"Mmm, thanks again for these awesome celery stalks AJ."

"No problem Rainbow, so do you need a place to stay? If so you're more than welcome here, Big Mac bounces back and forth from here to Appaloosa to help out in their huge orchard and Applebloom'll be leaving again tomorrow. I'd love the company, it gets kinda lonely in a big empty house ya know?"

"Um yeah sure, I guess I can stay here." Rainbow was relieved she didn't have to ask, even more so that she didn't have to endure another harsh winter.

Just then Applebloom walked back into the room, her eyes wide as could be, tears beginning to well up.

"I'm gonna miss you big sis." The two sisters shared a long embrace.

"I'm gonna miss you too little one." Applejack rubbed her hoof back and forth on her head playfully.

"Um, where exactly is she going?" Rainbow questioned.

"Back to school of course, her Running of the Leaves break is over, not that anyone even celebrates that around here anymore. I'm sure you noticed the school officially closed down for good last year didn't ya?

"Can't say that I did." Rainbow Dash almost seemed not to care.

"So where's she going to school now? Appaloosa?"

"Nope, she's stayin' with Rarity in Canterlot." Applejack said quietly.

"Whoa, she's actually okay with that?" Rainbow was shocked at the thought.

"Well that I'm not sure about, all I know is she cares enough for Applebloom to help her get the best education she can get. I just don't want her to end up like me. Under educated, stuck here with no options. That whole story."

"What did you do to get her to agree, isn't it expensive?"

Applejack began to bite her bottom lip as she recalled the day.

"It's a long story..."

"I'm not going anywhere. Plus, I'm dying to know what's got you acting so weird all of a sudden."

Applejack sent Applebloom off to her room to finish packing her things back up. Then looked at Rainbow Dash with worrisome eyes.

"This ain't a shiny moment in my life and I don't want you repeating what I'm about to tell you to anypony, got it?"

Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement, even more anxious now to here what she had to say. Applejack's voice got quiet.

"I sold Sweet Apple Acres."

"What?! Are you kidding me? Where will you go?"

Rainbow Dash was shocked to say the least.

"Here, let me tell ya all about it, and please be quiet, it'll break Applebloom's little heart when she finds out and I don't want her being distracted at school."

Rainbow leaned in as Applejack began to tell her everything there was to know.

Early in the summer two years ago, the Ponyville Consolidated Schools announced that due to the dwindling number of students, they wouldn't be opening for the next school year. Instead they built another wing onto the Appaloosa Academy for Young Learners. Despite the name, that school has a bad reputation in several aspects, which include bullying, under educated educators, drug trafficking, among many other horrors Applejack couldn't imagine forcing the sweet and innocent Applebloom into. Scootaloo, who was under custody of the county was left with no choice but to relocate and enroll. Sweetie Belle and her parents had already moved into Canterlot the previous year with the help of Rarity.

Applejack paced back and forth racking her brain.

"What am I gonna do? I can't ask Rarity for help, I just can't!"

Applejack wrote a letter and sent it to Twilight via courier. A couple days later she got a reply from Twilight, the letter appeared in purple flames in front of Applejack, landing softly on the coffee table.

To my dearest friend Applejack, I'm sorry to say that in my current situation and busy lifestyle I'll be unable to properly care for Applebloom. Perhaps next year I can rework my schedules to fit in more time at home. Also I'm currently not in a stable enough financial position to support her or help pay for her tuition. You have my deepest apologies Applejack, please don't be angry with me.

Applejack crumbled the letter and tossed it into the fire, there was a blank sheet of paper enclosed behind the letter Twilight sent. As Applejack watched the letter burn she began writing her reply.

I'm not angry Twilight, I'm just worrying about Applebloom's future, I want so much more for her than I ever had. If there's anything I can do in the future, please let me know right away.

