Chapters It's a new day and Pear Butter is in town at Sugar Cube Corner helping Chiffon Swirl just like she does every Friday. The two are happily baking caramelized pears, pear upside down cake, and a loaf of pear bread. The two enjoy spending time together baking and this day is especially special. As Chiffon sticks the goodies in the oven, her flank begins to glow and her cutie mark appears. Pear stands there stunned for a moment then spurts out, "Chiffon, look at your flank." Chiffon looks at her flank and smiles then bursts out in excitement. "I finally got my mark, thanks to you!" She then runs over and hugs Pear Butter. The two then go outside to pick some of Chiffon's fresh lavender off her lavender bushes. Once they pick the lavender, they go back inside and begin to bake a nice and aromatic lavender cake.
A few hours later, they pull the delicious pear treats out of the oven. They then pop the lavender cake into the oven and wait for that to bake. Two hours later, they come and pull the lavender cake out of the oven and take it over to Chiffon's mother and father for their anniversary.
Three hours later, the two part ways. Chiffon gets back to working on other treats and Pear Butter goes to meet Bright Mac in the far side of the apple orchard. Pear Butter knows this is the only way to see him right now, and she is okay with that, just as long as she gets to see him, even if it is behind her father and his mother's back.
A few days later as he's plowing with Burnt Oak, Bright Mac gets distracted and runs into the Pear silo. That's when Grandpear comes out and gets onto Pear Butter's flank, but Bright Mac won't have it and tells Grandpear that he did it. He then agrees to repair it and provide them with more seeds and saplings to regrow their trees. Over the next three weeks, Bright Mac rebuilds the silo. Once he's done, he runs off and finds Pear Butter sitting in the garden and the two run off to Sugar Cube Corner to grab some treats.
After grabbing the treats, the two go back to the farms and get picnic supplies and go and enjoy a picnic in the apple orchard when they are discovered by Chiffon Swirl, who gladly agrees to keep their secret and a few minutes after that, the two are disrupted by Granny Smith. Bright Mac drops his cupcake and sandwich as he is dragged away by his mother. He knows he's not supposed to fraternize with Pears, but his mother flat out tells him so and lets him know it for sure by then grounding him for a week.
Pear Butter then returns to her house tears in her eyes. She is then confronted by her father, who tells her that they are moving. She then plops her face into her pillow and cries. She doesn't want to move. She wants to stay with the stallion she loves.
Not long after this, Bright Mac gets word that Pear Butter may be moving. He then manages to sneak out and meet her in the back side of the pear orchard. The two then discuss their plan of having their wedding pronto. That evening in the back apple orchard, the two are married. About fifteen minutes into the wedding after the seeds were planted, the two are discovered by their parents and are told they aren't married. Mayor Mare then pronounces them husband and wife and Pear Butter tells her father to get lost and is then accepted by the Apples as her father runs off to Vanhoover. A tear falls down Buttercup's eyes, she didn't think becoming part of one family would lose her the other. She really and truly didn't.
Chapter 8-Two Years Later
Two years after the wedding, Pear Butter becomes pregnant with their first foal. Bright Mac couldn't be any prouder. He can't wait to be a father! The two happily build a nursery with plenty of help from Granny Smith. After the nursery is built, Pear Butter goes off to their bedroom and sits down and begins to write her father a letter.
Dear Father,
She then seals the letter and sends it off in the mail to Vanhoover. A few weeks later, the letter arrives in Vanhoover. That afternoon, Grandpear goes out to the mailbox and opens it and inside finds a letter from Pear Butter, which he takes inside and puts in a drawer, not even bothering to read it. He honestly has no idea that she is expecting her first foal and he doesn't want to. He heads back out to the factory to check on production. Right now, that's the only way he can keep his mind off the letter he just received from Pear Butter.
Meanwhile at the Apple Farm, Bright Mac is out tending to the trees while Pear Butter works on finishing up the nursery decorations of simple yellows and oranges and blues. Once she finishes the nursery decor, Pear Butter goes out to tea with Mrs. Cake and Mr. Cake.
"So, you're expecting, congratulations, Buttercup!" says Mrs. Cake to Pear Butter over tea.
"Ah, thanks," replies Buttercup. "I just wish dad would tell me the same or even bother writing me back in general." She lets out a sigh.
