Many years ago, in an obscure region of Equestria…
The apple trees were barren. There weren't even leaves to fall from the trees anymore. They were just dead sticks in the ground, weeping for the life they once had brought to this town and to the region around it. Even the ground around the trees seemed to have packed up all the life within and left as the trees had whithered. It was nothing but dirt and misery in this patch of land now. The trains didn't stop on the tracks, they just passed this old town by.
A slim but tall stallion with an orange-amber mane, a light brown coat, and chartreuse green eyes walked through the dead orchard without a word. He was followed closely by a mare with an amber yellow coat and an amber orange coat with orange freckles on her cheeks followed her.
"I reckon it's time to move away, then," the stallion sighed, lightly hitting one of the dead trees, "There ain't nothin' here for us no more."
"That ain't true, Wayne! Your pa's land can still be good, we can't squander what little we have left!" the mare replied.
"Macoun, this land were squandered well afore we tried bringin' life here. We were foals t' think we could fix my pappy's mistakes. This land were squandered when mah pappy and his brother refused to git along. There t'ain't nothin' more we can do. We tried, Macoun. We put our lives and fortunes into this land, hopin' we could fix it. We tried, Macoun, but this land were dyin' long afore we came."
Wayne nuzzled his wife.
"All we can do is move on, and let nature and the Buffalo take what's theirs. Maybe one day this orchard will bloom and bring happiness and fortune…But it won't be ours. You should go back to Ponyville, Macoun, go take care of your mother."
"Wayne-"
"My cousin Elliot's got work for me in Shetcago. I'll save up some money and we can buy a home, don't you worry. Elliot's always come through for me before."
"And when he does you always end up goin' inta danger, Wayne! Shetcago's dangerous nowadays!"
"That's why they need lawmen like me, Macoun!"
"We need you!" Macoun replied, tears rolling down her cheeks, and Wayne kissed her.
"Don't you worry none. I'll write and send money, and come down every chance I get. I wish we could stay, but Appleloosa's dead, and we have nothin' to our names. Your brother an' your ma will take care of you an' Braeburn. I'll go break it to the boy."
Wayne sulked back to the house as Macoun stood in the orchard, crying. Wayne approached his son, who was hauling a nearly empty bucket of water to the dogs, of which there were once twice as many, the rest now having passed on or sold to be able to make ends' meet. Braeburn so did miss those dogs. Now they only had a pair of border collies, Wendy and Willy. At least Wendy had a litter of puppies coming, and was getting all the life she could spare. Willy, on the other hand, seemed as depressed and lifeless as their hometown. The dog came out, wagging his tail unenthusiastically.
"Come on, Willy, chin up," Braeburn said, pouring the water for the dogs. They came over and started drinking. Braeburn nuzzled the unenthusiastic Willy, who looked up and barked at something approaching Braeburn. He turned, and saw his father.
"Oh, hey, pa, just feedin' the dogs. I think Wendy's gonna have a good, healthy litter. Can't wait to help with the delivery."
"I know y'are, son. Listen, go pack yer things, all of what you can."
"What's wrong, pa?"
"We can't stay here no longer, Braeburn. We're going to catch the next train, I'll phone the train company and have them pick us up."
Braeburn looked to Willy and Wendy. Willy's expression seemed to be that of 'Told ya.' Wendy was toting her extra weight, looking for a cool, shady spot.
"We ain't comin' back, are we?"
"I don't think so, Braeburn. And I don't think anyone is gonna want to buy it neither. But it'll still be ours. For what that's worth."
Wayne nuzzled Braeburn.
"You an' your ma are gonna live with your cousins in Ponyville for a while. They've got another one, you know. Her name's Apple Bloom. I bet she'll be happy to-"
Braeburn put his head into his father's chest, crying. Wayne didn't say anything more, he just put his hoof over his son, and let him cry.
A few years later…
"Last one there's a rotten apple!" Braeburn challenged.
"Aw, come on, Braeburn, we always gotta race? Why don'tcha take it easy fer once!" Big Mac replied. He sighed when he saw Braeburn ready to take off, rolled his eyes, got ready, got set, and took off. Big Macintosh was larger than Braeburn was, but that didn't stop Braeburn from burning energy like the sun, so it actually was some effort for Big Macintosh to keep ahead of Braeburn. The fact Big Macintosh kept winning was probably the reason Braeburn kept challenging him to a hoofrace. As usual, Big Macintosh won just ahead of Braeburn, and his cousin skidded to a halt as he was just a split second behind.
"Aww, shucks, y'beat me again," BRaeburn lamented. Big Macintosh chuckled.
"A-yup," he replied. They heard a pair of girls giggling, and looked over to the barn; Applejack, recently returned from her trip to Manehattan, was playing with Applebloom and the firstborn of Wendy's pups, Winona. Braeburn's head turned away from the Apple sisters, and to the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, and Big Macintosh followed his gaze. There was a blue-furred stallion with a darker blue mane. At his flank was a boy not much younger than Braeburn. The boy had a black mane and a brown-almost-golden coat. The blue pony was wearing a fedora hat and a matching vest. Neither looked very happy.
"Why don't you go play with those boys over there, Fresnel?" the stallion suggest, and Fresnel nodded, sulking over to Braeburn and Big Macintosh. The stallion nodded to Big Macintosh.
"You might not want to come near the house for a while," the stallion said, "Go play in the orchard or something."
Big Macintosh and Braeburn noted the stallion's sobriety of tone, and obeyed, leading Fresnel away. Braeburn put on a smile.
"My name's Braeburn, what's yers?"
"Fresnel…Fresnel Nessy…"
"Nessy! Why, that's my papy's cousin's last name! You kin?"
Fresnel looked at Braeburn with a shocked face, and tears came to his eyes, and he took off. Braeburn's expression went to that of confusion.
"What's caught in his hooves?"
"Dernit, Braeburn!" Big Macintosh hissed, and he took after Fresnel, and Braeburn gave chase soon after. They found Fresnel sobbing under one of the larger apple trees on the orchard.
"Whassamatter, Fresnel?" Braeburn asked, and Fresnel turned away.
"Go away…" he muttered, "I don't wanna talk to you…"
"Just tryin' to be friendly…" Braeburn scorned.
"Braeburn, I think somethin's wrong. Fresnel, would to talk to me if Braeburn left?"
Fresnel looked to Braeburn, then to Big Macintosh, and nodded, muttering quietly, "Sorry…"
"Give us a minute, wouldya?" Big Macintosh requested, and Braeburn, without scorn, nodded and walked away. He was halfway to the house when he heard Fresnel bawling again; Braeburn looked over his flank, and saw that Big Macintosh's signature hay had fallen out of his mouth, and he was staring at Braeburn, not Fresnel. It sent a chill down Braeburn's spine, so he decided to go see what Applejack and Applebloom were up to, in order to try and get his mind off of it. When he got near the house, he heard his mother screaming, and galloped to the house, and saw the blue pony trying to talk to Braeburn's mother. Granny Smith and Ma and Pa Apple were trying to hold back Macoun, presumably from killing the blue stallion.
"GET OUT OF HERE! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN! YOU AND YOUR…LAW! ENFORCEMENT! FRIENDS!" Macoun was throwing apples at the blue pony, and the blue pony took the hint, galloping out of the house, and Macoun broke down, crying. The blue stallion walked onto the porch, his head hung low. He noticed Braeburn.
"Mare in the moon, I told you…Horseradishes, I can't do this…" the stallion, himself, seemed to be crying, and he trotted away. Braeburn entered the house, and dared to mutter,
"Ma?"