Sol Don Him

Chapters

Arrival & Impressions
The Arrow Strikes
The Surprise
The Picnic Proposal
Refined or Reckless?
Titanic Forthcoming
Titanic Inbound
"It's gonna hit!"
The Inevitable Sinking
Salvation and Aspirations

Arrival & Impressions

Ponyville Station was probably the most consistently active place throughout the small, rural town. Each and everyday, ponies would depart to or arrive from their travels across Equestria and, unless easily susceptible to motion sickness, would always look forward to riding the Friendship Express and gazing out its windows to the vast countryside the line passed by.

Currently, the station was bustling with about two hundred or so ponies either purchasing tickets or, already having bought them, waiting for the Friendship Express to arrive either so they could begin their journey, or for a family member. Among the crowds of ponies waiting for a family member to arrive were five mares, one of which being an alabaster unicorn whom was the relative of the pony they were waiting to greet.

"I know I've said it before like a zillion times, Rarity," Pinkie Pie stated with a slight bounce to her step, "but I can't wait to meet Sol Do again." She pulled, seemingly from nowhere, a scrapbook and opened it up to a series of photos that depicted the two of them, plus Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, along with a unicorn mare sporting a green mane and tail, brown eyes, a white coat much like Rarity's, and wearing a straw hat with blue overalls. The pictures depicted the group having a good time, one which they would've loved to share with all of their friends.

Twilight and Applejack looked at the pictures. "This is at Hiddenite, correct?" Twilight inquired. "This is what you all were doing while I talked with DELOS' management regarding . . ." Twilight paused as she became aware of the tensions rising in the orange-coated mare next to her. She sheepishly chuckled and coughed into her hoof.

"Oh, Applejack," Rarity said, laying a hoof on the grief-stricken mare's shoulder. "Don't tell me you're still upset over what happened?"

The farm mare scowled for a moment before breathing deep and letting it out slowly replying. "'T ain't that, Rares. It's jus' that whenever the image of that cotton-pickin', mask-wearin' bucket o' bolts, Sin, pops in mah head . . ." Applejack couldn't finish her sentence as her legs began trembling in response to the rage she was feeling.

"Woah woah there, cowgirl," Rainbow Dash said, coming over and also laying a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "No need to get so worked up over something you don't have any control over."

Applejack sighed. "Ah know girls; I jus' wish Ah could've smashed that robot's face in myself."

"Oh, don't you worry darling," Rarity said smugly, "I did plenty of smashing for the both of us."

"Whatever," Applejack replied, exasperated, and resumed looking at Pinkie's scrapbook. "Anyhoo, so this is yer cousin, Sol Do?"

"Indeed she is, Applejack," Rarity replied. "And I must admit, she has a lot in common with yourself."

Applejack raised her brow. "How so?"

"Well, for starters, she's obsessed with manual labor almost to the point of insanity." Rarity rolled her eyes. "I swear, she makes sure to admonish any and everypony she deems to be lazy or a slouch of any kind."

"Well then, it's a good thing none of us are lazy slouches," Rainbow Dash stated with pride.

". . . . . . Anyway," Rarity continued, "as you can probably guess from these pictures, Sol Do is quite the country mare despite having been raised by upper class parents." She sighed in exasperation. "It makes no sense to me why she would abandon such a lifestyle for that of a gem miner, but to each their own I suppose."

"Why don't you ask her when she arrives?" Pinkie suggested.

"Heavens no, Pinkie!" Rarity scoffed. "Far be it from a lady to poke and prod another pony for information regarding their choices in life."

". . . . . . Anyway," Twilight said as she sidestepped to allow another pony passage around her to the ticket booth, "what else is Sol Do like as a pony? Applejack and I never got a chance to talk with her back in Hiddenite, but judging from what you guys said it sounds like she's a nice pony."

"Oh, she's more than just nice!" Dash proclaimed, flying in close to Twilight's face. "Heck, Sol Do might just be the second awesomest pony in the world!"

"And who's more awesome than her?" Applejack asked with a sly smile, already knowing the answer.

"Me and Daring Do tie for first, of course," Rainbow spun around to stare at her farmer friend. "And trust me, Rarity's cousin has to be awesome if I'm saying she is."

"Sure, RD, sure." Applejack shook her head. "But Ah won't believe it 'til I see fer myself."

"Well, you're about to get your chance," Pinkie said, "because here comes the train!"

Everypony on the platform looked down the tracks to the steadily growing sight of the Friendship Express barreling towards them. A long trail of smoke puffed from its pink funnel as the driver and firemare worked to keep it running along the line. Upon passing a sign indicating Ponyville Station was just a quarter mile ahead, however, the firemare ceased shoveling coal and the driver checked the engine's speed before slowly applying the brakes. The train gradually slowed down as it approached the station before coming to a complete stop perfectly aligned with the platform.

Immediately, the train's doors opened and ponies began rushing out, either to return home or greet friends and/or relatives who were waiting for them. Rarity and her friends began searching for the fashionista's country cousin amongst the crowd. They started at the front coach and made their way down the train, always courteous to give the passengers plenty of room to leave the coaches. The group kept at this until they reached the brakevan, yet they'd sighted neither mane nor tail of Sol Do.

"Are you sure she was coming today, Rarity?" Twilight asked the concerned unicorn.

Rarity looked up along the platform once more before replying. "I don't understand, she said in her telegram 'I'll be on the 2:00 train; prepare for a surprise, cousin'."

"What do you think she meant by 'surprise'?" Rainbow Dash asked, tilting her head.

"Ooh, I like surprises!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Ooh ooh ooh! I should totally throw Sol Do a surprise 'Welcome to Ponyville party!'" Pinkie then squeed and her eyes lit up.

"Um, Pinkie," Applejack said, stepping up beside her friend, "correct me if Ah'm wrong, but every party y'all throw for new ponies is a surprise one."

"Besides that," said a voice from behind them all, "a surprise party only works if'n the pony y'all are throwin' it fer doesn't know 'bout it, which Ah most certainly do now."

The group paused for a moment before turning as one around to the voice's owner. There, standing behind them at the tip end of the platform, was the same pony seen in Pinkie's photos. Same green hair, white coat, brown eyes, straw hat, though she was wearing a fancy cream colored dress, rimmed in white with pink frills and embedded with rubies and sapphires, rather than blue overalls. Next to her was a large, blue luggage bag.

"Sol Do!" Rarity exclaimed, and rushed over to embrace her country cousin; Sol Do returned the embrace in kind. "Why weren't you on the train? You had me worried sick!"

Sol Do chuckled, and let go of her cousin. "Ah, Rarity, good ta see y'all haven't changed one bit. As fer where Ah was," she gestured to the brakevan they were all standing next to, "Mr. Conductor in there was kind enough ta let me ride with him in the brakevan fer the whole trip. Ah always preferred goin' backwards and watchin' everythin' move away from me." She snapped from her thoughts and looked to everypony. "But enough about me, darling; how's everypony doin' since we last met?"

Pinkie Pie hopped over to her. "Even if you can't have a surprise welcome to Ponyville party, can I still throw you a regular welcome to Ponyville party?"

Sol Do chuckled. "Ah don't see why not. Sure, go ahead."

Pinkie squeed again and, before anypony could blink, zoomed out of the station and into Ponyville proper. Sol Do, as well as everypony else, took a moment to recompose themselves in response to Pinkie being Pinkie.

"Still as energetic as she was at Hiddenite, Ah see," Sol Do mused with a chuckle, and turned to look at everypony else. She frowned upon realizing somepony was missing. "Rarity, where might Fluttershy be at?"

"Fluttershy was called by the princess for an emergency in Canterlot," Rarity replied. "Something about her pet phoenix being under the weather."

"Well shoot, Ah was lookin' forward ta chattin' with her." Sol Do sighed. "Well, no use cryin' when Ah've yet ta be introduced to Ponyville's own premiere princess of friendship!" She made way toward Twilight, who by this point was wide-eyed and slack-jawed at Sol Do's mannerisms. "It's an honor ta finally meet ya, princess; Ah do so hope ta leave a good impression of myself on you."

Twilight stared blankly, completely out of tune with her surroundings before shaking her head clear of befuddlement and smiling sheepishly. "Er, yeah well . . . you've certainly left a strong impression on me already."

Sol Do frowned. "A good one, surely?"

Twilight hesitated. "Well . . . I guess it is."

"Excellent," Sol Do replied cheerily, and turned to Applejack. She took a moment to scrutinize the farm mare, who visibly tensed from being examined, before extending out a hoof in greeting. "Pleasure ta make yer acquaintance, Applejack."

". . . Uh, sure, Ah guess," Applejack said uneasily, and shook her hoof.

Sol Do giggled in response before levitating her bag over to her. "Well then, shall we get goin', gals?"

"But of course!" Rarity replied, trotting up alongside her. "By the way, what was the 'surprise' you alluded to in your letter?"

Sol Do smirked. "Well, Ah fer one plan on keepin' my surprises as such. But don't worry none, cousin, as you'll get it eventually." She turned to face the station's exit. "Now let's get goin'; after such a long train ride my belly's whinier than a Canterlot noble in Day Court."

"Do not fret, dear cousin," Rarity said. "I intend to make every aspect of your stay in Ponyville the best they can be, food included."

"Wait 'til you see the local sights," Rainbow Dash said as she joined them. "Did I tell you that I live in a cloud mansion?"

"No, ya didn't," Sol Do replied as the three of them began heading into Ponyville proper. "Tell me more."

Rarity turned back to the other two mares, who were staring at them in stunned silence. "Coming, girls?"

Twilight and Applejack managed to snap from their stupor and nod in unison. They began following the other three mares, all the while keeping their attention on Sol Do and her . . . unique, personality. It wasn't until the group had reached the fountain in town square where Rarity and Rainbow Dash began pointing out places of significance to Sol Do that Twilight and Applejack were able to speak to each other.

"Well," Twilight said, hesitantly, "she sure is . . . something."

"Ah'll say," Applejack replied. "It's like Rarity's country persona became its own mare, dyed her hair green, and started wearin' brown contacts."

"Just what I was thinking," Twilight replied with a nod. "To be honest, it's kind of creepy."

"That's an understatement if'n Ah ever heard one," Applejack said. She began rubbing her temples in an attempt to ease her brain's ache from processing all of what'd happened in less than a half hour; it didn't work. "It was creepy enough seein' Rarity actin' like me when Trenderhoof visited. Seein' a unicorn who acts like that naturally . . ." Applejack couldn't complete her sentence as she shuddered.

"She's certainly special," Twilight admitted. "This week is going to be very interesting."

"Goodness gracious!"

The sudden exclamation from Sol Do started Twilight and Applejack. Once recovered, they turned their attention to the gem miner to find she'd taken notice to a cluster of gopher holes surrounding the fountain. The holes were fresh, so much so that little bits of dirt could be seen flying out of one of them.

"Why are there gopher holes in the middle of town square?" she asked her cousin.

Rarity took one look at the holes and sighed. "They've been quite an annoyance ever since Fluttershy left for Canterlot," she explained. "In case you forgot she's Ponyville's animal expert, so this would be a problem for her to fix."

Sol Do eyed the holes with a murderous gaze. "How rude of them to dig where ponies walk every day; somepony could get injured if they stepped in one of these burrows and tripped."

"Want me to take care of them?" Rainbow asked, bringing her hooves together menacingly.

Sol Do waved a dismissive hoof. "Ah'll handle this myself." She then used her magic to open her bag and pulled out a strange-looking object. It was T-shaped with a short plastic grip, metal tips on either side and, oddly, a spring jutting out the top. Twilight and Applejack joined Rarity and Rainbow as they watched Sol Do carry the odd contraption over to the hole still being dug and stopped. She tapped the ground next to the hole with the object twice, as if knocking, to which the gopher inside stuck its head out in curiosity.

"Pardon me, sir and or ma'am, but ya aren't allowed ta dig holes here." She pointed behind her. "There's a nice field over yonder y'all can dig ta yer little heart's content in. So, would ya kindly fill in these holes and move there, please?"

The gopher stared blankly for a moment before blowing her a raspberry. Sol Do's eye twitched, but she remained calm and asked politely again. "Please move yer holes someplace where they won't be a safety hazard. Ah won't ask nicely again."

This time, the gopher retreated into the hole for a second before re-emerging with a clump of dirt in its tiny hands. Before Sol Do could say or do anything, the little rodent chucked the dirt right at her face. She growled in response, but kept her composure.

"So, y'all wanna play dirty?" Sol Do asked, wiping the dirt off her face. "Perfectly fine by me, that is."

Sol Do brought the object she was holding by her side. In a blink's time, the handle and metal tips extended to five times their previous sizes, revealing the entire thing to be a portable pickaxe. Sol Do raised the contraption over her head, poised to strike the ground with the metal tip. She smiled wickedly while the gopher, having done a complete one eighty in attitude upon seeing the weapon, cringed in fear.

"Ah'll ask again," Sol Do said, her tone one of raw, wicked delight, "will y'all fill in these here holes and dig someplace else from now on?"

The gopher nodded furiously and began scooping dirt surrounding the holes back into them. Satisfied, Sol Do put down her pickaxe and watched over the rodent to make sure it completed its job, all the while her cousin and friends stared with their jaws hung open in disbelief at the scene they'd just witnessed.

"I retract what I said earlier," Twilight said, to which the other three mares turned to her. "This week is going to be downright insane."

The Arrow Strikes

"And this is where I live," Rarity said proudly to Sol Do as she showed her cousin the Carousel Boutique. "Well, what do you think? Does it not scream 'I'M FABULOUS!'?"

The gem miner could do nothing except gaze silently upon the oddly-shaped house. Eventually, she turned to the fashionista with a sheepish frown. "Well, it's somethin' alright."

Rarity frowned herself. "Don't you like it?"

Sol Do shrugged. "It's different, sure, but it seems too outta place fer someplace as quaint as Ponyville."

"Out of place?" Rarity repeated. "I never thought it stood out against the rest of Ponyville too much, or if it did it always stood out in a good way." She gazed back upon her home with a slight sparkle in her eyes as she marveled her work. "After all, a little touch of grandiosity never hurt a town's image; nopony's ever complained of such a thing to me."

"Well, like Ah said it's nice," Sol Do began heading towards the front door. "Ah jus' don't rightly care fer grandiosity all that much."

Rarity sighed and began following her cousin, retrieving her house key from her saddlebag. "I just don't understand you, Sol Do," she said. "You grew up living the life I dream of living every night, and yet you traded it all away to live like a, and I mean no disrespect toward anypony of such character, country bumpkin."

Rarity flinched as she heard a snort of laughter sound from Sol Do, who then turned to look at her with an amused smile that made it clear she was holding in more laughter.

"Is that what Ah seem like ta ya, cuz?" she asked, holding a hoof to her sides as if trying to keep them from splitting open. "Fer the record, Ah do enjoy 'fancy-schmancy' high brow life as much as y'all do; Ah just prefer gettin' all down n' dirty an' workin' up a good sweat more often than not."

"And I'll never understand why you do," Rarity replied, shaking her head in exasperation.

"Ah can talk all fancy if'n y'all want," Sol Do offered, watching her cousin stick the key into the front doorlock and open the door. She took a moment to clear her throat before continuing, in a tone that was lamost perfectly identical to a Canterlot elite. "Is this satisfactory, dear cousin? I'm most grateful for your invitation to bed here in this exquisitely-designed establishment for dress-making. Might I ask where I could put my belongings, as well as where the lavatory is located?"

Now it was Rarity's turn to hold back her laughter, also letting a snort escape as she opened the door and walked inside. "Well, dear cousin, you may place your belongings upstairs in the guest room; second door on your right. As for the lavatory, it's the room right next door."

"Much appreciated," Sol Do stepped inside, hauling her stuff behind her, and took a moment to survey the boutique's interior.

"Also," Rarity continued, "you can talk however you want to; far be it from me to restrict how one is allowed to speak, even in my own home."

Sol Do nodded in response, then completed her examination of the interior to Rarity's house. "Nice place," she said, keeping her high-class tone of voice. "I expected it'd wreak of frou-frou, and it does, but all the same it's a nice place."

"Well, you know me," Rarity replied with a laugh, shutting the front door. "If I couldn't live in a fabulous house, I'd rather be homeless."

Sol Do quirked a brow. "Really?"

"Of course not," Rarity replied, and smirked. "Perhaps you don't know me so well, after all."

"Well, the Rarity I knew some years back really would have rather gone homeless than live in a pigsty."

"That Rarity no longer exists," the fashionista proclaimed, making way toward the kitchen. "Ever since I became friends with Applejack, I've learned that there's much beauty to be found in the 'rough n' tough, gettin' yer hooves dirty' lifestyle that country ponies such as yourself possess." She stood tall and held a hoof to her chest. "Why, just the other week I got a taste of farm life at Sweet Apple Acres."

Sol Do gave her cousin a deadpan stare. "Fer reals?" she asked, slipping back into her country accent.

"Yes, truly," Rarity replied, frowning. "Don't you believe me?"

"''s a little hard ta believe, cuz."

Rarity pouted. "Very well, I shall prove it to you."

With a huff, Rarity turned away from the kitchen and toward a nearby storage closet. She entered, to which the sounds of various junk being shifted and pushed aside began emanating from inside. Sol Do just sighed in exasperation and began idly playing with her straw hat using her magic. She was startled, however, by a knock on the door. Turning back to the door, she watched as a little unicorn filly with a mulberry mane, white coat and green eyes trotted in, a saddlebag strapped to her side.

"Rarity! I'm ho- oh, there you are," Sweetie Belle said upon noticing the white-coated unicorn wearing a dress in front of her. She frowned when she noticed the straw hat, brown eyes, and green hair. "Um . . . Rarity?"

Sol Do chuckled. "She and I do look quite alike at first glance, don't we?"

Sweetie tilted her head in confusion before realization struck. "Wait a minute!" she exclaimed, "You're Sol Do."

"Aye lass, that I am," Sol Do replied with a warm smile. "And you must be Rarity's little sister, Sweetie Belle." Sol Do trotted over and gave the rigid little filly a quick hug. "Which makes you my cousin as well."

Sweetie took a moment to snap back to attention and closely examined Sol Do's person. She paid particular attention to her ensemble as it was a fashion paradox; a straw country hat mixed with a frou-frou dress embedded with glittering gems. All the while Sweetie examined her, Sol Do smiled wryly as she reminded herself that little foals aren't privy to conduct proper manners when meeting guests, especially ones as weird-looking as she was sure she looked.

Finally, Sweetie Belle stepped back and stated, "Yeah, I don't believe you."

Sol Do tilted her head. "Beg pardon?"

Sweetie blew some mane out of her eye and elaborated. "Rarity told me that 'you're' a country mare, and country mares don't wear dresses like that." Then she briefly looked up in thought. "Well, most of the time."

"And who's to say I'm not an exception to that stereotype?" Sol Do asked with furrowed brows. She lifted the hem of her dress up in show and continued talking using her country drawl. "'sides, yer big sis gave me this 'ere dress a while back fer my birthday. Bein' a considerate cousin, Ah decided ta wear it fer this 'ere visit ta Ponyville, ta show Rarity Ah liked it." She then pointed to her straw hat. "Plus, ain't this 'ere hat indicative of me bein' country-like, or hay, my accent right now?" She gave a sly smile as Sweetie went rigid yet again in response to her changed accent.

"My head hurts," Sweetie groaned, rubbing her temples. "Are you country or fancy?"

"A little of both, lassie," Sol Do replied, staring down at her cousin with a half-lidded smile, "y'all got a problem with that?"

Sweetie ceased rubbing her temples and sighed. "Just a few weeks ago, we had the Ponyville Days festival in celebration of our town's founding. Rarity got to select the theme and at first she wanted to make everything all fancy and high-class."

Sol Do nodded. "As is typical of her."

"But," Sweetie continued, "later she decided to change the theme to make everything more country and stuff. She even started acting like Applejack with the accent and everything; it was so confusing." She then shuddered. "Not to mention creepy."

Sol Do tilted her head. "Did she now?"

Sweetie nodded. "Yeah, she even had a country outfit with a straw hat exactly the same as yours." She relaxed a little and a small smile graced her lips. "Thankfully, she stopped talking with that accent and stashed away the outfit in the closet over there."

Sol Do's eyes widened. "Wait, did you say-"

"Is this proof enough fer ya, cuz!?"

Sweetie went rigid for a third time and Sol Do slowly turned her head around to face her cousin. Rarity had donned the same outfit she wore in her misguided attempt to woo Trenderhoof by acting more like Applejack, right down to the flies buzzing around her (inexplicably) now dirty mane.

"Oh my, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said, taking notice of her little sister, "I'm terribly sorry I didn't hear you come in."

Sweetie took one look at her re-countrified sister and promptly screamed in utter fear before rushing up the stairs to her room, slamming the door.

"Well . . . that was somethin'," Sol Do mused before turning back to her cousin. "So, y'all have some droopy drawers an' a straw hat yerself, eh?" She crossed her forelegs. "Well, Ah'll admit Ah never would'a guessed you'd be willin' ta dress up like that, but it's gonna take more ta convince me y'all had the audacity ta work on a farm."

Rarity pouted again. "Very well, it seems you've left me no choice but to get my hooves dirty." She turned toward the front door, and continued in her faux country accent. "Put away yer things, cuz, because we're headin' over ta Sweet Apple Acres fer some good ol' fashioned applebuckin'."

Sol Do snickered. "That's what she said."

"Beg pardon?"

"Nothing, cousin." Sol Do lifted her bag and headed toward the stairs. "I'll be down in a bit."

"Oh, Sol Do?"

The (genuine) country unicorn turned around. "Yes, Rares?"

Sheepishly, Rarity replied, "While you're up there, be a dear and inform Sweetie that I'm not going stir crazy," her cheeks gained a deep crimson hue, "again."

"So, this is Sweet Apple Acres, eh?" Sol Do inquired, staring at the vast acres of apple orchards on the other side of the fence in front of her.

"Indeed it is, Sol Do," Rarity answered, staring at the scenery with a twinkle in her eye. "Magnificent, isn't it?"

"Y'all aren't gonna convince me with words, Rares," Sol Do answered back.

Rarity nodded her head in agreement, and proceeded to open the gate with her magic. Sol Do frowned. "Uh, Rarity, ain't this trespassin'?"

Rarity waved a dismissive hoof as she entered the gate, holding it open for Sol Do. "Applejack and I are dear friends, regardless of our flagrant differences. Neither she nor her family will mind in the slightest."

Sol Do stared blankly before shrugging and following through after her fashionista cousin. The two straw-hatted mares began trotting across the field toward the closest line of apple trees. Upon reaching them, Rarity approached the first in line and spun around.

"Watch and be amazed, dear sweet cousin," she proclaimed, "as I elegantly, but effectively, buck this tree!"

Sol Do crossed her fore legs as she watched Rarity adjust her position before shooting her hind hooves at the tree's trunk. They hit dead center with a hard *thud* to which the tree shook lightly before a single apple dropped onto the ground next to her. Rarity looked up to Sol Do with a beaming smile.

"Ta-daaa!" she said in a sing-song voice.

Sol Do waved a dismissive hoof. "Nice try, Rares, but one applebuckin' don't prove nothin'."

"Very well then," Rarity replied before giving the tree another buck, to which another lone apple fell down next to the first. "Are you convinced now?" she asked, breathing heavily.

"Eenope," Sol Do replied.

"Ugh, fine!" Rarity exclaimed, and proceeded to buck the tree several times in succession. Each buck added another bruise and/or crack to her hind hooves, and by the time she was done Rarity had exhausted every last bit of energy her body possessed. She collapsed to the ground, panting with her tongue lolled out, next to her accumulated pile of apples. "How *gasp* about *gasp* now?"

Sol Do stared down at her with an unimpressed frown.

"Oh, come on!" Rarity exclaimed, lightly stomping the ground with her front hooves, unable to pull herself up. "What do I have to do to convince you!?"

Sol Do was about to reply when they heard a voice sounding from the farmhouse. "Hey, what're y'all doin' up there!?"

They turned as one to see the distant forms of Applejack and Big Macintosh approaching from the farmhouse. Sol Do leaned over to Rarity and nervously whispered, "Are ya absolutely sure we ain't in any trouble?"

"For the last time, Applejack won't be upset," Rarity stated indignantly.

The approaching farm ponies had closed the distance between them by half, enough that Rarity could see the frustrated expressions on their faces. Confident she was, the fashionista still couldn't help but cringe a little. Just in case things went south, she started recounting the bits saved up in her purse. As she was now preoccupied, Rarity failed to notice the rather . . . peculiar, expression on Sol Do's face as AJ and Big Mac finished closing the distance between them.

"Would ya mind explainin' why y'all are out here buckin' apples?" Applejack asked. Her tone wasn't quite one of anger, rather, one of inquisitiveness mixed with exasperation, though a hint of anger underlying it all could still be made out. Next to her, Big Macintosh looked equally upset though his hardened gaze was fixated more on the pile of apples then on the two unicorns, most likely because he knew the apples would have to be used lest they go rotten.

Rarity cleared her throat and collected herself before politely answering. "Yes, well, I sincerely apologize if I've caused the two of you any inconvenience in regards to your apples, but know that it wasn't without a good reason." She gestured toward her statue-like cousin and continued. "As I'm sure you all remember, the other week I decided to help you two with your chores in my misguided attempt to win Trenderhoof's heart. Sol Do, however, refused to believe I'd ever be willing to work on a farm, so I brought her here to prove myself." She looked down at the pile of apples next to her before holding her head up high with a proud smile. "Not too shabby a performance, if I do say so myself."

Applejack and Big Macintosh mulled over her words for a moment, then looked to each other in silent confirmation that Rarity wasn't fibbing, then looked back to Rarity with haughty smiles.

"Well, Ah'll give ya credit fer tryin'," Applejack stated, then approached the next tree in line before turning around. "But here's how it's really done."

Applejack primed her hind legs and, faster than one can blink, shot them square center at the tree trunk. The impact of her buck sent a huge tremor through the tree, shaking every single apple loose and into a ring around the trunk's base.

Rarity deadpanned. "Of course it's easy for you since you're an earthpony."

"It's even easier fer me," Big Mac stated, and approached the third tree in line. He turned around and shot a solo hoof out at the tree's trunk. Like Applejack, his buck hit dead center with the trunk, though his sent a much stronger tremor throughout despite having used only one leg. As before, all the apples which the tree heralded fell into a ring around the trunk's base.

Applejack smiled and rolled her eyes. "Showoff."

"Takes one ta know one," Big Mac replied, and the two shared a laugh. He then looked to the alabaster gem miner who was staring right back at him with a weird look in her eyes. He frowned briefly in response before smiling and trotting forward.

"So, y'all are Miss Rarity's cousin?" he asked, extending a hoof out in greeting.

Sol Do said nothing in response at first, merely standing stock still with her mouth hanging open slightly, as if in a trance. An aura of awkwardness fell upon the four ponies that didn't go away until Rarity lightly tapped her cousin on the shoulder, to which she seemed to snap back from her trance.

"Umm, sorry," she said before taking notice of Big Mac's procured hoof. She slowly extended her own hoof and shook his. Big Mac took notice of how sweaty her hooves were, but figured it wasn't anything unusual to a country mare such as herself.

"Pleasure ta make yer acquaintance," Big Mac said to her, smiling gently.

Sol Do dumbly nodded her head. "Uh, same here."

Big Mac nodded in turn and retracted his hoof, to which Sol Do did the same.

Applejack stepped forward. "So, what's this 'bout y'all not believin' Rares would work on a farm?"

Sol Do took a moment to reply as she was now shaking like a leaf. Rarity quirked an eyebrow at this odd behavior from her cousin but said nothing.

"W-well," Sol Do stuttered, earning a double brow raise from Rarity, "knowing my cousin, it is rather far-fetched."

"That it is," Applejack said with a nod, "but Rarity's tellin' y'all the truth, and as the former Bearer of Honesty y'all can trust me on that."

Sol Do nodded herself. "Yeah, I believe you." She turned to her cousin. "And I'm sorry for doubting you at first, dear cousin." She adorned a wistful smile. "Can you forgive me?"

Rarity waved a dismissive hoof. "Don't feel like you need to apologize, cousin. Truthfully, I'd be more insulted if you didn't think I was fibbing, because then at least it'd show you truly knew me."

Sol Do smiled cheekily. "Yeah, yer a prissy mare if'n there ever was one."

The two mares shared a good laugh at that, to which AJ and Big Mac looked on in amusement before joining in themselves. Once they were done, Rarity spoke up.

"Well, now that I've proved my point we shall take our leave." She turned to make way toward the front gate.

"Not so fast there, Rares," Applejack said, to which the fashionista stopped and looked over her shoulder. "There's a sayin' in the Apple family, and that's 'ya buck it, ya eat it'."

Rarity looked confused for a moment before her eyes widened in realization as she glanced to the pile of apples she'd bucked out of the tree. She looked back to Applejack who was smirking and sighed in exasperation.

"Very well," she replied. "Where are the apple barrels stored?"

"Over yonder," Big Mac replied, gesturing with his head to the barn. He turned to face it, which Applejack did in turn. "We'll accompany ya down there since we gotta eat our own apples that we bucked outta the trees."

Rarity smiled. "I suppose we're all going to be stuffed full by tonight?"

Applejack laughed. "That we are, Rares; that we are."

The three laughed a bit and began trotting down the hill toward the barn. Rarity looked over her shoulder to her cousin, only to notice the lustful expression on her face as her gaze followed the trio's movements. Rarity frowned at this, but she still made her statement.

"You can return to my boutique if you so wish, Sol Do; I may be here awhile."

Sol Do snapped her attention to the fashionista. She stared blankly for a moment before she adorned a beaming grin and replied. "Actually, Rares, how 'bout Ah join y'all in eatin' the apples?"

The group of three stopped and turned around to face her. "Uh, come again?" Applejack asked.

"You heard me, Applejack," Sol Do replied, "I said I'd like to join you all in the forthcoming apple gorging." Her face lit up as an idea came to her. "In fact, how about we all have an apple picnic dinner tonight? I'd love to get to know you Apples a bit more, especially since I couldn't back in Hiddenite because of . . . well, you know." She made a circular motion with her hoof to punctuate her statement.

A light scowl sounded from Applejack to which Big Macintosh placed a hoof on her shoulder while Rarity's face lit up. "That's a lovely idea, Sol Do." She turned to the two Apples. "What say you two? Would you be up for an Apple feast under the stars?"

Applejack's face resettled into a neutral expression while Big Mac smiled. "Eeyup," he answered.

"Sure, sure, Ah'm all fer it," Applejack answered in turn, her tone laced with exasperation.

"Then let's get them barrels full 'a them there apples then," Sol Do said, changing back to her country accent.

The other three nodded in agreement and resumed their trot to the barn, with Rarity falling into line beside her cousin and behind the two Apples.

"I must say, Sol Do," she said to her with a smile, "I admire your insistence on getting to know the locals, my friends especially, and treating them like a proper lady even if you don't always act like one yourself."

"Ah can act however Ah want to, cuz," Sol Do replied with a huff. "'Sides, all relationships start out as casual acquaintance."

That gave Rarity pause. Relationships? That certainly came out of nowhere.

Rarity briefed a glance to her cousin as they walked, only to find the same expression of lust on her face from before. Rarity followed her cousin's gaze to find that, also like before, she was eyeing the two Apples.

"You know, Sol Do," Rarity said as they closed in on the barn; the two Apples having entered already, "I can't help but notice you've been acting rather strange since we arrived here." She gave her cousin a concerned frown. "You're usually more . . . well, uppity."

Sol Do let out a deep sigh. "Ah think Ah'm in love, Rares."

Rarity's eyes widened in response to this. "Come again?"

Sol Do chuckled. "C'mon Rares, y'all know what Ah'm talkin' about." She turned to the confused fashionista. "Yer the foremost authority on romance in our family, after all."

Rarity blushed a bit herself. "Well, I do suppose I'm the most knowledgeable in that regard." The blush vanished and she turned to eye her cousin skeptically. "So, you're saying you've developed a crush on somepony?"

"Way ta hit the nail on the head, cuz," Sol Do replied cheerily. The two of them reached the barn double doors, to which Rarity used her magic to hold them open for her cousin.

"May I ask who the 'lucky' pony is?" Rarity asked, using her hooves to make air quotes.

Sol Do gave a hearty laugh in response. "Okay, Ah'll tell ya." She leaned in close to Rarity's ear and whispered the pony's name. "Big Macintosh." And she slipped inside.

Rarity, meanwhile, stood stock still in shock. Her mind swam with mixed emotions and thoughts, unable to come together into a single complete thought. The implications of what Sol Do told her left Rarity struggling to determine an answer as to whether she should support or go against her cousin's wishes. Eventually, Rarity just sighed and followed her cousin inside while hanging her head in exasperation, her brain finally able to put together a matching thought.

It's going to be Ponyville Days all over again, isn't it?

Author's Note

Let me take this opportunity to say that I'm dead serious when I say this fic wasn't inspired by Simple Ways in the least. While I've made a large amount of references to it already, this story will be significantly different as far as the moral is concerned (as in, there isn't one).

Sol Do's backstory will be elaborated upon in the following chapters, explaining why she's essentially a hybrid of Rarity and Applejack behavior-wise.

The Surprise

As soon as Rarity and Sol Do finished helping AJ and Big Mac gather all the apples they announced their intention to return to Carousel Boutique to put away their clothes before returning for dinner. The Apples understood and saw them off on their way. All the while they walked, Sol Do was half lost in her romantic thoughts while Rarity pondered how best to inform her cousin of the futility of pursuing a relationship with Big Macintosh.

Okay, Rarity, your cousin may be a little eccentric but she'll still listen to reason. You just have to argue your points and she'll realize she's pursuing nothing more than an idle fantasy. As much as I would love to see her happily settle down with a stallion, I don't want to see her upset over not being able to make it work out. A delicate touch is all that's needed to ensure everything turns out okay.

Upon nearing Carousel Boutique, Rarity cleared her throat to speak. "Pardon me, Sol Do?"

The gem miner snapped from her thoughts and turned to her cousin. "What's up Rares?" she asked kindly.

Rarity cleared her throat again and replied. "You said you've developed a crush on Big Macintosh," she said as she returned her cousin's gaze. "What exactly is it that you see in him which is so attractive?"

Sol Do laughed. "Oh, c'mon cousin, isn't it obvious?" She began listing her points. "One, he's hard-workin'. Two, he's single. Three, he's self-respectful. Four, he's friendly. And five, he's jus' so gosh darn handsome!"

Rarity lifted a curious brow in response. "You discerned all of that from just an hour long encounter?"

Sol Do gave her cousin a knowing smile. "Ah sure as sugar did, not that y'all are a stranger ta easy readin' ponies."

". . . That is true." The two had now reached Carousel Boutique. Rarity took out her key and inserted it into the lock. "But Sol Do, happy as I am that you've found a stallion whom you've found interest in, I sincerely doubt a relationship with Big Macintosh could work out."

Sol Do frowned. "An' why's that?"

"Well, for starters, you live all the way on the other side of Equestria from him." Rarity turned the key and opened the door before stowing it away again. "And you know how the saying goes, 'long distance relationships never work out'."

Sol Do stared blankly for a moment before her frown lifted into a smirk. "Don't be so sure 'bout that, Rares," she replied before stepping inside to which Rarity followed. "But since yer so concerned 'bout this, would ya mind runnin' by me any other reason y'all have fer why it wouldn't work out?"

"Of course," Rarity answered. She continued talking while proceeding to remove her country garb while Sol Do did the same with her dress and hat. "Now, one thing you must be aware of is that rushing into a relationship is foolhardy; I learned this from firsthoof experience." She trotted over to the closet and stuffed her straw hat inside. "As much information as you claim to have gleamed about Big Macintosh, you've yet to even engage in a prolonged conversation with him so you haven't got a complete picture of what he's like."

"Oh, pish pash," Sol Do answered while waving a dismissive hoof. She levitated the hat off her head and over to Rarity. "He can't be any worse than my co-workers; all they do half the time is sit on their lazy rumps watchin' me while Ah dig away in the mines."

Rarity gave a sultry smile. "They must really like what they see," she teased.

Sol Do laughed. "Yeah, course they would." She used her magic to lift her dress up and over her body, revealing her cutie mark (a gem encrusted mining pickaxe), before levitating the dress over to Rarity. "Ah am quite the looker, aren't Ah?"

Rarity measured up her cousin's body and could only agree with her assessment. Whereas the dress had concealed it before, Rarity was now afforded a full view of her cousin's well-toned, drop-dead gorgeous body. It was very much similar in appearance to Rarity's own body, but while the fashionista had a bit more chubbiness to her frame due to being less physically active, Sol Do's body boasted a more slender, lean frame with accented curves to her flanks and legs. It was enough to make Rarity more than a little jealous.

"I suppose you are," Rarity replied once done. She quickly stowed Sol Do's clothes in the closet before removing her blue overalls and doing the same with them. "Anyway, back to the discussion at hoof."

"Well, Ah imagine looks won't be a problem," Sol Do reasoned while doing her best impression of a model strutting down a runway. "What else?"

"Yes, well," Rarity said with a cough, "I've known Big Macintosh for some time now through Applejack and while he's definitely straight, he's more or less indifferent to mares."

"Are y'all sayin' he's misogynistic then?"

"Sweet Celestia, of course not!" Rarity yelled, eyes wide in shock. "Big Macintosh is the perfect gentlecolt, I assure you. It's just that he's never expressed any . . . genuine, interest in romance."

Sol Do narrowed her eyes. "Maybe that's only because he hasn't found a mare he likes." She flipped her mane in a haughty manner. "I'll admit I'm ignorant in regards to what kind of mare he'd like, but I shall manage." She eyed her fashionista cousin challengingly. "I may be a country pony at heart, but I was raised to be a lady and if that's where Big Macintosh's interest lies, I shall have no problem reverting back to such."

". . . Perhaps you're right."

Sol Do gave her cousin a questioning look, clearly waiting for Rarity to bring up another point to support her argument. When Rarity failed to do so, a victorious smile flashed across Sol Do's face. "Now, then, y'all were sayin' somethin' 'bout how long distance relationships don't work out, hmm?"

Rarity nodded. Sol Do's smile changed from victorious to mischievous. "'bout that . . ."

"How're them apple fritters comin' along, Granny Smith!?" Applejack called to the olden mare in the kitchen.

"Ah swear, ya young'uns are gonna be the death of me!" Granny Smith answered as she placed what must have been the dozenth tray of apple fritters onto the table. "Next time y'all are gonna show off ta somepony, at least let me know first so Ah can skedaddle on off ta Appleloosa ta hide!"

Applejack snorted out a laugh. "Whatever ya say, Granny!"

A heavy groan sounded from the kitchen, followed by, "Kids these days . . ."

AJ was about to resume packing apple pies into the several picnic baskets lined up in front of her when she heard heavy hoofsteps approaching from behind. Turning around, she saw Big Macintosh carrying an enormous wooden crate on his back.

"Howdy, big brother," Applejack greeted him. She pointed to the kitchen doorway. "Y'all had better go on an' help Granny Smith before she dies of manual labor or somethin'."

Big Mac did a better job of holding back his laughter. "Eeyup," he replied in kind, and slipped into the kitchen.

Applejack returned to packing the apple pies. It took all the orange mare's willpower not to stuff her face full of sweet apple goodness right then as the scent of each pie wafted up into her nostrils, begging her to claim its maker for herself. She hadn't even completely succeeded in her attempts at resistance; one of the pies she'd already packed had a large chunk missing from the edge where she'd torn off a piece when she was sure nopony was looking. As a result, that particular pie would be hers at the picnic.

"Hey sis!"

Applejack turned around once again to find Apple Bloom rolling a wooden barrel across the floor towards her. "Where do ya want this at?" she asked.

Applejack looked at the label painted on the barrel and frowned. "Unfermented Zap Apple Cider? Put that back in the cellar, AB; we ain't havin' any of that at the picnic."

"Why not?" Apple Bloom asked with a whine in her voice. "We've gotta have somethin' ta drink at the picnic, an' we're all outta regular apple cider."

Applejack fixed her sister with a tern gaze that made the filly shrink back. "Zap apple cider ain't like regular apple cider, AB," she warned. "Like zap apples, zap apple cider has an ultra-specific method of preparation that ya absolutely have ta follow or else somepony will get injured drinkin' it." She shook her head. "We ain't got the time ta prepare both it and all the apples we bucked today."

Apple Bloom was about to retort when a knock sounded at the front door.

"Comin'!" Applejack called. She trotted over to and opened the front door, revealing Sol Do and a very anxious-looking Rarity.

"Well howdy," Applejack greeted them with a tip of her hat. "Y'all are a might early; we ain't finished preparin' fer the picnic yet."

"Really?" Rarity said with a nervous laugh. "Oh, how terribly sorry of us. I love fashion, as you know, and if there's one thing that's fashionable it's being late to a party, or picnic in this case." A bead of sweat trickled down her face. "Oh well, since we're here, how about we help with the preparations?"

Applejack looked concerned. "Uh, sure thing, Rares." She looked over her shoulder to Apple Bloom, who was sprawled over the barrel with a look of utter boredom on her face. Applejack gestured to her. "Could one of y'all help AB return that cider barrel to the cellar?"

"Yes, yes we can!" Rarity exclaimed as she used her magic to push Sol Do forward into the house. "And by that I mean Sol Do would be more than happy to do it."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh come now, cousin." Rarity stepped past Applejack, who noticed her sweat but said nothing as Rarity continued. "Do be a dear and help her, please? Why, you could regale her with the tale of how you received your cutie mark."

Apple Bloom's ears perked up and she rushed in front of Sol Do, eyes wide with excitement. Sol Do's annoyance melted away and she adorned a happy grin. "Perhaps I shall then," she replied, and enveloped the barrel in her magic before walking further into the house. "Now, which way to the cellar, darling?"

"Right this way, ma'am," Apple Bloom ran over and opened a door at the end of the hallway. "So, how'd y'all get yer mark?"

Sol Do proceeded down the steps and Apple Bloom followed. "Well, it all started . . ." Her sentence faded away as she descended downwards into the cellar.

