Bad Seed

Memories, Terrible Memories.

Dedicated to InsanityReimagined
In the photo, my arms are spread wide. I'm laughing like a baby, because I am one in the picture. Glee is spread on my face and I look as if I'm a pegasus soaring in the air. I don't know the pony who threw me in the air, probably Apple Seed or one of my parents, but the filly me knows whoever it is that they'll catch me. They won't let me fall.
I blink away tears and turn to the next page. I'm in my old apartment and found an old photo album. There's so many good memories in here that I don't remember. A picture of mother and father at their wedding. Mother wears a long, flowing gown. She has a wide grin and, unlike Father, has her eyes closed. Father too is smiling and showing a row of teeth, but is showing his eyes that are looking at Mother with such love that you'd never guess what had just happened. I wonder what happened to this happiness and I turn the page.
It's me in a cradle sleeping. My eyes are closed and a faint smile shows on my muzzle like I'm having a pleasant dream. A pony next to me, young Apple Seed, smiles down at me. I can tell she has changed because she has bright braces that reflect from the sun.
I flip trough more photos, newer and older. The last family reunion we had. Me on my first day of school. Even Mother at the bakery she owned in the city before Apple was born. I come to the final pages, nothing special. I'm about to flip to the last page when I hear my name. "Babs," I quickly close the book and turn to see Aunt Orange.
"Oh, uh, hey Aunt Orange." I say. I blow my mane out of my face.
"A-are you alright?" She asks. She steps forward and goes to put a hoof on my shoulder, but I flinch. "Right... So what have you found there dear?"
I show her the album.
She sighs. "Ah, yes. I know this album. I made it on your parent's fifteenth anniversary." She chuckled. "I used to be quite the scrapbooker. I used to own a shop, right next to your mother's bakery."
I was intrigued to hear about my aunt's past. It sounded so... Simple. "Really?" I scooted closer to her. "Why did ya close it?"
Aunt Orange got a far away look in her eyes. "It was the fourteenth of March. I just closed the store and was heading home. Your mother was already home. She closed the bakery early because she was getting tired from Apple Seed in her stomach. I can't say what really happened, but the next morning I woke up, headed to the store and... It wasn't there. It burned down, both my scrapbook shop and your mother's bakery. We never bother to reopen. By the time we could've, your mother was raising Apple Seed and I was meeting your uncle."
The story was done and I looked at her in awe. I never really heard stories about my family. I know I have some family in Appleloosa and all over Equestria, but this story was in depth. "Do you miss it?" I asked. "The scrapbooks and bakery."
My aunt chuckled. "It's in the past now darling. Now I'm settled down and in high society with Uncle Orange." I guess that was that, because she started called for her husband. "Bud, dear! Where are you?"
He peaked his head out of my room where he and Apple were packing my things in brown boxes. "In here Tangerine!" We met them in my room where everything looked like it has last been. My sad bed lied flat and plain in the corner of my room. The only provided light was from a window that showed a brick building. I had books, school items, and clothing sprawled on my floor. The only toy I owned was a beat up pony doll I named Sweet. I called her Sweet because I wished that would be my name instead of Babs. Think about it; Sweet Seed.
Uncle Orange looked at me. "So dear, what would you liked packed?" I looked around my room. "I think I can handle it." I told all the ponies who waited my response. "There ain't that much to pack."
They accepted my wish and let me be. I decided to pack books first. I enjoyed reading because the stories brought me out of my own terrible life and brought me to my own world where everything was amazing. I packed my favorites first; Harry Trotter, Percy Horsin, The Fault in Our Mares, The Hunger Manes, Lord of the Wings, and Twilight Sparkles. Tears yet again formed in my eyes. These books have given me so much happiness though my rough life. I'll have to reds them all again.
Next, I packed my clothing. I pretty much only had my cute-ceañera dress, school uniform and jacket for Manehatten winters that was all full or holes and rips. I folded them and put them in with my books. I decided to leave my bed sheets here and just put all my school items in my backpack. I also decided to put the family photo album in my box. I'll finish looking at it later.
"Aunt Orange, Uncle Orange, Apple Seed!" I called. Uncle Orange came in.
"Done already Babs?" He took another look around my room. "Okay. You can help us pack Apple's room."
I went to my sister's room. It had the same setup as mine but with different belongings. She had more books that were more educational than entertaining. She also owned more clothing; two dresses, an old teeshirt, and different ones she designed. She planned to work in a boutique when she moved out.
We packed all her stuff in no time, mostly because she's a unicorn and she used her magic to float things from the shelves, into the boxes, and seal them.
We were also going to go trough the rest of the apartment but the royal guards told us not to until they gather more evidence. They want to know where my father is. Apple and I escaped and soon after he heard the sirens. He fled before they showed up. I hope he died in the sewers.
"Well," Aunt Orange sighed. "I suppose we should head back home girls. It's been a long day." I nodded and yawned. Celestia's sun was sent and Luna's moon greeted us with it's glowing light.
Uncle and Aunt Orange halted a taxi that we took back. We arrived at the fancy building that I guess is my new home. Lights shone bright until we got to our stop. As soon as the door opened to the apartment I stumbled in and laid on the couch.
"Who knew packing took soooo loooong?" I breathed trough a cushion.
"It is quite some work." Aunt Orange replied rubbing her hooves. "Why don't you girls get some rest? You've had... Quite a day." My sister and I didn't reject. We walked down the hall together until we reached our separate doors.
"Goodnight Babs." Apple hugged and kissed my head. "I put your things in your room already. See ya tomorrow."
"Thanks Apple." She went in her room and I went in mine. It had orange walls with a big, fluffy bed covered with green sheets. Like my sister said, my box and bag were in the corner of the room next to a dresser.
I flopped on the bed and tucked deep in concealing myself within the blankets. I tossed and turned for at lest a half hour. The last page, my mind spoke. Look at the last page. I knew what I was thinking about. The final page of the scrapbook.
I hopped out of my bed and over to the box. Luckily it was on the top when I opened it. I put the book in my mouth, went back to the bed and eagerly flipped to the last page.
My breath caught in my throat. It was a picture of Mother next to Father. They had happy smiles on their faces; not harsh ones that would beat and fight. In front of them was me and Apple Seed. We looked like a family. A family where the parents abused the kids, always fought and ended in murder.
I eventually did end up falling asleep that night. I cried silently in my pillow with the picture plastered in my eyes until my sobs turned into the steady raise of my slumber.