Precious Cargo

Chapters

In which Rainbow discovers Pinkie's parties are risky.
In which Things begin to be Complicated for Rainbow, a Confession happens, and Applejack jumps to Conclusions
In Which Rarity Pays for Talking Too Much, an Accusation is Made, and Pinkie Has Some Pie

In which Rainbow discovers Pinkie's parties are risky.

The first thing she noticed was the lights were too bright. What was that pounding in her head? Ugh! Where was the floor again? I don’t even want to open my eyes, she thought, already feeling the burning sensation she knew came of partying entirely too hard with Pinkie Pie. That ball of cotton candy was wrapped around a constitution that made other ponies weep. Trying to go drink for drink with one Pinkamena Diane Pie was like trying to move Cloudsdale all by yourself, not that she’d ever tried, but she wasn’t so sure that it couldn’t be done, especially by the Fastest Flier in all of Equestria. She started to do her standard head shake to toss her multi-hued mane back to frame her face, but immediately regretted the action because she had to quickly lean over the side of whatever it was she was laying on and expel the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

Noticing that hanging her head down felt slightly better, and more to the point, put her face in shadow, Rainbow Dash cautiously opened one eye to survey the damage to AJ’s barn. Wow. The pink party pony had really out done herself this time. Streamers littered the ground, mixed with glitter, and some unidentifiable substance that could easily have been either cake frosting, alcohol, or both. Rainbow figured it was probably both. The table where the cake and refreshments had been was over turned, the contents spilled on the floor, and somehow Twilight Sparkle was sleeping in the middle of what had been the chandelier, hanging from the ceiling, though a few feet lower than it was the night before.

She glanced down at the puddle of puke that lay at her feet, and groaned. She supposed she was going to have to clean it up, as she was both the one who made it and nopony else seemed to be alive yet. She always was an early riser, about the only pony who ever woke up before she did was—she sat up abruptly, eyes wide, and panicked as a flash of orange lips went through her memory. Pain ignored for the moment in her fear, Rainbow looked down at where she was laying in the hay loft, immediately aware that she wasn’t alone. Cleaning up would have to wait, as in her panic she’d stirred her bed partner.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, she thought, and did the only thing that came naturally to all Pegasus ponies, she flew. Off of the loft, out the door, and straight to her cloud home on the other side of Ponyville, or at least on the other side of Sweet Apple Acres.

Panting more than she really thought she should be after such a short flight, she collapsed into her bed with a groan, both from physical pain and the mental anguish that she’d done something incredibly stupid last night. How could she have treated her that way? She deserved so much better than a night of drunken fillyfooling.

Cautiously she looked up at the advertisement poster she had on her ceiling. “Oh, AJ, what can I do to make this up to you? Will you hate me now? It was stupid of me to take advantage of you. Everypony knows you can’t handle sarsaparilla.” She sighed, still groaning, her own hangover practically forgotten, other than a minor nauseous twinge that made the thought of food disgusting.

Across the acres of apple trees for which the Apple family was known, the straw-maned pony that had been entangled with Rainbow Dash stirred. Rubbing her face with her hooves, Applejack blinked the sleep from her eyes and looked down at where her partner had been when she fell asleep. She frowned trying to remember if there had been any sign that Rainbow would have not enjoyed her attentions the previous night. Digging her hoof gently into the hay of the loft disappointed, she sighed then carefully climbed down the ladder.

About two steps from the bottom Pinkie’s voice reached her ears. “Yee-uck!” The pink fluff was standing at the base of the ladder holding her hoof in the air with a look of disgust on her face. “I guess someponies can’t hold their barfy-warfy until she got outside.”

AJ rolled her eyes with a chuckle. Though she also felt the muffled congestion associated with a minor hangover, she wasn’t at all nauseous, and she quickly grabbed a bucket and dirty rag. Not for first time since Pinkie had invited herself to hold last night’s bender on the Apple family’s farm, Applejack thanked Celestia that they had held the party in the barn.

“Y’all could clean it up instead o' jus’ standin’ there makin’ faces, Pinkie. Y’know Rainbow’s a featherweight.” AJ tried not to smirk at the memories of the drunken Pegasus falling all over herself, and immediately blushed thinking about her scent.

Pinkie danced over and grinned up at her orange friend, “Aww, your still thinking about her.” Without waiting for a reply Pinkie bounced off, the icky on the floor apparently forgotten, and shaking her head AJ got a mop to clean it up.

On her way out to dump the wash water she heard Twilight Sparkle stir from behind a pile of hay bales. Peering over the bedding she saw Twilight sprawled out with hay in her mane and she was muttering to herself about something concerning magic and alcohol not mixing well. “Ya feelin’ a’right, Twi?”

“Oh, I’m just peachy, Applejack, why ever would you ask that? Because I’m in so much pain I can’t move, and my horn feels like I had a long workout with the Princess? Or could it be that I’m covered in enough dirt and hay that my coat is the same color as Derpy’s? Oh, no wait, I know why, because you can shake off the effects of Pinkie’s parties like they’re nothing while the rest of us mortals are reduced to praying that we don’t have to spend the day in bed.” Twilight was always grumpy after a short night with too much alcohol, but even more so if she had helped at all in the decorating with Pinkie beforehand.

AJ smiled warmly, knowing all too well how the purple unicorn felt, and simply said, “Come up ta the house when yer able ta get on yer hooves, Big Mac’s got a cure fer hangovers that’ll leave ya feelin’ better than ya did yesterday.” Twilight gave a moan and a flick of her tail and AJ moved off to finish cleaning up from the party.

Bounding into the main house while AJ cleaned up the barn, Pinkie Pie greeted the gathered ponies at the breakfast table with a cheery, “Good MOORNING!”

Rarity looked up over a cup of coffee with a look that would wilt flowers, “Yes, well, it will be eventually, darling. Once I’ve rid myself of this rotten taste in my mouth and showered. I feel positively wretched without washing my mane after all of that time in that dusty old barn.”

“Oh, come now, it wasn’t, um, that bad. Really.” Fluttershy joined the two mares, with a knowing smile at Rarity, who tried desperately to conceal a blush. “And the coffee is good.”

“Totally! Big Mac makes THE BEST coffee.” Pinkie chimed in, and the aforementioned stallion blushed a deeper red. “I mean, it’s totally the BEST pick-me-up after the most AWESOME party ever, right?”

“Eyup.” He poured Rarity another cup with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth and the same knowing look in his eye as Fluttershy.

Rarity sipped the warm, bitter liquid and allowed the steam to absorb into her pours, trying to steady her thoughts, then exhaled, blowing her fallen coiffure up out of her face for a moment. “Well, I’m just glad that Granny Smith was willing to watch the fillies at Twilight’s last night. The last thing I’d want is the girls seeing me like this.”

“I think I’ll, um, go check on Rainbow.” Fluttershy squeaked, blushing deeply. She crossed the kitchen to plant a kiss on Big Mac, and dashed out the door.

Rarity drained the last of her coffee. “I do believe that it is my time to leave as well, darlings. Pinkie, would you be so kind as to walk with me back to my boutique I fear I shall die of shame if I have to make the journey on my own, and, Macintosh dear, wonderful coffee as always.”

Big Mac smiled with a slow deepening to his cheeks, as the cotton candy pony bounced beside the white unicorn, passing AJ on her way in for some coffee for Twilight. She watched them leave and nudged her brother’s shoulder. “Should ask her out, sugarcube.”

“Eyup.” Said the big pony of few words.

AJ shook her head, her words running around in her head as she looked out the window at the clouds. One formation in particular always caught her eye, and she sighed, gathering a travel pot of Big Mac’s famous Joe. Why did it always take alcohol to get Dash to open up? And why did she always ‘dash’ off the next morning? Questions like these gnawed at her heart, especially being the Element of Honesty. It bothered the orange apple-bucker to no end that she had to coerce Rainbow the way she did.

Coming back into the barn, Twilight was at least sitting upright, she noticed, though the purple unicorn’s bangs hung in her face, so she couldn’t tell if she was awake or sleeping sitting up. She set down the coffee and went back to cleaning up the streamers and such. Pinkie would be back later, after her shift at Sugar Cube Corner, to gather all the trash together and help AJ put the barn back to the way it needed to be to store the apples, but with apple buck season still several weeks away it wasn’t such a pressing need. The whole time her mind kept wandering to the cerulean Pegasus, which brought her predicament to Twilight’s attention.

A couple of cups of Big Mac’s coffee and AJ was right, Twilight felt much better. She made a mental note to have him write down his recipe for her. It was certainly just the thing that she needed when pulling an all-night study session. In fact, she felt so much better that she instantly picked up on AJ’s distraction.

Ever ready to help her friends Twilight trotted over to AJ. “Thinking about her again huh?” She gave her a hug when she nodded. “Well, have you tried just talking to her?”

“Aw, Twi, she always runs away. You know that.” AJ kicked a pile of hay in disgust. “Ah swear, she doesn’t like me. She just can’t hold her licker.” Twilight knew AJ meant alcohol, but made no attempt to correct her friend’s accent. The orange earth pony went on, “Ah try ta get close to her, an’ she gets all defensive, an’ then y’know Ah git all competitive, an’ it jus’ winds up all muddled inta a fight. She storms off and Ah’m left feelin’ like she kicked me in the breadbasket.” She was fighting to control her emotions. “Only time she lets me close is when she’s drunk, an’ Ah jus’ feel awful takin’ advantage of ’er.”

Twilight used her magic to sweep up the hay AJ kicked, and she hugged the earth pony again. “Are you sure you don’t want me to talk to her? I think she’s more into you than you think.”

AJ looked up confused. “How so?”

“Well, last night, and this may be the booze talking but she was asking me about spells that would allow a mare to have a foal with another mare.” She shook her head, feeling like there was something she should remember, but she just couldn’t put her hoof on it, her horn hurt too much to think straight. She felt like she’d been doing magic all night long. “I told her something about how it’d take a lot of magic to do, and that I’d have to be channeling the spell the whole time that the two mares were intimate. Which is true. It takes a LOT of magic to make a mare pregnant by another mare.”

