Pandora woke up and looked out the window of the house; the sun was just beginning to rise, setting the sky ablaze with orange and red. Among the bright-red ripened apples, she saw Big Macintosh bucking apples. She trotted down the stairs and sat at the table for breakfast.

"Mornin' sugarcube, did ya sleep well?" asked Applejack.

"Yeah, the sunrise sure is beautiful here." said Pandora.

"Yep, here on Sweet Apple Acres, you get the best darn sunrises in Equestria."

"Howdy sis!" said Applebloom as she came downstairs, "Oh, hey Pandora"

"Hi, Applebloom" responded Pandora, "So, what's it like at school?"

"It's great! Cheerilee is really nice, and my friends are there. You just have to watch out for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon." replied Applebloom.

"Why should I avoid them?" asked Pandora.

"They're... um... well…not the nicest of ponies to be around."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they're a bunch of jerks!" said Applebloom.

"Applebloom!" shouted Applejack.

"What? I was just being honest!" shouted back Applebloom.

"Callin' other fillies names is not honesty! It's bein' a bully!" said Applejack.

"Oh, so I'm a bully? I thought talking down to other ponies and embarrassing them so much that they're afraid to go to school was bullying. But, I guess I was wrong." said Applebloom, sarcastically.

Applejack looked ready to explode, "Fine! But don't come cryin' to me when everypony avoids you for talkin' trash about 'em behind their backs!"

"Fine! I won't!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!" shouted Applebloom, storming out the door.

Pandora left the house too, walking along the winding road from Sweet Apple Acres.

"I can't believe she called me a bully! I have to deal with Diamond Tiara almost every day! Who does she think she is?" ranted Applebloom.

"Well she is your sister, she's just trying to look out for you." answered Pandora.

"Oh, so you're siding with Applejack, huh?" asked Applebloom.

"No, it's not that, it's just… well, I can see both sides of it, that's all." Pandora responded, sounding a little defensive.

"Both sides of what? Diamond Tiara's a bully and there's nuthin' wrong with me sayin' it! Applejack overreacted!"

"Maybe she did, but so did you. You both were overreacting."

Applebloom was dumbfounded by the accusation, "Me? Overreacting?"

"Yes, if I recall correctly, your entire conversation was either highly sarcastic or shouted."

Applebloom's eyes began welling up with tears, she tried to mask them with anger but the hurtness showed through, "Well she's just… I mean, I'm… You're…" Applebloom stammered, starting to cry, before running off away from the path.

"Wait! Applebloom! Come back!" Pandora shouted as she tried to catch up to Applebloom, "I didn't mean to make you cry!"

Since Applebloom was an earth pony, she had stronger legs than Pandora and easily outran her. Pandora tried flying, but even then she still wasn't a match for Applebloom and quickly lost sight of her in the hundreds of apple trees.

Blinded by her tears, Applebloom ran deeper and deeper into the orchard not looking where she was going. Her hoof snagged on a protruding root and she tumbled to the ground, her tears mixing with the dirt and the resulting mud caked to her face. She tried to get up, but after running for so long, she couldn't and stayed on the ground, sobbing.

Pandora ran back to the house as fast as her tired legs could carry her. She burst through the door and attempted to tell Applejack what happened, between gasps for air.

"Applebloom… crying… ran… orchard… lost… help!"

"She what?" exclaimed Applejack, "Why, that filly's always gettin' in trouble! C'mon Big Mac, let's go find her."

"Nope." replied Big Macintosh, "You stay here and calm down. I'll go find her."

Big Mac left the house before Applejack had time to protest. He looked up and saw pegasi pushing together large numbers of dark storm clouds. Only then did he remember the strong storm scheduled for today. His calm walking quickly escalated to a run through the orchard. A lost filly in a thunderstorm surrounded by trees was not something he wanted to have to worry about.

Applebloom began to feel droplets of rain hit her back and she too remembered the storm, she got up and wiped the mud off her face with her hoof before looking around. She didn't remember this part of the orchard; she hadn't had any reason to go this deep into it. She also didn't know which way was back. She was completely lost.

Big Macintosh had no idea where she was either, any hope of following her hoofprints was washed away by the torrential rain. He heard a crack of thunder and saw an apple tree fall towards him, hitting him in the leg. He heard a cracking noise and felt a burning pain but kept moving, now limping.

Applebloom was huddled right next to a tree to avoid the rain and saw the same bolt nearby. She shrieked as the shockwave hurt her ears and caught a tree on fire. Big Mac heard her and ran as fast as he could towards her. He flipped her onto his back, and before she could tell what was happening, Big Mac was dashing for the house. She held on for dear life as Big Mac dodged between falling apple trees and burning branches.

The farmhouse came into view past the trees and Applebloom noticed Big Macintosh limping.

"Are you okay?" Applebloom asked.

Big Mac replied with an affirmative "Eeyup", but Applebloom could tell he was in pain.

As they got to the door, Big Mac collapsed. Applebloom opened the door and with help from Applejack and Pandora, dragged him inside. Big Macintosh's wasn't in good condition, his coat was singed and there was a deep gash down his leg.

"What the hay happened out there?" shouted Applejack.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault! If I hadn't run off like that, Big Mac wouldn't have gotten hurt!" said Applebloom.

"Nopony is to blame, the only matter that's at hoof is that Big Mac is hurt and the storm is too strong to take him to the hospital." said Pandora.

"What do we do?" Applebloom asked.

"We need to get something to use as a bandage and quick!" shouted Pandora.

"Granny's got some old quiltin' supplies in the closet upstairs!" Applejack said as she ran up the stairway.

Applebloom sat next to Big Macintosh, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry."