Chapter 7

Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville

A warm ray of sunlight gently roused me from beneath the sheets of Macintosh’s bed. After stretching for a spell, I exited the bed as carefully as I could so as not to disturb my dearest’s slumber. The creaky wooden planks felt rough against my feet as I made my way towards the window. I suppose that is to be expected though. I spent a vast majority of my life walking upon nothing but grass and dirt. Luckily, they didn’t cause me any pain since they were so well-worn.

Upon opening the window, I felt a cool zephyr of early-morning air dance across my body. And with it came the scents and sounds of the farm. Since this was primarily an orchard, the strongest smell that filled my nostrils was that of wood with a slight hint of apple.

It made me want to rush out of the room at that very moment, frolic amongst the trees, then take a refreshing dip in the pond. But as much as my heart yearned for it, I highly doubted the rest of the Apple Family would appreciate my attire-free antics.

We had arrived at the Acres late the night prior. Since the rest of his family went to bed early in order to rise at the dawn, Macintosh insisted that we place the spoils of our hunt in the barn and head straight to his room in order to avoid waking his kin. And so, we simply fell asleep in his bed as we were.

I always enjoyed rising early in the morning. But I never understood why farmers took it to such an extreme. Why wake up before the sun? It was akin to forcing an owl to sleep during the night! I swear, one of these days, I shall commune with the spirts of the earth to ascertain why. Or perhaps, I could just ask my husband to be. Even then, I doubt his answer would be enough to extol the virtues of such bizarre behavior.

I was so enthralled with the beauty of the farm that I did not notice Macintosh wake up. Much to my embarrassment, I squeaked in surprise when he came up behind me and playfully tweaked my buttocks. Afterwards, I heard him chuckle but he immediately wrapped one of his arms around my shoulder and kissed my neck.

“Good mornin’, Zecora.”

My face flushed. “M-macintosh! You surprised me!”

“Sorry about that. Ah shouldn’t have—”

“It is alright. I only ask that you warn me before doing something like that again. You gave me such a fright!”

Macintosh bit his lip. “Ah thought your butt looked so sexy in the mornin’ light. I just couldn’t help but give it a good squeeze.”

Where had this forwardness come from? Earlier, Macintosh had been somewhat hesitant to engage in any form of physical affection with me. But now, he was embracing me in his strong arms without a moment’s hesitation. He had even squeezed my buttocks! Not that I minded it, of course.

In response to his compliment, I felt my heart lighten and the familiar heat of desire return to my loins. Logically, I knew that it was far too early in the morning to even entertain the idea of love-making, but…oh how I craved it! And if Macintosh’s erection pressing up against my back was any indication, he did too.

“Does my body truly arouse you that much?”

“Yeah. Look, I’m sorry about grabbin’ your butt. If it made ya feel uncomf—”

I reached back and began to caress his shaft. “Make no mistake, Macintosh. I am overjoyed that you find my body so desirable. It merely surprised me, is all. Personally, I believe your actions deserve a reward rather than an apology. Would you not agree?”

“M-maybe?”

I got on my knees and turned around so I could look Macintosh in the eye. While I continued to stroke him, I slowed down somewhat to give myself some time to mentally prepare for what I was about to do.

In my culture, oral sex was not precisely taboo…but it was not an act performed on a casual basis. It was the ultimate expression of trust and submission, something that only the closest partners shared with one another. After a few more moments of contemplation, I came to the realization that I trusted Macintosh enough for this highly intimate act. Now, I only hoped that my inexperience would not cause him any undue comfort.

After taking a deep breath, I carefully wrapped my lips around the tip of his manhood and began to slowly bob my head up and down. The first thing I noticed was the strong, musky odor that filled my nostrils every time my face neared his precious family jewels. The smell was not entirely repulsive, but it did make me feel quite…aroused. Since I did not hear him protest, I quickened my pace to pleasure him further.

Macintosh gasped. “O-oh mah…I didn’t know ya knew how ta do that!”

Seeing his face twisted in an expression of unadulterated bliss gave me a feeling of satisfaction that I cannot possibly describe with mere words. It made me feel validated somehow. Like I finally understood the secrets of being a proper wife to the man I loved. Perhaps that is why I felt so confident when I started to swirl my tongue around his head, knowing full well how sensitive that part of him was.

It was only moments later that I felt his penis flare, followed by a quick succession of warm globs of his seed filling my mouth. Such was my surprise that I nearly choked. I tried not to show Macintosh my distress but I still ended up grimacing as I removed his penis from my mouth.

