I know you thought I did, but I didn't." she told Apple Bloom "Now, watch and learn. Here's how ya do it the safe way." And Applejack proceeded to explain how to perform an apple buck. "First, you gotta line your hooves up with the tree trunk nice and easy. Then, you look up and make sure that no apples will fall on ya. And finally, you give that trunk a good kick!" As soon as Applejack had finished that sentence, she kicked the tree with all her might. Then, she turned to Apple Bloom and said "Now you try it. Remember what I taught you."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Apple Bloom replied, and with Applejack watching she repeated the steps that Applejack had just demonstrated to her.

But just as Apple Bloom was about to buck the tree trunk, Applejack shouted "Wait!". Unknown to Apple Bloom, Applejack was convinced that her little sister wasn't getting the bucking process just right. Unfortunately, her shouting caused Apple Bloom to lose her focus and she messed up. Her legs wobbled around a bit, and although the back right hoof eventually hit the tree trunk, the resulting angle caused Apple Bloom to hurt said hoof. It wasn't anything serious, but it still hurt quite a bit.

Apple Bloom was more than a little bit angry with Applejack for making her mess up the bucking process, but Applejack took no notice. "It's just as I feared." she thought to herself "Apple Bloom isn't ready to start apple buckin' just yet."

"I think that's enough apple buckin' lessons for one day." Applejack said to Apple Bloom, and quickly shooed her away from the apple tree.

"But Applejack-" Apple Bloom complained.

"No buts sugarcube, you can try again when I think you're good and ready." Applejack interrupted "Now come on, you've got your chores to do. And Granny Smith wouldn't be too happy if I kept you from 'em. So get to work."

Apple Bloom sighed, but reluctantly set to work. "I would've nailed that buckin' process perfectly if Applejack hadn't interrupted me at the last second." she thought to herself "I'm startin' to think she doesn't want me to do much of anythin' besides chores. But I'm a growin' filly, I can take care of myself!" And these angry thoughts dwelled in Apple Bloom's mind as she did her daily chores.

However, everywhere Apple Bloom went, it wouldn't be long before she would spot Applejack either working alongside her or watching her from a distance. "Need anythin'? I'm right here." she would always say with a massive smile on her face.

It didn't matter what Apple Bloom did, Applejack would always somehow find a way to be close to her little sister. And this bothered Apple Bloom to no end. "This is just ridiculous! I can do these chores just fine on my own, without anypony watchin' me! Why in the hay does Applejack seem to think I can't?!" she thought angrily to herself. Whether it was milking the cows, giving the pigs baths, rounding up the grazing sheep with Winona, or just checking up on the bat sanctuary, Applejack was always there, that massive smile refusing to leave.

"I've got to find someway to prove to Applejack that I can do things without her watchin' over me like some kind of bird." Apple Bloom said angrily to herself, as she finished up her chores. Then, in the distance she spotted the perfect solution. Laying on the ground was an old rake, it was a little bit battered, but it still got the job done without trouble.

Apple Bloom looked around. There was no sign of anypony at all. Not Big Macintosh, not Granny Smith, and certainly not Applejack. Apple Bloom couldn't believe her luck, and she raced over to the rake. "There's plenty of leaves layin' around at this time of year. I'll just sweep some of 'em up into a pile. That'll show Applejack that I can be responsible."

Unfortunately for Apple Bloom, when she reached the rake Applejack somehow was already there and was holding onto it quite firmly. "Ah, come on!" Apple Bloom grumbled.

"Sorry sugarcube, but it's not your duty to rake up the leaves." Applejack said to Apple Bloom "Besides, this old thing is so beaten up, it'd take you all day just to get a decent sized pile formed."

"It's not that old." Apple Bloom complained, Applejack took no notice.

"I'm sure it isn't, but it's far too heavy and battered for you to use without tirin' yourself out." Applejack replied, the massive smile that had been her face all day long only grew wider "And what kind of big sister would I be if I let that happen to you?"

"Applejack, you don't have to keep doin' stuff like this for me." Apple Bloom said crossly, and stomped away. With her chores completed, Apple Bloom decided that it was best to just head back inside, and wait for either Big Macintosh or Granny Smith. They would certainly not be happy with Applejack's behavior, and would set her straight in an instant.

"I hate tellin' on my big sister, but she's drivin' me crazy with her constant overprotectiveness!" Apple Bloom thought to herself, as she opened the door to the house.

But when she opened the door, Apple Bloom was greeted with a sight that enraged her to no end. Every nook and cranny of the house had been completed changed, and not in a good way. It didn't take long for Apple Bloom to realize who was responsible for the change in decor. "Oh, for the love of...!" she said angrily, and sighed.

"Howdy Apple Bloom." Applejack greeted "I did a little bit of rearrangin' to make this place safer for ya. Do you like it or what?"