AJ snorted, and Twilight giggled a bit, still feeling that nagging pull in the back of her mind, but confronted by the task of cleaning up the party both mares dismissed the topic to lighter conversation.

Several weeks later, a steady rain was pouring down Twilight’s windows. Odd, she thought, I didn’t think it was supposed to rain over Ponyville today. It was the start of apple buck season. The skies should have been clear to give the harvesters around town the chance to get their head start on the harvest before winter was scheduled to set in. She was just about to walk out her door to investigate when something else splattered her window. It was yellow and slimy, and seemed to be warm, steaming the window as she watched very confused.

That made up her mind, and she poked her head out of her door just in time to see a blue form high in the clouds hold her stomach retching. Before she could called out, Rainbow shuddered and went back to positioning herself to buck the cloud currently pouring rain on the library. She seemed to be having trouble. She bucked but the cloud barely moved, and her forelegs shook with the effort. She almost retched again, but as Twlight watched she grabbed her stomach and shuddered hard. Clearly she was exhausted, with huge bags under her eyes, even her wings seemed droopy.

“Rainbow!” Twilight called.

The blue Pegasus looked down, and upon losing her rhythm also lost whatever was left of her lunch in to a nearby cloud.

Well, that explains my window, Twilight thought, then she called, “Hey, are you ok?”

Rainbow closed her eyes, this part was the worst, and slowly, making large, extremely gentle circles, made her way down to hover near Twilight. Or at least that was her intention, but a foot higher than she planned, she opened her eyes, and the vertigo of turning a circle caused her to gag, which disrupted her flight pattern, and landed her on her rear in front of Twilight, legs splayed out to either side and breathing heavily.

Twilight rushed forward and reached out a hoof to help, but Rainbow waved at her, clenching her teeth, “Don’t touch me, it makes me—“ she gagged again, but apparently her stomach was empty.

“Can you stand?” The purple unicorn made a shield with her magic to keep the rain off of them both.

Rainbow shakily made her way into the warm library, and practically collapsed on the cushions in front of Twilight’s desk, the unicorn’s favorite reading spot.

“Gee, Rainbow, you look awful.” Spike quipped, carrying a stack of books down from Twilight’s bedroom.

The Pegasus glared at the baby dragon. “Ya think?”

“Spike!” Twilight chided. “Go get some ginger root tea and a couple of warm blankets.” She shooed him with a disparaging look then turned to Rainbow worried. “Why on earth did you try to go to work today? You’re obviously sick.”

“Cause, I’ve been out sick all week, and Derpy had to take Dinky to get new shoes before school starts up again so she couldn’t cover for me.” Rainbow shivered, her mane soaking wet.

Crossing to her other side, Twilight lit her horn with magic, trying to warm the sopping Pegasus, and soothe her nausea at the same time. Something in the spell pushed back, and she frowned. “What about Fluttershy? Surely she’d be willing to sub in just this once. Most of the summer birds have left for the winter already, and Rarity doesn’t mind helping the other little critters make their homes ready for hibernation.”

Rainbow started to shake her head, but decided that was a bad idea. “No, she’s off with Big Mac in Appleloosa this week. Remember, she, Pinkie, Big Mac and Rarity went off down there for something. I forget what exactly.” She closed her eyes, the weariness settling over her heavily. As she drifted off to sleep she missed Twilight gasp lightly, and by the time the unicorn got the nerve to touch the Pegasus’ side, she was so far gone that she didn’t even flinch.

It was hours before Rainbow woke up, now dry and discovered she was snuggly tucked into Twilight’s spare bed. She looked around slowly, having learned over the last several days that moving too quickly right after waking up brought on worse attacks of nausea and usually vomiting. She noticed dry crackers, a cup of ginger root tea on ice, and a note from Twilight:

Dear Rainbow,

We need to talk. I know why you’re sick. Please, drink the tea and eat a few crackers before trying to get out of bed. You’ll feel better, trust me. Don’t move too quickly, though I’m sure you already figured that part out, sorry. Take your time, I’m downstairs with Spike whenever you’re ready.
Your friend,
Twilight ♥

Rainbow groaned, rolling onto her back and rubbing her face with her hooves. Trepidation added to the churning feeling in her stomach. One on hoof she wanted to know what was going on, but RD wasn’t a dumb pony. A worm of an idea had crawled its way into her head and as much as logical sense seemed to deny it, she couldn’t help but wonder. Her one hoof slid gently down her toned underside almost with a mind of its own. She waited for the familiar ache of emptiness to radiate through her, but it didn’t come. Did she dare hope? She let her mind wander back to the past, just after her arrival in Ponyville and that first meeting with Applejack.

The day was sunny, warm and bright. Fluttershy had convinced her to come to the tiny town outside the Everfree Forest after her stunning departure from flight school. It was easy to get a job, her Weather Pony certification saw to it that she was practically employed before she even set hoof off of Cloudsdale, and Ponyville, having been settled by Earth Ponies, had the smallest Weather Team she’d ever seen. Being this close to the forest meant easy job security, so when Fluttershy asked, she said why not.

Trotting through the market after establishing her home, a little cirrus, a touch of nimbostratus and a dash of cumulus, she literally ran into a hard-headed orange blur. As both mares landed on their flanks in the dust Rainbow rubbed her forehead.

“Oh hey, sorry there, Ah didn’t see where Ah was goin’. Y’alright?” She took the offered hoof up and smiled at the earth pony with the apple cutie mark.

“S’alright, I wasn’t paying attention either.” Wow, she thought, staring at the farm pony with an entirely too Griffon like purr running through her brain. “The name’s Rainbow Dash, what’s yours?”

“Ah’m Applejack. Welcome ta Ponyville. Yer new around these parts?” AJ smiled, still dusting herself off a bit.

Rainbow smiled, “Yeah, I just moved here from Cloudsdale.”

Just then the pink, fluffy Earth pony shaped entity known as Pinkie Pie bounded up to the two conversing fillies. “Did you just say you’re new?! We have to have a Welcome to Ponyville party!”

“Uh, sugarcube, Ah think Rainbow here would like ta-“

“Rainbow! I LOVE that name! Rainbow what? Huh? Huh?” Pinkie interrupted AJ with her characteristic bouncing, that all in all to the athletic Pegasus seemed a bit crazy.

“Rainbow Dash?” She hesitated, giving Pinkie an odd look.

“Rainbow Dash! That’s AWESOME!!” Pinkie positively levitated, and then began to bounce off calling over her shoulder, “Come to Sugarcube Corner! At 8! We’ll PARTY!”

“Uh…” Rainbow watched after the retreating ball of bouncy fluff with some worry on her face.

AJ chuckled a bit and shook her head, “Dun worry about Pinkie Pie, she’s harmless, mostly. C’mon, Ah’ll show ya ‘round town.”

Applejack took Rainbow to all of the hangout spots around Ponyville, most were run by other Earth ponies just like AJ and Pinkie, but the Carousel Boutique was something Rainbow wasn’t expecting. Run by a stunning up and coming unicorn, the designs were amazing and Rainbow was bowled over. Cloudsdale had some fancy clothing designers but Rarity’s flair for the stunning was something that Rainbow felt would put the moguls of Canterlot to shame.

“Come in, darlings! Welcome to Ponyville, Pinkie was just by to invite me to the party she’s throwing for you.” Rarity was gorgeous, dumbfounding, and threw Rainbow for one of the biggest tailspins she’d ever felt. From her violet mane and alabaster coat, to her perfectly pedicured hooves and those eyes! Rainbow felt like she could sink into those azure pools forever, and Rarity obviously knew it because the next thing she said was, “Oh, darling, you’re barking up the wrong tree, but thank you so kindly for the approval.”

Rainbow blushed deeply, nopony had ever read her that deeply before, and being a fillyfooler wasn’t exactly something that she broadcast openly. She coughed nervously and looked at the plush carpet, but before she could say anything in response an even more stunning creature walked, or rather waddled through the curtains separating the boutique from the apartment beyond.

“Rarity, could cha be a dear and get me some of those sugar cakes yur friend’s always bringing over? I’ve a feelin’ lil Sweetie here’ll be comin’ out bouncin’ and singin’ jus’ like yur Ma did, don’t cha know.” The pink mare was heavily swollen with foal and though her mane was still styled in an updo, it was clear that she’d been sleeping with it done.

Rainbow thought she’d died and gone to pony-heaven. The curve of her belly, the flush to her fur, the warmth in her eyes, it gave the fast-flying-filly a tingle in her nethers like she’d never felt before. From that day forward Rainbow knew that someday she had to experience that feeling for herself.

It didn’t matter that her dreams of being a Wonderbolt would be destroyed, the call to feel a life growing within her was all that mattered. Coming back to herself, Rainbow figured she could probably get up without too much in the way of complications. She sat up slowly, and rolled off the bed with a gentle plop to her hooves. So far so good, she thought, but the pit in her stomach gnawed at her consciousness as she made her way downstairs to the library proper.

“Oh, you’re up! Great.” Twilight called from across the room. She was just coming in from the kitchen, and carrying a tray of gingersnap cookies. “These should help any residual issues the crackers and tea failed to take care of. Dr. Murkhoof says that mares in your condition should eat small meals throughout the day to avoid dehydration and malnutrition.” The purple unicorn smiled sweetly at the exhausted Pegasus.

“Dr. Who?” Rainbow munched a cookie absently, all the while still not daring to believe the way that the facts were lining up. It was impossible, she’d never been with a stallion, ever.

Twilight put the cookies down on her podium and picked up a book with her magic. The purple glow shut the book and held it up for Rainbow to read the title while she nibbled on a second cookie. “What to Expect When You’re Expecting: a mare’s guide to all things about pregnancy by Dr. Heidi Murkhoof.”