Because of this, I consumed his seed without further protest. It did not…taste as unpleasant as I thought it would. The flavor was slightly earthy, not unlike the taste of a mild mushroom. However, that was not what made it hard to swallow. The texture was quite difficult to get used to. It had viscosity of very thick phlegm, which almost made me gag in disgust. But I swallowed it anyway, for I did not want to upset him.

Macintosh frowned. “I’m so sorry! I should’ve warned ya first. B-but it just felt so good that ah couldn’t help…uhhh…unloadin’.”

“It is quite alright, Macintosh. I am happy that I was able to bring you that much pleasure. Although… I noticed that your penis is still quite erect. Would you mind making me feel good as well?”

“Ah can’t possibly say no ta such a wonderful woman.”

This time, neither of us wasted any time with foreplay. I grasped the edge of the bed, bent over slightly, and presented my glistening sex to Macintosh. When nothing happened, I began to worry that I had misjudged the virility of his member.

Fortunately for me, I was quite mistaken. He was simply taking his time to ensure that I was comfortable by rubbing his member against my lips in order to ease his entrance inside me. Unlike our first time, it did not hurt when he penetrated me. On the contrary, it felt wonderful! The thickness of his manhood ensured that whenever he moved his hips, the entirety of my sex felt pleasantly stretched out.

I know that sounds terrible, but it was true! I had no other words to describe the ecstasy I felt every time he thrust himself inside me. After a while, the both of us started to behave more like animals rather than people. The rhythmic sound of flesh slapping against flesh began to increase in volume and frequency as our need to achieve the blissful state of release became more desperate.

Only a few moments later, I felt a powerful orgasm wrack my body. However, by some quirk, Macintosh had yet to achieve his. And so, as any good wife was wont to do, I patiently waited until he released himself inside me. To be honest though, it was not at all a bad thing. The aftershocks of my orgasm, coupled with his thrusts, still gave me an intense feeling of pleasure.

Just as I felt his hot seed gush into me, the door to the room swung ajar. Mind you, it was not locked, but completely closed. So whoever opened it would have needed to do so with some effort. That particular someone happened to be his sister, Applejack. Judging by the shocked expression on her face, she was not expecting us to be…engaged in such a state.

“Macintosh, breakfast is—”

Macintosh quickly pulled out. “AJ? What in the blue blazes are ya doin’ in here?!”

“Ah could ask ya the same thing, ya damn pervert!”

“Ah ain’t a—well maybe a little. But ah swear ah wasn’t doin’ anythin’ wrong!”

Applejack put her hands on her hips. “Like hell ya weren’t! Takin’ advantage of poor Zecora like that! Take a gander at ‘er! She’s tremblin’ so bad that it looks like she’s about ta keel over!”

“AJ, that ain’t how—”

I blushed heavily. “No one was taken advantage of, Applejack. The love making Macintosh and I engaged in was completely consensual and…quite enjoyable if I may add.”

“F-fine. Just clean up an’ put some damn clothes on! Breakfast ain’t gonna get any warmer.”

All of us sat around the table in painfully awkward silence. That is not to say that the bountiful breakfast Mrs. Smith provided for us was not delicious. Quite the contrary. Fluffy stacks of golden-brown apple pancakes, along with a healthy portion of bacon adorned our plates. But all of us ate slowly, so as not to spark any unnecessary conversation. Well, at least until Mrs. Smith decided to say something.

“What’s with the silent treatment? Y’all are actin’ like somebody ran Winona over with a truck!”

Applejack nudged a piece of bacon with her fork. “Ah saw somethin’ that no sister should ever have ta see.”

“And what, my dear, could that have been?”

“Ah don’t wanna talk about it.”

Granny rolled her eyes. “Oh fer cryin’ out loud! What about you, Macky? Has a cat got yer tongue too?”

“Eeyup.”

I mentally groaned. Macintosh and Applejack were going to remain tight-lipped for the rest of breakfast, if not for the duration of the day. So naturally, it fell to me to inform the Apple family matron of what had transpired earlier. It would be embarrassing, but I felt that it was the only way to clear the awkward atmosphere swirling around us.

“And why is Zecora wearin’ some of Macky’s old clothes?”

“Because I did not have any of my own to wear when we arrived from our hunt.”

Granny scratched her head. “I’m afraid ah don’t understand.”