"Oh, Sweet Celestia," Rarity said with a sigh as she fell over backwards. "I thought we'd never get away from her."

Applejack frowned. "What're y'all talkin' about, Rarity? Why d'ya want Sol Do outta yer mane so badly that yer sweatin' up a storm over it?"

Rarity got back to her hooves. "We need to talk Applejack."

Applejack raised a brow. "'bout what?"

Rarity sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "It's about Sol Do," she replied. "She's . . . well, she has a crush on your brother."

Applejack blinked. Then she blinked again. Then her muzzle split into a silly grin before she let out a long, muffled laugh as she held a hoof to her muzzle to keep quiet so nopony else would hear her. Rarity huffed in annoyance and stomped her hoof in response. "I'm serious, Applejack! My cousin has fallen head over hooves for your brother, and she's dead set on making him her special somepony!"

Applejack ceased her laughing and wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, Ah believe ya, Rares," she said, holding a hoof to her chest to calm down. "It's just that y'all were more antsy than a rabbit in a gryphon's nest a minute ago; Ah was startin' ta think we were under attack or somethin'."

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Laugh all you want, Applejack, but if Sol Do hooks up with your brother and they marry we'll be related." She smirked playfully at the now silent farm mare. "then again, I suppose you'd be okay with that, wouldn't you cous-"

"Okay! Okay! I see why yer so upset," Applejack interrupted her. She took a moment to recompose her shivering hooves as the thought of being related to Rarity seceded from her conscience. "Not like it matters, anyhow, since she lives all the way in Hiddenite."

Rarity nervously chuckled. "Yes, about that . . ."

". . . Ah'm movin' ta Ponyville!" Sol Do exclaimed.

Rarity stared blankly as she felt her rump make hard contact with the floor. "Pardon?" she said.

Sol Do laughed. "Oh, yer such an easy tease, Rares."

The alabaster fashionista sighed in relief. "Oh, thank Celestia then." She giggled. "For a moment there, I was fully convinced you were serious about moving here."

Sol Do made a back-and-forth gesture with her hoof. "I was, and I wasn't, if that makes any sense."

Rarity raised a curious brow. "Whatever do you mean?'

"What Ah mean is, while Ah'm not actually movin' here, Ah'm gonna have a second house in Ponyville fer whenever Ah need a vacation, an' what better vacation spot than the most eventful town in Equestria?"

Rarity stared blankly as her eye twitched.

"Well, Ah'd better get cleaned up," Sol Do said as she began climbing the stairs. "Hmmm, Ah wonder if'n Big Mac likes dirty mares . . ."

"Howdy gals!"

Applejack and Rarity let out two small yelps and jumped in fright at the sound of Sol Do's cheery greeting behind them.

"Sweet Celestia, cousin!" Rarity exclaimed, breathing heavily. "Don't sneak up on us like that ever again!"

"Eh heh, sorry cuz," Sol Do replied with a laugh.

Applejack looked behind the gem miner and frowned at the empty space. "Where's Apple Bloom?" she asked.

Sol Do smiled. "Ah, the little scamp was so enthralled by my cutie mark story that she up an' started diggin' fer gems in yer cellar's floor." She shook her head and sighed. "Ah, the wonders of youthful innocence."

"Yeah," Applejack droned, "but it ain't so wonderful when it costs ya hundreds of bits in damages."

All three mares laughed heartily at that, though Rarity's was more subdued as she wanted Sol Do to leave them alone again so she and Applejack could continue their conversation in privacy. Her chance came in the form of an olden, lime green mare with a bad hip.

"Hey, what're ya young'uns laughin' 'bout in there!?" Granny Smith called from the kitchen. "Mac an' Ah need some help preparin' all this apple food, so c'mon in an' lend a hoof!"

"Sol Do," Rarity said, almost with a stutter, "be a dear and help Miss Smith with the food, okay?"

Her cousin narrowed her eyes. "Y'all are a might bit bossy today, ain't ya cuz?" she chastised Rarity. "Why should Ah?"

More sweat trickled down Rarity's brow, matting her coat and making it stink slightly. Fortunately, she had Applejack to save her. "Listen, Sol Do, why don't ya go on an' help Granny an' Big Macintosh while Rarity an' Ah fetch my sister an' finish packin' the apple pies?" She gave the gem miner a saucy smile. "Big Mac likes a mare who helps a lot."

Sol Do shot her cousin an icy glare. "I see Rarity still has that bad gossiping habit of hers," she said with a hint of disappointment.

Rarity's eye twitched involuntarily as the sweat began ruining her mascara.

Sol Do glared for another moment before sighing and giving them both a sly smile. "It won't change a thing, however; Big Mac's gonna be mine." She then trotted into the kitchen, leaving an anxious Applejack and a downright paralyzed Rarity behind in stunned silence.

That silence was broken a few moments later by Applejack, who turned to Rarity with an expression of pity. "Has yer cousin always been so . . ."

"Assertive?" Rarity interrupted.

"Ah was gonna say she's plum crazy, but Ah guess that's a more appropriate description." Applejack shuddered. "And if'n she's gonna buy a second house right here in Ponyville . . ." She trailed off as she shuddered, more vigorously, again.

"I know what you mean," Rarity replied. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and sighed. "As much as I love my cousin, I wouldn't want her living in the same town as me for everypony else's sake, but there's nothing we can do about that now can we?"

Applejack sighed herself. "Ah guess not, but as fer gettin' hitched with my brother, Ah don't know what we can do."

Rarity looked downcast in thought for a moment before returning her gaze to Applejack. "Perhaps we should just let things run their course on this one, Applejack." She smiled as the farm mare matched her gaze with a confused expression. "Sol Do is truly interested in Big Macintosh, but unless he reciprocates those feelings nothing will come of it. Let's just wait and see how your brother responds to any advances my cousin makes on him before we take any sort of action."

". . . Ah guess yer right,' Applejack replied with a small smile. "C'mon, let's fetch Apple-"

"Hey sis!"

The two mares turned to see Applejack's little sister galloping down the main hallway toward them; she was holding something long, cylindrical, and coated with mud and grime in her mouth. Once she reached them she let the object fall to the ground with a resounding clang, making Rarity flinch as bits of mud flew off and toward her, and grinned excitedly at them.

"Hey, look what Ah found in the dirt down in the cellar, big sis!" She began prancing in place. "It ain't a gem, but whatever it is it's gotta be worth a lot of bits if'n it was buried under the ground, right?" Her eyes went wide and glimmered. "Is it an artifact from some long lost pony civilization? Or maybe a piece of some sort of abandoned Diamond Dog burrow? Ooh ooh ooh, Ah bet it's a piece of one of Smart Cookie's machines from way back when!"

Applejack looked down at the object and, after little more than a momentary examination, facehoofed. "Apple Bloom?" she said.

"Yeah, sis!?" Apple Bloom eagerly replied.

"That there is a drainage pipe for our house."

Apple Bloom frowned. "What?"

"Ah ain't gettin' any water!" Granny Smith called from the kitchen. "The darn sink's busted again!"

". . . Oh."

The Picnic Proposal

Once the Apples had finished preparing all the food of their namesake and the drainage pipe had gone through a rudimentary repair job, the family quartet along with Rarity and Sol Do began making way toward a plain, grassy hill that overlooked the apple orchards as well as afforded a magnificent view of Ponyville in the distance. While Big Macintosh and Applejack carried the bulk of the food on their backs, the two unicorns used their magic to levitate the pitchers of apple cider alongside them as well as a couple sets of eating utensils for themselves. Apple Bloom had the picnic blanket strapped to her back, which bounced in synchronization with her gaiting steps. Having done most of the work cooking and preparing the apple foods, Granny Smith opted not to help carry anything lest she break her remaining good hip and end up completely immobile.

"Alright, here we are," the olden mare declared once they reached the hill. "Let's get this here picnic set up an' start chowin' down."

"Yes ma'am!" Apple Bloom said. She grabbed the picnic blanket off of her back and, in one fluid motion, unfurled and laid it down on the ground perfectly even.

Sol Do and Rarity quickly set down their pitchers and utensils before using their magic to unpack all of what Applejack and Big Macintosh had carried, and it was without any surprise that Sol Do chose to help Big Macintosh. Once all the food was unloaded and the plates were distributed, the group of six began loading up on the various apple foods Granny had cooked. Everything from fritters to tarts to pies to sauce and much more was present, and aside from Rarity, everypony had full intention of chowing down to their heart's content.

"I must say," Sol Do said after swallowing a bite of apple fritter, "these fritters are without a doubt the best apple-based food I've ever had, and I'm not just saying that for the sake of flattery!" She took another bite, her face set in a contented expression while she chewed.

"Why thank ya hun," Granny Smith replied. She took a gulp of apple sauce and swallowed. "Ah, that's the stuff . . . yeah, ya won't find better apple foods anywhere else in all of Equestria than here at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Is that so?" Sol Do asked. She briefed a glance at Rarity and Applejack, who only stared back indifferently while they munched on a couple of regular apples, before returning her gaze to Granny Smith. "Miss Smith, far be it from me to judge you and your family's current state of being, but do you suppose I could seek a job here on your farm in the near future?"

Both Rarity and Applejack immediately spat out their chewed up apple chunks, which unfortunately collided with Apple Bloom's face, making her scowl in irritation.

"WHAAAT!?" Rarity screamed.

"What!?" Applejack shouted.

"What the hay, sis!?" Apple Bloom exclaimed, wiping the spittle and apple chunks off her face.

"Here ya go, little'un," Granny Smith said, giving Apple Bloom a napkin, which the filly accepted and began cleaning herself with. She turned to Sol Do with a wry expression. "So, y'all are lookin' fer employment, eh?"

"A second job, yes," Sol Do replied with a nod. She briefed another glance to Rarity and Applejack, who looked as if they'd just learned Rainbow Dash secretly took ballet lessons. She smirked slyly, and continued. "You see, I'm looking to purchase a second house here in Ponyville for the summer months and would like to have a job of some sort to occupy my time." Her smile took on a wistful edge as she continued. "Truth be told, working hard is my passion and I can't imagine myself being happy without having some way of being useful."

Granny Smith nodded in understanding. "An' that's definitely the kinda attitude Ah'd look fer in a potential employee, but," her face took on a sterner expression, "us Apples are a proud bunch, and we're darn proud of it!" She laughed at her own joke, as well as Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh, whereas Applejack and Rarity only let out small chuckles as they were still nervous from hearing Sol Do's proposal.

Once done laughing, Granny Smith continued. "So, y'all are gonna have ta convince us that yer worthy of joinin' our family, so to speak." She smirked. "Think y'all can do just that?"

"Indeed I do, Miss Smith," Sol Do replied. She gave Rarity and Applejack a haughty smile. "Indeed. I. Do."

The two mares gulped simultaneously.

"In fact," Sol Do continued, turning toward the stallion of her affection, who had lost interest in the conversation and had taken to munching on an apple tart, with a half-lidded stare, "so I'll know what living like an Apple is like, perhaps a little tutelage under one is in order?"

Big Mac's eyes opened as he stared at the mare whom was giving him a saucy look, but made no verbal response at first as he pondered the question. Applejack, in contrast, was quick to get between Sol Do and Big Macintosh both literally and figuratively.

"Now wait just a gosh-darn minute there," she said, while holding her hooves out as if trying to protect her big brother. "If'n y'all are lookin' fer somepony ta show y'all what workin' on Sweet Apple Acres is like, Ah'm perfectly suited ta the role."

Sol Do scowled briefly before smirking. "Perhaps, but I prefer to learn from the best, and if our earlier apple bucking session made anything clear, it's that Big Mac's the stronger one of you two."

"Strength ain't everythin', missy! Ain't that right, Granny Smith?" Applejack asked as she turned to the elder mare.

Granny Smith chuckled. "If'n ya ask me, it sounds like y'all are a might jealous that Miss Do's askin' Big Macintosh an' not you."

Applejack pouted. "Ah ain't jealous."

"Then let Sol Do choose who she wants ta be taught by," Granny Smith chided.

Applejack grumbled, but returned to her spot on the blanket next to Rarity, who was looking quite exasperated. Apple Bloom, meanwhile, had confusedly observed the scene as it played out and silently wondered if Applejack was starting to treat Big Macintosh the same overbearing, overprotective way that she always treated her. The thought made her glower at her older sister, but she said nothing and resumed eating her food.

"Now then," Sol Do said, returning her saucy gaze to Big Macintosh, who had also resumed eating his food completely unmindful of the scene which had just played out, "how 'bout it hun? Would y'all like ta tutor little ol' me in the Apple family's lifestyle?"

The sweet, vulnerable tone in which Sol Do had spoken almost made Applejack gag on reflex, while Rarity only winced at what she believed to be Sol Do's attempt at wooing the red stallion into accepting her request. She knew the art of wooing quite well, and Rarity was sure that no straight and single stallion could possibly deny such a request when spoken in such a sweet, alluring tone of voice from a mare as beautiful as Sol Do.

Rarity was somewhat relieved, however, when Big Macintosh merely shifted his eyes to one side in a thoughtful expression while chewing his food. Even if he agreed, Rarity was sure it wouldn't be from him falling for her cousin's flirtatious behavior. Eventually, he finished chewing and swallowed.

"Eeyup," he replied with a smile.

Sol Do let out a most unladylike squeal of excitement that made everypony briefly cover their ears.

"Oh, thank you so very much, darling," Sol Do said, eyes sparkling with excitement. "When can we start?"

"'Morrow's fine, miss," Big Mac replied. "Be here at the crack o' dawn, an' don't bother gettin' dressed," his smile turned coy, "cause you'll be gettin' very, very dirty."

Sol Do snickered. "Ah'm lookin' forward to it, darlin'," she replied, turning to Applejack and Rarity and giving them an evil smirk of delight that sent chills down the two mare's spines.

"Well, now that that's settled," Granny Smith said, picking up the pitcher of apple cider, "anypony care fer another drink? We gotta finish all this up tonight, after all."

"I'll have some more," Sol Do said. She used her magic to take the pitcher from Granny Smith and pour herself another glass. She then took a large gulp and swallowed before letting out a sigh pf content. "Very refreshing, that is. Though, I must admit I'm very much interested in trying out that Zap Apple variant you've got in your cellar."

"Well, odds are y'all won't get any if'n Applejack's got anythin' ta say 'bout it," Apple Bloom said with a frown and crossed fore legs.

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack shouted condescendingly.

"What's this 'bout not gettin' any Zap Apple cider?" Granny Smith asked.

The two Apple sisters were too busy glowering at each other to answer, so Sol Do did so herself. "Apple Bloom wanted to bring Zap Apple cider to this picnic, but Applejack said there wasn't enough time to properly ferment it and told her sister to return the barrel she brought up back to your apple cellar."

"Ah see," Granny Smith replied with a nod. She turned to her youngest grandchild. "Well, little'un, it's true that we wouldn't of had time ta properly ferment the cider in time fer this 'ere picnic, but there's always tomorrow if'n y'all want ta help whip up some fer our guest."

Apple Bloom ceased her glowering and turned to her grandmother. "Sounds fine by me," she replied with a small smile.

Applejack just sighed in exasperation and continued eating her food. She was interrupted, however, by a whoosh of air followed by a pink blur which zipped beside her before coming to a stop in the middle of the blanket.

"Pinkie Pie," Applejack groaned. "What is it y'all want?"

"Silly Applejack," Pinkie playfully chided, "Sol Do has to attend her 'Welcome to Ponyville' party. I mean, sure she isn't staying here permanently, but regardless I made a promise to throw every, and I mean every, pony that comes to Ponyville for the first time a party to let them know how welcome they are and that we're oh-so-super-duper excited to have them here even if it's just temporary." She inhaled a large breath to give reprieve to her aching lungs before exhaling and continuing with her rambling. "So, c'mon everypony, it's time for the party! Everypony else is waiting at Sugarcube Corner for you!"

Everypony stared blankly at the hyperactive party pony while she bounced up and down excitedly as she talked. Eventually, Sol Do cleared her throat and spoke softly to the pink mare.

"I'm very grateful for how welcoming you are, Pinkie Pie, and I do appreciate having a party thrown in my honor." She pursed her lips. "However, now is a very inconvenient time, for we need to eat up the rest of this food so it doesn't go to waste."

Pinkie stopped bouncing. She stared blankly for a second before tapping her chin in thought. After a few moments, she brightened and, as quickly as she arrived, zipped off into the distance towards Ponyville.

Sol Do turned to her cousin with a concerned frown. "What's she up to, Rarity?"

Rarity looked skywards as she contemplated all of what her pink friend could be planning. It didn't take long for her to make a sound conclusion.

"Pinkie's bringing the party here to Sweet Apple Acres," she said with conviction. She stood up and gestured towards the house. "I don't suppose you've got a fold-able table we can use for our unfinished food? It'll become naught but refreshments for the party guests in but a few moments, and it simply wouldn't do to have it scattered about on this picnic blanket where it's sure to get kicked around and make a huge mess."

Applejack nodded. "Yeah, we've got a few refreshment tables inside." She stood up and stretched briefly before heading toward the house. "C'mon, Apple Bloom, let's bring 'em out."

"Fine," Apple Bloom grumbled, still sour over their earlier exchange, and began following her sister.

"Ah'm comin' too," Big Macintosh said as he began following after them, smiling. "Y'all could use a little help haulin' those tables, can't ya?"

Sol Do snickered while Applejack, unbeknownst to anypony else, blushed profusely in response. "Shut up," she muttered under her breath.

"Well, looks like Ah'd better hit the hay then," Granny Smith announced, and started following her granddaughters. "Ya young'uns wouldn't want an old fusspot crampin' yer style, Ah reckon." She laughed and shook her head.

Rarity briefly watched them depart, then turned her attention to Sol Do who wore a dopey, love-filled expression as she stared at Big Macintosh's backside while he walked down the hill with his family.

Well, fate's dealt the cards; I suppose all I can do now is wait and see who ultimately wins, she thought as the sound of Pinkie's party mob began fast approaching from off in the distance.

Refined or Reckless?

The scents of fresh dew and crisp morning air permeated Ponyville as the sun peeked over the horizon. A gentle wind blew around the buildings, sending a wave of motion across the lush, green grass which coated the ground. But the grass wasn’t the only green object affected, as Sol Do’s mane and tail flailed lightly in response, prompting her to blow it out of her eyes as she walked through Ponyville toward Sweet Apple Acres.

Sol Do was the only pony outside then, but she barely noticed, since her mind was fixated on reaching the farm so she could begin learning the Apple family lifestyle from Big Macintosh. As per his instruction, she donned no clothes, choosing only to wear her straw hat. She hadn’t bothered showering either, to which she smelled rather vulgar, and underneath her hat was a very jarring bedhead. She held the retracted form of her Pogo-axe in her mouth, having decided to bring it in case it proved to be useful.

The wind, blowing from behind Sol Do, sent her filthy scent up front and into her nostrils, to which she instinctively held a hoof over her muzzle.

Maybe I should’ve taken a shower after all, she thought. Sol Do waited until the wind passed before bringing down her hoof and resuming her trot. Or, maybe, I can use this to get us in the shower together. Oh yeah, that’d be swell.

A saucy grin formed on Sol Do’s muzzle around the Pogo-axe as she continued fantasizing about intimate scenarios she could get herself and Big Macintosh into during their time together. This eventually shifted to more serious thoughts, specifically, how she’d go about winning Big Mac’s heart by the end of her visit.

Okay, first things first, I need to get to know Big Macintosh, and determine whether he prefers the down n’ dirty, country bumpkin type of mare, or the high-brow, refined Canterlotian type. Whichever he prefers, I’ll just learn to stick to it from now on.

Then there’s the matter of showing my affection for him. I know he’s the quiet type, so I’d best not be too upfront with it, lest he get scared away. I’ll just observe his behavior today and, depending on what he responds better to, I’ll treat him to a date tailored for his interests. Yes, that should work nicely.

Sol Do continued pondering her romantic course of action all along her trip to Sweet Apple Acres. Upon reaching the Apple family’s homestead, she knocked lightly on the front door, mindful in case any of them were still asleep. The sound of hoofsteps approached the door from inside, and it opened to reveal the tired, heavy-lidded face of Apple Bloom.

“Oh, hiya Miss Do,” she mumbled.

Sol Do took hold of the Pogo-axe in her hoof and smiled. “Good morning, Apple Bloom,” she said enthusiastically. “Glad to see you’re up and at’em!”

Apple Bloom snorted. “Yeah, sure.” She pointed behind Sol Do at the fields. “My brother’s out in the orchard, said somethin’ ‘bout ‘clearing the trees of meddlesome fruit bats’.”

“Fruit bats, huh?” Sol Do turned to look at the orchard behind her. “Is that a common problem for your family?”

Apple Bloom let out a little yawn before replying. “Applejack said somethin’ ‘bout a sanctuary fer them bats the other day, and how it was ‘posed ta keep ‘em outta our orchard from now on.” She shrugged. “Ah guess it ain’t workin’ after all.”

Sol Do smiled confidently. “We shall see about that.” She turned back to Apple Bloom. “Before I go assist your big brother, precisely where is your sister at this time?”

Apple Bloom gestured behind her into the house. “She was up really late last night cleanin’ up after Pinkie’s party, so she’s still sleepin’.”