Rainbow saw on her haunches, shocked. She was…she…really? No! It was impossible. It can’t happen without a stallion, she was sure of it. She’d wanted to ask Twilight if it could but she’d never gotten up the courage to do so, or had she? Her black out from the party several weeks ago came rushing back to her. She still didn’t know everything that happened that night. Though she was certain AJ had convinced her to come to bed with her again. She didn’t mind that AJ did, it’s just why did AJ always have to be drunk to do it, it made her feel dirty, and used, like the orange Earth pony couldn’t be with her unless she was schnockered.

Twilight looked concerned, “Rainbow, are you ok?” She crossed the distance between them and put a hoof on her forehead. “Rainbow? Hello?”

“Huh?” The cyan Pegasus blinked and shook her head. “Uh, yeah, I’m fine.” She rolled her shoulders, settling her wings on her back. Was her side bigger than normal? No, not yet. Though, how far along was she, and what stallion did they trick her into mating? Soarin? Nah, he was more interested in Pinkie than Rainbow. Big Mac? Rainbow snorted out loud, earning her a confused look from Twilight. “I’m fine, Twi, honest!” She smiled broadly, her characteristic ego shining through as best she could in spite of the bags under her eyes.

“I just want to make sure, because Pegasus pregnancies can be tricky. There’s a—“ Rainbow held up a hoof cutting off her friend.

“I know, a book about it.” She shook her head. “Really, Twilight, you worry too much, and you’re wrong, I can’t possibly be pregnant. I’m a mare, and I only have sex with mares. You know that.” She winked suggestively and Twilight blushed.

Shaking off the memories of their last sleepover before Pinkie’s party, Twilight pressed forward. “Yes, but I also know you want a foal more than anything else in the world. I mean, that’s the whole reason you and I hit it off so well after that whole Nightmare Moon thing.”

Rainbow nodded, their mutual desire to feel the joy of carrying a foal was certainly something that she didn’t make open to anyone outside of the three of them. Even at that, she wasn’t comfortable with Pinkie knowing, but nopony could keep anything from Pinkie. The ball of fluff had a sixth sense about secrets, and somehow always knew them without anypony telling her.

“But, really, Twi?” Rainbow looked at the floor. “Who am I kidding? It’s never gonna happen. Mares can’t make other mares pregnant, and stallions are…” She shuddered at the thought.

“There is a spell I know of, but it takes a LOT out of a Unicorn to cast it.” Twilight went over to a particularly well-hidden corner of the room and pulled out a book, bound in black, and locked shut with a padlock. “It’s part of a series devoted entirely to sex magic.” She explained. “The hitch is that the Unicorn casting the spell, can’t be having sex at the same time. It disrupts her concentration.” She opened the book to the right page, showing Rainbow the illustrations of what happened to the two mares in the grips of the spell. The drawings were crude, but she got the idea and blushed deeply, a flash of orange fur with emerald eyes crossing her mind.

Putting the book back, Twilight sighed. “Which is why I will probably never be able to have the joy of doing what you’re doing, Rainbow. No stallion or mare-friend, and according to everything in that book, you need two ponies.” She shrugged.

Rainbow started to deny the accusation of her pregnancy again, but Twilight gave her a look that meant she should shut up and trust in her on-again, off-again lover that she was telling the truth. “So, how far along am I?” Rainbow blushed and bit her lip, trying to resist the urge to rub her stomach protectively.

“I’d say somewhere around seven weeks.” Twilight nodded, snagging one of the cookies for herself. “The foal’s mind is only just starting to express itself, so he or she can’t be much bigger than that.” She smiled at Rainbow’s next question, which was written across her face before she spoke.

“How do you know?”

“Part of it comes from Dr. Murkhoof’s book, but also, honestly, Rainbow, you know how much of a maiesiophiliac I am, do you really think I wouldn’t look into the stages and energy signatures of a mare’s pregnancy?” Twilight looked shocked, which knowing her wasn’t too far of a stretch for Rainbow. While the chromatic Pegasus had not gone as deeply into research as her unicorn counterpart, she had to admit it was silly of her to have assumed that the book-worm wouldn’t have read every book she could get her hooves on about the subject. They’d even pretended the scenario they were experiencing right now for real in their occasional trysts.

“Alright, I get it. You know.” Rainbow sighed. “It’s just all the times we ever played with this sort of thing you were the one carrying the foal. Not me.” She closed her eyes, the weariness of the last week and a half weighing heavily on her. “Plus, how do I know who the father is? Wait until she’s born?”

Twilight scrunched up her muzzle in thought. “I don’t really know. I mean, I believe you when you say you haven’t been with a stallion, but other than casting that spell, I don’t know how it could happen. And besides, even if you found a unicorn to cast the spell, who would the mare be? Applejack?”

Rainbow snorted. “Yeah, in my dreams maybe.” It was something of a sore subject for her. Twilight knew better than to press it.

“Well, for now, go rest up. I’m going to write a letter to Princess Celestia, maybe she or Princess Luna will have a way of determining the father.” Rainbow knew better than to argue, and was too exhausted to care anyhow, Twilight would do what Twilight does best, write to the Princess and research. So, Rainbow grabbed another cookie and started for the stairs. She frowned for a moment and changed her mind, “Twi, I’m gonna go grab my nap someplace I can think. I like your bed and all, but I hafta feel the wind. I think it’s the only thing that’ll clear my head about all this, and besides, the rain stopped.”

Twilight didn’t like it but she nodded, knowing that Rainbow would have some coming to terms she’d have to deal with before too much longer. She watched her sometimes-lover leave with a sigh, when was that filly gonna learn that all she had to do was open her mouth and she wouldn’t have to face these things alone?

Crossing through town, Rainbow just sort of ambled along, not really paying attention to where she was going. If she had, she would have realized that she was headed in the absolute wrong direction if she wanted to be by herself and think. She realized this when a pink haze invaded her vision.

“Congratulations, Dashie!!” Pinkie squealed, entirely too loudly. She hugged her, leaving Rainbow stunned, once again, at Pinkie’s ability to know what was going on without anyone ever telling her.

“Thanks, Pinkie, but swear you won’t tell anyone. I—I don’t think I’m ready to spread the news just yet.” Rainbow half smiled, knowing Pinkie wouldn’t anyway, but needing to say it if only to calm her own nerves.

Pinkie giggled, “Of course, Dashie! I Pinkie Pie promise! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” She bounced around Rainbow giggling and twirling, as usual. “So, when ya gonna tell her, huh?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Pinkie. She doesn’t need to know.” Rainbow sat back, crossing her hooves in an unconscious defense of her unborn foal.

“I suppose, but you’ll have to tell her at some point. It’s not like you can let her get you drunk anymore.” The pink pony giggled, and hugged Rainbow. “And don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll love the idea.”

In which Things begin to be Complicated for Rainbow, a Confession happens, and Applejack jumps to Conclusions

“Hey there, Pinkie, Rainbow, what y’all up to?” AJ strolled into the dining area of Sugarcube Corner where the other two girls had been chatting.

Pinkie squealed and vibrated her way into the backroom, “I can’t wait to throw the PARTY!!” Leaving both Rainbow and Applejack staring after her confused, and both somewhat dreading Pinkie’s plans.

“Now, what in the hay has got her all excited.” AJ wondered out loud.

Rainbow rubbed her one foreleg with the other, staring at the design in the floor tiles, trying to screw up the courage to tell her how she felt.

“AJ, I have something to—“

“Rainbow, Ah need ta—“

Both mares stopped, blushing, and AJ said, “You c’n go first.”

“No, go ahead, what were you gonna say, AJ?” Rainbow insisted, the knot of worry she’d felt at Twilight’s building again, either that or the ginger snaps had worn off, she wasn’t sure which.

“Well, Ah just wanted ta say that, um…” She trailed off, scratching the back of her head with her hoof. “Aw haystacks Rainbow, Ah love you, an’ Ah know ya don’t feel that way about me, but after the last party, Ah just couldn’t keep it bottled up no more. Ah’ve missed ya aroun’ the farm, an’ Ah kinda figured y’were avoidin’ me. So Ah made up mah mind Ah was gonna tell ya how Ah feel the next time Ah saw ya, no matter what was goin’ on.” Applejack plopped down on her haunches and stared at the floor, blushing wildly, and praying she’d made the right choice.

Rainbow stared at her for a few minutes, overcome with something she didn’t really tap into all that often, and before she could do anything about it tears started pouring down her face. She knew AJ was waiting for a response, some kind of answer to her confession, but she just couldn’t control it. All she wanted to do at that moment was bury her nose into that straw-colored mane and forget the world for a while, but all she could do was sit there and sob as all of the stress, exhaustion, loneliness and hope of the last several days came rushing down on top of her. “I love you to-oo-oo.” She sobbed, trying to control her tears and failing.

“Hey. Hey, sugarcube. Shh.” AJ pulled Rainbow into her arms and held her, letting the cyan Pegasus bury her nose right where she wanted to. She made the shushing noise all mothering types make when somepony’s upset, and gently rocked back and forth a little until Rainbow pulled back looking very green around the edges.

“P-“ Was all AJ got out before Rainbow loosed the contents of her stomach onto the floor between AJ’s hooves. Holding the chromatic mane back from her face, AJ simply waited patiently until Rainbow’s heaves were calmed. Then she took the offered towel and bucket from Mrs. Cake, who’d heard the commotion from behind the counter. She gave the orange Earth pony a sympathetic smile, then left the two with their pseudo-privacy.

Fortunately, there weren’t any patrons in Sugarcube Corner at the moment. So, both ponies could clean up without anyone being the wiser. For safety’s sake though, AJ guided Rainbow out the side door, so that should the cyan pony vomit again it wouldn’t be in the restaurant. Once AJ returned with the rinsed out bucket, just in case, she found Rainbow leaning against the wall of the building, dozing.

“Honey, why didn’t ya tell me ya was sick? An’ what’re ya doin’ out an’ about if ya are?” AJ nuzzled Rainbow gently, rousing her.

Rainbow started to shake her head, but thought better of it, and answered in a hoarse voice, “I’m not sick.” She had to pause, and AJ filled the gap.

“Course ya are! Ya jus’ threw up all over mah hooves, girl!”