“Macintosh and I, we…conducted the hunt as tradition demanded. That is to say: we did so without attire of any kind.”

“So yer sayin’ that the both of ya went out into the middle of woods ta hunt a dangerous critter…butt nekkid?”

“I suppose that is an accurate summation, yes.”

Granny whistled. “That’s the most damn-fool ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! But considerin’ how the both of ya are still alive an’ the fact that ah found the critter’s hide in the barn, ah guess y’all knew what ya were doin’.”

“Indeed.”

“Although, it still doesn’t explain why mah grandkids are so clammed up.”

I blushed and looked down at my plate. “W-well, that is another matter. Applejack witnessed Macintosh and I engaged in passionate…love-making.”

It was bad enough that Applejack stumbled in on us mid-coitus, but to have to explain what happened verbally as well? Never had I been so mortified in my entire life! I had no issue being seen in the nude, but being seen while making love was another matter altogether.

It was something that was supposed to be intimate and private. An act shared only between lovers. But instead, Applejack bore witness to me trembling like a bitch in heat. Oh spirits! She probably thought I was some lascivious whore, intent on seducing her brother to satisfy my own selfish desires.

Nothing was further from the truth! I loved Macintosh with all of my heart. All I wanted to do was bring him happiness, become his wife, and bear his children. And bless him, because he went to great lengths to ensure that I was happy as well. But despite my conviction, I still had to face the wrath of the Apple family matron. I closed my eyes and waited for Mrs. Smith to cast me out of their home, and by extension, Macintosh’s life.

Granny laughed. “Ain’t that the damnedest thing? Ah could tell y’all were sweet on each other, but whoo wee! Macky, you’re one lucky sonovabitch ta have such a beautiful gal that’s willin’ ta give ya some early mornin’ hanky-panky.”

“You are not angry at me for making love to your grandson?”

“Ah ain’t mad at all, Sugarcube. Celestia knows that mah grandson needed it! He hasn’t had any romantic relations in years. Ah guess he was just worried that things might’ve ended up like they did with that trollop Carrot Top.”

“Who is—?”

Granny cracked her knuckles. “Welp, ah better git a move on. The corn ain’t gonna husk itself.”

Before I could so much as utter a single syllable of further inquiry, Mrs. Smith abruptly left the table and made her way out the front door. I suspected it was merely a ploy on her part to avoid creating further tension in the room, as well as to get the Apple siblings to converse with one another. Apparently, her strategy seemed to work.

Applejack crossed her arms. “Y’all are lucky that ‘Bloom decided ta stay with Pinkie for the night, on account of her bein’ scared from all of that mountain lion business. It would’ve been a disaster if she’d have walked in on ya.”

“Well, at least ‘Bloom is polite enough ta knock on the door before she enters someone’s room.”

Applejack rubbed her neck. “Sorry…ah reckon ah deserve that one. I’ll try knockin’ from here on out. But how the hell was ah supposed ta know that y’all were getting’ frisky?! Just try ta be a bit more discreet about, alright?”

“Eeyup.”

I looked down at my plate. “I will try to practice greater discretion as well.”

It warmed my heart to see the two of them embrace after they reconciled with on another. This was how families were meant to be. Not matter how much they argued or whatever anger they felt towards one another, love always prevailed.

I suddenly felt a cold lump of sadness form in my stomach. The scene reminded me of my own neglectful father and what could have been if only he had been inclined to show me the affection I so desperately craved. But that was the past. There was no reason I needed to dwell on it any further, for I had a new family to fill the void left in my heart.

Applejack pushed in her chair. “Why don’t ya tag along with me today, Zecora? Mac’s gonna have his hands full with the distillery.”

“Are you certain? Surely, there is something I can do to assist him.”

“Normally, I’d be fine with that. But…our family’s distillin’ process is a might complicated. It takes a fair bit of concentration and ya gotta know exactly what you’re doin’ ta make the whiskey turn out proper.”

When I looked over at Macintosh, he simply nodded in agreement with his sister. I was not very happy about it, but I understood that he needed to be able to concentrate on his task. I suppose that it was only fair. I would have wanted the utmost privacy if I were concocting complex herbal remedies.

And so, with nothing further to say, I sauntered over to where he was standing and pressed my lips against his. Were we alone, I would have made the kiss far more passionate…but we had an audience. So, I only played with his tongue for a brief moment and pulled away. Judging by the dumbfounded look upon his face, I suspected that he enjoyed it.