"It's okay, Pear, we'll always be here for you," says Mrs. Cake putting her hoof onto of Pear Butter's. Pear Butter smiles.
"Thanks, that means a lot to me," replies Pear Butter.
The three continue to talk for hours. They share laughs and smiles. Around two hours later, they all part ways. Pear Butter returns to the Apple Farm and the Cakes return to Sugar Cube Corner. Pear can't help but admit that she's glad the Cakes are like a second set of parents to her and she's glad they'll always have her back no matter what.
One year later, Buttercup gives birth to a healthy little colt, whom she and Bright Mac name Big Mac after his father. Buttercup smiles down at the little colt in her hooves. "He got my maw's bright red coat," sighs Buttercup.
"He's a very handsome little colt," sighs Bright Mac as he takes the colt and cuddles him in his hooves. Buttercup smiles with a little giggle. She then gets up and goes inside and sits down at the table and writes a letter to her father.
Dear Paw,
She takes it down to the mailbox and puts it inside. Three days later, her Paw receives the letter and again doesn't open it but goes and sticks it in the drawer with the other one. He now has no idea his grandson exists and honestly, he doesn't care. She's the one that chose the Apples over him and now, she's feeling the repercussions of her betrayal and that is him not responding to her letters. She'll just have to live with that.
Two days later, Pear Butter takes little Big Mac with her on her daily errands. First, they stop by the market place and pick up produce and then the infantile store to get diapers and baby wipes and baby bottles.
Meanwhile back at the Apple Farm, Bright Mac is busy working the fields. After all, someone has to tend to the trees while Pear Butter is out running the errands and as the father, that duty falls onto his shoulders. He works the fields for several hours up until the time Buttercup returns home with a sleeping Big Mac in her saddle bag. She then takes the sleeping infant inside and puts him in his crib in the nursery. She smiles as she leaves the room. She's happy to be a mother and she'd have it no other way.
That afternoon while Pear Butter and Bright Mac are out, Granny Smith watches the young Big Mac and filly Applejack play on the floor as she knits. After about a half hour, Granny Smith dozes off and falls asleep. As she naps, the two foals still play happily on the ground in front of her.
Meanwhile, Pear Butter and Bright Mac are out a charity bake sale and street side sale. The two are helping out at their friends' stands. Pear Butter is helping out at Mrs. and Mr. Cakes' stand while Bright Mac is helping out at Burnt Oak's wood carving stand. Other tables are also lining both sides of the street with everything from jewelry to balloon carts and face painting carts for the foals. A half hour later, the charity sales begin and ponies flood to the tables.
At the Cakes' table, a young pony asks for a bag of a dozen cookies, which Mrs. Cake happily hands to them then takes their twenty three bits. She then puts it in the wooden box on her stand and then gets back to awaiting the next customer.
Over at Burnt Oak's stand, ponies line up for his wood carvings and wood burnings by the hundreds. He and Bright Mac pass out carvings to the ponies as they fill their wooden box with hundreds upon thousands of bits.
Meanwhile, over at another stand, an Equestrian Indian pony named Indigo Spirit passes out feather covered jewelry and then happily takes her payments from her customers with a warm and inviting smile across her face. "Have a great day!" she says as ponies leave her stand.
Over at another stand, a mustached pony hands out stain glass tiles to his customers as they fill his wood box with their bits. He then smiles and tells them to have a great day as they leave his stand.
Pear Butter sighs. She was hoping her father would come to sell his jams and pear treats at the charity. Meanwhile, several miles down the road, he is doing exactly that, but she has no idea. After seeing Pear's father out of the corner of her eye, Mrs. Cake tells Pear Butter that he's down twenty stands and Pear Butter runs off to greet him.
Down at his stand, Grandpear notices as Pear Butter comes running his way, shocked. "Pear Butter, what are you doing here?" he asks.
"I'm helping at the Cakes' stand," she replies. "Now answer me this, why haven't you answered any of my letters? Your grandfoals wonder where you are. Little Big Mac and Applejack, they're always asking where their grandpa is and I hate having to tell them that you aren't around." Her eyes begin to fill with tears. "Why do you do this to your grandfoals? I'll never understand you, dad, no grandparent doesn't visit their grandfoals. What is wrong with you?" She's full blown crying at this point.