She sighed heavily. “I’m not sick…” The pause again filled the air and the gap began to grow heavy between the two. Instantly a million thoughts ran through AJ’s mind, and Rainbow’s next words, “I’m pregnant.” Fell heavily in her ears.

“Ah see.” She said softly, her ears down and a bit of her color fading. “Who’s the lucky stallion?” Suddenly Rainbow’s tears made sense. If she was pregnant, that meant that there was somepony in her life, which meant that all of AJ’s foalin’ around was over now that she was settling down to raise a family.

“There isn’t one.” Rainbow looked at the floor, sounding like Fluttershy.

The silence grew between them again, AJ wasn’t too sure what Rainbow meant by her statement. It wasn’t natural for a stallion not step up and take care of his foal, but then again, knowing Rainbow, maybe she hadn’t told him yet. AJ watched the object of her affection closely, looking for any sign that the cyan mare was pulling a prank on her, but from the bags under her eyes to the swelling of her breasts, from the way her hair hung limp against her frame to the luster of her coat, there was no mistaking it. Rainbow was most definitely pregnant. AJ had seen enough expectant mothers in her life to know that fact without a doubt. In fact, she cursed at herself for not realizing what was going on the whole time. Rainbow must have had a special male somepony the whole time, and that was why she’d kept running away. Unconsciously, the farm pony sighed, and didn’t notice Rainbow wince.

Rainbow, though watching her hooves had been watching AJ just as carefully, following the strong curve of her haunches, the toned way her shoulders became her neck, and that sun-weathered blonde mane, the color of freshly churned butter. Really her whole coat was like that, soft yellow, but years of working in the sun had bronzed the skin underneath her fur, giving her the appearance of a burnt orange sunset. Then she’d sighed.

It was all Rainbow could do to hold back the tears. She hated that about this thing, her emotions were all out of whack. “I-I guess I’ll let you get back to work.” She got up wearily, more tired now than she had been when they’d sat down together.

Applejack was confused. “Wait!” When Rainbow turned and frowned, AJ almost lost her nerve. “Ah mean yer gonna be alright, right? Uh…Ah mean, Granny Smith don’t need me on th’ farm fer a while yet. Ah could…um…” She trailed off unable to meet Rainbow’s steady gaze.

The Pegasus settled her wings on her back and sniffed, for an instant appearing like the boastful, show-off she normally was. “Don’t worry about me. I’m Rainbow Dash! Nothing can keep me down.” She spread her wings and forgetting her balance issues took off, leaving AJ in the dust. If that hypocritical farm pony wasn’t interested in her foal then she wasn’t interested in that…beautiful…honest…hard-working…farm…pony…her trajectory wobbled as her emotions began to get the better of her again. All she really wanted to do was bury her face in that straw-blonde mane, drink in the scent of apples, and let the world melt away, but AJ had made it pretty clear to her that there was no room for a filly, Rainbow thought with a snort. An amazingly talented, definitely stunning, and wonderful filly; she was sure of it. She banked left and fluttered down to Twilight’s library balcony only losing her aim once now that she’d begun to compensate for the added weight of her filly. Her disorientation hadn’t even bothered her on her descent, which brought her out of her funk for the moment.

Dumb founded and more than a little angry at Rainbow’s stuck-up exit, AJ snorted loudly. She pulled her Stetson down a little farther on her head and set off in the same direction Rainbow had, catching up with her as she landed in Twilight’s tree.

Barging through the door without bothering to knock, AJ bellowed, “Now you see here, missy! What in tarnation d’ya think yer doin’ takin’ off on me in th’ middle of th’ most important conversation Ah’ve ever had!?”

Twilight looked up and blinked at AJ, clearly confused by the situation, and obviously unaware of what was troubling her friend. “Uh, Applejack? Can I help you?”

“Not you, Twi, Ah mean,” AJ crossed over to the stairs leading up to Twilight’s living quarters and shouted louder, “the featherbrain upstairs that just took off on me after tellin’ me she was pregnant without givin’ me so much as a moment ta think ‘bout it!”

“Well, maybe I wouldn’t have run off if you hadn’t taken so long to answer!” Came the shouted reply from upstairs.

“Rainbow?! You flew in? I told you that you shouldn’t fly until we find out who the father is!” Twilight called, worried. “If that’s a Unicorn or Earth foal you could be in serious trouble. Unicorn babies can do magic as soon as their horn grows, and Earth pony foals are too heavy for you to carry through the skies safely. You may not even be able to land on clouds if you’re carrying an Earth baby!” Twilight had started up the stairs, her horn primed and ready to examine Rainbow, when AJ pushed past her.

“Ya mean ta tell me y’don’t even know who th’ stallion is?!” AJ was shocked, livid even, at the thought of being just one of Celestia knew how many others that Rainbow dallied with over the past year.

At this point Rainbow had shut herself in the spare room Twilight had loaned to her earlier, and was leaning against the door, cradling her belly, and tears streaming down her face. She knew what AJ must think of her, what she thought of herself, but there was no denying it. “I don’t care! This is my filly, and whoever sired her doesn’t matter. I’ll raise her on my own if I have to. I’ll go back to Cloudsdale, or Canterlot, or maybe even Fillydelphia. It’s obvious you don’t want anything to do with her, so why so you care if I slept around on you!?”

Emotion had made her voice raw, and she knew she wasn’t masking her pain very well, but she was too angry to care. It was true she’d never come out and told AJ how she felt, but she’d been too afraid that the farm pony was only interested in fillies when she was drunk. That didn’t mean she’s slept around on her though. She was Loyalty, for Luna’s sake! She thought her friends knew her better than that, at least, she thought AJ knew better than that.

AJ listened to the sobbing Pegasus in the next room, her temper cooled so quickly she couldn’t recover. “Ah…Ah never said Ah didn’t care about the foal.” She said softly, unsure if Rainbow could even hear her. The sound of tears on the other side of the door seemed to quiet slightly, and she pressed further. “D’ya…” She almost couldn’t say it. “Rainbow? Were ya…were ya raped?”

Silence. Twilight held her breath. She’d been too afraid to ask that question herself, but it had burned in the back of her mind. So, both mares stood on eggshells waiting for some answer from the distraught Pegasus beyond the door.

“I don’t know.” Came the soft reply after a while.

Neither the Earth pony nor the Unicorn realized the door had opened until they heard Rainbow’s tentative footsteps. She looked up through her mane at Applejack, tears still shining in her eyes. AJ seemed to know what she wanted and sat down so the blue mare could lean against her. Twilight took that as her cue. She did a quick scan with her horn while Rainbow was trying to make her voice work again after crying so much, and made her exit to report the information to both Princess Celestia and Nurse Redheart at the Ponyville Mare’s Wellness Clinic.

AJ nuzzled Rainbow’s forelock and whickered softly, a calming, loving noise she had practiced looking after Applebloom for so long. ‘What happened to ya, sugarcube?” She asked softly, never once moving back.

“I don’t know, a week and a half ago I thought I had a cold. I was nauseous and tired, and it took more than my usual shower to get me up in the morning.” She took a deep breath, admitting weakness was never easy for Rainbow. “Then…I stopped being able to control the clouds, and flying was so hard. I just couldn’t fly straight. Even Derpy was flying circles around me. So, I started calling off from the weather team.”

“Oh, sugarcube, why didn’t ya tell us?” AJ tucked her muzzle under Rainbow’s cheek. “Y’know we’d have helped ya.”

“Derpy did, and Fluttershy covered for me the last two days, but the final straw came today when Dinky was sick and…”

“And Fluttershy’s helpin’ Big Mac in Appleloosa.” AJ finished. The thought that it was odd he needed both Fluttershy and Rarity to accompany him seemed odd, but Rainbow’s disheartened sigh brought her back to the present.

Rainbow was talking about collapsing through Twilight’s front door, and the storm and everything that had happened so far that day. “…and then when you didn’t answer me, I just figured you didn’t care.”

“Now stop right there, sugarcube. Ah never said Ah didn’t care.” AJ took Rainbow’s shoulders in her hooves. “Ya caught me off guard, that’s fer sure, but Ah never said Ah didn’t care!” Her emerald eyes bored into Rainbow’s rose ones, hopefully carrying all of the love and honesty she held in her heart. “Ah don’t care if yer pregnant, or if yer gay, or straight, or secretly a stallion under all that hot air and ego. Ah love you, for who ya are. Ah admit Ah jumped ta some conclusions Ah shouldn’t have without voicin’ ‘em, but there has ta be a stallion fer ya ta be preggers. It just cain’t happen without one.”

“Actually, Twilight told me about this spell she’s read about, but I wouldn’t do that to you, not without your…” She trailed off as a flash of memory crossed her mind; tasting apples and alcohol, her own husk voice asking the unknown pony for a foal, the laughing ascension slurred by sarsaparilla. “Oh sweet Celestia’s wicked horse-feathers…” Rainbow swore in a soft, horrified voice.

Applejack frowned at Rainbow’s sudden change in demeanor. “What?”

“I think I know who the father is.” She pulled away from AJ fear radiating from her form, making her wings clench tight against her back and her hooves shake.

“Y’do?” AJ tilted her head, with an eyebrow raised in confusion. “Was it somethin’ Ah said?”

Rainbow shook her head and got to her hooves. “I think we need to talk to Twilight first. It was something I said, triggered it.” She started shakily down the stairs with the comment, “Maybe we should talk to Pinkie too.”

AJ was thoroughly confused, but also curious as she followed the Pegasus down and out of the library.

Spike was on his way in, carrying a bag stuffed to the brim with plants and bottles, obviously just returning from Zecora’s hut. “Hey, where you guys going? I just got back, and where’s Twilight?” He looked around, but Rainbow didn’t stop.

AJ threw, “Ah think she’s at the Wellness Clinic. We’re on our way ta go find her, wanna come?”

“Yeah, wait up!” The exuberant young dragon tossed the bag down rather recklessly and darted after AJ and Rainbow.

Outside of the Mare Wellness Clinic, Twilight waved goodbye to Nurse Redheart, “I’ll make sure she comes in to see you soon.”