There was a magical rune seal on the bottom left corner of the paper. Applejack sat it down on the floor and stamped the runed corner with her hoof. The letter instantly became engulfed in a fiery purple aura, it rolled itself up and burst into flames, its ash flew into the fireplace and out the chimney. Applejack let out a long sigh, feeling depressed and beat, she crawled into bed.

A few days had passed, Applejack was watching Applebloom play out in the orchard with Scootaloo as the summer was coming to an end. The young fillies ran around and laughed while playing their seemingly random games. Applejack watched them smiling as they played and it filled her heart with a certain joy. She knew that moments like these would soon be nothing more than memories, so it'd be best to enjoy them now while she had the chance. Then a familiar purple flame flashed in front of her, a letter landed on the kitchen counter.

Applejack, Rarity and I have decided it would be in Applebloom's best interest if she were to attend Castleview Academy of the Arts and Higher Learning. This is a boarding school in which Applebloom will receive a top notch education opening limitless career paths for her future. She will be attending with Sweetie Belle pending she passes an interview and her tuition is paid before open enrollment closes three days from now. Rarity will be on her way to pick her up after we receive your reply.

Applejack's jaw dropped when she saw the noted cost of tuition for each year. None the less she was determined to see Applebloom succeed. She grabbed the enclosed paper intended for her reply, and began to write.

Twilight, yes, my reply is most definitely yes, and I can't thank you both enough for giving Applebloom this amazing opportunity. It ain't gonna be easy, but I'll come up with that money somehow.

With a quick stomp of her hoof the letter was on its way to Twilight. Applejack then ran outside to Applebloom.

"Great news sugar cube! You're going to a fancy pants school in Canterlot with Sweetie Belle!"

Applebloom squeaked with excitement, but Scootaloo didn't feel the same joy as the other two ponies around her.

"Let's get to packin', you got a long trip ahead of ya." The two ponies headed inside the house.

"Aren't ya comin' in to help me pack Scoot?" Applebloom asked.

"Nah, I have to take care of some things, I'll see ya later though." Scootaloo lied, and hopped on her scooter, she then propelled herself away.

Applejack didn't realize it at first, but she knew that Scootaloo must be feeling depressed knowing she'll be attending a new school without her best friends. They continued packing. Applejack was torn between feelings of happiness, knowing Applebloom was going to get the education she deserved, and feelings of depression, knowing she'd soon be forced to miss her precious little sister. She tried not to let this bother her, she wanted to be as happy for Applebloom as she could.

A few hours later there was very light knock at the door. Rarity had arrived to take Applebloom to Canterlot with her. Applejack let her in, Rarity had a look of disgust on her face as she looked around the quaint house. Applejack then found herself doing something more painful than she could have ever imagined, she found herself saying goodbye to her dear little sister.

"You be good now ya hear?" Applejack began to choke up as she spoke, trying to hold her tears back.

"Don't worry I will, and I'm gonna miss you." Applebloom looked up at Applejack, eyes wide as can be, sorrow echoed in her voice.

"I'll miss you too sugar.." Applejack couldn't hold her tears in any longer, she tightly hugged Applebloom and sent her on her way.

Applebloom then walked up to Rarity, "It's good to see you again dear." Rarity said with a smile as she nuzzled the top of her head with her nose.

"Now go ahead and wait in the carriage while I discuss some things with Applejack, and do leave those bags behind, the carriage attendant will tend to those."

Applebloom dropped her bags and trotted into the back of the carriage. Applejack wasn't sure if she approved of Applebloom doing that, but she didn't want to fight with Rarity right now.

"Now there's the matter of tuition, I know you're a humble working class pony and all, but its simply not in my nor Twilight's budget to cover it all. We've decided we can take care of half this year, and we'll cover all of it for the rest of her years spent in the Academy."

"Look I can't pay it all right now, but I'll get you the money by the end of the week, I promise you that. I can give you the money left in Granny Smith's will, and my profits from this apple season. I know its less than a third of what you need from me, but please trust me, if you can cover it I'll do whatever it takes to pay you back."

