Introducing Tumbleweed! She is the daughter and only child of Braeburn and Soarin, with being the only direct heir to the Appaloosa farm she works hard to stay on top and prove to her cousins and extended family that she will be able to handle this land when the time comes.

(By the way this is mainly written from the perspective of Zap Apple so it’s really critical of Tumbleweed)

When Granny Smith, Matriarch of the Apple family passed away the family became distant. Though Zap Apple and Tumbleweed have loads in common, with being the children of famous wonderbolts, a member of the Apple family, as well as being fierily ambitious, they do not get along. Some time ago when Zap Apple was a colt and Apple Jack was pregnant with her second child she needed aid in the harvest that season. Braeburn refused to help with the Sweet Apple Acres Harvest, instead choosing to focus on his own farm. Apple Jack never faulted Braeburn for choosing his own farm, but Zap Apple harbored a resentment towards her older cousin and his child.

That winter Sweet Apple Acres lost a great portion of their harvest, and much to Apple Jacks displeasure, the family had to rely of Rainbow Dash’s Wonderbolt winnings to keep the farm afloat. Despite being married for years at this point Apple Jack was still too prideful to spend any of Rainbow Dash’s money on the farm. Years later, on the rare occasions where the Apple family saw each other, Zap Apple challenged the other Apple family branches. Appaloosa was far richer than Sweet Apple Acres due to not only having the farm but a whole town. This bred resentment in Zap Apple, Braeburn had all these ponies and still couldn’t have spared a couple to help out his family all those years ago, and worse than that, Braeburn’s daughter Tumbleweed was a perfect farm pony. Applejack always got on Zap Apple for not doing enough, and Tumbleweed was not helping his case. She was always helping around Appaloosa, and Applejack was always quick to point out how Zap Apple could be like his cousin.

He knew Tumbleweed looked down on Sweet Apple Acres, that she thought she was better than him, with her perfect farm and perfect town. Tumbleweed needed to be taken down a notch. In front of all her friends in Appaloosa square Zap Apple challenged Tumbleweed to a race, around and into the desert. What Zap Apple didn’t know is how much the terrain would put him at a disadvantage. Tumbleweed was born in this desert and spent all her life running around it. He found it was hard to get his footing in the sand, but he knew he could beat her. Tumbleweed may be the daughter of Soarin, one of the fastest wonderbolts, but Zap Apple was the son of Rainbow Dash, the fastest pony to ever live. If Zap Apple were allowed to use his wings he would have left that Mare in the dirt, but he couldn’t, it was a foot race, and Zap Apple started to doubt himself.

Tumbleweed arrived back to town first, a smug look on her face that Zap Apple longed to remove with a smack. She had cheated, obviously. When they had both been nearing the finish line, Zap Apple strides ahead, Zap Apple felt nothing beneath his feet. The sudden change caused him to stumble. No matter how fast he could have got up it was too late. Tumbleweed leapt over where her cousin lay in the dirt. She turned to him and commented “Better luck next time Zap!” Her friends giggled, Zap Apple was covered in the sand and dirt. Zap Apple could only hold back tears. He did not emerge from his room the rest of that Appaloosa stay. He vows to hate Tumbleweed forever.