The white mare wearing the nurse’s cap over her pale pink mane smiled. “You just make sure your friend makes her way over here, and everything should be right as rain. Dr. Foalgood is the best Obstetrician to come from Cloudsdale University.”

Twilight smiled, waved again and turned around to crash into Rainbow, running at full speed across the square. She opened her mouth to apologize but as time seemed to slow down her eyes went wide and she just barely got her teleportation spell primed when Rainbow blew what was left of the ginger snaps and soda water out of her stomach. The reappearance of Twilight behind Rainbow, and the resumption of normal time brought into focus a collapsed Pegasus and a stunned Nurse Redheart.

“Oh…oh my. This must be our little expectant mother.” The pale Earth pony gracefully stepped around the puddle on her doorstep to lend a hoof to AJ in getting Rainbow to her hooves again. The cyan pony swayed a bit under the weight of her own body and through a combined thought among the three other mares, they maneuvered Rainbow into the clinic. Once she was settled into a bed, she groaned a bit, and passed out.

Not long after, with AJ sitting by her bedside and Twilight and Spike sitting in the window of the flowery patient room, Rainbow was able to focus on more than just the spinning of the world in her ears. Nurse Redheart gave her a disk of crystalized ginger. “Place this under your tongue. It’ll calm your nausea.” She was about to say something to Twilight when she was cut off by a warm male voice breaking through the silence.

“Well, now, you haven’t been taking very good care of your precious cargo, Ms. Dash.” Dr. Foalgood was one of the biggest Pegasi Rainbow had ever seen. He was easily a full hand taller at the withers than Big Mac, and that realization almost brought Rainbow’s nausea back. He was dressed in a white lab coat but underneath his fur was a deep caramel color, and his mane and tail, though cropped close to avoid being a contamination in the medical facility, were almost jet black except for a small peppering of grey that belied his true age. Over all he was quite a comforting presence to all of the mares in the room.

Rainbow just blinked at the doctor for a few moments, trying to come up with something to say, but her exhaustion seemed to be muddling her thoughts. Then she felt something sticky between her legs and she got struck with an icicle through her heart. “Is-is she okay!?” She got out through a strained voice, hoarse and tight between stress and abuse.

“Yes, Ms. Dash, your foal will be fine, but you’re lucky you collapsed here. You’ve been pushing yourself entirely too hard, and judging by your body’s reaction to the pregnancy, that is a very dangerous thing to do as a Pegasus pregnant with an Earth foal.” The words fell like lead on Rainbow’s heart, first her fear regarding the filly, and then the cold snaking truth of what her memories and the doctor’s diagnosis meant, left her mouth dry.

“Can I have a drink?” She croaked, still trying to suck on the ginger.

Dr. Foalgood nodded and Nurse Redheart handed her a small cup. He spoke before she got the liquid to her mouth. “For now, Ms. Dash, please just swish the water in your mouth and spit. We don’t want to risk irritating your stomach any further. You’re quite dehydrated, and on the verges of being malnourished. Why-ever did you wait so long to seek help?”

Rainbow opened her mouth to speak, but AJ, Twilight and Spike echoed, “She’s too stubborn.” And Rainbow glared at them swishing water between her cheeks, very much looking like she wanted to spit it at someone and couldn’t decide on a target.

“Well,” Dr. Foalgood chuckled, “I’m going to have to insist that you stay overnight for observation. In spite that your foal is quite the hardy little thing, there was some minor bleeding just after you lost consciousness.” He noted the look of fear cross Rainbow’s face, and smiled warmly. “Never fear, your friend Twilight here was able to monitor your little one quite handily until we could get the monitor hooked up.”

At that moment, Rainbow looked under the covers to see a pink cotton strap around her middle. What she’d thought was the weight of the blanket was actually a faintly pink glowing cloth held over her stomach by the cotton strap. She tilted her head, obviously wondering how it could be monitoring something that wasn’t even really affecting her streamlined abdomen much yet. Truly, with the band and cloth there the rounding out that Rainbow had noticed earlier in the day was invisible, even to her trained eye, and, she thought, if anyone would notice a difference it would be me.

“You are curious about it, yes?” Dr. Foalgood smiled, peeking over the blanket Rainbow was holding up. She didn’t even have to answer him, because he continued on with another, more profound question, “Would you like to hear your foal’s heartbeat?”

Rainbow snapped her head up to stare dumbfounded at the doctor, as he motioned for Nurse Redheart to bring in what looked like a radio with a screen attached. Dr. Foalgood fiddled with a switch on the front similar to that of a radio knob, and within a few moments there was a soft, whooshing sound rhythmically pulsing.

For a few seconds everypony in the room just stopped and listened, their breath taken away by this verification of life within the fastest flier in all of Equestria. Tears came to Rainbow’s eyes and whimpered just a little, touched in a way she never knew she could be by something she’d never seen.

Surprisingly to AJ the sound of the foal’s heartbeat hit her harder than she thought it would as well. Her brow creased for a moment but the sound of the baby was too intoxicating. It wasn’t until Spike broke the revered pseudo-silence that she came back to herself to notice she too had been silently weeping.

“Why is it so fast? IS it because it’s Rainbow’s?” The inquisitive dragon kept looking from Rainbow’s stomach to the machine and back again, clearly confused.

Twilight giggled, she had almost forgotten he was there, “Oh, Spike, that’s because the baby is so small. At this stage of pregnancy the foal’s heart beats around 170 times every minute to make sure that it gets the oxygen and nutrients it needs to grow hooves and legs. In a few weeks we’ll be able to cast a special spell that will let us see him or her.”

Spike didn’t look convinced, but he let the matter drop, knowing that Twilight would have read up on the subject, even before Rainbow’s unexpected foray into it.

“Well, I think it’s time we let our little mother-to-be get some rest. She’s had what seems to be an exciting day and she needs to start rebuilding her strength for later.” Dr. Foalgood began herding everypony out of the room, but Rainbow stopped him.

“Doctor, are you sure that the father was an Earth pony?” She asked worried.

He tilted his head. “It appears to be that way, yes. I assume you don’t know?” Rainbow shook her head and he pursed his lips thinking with a slow nod. “Well, there is a spell we can cast but I’d like to make sure you and the little one are completely in the clear before we cast it.” Rainbow looked crestfallen at the prospect of having to wait, but even she had to admit that the safety of the foal came first. Dr. Foalgood placed a hoof on Rainbow’s comfortingly, “If it will put your mind at ease I can have my partner, Dr. Angelheart, come and do a scan. She’s a Unicorn, graduated from Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. She’ll at least be able to tell what race your foal is, and possibly a family name depending on whether we have a record for the father’s bloodline in our records.”

Twilight seemed impressed, though she didn’t recognize the name, as she indicated when both of her friends looked at her expectantly. She shrugged, “I think I’m going to take Spike home. Maybe you should walk with me, AJ?”

The farm pony looked torn but Dr. Foalgood said, “Some privacy to perform the test would be best. Sometimes the results aren’t as pleasant as others, and in a case like this, Equestrian Law dictates that the information between Ms. Dash and myself be kept strictly confidential, unless Ms. Dash allows for it to be shared in writing.”

AJ nodded. “Alright. Take care, sugarcube.” She gave Rainbow a nuzzle, not quite old enough to kiss her yet, but she did place a gentle hoof over the sensor of the monitor. “Don’t you worry none, Ah won’t go nowhere, no matter who the father is, unless ya want me to, y’hear?” Rainbow covered AJ’s hoof with her own and smiled, nodding.

Then she was alone with the doctors and Nurse Redheart, who had fetched Dr. Angelheart as Dr. Foalgood’s suggestion. Rainbow sighed. “To tell you the truth, Doc, I’m a bit worried that I already know who the father is. See, I’ve got this hole in my memory from a couple of months ago, when I was partying with Pinkie at the Apple farm…” She trailed off.

The doctors exchanged a knowing look when Rainbow mentioned Pinkie, and Nurse Redheart winced. Dr. Foalgood smiled and patted Rainbow’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, secrecy is our first priority.”

On the walk back to Twilight’s, AJ sighed and scuffed her hooves. “Ah don’t know, Twi. Y’know how she is, she’s always takin’ off on me. Y’think she really didn’t have somepony on the side? I mean besides you and Pinkie, o’ course.”

Twilight blushed lightly, previously having been unaware that Applejack knew about her occasional tryst with the high flying Pegasus and the cotton candy Earth pony. “She swore up and down to me, Applejack, that she doesn’t ever have sex with stallions. I know what it looks like, but I believe her. There’s just something about this that doesn’t sit right with me, like I’m missing something.”

“Ah know what ya mean, Twi. Ah keep getting’ the feelin’ like there’s some part o’ all this that’s just not makin’ any sense.” AJ kicked a rock out of her way, nearly beaming Spike in the head.

“Hey! Watch it, Applejack!” The dragon protested. “I don’t know what you all are bent out of shape for anyway. I’m not even a full grown dragon and I know what happens between a mare and a stallion. I don’t think she’d like to you guys on purpose but how else could she be pregnant?” He made a valid point, but neither mare was comfortable with it.

“It’s simple!” Came the answer to both of the mare’s thoughts, from one Pinkamena Diane Pie, who popped out from the water of the fountain in the middle of the square.

Neither Twilight nor Applejack had realized they had been walking in circles around the square, until Pinkie stopped them outside the Wellness Clinic, which was really part of the Ponyville General Hospital.

Pinkie hoped out of the fountain and shook off like Winona just coming out of a bath. “Like I was saying, Dashie’s not lying, but she’s not telling the whole truth either. She just doesn’t remember!”

“But you do?” Twilight asked slowly, almost afraid to know what Pinkie knew.

Pinkie giggled, “Of course I do, silly! I’m THE party pony, aren’t I? You really think a party can knock me out? Silly Twilight!” She danced around them, her usual bubbly self, but then she stopped and vibrated across the pavement a little bit. “Oh wow! She really doesn’t get it!” She snorted, and grinned at Twilight and AJ.