"Honey, Pear Butter, honey, I'm too successful to turn back now, I'm sorry," her father tells her then turns and walks away. Pear Butter runs back to the Cakes' stand with tears in her eyes. She hates her father so much right now. He's turned his back, not only on her, but his grandfoals and that's what ticks her off most of all.
Back at the Cakes' stand, Mrs. Cake does her best to comfort Pear Butter while Mr. Cake tends to the customers. A few hours later, Mrs. Cake even walks Pear Butter home and then returns back to the charity sale on her own.
At the Apple Farm, "what's wrong, Buttercup?" asks a concerned Granny Smith.
"Dad, he told me he prefers success and fortune over his grandfoals, his grandfoals," she cries. Granny Smith strokes her mane and tries to comfort her.
"There, there child," says Granny Smith, "there's a reason your father's parents named him Prickly. He's unfeeling and selfish. We'll never abandon you, I promise."
"Thanks," sniffles Buttercup. "How are little Big Mac and Applejack?"
"They're sleeping," replies Granny, now go clean yourself up and go relax yourself. You need it. Buttercup nods and goes to the bathroom and washes up before going out to her garden to get her mind off her rocky talk with her father.
Back at the charity sale, Bright Mac is still working the wood carving stand with Burnt Oak, not knowing that his wife left early, not knowing that she got in a fight with her father. He continues to help with the stand until the event's close at midnight's firework show. Immediately after the fireworks, Bright Mac returns home and goes off to see if his wife is okay. He soon finds her sitting in the living room with tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong, dear?" Bright Mac asks.
"I had a fight today at the charity sale with my father," replies Buttercup with a sniffle, "he'd rather have success over a relationship with his grandfoals." He comes over and comforts her, holding her in his hooves. He lets her continue to cry on his shoulder until she finally gets all the tears out. Bright Mac can't help but pity her. After all, all she ever wanted was her father to be there for her children and now, that's not even going to happen ever.
Chapter 13-Five Years Later
Five years later, Pear Butter has another foal, another filly, whom she names Apple Bloom. Applejack and Big Mac are happy to have another sibling to play with. Pear Butter smiles as she watches the older two interact with their baby sister. "She looks like her daddy," says Pear Butter to Bright Mac.
"Mmhmm," replies Bright Mac with a smile, "she does look like me." He then goes out to tend to the fields and leaves Pear Butter alone so she can get some much needed rest.
Out in the orchard, Bright Mac gets straight to bucking the trees. After all, they still have to send apples to market tomorrow, they still have to bring in money. He bucks at the trees for about six to eight hours straight before finally falling asleep underneath the trees, every single one bucked thoroughly.
The next day, he takes the apples to the market as soon as the sun rises. He then tends to the apple stand at the market all morning while Pear Butter stays at home with baby Apple Bloom and the older two are at school.
At school, Applejack and Big Mac happily take their seats in the class. Big Mac in the back and Applejack in the front. A few minutes later, Rara takes her seat beside Applejack, who then shares a hug with her. Not long after that, Mrs. Cherry Upside Down Cake enters the classroom and hands around math tests for the students to begin on. After about fifteen to twenty five minutes, the students finish their tests and hand them back to the teacher who takes them up and begins to grade them after assigning them their homework.
Meanwhile at the Apple Farm, Pear Butter hums a lullaby to an infant Apple Bloom. Once Apple Bloom is put down for her nap, Pear Butter goes out and tends to her garden. Once she's done with her garden, she goes back inside and starts making batter for her favorite treat: pear strudels. Once the batter is made, Buttercup adds in the pear slices and brown sugar and cinnamon. She then folds them over and pops them in the oven. A half hour later, she pulls them out and lets them cool while she goes off to nurse a crying Apple Bloom before putting her back down to sleep and going to enjoy her pear strudels. Everything is perfect, if only her relationship with her father, though, she thinks to herself, could be just as perfect. Alas, she knows, that is not to be.
Chapter 14-Two Days Later
Two days later as they're walking home from the market, Pear Butter and Bright Mac walk under a tree, which soon snaps and falls right on top of them and crushes them. Alas, no help comes, and within a few hours time, the two pass away. Finally, five hours later, a pony walks by and notices the two dead ponies under the tree and realizes they are Bright Mac and Pear Butter. The pony then goes to the Apple Farm and tells the sad news to Granny Smith and the older two foals. As soon as Applejack and Big Mac hear the news, they burst into tears as does Granny Smith. She then goes to the site of the incident and recovers their bodies then goes and buries them under the Apple Pear tree.