“Goodbye, my love. And good luck with your task.”

Macintosh blushed. “Yeah…see ya later.”

Applejack and I rode in an old pick-up truck towards the southern fields, where she claimed that some apple trees needed to be pruned. In my opinion, the trees appeared to be in decent shape but then again I was not a farmer. However, I became suspicious when we did not immediately get out of the truck. Instead, Applejack turned off the engine and stared at me.

“Are ya sure the both of ya ain’t takin’ things too fast? Please understand that I’m not tryin’ ta pry into your relationship, I’m just…worried about mah brother. Like Granny said earlier: he hasn’t had the best luck when it comes ta women.”

I took a deep breath. “I am not entirely certain if we are taking things too fast. Your culture…can be strange and confusing concerning matters of romance, so it is difficult for me to give you a precise answer. However, I can say without a doubt that I love your brother will all of my heart.”

“That’s good ta know. But y’all haven’t been datin’ very long, have ya?”

I cocked my head. “Dating? What is that?”

“Sweet mercy! Ya seriously have no idea what that is?”

“No. Should I?”

Applejack sighed. “Ah suppose ah shouldn’t be too surprised. You’re from a totally different culture, after all. Dating is basically when ya meet someone you’re interested in…uhh romantically and spend some time ta get ta know ‘em.”

“How much time is required for this ‘dating’ ritual?”

“Depends, ah guess. Could take months.”

I furrowed my brow. “How utterly absurd! Courtship should never take that long. Are you suggesting that a proper marriage is not arranged until a prospective couple spends months together?”

“Well, it doesn’t always happen that way. But that’s the general idea. How do y’all go about it in Zebrica?”

“Courtship is usually quite a brief process. A couple exchanges tokens of affection, spends a night making love, and if they enjoy each other’s company they become man and wife.”

Applejack eyes widened. “Wait. Are ya tellin’ me that after ya have sex you’re basically married? DOES MAH BROTHER KNOW ABOUT THIS?!”

“No. I mean, I already gave him my virginity and a token of my affection. But that does not mean he is my husband. He has yet to offer a token of his own. It is not official…but I hope that he makes me his wife.”

“Look, ah can tell you’re serious about this but Mac needs ta know. I don’t want either of ya endin’ up broken hearted just because of some cultural misunderstandin’. Ya hear me?”

I twirled a lock of my hair. “B-but it is not a woman’s place to formally propose to a man…”

“Well, this ain’t Zebrica! So ya don’t have ta worry ‘bout all of those traditional rules of yours. If mah brother loves ya as much as ah think he does, the big oaf will probably say yes if ya ask ‘im. Trust me on this, Zecora.”

“If that is what you believe, then I shall trust your judgment.”

Much to my surprise, Applejack wrapped me in a gentle hug. And like her brother, she too smelled of earth, apples, and sweat. But with a slight hint of…cinnamon? In any case, I returned her embrace with equal enthusiasm. It made me feel as though we were one step closer to becoming family.

Applejack smirked. “Ya better make mah brother happy or I’ll hog-tie ya ta the top of the barn. Got that, Jungle Jane?”

“Such is my sincerest wish. However, it is good to know that Macintosh has such a loving sister.”

Applejack patted my shoulder. “Apples always look after one another. That includes anyone who marries into the family.”

Applejack had not been lying to me when she said the trees needed pruning. But perhaps she had exaggerated somewhat as to how much they needed pruned. We barely filled the bed of the pick-up truck halfway with twigs before she told me to stop what I was doing and join her for a drink. Not that I was complaining, of course. It had gotten quite humid and I was all too eager to quench my thirst.

We drank from bottles of tart tasting juice that came in bizarre fluorescent colors. Applejack claimed it was a restorative beverage called a ‘sports drink’ that helped to keep us hydrated because it contained something called ‘electrolytes’. What did juice have to do with sports? Despite my confusion, the drink was quite tasty and helped to cool me down as well.

While we enjoyed our break, I could not help but hear something strange. It almost sounded like…someone snoring? It was not terribly loud, mind you. They were the soft snores of someone taking a pleasant cat nap. I had to stifle a giggle. Who in the world needed to rest this early into the day?

Applejack grinned. “Do ya hear that, Zecora?”

“I believe so. It sounds like someone napping.”

“Eeyup. And ah think it’s high time we rouse sleepin’ beauty from her slumber.”