“Well, spit it out, sugarcube, who’s the stallion that sired Rainbow’s foal?” AJ raised an eyebrow, staring Pinkie down.

“Mmmm, I think it’d be better from her. Check ya later!” Pinkie bounced off in search of something, and they could hear her singing about pie.

Twilight shook her head. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand that pony. C’mon, let’s get Spike home so we can get back to Rainbow and find out what she learned.”

It wound up being the next morning before Twilight could get back over to see Rainbow, and it took the better part of the day to get Applejack back to see her again, as she’d had to catch up on all of the work she’d shirked the day before when she was dealing with Rainbow. Big Mac was due back with Rarity and Fluttershy that night, and Applejack wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything left unfinished for him to do after traveling all day and the night before. So, by the time she made it to the Wellness Clinic, Twilight and Rainbow were sitting in silence, both absorbed into a book, but there seemed to be an uncomfortable air about the place when she entered the room.

“Howdy, girls.” She greeted them cheerfully.

Twilight looked up like she was electrified with a loud, “Eep!” Her mane looked a little frazzled, and she didn’t quite stand up straight when she got down from the windowsill. “I’ll see you later, Rainbow, and don’t worry. Just get it out, you’ll feel better, I swear.”

Rainbow didn’t look like she truly believed the Unicorn, and from AJ’s standpoint, she looked a little worse for wear, in spite of having spent the night and most of the day resting. AJ watched Twilight leave, before coming over to stand next to Rainbow’s bed. She put her fore-hooves up on the bed and reached to take one of Rainbow’s hooves in hers, only to find the Pegasus tense up at her touch. So, she let her go. “What’s up, sugarcube? Don’t tell me ya’ve decided that yesterday was all hormones?”

Rainbow picked at the blanket between her legs, and took a deep breath, as though fighting back tears, “I wish it was that simple, or even that I could turn off how I feel about you, AJ.” She continued looking at the blanket, and AJ remained silent to let her potential marefriend speak her mind unpressured. After an eternity Rainbow sighed again, and looked up into AJ’s eyes. “I love you, AJ, I really, really do, but I’m afraid you won’t accept me once I tell you who the father is.”

“Ah promised it didn’t matter! Ah’ll never leave ya, Dashie!” Pinkie’s nickname for the blue Pegasus speedster just seemed right spoken in that Southern drawl. “Ah always keep mah promises. Ya should know that. Jus’ tell me, who’s the dirty-handed brute that took advantage of ya?”

Rainbow shuddered at AJ’s vehemence. “I’m trying to tell you, AJ. I just didn’t think it would be this hard to tell you the father is…”

“Big Mac! Darling! We’re almost home!” Rarity exclaimed, one hoof on her large brimmed sun-hat, and leaning over the edge of the wagon she and Fluttershy occupied, being pulled by the aforementioned stallion.

Fluttershy hovered out of the wagon and landed next to the large stallion. “Are you alright, Mackie?” Her voice soft and concern in her eyes. “You haven’t said a word since we left Canterlot.”

“Ah’m fine, sugarcube, just concentratin’ on gettin’ home. Ah’ve got a feelin’ in my gut that says we’re in fer some rough ground ahead.” The stallion wasn’t big on words but around these two there wasn’t a need for much to be spoken.

In Which Rarity Pays for Talking Too Much, an Accusation is Made, and Pinkie Has Some Pie

The last two months had been a blissful whirlwind of new experiences and amazing discoveries on all parties. In fact, this trip to Appleloosa had cemented it for all three of the ponies traveling the road back to Ponyville, and also the whole reason why they’d chosen to go by hoof and wagon rather than train. The majority of their supplies had been sent ahead, gathered from the train by Granny Smith and AJ the day before, along with a note informing the family of the intended outcome of this trip.

Big Macintosh plodded along steadily, but proud, and he flashed a smile at Fluttershy to calm her nerves. “Git on back up in the wagon, missy, this here ground’s not clean enough fer yer hooves ta touch it.”

Fluttershy blushed and giggled, but did as she was told, giving him a quick nuzzle, and making the metal tags hanging from the collar around her neck jingle. Big Mac loved that sound, in fact it’s the real reason the three of them had traveled to Appleloosa in the first place.

Appleloosa was one of the few places in Equestria where such adornments could be purchased without so much as a raised eyebrow. In fact while they had purchased flour for the Cakes’, imported silk and Buffalo weaving beads for Rarity, and crushed cactus salves for both Fluttershy and the hospital, their true purpose had to buy the shining, matching collars that sparkled around both Fluttershy and Rarity’s necks and a small loop hanging from the center of the yoke Big Mac typically wore. All three had two tags apiece, polished metal disks, engraved with the other two ponies’ cutie marks.

The atmosphere of being home had infected them all, and much of what had been accomplished personally among them was sliding into the background, where it had been before the trip. In fact, already Rarity was resuming the proud, somewhat over bearing attitude that was her signature dramatics, which made her companions flick an ear toward her as she prattled on about the magnificent designs she planned to dive into as soon as she stepped into her boutique.

About five miles outside of Ponyville, beyond the farthest orchards of the surrounding farms, Big Mac halted the wagon, and stepped out of his harness.

“…And Rainbow Dash, oh she’ll adore this year’s dress! I’m sure Twilight will get us tickets to this year’s Gala! I simply cannot wait to sweep into that ballroom in the dress I’m designing!” Rarity was chattering still, oblivious to the fact that they had stopped. In fact she was so caught up in her daydream that she didn’t notice the crop until it had stung her hindquarters. “Eep!”

Instantly, the pleasure enticed from the strike against her cutie mark had her demeanor evaporate. She kneeled, presenting her rump for further spanking, should her Master feel so inclined. Instead, she found a yellow hoof shoved into her face.

“Kiss it, mare.” The voice was soft but feminine.

She did so with a “Yes, Mistress.” And a look of absolute lust in her eyes.

“Mmm, good little slut.” His voice was like velvet to her ears as she felt him fondling her rump and breasts. It had taken awhile for him to become comfortable using that language with the mares, but there was some primal instinct in him that let him forget all of Granny’s teachings with these two.

Rarity found her whole being stripped of identity in a matter of seconds, and the fire in her belly just burned all the hotter for it. To know that she was needed as a toy and to be used by the ponies that own her for their every desire and pleasure, it was absolute bliss for the normally uptight and over-stressed mare. It just brought her normal generous nature to a whole new level, and it drove her wild!

She didn’t quite know where it started, probably somewhere around the time that she was designing the Gala dresses on top of her normal workload and the stress of all of the changes, then the flop of a fashion show, and the ridicule and then the Gala itself. Oh my, she thought, her head spinning from what her Master was doing behind her and what her Mistress was doing in front of her. Oh this is heavenly, she swooned, fully aware that both ends of her would be quite sore come the following morning, but she couldn’t keep her thoughts from drifting back to her first experience with Mistress Fluttershy.

Their spa days just weren’t cutting it anymore, Rarity left the Lotus Spa just as stressed as she was before meeting Fluttershy that morning. The whole Blueblood debauchery had left her incapable of truly relaxing. She was snapping at Sweetie Belle for no reason, falling behind in her work, and worse she had absolutely no inspiration! How was she to become the world famous designer she dreamed of being if she couldn’t continue to come up with fresh ideas?! The thought in and of itself was The Worst Thing Ever, but actually experiencing it, she decided, was much, much worse.

“Ugh! I simply cannot do this again, darling! I’m at my wits end here. I know I was envious of you when Photo Finish stole you away, but now I’m just SO over that spa! It doesn’t absolutely nothing for me these days.” Her coiffure fell into her face, she puffed a bit of air at it, and all that she accomplished was to make it fall farther down her forehead.

Fluttershy bit her lip, “Well, maybe if you cut back on your hours?”

“Ah! Do you know what that would do to my business and reputation!?” Rarity shuddered at the thought of working less than her customary 80 hours a week.

“Maybe you could get a change of scenery?” Fluttershy’s voice grew meeker as her best friend’s grew in volume.

Rarity rolled her eyes, “Where would I go? I can’t show my face in Canterlot without something fabulous to show for my efforts, Manehatten is too stuck up, Fillydelphia is under that outrageous heat wave, and I KNOW you wouldn’t suggest Appleloosa or Dodge!” She looked at Fluttershy as if to dare her to suggest it. “Just what type of pony do you take me for? I am a lady!”

Fluttershy hid behind her mane as they walked, “I’m just trying to help, Rarity.”

Rarity snorted in a most un-lady-like way, “Are you really trying to help me, Fluttershy, or are you just trying to get under my skin?” She leveled her friend with a glare that could ice over Spike’s belly.

They had arrived at Fluttershy’s tree, and were just entering, Rarity inviting herself in as usual. Most of the rest of the clearing caught onto their conversation and knew to stay well-enough away, and the ones that hadn’t heard, took one look at Fluttershy and high-tailed it into the Everfree Forest.

“No!” Was the soft word that cut through Rarity’s ranting like her sharpest scissors.

She turned around, “Excuse me?”

Fluttershy stood in her doorway, glaring down her nose at Rarity, disdain and The Stare on her face. “I said…No!” She took a step forward, and Rarity looked around nervously. She’d never been the object of Fluttershy’s Stare before, and she wasn’t sure exactly what her mild-mannered friend was going to do with her. “You’ve done nothing but whine and insult me the whole way here, and now you invite yourself into my home like you own it. Just who do you think you are, Rarity? All I have ever tried to do is help you, but you scorn me and throw it back in my face at every opportunity. Then you walk all over me like I’m not worth paying attention to, but I absolutely adore you and so I let you. Well, not anymore, Miss Drama Queen! You and Rainbow are always telling me to be more assertive, to stand up for myself, but I think that would just drive you crazy, wouldn’t it, Prissy Pants?”

Rarity shrank back against the wall as Fluttershy, never speaking louder than her normal speaking voice, took a step closer with every sentence. The whole scene was strange, like something from a trashy novel, but even stranger was the inexplicable way that this whole situation turned her on. It was all she could do to keep from running her hooves over her breasts.