A sinister smirk crossed Sol Do’s muzzle. “Perfect,” she whispered.

“What?”

“Off I go!”

Sol Do put the Pogo-axe back in her mouth and began galloping toward the orchard. Apple Bloom just stood there, watching her retreating figure with a tired, uncaring stare.

“How can anypony be that energetic in the morning?” she asked aloud, before closing the door and making her way back to bed.

Sol Do spent the next few minutes searching the apple orchard for Big Macintosh, eventually finding him in the west fields. He was scowling in irritation up at one particular tree which was filled to the brim with fruit bats. Not a single apple remained on the tree, at least from what Sol Do could make out; the bats were so numerous they covered almost every inch of the tree’s bark.

“No good varmints, y'all are,” Big Mac whispered.

“I take it these pesky little vermin are not welcome here?”

Big Mac turned to see Sol Do approaching, her gaze fixated on the infested tree, while her Pogo-axe was suspended in her magic.

“Howdy Miss Do,” Big Mac replied. “And no, they’re not.” He looked back up at the fruit bats. “They know perfectly well there’s a sanctuary fer them now, but this bunch ain’t too good at listenin’, apparently.”

Sol Do stepped beside Big Mac, keeping her Pogo-axe held aloft alongside her, as she cast a concerned gaze at him. “I sincerely hope this won’t impede our time together, will it?”

Big Mac sighed, and looked to her with an apologetic gaze. “Ah’m sorry to say, yeah, but if’n y’all wanna help shoo them varmints away, by all means go right ahead. Celestia knows Ah’ve tried all I can.”

Sol Do nodded in understanding. Alright, time to learn where his general interests lay.

“Well, Big Mac, I do have a few ideas for how to make them leave,” she said. “However, since this is an Apple family problem, it’s only fair that I abide by the Apple family’s methods in dealing with parasitic creatures such as these fruit bats.” Stepping in front of Big Mac, Sol Do brought her Pogo-axe in front of her and, giving it a light twirl with her magic, pointed it at the tree. “I can use my Pogo-axe to force those vermin out of the tree, or, if your family doesn’t take too kind to animal cruelty, I am confident that I can sweet talk them into leaving. Which would you prefer?”

Big Mac just shrugged. “Whichever suits yer fancy better,” he replied. “So long as y’all get them varmints outta the tree, without killing either, then that’s all that matters.”

Sol Do stared blankly in response. Then she blinked. Well, that was certainly an unexpected response, but no matter, I’ll learn more as we spend more time together.

“Okay then,” Sol Do said as she turned to face the tree. Bringing her Pogo-axe out in front of her, she used her magic to extend the metal tips on either side, bringing the tool to its maximum efficiency as both a pickaxe and a pogo-stick. “This shouldn’t take too long.”

Sol Do approached the tree with careful steps, not wanting the bats to startle. Upon reaching the tree’s base, Sol Do set the Pogo-axe on the ground, metal end down, and pushed the spring attachment firmly into the dirt. Gripping the other end with her front hooves, she set one of her hind hooves on the metal end. After taking a moment to balance herself, she gazed up at the fruit bats in the tree above her with a determined gaze.

“Alright, here I go,” she said.

Pushing against the metal with her body weight, the spring dug deep into the dirt before launching her into the air. Sol Do felt the wind rush through her mane, before stopping right in front of the tree’s center. During her fall back to the ground, Sol Do put her other hoof on the other metal tip, and used it for extra strength when she bounced off the ground again. All while she did this, Big Macintosh watched Sol Do with a quirked eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.

Once Sol Do got into a steady rhythm of balanced bouncing, she turned her attention to the bat swarm currently sleeping in the tree. Sticking her tongue out to the side in concentration, she waited until her ascent peaked before striking. In a second’s time she shoved the metal end of her Pogo-axe into the bat swarm, instantly setting off a chain reaction of agitated screeches as, one by one, each and every bat shot wide awake. They quickly began fluttering rapidly en masse, making the tree shake wildly, as Sol Do re-positioned the Pogo-axe under her for a safe descent.

“It may be a little ear-grating!” she shouted over the multitude of screeches, her ears desperately digging themselves against her skin. “But, rest assured, darlin’, it’s all accordin’ ta plan!”

“What!?” Big Macintosh shouted back, his own ears trying to block out the sound, to limited avail.

Sol Do proceeded to repeatedly strike the bat swarm with her Pogo-axe with every bounce. With each strike, the fruit bats’ confusion gave way to rage, and before long they’d stopped fluttering wildly, instead drawing their attention to Sol Do.

“C’mon, ya filthy varmints!” Sol Do shouted at them, in a playfully condescending tone. “Y’all ain’t gonna let a pretty little pony like moi poke an’ prod y’all ‘round, now are ya!?”

The fruit bats gave a collective screech of rage as they locked their fruity, hate-filled gazes onto her.

“Which way to the sanctuary, dear!” Sol Do asked Big Mac.

“Over yonder!” he shouted, pointing eastward.

“Alrighty then, here Ah go!”

Sol Do ceased her bouncing and began galloping toward the sanctuary, Pogo-axe held firmly in mouth as the fruit bat swarm immediately gave chase, hundreds of raging shrieks accompanying them.

Big Mac watched as Sol Do led the fruit bats across the orchard, eventually disappearing from view, all the while with a shocked expression. He stood there for a few minutes, at a loss for words to describe what had just happened, but his stupor was eventually interrupted by a familiar voice calling out to him.

“Big Macintosh!”

Big Mac turned to see Applejack galloping toward him with a panicked look in her eyes. She also had a tired look about her, definitely the result of having just got out of bed. Her stetson was tilted sideways, and only just barely managed to cling to her head with how fast she was galloping.

Applejack skidded to a stop in front of her brother and, after a moment of heavy panting, gave him a relieved smile.

"Thank Celestia yer all right!" she said. "Ah was 'fraid you'd be a quiverin' mess when I found you."

Big Mac scrunched his face up in confusion. "They're just fruit bats, sis," he said. "They ain't nothin' dangerous."

Applejack's relieved expression gave way to her own look of confusion. "What about fruit bats, now?"

Before either could say another word, a distant voice sing-songed, "Yoohoo, Big Macintosh, come quickly please!"

Big Mac turned in the voice's direction. "Sounds like Sol Do's finished leadin' them bats back to the sanctuary." He began heading toward the sanctuary.

"Wait fer me!" Applejack said, and followed after him.

The two siblings quickly traversed the orchard, reaching the fruit bat sanctuary in a minute’s time. They found Sol Do standing with her back turned to them, holding her Pogo-axe in her mouth again, staring up at a group of trees, in which hung a cluster of battered, bruised and, in some cases, whimpering, fruit bats. Sol Do didn’t look any better herself, as she had scratch and bite marks covering a good portion of her flanks, as well as her backside.

Sol Do kept staring up at the bat swarm until she heard the Apple siblings approach, at which point she turned around to greet them, in turn affording them a view of her face which looked like the victim of a dozen, tiny rakes. She let the Pogo-axe fall to the ground, and spoke to them.

“Well, it took a bit of roughhousin’, but Ah managed ta convince ‘em to stay.” She looked to Applejack with a sly smirk. “Not too shabby fer one’a Rarity’s kin, eh?”

“Sol Do, y’all look like ya got in a skirmish with a gryphon,” Applejack replied, ignoring her question. “Are y’all okay? Ya wanna see a doctor or somethin?”

“Oh, believe me, Applejack darling,” Sol Do cooed, sending a slight shiver down the other mare’s spine, “I’m not at all like my cousin in that regard. I’m sure I look positively horrid to you two, but believe me when I say Ah’m feelin’ better’n a cat in a yarn factory!” She capped off her statement with a laugh.

The two Apple siblings only stared back blankly in response while Sol Do glanced back to the now-placid fruit bat swarm, which had taken to sleeping once again. Sol Do gave them a once-over and, with a nod of satisfaction, turned back to Big Macintosh. A glimmer of hope shined in her eyes as she said, “So, Big Mac, whadd’ya think?”

Big Mac gave the bats a once-over himself before giving her a gracious smile. “Thanks fer yer help, Miss Do,” he said. “Ah appreciate it.”

A small blush crossed Sol Do’s cheeks, and she waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh, it was nothing, really, I just wanted to help you.”

“Well, ya sure did,” Big Macintosh said. He then began trotting back to the barn. “So, what say we get on with the day’s chores?”

Sol Do tilted her head in curiosity. “Beg pardon?”

“Y’all said ya wanted ta be tutored in the Apple family’s ways,” Big Macintosh said. “Chores is just one part of it, but you’ll need resolve ta see it through.” He gave Sol Do a challenging smile. “Now, if’n y’all wanna back out, go ahead and say so.”

Sol Do gave a frown in response. “Oh, no, I don’t think so,” she scoffed. “If it’s chores I must do, then it’s chores I shall do, darling.”

“Good ta hear,” Big Mac replied, and continued trotting back to the barn. “Let’s get goin’, then.”

“Actually, Big Mac,” Applejack spoke up, earning his attention. “Do ya mind if Ah talk with Sol Do, just fer a minute?”

Sol Do just rolled her eyes while Big Mac nodded and replied, “Nnope,” before once again continuing on his way.

Once Applejack was sure he was out of earshot she turned to Sol Do, who was leveling an exasperated glare at her, and spoke, as calm and collectively as she could.

“Listen, Sol Do, Ah get y’all have the hots fer my brother—” she suppressed a shudder at the thought, “—but, please, respect his personal space, and don’t go crazy if it turns out he don’t share yer feelings.”

Sol Do snorted. “In case you haven’t noticed, Applejack, I’m very different from my cousin when it comes to pursuing stallions.” She continued talking while using a hoof to massage her scratched-up flanks. “For one, I actively seek them out myself, rather than wait to be swept up and carried into the sunset.” She sighed in content, her gaze half-lidded amorously. “Yer brother’s the finest stallion Ah’ve ever seen, Applejack. So dashing. So strong. So patient and wise. So much better than any of my coworkers back in Hiddenite.” She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again in a determined smile. “Believe me, Applejack, when I say I’ll succeed where Rarity has failed, time and again.”

Sol Do picked up her Pogo-axe in her magic. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Ah’ve got some chores ta do!” She began galloping after Big Mac, a giant smile crossing her features.

Applejack watched her go with a furrowed gaze. A low, annoyed growl escaped through her lips as thoughts of giving Sol Do a good thrashing swirled through her mind. Eventually, she just sighed and followed after her, needing to help with the chores herself.

Big Mac was already showing Sol Do around the barnyard by the time Applejack made it there. The Apple mare couldn’t help but scowl every time she saw Sol Do giving her brother’s backside a lecherous grin. She wanted desperately to go up to Sol Do, grab her by the withers, and shake her vigorously while shouting “Y’ALL CAN’T HAVE HIM!” in her face. The only two things keeping her from doing so were her agreement with Rarity to hold back, and the guilt she’d feel if it turned out Big Macintosh returned Sol Do’s feelings.

“Well, at least as long as Ah’m around, things can’t get outta hoof,” she mused, and went to join them.

Upon waking up and spending the next hour going through her morning routine, Granny Smith headed down to the kitchen to begin cooking breakfast for her grandchildren. She was also aware of Sol Do’s presence on the farm, despite her sometimes-shoddy memory, and decided to cook her something as well.

“Hmm, what might that young whippersnapper like ta eat?” she mused while rummaging through the fridge.

“Mornin’, Granny!”

Granny Smith glanced behind her to see Apple Bloom enter the kitchen, looking fully awake and energetic with a beaming smile on her face.

“Howdy, Apple Bloom,” Granny Smith replied, chipper herself. "Sleep well?”

“You bet!” Apple Bloom replied. “Hey, Granny, when can we make that Zap Apple Cider?”

Granny Smith continued rummaging in the fridge as she replied. “Maybe later little’un, ‘cause right now Ah’ve gotta make breakfast for y’all. Wanna help?”

“Yes ma’am!” Apple Bloom cheered.

“Then could ya ask Miss Do what she’d like ta eat?”

“Ah’m on it!”

Apple Bloom rushed out the front door like a sugar-rushed coyote, returning a minute later, while Granny Smith prepared to make pancakes.

“Miss Do says she’ll happily eat whatever ya serve her,” she reported.

“Hope she likes apple cinnamon pancakes than,” Granny Smith said, setting a bowl atop the counter.

“Sol Do’s a cool mare,” Apple Bloom chirped. “If she an’ Big Mac get hitched, Ah wanna be the flower girl at their wedding too!”

“Heh heh heh.”

“Somethin’ funny, Granny?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” she replied, grabbing a pitcher of milk. “Say, Apple Bloom, wanna help me cook breakfast?”

Apple Bloom stared blankly for a moment, then shrugged and went to join her grandmother.

Titanic Forthcoming

“♪Piece by piece, snip by snip⋯♪”

Rarity sang softly to herself as she worked in her sewing room. She’d spent the better half of the day working on some dress commissions after escorting Sweetie Belle to school. On her way back, she’d thought about stopping by Sweet Apple Acres to see how Sol Do was doing with the Apples. She decided against it in the end, partly because she really wanted to work on her commissions, but mostly out of respect for her cousin’s intentions, ridiculous as they were.

Rarity had just finished working on a matching yellow sundress and hat combo when she heard her front door’s chime go off, followed by her cousin’s voice calling out to her.

“Are y’all home, Rarity!? Ah’m back!”

“Be right there, Sol Do!” Rarity called.

Setting down her sewing supplies, Rarity trotted into the hallway and made her way toward the staircase. Along the way, she spared a glance at her hallway clock, and noted the time was three in the afternoon.

“Goodness gracious, I missed lunchtime,” she muttered.

“Hey, uh, Rarity!?”

“I’m coming!” she replied, beginning her descent downstairs.

“Y’all might wanna cover yer nostrils ‘fore ya come down here!”

“Now why would you say tha—” Rarity reached the stairs’ landing, only to freeze as a smell, more retching and horrid than anything she’d ever smelt before, invaded her nostrils. She quickly threw both hooves over them and glanced around the main lobby, quickly spying her cousin by the front door.

Sol Do looked, in Rarity’s opinion, like she’d gotten into a fight with a gryphon. She had bloody scratches covering the better part of her face, flanks, and legs. Her coat, once as white as Rarity’s own, was caked with dry mud stains from head to hoof. Her tail was a tangled mess of green hair, more akin to seaweed, and Rarity assumed the same was true of her mane underneath her straw hat.

Rarity almost gasped in response to seeing Sol Do in such a filthy state, until the scent which permeated from her began invading her mouth, letting Rarity taste its putridness, before quickly shutting it again.

Sol Do chuckled sheepishly. “That’s about how I thought you’d react,” she said. “Is it alright if I use yer shower?”

Rarity quietly nodded, and stepped out of the way so Sol Do could pass. Her cousin obliged, quickly heading upstairs for the bathroom, to which Rarity uncovered her nostrils and breathed in some fresh air.

The sound of running water emanated from upstairs for the next few minutes, during which time Rarity proceeded to fetch a bottle of air-disinfectant from her supply closet and give the area around the door a few sprays. She also began preparing lunch for the two of them, putting together a couple of petal salads and milk glasses. She finished setting the table just as Sol Do entered the kitchen, looking much cleaner, but the bloody scratches remained.

“I say, Rarity, there’s nothing quite like a cool shower after a day of sweaty labor!” she said, excited.

“Depends on who you ask,” Rarity muttered.

“What’s that?”

“I was just wondering what you could’ve possibly had to go through to wind up in such a horrid state.” Rarity turned to face Sol Do and gestured for her to sit down. “Please, tell me what happened at Sweet Apple Acres while we eat.”

“I’d be glad to,” Sol Do said, smiling.

Both mares took a seat and began digging into their salads. No conversation passed between them for a minute at first, them focusing instead on appeasing their hungry bellies. While they ate, Rarity’s attention kept shifting back to her cousin and how happy she was, which Rarity was confident had nothing to do with her salad’s quality.

Once she finished chewing her latest mouthful and swallowed, Rarity took the initiative.

“Tell me, Sol Do, how were things at the farm?”

Sol Do finished chewing her own mouthful and, after washing it down with some milk, gave her reply.

“Well, Ah’ll admit it was a lot more gruelin’ than I thought it’d be, but Ah managed all the same.” Setting her fork down, she levitated her napkin up to wipe away some milk from her upper lip before continuing. “I will say, however, that Applejack’s continued animosity toward me was very uncalled for.”

“Yes, she is famous for being quite stubborn,” Rarity said, a frown crossing her muzzle. “I do hope you understand, of course, that she’s only looking out for her family.”

“Still, it’s rude of her to treat me like a ruffian.” Sol Do proceeded to grab another forkful of salad, and stuffed it into her mouth. “Ah would’a fawt we’ gel lahk feanut butta’ an’ jelleh.”

“Yes, so would I,” Rarity said with a grimace.

Sol Do swallowed her food. “Anyway, I s’pose yer wonderin’ what the deal is now with Big Mac an’ I.”

“The thought occurred several times today,” Rarity replied, taking a sip of her milk.

Sol Do chuckled. “Well, you may or may not be happy to know this, but the Apples agreed to let me help out on the farm whenever I’m visiting Ponyville in the future, which means Big Macintosh and I can spend that much more time together.” She smiled, and a pink blush adorned her cheeks as she finished with, “It’ll be a happy time when I finally purchase my second house here.”

Rarity couldn’t help but smile herself at seeing Sol Do so happy, but it only lasted a moment before being replaced by a concerned frown.

“Believe me, Sol Do, when I say I’m happy for you,” she said, earning half of Sol Do’s divided attention. “However, unless Big Mac declared his undying love for you today, I’m still concerned that you’re only setting yourself up for heartbreak.” Rarity looked downcast as she continued. “I know what it feels like to find out the pony you’ve pined to be with for so long doesn’t share your feelings; it’s something I wish I didn’t have to learn the hard way.”

Sol Do shrugged. “All we did was work around the farm, him showing me the ropes and whatnot, while I gauged his general character.” She subconsciously waved her fork around in the air while scrunching her face up in thought. “I’ll admit, he didn’t give me a whole lot to work with, since he was more content to let me do things my way than to give instructions, so long as I didn’t screw anything up.”

“And did you find out anything of use?” Rarity asked, in a carefully neutral tone of voice.

Sol Do smiled. “Indeed I did, cousin.” She closed her eyes, and began speaking in a matter-of-fact tone. “Big Macintosh is the sort of stallion that just wants a respectful, reliable, and useful mare at his side, caring nothing about background or behavior.” She opened her eyes and adopted a sly smirk. “Dare I say it, if Applejack wasn’t his sister, I bet he’d-”

“Please refrain from continuing that sentence,” Rarity interrupted, holding up a hoof. “I’d like to keep my salad in my stomach to digest properly, thank you very much.”

Sol Do snickered, and continued. “Anyway, what I’m saying is, Big Macintosh would want a mare that he can view as more than just a lover, but a partner as well. Somepony to be the hammer to his nail, as well as the chocolate to his peanut butter, essentially.”

“And do you believe that you qualify to be that hammer?” Rarity asked.

“You’d better believe it as well, cousin,” Sol Do said, grinning. “I was raised to treat stallions with respect, which, coupled with both my strong work ethic and gorgeous body, makes me nothing if not suited to be not just Big Mac’s, but any stallion’s marefriend.”

Rarity resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Sol Do’s self-praise, though, she couldn’t deny she held a similar opinion of herself.

“I suppose you do have a point,” she replied, taking another bite of salad, which she finished chewing before continuing. “And just as well, if things don’t work out between you and Big Macintosh, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding some other stallion who shares your feelings.”

“Unlike a certain cousin of mine,” Sol Do said, a coy smile forming on her lips. “Perhaps you’d like some pointers from moi?”

Rarity almost did a spit take with her salad in response. “I beg your pardon!?”

“Oh, come on, Rares,” Sol Do said, rolling her eyes. “Yer a hopeless romantic through and through; there ain’t no use in trying to deny it.”

“Hopeless romantic—” Rarity stood up in her chair and slammed both her hooves on the table, rattling her silverware a bit, “—I’ll have you know that my love life is nothing of the sort. I may be having trouble finding a good-natured stallion that shares my affection, but to essentially say that I’m akin to one of those crazy cat ladies is a massive overstatement.”

“Well, you do have a cat yourself,” Sol Do pointed out.

“Only one!” Rarity practically shouted.

“You also read some pretty kinky romance novels,” Sol Do stated. She shrugged. “Not many ponies even bother with those unless they’re really that desperate.”

Rarity blushed. “I don’t read them that much,” she muttered, just barely loud enough for Sol Do to hear.

“Not that I blame you for liking them, of course; they are pretty hot.” She perked up a bit. “Did you know the original creator of Colthulu made his beard tentacled to satirize the rising prevalence of beard fetishes among mares at the time?”

Rarity said nothing in response. She merely slunk in her seat, looking downcast, very clearly not paying any attention to Sol Do’s random trivia. Sol Do’s smile slowly fell into a frown as the realization that she’d said too much sank in. She got out of her seat and trudged around the table to Rarity, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder once she reached her.

“Look, Rares, I’m mighty sorry; I shouldn’t have said what I said.” She looked at Rarity with pleading eyes. “Can you forgive me?”