Sure enough, when we walked towards the snores, a woman came into view. She had the petite, yet lithe build of an athlete but was quite beautiful in her own unique way. I think it was mostly due to her brilliant, prismatic hued hair pulled into a ponytail behind her head.

Or it may have been that her choice of attire left little to the imagination. It was so tightly constricted to her form that it almost appeared to be a second layer of skin. That is, if it had covered more of her body. Most of her skin was exposed: save for her breasts, groin, and feet. Before I could ponder any further, Applejack snuck behind the slumbering woman and squeezed her buttocks.

“BWAAAAH! Who tweaked my ass?! I swear I’ll knock your teeth in if I—”

Applejack laughed. “Simmer down there, Dashie. It was just a joke.”

“AJ? Why the hell did you do that? I was having such a nice nap!”

“Hehe. Ah reckon ah couldn’t help mahself, ah tell you what. Considerin’ there was such a cute little be-hind starin’ me in the face.”

Rainbow cheeks flushed. “I wasn’t—s-shut up!”

“Just callin’ it like ah see it, Sugarcube.”

Rainbow coughed and tried to compose herself. “Alright, joke’s over. What are you doing out here anyway?”

“It’s mah farm, so ah reckon that gives me the right ta be here if ah want. The real question is: what are you doin’ here, Dashie?”

“I was just going on my morning jog, ok! And I might have gotten a teensy bit groggy because I forgot to drink a can of Red Pegasus this morning. So there! That’s why I was napping. Are you happy now?”

Applejack shook her head. “Still drinkin’ that junk? Red Pegasus can’t possibly be good for ya with all of that caffeine and sugar. You’re more than welcome ta come inside and have coffee with us in the mornin’ instead. It wouldn’t be a bother, since we’d all be awake anyway.”

“I hate coffee. It’s too bitter.”

“That’s why there’s tea. But you’re alright with the company?”

Rainbow blushed. “Well, yeah. We’re best friends, AJ. Why wouldn’t I be alright hanging out with you errr—I mean your family?”

“Ah dunno. It just seems that ya come joggin’ around here an awful lot. So, it’d be mighty unfriendly of me ta not invite ya in the house.”

Rainbow rubbed her neck. “I guess I could try visiting the house more often. Your grandma does make really awesome pancakes…”

“See? That wasn’t so hard. All ya gotta do is accept people’s hospitality more often.”

“Speaking of people, who’s that next to you? I’ve never seen her before.”

I smiled and waved. “Good Day! My name is Zecora and I traveled from Zebrica to reside here in Ponyville. I hope that we may become fast friends.”

“The name’s Rainbow Dash, but most people call me RD. Wait a minute. You aren’t a spy are you?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Applejack whacked her friend upside the head. “She ain’t a spy! Ah think that was an awfully rude thing ta say ta someone ya just met, Dashie. Go on and apologize.”

“Sorry, I’ve just never seen a real Zebrican before. We’re still cool…right?”

I grasped both of her hands. “Do not worry, we can still be friends. Even after living here for some time, the people of this town occasionally give me strange looks when I go about my business. I suppose that I am just used to it at this point.”

“Hey, you look like you’re pretty toned despite those baggy clothes you’ve got on. Do you practice sports or anything like that?”

I nodded. “Well, I do not play sports so much as I practice my Engolo stances.”

“What’s Engolo? Is that like yoga or something?”

I chuckled. “No, it is the preferred martial art of my people. If you would like a demonstration, I would be more than happy to show you.”

“Oh I want more than some stupid demonstration. I wanna fight you! I’m kind of a big deal when it comes to Kung-Fu. I’m a black belt, ya know.”

“I see. Do you wish to challenge me, then?”

Rainbow cracked her knuckles. “You bet. This is gonna be soooo awesome! But we’re gonna make this more interesting.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The loser has to swim three laps in the pond and run the whole way around the farm…butt naked! Do you think you can handle that or are you gonna back out?”

I shrugged. “If that is what you wish, I accept your terms.”

“Don’t worry; I’ll go easy on you so ya have a chance.”

Applejack shook her head. “Oh Dashie, ya have no idea who you’re dealin’ with…”

Author's Note

Ten points to anyone who can spot the King of the Hill joke I slipped in here. Although, I doubt that's what everyone is going to be talking about. What can I say? There is a distinct possibility that there will be other shipping in this story besides Maccora.
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