“What’s that? You’re afraid of me? You’re trembling, fighting yourself. I can see it. You think I’m blind, that I can’t see you wanting to run away? But you can’t, can you? Your over-inflated pride won’t let you. It doesn’t matter what I say or call you, you’ll just sit there and take it like a ‘lady’.” Fluttershy sneered, “I don’t think you’re much of a lady. I think you’re a bad mare who needs to be taught how to properly respect her friends.” Something about standing over her normally assertive best friend intoxicated the buttery Pegasus. Sure she could force her will on animals, even magical ones like the Manticore and the Cockatrice, but never before had she exerted her will on another fully grown pony. She stepped forward, the scent of Rarity’s arousal filling her nostrils, and placing a hoof on either side of the Unicorn’s head she pressed her lips against the other mare’s horn. “I think you like it. You’re enjoying this, aren’t you, slut?” Her voice was barely a whisper, and she drew her tongue along the twisted center of magic.

Rarity involuntarily moaned at the heat and moisture on her oh-so-sensitive horn, her hooves sliding down her front to cup her breasts unconsciously.

Fluttershy seized the moment, and smacked her hooves away. “You’ll touch yourself when I give you permission, understood?”

“Y-yes.” Rarity stammered, the pain in her hooves making her arousal pulse hotter with every heartbeat.

“Yes what?” Fluttershy growled, leaning in closer to her victim.

“Yes, Mistress!”

And with that the spell was complete. Rarity couldn’t help herself, and Fluttershy had taken full advantage of her. All it took was a look, or a bitten word, spoken in that soft, commanding tone, and Rarity was practically a puddle on the floor.

It had taken Rarity hours to convince Fluttershy that she’d enjoyed their session. The yellow Pegasus had been terrified that she’d damaged their friendship, but one submissive whimper from Rarity seemed to made up their minds for them. So their spa days continued but after being thoroughly pampered by Lotus and Aloe, Fluttershy would lead them back to her tree where Rarity gave herself over to her mild-mannered mistress. And oh, did Fluttershy use her! Sometimes she could barely make it home, between being whipped and ridden into oblivion by Fluttershy’s expansive collection of toys that never seemed to stop growing. Her mistress insisted on using every single one of her toys on her in every session, controlling her orgasms as well as her willpower. It usually left Rarity in a fog of ecstasy.

Just like what they were doing to her now. She knew why. She’d been talking too much, taking too many liberties with her imagination, and assuming she’d be allowed to do things she’d taken for granted before they’d come into her life. So, they had decided she needed to be reminded of just where her place was in their little triad. It was a place she thoroughly enjoyed.

They had switched places now, Big Mac in her muzzle, and Fluttershy playing the worst kind of control she had in her repertoire, orgasm denial. Her first experience with that had been more liberating than the first session as Fluttershy’s slave. Her eyelids fluttered in pleasure as the memory combined with what Fluttershy was doing with her tongue on Rarity’s “party button”. First she pressed in close so that she was breathing directly into Rarity’s tunnel, then she’d pull back to flick the tip of her tongue around the edges of the puffy white outer lips, which both sent electric shocks through the Unicorn and literally cooled the sensitive flesh.

After a very short while, Big Mac roughly grabbed Rarity’s mane, and turned her, leaving both her nethers and her chin drooling with juices. His motion knocked Fluttershy off balance with the move and it was all the Pegasus could do to keep upright as she lost her access to Rarity’s muff.

It wasn’t long after Macintosh had mounted her that Rarity felt his shaft piston her harder than she ever had before. Her orgasm, no longer delayed by either master or mistress, came swiftly and hard, forcing her to clamp down around the large stallion without warning. He grunted barbarically and gripped the back of her neck in his teeth, very much mounting her in the ways of their feral ancestors. She cried out in pain and pleasure as his flare placed a stopgap in her womb right before he pumped her belly full of his spunk. It took several minutes before he finished, and when he did he removed himself and flopped back onto the grass to watch his girls.

“Scissor her.” He grunted to Fluttershy, who obliged fitting her own muff against Rarity’s.

The shared juices between them left the ground soaked, but both mares climaxed quickly. It was all he needed to bring himself back up to full hardness. Once he’d reached it again, he beckoned to Fluttershy to come sit on him, and the two rocked slowly, sensually, and lovingly. Rarity was envious but only until Fluttershy grabbed her mane to bury her muzzle between her breasts. Both mares felt when the stallion beneath them came for the second time, coating the interior of Fluttershy’s womb with his thick seed.

He pulled the two down on top of him and traced a hoof over both of their tummies with a contented sigh. Then he looked up at the sun and sighed again, more frustrated than content.

“We should really be getting back, um, if you want to that is.” Fluttershy commented, righting herself to her hooves and giving her mane a little shake so that it came down over her eye again.

That was Rarity’s cue. Even though none of them would take off their collar/tags, when Big Mac resumed his silent demeanor and Fluttershy became shy and uncertain again, it was time for the act to be put back in place. Rarity once again raised her head high and proud, pretending to be the one in control of the situation. So, this was the façade that they would ride into Ponyville under.

“Welcome home, guys!” Pinkie shouted, bursting out of the trees to the side of the road. Big Mac, Rarity, and Fluttershy all looked at the bush and then back at Pinkie for a moment or two.

Within her chest, Rarity’s heart clenched, had the party pony seen or heard anything? Was their act obvious? Could she smell the scent of sex hanging in the air and the juices still dripping onto the grass from all three of them? Taking a quick look at her Master, she could see the same questions running through his mind just behind his stoic expression, and though Fluttershy’s mane obscured her vision, she was sure the Pegasus was also praying that Pinkie hadn’t heard or seen her punishment.

Rarity shook off her panic after less than a heartbeat’s awkward pause. Crossing the distance between them she frowned at the curly cotton candy forelock hanging in front of the bubble gum Earth pony. “Pinkie Pie, dear, are those pie crumbs in your mane?” She asked, plucking off the offending pastry bit with a quick levitation spell.

Pinkie giggled, and simply flicked Rarity’s tags ignoring her question. “Well I see it was successful! I’m so happy for you guys!” She bounded over and hugged Big Mac, who just stood there mildly amused, then Fluttershy in turn.

Fluttershy blushed and hugged Pinkie back, “Pinkie, um, I don’t want to, um, upset you or anything, but, um, have you, um, oh my…” She trailed off as Pinkie bounced away so she could talk to all three of them.

“Yeah, I know, silly me, but isn’t it pretty? Big and round and, well, round at least, and I guess big comparatively speaking. I mean, it’s always bigger than us, but not usually as round as it is right now. Don’t you think?” Pinkie Pie prattled on as if no one had said anything to her, but Big Mac noticed her right hoof trailing down her front while she wildly gestured at the rising moon with the other.

Their delay on the side of the road in the middle of the day had made them late in coming back, and it was now well after sunset. Rarity made an exaggeration of being tired and Fluttershy followed suit.

“We’ll see you more tomorrow, Pinkie. It’s been a long hard road for all of us, and I’m sure Big Mac needs to get back to Sweet Apple Acres so he can unload the last of our goodies from Appleloosa.” Rarity hugged Pinkie in an attempt to distract her from the moon.

“Eyup.” The stoic stallion inclined his head to emphasize the bags under his eyes.

Pinkie finally got the hint when Rarity took a small bag from the back of the wagon and heading off perpendicular to the Apple farm and Fluttershy’s tree, in the direction of her boutique. The pink pony followed her for a little while before bouncing off into the night.

After she was alone Rarity was lost in her thoughts while she unpacked her things from the trip. He’d given her his seed. She could still feel the pressure of his flare inside her when she clenched her inner muscles. He’d never done that before. In fact that was one of the ways they tormented her into a higher frenzy during their sessions, he’d mount Fluttershy where Rarity was forced to sit and watch as the magnificent specimen of masculinity pounded her Mistress to multiple orgasm, and then as if to push her place further home to her, he’d lock eyes with her as he came into the petite Pegasus with a grunt. On their way down to Appleloosa she’d asked why he never did, and she’d been told she hadn’t earned the right yet. She proceeded to be the perfect slave throughout the trip in the hopes that he’d grace her with it before they got home, but after her outburst on the wagon she was sure she’d blown it. Not that it was her place to question her Master, but she made up her mind to thank him when next they had her come to them.

She looked up from folding the cloth she’d bought from the buffalo and stared up into Luna’s night sky. Truly beautiful, she thought, a tear glimmering in her eye as she thought of how well cared for she was now. Like one of the glittering stars under the watchful care of Big Macintosh, the moon. Smiling she looked back down at the soft fabric and nodded to apparently no one and started gathering materials.

~*~

Across the town, just before the edge of the Everfree Forest, and only a short ways from Sweet Apple Acres, the other two members of the triad were unloading the other supplies. Pausing for a moment, Fluttershy felt her collar’s tags with a hoof pensively. She knew they were mostly for show, at least more symbolic than Big Mac actually treating Rarity and herself like property.

The crimson stallion noticed his marefriend’s thoughtful look. “Somethin’ botherin’ ya, hun?” He crossed the gap from the wagon to her side with a worried look on his face.

“Oh, nothing really.” She smiled up at him. “I just was thinking about our first time together, and how…” She squeaked a little and shivered next to him, “…how strong you were.”

He nuzzled her cheek, then turned to finish unloading her supplies, but before he hopped back on the wagon he nipped her flank with a mischievous look in his eyes that made her blush and giggle.

Her voice was soft behind him as he finished up with the wagon, getting ready to head to his own home. “Thank you, Big Mac.” He looked at her with an eyebrow raised, and she blushed deeply at her mistake, her bright blue eyes peering up into his apple green ones. He blinked once and she corrected herself, “Thank you, Master.”

“Yore welcome, huny.” He nuzzled her tenderly and kissed her lightly, before turning back to the wagon.