Rarity paused for a moment looking off to one side. She stared at the splintered floorboards, the cobweb infested corners, and felt repulsed at the stale smell of apples and firewood in the air.

"Fine but make sure to pay us back as quickly as possible, we'll be suffering without it."

"Rarity, thank you... Thank you so much." Applejack began to walk towards Rarity to give her a hug.

Rarity put her hoof up, "Stop, and Applejack, don't get me wrong, I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing it for Applebloom. Unlike you, Applebloom is a pony full of potential, I'd hate to see it wasted on these... apples."

Rarity then turned and walked out of Applejack's life once again, this time with her sister. Applejack felt a sense of shame wash over her as she went over Rarity's words in her head.

"I really have wasted my life haven't I."

Applejack thought about that fact. Then she thought about how she was going to get the money for Applebloom's tuition. She could only come up with one answer, the answer that had been in the back of her mind the whole time.

The Cloudsdale Weather Factory was ever expanding to meet the needs of more cities throughout Equestria. They were single hoofedly dominating the weather industry. With this outstanding growth, came the need to expand their storm water drainage systems. Sweet Apple Acres found itself in a prime location. It rested in the center of a great and shallow valley. A small creek trickled through the center, once a raging river. Large hills surrounding either side. The engineers at the factory saw great potential in creating a runway for the excess water to drain into the great lakes of the Everfree Forest. However this runway would require the complete leveling of Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack had adamantly refused all their offers to buy the property in the past, each refusal prompting a much larger offer the next week. This was her golden ticket to pay for Applebloom's tuition, and buy herself a new home by the much larger orchard in Appaloosa. The only problem was it came at the cost of the home she had grown up on, the home she had watched her family and friends grow up on. But she didn't see any other options. She contacted their offices, agreed to sell, and demolition was set to be scheduled for two years after the next winter.

Rainbow Dash interrupted. "That Rarity can be such a... Grr!"

"I know Rainbow, but you see, ever since you left me and Rarity haven't really been on good terms. I'm just glad she helped at all."

"Yeah I guess." Rainbow reluctantly agreed.

"Come with me, I wanna show you something. Applebloom come down here!"

The three ponies trotted outside and into the orchard. They soon reached the center of the orchard, where they found a huge apple tree.

"This here is the first tree ever planted in this orchard, it spawned all these trees around it."

Rainbow Dash looked around noticing that the trees here weren't planted in the neat formation that the others were. These, trees felt more natural, and Rainbow felt a sense of humbleness looking upon the great tree.

Applejack led them closer to the tree, there she pointed out a couple of small hoof prints near the base of the trunk. Underneath them were the initials AJ. Next to those were a slightly larger pair, these were Big Macintosh's. Rainbow began to notice dozens of pairs of hoof prints all around the great tree as she walked around the huge trunk.

"I guess, you could call this our family tree." Applejack laughed as Rainbow looked on in awe.

"Go ahead and give er' a buck Rainbow."

"What? Me? I, I couldn't, it's not really my place."

"Rainbow, its just as much your place to mark this tree as it is any of theirs. You're as big a part of my family as it gets."

Rainbow smiled and turned around, giving the tree a swift buck in a blank area she spotted. Her hoof prints were much larger than any of the others around it. This was because it was tradition for the Apple family ponies to mark the tree as soon as they were old enough to.

"Perfect, it looks perfect." Applejack swallowed her sadness as she thought about the impending destruction of this great tree. She then messed up Rainbow's mane with her hoof, and laughed.

"Alright lets head back now, we need to get you ready for tomorrow Applebloom, oh and I'm sure Rarity'll be happy to see you too Rainbow."

Rainbow felt quite uncertain of that, she wasn't even sure she was ready to see Rarity at all yet. She knew she didn't have a choice, so all she could do was hope for the best. After all, Applejack certainly was happy to see her, why wouldn't Rarity meet her with the same feelings?