AJ headcannon

“We’ll be back soon,” That’s what they said 8 years ago, and they never came back. Applejack bucked a tree absentmindedly while contemplating this. She hit the tree a little harder than expected and her hat fell off. It drifted down and landed right on top of a small rock. She huffed and sat down next to the tree, keeping the rock and hat in front of her. For a few minutes she stared, not looking at anything in particular, just staring blankly into space. She wondered about her parents; where were they? Were they alive? Did they even remember that they had a family; probably not.
	This continued for a few more minutes until a large shadow blanketed AJ. IT was her brother Big Macintosh; he looked down with a hint of worry. Finally she looked up at him and said, “Mac, do yah ever think that maybe, just maybe, ma and pa are comin’ home?”  Big Mac looked to the side with an air of disdain, “uh…no sis, ah do not.” Applejack sighed and stood up, “Why do yah ask?” asked Mac quickly,
 “It’s just…well, they did say they would be back soon,” said AJ, but before she could finish, Mac interrupted, “Then there yah have it, they said they would be back,” Applejack shot Mac a look of exasperation, “Yes, but that was 8 years ago Mac! 8 years!”
	 Mac looked  up, took a deep breath, and then spoke, “Do yah remember where your hat came from?” AJ looked at him, “Duh, I got it from…..uh…a store?” she said. “No, that hat used to be pa’s. He would always hang it up above the mantel when he came in from workin’,” “Yeah, so?” “So, the day they left, you went into the family room and stared at the mantel for a whole hour.” AJ looked up, “Really? Ah don’t remember that,” “Well yeh did, and then after that, yeh took his hat down and held it,” “That it?” “Well yeah, ya just held it, I was standing there the whole time. You were cryin, not sobbin’ or bawlin’, just crying, cause ya missed yer pa. I hate to admit it AJ, but I did too, when I saw yeh like that,” At this point Applejack’s mouth dropped, “YOU?! You were cryin’?! Oh boy howdy, that’ll be the day!” she said with a laugh. “AJ you don’t get it, ah knew why pa left, but I couldn’t tell ya then cause it would only make it worse,” Applejack replaced her look of mocking joy, with a look deep sullenness. “Could ya tell me now?” she asked, “I guess I have to,” sighed Mac
		“Why didn’t you?” said a gray pony with a mustache and spectacles. “Why, Mr. Apple, did you not pay for this season's rent?” Sweet Apple Acres used to be owned by a pony with the name of Money Bags, he gave the old bedraggled a pony a look of fake pity. It was evident the Mr. Bags didn't care one single bit about the farm, or its run down state. He was only there to collect the money that he so desperately DID NOT need. Mr. Apple looked up and sighed, “Ah simply can't pay yeh this year Mr. Bags, our harvest was lowest we've ever had! I jus' can't pay yeh with the miserable sum we currently have,” Money Bags turned and began walking, almost to himself but loud enough that the farmer could hear, “I guess I'll tear down the farm since you can't afford it...”  Mr. Apple's face dropped, the contorted itself into a look a pure loathing, “YEH DON'T NEED THAT MONEY FOR ANYTHING BUT YER OWN SELF-GAIN! You steal the from the poor and give to yourself, you pompous, snobbish, stuck-up little-” He cut himself off before he crossed the line. Money Bags turned around, and glared at the farmer, and  sucked his teeth “How about this, Mr. Cocksure,” he mocked “bring me the money or I run you out of town.”
Mr. Apple deflated, his moment of adrenaline high had come to a fast close, “Bring me the money by the end of this week!” Bags said, “Or I tear down this farm,”
	AppleJack looked at big mac, “Wait, so ma and pah left 'cause they couldn't pay fer the farm?” Mac shook his head, “No, lemme finish,”
	Later that evening, Mr. Apple trudged into the ramshackle farmhouse he called home. He slumped into his favorite leather chair and sighed. His daughter, a young orange filly clopped into the room holding a little stuffed horse. She sat down in front the farmer, and stared at him. “Daddy, why do you look so sad?” the little filly asked. “Grown-up matters, my little fritter.” he said. He walked away as the foal stared in confusion. Mr. Apple walked to the kitchen where his son and wife stood, talking and making dinner. “Hey sport,” he acknowledged towards his son. The red colt looked up from a bowl of apple slices and nodded a short a hello. The mare in the room looked sullen and distraught. Mr. Apple turned to her and asked, “ Is everything alright?” She snapped at him, “Is everything alright with YOU?!” The farmer, taken aback by the sudden outburst, didn't say a word. “I'm sorry honey, but I saw you with Money Bags earlier, and by the looks of your face when you came in and at the time, what was being said was not pleasant, I assume,”

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Its not finished yet, and I apologize, the parts where Big Mac and AJ were talking are supposed to italicized. I don't know if that shows up on here. I hope that doesn't take away from anything.