"I don't believe it! You've gone and baby-proofed everythin' in sight!" Apple Bloom complained.

Applejack chuckled a little, completely ignoring Apple Bloom's complaint "Heh, yup!" she replied with a massive smile "Your big sister let you down once, but I promise you it won't ever happen again. I'm not gonna lose another family member if I can help it."

"But really, I'm fine! I can take care of myself." Apple Bloom protested, hoping that Applejack would finally listen to her "I don't need you watchin' over me like this!"

Applejack once again ignored Apple Bloom's complaints and protests, and simply picked her little sister up. "Aw, that's really sweet of ya. I appreciate you tryin' to make me feel better, but don't you worry. I'll always be here for you. Always!" she said in a motherly tone of voice (all the while rocking Apple Bloom like a baby), and slapped a protective blue bike helmet onto Apple Bloom's head.

Apple Bloom growled "Well, seein' as there's nothing else for me to do right now, I think I'm gonna just go up to my room and rest!" And with that she headed up stairs.

"O-kay, well you can count on me bein' close by if'n you need anythin'!" Applejack called, and followed Apple Bloom to make sure she would be alright. Lots of accidents could happen on the stairs. "She's such a delicate little flower." Applejack thought to herself "I know she doesn't appreciate my protective ways right now, but in time I'm sure that'll change."

Apple Bloom was relieved when she saw that Applejack hadn't touched her room, but upon closer inspection she was upset to see that Applejack had taken the liberty of putting up guard rails on both sides of her bed, essentially turning it into a crib. "First the constant monitorin', then the baby-proofin' everythin' in the house, and now this? Next think I know, she's gonna start singin' me songs and feedin' me food." Apple Bloom thought to herself, and cringed at the thought process. She didn't like where that thought process led, it was creepy, disturbing, and most uncomfortable.

"Applejack wouldn't acutally start treatin' me like a baby, would she?" Apple Bloom thought to herself, as she climbed over the guard rails and into bed. "I don't wanna be a baby again! I'll die of embarassment!". And with those thoughts, Apple Bloom went to sleep. Or at least, she tried to. Every few seconds, Applejack would come barging into her room, asking questions like "Do you need anythin' now?" or "Want me to sing a lullaby to help you fall asleep?" or even "You wanna have a little somethin' to eat?".

And each time, Apple Bloom would reply with a no, and Applejack would simply say "Alright, but I'll be back to check on ya in a little bit. So let me know if you change your mind."

Finally, just when Apple Bloom thought she could take no more, she came up with an idea to escape. "Applejack will never suspect it, and if all goes well, I won't have to worry about her constantly lookin' out for me anymore." she thought to herself, and she made a plan.

"Hey Apple Bloom. Do you need anythin'?" Applejack asked, checking up on her little sister for what felt like the one hundreth time.

"Well actually, yes." Apple Bloom replied, trying to keep a straight face so that Applejack wouldn't suspect anything. "I need to use the little fillies room."

"Say no more sugarcube." Applejack said kindly "When you gotta go, you gotta go." And after helping her climb out of her bed, Applejack led Apple Bloom out of her room. "Come on, the bathroom's this way." Applejack said.

Then, Apple Bloom made her move. Before Applejack could stop her, she quickly bolted and ran down the hallway. But she wasn't heading for the bathroom, she was heading for the stairs.

Applejack was furious, but also extremely worried "Come back here, Apple Bloom!" she shouted, and gave chase "What have I told ya about runnin' in the hallways?!"

Apple Bloom took no notice, and continued to run. She quickly but carefully made her way downstairs, Applejack was following not too far behind. "Oh please, please let them be around!" Apple Bloom pleaded, as she reached the bottom step and raced into the living room. Sure enough, Granny Smith and Big Macintosh were there. "Big Mac! Granny Smith! You gotta help me! Applejack's tryin' to treat me like a foal!" she shouted in between pants.

"Treatin' you like a foal?" Granny Smith asked "Are you absolutely sure about that, Apple Bloom?"

"I'm not kiddin', just look around you!" Apple Bloom panted "Applejack's babyproofed this entire house from top to bottom! She's even turned my bed into a crib!"

"Now Apple Bloom, I'm not sayin' I don't believe you, but why in tarnation would Applejack do such a thing?" Granny Smith asked seriously.

"I don't know, but it's drivin' me crazy! I can't take much more of it!" Apple Bloom spoke up "You believe me, right Big Macintosh?"

Big Macintosh didn't reply with either an "Eeyup." or "Eenope." like he normally did, he just looked at Apple Bloom and at Granny Smith with a look that indicated he didn't know whether to believe it or not.

"Come on, you know I wouldn't make somethin' like this up!" Apple Bloom pleaded "You gotta believe me!"

Before either Granny Smith or Big Macintosh could say anything, Applejack came rushing into the living room. She was incredibly out of breath and seemed incredibly upset with Apple Bloom. "There you are!" she said crossly "You've got some nerve runnin' off on me, when all I was doin' was escortin' you to the little fillies room! You could've gotten hurt!"

"Applejack, Apple Bloom here says you've been tryin' to treat her like a foal. Is that true?" Granny Smith asked sternly.

"I'm only tryin' to protect her." Applejack replied.

"This is protection?!" Apple Bloom asked angrily.

"Don't you raise your voice at me like that, I'm your big sister!" Applejack said crossly "I know what's best for ya, and if I tell you not to do somethin', then you don't do it!" But as soon as those words escaped her mouth, Applejack saw how upset they made Apple Bloom and she realized she'd gone too far. "Apple Bloom, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you like that." she apologized

"Just, leave me alone!" Apple Bloom replied, and ran back up to her room and closed the door. Now, Applejack was alone with Granny Smith and Big Macintosh, and they did not look happy at all.

"Applejack, I think it's time we had a little talk about your behavior." Granny Smith said seriously "Right, Big Macintosh?"

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh replied sternly. Applejack gulped, she was in for it now.

Apple Bloom didn't stay in her room for very long, partially because she really did need to use the little fillies room, and partially because she wanted to overhear what the rest of her family was discussing. So, after using the bathroom and washing her front hooves, Apple Bloom carefully tip hoofed downstairs and leaned against the wall connecting the downstairs hallway with the kitchen.

"Just what were you thinkin' tryin' to baby Apple Bloom like that?!" Granny Smith asked Applejack furiously.

"I was only tryin' to make sure she didn't get hurt." Applejack explained sadly "I promised Ma and Pa that I'd look after her."

"And you've done a fine job of doin' that." Big Macintosh replied.

"I thought I was, until yesterday evenin'." Applejack said sadly "I didn't want to have to tell you two this, but Apple Bloom got lost on her way back from Zecora's and almost got eaten by a chimera. That made me realize, I wasn't doin' enough to look out for Apple Bloom and make sure she was safe. I started to realize that there were a lot of times in the past when she was in danger."

"And none of them were directly your fault." Granny Smith told Applejack "I know you were really sad when your folks passed on while you were a filly, but you can't let the pain of the past dictate your actions in the present! Apple Bloom is growin' up, and as she gets older she can take more responsibility for herself. She doesn't need you to baby her and protect her! Right, Big Macintosh?"

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh replied "Apple Bloom won't stay young forever, but if you keep tryin' to baby her and protect her all the time, she'll grow to hate you. Is that what you want? For your little sister to hate you because you took a promise too far?!"

Applejack sighed "No. I certainly wouldn't want that at all. It's just, I don't wanna lose another family member before their time. It happened with Ma and Pa, and if it happened to Apple Bloom I'd never forgive myself."

"Apple Bloom is a strong filly, and you've done a good job in helpin' to raise her." Big Macintosh said to Applejack, putting a hoof around his sister's shoulder.

"But all the same, you can't protect her forever." Granny Smith added "What happened with your parents was unfortunate, but ask yourself this question 'Would they really want to you treat Apple Bloom in the way you treated her today?' I'm sure you already know the answer."

Applejack said nothing, tears formed in her eyes. She normally didn't cry about anything, at least on the outside. But this was one of those times where crying on the inside just wasn't enough.

"Do ya mind tellin' me just what you were plannin' on doin' tomorrow when we all left on our important pie deliveries?" Granny Smith asked Applejack.

"Actually, I hadn't thought of that." Applejack admitted "I guess I wasn't thinkin' straight. Do you think Apple Bloom will ever forgive me for what I did?"

"That's not my place to say." Granny Smith replied "Only Apple Bloom can decide if she wants to forgive you or not."

Having heard everything that had just been discussed, and realizing what was going to happen next, Apple Bloom quickly raced back up to her room and climbed into bed. Applejack hadn't taken down the guard rails just yet, but right now Apple Bloom didn't mind. She needed to act like she had not left her room at all, except to use the bathroom.

"Apple Bloom? Are you awake?" Applejack called softly.

"I am." Apple Bloom replied, pretending that she had been trying to go to sleep but hadn't actually done so yet.

"Listen, I wanted to say that, I'm sorry for treatin' you like some two year old." Applejack apologized "It was wrong of me, and I never should've done it. I know now that I can't protect you all the time, and tryin' to do so is just foolish."

"That's an understatement." Apple Bloom replied.

