Apple Jack walks along a path in Pony Ville with Winona by her side who hasn't been feeling well. They had just come from Fluttershy's home. They had ran into her at the veterinarians and she had invited them over for tea.
" I've been so scared recently you know" said Fluttershy " I barely feel safe to leave the cottage"
" I get what you mean. It's hard to send AppleBloom off to school somedays. I haven't seen Rainbow Dash in weeks." Apple jack replied.
" The poor dear...where ever she may be i hope she's safe" Fluttershy sniffled " I haven't been able to find Roseluck to get my floral arrangements. I'm worried she might be missing too. These disappearances are getting scary I can only fear who their going to take next. "
" Hopefully no one is taken next." Apple Jack states.
Apple Jack stops at the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres. The sun had started to set and there was a heavy breeze. She stares at the trees, which move and creak with the wind making Apple Jack feel uneasy and frightened. She gallops to the front door making sure to get Winona inside safely. When she comes in, there stands Apple Bloom in the living room. She shifts from one hoof to the other with an anxious look on her face.
" Everything okay, Apple Bloom?" Apple Jack asks. Apple Bloom snaps out of her thoughts replying " Oh yeah! Everything's fine here... I'm just not feelin' too well." Sweat drips down her forehead as she nervously to the side and back at Apple Jack.
" Well uh, okay then, maybe you should go on up to bed and get some rest. Hopefully you'll feel better in the mornin' ." Apple jack says.
" Okay then, Night! " Apple Bloom rushes out of the room and up the stairs.
" There's something goin' on with that filly." Wonders Apple Jack. " I hope she hasn't gotten into any trouble. " Apple Jack walks into the kitchen to find Winona's food bowl empty except for a slimy red residue covering the inside of the bowl. Apple jack looks in the cupboard to grab some kibble for Winona only to find that there is none. Apple Jack recalls that Granny Smith would take care of feeding Winona but hadn't actually seen Granny Smith feed her. Perhaps Granny had ran out this morning and has since went to get some. Apple Jack Trots into the Side house to find Granny, Instead she runs into Big Macintosh. He seems very out of breath and sweaty.
" Are you okay, Big Mac?" Apple Jack asks
Big Mac chuckles nervously " Oh uhmm eeyuup." As he tries getting around Apple Jack to go inside.
" Are you sure? Everythi-" Big Mac interrupts " Yuuup! Everything's fine, I'm goin' to bed!" Pushing around Apple Jack, Big Mac rushes into the main house.
Apple Jack stands in the side house, poking at the ground. " Everypony sure is acting weird tonight. I hope Granny will be all right." Apple Jack walks back into main house to find Granny Smith In the kitchen.
" Hey Granny, I've been lookin' for ya!" Apple Jack exclaims. She walks over to see Granny Smith filling up Winona's bowl. "Did you finally get some..." Apple jack stops seeing that Granny Smith did not have Kibble, but instead she had raw meat, Winona already greedily eating from her bowl before it was filled.
" Granny, is that... that is raw meat! Is that why Winona's been feeling sick!?"
"Well I spose I could start cookin' it for the dear..." Granny calmly replies.
" Cooking it? Granny, why- where? Where are you getting meat from? " Granny Smith sits Apple Jack down at the table. " Is this where all the missing ponies in Pony Ville are going? Granny, how could...Rainbow-"
" Now, now, dearie, don't get yer panties in a bunch. I'm not the one kidnappin' ponies from Pony Ville..." Granny Smith soothes.
" Then what Granny? Where did that come from!?" Apple Jack says pointing to Winona's again empty bowl. Only coated with the residue of the meat.
Granny Smith looks Apple Jack in the face. " It's time I tell you what kind of farm were really runnin' here. This is the Apple Family's deepest darkest secret." Big Mac steps out of the dark with a cold expression on his face. Apple Jack gulping as Granny Smith continued.
" We've been runnin' a lot more than just a regular ol' Apple Farm. There's been a much better way for us to earn our keep. It takes a pretty penny to keep this farm as nice as it is, you know. " Granny smith holds Apple jacks hooves as she talks. Apple jack nervously waiting for whatever secret Granny is going to tell her. " Now you can either help out, or you just need to keep yer trap shut, and don't make us have'ta make ya! That includes Apple Bloom!" Granny shouts, stamping her hoof on the table. Big Mac nodding behind her.
Granny Smith looked up as she started again a glimmer of nostalgia in her eyes " We've been runnin' this side of the farm for as long as I can remember. "
" What, What is it Granny?" Apple Jack presses, feeling as if she already knows the answer.
Granny finally says it. " An underground meat farm." she pauses. " Now I know you might feel a little uneasy but, Every creature has got to eat ,dear. Why not us to be the ones to supply and capitalize on it. It can't all be Salads and Cupcakes. "
Apple Jack chuckles nervously. " Do you think I could see this... meat farm?"
Granny smith shakes her head and lightly laughs. " I think it'd be best for you to go ahead and get some rest and we'll start sometime tomorrow."
Apple Jack and Big Mac stand in the hall outside their bedrooms. Apple Jack shifting nervously from hoof to hoof. "You knew about this?" She asks. " Eeeyup." Big Mac quietly responds.
"For how long? " Apple Jack presses, only to be met with a long silence. "How long have you known about this Big Mac?"
" Since...since mom and pop passed." Big mac pushed out. " Granny needed help."
The siblings stood in silence together before going to their rooms for the night. Apple jack closed her door behind her, hopping into her bed. She stares out her window into the night sky drifting off only imagining what would await her the next day.