Rarity was silent for a few seconds, her eyes closed, wearing an expression of severe disappointment. Sol Do could only guess what was going on in her head at the moment, but she figured her cousin was feeling at least some amount of jealousy over her.

Eventually, Rarity sighed and turned to Sol Do with a pensive smile. “I forgive you, Sol Do.”

The miner smiled herself. “Thanks cuz.”

“I guess it just goes to show how well you know me that you can pick apart my romantic shortcomings,” Rarity continued. She sighed again and began twirling her fork around on the table, absentmindedly. “I suppose some pointers for how to pick up stallions wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Don’t be too down on yourself, Rares,” Sol Do said, patting her cousin’s back. “You’ve definitely got what it takes to find a good stallion. It’s just a matter of getting to know them before you really commit yourself to pursuing a relationship with them.” Her smile turned sheepish. “I heard about what happened with you and Blueblood at the Gala.”

“I’d much rather not hear about the events of that dreaded night again, thank you very much,” Rarity said with conviction.

Sol Do chuckled. “I understand wholeheartedly,” she replied. “Anyway, if’n you want pointers on how to pick up stallions, why don’t y’all come with Big Mac an’ me on our date tomorrow?”

Rarity shot up in her seat and turned to Sol Do with wide eyes. ‘You have a date with Big Macintosh!?” she asked.

Sol Do made a ‘more or less’ gesture with her hoof. “Really, it’s more of an activity than a date,” she explained. “While we were doing the chores today, Big Mac asked me some questions ‘bout what bein’ a gem miner is like; it’s amazing, of course.”

Rarity chuckled. “Oh really?” she cooed.

“Y’all bet yer tri-diamond flanks it is!” Sol Do beamed. “Anyway, by the end of it all, we decided it’d be fun to go out and dig up some gems in the fields outside of Ponyville. I’m planning on using the time there to get closer to him, but a little company would be okay to have. Heck, y’all could get some more gems fer yer dresses while we’re there.” Sol Do retracted her hoof from Rarity’s back. “So, ya up fer it?”

Rarity sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. “I don’t know if I want to go out there, to be honest, not after my little run-in with the diamond dogs.”

“I heard about that too,” Sol Do replied, frowning. “It’s unfortunate that you came across such an awful pack of them. The ones back in Hiddenite, while far from friendly, are still respectful of ponies.”

“I shudder to think what might happen if they all decided to go rogue,” Rarity said, actually visibly shuddering at the thought.

“Don’t worry, if that ever did happen, we’d be alright,” Sol Do assured. “Anyway, if you’re scared of running into those dogs again, remember that Big Mac and I’ll both be there to keep you out of trouble.” A sly smirk formed over her muzzle. “Plus, I’m pretty sure I can sweet talk those dogs if they do come looking for trouble.”

Rarity looked at her dubiously for a moment before tapping her chin in thought.

“I’d have to finish all of my commissions today in order to have free time tomorrow,” she muttered under her breath. “Perhaps you could help me finish them? I need somepony to model them for me, and most of them would look positively stunning on you.”

“Most of them?” Sol Do repeated, a cheeky air to her words.

“Oh, don’t you start with that, cousin,” Rarity deadpanned. “You’re no more fabulous than moi, which is still a compliment.”

Sol Do shrugged. “Whatever,” she replied. “And yeah, I’ll model for ya.”

“Excellent,” Rarity said. She levitated her fork. “But let us finish lunch first, hmm?”

Sol Do nodded, and went back to take her seat, after which the two continued eating in silence.

Granny Smith sat in her rocker, head leaned back against some pillows, enjoying the quiet serenity afforded to her with Applejack and Big Macintosh still working outside, and Apple Bloom at school. She’d been relaxing since after breakfast, and thoughts of Sol Do’s added presence brought a smile to her lips as she remembered the country unicorn’s compliments over her cooking.

”I must say, Granny Smith, these pancakes are truly a cut above all others I’ve tasted in my life.”

“Why thank ya, young’un.”

“Perhaps I could get the recipe, no?”

“I don’t just pass it out all willy-nilly to every pony I meet; why should I give it to you?”

“Oh, no reason in particular . . .”

Sorry, but it ain’t gonna happen, young’un.

Sighing in content, Granny Smith relaxed further into her seat, enjoying the pillows’ softness, enough that she didn’t hear when the front door opened, or when a series of light hoofsteps approached, or when a soft thud emanated from her left

“Hey, Granny Smith,” a young voice whispered.

Granny Smith felt a soft poke in her withers, and silently lamented her lost tranquility before cracking one eye open. Apple Bloom stood on the rocker’s arm, giving her a cautious stare. This quickly changed into an expression of joy, and she bounced once in excitement.

“Good ta see yer awake, Granny!” she chirped.

Granny Smith tiredly rubbed her muzzle. “That makes one of us,” she grumbled.

“So, can we make that Zap Apple Cider now?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Ain’t ya s’posed ta be in school today?” Granny Smith asked in response.

“Ah jus’ got back,” Apple Bloom replied. She hopped onto the floor and turned back up to her grandmother with wide, pleading eyes. “So, can we make it now, huh?”

Granny Smith stood up. “Make what now?” she asked, taking a moment to stretch.

“You know, the Zap Apple Cider,” Apple Bloom answered. “Sol Do said she’d like ta try some, an’ Ah do too!”

“Right, Ah remember now.” Granny Smith finished popping her joints into place and softly patted the filly’s head. “And sorry, litte’un, but yer much too young ta stomach Zap Apple Cider.”

“What— aw, no fair!” Apple Bloom whined in response, pouting her lip.

“Cool yer caboose, Bloom, Ah never said y’all couldn’t help me make it.” Granny Smith pointed toward the basement cellar. "Fetch me a barrel o’ the stuff an’ we’ll get started, alright?”

Apple Bloom beamed again. “Yes ma’am!” She shot off toward the cellar door, quickly disappearing inside, and reappearing a few minutes later with the same barrel of unfermented Zap Apple Cider she brought up the previous day.

“Alright, what do we do now?” she asked, bouncing with excitement.

How does she have so much energy after lugging that thing up the stairs? Granny wondered before replying.

“Patience now, youngster.” She stepped forward and placed a hoof on Apple Bloom’s withers, calming her down, and gave the filly a sharp gaze. “Like Zap Apple Jam, makin’ Cider means followin’ a specific process to the letter, no exceptions.” She increased the intensity of her gaze. “Are ya willin’ to follow through with it, whippersnapper?”

“You betcha!”

“Then let’s make some Zap Apple Cider fer pete’s sake!”

“Ah can’t wait!” Apple Bloom cheered.

“Can’t wait fer what?”

“Ta make the Zap Apple Cider!”

Granny Smith looked confused. “We’re makin’ Zap Apple Cider?”

Apple Bloom looked shocked at her grandmother. “But-bu-”

Granny Smith chuckled. “Ah’m just kiddin’ around, young’un.” She ruffled Apple Bloom’s mane.

Apple Bloom weakly chuckled. “Good one, Granny.”

“Darn tootin’,” Granny Smith said. “Ah ain’t that old.” She began marching toward the front door. “Now let’s get ta makin’ that Cider!”

Apple Bloom nodded, and followed behind her while rolling the barrel along with her muzzle.

Titanic Inbound

Sol Do, Big Macintosh, Rarity, and Applejack set off for the gem-laden dirt plains outside of Ponyville after breakfast, the orange mare deciding to tag along to ‘help in case the diamond dogs showed up’, but it was clear to Sol Do that Applejack was still distrustful of her, a fact that made itself all the more clear along their walk.

Sol Do and Big Macintosh pulled the wagon they would use to gather their acquired gems, while Applejack and Rarity walked alongside their respective relatives. Every other second, Applejack would shoot Sol Do a suspicious glance, which the miner would politely ignore. Meanwhile, Sol Do would occasionally shoot a sultry smile to Big Macintosh, further infuriating Applejack. While Big Mac seemed more or less clueless to this silent activity, or at least didn’t react to it, Rarity resolved to talk with Applejack as soon as they reached their destination.

The sun indicated it was about mid-morning when the quartet crested a small hill which overlooked the rocky lands containing more gems than could be accounted for. No sign of the diamond dogs could be seen, which helped put Rarity somewhat at ease.

Sol Do inhaled deeply through her nostrils, then exhaled in content. “Nothin’ quite like the smell of dry dirt in the mornin’,” she said.

Rarity looked aside to her cousin, confused. “Pardon me, but how do you smell dry dirt?”

“Spend a few months diggin’ in a mine and you’ll see.” Sol Do unhitched herself from the wagon before levitating her pogo-axe out. “Well then, shall we?”

“You and Big Macintosh go on ahead,” Rarity said, earning a confused, and slightly horrified gaze from Applejack, which she returned with one of conviction. “I’d like to speak with Applejack in private for a while.”

Sol Do beamed in response. “If you say so.” She turned to Big Mac. “C’mon, let’s go find us a big lunker of a diamond!”

With a smile and nod, Big Mac unhitched himself from the wagon and grabbed a shovel from the wagon. Applejack watched as they descended the hill, suspicion plainly evident in her features, before turning to Rarity with a hardened gaze. “What’cha need, Rare?’

“Listen, Applejack, while we may not be particularly in favor of my cousin and your brother becoming an item, that doesn't mean we should treat the prospect with open hostility.” A soft smile crossed her muzzle. “I truly believe it won’t happen in the end, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be happy for Sol Do.”

“That ain't what has me so riled up.” Applejack shook her head. “It’s only natural ta be leery of a pony who uses death threats on anythin' that don’t follow their orders.”

“Death threats, what are you⋯ oh, the gopher from the other day.” Rarity narrowed her eyes. “Far be it from my cousin to actually follow through with such a course of action. I’m appalled you would even consider Sol Do is capable of doing such a thing.”

Applejack threw her fore hooves up exasperatedly. “Well, what am Ah s’posed ta think?”

“Maybe trust that my cousin isn’t a psychopathic criminal?” Rarity quirked an eyebrow, regarding her friend with an expression of accusatory curiosity. “You don’t think my family is full of nutcases, do you?”

Applejack relaxed her body as a small blush crept across her features as she looked downcast. Rarity sighed and laid a hoof over her friend’s withers. “Listen, Applejack, I understand if you’re concerned for your brother’s well-being, but the notion that my cousin will turn aggressive to make him her special somepony is absurd. Sol Do may be determined, but she does have limits.”

Applejack took a few moments to respond. “Yeah, I guess yer right,” she said, apologetically. “Sorry for acting so rotten.”

“You should apologize to Sol Do,” Rarity stated.

“Yeah, I guess.” Applejack turned down the hill. “Better do that now, Ah reckon.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that now, darling.” Rarity smiled. “Right now, let’s at least give Sol Do a chance to win your brother’s heart.”

“Fine then, but Ah’m still gonna keep a close watch on the two of ‘em.”

“As will I, whenever I’m not looking at all the new gems we find, that is.”

Applejack laughed at that, and the two of them set off down the hill to join their relatives.

“Remind me why we had to leave the Zap Apple Cider fur-man-tin’ all night?” Apple Bloom asked, staring at the boiling cauldron over the outdoor firepit in mixed awe and curiosity.

“Is yer memory goin' south too, young’un?” Granny Smith replied jokingly, lightly bopping the filly on the head with the branch she was holding. “It takes a while ta properly ferment even regular Apple Cider, longer still for the Zap Apple kind.”

“Well, when’s it gonna be ready?”

“Maybe by tomorrow afternoon, but only if we keep this ‘ere fire goin’ strong.” Granny Smith turned to her granddaughter. “Speaking of which, how’s about ya fetch some more wood?”

Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion. “What about that branch yer holdin’?”

“Oh no, we need it later on.”

“Really? What for?”

“Questions, questions, questions, that’s all I get from you young’uns.” Granny Smith tsked and shook her head. “What have I been telling y’all ‘bout patience?”

Apple Bloom scrunched her face up in thought for a moment. “We need more of it?”

“Good to see yer memory ain’t failin’ after all.” Granny Smith chuckled. “Now go get some more firewood, and be quick about it!”

Apple Bloom smiled. “Sure thing, ma’am!” she said, and ran off.

“Are y’all sure you’ve never been gem-diggin’ before?” Sol Do asked Big Mac, striking her pogo-axe into the dry, cracked dirt. “‘Cause you’re doin' a very splendid job at it.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac answered, giving his shovel a good shove into the ground. He scooped out a large section of dirt and piled it atop an already monstrous pile of dirt and rocks, next to which sat a small pile of gems of various colors and rarities. “Never been one ta bother with gems, but diggin’s somethin’ Ah can do well.”

“Mmm, I don’t doubt it.” Sol Do licked her lips at the sight of Big Mac’s strong, muscular body not more than a meter away, feeling her belly start to tingle with excitement. Don’t lose yourself Sol, take it slow and steady, and keep up the small talk.

“Sooo⋯” Sol Do briefly trailed off while trying to think of something else to say. Her gaze wandered before settling on her cousin and Applejack some distance away, also working together to locate and dig up gems. “⋯What do you think of your sister?’

Big Mac looked to her with a confused frown. “Beg yer pardon?’

“I mean, what do you think of them bein’ heroes an’ all?”

“Oh! Well, Ah’m mighty proud’a my little sister,” Big Mac replied, a fittingly proud air to his words. “Can’t say Ah would’a ever thought she’d be a hero, though, but she’s stubborn enough that it makes sense.”

Sol Do nodded. “When I first heard about Nightmare Moon’s return, and how Rarity and her friends stopped her, I was beyond shocked. I never would've thought Rarity would put her life on the line, no matter the stakes, so to hear that she helped stop the coming of eternal night left my mind reeling for days afterward.”

“Mine too.” Big Mac scooped another shovelful of dirt into the pile. “What about you?” he asked. “How do y’all feel ‘bout Rarity bein’ a hero?”

Sol Do paused her striking for a moment, pursing her lips, before letting out a long-winded breath and turning to face him. “Can y’all promise not to tell anyone my answer?”

Big Mac nodded once. “Eeyup.”

Sol Do looked downcast as she resumed striking at the ground, but her hits were noticeably weaker. “To be perfectly honest, Ah’m a might bit jealous of her.”

Big Mac cocked his head. “Jealous?”

Sol Do sighed in exasperation. “Those mares are still a very hot topic back in Hiddenite, even more so after the DELOS incident. Every other day I overhear a conversation about ‘those brave mares’ or ‘the valiant Elements’ and even ‘I wish I could be a hero like Twilight’. It really gets tiring after a while, but what makes it especially bothersome is how some ponies will come up to me asking to get in contact with Rarity. Of course I tell them to skedaddle, but only because I figured she was getting enough attention already.”

A frown creased her lips, and Sol Do ceased striking, leaving the tool suspended in her magic. “But from what I’ve seen during my time here, she hasn’t, nor have any of her friends or your sister.” She slumped a bit, her features becoming withered. “And here I thought Rarity would have her own personal harem of buff stallions when I greeted her at the train station.”

Big Mac failed to hold back a snort of amusement. “Did you really!?”

Sol Do looked up to him with a small smile. “Something to that effect, at least.”

Big Mac laughed and shook his head. “No, they ain’t got anythin’ of the sort, but there was a pretty big celebration in their honor after they returned from defeatin’ Nightmare Moon.” He shrugged. “They did hound my sister an’ her friends fer a while afterward, but now everypony’s kinda just gotten used ta havin’ them around.”

“Good for them, I suppose.” Sol Do resumed striking the ground. She carved out a large section of dirt and used her magic to dig it out. She resumed talking while sorting through the dirt for gems. “Getting back to my question, what do you think of them? I would assume you’re not jealous like I am?”

“Ah ain’t jealous,” Big Mac confirmed, smiling large. “Like Ah said, I’m mighty proud to be able ta say my little sister is a hero.”

“And you never feel undercut because of that?” Sol Do picked out a sparkling blue gem from the dirt load and set it down beside her. “I can’t imagine you’re any less qualified to be a Bearer of Harmony than your sister.”

“Ah’m sure I could’a been just as good of an Element Bearer as Applejack,” Big Mac replied. He took a moment to dig up another load of dirt. “All that matters is Equestria was saved, an’ Ah’m fine with not bein’ a part of it.” He gave her a frown. “Do y’all feel undercut?”

Sol Do set aside another gem, shrugging. “A little bit.”

“Well, Ah can’t change how ya feel, but I’ll tell ya one thing; deeds of heroism are what get y’all remembered, true, but don’t think y’all have ta save Equestria from eternal night to be a hero. There’s all kinds of things a pony can do that’d be considered heroic, even if it’s something as simple as being a good person to those around them.” He smiled again. “Ah know for a fact that yer that much from what little time we’ve spent together. Yer a hero to me, Sol Do.”

Sol Do went rigid in response to those last words. Her heart went aflutter and a small blush crept across her cheeks, which she quickly realized would stand out prominently against her white coat and turned away from Big Mac.

“Hey, Sol Do?” Big Mac said, frowning again. “Are y’all okay?”

“I-I’m fine, Big Mac,” she replied. Oh my gosh, he really just said that! “Just⋯give me a second to⋯to⋯” C’mon, think up an excuse! “⋯Wait, where’d my gems go!?”

Big Mac trotted up alongside her. Looking over her shoulder, he saw that, indeed, the gems she’d already found were missing. In their place, to his horror, was a small hole.

“It’s the diamond dogs,” Big Mac whispered. “They’re here.”

“Really?” Sol Do’s blush disappeared, replaced by an astonished expression. “Wait, what about your—” She turned around, only to stop upon seeing Big Mac’s pile of gems had disappeared as well, replaced by another, even bigger, hole. “Sonuva—!”

“Let go you brutes!”

Sol Do and Big Mac turned to see their relatives engaged in a struggle over their amassed gem horde with a couple of diamond dogs. Both sides pulled at the wagon with great force, neither willing to surrender, but the advantage of having more dexterous paws instead of hooves saw to it that the canines were slowly winning the impromptu tug-of-war. Nevertheless, Applejack and Rarity refused to give up, holding determined expressions along with the wagon.

“Hang on y’all!” Sol Do called. Levitating her pogo-axe alongside herself, she shot off toward them. “Imma comin’!”

She’d only made it halfway when she suddenly tripped, falling flat on her face and receiving a bloody muzzle as a consequence. She quickly shook herself off and glanced back to find a canine paw coming out of the ground and grabbing her fetlock. The dirt around it rose up and fell away as the dog it belonged to stood up, looking down at her with a sinister grin.

“You’ll make a great worker for us!” it said in a scratchy voice.

Sol Do didn't reply, instead choosing to levitate her pogo-axe around to attempt to hook around the canine’s neck. Her effort proved unsuccessful, for the mutt grabbed it out of the air with his free paw before it could connect with his neck. With a firm jolt, he slammed it into the ground between them, wedging it well and good into a crack in a show of great strength.

Sol Do gulped in response, but continued to struggle to break free regardless. The Dog didn't let up, keeping his strong hold on her, almost effortlessly. He sniggered in glee, and moved to drag her into the ground when a tall shadow fell across him, to which he spun around in shock. The last thing he saw before unconsciousness took hold was a brief flash of red and orange.

“Are y’all okay Sol Do?” Big Mac asked, reaching a hoof down to help her up.

“Y-Yeah, I’m okay,” she stuttered, accepting his hoof and righting herself. She pulled her pogo-axe out of the ground and brought it to her side. “Thanks a bunch fer savin’ me.”

“No problem,” he replied with a smile. “Now let’s help out Rares and my sister.”

Sol Do was about to agree, but paused as a sudden thought came to her mind. An eager smile stretched over her muzzle as she realized she now had another chance to impress Big Macintosh.

“Y’all just leave it ta me!” she said with great enthusiasm.

Big Mac watched with confusion as Sol Do stepped onto her pogo-axe and turned to face the remaining two diamond dogs. Sol Do’s eager smile turned mischievous as she picked up some momentum and began bouncing her way across the ground toward them, Big Mac remaining speechless all the while, merely watching with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

Meanwhile, Rarity, Applejack, and the dogs were too busy pulling with declining strength to notice Sol Do approaching.

“Why can’t you uncouth ruffians just get your own gems?” Rarity said in between grunts of exertion. “There’s enough here for all of us!”

“Gems belong to dog packs,” one of the canines answered, straining to keep his paws firmly secured on the wagon. “Only dog packs may keep gems.”

“Quit bein’ greedy hogs and go away for goodness sake!” Applejack yelled.

“Never!” the dogs replied in unison.

“Ah beg ta differ!”

Before anyone could so much as locate the voice’s origin, the dog straight across from Applejack suddenly let go of the wagon in response to Sol Do’s Pogo-axe slamming on his head from above. The dog fell to the ground, rasping at the sharp pain lancing through his head, while the other dog fell forward on his stomach, his lone strength outmatched by the two mares as they pulled the wagon away from him.

Sol Do bounced off the first dog’s head and landed next to Rarity and Applejack with a series of soft bounces, eventually coming to a stop and retracting her Pogo-axe. “Are y’all okay?” she asked them.

“Yeah, Ah’m good,” Applejack answered, panting lightly.

“And I as well,” Rarity followed, panting heavily.

Sol Do nodded her affirmative, then turned to the last conscious diamond dog as he rose to his feet. “Y’all wanna go another round?’ she asked cockily, twirling her pogo-axe around with her magic.

The Dog shook his head frantically. “No, no, we’ll leave,” he said.

“Good ta hear,” Sol Do replied. She waved a hoof dismissively. “Now skedaddle.”

“Yes ma’am!” The dog quickly dived back into the hole, but resurfaced a few moments later with a sheepish smile. “Could you um, help with my—”

“Already on it,” Big Macintosh said as he approached. Draped across his back was the dog that he’d knocked unconscious earlier. He stepped up to the hole and gently lowered the unconscious canine to his friend, who let him slide down the hole without so much as touching him. A distant thud was heard a moment later down the hole.

“Y’all better think twice ‘fore pullin’ something like this again,” Sol Do said as she levitated the remaining dog to the hole. It too fell down without any help from its brethren. “Am Ah makin’ myself clear, now?”

The dog nodded, its expression comparable to that of a foal caught making mischief by their parents.

“Good, we’ll be on our way as well.” Sol Do turned and walked up to the wagon. Hitching it to herself, she called back to the others, “C’mon now, y’all, Ah think we’ve got enough fer today, don’t ‘cha think!?”

The other three ponies shared a glance before following after Sol Do, giving the dog a few over-the-shoulder glares as they caught up to her.

“Thanks for helping us, Sol Do,” Rarity said, giving her cousin an earnest smile.

“Don’t mention it, cuz,” Sol Do replied, returning her smile. “But Ah wouldn’t’ve been able to if’n Big Mac didn’t save me.” She turned to him with a thankful, yet sultry expression. “Y’all walloped him real good.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed. “No canine varmints are gonna foalnap any of my friends while Ah’m around.”

So he considers me a friend, huh? Sol Do nodded slightly in affirmation of her progress. Good, now to further my objective.

“Yer brother’s a real dependable stallion, AJ,” she said, turning to Applejack. The orange mare regarded her with an expression of disinterest, which Sol Do returned with one of cheekiness. “Does that run in the family, or is he just special like that?”

Applejack’s lips curled up into a smile. “Wouldn’t you like ta know?” she teased.

“I would, indeed,” Sol Do replied, complimenting her cheeky expression with a quirked eyebrow. “In fact—” She returned her gaze to Big Macintosh, her cheeky grin changing to a friendly smile, “—why don’t we spend some more time together, just the two of us? I had a grand time today with you, and I’d be perfectly happy to join you for whatever activities that you may appreciate my company.”

Big Mac regarded her with a blank expression for a moment, followed by a friendly smile of his own. “That depends; are y’all up fer more chores?”

“Indeed I am,” Sol Do replied, while thinking to herself, Well, nopony ever said courting was easy.

“Good, cause Ah’ve got an order ta deliver to a Cajun swamp village a ways from Ponyville, and it’s nestled in what’s probably the only place that can rival the Everfree for the most hazardous section of land in Equestria. After seein’ ya take out them dogs, Ah think y’all would make a pretty decent bodyguard.”

Sol Do’s eyes lit up as she struggled to contain an excited yelp. Her heartbeat began hammering in her chest, and her mind went abuzz with all the possibilities if this would entail them being alone together.

“Why, I’d be honored to act as your bodyguard,” she drawled out after a momentary silence.

“Good ta hear,” Big Mac said.

A flutter in her heart, Sol Do turned to Applejack, surprised the orange mare hadn’t reacted to her brother’s offer. “No objection from you?” she whispered to her, cocking an eyebrow.

Applejack looked downcast before whispering back, “Ah’m mighty sorry, Sol Do.”

Sol Do cocked her other brow. “Pardon?”

Applejack sighed and turned to her brother and Rarity. “You two go on ahead, I wanna talk with Sol Do privately for a bit.”

Rarity and Big Mac nodded, the former winking at Applejack, before continuing toward Ponyville.

Sol Do gave Applejack a curious stare. “Y’all seem a might bit different in yer approach this time, Applejack,” she mused.

“That’s because Ah wanna apologize for how I’ve been treatin’ ya.” Applejack looked downcast again. “Ah treated y’all pretty bad over the past few days, which was wrong through and through, ‘specially since you’re related to Rarity.” She gave Sol Do a pleading stare. “Can y’all forgive me?”

Sol Do was taken aback by the unexpected apology, evidenced by the surprised expression she wore in response. She let Applejack’s words sink in before replying with a confused, “What made y’all change yer mind?”

Applejack gave a small smile. “Rarity,” she answered.

Sol Do tilted her head. “What’d she do?”

“She gave me a right proper talkin’ to is what she did,” Applejack said with a snort.

“Well, that’s all well and good, and I forgive you,” Sol Do replied.

“Thanks,” Applejack said, relief evident in her tone.

“But why’ve ya been so vehemently against my crush on yer brother.” Sol Do resumed her curious stare. “Bein’ protective is one thing, but y’all’ve been acting like Ah’m a crazed lunatic straight out of an insane asylum or somethin’.”

A sheepish grin formed over Applejack’s muzzle and she chuckled softly. Sol Do merely frowned at the reaction before rolling her eyes.

“Well, no matter,” she said, and resumed walking. Applejack followed alongside, keeping a few paces of distance between them out of respect. “Long as yer done treatin' me like a crook, we’ll get along jus' fine from here on out.”

“Ah don’t plan on doing so anymore,” Applejack said. “In return, can Ah just get some reassurance from ya that you’ll drop this crush stuff if’n my brother ain’t interested?”

“Sure, sure, I’ll drop it,” Sol Do promised, then flashed Applejack a shit-eating grin. “But don’t expect me to give it merely one hundred percent. Oh no, I’ll be operating at three hundred percent romantic capacity by the time I finally throw in the towel. Mark. My. Words.” And with that, she turned ahead.

Applejack had to physically shake herself to break from the stupor Sol Do’s words put her into.

Are all the mares in Rarity’s family this plum stir crazy!? she wondered, feeling a discomforting dread creep upon her. As she crested a hill which overlooked Ponyville, the rest of the group having begun their descent down, a sudden, frightening thought crossed her mind, making her shudder. And ta think, she’s gonna buy a second house here.

"It's gonna hit!"

“Hoowee, y’all sure weren’t kiddin’ ‘bout this place bein’ downright deadly!” Sol Do exclaimed, eyeing the surrounding swampland, wide-eyed with shock.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied, shifting the straw in his mouth. He glanced over at Sol Do with a raised brow. “Y’all got yer boots strapped on nice an’ tight?”

Sol Do lifted her legs up one by one for him to see, each one covered by a black, flame-retardant boot. “Y’all wanna check an’ see fer yourself?” she asked, her eyes going half-lidded.

“Nah, Ah trust ya,” Big Mac replied with a smile. “Now let’s get goin’.”

The two set off into the swamp, Big Macintosh pulling the delivery cart while Sol Do kept to his side, twirling her pogo-axe in her magic and keeping her eyes peeled for danger.

To Sol Do, the swamp looked like something from an end-of-world scenario. Every tree in sight was either dead or twisted and dead, with branches that looked ready to reach out and grab her. The whole environment was tinted a burnt orange, a direct result of all the fire geysers strewn throughout the swamp. The scent of burning peat kept invading Sol Do’s nostrils as she walked, eventually forcing her to limp along at a three-legged gait while she held a fore leg over her muzzle in disgust, bringing her to the same speed as Big Mac, who kept his gaze straight ahead while only occasionally sparing Sol Do an aside glance to make sure she was alright. He smiled cheekily upon noticing her discomfort.

“This place…” Sol Do trailed off. She turned to Big Mac, who quickly cast his eyes upward to look innocent. “How many times did you have to go through here to get used to the smell?”

“Never bothered ta count,” Big Mac replied with a shrug. “But yeah, it was a lot.”

“If only I was as used to it as you…” Sol Do briefly trailed off before lifting her hoof away from her muzzle. The swamp’s awful smell immediately assaulted her nostrils, but she resisted the temptation to cover her muzzle again. She took a deep breath, the horrid swamp air making her gag slightly, and held her mouth closed. You can get through this, Sol Do, just be diligent and it’ll all come to pass before you know it.

The two followed the designated path for about an hour. Every now and then a fire geyser spewed up nearby their position, including one instance where it came right underneath Sol Do’s hind legs, startling her and making her drop her pogo-axe.

“Are y’all okay!?” Big Mac said with worry.

“Y-Yeah, I-I-I’m fine,” Sol Do stuttered. Her entire body trembled while the sudden burst of adrenaline subsided, and she let out a long-winded sigh before picking her pogo-axe back up. “Just a little spooked is all.”

Big Mac took a moment to inspect Sol Do’s person for burns. Finding none, he gave her an appreciative smile. “Good thing y’all were wearin’ them boots, otherwise you’d have been burned to a crisp,” he said.

“Yeah, thanks fer givin’ them ta me,” Sol Do said with a blush before they resumed their journey.

The farther they traveled into the swamp, the more Sol Do became increasingly curious and concerned about one particular detail about their surroundings. Namely, how they hadn’t seen a single form of fauna all throughout their journey. Granted, she couldn’t think of anything that would want to live in such a foul swamp, but she still found it strange that they hadn’t seen a single animal, even dangerous ones like a timberwolf or a manticore, creatures she would’ve expected to see in such a foreboding place.

“Big Mac?” she said suddenly.

He turned to her. “Yes?”

“In all the times you’ve come through here, did y’all ever see any wildlife?” Sol Do looked all around them. “Cause Ah haven’t seen a single critter since we entered, and, quite frankly, it’s a little… no, it’s very unsettling.”

Big Mac looked up in thought. “...Ya know, come ta think of it, Ah don’t recall ever seein’ any critters here,” he said, then looked on either side of them, as well as behind, before giving Sol Do a curious stare. “Y’all think that means somethin’?”

“I’ve heard that smaller animals will vacate an area in which bigger predators are known to hunt.” Sol Do looked worriedly around them while subconsciously holding her pogo-axe up a bit higher. “I don’t know what kind of animal might live in such a wretched place, but it’s still unnerving that we haven’t seen even a small trace of other wildlife...” Her eyes roamed their surroundings, attempting to pick out any oddities amongst the nightmarish landscape that could indicate a predator’s presence. “...You don’t think we’re being stalked, do you Big Mac?”

Big Mac opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted when a sudden, faint noise reached their ears, which perked up in response.

“What was that?” Big Mac asked, suddenly alarmed.

“I don’t know,” Sol Do replied with a shake of her head, eyes wide with fear. “And, maybe it’s just my paranoia speaking, but did it sound like someone... whispering?”

“They’re on to us!”

Both ponies jumped at the sudden exclamation from behind them. They whirled around in a flash, and what they saw made their eyes shrink to pinpricks. Emerging from a brush they’d passed only a few seconds ago, was a creature that both ponies could only describe as being unnatural. It was made up of three distinctly different animal bodies: a tiger, a goat, and a snake, all mish-mashed together in a textbook display of asymmetry. The former two made up the main body, while the snake was a very literal tail that curled around to join the other two in staring at the two ponies with hungry, predatory eyes as the tri-beast ripped through the brush with its front tiger claws.

“What the hay is that thing?” Sol Do whispered to Big Mac through her mouth’s corner once she snapped back to her senses.

“Don’t know,” he whispered back, then gulped. “But whatever it is, it don’t look like it’s hungry fer apple pie.”

The hybrid creature stopped within a few yards’ length of them, switching their three separate gazes between the two ponies, sizing them up. They paid particular attention to Sol Do’s pogo-axe, but they seemed more curious about it than actually concerned. Sol Do and Big Mac could only tense under their collective gaze, the hairs on their necks standing up with fright.

“I’d stay where you are,” the tiger head finally said. “This is the only safe spot around here.”

Sol Do and Big Mac gave each other an aside glance before briefly looking around at the nightmarish swampland surrounding them. A slight tinge of confusion mixed with their fright at the monster’s words.

“How is this spot safe?” Sol Do managed to croak out.

“Oh, we just mean from the flames,” the tiger head clarified, giving her a smug, toothy grin.

“Yeah, not from us,” the goat head added with its own grin.

“Better ussss than the flamessss,” the snake tail put in, narrowing its eyes at the two ponies.

“Well, we’re good against the flames,” Sol Do said with an uneasy smile as she wiggled one of her boot-clad hooves for emphasis. “A-And we’re just passin’ through ta make a delivery, so we’ll be gone ‘fore ya know it.” She took a few hesitant steps backward, to which Big Mac followed, an uneasy smile creasing his own muzzle. The cart dragged along with him, becoming an obstacle between them and the monster. “Really, there’s no need fer trouble. Right?”

Her words proved fruitless as the monster began following them, heads low and teeth bared as low growls emanated from the tiger and goat heads and a soft hiss from the snake tail.

“We haven’t eaten in days,” the tiger head growled.

“We’ll eat anything,” the goat head added. “That much we agree on.”

“We’ve never tassssted pony hide before,” the snake tail finished. “But it ssssoundssss delicioussss.”

Sol Do and Big Mac gulped in unison as they increased their backward pace. The monster just picked up its own pace in response, the look of hunger in each pair of its eyes growing more pronounced and terrifying to the ponies.

“Y’all think ya can take it on?” Big Mac whispered to Sol Do.

“No, quite frankly, I do not think that I can take it on,” she replied with frightened conviction. “Taking on a diamond dog is one thing, but taking on a hybrid freak of nature as big as that thing is above my limits.” Sol Do briefed a glance behind her to make sure they weren’t backing into an obstacle. Seeing none, she turned to Big Mac. “Here’s an idea; give them the pies.”

Big Mac turned to her with a befuddled expression. “Pardon?”

“You heard me, give them the pies.” Sol Do glanced at the cart separating them from the hybrid creature. “They said they’re hungry enough that they’ll eat anything; better the pies than us.”

Big Mac briefly stared at her before looking at the cart with a forlorn gaze. Sol Do noticed his eyes slightly water up before he scrunched them closed, a look of distress coming over his face. Knowing how much the Apple family prided itself in being dependable providers, Sol Do stopped and laid a comforting hoof on his withers. Big Mac stopped as well and turned to regard her with a look akin to that of somepony attending a loved one’s funeral. Sol Do gave him a sympathetic smile before turning to the monster with a resolute gaze.

“If y’all are so hungry,” she said, trying her best to sound confident despite the fear coursing through her veins, “why don’t ya help yourself to the delicious apple pies in there.” She gestured with her head to the cart.

The monster’s three parts stopped and stared blankly for a moment before turning to give the cart a scrutinizing gaze.

“Apple… pies?” the tiger half intoned.

“We’ve never heard of those,” the goat half followed up.

“Are they delicioussss?” the snake tail finished.

“Oh, are they ever!” Sol Do exclaimed, proceeding toward the cart. “The Apple family, of which that dashing stallion belongs to—” she gestured with her head to Big Mac while giving him a wink which the stallion could only smile nervously at, “—makes the best Apple foods in all of Equestria. If’n ya love apples, then you’ll definitely love anythin’ and everythin’ that comes outta their kitchen.” She clutched the cloth wrapped over the cart with her teeth and pulled it off with a few good tugs, revealing the white boxes carrying Apple family apple pies stacked underneath. She then set down her pogo-axe, freeing her magic to levitate one of the boxes over to the monster, and opened it.

All three of the monster’s heads crowded around to look at the warm pastry placed inside. The pie’s scent was quick to invade their nostrils, and their eyes widened in response to its savory aroma. Their tongues fell out almost comically, little bits of saliva running out and dropping to the ground.

“That smell...” the tiger head drawled.

“So good…” the goat head followed.

“Musssst have…” the snake tail hissed.

“Help yourselves,” Big Mac said with a sigh as he unhitched the cart from himself.

What followed was a cacophony of shredded cardboard, vicious chomps, and arguing as the three parts tore the box apart and fought to claim the apple pie within for themselves. Cardboard scraps, crust pieces, and apple bits flew everywhere as their ravenous assault saw to the pie’s demise in less than five seconds.

“Mmm-mmm! That was delicious!” the tiger head said, licking its lips clean.

“I concur,” the goat head followed with a brilliant gleam in its eyes.

“Quit talking!” the snake tail shouted. “There’ssss more piessss to devour!”

Sol Do and Big Mac leapt aside as the monster jumped atop the cart and resumed its assault on the remaining pies it contained. With the monster’s attention fully on the pies, the ponies took off running back the way they’d come, sparing a few glances back in case the monster began chasing them.

They continued running all the way out of the swamp, coming out onto a beautiful green pasture overlooking the east side of Ponyville. Sweet Apple Acres could be seen in the distance, just over a few hills at the end of a dirt path leading to Ponyville. The distant figures of Apple Bloom and Granny Smith with a thin wisp of smoke rising from a pot in between them could be seen next to the barn. Both ponies briefly paused to catch their breath upon crossing the border, after which Sol Do glanced back into the swamp, feeling relieved upon seeing nothing was following them.

“I think we’re safe now,” she said, only to get no reply. Turning to him, Sol Do frowned at the despair in Big Mac’s features as he looked sullenly at the ground. She placed a comforting hoof on his withers and gave him a sympathetic gaze. “I’m sorry about the pies, Big Mac.”

Big Mac said nothing as he looked up at the distant form of his family’s property with a sad gleam in his eyes. Sol Do noticed this, and upon realizing what he was thinking, stepped in front of him so he could see the sympathy in her own eyes. She lifted a hoof to caress his cheek, giving it a light stroke as she continued speaking.

“I’m terribly sorry I couldn’t get us safely through. When I agreed to be your bodyguard, I hadn’t thought I’d actually need to fight something, but I was prepared to nonetheless should the need arise.” Letting out a heavy sigh, she cast her gaze downward. “That is, assuming whatever we encountered wasn’t the size of a wagon, or had three heads. I wish I could say taking on creatures that big are within my capability to fight, but I know my limits, and such creatures aren’t included in them.”

Big Mac looked down at her just as Sol Do finished. “I really am sorry Big Mac, and I hope you’ll believe me when I say I want to make it up to you.”

A few moments of silence passed between them, during which time Sol Do couldn’t bring herself to look up out of uncertainty as to Big Mac’s reaction. Only when she felt a hoof on her withers did she look up to see him giving her a soft smile, making Sol Do blush slightly and look aside in response.

“Let’s just get back and break the news to my family,” he said plainly. “If’n y’all wanna make it up ta me, you can start by helpin’ me with that at least.”

A quick nod of affirmation from Sol Do and the two set off toward Sweet Apple Acres.

“So, Granny Smith, are we almost done?” Apple Bloom said, looking into the boiling cauldron with a curious, yet excited gaze.

“Cool yer caboose, whipper-snapper!” Granny Smith said, nudging her granddaughter away from the cauldron. “We’ve still gotta stir the darned thing ‘fore servin’ it!”

“Oh yeah, can I do that part?”

“Course ya can!” Granny Smith said gleefully. “Long as ya don’t mind usin’ a timberwolf’s femur ta do it!”

Apple Bloom bounced. “You betcha Ah ca—wait, what’s a ‘fee-mur’?”

Granny Smith chuckled and gave her the branch she was holding. “Never you mind that, young’un. Jus’ stir the pot in spirals while singin’ “The Apple Tree’s Shadow” to it.”

Apple Bloom stared blankly for a moment before shrugging and taking the branch in her mouth. She walked up to the pot and dipped the branch inside, then began stirring exactly as Granny Smith had instructed. She quickly noticed that everywhere the branch went, the cider surrounding it would turn a sparkling shade of dark green.

Zap apples are weird, she mused internally.

“Hey y’all!”

Granny Smith and Apple Bloom turned to see Applejack heading their way from the front gate, pulling an empty cart behind her.

“Hey'a shere zis!” Apple Bloom called around the branch. Setting it aside the pot for a second, she followed up with, “Back from the market already!?”

“Uh-huh!” Applejack called back. “An’ boy howdy, the townsfolk sure were eager ta buy our apples today!”

“Land’s sakes Applejack!” Granny Smith called. “Didja sell off every single apple in stock!?”

“Ah sure did, Granny,” Applejack replied. She walked over to the barn’s side and unhitched the cart before heading over to her family while carrying a small, bulging manilla sack in her mouth, soft jingling sounds emanating from it all the while. She dropped the sack at Granny’s hooves, freeing her mouth for a smug grin. “Easy as apple pie, it was.”

“You young’uns and yer egos,” Granny Smith said, giving Applejack a playful nudge with her hoof. “Well, all’s good s’long as ya made the bits fair and square.”

“Don’t worry, I did,” Applejack replied, then glanced around the farm a few times. “So, Big Mac an’ Sol Do back yet?”

“Nope, they ain’t back yet,” Granny Smith said as she reached down to grab the bit sack with her teeth, “but my gut says they’ll be back soon.” She was about to clutch the sack when a slight movement in the distance caught her attention. Squinting to see it better, she smiled. “Good ta know my gut ain’t failin’ me yet.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow as she turned around, only for her face to light upon seeing the distant forms of her older brother and Rarity’s cousin following the dirt path toward the farm. Their cart was empty, as expected, but as they grew closer Applejack noticed saddened expressions on their faces, and their descent seemed to grow increasingly sluggish, almost even hesitant, to Applejack’s eyes.

