Business is Good

Applejack glared at the door in front of her, if she could it would have spontaneously combusted from the pure fury in her eyes. Sighing heavily she slammed the door open and stomped inside startling Flint. He knew right then and there that now was not the time for a smart mouth, now was the time for answers and honesty.

“YA LITTLE BUCKIN RAT!” Applejack exploded as she made her way to him. “HOW IN CELESTIA'S NAME COULD YA'LL GO AN GET ME PREGNANT.”

Flint bit his tongue, one wrong word and he'd be fertilizer for next years growing season. “Applejack, you an I were both drunk.” He swallowed a breath of air and continued “I wasn't thinking and I made a mistake.”

“NO SHIT YA'LL MADE A MISTAKE!” AJ snorted heavily expressing her disgust with the stallion “HOW THE HELL AM AH SUPPOSED TO FIX THIS, hmm? DO AH JUST RAISE IT ON MEH OWN?”

“We're gona have to figure out somethin', but could you please stop yelling?” Flint stood up and reached into his pocket for his flask. At least a drink should take some of the edge off. “Here, have some cider and calm down a bit.”

Applejack grabbed the flask and emptied 3 quarters of it's content down her throat, glaring at him the whole time.

“Now can we talk...” He paused as AJ tossed the flask back to him “Normally?”

“Ah suppose.” Applejack sighed once more knowing that yelling wasn't going to help her any.

“So what exactly do you want me to do?”

Applejack looked up at Flint, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “Maybe, Ah dunno... Help me give this here youngin' a good an proper foalhood?”

“I honestly doubt I'd be a good father, an besides,” Flint trotted over to the still and began checking all the valves and gauges to make sure nothing had gone wrong. “we don't know anything about each other, how would that work out?” Taking a drink for himself he sat down again in front of Applejack.

“Maybe we can do things right this time. Instead of... Ya know, rollin' in the hay from the start.” She looked at Flint with pleading eyes and it was apparent that she would prefer this over him not being there for their foal. “Can we at least give it a shot Flint?”

He looked closely at the mare before him. Studying her, looking for any hint of treachery or malice. Sure, she had barged through the door wailing like a banshee, but that was merely in the heat of the moment. Now that she had time to calm down, her true emotions should be coming into play.

Yet, all the while he stared at her, he couldn't find it. She no longer conveyed that harsh aura that threatened to behead him mere moments ago. What was then the face of death itself, was now Cadence at work. Gracefully guiding his emotions and feelings for the better. “I... Yeah, I suppose we can.”

~

Rainbow floated down to Big Macintosh's side having just performed an aerial display, free of charge, for the stoic red behemoth “Geez, that didn't last long. Did she go all black widow on him already?”

“Nope.”

“What makes you think that.”

Big Macintosh turned to Rainbow Dash shooting her a nearly unreadable but obviously 'knowing glance'. “She's mah sister, Ah just know.”

“Oh...” Rainbow looked away quickly, racking her mind for just the right way to approach the subject on her mind. “Hey Mac. Can uh- Can I ask you something?”

“Eeyup.”

“Do you, how should I put this. Do you have a ma-”

“Nope.” He drawled rather quickly.

“You didn't even let me finish!”

“Didn't need to.”

Dash was as puzzled as ever, how did he know she was going to ask him THAT question? “How did you-”

Big Macintosh turned and flashed a humored smirk. “Ya'll ain't the only mare that's wanted to know.”

“Oh...” Rainbow dropped her head slightly dejected.

“But Ah'm glad you finally asked me.”

“Wha-WHAT?!”

Mac did his best to suppress a twitterpated laugh. “Rainbow, Ah've waited a long time for a chance like this, Ah ain't never been on any dates or nothin'. Ah've been waiting for this moment to come cause Ah knew ya had to be the one.”

Dash's jaw nearly struck the dirt as she sat dumbfounded on her haunches. She stared in disbelief at Ponyville's most wanted stallion, he had refused to court with every mare in the hopes that the fancy flying filly would come to him! It was the most back assward scenario Dash had ever bore witness to, and the more she thought about it, the more she loved the prospect of being his first and only, special somepony.

~

“I can honestly say Ms. Doo, that this is one of the better dates I've been on.” He gazed casually at the mare across from him only to find something he hadn't noticed before. His gaze transformed to that of an intrigued, studious colt “Well now, I didn't see that earlier. Tell me Ms. Doo what is that-”

“Yes I have a lazy eye! I'm sorry, I can't help it okay? If you wanna leave now go ahead, be just like all the other stallions!”

Ascended looked taken aback at Ditzy's outburst. “To be quite frank, I didn't really notice something so minor, but now that you bring it up, I feel it accentuates your features and personality for the better.”

“Wait what? You don't mind that my eyes go all derpy?” Ditzy was dumbstruck. Never before had she met a stallion with such an indifference to her, disability, if you could call it that.

“Not in the slightest my dear, it's rather unique and cute in my honest opinion.”

“Why doesn't it bother you?”

Ascended stood up and flared his wings outward, the evening sun reflecting off the bronze hinges and bolts casting a rusty glow about him. “This is why. Why would I judge somepony from something so minor when I am burdened with the memory of my own short comings and ignorance?”He folded his wings back down to his side, his eyes refusing to waver from the mare before him “Those eyes of yours are what make you special, you were born that way for a reason. Sure they may have been the cause of unbearable suffering, but in the end, it's those hardships that made you the strong beautiful mare that you are today.”

A single tear streaked down from her eye as Ascended's words sunk in. Any doubt about herself that Ditzy held once before had shattered, it as that moment when she realized that no matter what her faults may be, she is still a pony like any other. She rushed over to Ascended wrapping him in a hug, the kind he had ever received since his days of youth. “Thank you Ascended, that means a lot to me.” She brought her head back and smiled, her tears now ran freely as she locked eyes with Ascended. Casting away all inhibitions she leaned in planting a kiss firmly on Ascended's lips. “Thank you so much...”