“Um, I don’t mean, that is, I don’t want to, um, question you, Master, but, um, why did you do that today?” She asked, not really expecting him to answer. The dynamic between them had changed, though he was just as gentle and respectful and loving as he ever was, but even since she’d let slip that she had allowed Rarity to catch her unawares in Appleloosa…She blushed at the thought, and as such almost missed his answer.

“Ah’m not ‘xactly sure, sugarcube.” He didn’t look at her, knowing he’d gone back on a decision that was made before he’d even been allowed to play with Rarity for the first time at Pinkie’s party. He heard her inhale sharply, and kept his back to her. “G’night, Fluttershy. Ah’ll see ya t’morrah.”

He left her standing in front of her tree house staring after him as he took the wagon up the back road that connected her clearing to Sweet Apple Acres. He followed the dirt path through fields of apple trees, walking slowly under Luna’s moon, and mulling over his thoughts. The risk that there would be a foal from his earlier transgression made his loins tighten, but why would he just decide to take that risk without consulting with the mares with whom he was partnered? The only answer he could come up with was that the physical act of collaring both mares with his tags touched something that dated back into Pony history to when it wasn’t uncommon for a stallion to be intimately involved with multiple mares at the same time.

Being something of a history buff, Mac’s favorite stories were about the ancient harems of mares the stallions of Mareabia and its contemporaries, long before the founding of Equestria and the coming together of the three pony tribes. He had never admitted it to either his teachers at the time or his family, but being a stallion of his size, one mare was never enough to truly satisfy him. On top of that most couldn’t take his size to completion. So, after some failed attempts at dating, he’d just kept to himself, throwing his energy into his work around the farm. Then he’d met Fluttershy, or rather, then he’d gathered up the courage to talk to Fluttershy, and she’d brought in Rarity. Two for the price of one, so to speak.

He shook his head and whickered in astonishment. Surely, nothing could interfere with this set up, he thought, making his way into the kitchen of the farmhouse. He wasn’t surprised the light was on, he knew they were expecting him home, but catching sight of his sister and grandmother sitting at the kitchen table brought him up short.

At first he smiled, “Well, y’all didn’t hafta wait up fer me.” But his sister’s glare and the strange silence Granny Smith had about her put him on edge. When nopony said anything he got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, the warm feeling of being home after so long combined with the knowledge that his mares were safely tucked in their homes disappeared. “Somethin’ happened. What is it?”

“Ya no good, back-stabbin’, son of a diamond dog’s behind. Ah can’t hardly stand ta look at ya!” Applejack fumed. She got up from the table and glared up at him. “Ya knew how much Ah loved her, and ya jus’ couldn’t leave well enough alone! Ya know what this is gon’ do ta her? She’s a Pegasus fer cryin’ out loud! She’s not gon’ be able ta fly fer months, if ever agin, after this!”

He was dumbfounded and a little scared. While it was no secret that he was dating Fluttershy, but as far as he knew she wasn’t hurt in anyway. Not that she really liked to fly anyway, but still…now he was completely confused. “Would ja start at the beginnin’ please? Obviously, somethin’ happened while Ah was out o’ town, and Ah’m sorry if’n Ah had anythin’ ta do with it. Ah didn’t know ya had such deep feelin’s for her. Ya should’ve said somethin’ afore we left, Ah’d’ve told her ta stay here so ya wouldn’t think there was any funny business.”

AJ almost turned purple, “SORRY! YER SORRY!! YA BIG DUMB HAYBALE!! DON’T YA SEE YA COULD KILL HER!?”

Big Mac literally sat back on his haunches scared now. “K-kill her?” He looked to Granny Smith, who was still strangely silent, refusing to meet her grandson’s eyes. Switching back to Applejack, “How? Ah know Ah’m bigger’n they are, Ah’m
gentle ‘xcept when either one tells me ta be rough, and even then Ah don’t give it mah all cuz Ah know Ah’m too strong fer ‘em! Honest!” He looked panicked now.

“But yah don’t rubber it do—wait, them?” AJ stopped mid-rant to frown in confusion instead of anger. “What d’ya mean ‘them’?” She looked her brother in the eye.

“Them?” He shifted nervously, “Uh,” He tried to come up with some reason besides the truth, but under Honesty’s steady gaze he had nothing. So, he hung his head and pawed at the floor boards. “Fluttershy ‘n’ Rarity. We’ve sorta got this thing goin’ on.” He mumbled, waiting for her reaction. When she didn’t answer, he looked up to find them both staring at him like he’d grown a second head. “What?” He demanded, blushing deeply. When they continued to gawk at him, his temper started to flare. “What’s all this nonsense ‘bout Fluttershy dyin’? An’ not bein’ able ta fly fer months, if ever? I jus’ left her, she looked perfectly fine ta me!” He looked back and forth between the two. “And if Ah’m a danger ta her, what ‘bout Rarity? Is she ok? Ah haven’t hurt her permanently, have Ah?”

Granny Smith broke the silence with a small cough. It wasn’t unheard of for colts to need to ‘sow their oats’ so to speak, but it’d been years since she’d come face to face with it. The last time had been one of their cousins from—her train of thought crashed, and her sharp old eyes zeroed in on the yoke around her grandson’s neck. Slyly she asked, “Ya git what ya needed from Cousin Braeburn there, sonny?”

“Confound it, Granny, don’t change the subject. What’s all this ‘bout Fluttershy!?” He was on his hooves again, the motion making the lamp light catch on the tags hanging from his yoke, and the stamp of his foot didn’t quite hide their tell-tale jingle.

AJ cut him off from approaching Granny Smith, apparently having shaken off her shock. “Not Fluttershy, ya dummy. Rainbow!” She growled. “Ah could give a cockatrice’s tail rattle about what ya do wi’ Fluttershy.”

“And Rarity.” Granny piped up unexpectedly, still staring at Mac’s tags.

“Yeah. An’ Rar’ty.” AJ shook her head as if trying to wrap her mind around that thought.

Big Mac on the other hand was trying to understand what his sister was saying about Rainbow. “So, ya think Ah’m foalin’ ‘round with Rainbow Dash, too?” He asked, the idea seeming as foreign to him as entertaining thoughts about his sister or their cousin Braeburn. Then it hit him, “Wait? What’s wrong with Ms. Dash?” He frowned again, this time concerned.

“Well, y’all oughta know, she’s preggers, ijit.” AJ’s language was getting more and more colorful by the minute.

“Whoa!” Mac glared. “Ah ain’t never laid a hoof on Ms. Dash. If’n she’s preggers, it ain’t mine. Who told ya Ah was the father? Ah’ll knock some sense inta their skulls right first thing.”

The sound of a soft hoof step from the stairs stopped their conversation. “It’s what the doc said when she did her magic thingy right before they let him come ho-here.” The gravelly voice of the chromatic Pegasus made Mac frown in her direction.

“Ah terrible sorry, Ms. Dash, but that doctor’s mistaken. Ah know fer a fact Ah’ve never had relations with ya.” Big Mac wasn’t quite sure if he should be angry at being accused or concerned for everypony’s welfare. Rainbow was obviously not doing well, her colors were faded and she looked like she’d lost a bit of weight. “Ah don’t want ta call anypony a liar, but when’s this supposed ta have happened?”

“Pinkie’s party, ‘bout two months ago.” AJ crossed the room to give Rainbow support getting her over to the table. Though she probably could have made the journey herself, the symbolism of AJ helping her made both mares feel better.

Big Mac shook his head, “Ah couldn’t have sired yer foal, Ms. Dash. Ah’m sorry. Ah was occupied durin’ Ms. Pie’s party.”

“Ya’ve got proof Ah suppose?” AJ said doubtingly.

“O’course! Ah have Fluttershy an’ Rarity ta vouch fer me. Ah was with them all night.” The stallion started to walk up to the table where the three mares were sitting, but thought better of it. “If’n y’all don’t believe me, wait ‘til mornin’. Fluttershy’ll be here ta git some apples fer her critters. Ask her.”

Granny Smith looked over at the dozing Pegasus and nodded. “Ah think that’s a fine idea. Let’s ev’rypony git ta bed.” She slowly got up from the table and made her way shakily over to her grandson, “But mark mah words, sonny, if’n ya are the father, yer gon’ be hitched afore the next full moon, Ah g’ar’ntee it!” She fixed him with ‘the eye’, the stare she’d used when he was just a young colt and got in trouble.

“Yes’m, Granny. If’n it’s mah foal, Ah’ll do th’ honor’ble thing and marry her.” He agreed meekly, bowing his head apologetically, like all that was at stake was a broken apple tree. AJ half carried Rainbow past him towards the stares, “Ah’m mighty sorry, AJ, even if’n Ah didn’t do it. Ah do know how much she means to ya.”

“It’s alright, big brother, Ah know. Even if it was yer foalishness that brought her here, she’s here ain’t she?” AJ could stop the smile that broke across her face, looking at the dozing Pegasus on her shoulder.

Said Pegasus looked back up sleepily. “’She’ would like to go to bed now, huny. It’s been a long couple of days.”

“Ah know, sugarcube, Ah know.” AJ walked with Rainbow up to her bedroom, which they were sharing for the time being. Somehow in her heart, AJ knew it was all going to be worked out soon.

On his way to his room, Big Mac paused outside of AJ’s door. He called softly, so as not to disturb Rainbow, “AJ?”

“Yeah?” She asked, coming to the door, her weariness obvious not that it was just the two of them.

He dug at the carpet on the floor for a minute, trying to work up the nerve to tell her what he was thinking. “If…If Ah hafta marry her, Ah won’t hold her ta it. She’s free ta say no if’n she wants, ya know?”

Applejack smiled, catching his unspoken meaning. “Thanks, Big Mac. Ah’m sure she’ll be as grateful as Ah am. Granny means well, but Ah don’t think she quite understands how we c’n be happy without a stallion between us.”

“Yah, she’s a bit old fashioned that way.” He smiled, his heart a little lighter knowing that AJ understood he wouldn’t come between the two mares any more than he wanted her to come between him and his special someponies. “Well, g’night, AJ.”

“G’night, Big Mac.” She shut the door on him.