Granny Smith noticed this too. “Wonder what’s eatin’ them?” she whispered to Applejack.

“Ah don’t know, Granny,” Applejack replied, shaking her head. “But we’ll know in a minute, I guess.”

They watched as Sol Do and Big Mac finished descending the hill and approached the gate, Sol Do opening it with her magic to let Big Mac through. He appeared to say ‘thanks’, but continued to hold his gloomy expression, as did she. They appeared to share another moment of discussion before trodding toward the barn, with Big Mac making a brief detour to drop off his cart alongside Applejack’s before re-joining Sol Do. Neither of them once met either Granny or Applejack’s gaze as they slowly, sullenly, approached them.

“Uh… are you two, like… okay?” Applejack asked, her rising sense of awkwardness mixed with concern for them making itself obvious in her tone.

They remained silent for a moment before Sol Do turned to Big Mac and asked him, “Y’all wanna let me spill it ta them?”, to which he simply nodded in response.

“Spill what to us?” Granny Smith asked, suspicion evident in her tone.

Sol Do gave Apple Bloom, who was still stirring the cauldron while singing the instructed song, a brief glance before beckoning Applejack and Granny Smith a bit farther away from the little filly. Once she was sure they were outside of Apple Bloom’s hearing range, Sol Do continued.

“I’m terribly sorry, both of you,” she said, looking between Granny and AJ, “but the truth is… we didn’t deliver the apple pies. Or, I should say, couldn’t deliver them.”

“‘Couldn’t’?” Applejack parroted, raising a curious brow. “Why not? An’ iff’n y’all didn’t deliver ‘em, where’d they go?”

“We ran into a monster in the swamp just before the village,” Sol Do explained. “Freakish thing, too. Part tiger, part goat and part snake, and each one could talk all on its own. They admitted to stalking us with the intent of making us their next meal. We only escaped by letting them have the pies instead.”

“Wait, seriously!?” Applejack said, eyes wide with shock as she turned to Big Macintosh. “Is that true, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup,” he replied with a sigh.

“Good gravy, ain’t never there been monsters in that swamp in all my years livin’ ‘round here,” Granny Smith said with as much amazement as could be conveyed in her brittle old voice, “much less freaky hybrid ones. Back in my day, monsters, no matter how weird they were, had the decency ta stick to one identity. What kind’a creature has three separate heads like that anyway!?”

Applejack tilted her head in thought. “... Ah think Twilight might’a said somethin’ about creatures made up of different animals bein’ called—what was it… chimeras?”

“Whatever they’re called, we had to feed it the pies to keep from being eaten ourselves.” Sol Do looked down with her eyes closed in a show of admittance as she continued. “Well, actually, it was my idea to give’em the pies. If either of you’s mad, don’t blame Big Mac for this. It was all my fault, honestly.”

All was silent for a few moments, broken only by Apple Bloom’s singing a few yards away. Sol Do could feel everyone else’s collective gaze on her, but didn’t know whether they were filled with anger or sympathy. She felt too ashamed to even look up and check. She’d been tasked with protecting not just Big Mac, but the pies as well along the journey, and failed out of cowardice. She knew that monster, or ’chimera’ if Applejack was correct, was beyond her capacity to fight, but the sting of failure hurt in spite of that truth.

Finally, Applejack broke the silence. “Sol Do, look at me, please.”

Hesitantly, she complied, and was relieved to see that Applejack looked none too pissed off at her. In fact, Sol Do thought she could see the beginning of a tear in Applejack’s eyes as she continued.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself fer losin’ the pies. Iff’n what y’all say is true, an’ Ah can tell that it is, I know I would’ve done the same thin’. Am I upset? Heck yeah, but not one bit at you. No siree, the only thing I’m mad at is that now Ah’ve gotta find a way to get across that swamp with both myself and them Cajun ponies’ order intact. But at least Ah made ‘nough bits today ta make up fer that loss.”

Applejack paused for a moment as she laid a hoof over Sol Do’s withers. “Ah don’t know if I can ever give ya enough thanks fer savin’ my brother, so I’ll just say it to ya straight.” A warm, genuine smile crossed her muzzle, and the tear in her eyes dropped to the ground. “Thank you for saving my brother, Sol Do.”

“Same here,” Granny Smith added as she joined in on the hug, followed by Big Mac.

Sol Do felt some mixed emotions swell up inside her in response. She felt excited that Big Mac was making physical contact with her, but also surprised and a little relieved that the Apple family held no ill will towards her for what happened. Another part of her still felt concerned for Applejack in response to her statement about making the trip through the swamp herself and facing down the chimera. In the end, she decided to return the hug with a smile, intentionally snuggling closer into Big Mac’s grip.

The hug lasted for a few moments before Apple Bloom’s voice called out to them.

“Hey'a, Granny Smith! What’s it mean when the cider’s givin’ off bolts like this!?”

Granny Smith pulled out of the hug and made way towards her granddaughter. “Sounds like it’s ready fer servin’, then!” she answered.

“What’s happenin’ now?” Sol Do asked.

“Y’all wanted a taste of Zap Apple Cider, remember, Miss Sol Do?” Apple Bloom asked, running up to her while Granny Smith inspected the pot. “Granny Smith an’ I’ve been makin’ some since the day before yesterday!”

“Oh yeah, I remember.” Sol Do gave the pot a cursory glance before turning to Big Macintosh. “How’s about another picnic, jus’ the two of us?” she asked, then gave him a challenging stare. “Think y’all can drink me under a table, big guy?”

Big Mac’s eyes widened with surprise for a moment at Sol Do’s sudden challenge before settling into a determined grin as he locked gazes with her, the air between them ripe with intensity.

“Eeyup,” he finally replied.

“Now hold on there you two,” Applejack said, stepping between them and giving Big Mac a furrowed gaze. “Y’all know our rule ‘bout drinkin’ Zap Apple Cider; sips only.”

“And why might that be?” Sol Do asked, puzzled.

“‘Cause this stuff’s stronger ‘n a pack of oxen buffed up on protein shakes!” Granny Smith said, looking up from the pot. She gestured for them to come over, which they did, Sol Do looking at the pot with a skeptical eye all the while. “How tolerant would ya say you are, Miss Do?”

Sol Do gave a dismissive wave. “Ah’ve drank more‘n I can remember without losin’ my head.” She peered into the pot, scrutinizing the boiling cider within, unmindful of the electric zaps arcing across the bubbly surface. “Ah’m pretty sure I can take this ‘ere cider like the tolerant mare that Ah am.”

“Suit yourself, young’un,” Granny Smith said with a shrug. “Don’t say Ah didn’t warn ya, though.”

Sol Do rolled her eyes. “Sure.” She turned to Big Mac. “So, ya down fer tonight? Maybe around seven o’clockish?”

Big Mac lowered himself so he was eye to eye with Sol Do, his challenging gaze never wavering. “Bring. It. On.”

Apple Bloom blinked, then whispered to Applejack. “Is this a normal thing fer grown-ups?”

Applejack sighed, letting a wistful smile, directed to no one in particular, stretch across her muzzle before replying, “Only among our friends ‘n family.”

The Inevitable Sinking

Dusk was rapidly approaching as Sol Do and Big Macintosh walked across the Apple orchard en route to a hill for their drinking picnic. Sol Do had decided to leave her pogo-axe back at Rarity’s boutique and instead used her magic to carry the picnic basket packed with two cider bottles, the clanging sounds of glass against glass they made being interspersed with small, barely perceptible electric zaps. Big Mac walked alongside her, carrying the picnic blanket on his back, in which a pair of rubber hoof mits was stuffed.

“My, the nighttime sky sure is lovely here in Ponyville,” Sol Do noted, gazing upwards in awe at the twinkling stars.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said, turning to look at her. “But don’t y’all see it back home?”

“The Cresentine mountains make that rather difficult,” Sol Do explained. She absently fell into step just behind Big Mac, to which he glanced back with an amused smile as she continued. “All the more reason I’m glad to be purchasing a second house here.”

“Ah suppose y’all are gonna be spendin’ more time ‘round the farm when that happens?” Big Mac inquired.

“Count on it, handsome,” Sol Do replied absentmindedly. She quickly realized what she’d said and nervously shot her gaze toward Big Mac, thankful upon seeing he wasn’t off-put by her statement. Mental note; keep a tighter lip.

The two continued on their trek through the orchard until they reached the hill. The sun was on the cusp of setting as they climbed up and settled down for their picnic. Sol Do opened the basket and levitated the cider bottles out, passing one to Big Mac.

“So, how many times have y’all drank this stuff?’ Sol Do asked, giving her bottle a cursory examination. A few arcs of electricity shot across the surface inside, sending a slight tingle through her horn. She smiled at the pleasant feeling it gave her.

“Couple’a times,” Big Mac replied. He used his teeth to pry off the bottle cap and spit it into the picnic basket. “We normally don’t bother since plain Apple Cider is just as tasty. Only when we wanna get smashed do we bring this ‘ere stuff out.”

“Speakin’ of which,” Sol Do said as she popped the cap off of her own bottle, also tossing it into the basket, “how ‘bout we have a little drinkin’ game?”

“Ain’t that what we were gonna do anyway?” Big Mac asked with a playful smirk.

“I mean we should add another element to it,” Sol Do clarified, a smirk crossing her own mouth. “Something to make this a little more interesting than just ‘drink til we drop’.”

Big Mac thought for a moment, then nodded. “Whaddya have in mind?”

“Here, I’ll show you through example,” Sol Do said. “Ask me a question about anything. Just make sure it concerns me and can be answered with either a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.”

Big Mac stared for a moment before scrunching up his face as he pondered what to ask. “Have you ever been injured on the job?” he asked eventually.

“Indeed I have,” Sol Do replied, and raised the bottle to her mouth. “And because of that, I’m now required to take a shot.” She pressed the bottle to her mouth and allowed a sip of the electrical liquid to pour down her gullet. It sent another, stronger, tingly feeling down her throat and into her stomach where it turned into a strange, but still welcome, warm and fuzzy sensation. “Oh wow, this stuff really is that strong,” she murmured.

“So, we have ta drink only if we can answer ‘yes’?” Big Mac asked.

“Yuh huh.”

“Well… what’s ta stop either of us from givin’ a false answer?”

Sol Do raised a brow while leveling a curious, yet playfully challenging, stare at him. “I seem to recall a certain big red stallion claiming he could’ve been an acceptable Bearer of Honesty just yesterday.” She smiled at the slightly sheepish look Big Mac gave her in return while continuing. “As for me, I just took a shot of this stuff willingly, but if you still doubt I’ll be wholly truthful, feel free to ask about stuff that’s extremely likely to have happened to me.”

Big Mac considered this before nodding and settling down onto the blanket, grasping his cider bottle with a hoof and pulling it closer. “Alright then, let’s do it,” he said plainly.

“Splendid!” Sol Do exclaimed, smiling wide as her eyes lit with excitement. “Now, how’s about Ah go first, since I jus’ took a shot?”

Big Mac nodded, letting a small, challenging smirk cross his lips. “Shoot.”

“Oh, I plan to.”

With that, the two raised their bottles and clinked them against each other, a small electrical zap lancing through the air between them as they did.

Sol Do took a moment to ponder her first question. “Have you ever hit somepony out of impulse?”

Big Mac looked downcast for a moment, then sighed and put the bottle to his lips, taking a small sip. He waited until the tingly feeling passed before asking, “Ah don’t have ta tell ya the story, do I?”

“No no,” Sol Do said with a shake of her head. “Everything we imply can, and probably should, remain strictly confidential. I won’t pressure you to reveal the stories behind your answers if you don’t want to.”

“Good to know.” Big Mac set the bottle down and returned Sol Do’s stare. “My turn then… have you ever said something embarrassing while drunk?”

Sol Do barked out a laugh at that. “Maybe if we keep at this long enough!” She settled down and shook her head. “No I haven’t, believe it or not. Much as I’ve gotten drunk in the past, never once have I let my tongue slip.”

“Impressive,” Big Mac said with a smile.

Oh, you’d better believe it, handsome.

“Alright, next question…”

Unknown to Sol Do and Big Mac, a certain trio of little fillies had followed them through the orchard. They were currently hiding out in some bushes about halfway up the hill, taking turns staring at the two adults through a pair of binoculars.

“We’re gonna get in sooooo much trouble if they find us here,” Sweetie said, nervously darting her eyes between the adults and her friends.

“And that’s why we aren’t gonna let that happen,” Scootaloo replied without tearing her eyes from the binoculars. “Besides, why should we get in trouble for just watching them?”

“Yeah, why’re ya so afraid, Sweetie?” Apple Bloom asked, giving her a concerned stare.

Sweetie gulped, let her eyes rest on the ground for a second, and then returned Apple Bloom’s concerned gaze. “Rarity says that ponies who spy on mares and stallions when they’re together are bad,” she said with a shaky edge to her voice, “... and that they’re perverts.”

Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion. “Pur-vurts? What’s that mean?”

“I don’t know.” Sweetie shuddered. “But we’re being perverts by watching Miss Do and your brother, and if we’re being perverts, that means we’re being bad ponies.” She capped off her statement by curling up into a feeble position and rocking back and forth while muttering something incoherent to herself.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, the latter having set down the binoculars in light of the others’ conversation, shared a perplexed look before the former shrugged and knelt down to comfort Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom lightly stroked her friend’s mane with a hoof as she said, “Don’t worry Sweetie Belle, we’re not bein’ bad ponies.”

Sweetie stopped rocking and turned to look up at her in confusion. “We’re not?” she asked.

“‘Course not!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. She helped Sweetie get back up on her hooves before continuing. “We ain’t doin’ anythin’ bad just by watchin’ them. Remember that whole crisis with Cheerilee and Big Mac? We were watching them from inside a bush too, but we didn’t get into any trouble by doin’ that, did we?’

“No, we didn’t,” Sweetie muttered. She scuffed the ground with her hoof. “But we did get into trouble for trying to make them fall in love with each other.”

“Yeah, but not for just watching them,” Scootaloo said, waving her hoof dismissively. “And hey, it’s not like we can get in trouble if they don’t find us, so all we gotta do is stay hidden and everything’s gonna be A OK.”

“I guess…” Sweetie muttered. She was still unsure about what they were doing, but her friends did make a valid point, so she decided to take them at their word.

“Oooh, maybe that’s our special talent!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, eyes lit with excitement. “Bein’ perverts!”

“Yeah, maybe it is,” Scootaloo said with her own smile.

Sweetie Belle looked unsure. “... I guess?”

“Cutie Mark Crusader perverts! Yay!”

“Oh, wow,” Sol Do said, swaying a little as she spoke. Her bottle lay upright on the blanket in front of her, having been set down when she’d become too intoxicated to hold it aloft with her magic. “Y’all weren’t kiddin’ ‘bout this stuff bein’ so damn strong.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied. He wasn’t nearly as woozy as Sol Do, but he did feel a little light-headed. “Us Apples don’t do anythin’ soft… ‘cept applesauce.”

Sol Do giggled at that. “Yeah, Ah’d imagine that. Can’t have hard applesauce, now can ya?”

“Nnope.” Big Mac set his own bottle down in front of him before returning his gaze to Sol Do. “Your turn.”

Sol Do nodded, then spent the next few moments thinking up a question while trying to keep herself sitting upright. “... Have y’all ever groped a mare ‘fore?”

All the color drained from Big Mac’s face. “W-w-what?” he stammered.

“You know, ‘groped’—” Sol Do turned around so her left flank was on full display, to which Big Mac felt a sudden warmth rush through his cheeks, “—have y’all ever rubbed up against a mare’s flank, or nuzzled ‘em in a large crowd?”

Big Mac wasted no time in shaking his head vigorously. “No. No, I haven’t,” he almost shouted. “Well… least not on purpose.”

Sol Do harked out a laugh. “It’s all fine, then,” she said before turning back around. After nearly a dozen shots of Zap Apple Cider, her brain was cloudier than a scheduled rain day. Her eyelids felt extra heavy, making it hard to keep her focus straight forward. The alcohol steadily chipped away at her brain’s nerves, as alcohol has a habit of doing, and it took all of her willpower to keep from spilling her amorous desire to Big Mac.

And that willpower was quickly reaching its limit.

“Your turn,” Sol Do said, one eyelid going droopy as she spoke.

Big Mac tapped his chin thoughtfully as he pondered his next question.

“... Have y’all ever had a secret crush?”

A heavy silence stretched between the two after that. Sol Do just blankly stared, her gaze seeming to go straight through Big Mac while he waited for her to either say no or take another shot. When she didn’t do either right away, he raised a confused brow and made a ‘go on’ hoof gesture. When this still elicited no response from her, Big Mac sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

After a few moments of silence, Big Mac was about to ask if Sol Do was okay, when at last she gave a response in the form of a soft giggle. Which turned into a chuckle. Which then turned into a good laugh before Sol Do finally let loose loud hysterics as she clutched her sides and began rolling on the ground like some sort of maniac. Big Mac, for his part, could only watch in a mix of both confusion and fascination.

Finally, Sol Do settled down. She moved back into her original position and, with great effort, used her magic to lift the bottle to her lips. She took another sip of cider, letting it pass down her throat and join its comrades coursing through her bloodstream.

She tore the bottle away with a sharp intake of breath, and gingerly set it back onto the blanket where it proceeded to tip slightly, almost spilling the remaining cider.

“Indeed I have,” she answered, woozily. “Still do, actually.”

“Must be a real nice guy,” Big Mac said with a small smile. “But, uh… why’d ya freak out like that jus’ now?”

Sol Do tried to form a coherent response that wouldn’t reveal anything to Big Mac, but her last shot of cider had broken through the last of her willpower. “Because… I…I...” Oh, screw this! “It’s you!”

Big Mac raised a brow in confusion. “Ah beg yer pardon?”

Sol Do stood up and, wobbling as she walked, closed the distance between them before sitting on her haunches in front of him. Her features boasted an odd mix of both drunken stupor and heartfelt emotion as she stared into Big Mac’s eyes while he stared back with equal parts confusion and surprise.

“I thought you were the most gorgeous stallion I’d ever seen when we first met the other day,” Sol Do slurred. “And then we got to know each other better, and I knew I wanted you. You’re strong, smart, patient, all in addition to being so damn fiiiine.” Her head began to feel increasingly light as the alcohol began taking full effect, but she didn’t care.

Big Mac, having remained passively silent throughout Sol Do’s entire confession, could only watch in shock as she reached up with both hooves and placed one each on his withers, using what little strength she had left to hoist herself up so she was eye level with him, allowing him sight of the glimmer in her eyes. Then she closed her eyes and puckered her lips before leaning forward toward Big Mac’s own.

Through Sol Do’s alcohol-hazed mind, a small inkling of thought that she was stepping way out of bounds surfaced, only to be drowned beneath a sea of pleasure as the thought of finally getting to kiss her crush gained both dominance and appeal.

If I kiss him real good, maybe he’ll return it, then we can make out up here all night long. That’d be nice. Just the two of us, alone, lip-locked under the stars. That’s the perfect... first... date…

Big Mac watched as Sol Do stopped just an inch from his lips and passed out onto the blanket, her head making a light thud against the fabric.

All was silent on the hill for a while while Big Mac’s brain attempted to restart from its stupor following Sol Do’s proclamation. When he eventually regained awareness, he could only sigh in exasperation.

What a pickle…

Big Mac stood up and lifted Sol Do's sleeping form onto his back, surprised at how heavy she was given her lithe figure. After adjusting her straw hat so it wouldn't fall off, and briefing a glance down at the picnic supplies, he turned around and began heading down the hill back towards Ponyville, Sol Do’s soft snores emanating behind him as he walked.

Poor gal… how am Ah gonna explain all this ta Rarity?

Suddenly, Big Mac’s ears twitched in response to a rustling sound coming from his right. Turning, through the night air, he spotted a faint white outline within a bush. One that was strangely pony shaped.

Curious, he approached the bush and parted the leaves, only to find himself face to face with three familiar little fillies, all of whom wearing the most sheepish grins he’d ever seen.

Apple Bloom gulped. “Y’all aren’t mad at us fer bein’ perverts, right?” she asked shakily.

Big Mac just rubbed the bridge of his muzzle in agitation before giving Apple Bloom a stern gaze. “We’ll talk about this later, sis, ‘cause Ah’m a bit busy with somethin’ else right now.” He looked at each one of them as he continued. “There’s a bunch of picnic supplies back up the hill; can Ah rely on y’all ta carry them back ta the farm?”

The Crusaders’ eye lit up. “Of course we can!” Scootaloo cheered.

Big Mac nodded, and stepped aside so the three fillies could exit the bush.

“Hey, Big Mac,” Sweetie said, having noticed her sleeping cousin on his back, “what happened to Sol Do? Is she hurt?”

Big Mac sighed. “No Sweetie.” A frown creased his features as he turned to look back at the sleeping mare. “She’s just really, really smashed.”

Salvation and Aspirations

The first thing Sol Do felt upon regaining consciousness was the lovely touch of silky smooth bed sheets under her person. The pleasant sensation brought a smile to her lips and she shifted a little to the left, feeling the unmistakable fluffiness of a pillow under her head, and settled deeper into what she recognized as Rarity’s guest bed.