"It's just, when that chimera attacked you yesterday evenin', I was extremly worried." Applejack admitted "I thought I was gonna lose you like I lost Ma and Pa. I thought that maybe, if I constantly watched over ya and baby-proofed everythin' I could, I'd be able to protect you from gettin' hurt, and I wouldn't have to worry about losin' you."

"I'm sorry too, Applejack." Apple Bloom said honestly "I should've been payin' attention to where I was goin', then that chimera never would've been able to attack me in the first place. And I shouldn't have just ignored everythin' you said, even if most it was ridiculous and unnecessary. It also wasn't right of me to trick you the way I did."

"You were only doin' what you thought was the right thing to do." Applejack replied "So, despite what happened today, do you still love me and want me to be your big sister? I know I didn't show my sisterly love for you in the best possible way, so I'll understand if you're not willin' to forgive me."

But much to Applejack's surpise Apple Bloom told her "Oh, don't be silly. I still love you, and you'll always be my big sister no matter what. I don't mind you lookin' out for me every once in a great while, like what you did with the chimera. I just have a problem with it when you don't listen to what I have to say, and think that because I'm younger than you, I don't know what I'm talkin' about."

"I promise that, from now on I'll try to be more considerate of how you're feelin'." Applejack promised "I made that mistake twice already, and I don't intend to make that mistake a third time if I can help it."

Apple Bloom smiled, but then a question came into her mind "Say, Applejack? What were they like?" she asked.

"Ma and Pa?" Applejack asked. Apple Bloom nodded. "They were truly wonderful ponies, Apple Bloom." Applejack explained, tears forming in her eyes once again "They gave their lives helpin' a filly in need, and they lived every day prior to that to the fullest extent possible. When I close my eyes, I can still remember Pa teachin' Big Macintosh and I how to buck apples from the trees, and Ma singin' to me whenever I couldn't get to sleep."

"Did they love me?" Apple Bloom asked Applejack.

"Of course they did sugarcube. Heck, for months after you were born they wouldn't stop fawnin' over ya." Applejack replied.

"Do you think they're proud of us?" Apple Bloom asked, as she yawned and drifted off to sleep.

Applejack nodded "Absolutely, Apple Bloom, absolutely." And with that, she kissed her little sister goodnight, turned off the bedroom light, and gently closed the door.

Looking up at the sky, Applejack saw two familiar shooting stars passing overhead. "Oh Ma and Pa, if only you were still around. You'd be amazed at the fine young mare Apple Bloom's turnin' into." Applejack thought to herself.

Author's Notes:

And so, my second series of rewrites draws to a close with the final Season 4 episode that will be included in this installment.

The original version of this episode suffers largely from Applejack's incredibly OOC behavior, and sudden concern for Apple Boom. Now, if one applies the "Dead Parents" angle to the episode, Applejack's behavior starts to make some sense. But the execution still falls apart, as Applejack just starts worrying about Apple Bloom out of the blue.

The chimera in the original version isn't much better, largely because of how it's suppose to be a threat, but it keeps talking to itself, and the one line it mentions that has any relevance to the plot is quickly dismissed without the episode doing anything with it.

To top it all off, the moral is broken and stupid, punishing Apple Bloom when she doesn't do anything wrong, and rewarding her for dangerous behavior.

In order to correct all that, I took the advice of The Mysterious Mr. Enter who suggested that if you placed the chimera attack at the beginning of the episode, everything would work out better. And to an extent, he's probably right.

But in addition to moving the chimera attack to the beginning, I also knew I would need to tone down the overprotective antics of Applejack, even if it generated a lot of content and inspiration in a particular group.

Lastly, and most importantly, I had to reluctantly scrap what was arguably the best part about the original episode, the dialogue with the CMC before Apple Bloom sneaks out. I just couldn't think of a way to legtimately put them into the rewrite in a way that would make sense. And it's a shame because both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle get some pretty good scenes (even if they aren't the focus characters).

As I've mentioned before, don't expect word on a third "What If?" installment until after Season 5 ends. Right now, only a few episodes would be included in a third installment. One of which will definitely be "Appleloosa's Most Wanted".

Episodes to be rewritten:
The Show Stoppers
Owl's Well That Ends Well
Dragon Quest
Spike at Your Service
Just for Sidekicks
Games Ponies Play
Bats!
Rainbow Falls
Three's A Crowd
Filli Vanilli
Somepony to Watch Over Me

Previously rewritten episodes:
Boast Busters
Look Before You Sleep
Feeling Pinkie Keen
Green Isn't Your Color
Over A Barrel
Luna Eclipsed
The Cutie Pox
Hearth's Warming Eve
The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000
It's About Time
One Bad Apple
The Show Stoppers
Owl's Well That Ends Well
Dragon Quest
Spike at Your Service
Just For Sidekicks
Games Ponies Play
Bats!
Rainbow Falls
Three's A Crowd
Filli Vanilli