She slowly lifted her eyelids open, revealing a white roof and a hint of purple in her eye’s right corner. Turning in that direction, she saw a set of purple curtains with tri-diamond marks draped over a window, confirming this to be Rarity’s guest room.

Rares might be a Prissy Pete, but she sure knows real hospitality. Sol Do snuggled deeper into the bed. “... Wait a second!” She bolted upright, only to wince as a sharp lance of pain shot through her head, sending her sprawling backward onto the bed. She let loose a loud whinny of agony as the pain churned in her head, leaving Sol Do a shuddering pile under the sheets. “Ooooh,” she groaned, clutching her head.

A flurry of hoofsteps sounded out in the hall before stopping at the guest room’s door, followed by a series of light knocks and a familiar voice filled with concern. “Sol Do! Darling, are you okay!?”

Sol Do just moaned and shifted in the bed again, unable to form a coherent response through the pain.

“I’m coming in then!” Rarity called.

The door opened, and Sol Do heard her cousin’s hoofsteps approach the bed. She felt a warm fetlock drape across her body and turn her so she was making eye contact with Rarity, whose lips were pursed.

“How are you feeling?’ Rarity asked.

Sol Do sat up extra carefully. “Like horseapples,” she replied, letting out another low moan while pressing a hoof to her forehead. “What happened ta me? Last thing Ah ‘member was drinkin’ with Big Mac an’...”

“You passed out drunk, darling,” Rarity answered. She got up on the bed and gently stroked her cousin through the sheets. “Not before you spilled the beans, however.”

Sol Do made a passable attempt at cocking her head to the side in confusion before her eyes widened like saucers in realization. “You don’t mean...?”

Rarity nodded once.

Sol Do let out something like a cross between a whimper and a squeal before collapsing back onto the bed, ignoring the new pain spike which shot through her head in response. Her lips trembled as she brought both hooves over her eyes, stalling any further responses for several seconds, all while Rarity never ceased stroking.

“I could just die now,” Sol Do finally said, letting her hooves drop a little, allowing Rarity to see how puffy and tear-ridden they’d become. “Really, just let me get struck by lightning so I don’t die of embarrassment first.”

“Yes, I know that feeling quite well,” Rarity soothed, “but the pegasi haven’t scheduled a thunderstorm today.” She stopped stroking and gave Sol Do a warm smile. “Besides, wouldn’t the better solution be to talk it over with Big Mac?”

Sol Do gave her cousin a pointedly deadpan stare. “Do you want me to die?” she asked, her tone only laced with a small hint of sarcasm.

“Oh come now, dear cousin, surely you can’t feel that humiliated!?” Rarity returned her cousin's deadpan stare with one of her own. “What happened to the rambunctious, free-spirited miner that’s always gung-ho on achieving her dreams? People make mistakes all the time, and Big Mac isn’t a stallion who’d give anypony the cold shoulder over even something as major as somepony saying they have a crush on him.” Her gaze softened as she continued. “He even said he’d be willing to talk it over when he brought you here last night, and if you really do ‘like like’ him then you’ll trust he won’t disrespect your feelings.”

Sol Do just sank further under her covers, her eyes downcast. “But… what if he doesn’t return my feelings?’

“Then you’ll have to stop chasing after his heart,” Rarity stated matter-of-factly. “That is what you agreed to do, remember?’

“But how’s it fair if he knows how Ah feel ‘bout him now?” Sol Do gave Rarity a worried glance. “My whole plan was ta let ‘im grow attracted to me over time so he’d eventually reciprocate my feelings. But now that he knows I have my heart set on him, he’s probably gonna tell me he ain’t interested, even if he might’a been if Ah didn’t screw up.”

Rarity pondered over her cousin’s words for a moment before smiling wistfully at her. “That may be the case, or it may not be; I can’t know.” She got up off the bed and headed for the door. “What I do know, however, is that avoiding Big Mac isn’t going to solve anything. Better to talk with him and get this weight off your chest, even if it means learning he can’t reciprocate your feelings for him.”

Sol Do sighed. “Yeah, I s’pose y’all are right.” She sheepishly scuffed a hoof across the bedspread, again looking downcast. “Doesn’t make it any easier, though…”

“I know you can do it, dear cousin,” Rarity assured. “Just as you can save Big Mac from a chimera, you can talk with him over this little… awkward situation, let’s call it.” She opened the door and stepped out into the hall. “But first, how about some breakfast, hmm?”

Sol Do made to get out of bed, only to be reminded of her hangover by another sudden pain spike. “I’ll be down when Ah’m feelin’ up ta snuff,” she said, and laid back down.

Rarity snickered. “You really drank yourself stupid, huh?” she teased, and closed the door.

Sol Do huffed. Mental note: avoid Zap Apple Cider from now on.

At Sweet Apple Acres, up in a two story window sat Apple Bloom, misery clearly present in her features as she looked at the surrounding countryside. It was a bright and beautiful day out, and she couldn’t enjoy it at all.

Being grounded sucks, she thought with a sigh.

Suddenly, a sliver of movement in the distance caught her attention. Looking toward it, she could make out a pony coming along the road towards the farm, one with a familiar straw hat and green mane.

Apple Bloom smiled and waved once Sol Do reached the front gate. “Heya Miss Do!” she called. “Up here!”

Sol Do turned to face Apple Bloom, allowing the filly a brief glimpse of her frown before it lifted into a small smile. “Hello Apple Bloom,” she replied with a small wave.

Apple Bloom pointed towards the orchard. “If y’all are here fer my brother, he told me ta tell you he’s out in the western fields.”

Sol Do’s eyes seemed to gain a distant look to them before settling into a downcast expression. Apple Bloom noticed this and frowned in confusion. “Everythin’ alright, Miss Do?” she asked.

Sol Do looked up. “It’s nothin’.” She turned halfway toward the orchard. “Thanks for tellin’ me where he is.” She started walking away, only to stop when Apple Bloom spoke up again.

“What happened last night, Miss Do?”

Sol Do did and said nothing for several seconds, just standing where she was like a statue, only her mane and tail moving in response to a light breeze. When she eventually turned around, Apple Bloom found herself surprised, and a little disturbed, by the hard stare Sol Do gave her.

“A word of advice, Apple Bloom,” she said in a stern tone, “when you get old enough to drink, make sure you never do so in the presence of friends or family, or else you’ll risk doing something you’ll heavily regret.”

Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion. “Uh, sure thing. Thanks,” she said, and retreated back inside.

Sol Do let out a long winded sigh and resumed her trek into the orchard. It only took a few minutes of searching before she found Big Mac inspecting some trees that looked a little deader than the rest, their husks slightly shriveled and with fewer leaves along their branches. From what Sol Do could see, he didn’t look particularly annoyed or disgruntled or anything that indicated he was upset in any way over what happened the previous night. And yet, she found herself still hesitant to approach him.

C’mon, Sol Do, you can do this. Rarity’s right, you’re a courageous sort. Gotta get this over with.

Sol Do began approaching Big Mac. Her steps would seem normal at a distance, but closer inspection would reveal her legs to be trembling slightly. Her mouth set in an uncomfortable frown while her lips twitched every other step and a bead of sweat ran down her forehead. Over and over in her mind she kept telling herself to just keep walking forward, doing her absolute damnedest to silence the voice in her mind’s recesses telling her to book it.

Big Mac didn’t notice her until she was within a few meters’ distance away, but didn’t say anything until she’d reached him.

“Hello,” he said in a perfectly neutral voice.

“H-H-Hello,” Sol Do stuttered, then both mentally and physically slapped herself for it.

“Y’all feelin ‘kay?”

Sol Do nodded, rubbing the spot where she’d slapped herself. “I had quite a nasty hangover, but yes, I’m feeling fine now.”

Big Mac nodded himself and smiled. “Good ta hear.”

An awkward silence stretched between the two afterward. Sol Do looked sheepishly down at the ground, unable to bring herself to speak. She could feel Big Mac’s eyes boring into her skull like two critical drills, judging her resolve. She only relaxed when Big Mac gave a small cough and gestured with his head down the line of trees.

“Let’s walk an’ talk,” he said, neutrally.

Sol Do visibly relaxed and nodded. “Yes, of course,” she said, and stepped up to his side.

The two began walking deeper into the orchard. The trees on either side of them, Sol Do noticed, were visibly less lively than what she’d seen throughout most of the orchard. Fitting, actually, given how uncomfortable she was feeling. She managed to work up the courage to face Big Mac, but actually speaking with him about what happened was another issue entirely. She decided to stall for time until she could do so.

“So, what’s up with all these trees?” she asked, avoiding Big Mac’s gaze.

“They’re really old, and haven’t been gettin’ much water lately,” he replied, plainly. “Might have ta chop ‘em down iff’n they can’t grow some apples.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Sol Do said softly. She smiled and looked around them at all the greenery. “It’s such a lovely orchard.”

“Thank you,” came Big Mac’s reply.

“... I’m sorry.”

Big Mac stopped. He turned around to face Sol Do, who was looking down at the ground, straw hat covering her eyes. “Hmm, what’s that?” he asked.

Sol Do let out a heavy sigh and finally looked up to face him. Big Mac was surprised to see her eyes were threatening to burst with tears; a few trickled down her face and fell to the ground. Her legs visibly shook, almost enough that it looked like they were going to buckle.

Sol Do let out a slight scowl and wiped her eyes free of tears, silently cursing her waning constitution. “I’m sorry for what happened last night,” she repeated. “I cannot believe I let that cider get the better of my judgement and let loose such a paramount secret.”

“So…” Big Mac tilted his head, “...all that stuff y’all said was true, then?”

Sol Do sighed again and furrowed her brows, closing her eyes. “Yes, everything I said was one hundred percent true.” She returned his gaze, her own softening a little as she continued. “I was infatuated with you from the moment we first met. That infatuation grew into proper love as we spent more time together, until I knew, without a doubt, that I wanted your hoof in marriage.” She chuckled sheepishly. “Feels even weirder admitting all of this sober than drunk.”

Big Mac said nothing for a long while, retaining his curious gaze while a look of contemplation steadily crossed his face. Sol Do suddenly decided that the trees were more interesting than she’d initially believed and turned to look around at them all, and yet, much as she wanted it not to, her gaze kept returning to Big Mac.

Sol Do felt conflicted. On one hoof, she was glad that Big Mac wasn’t outright shunning her and actually seemed to be considerate of her feelings. On the other, not knowing what exactly he was thinking about, and whether he would still want to be at least friends afterwards, unnerved her.

At last, Big Mac returned his full attention to Sol Do. “What d’ya see in me?” he asked.

Sol Do turned to him with a small frown, her cheeks a slight shade of red. “Did I not say so last night during my little… confession?”

Big Mac shrugged. “Honestly, Ah was too caught up in my surprise ta really be listenin’.”

Sol Do let out a sheepish chuckle. “Yes, I suppose you would.” She straightened her posture and put on her best winning smile. “Big Mac, let me go on record as saying that I’m genuinely surprised you aren’t already hitched.” She chuckled again, more heartily, at Big Mac’s abashed expression, and continued. “You’re strong, kind, patient, very smart despite what those snobs up in Canterlot might say about a country pony like yourself, and not too bad on the eyes if you catch my meaning,” she finished with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Big Mac smiled and rolled his eyes. “How flattering…”

“But really, there’s so many admirable things about you that it’s simply impossible to not want you.” Sol Do closed a bit of distance between them, hesitating for a second before firmly planting her hoof forward, brows furrowed in resolution. “I had hoped that, by spending lots of time together, eventually you’d return my feelings and we could actually become lovers.” She let out a sigh. “But now that plan’s shot.”

“But why me specifically?” Big Mac asked. “Ain’t there anypony back in Hiddenite y’all have an interest in?”

Sol Do shook her head. “No, sadly,” she said with a frown. “My coworkers are quite a dashing bunch, but their work ethic is rather lackluster. There’s times I feel I might as well be mining by my lonesome, because they’re just that lazy.”

“Sorry ta hear that,” Big Mac said, frowning himself.

“Oh, it’s nothing bad at all. Truth be told, I probably could run the mine all by my lonesome and nothing would change, but I digress.” She smiled earnestly and took a few more steps toward Big Mac, leaving little more than a meter or two between them, as she continued. “But I’m looking for a stallion who can help me shoulder the workload of living as both a lover and a partner. You’re the first stallion I’ve ever met that I can honestly envision adhering to that ideal. At least, I’d like to think you are. Maybe I’m being a bit too presumptuous?”

Big Mac laughed and shook his head. “Ah think it’s reasonable. Heck, Ah can’t imagine myself gettin’ hitched to a mare that’s anything but a hard worker. Them bein’ pretty would just be a nice bonus.”

Sol Do’s smile fell into a small frown and she glanced down at the ground. “I’m sure she would be.”

She scuffed the ground with a hoof, only to look back up when Big Mac closed the remaining distance between them. His face was wholly neutral, but the way he stared down at Sol Do ignited a very strong feeling of nervous excitement within her. A sliver of hope that maybe Big Mac wouldn’t turn her down after all filled her heart.

For a few seconds he just stood there, silently staring without so much as a whisper or a blink. Then he bent down towards her face, and Sol Do’s heart suddenly went into overdrive while her cheeks turned crimson. Small, ragged breaths escaped from her mouth as Big Mac’s lips closed in on her forehead, whereupon he laid a gentle kiss just underneath her horn.

The world seemed to go still as Sol Do’s mind locked up in that brief moment in which Big Mac had kissed her. A flurry of emotions and questions swelled up inside her, swirling throughout her head like a hurricane while fighting each other for dominance. Why is he kissing me!? Why on the forehead and not the mouth or cheek? Why no tongue action!? Could this mean he’ll agree to marry me? Oh Celestia there’d better be nopony watching!

But every single one of her questions was ignored and stowed away for later use as Sol Do closed her eyes and relished in the soft warmth coursing through her in response to Big Mac’s sudden advance. Never before had she experienced a real, full contact kiss from a stallion, and the way Big Mac expertly puckered his lips against her forehead in that brief second made her thirst for more, prolonged contact.

Eventually he broke the kiss, brought his gaze back down on her and smirked slightly at the blush adorning her cheeks. “Felt good, did it?” he asked, playfully.

Sol Do snapped from her shock and coughed into her hoof, trying, and failing, to appear unfazed. “Yes, I suppose it did,” she replied, looking aside slightly for a moment before returning his gaze. “I’m honestly surprised you had the gall to do that just now.”

Big Mac’s smirk grew twice as large. “Y’all wanted a kiss, an’ that’s what ya got.” He laughed at Sol Do’s abashed expression.

“To be fair, I wasn’t in my right state of mind when I asked for it,” she replied sheepishly, her blush returning a little.

“True, but y’all wouldn’t’ve had it on yer mind iff’n ya didn’t want it to begin with.”

Sol Do let out a defeated sigh and nodded once slightly. “I guess you’re right.” She looked down at the ground again, only to return her attention onto Big Mac when he laid a hoof on her withers and resumed speaking.

“Listen, Sol Do, lemme talk serious fer a moment ‘bout what happens from here on out. ‘Kay?”

She nodded.

“Good. Now, lemme start things off by sayin’ Ah think you’re a wonderful mare. Not many gals out there love bein’ covered in mud and workin’ up a good sweat, at least outside of my family. If Ah’d been told y’all were Rarity’s cousin after the fact, I would’ve told them ta pull the other one and quit screwin’ with me.”

Sol Do chuckled. “Sometimes I wonder that myself,” she said.

“Ah don’t doubt that we’d be a happy couple. You’re everythin’ Ah’d want in a potential wife, but Ah’m just not ready fer that kind’a commitment right now.” He frowned. “My family has it hard enough tryin’ ta provide fer just us; addin’ one more’d be too much, even if you’re a hard worker. Not ta mention, if foals come about…”

Sol Do tensed up as another blush crept across her cheeks. “Yes, that would be rather problematic, I suppose.”

Big Mac nodded. “But don’t think Ah’m sayin’ we’ll never be an item,” he continued, “just not right now. Maybe in a few years when Apple Bloom’s moved out an’ Granny’s laid to rest it’ll happen, but that’s still a big maybe.”

Sol Do nodded solemnly. “It depends on whether or not you can return my feelings, yes?” she asked.

“That’s right.”

Sol Do looked downcast. “What’re the chances of that happening?” she asked, more to herself than to Big Mac.

Big Mac smiled. “Well, iff’n y’all’re gonna be spendin’ more time in Ponyville from now on, maybe they’re greater than ya think?”

“... I suppose that’s true.” Sol Do looked to him with her own smile. “You wouldn’t mind if we spent more time together, then?’

“Not at all,” Big Mac replied with a shake of his head. “Truth be told, Ah was gonna suggest we do so ‘fore ya beat me to the punch.”

Sol Do giggled.

Big Mac gestured with his head around them. “So, wanna help me check out the rest of these ‘ere trees?’ he asked.

“Y’all better believe I will!” Sol Do said with a grin. “But only iff’n we can stay together the whole time?”

Big Mac smiled. “Fine by me.” He turned around and began heading for the nearest tree, beckoning Sol Do to follow.

She did so, with a smile on her face and spring in her step, her previous depression completely forgotten.

The platform was crowded with ponies and their baggage as they all waited for the train to arrive. The sun was high and many ponies took to fanning themselves with whatever suitable objects they had on person. Expressions ranging from impatient frustration to tired exhaustion adorned everypony’s faces as they waited for the train to arrive, now five minutes late from its expected arrival time of 1:00 p.m.

At the far end of the platform, Sol Do stood with her blue luggage bag at her side. Rarity and the other former Element Bearers, along with the Apple family, Sweetie Belle, and Spike all stood in a group with her.

“Ah swear that train needs a new firebox iff’n it’s gonna be slow as molasses,” Granny Smith groaned, lightly stamping the platform with her hoof. “Darn young’uns can’t keep ta schedules nowadays.”

“Oh, I assure you it’s perfectly alright, Granny Smith,” Sol Do replied with a casual flip of her mane, before flashing Big Macintosh a saucy grin. “A little delay ‘s a’ight with me.”

Big Mac snorted out a laugh and rolled his eyes.

“I do hope you enjoyed your stay, dear cousin,” Rarity said after flashing Sol Do and Big Mac a playful smirk. “Even aside from all the shenanigans we ended up partaking in.”

“Honestly, I’m surprised Ponyville was completely unaffected,” Spike said, only to earn a cross look from Twilight. “What?”

“It was awesome havin’ ya around Miss Do!” Apple Bloom exclaimed with a short hop. “Ah can’t wait fer you ta come back.”

“Me too,” Sweetie Belle agreed. “You’re the bestest cousin ever!”

“I might not have gotten to see you too much this time,” Fluttershy spoke up next, “but I enjoyed having you around very much.”

“I second that!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed from overhead. “When you get your second house here, I’ve gotta show you around Cloudsdale!”

“And I still need to introduce you to the Cakes and my own family!” Pinkie chirped.

Applejack nodded. “And y’all were a mighty big help ‘round the farm, so consider yourself welcome there anytime.”

“Golden Oaks too,” Twilight said with a smile.

Sol Do let out a hearty laugh. “Good to see y’all enjoyed my company.” She looked askance to Big Mac again, giving him a more genuine smile before saying, “An’ Ah enjoyed yours’ as well.”

Big Mac smiled back. “Eeyup.”

“Finally, it’s coming!” came a voice from the crowd.

Everypony turned first towards the voice, then down the line where, indeed, the Friendship Express was approaching the platform. Everypony immediately lifted their bags and waited.

“Well, looks like this is goodbye,” Sol Do said as she levitated her luggage up next to her. “I should be back within the next few months, after I’ve finalized the deal on my new house.”

“Have a safe trip, dear cousin,” Rarity said.

“Thanks cuz,” Sol Do replied as the train pulled into the station. “An’ y’all be safe too. With all the crazy stuff that happens here, y’all oughta have a contingency plan if things get ugly.”

“We’ll manage just fine,” Twilight said. “We always have.”

The train pulled into the station, slowing down until it stopped perfectly aligned with the platform. The doors opened, and ponies quickly began filing in, taking care not to drop their luggage in the crowd or lose sight of their loved ones.

“Well, see ya,” Sol Do said as she fell last into line, making way toward the last coach. Before she stepped hoof in the door, she turned around and said, “One last thing; Big Mac?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

Sol Do gave him a stern look, like a mother would give their child for swiping cookies from the jar. “Don’t you dare get hitched while I’m gone.”

Big Mac chuckled while everyone else stared wide-eyed in shock before he smiled and placed a hoof against his forehead in a mock salutation. “Sure thing.”

With a smile and a nod, Sol Do entered the coach, the doors closing behind her.

“Why’d she say that, big bro?” Apple Bloom asked Big Mac. “What’s ‘gettin’ hitched’ mean?”

“Ah’ll tell ya later, little sis,” he replied, and turned toward the coach that Sol Do had entered, quickly locating the country unicorn. He waved a hoof goodbye as the train started to move back along the track, everyone else following suit once they’d recomposed themselves.

Sol Do waved back as well in the few seconds she had before the train moved beyond the platform, even blowing Big Mac a kiss through the window. Once the platform was no longer in sight, she settled into her seat and began imagining what possible future she and Big Mac would end up sharing.

One day, we will be partners…