A few days after the accident at the funeral, the town pays their regards for the loss of the Apple Parents. As they share their regards, Applejack can't help but cry. Her parents are gone and now it's up to her and Big Mac to raise an infant Apple Bloom. Explaining this to her when she's older, that's what really scares Applejack. How does she explain something like this to a child??? She has no idea whatsoever.
Chapter 15-Seven Years Later
Seven years later, Applejack and Big Mac sit down for a chat with Apple Bloom about their parents. "Apple Bloom," says Applejack, "it's about time we tell you how maw and paw died. You see, they were on their way to the market early one morning when a falling tree rolled down a hill and crushed them."
"Why not tell me earlier? I never knew them. I wish I could have. You two are lucky, you actually knew them. Why not tell me sooner?" asks Apple Bloom with tears in her eyes.
"You were an infant when they died, we couldn't tell you until now," replies Applejack.
"Oh, okay, I still miss them."
"I know, sugar cube," replies Applejack, who takes a crying Apple Bloom in her hooves to comfort her. Big Mac then comes over and does the same. Right now, Apple Bloom needs them more than ever before and they promise, they'll always be around for her, no matter what. To Apple Bloom, that means the world.
Chapter 3-Five Years Later
Five years later, the two finally go on their first date. "Oh Buttercup, I love you," sighs Bright Mac, kissing her on the cheek.
"And I love you too," replies Buttercup, kissing him in return.
The two then share a milkshake. Once they're done with the milkshake, they head off and play several rounds of bowling. After bowling, the two go and get their portrait painted, so Pear can have something to take home to remember him by. The two then stroll down to the Ponyville fountain, where they then part, Pear Butter with the painting in hoof.
Back at her home, Pear Butter hangs the painting in her closet where her father and sisters won't find it. She then sits down on her bed and sighs to herself.
Meanwhile at his home, Bright Mac goes out in the field and helps his father do the plowing. As he plows, he smiles as he thinks about Buttercup. Once he's done with plowing, he heads to the apple orchard and gets to bucking the trees. There, he can just think about Buttercup and talk to himself without no pony noticing. He smiles as he kicks the trees. He loves Buttercup so much and swears cross his heart that he's going to marry her someday.
It's a new day and Pear Butter is out watering her flower garden. Meanwhile, Bright Mac watches her work from his view in the Apple Family Apple Orchards. He kicks a tree and shakes the apples loose as he keeps his eyes focused on her. Pear Butter and Bright Mac sigh. "I wish I wasn't a Pear," sighs Pear Butter.
"And I wish I wasn't an Apple, then we could be together," sighs Bright Mac. He then begins to sing. "I've loved you since the first day we met. Now we can't help falling hoof over hoof for each other. These are the times I wish I wasn't an Apple. These are the times I wish I was some pony else." Pear Butter joins in on the song. Sometimes I wish I wasn't a Pear. Sometimes I wish I was some pony else. That way I wouldn't have to hide my love for you. Sometimes we wish we weren't what we are. Sometimes we wish we could just be some pony else. Oh how we wish we could be some pony else!" They sigh then get back to work. Pear Butter leaves her garden and goes back inside and sits on her bed and tunes her guitar. Bright Mac just smiles at her through her window. How he wishes he could be her Romeo, her hero! How she wishes she could be his Juliet, his fair maiden, and the angel in his life! Alas, their parents will never allow it and they know that all too well.
Chapter 6-Ten Years Later
In the orchard, the two enjoy their picnic under the trees. A few minutes into the picnic, the two wish each other a happy anniversary of when Bright Mac first called Pear Butter, Buttercup. She then presents him a guitar and he tries to play. She then takes it and shows him how to play and sings him a song she wrote titled "You're in My Head Like a Catchy Song" which he absolutely loves. After the song draws to an end, Bright Mac covers her eyes with his hat and leads her to a stone where he's carved their cutie marks. As he lifts the hat and reveals the rock to her, Buttercup can't help but smile. She kisses him on the cheek as a thank you. The two then walk back into town and get a milkshake to share from Sugar Cube Corner.
After their little date, the two share a final kiss then part ways. Pear Butter returns to her father's farm and Bright Mac to his mother's. The two are madly in love but they always have to meet in secret. Pear Butter can't help but feel that there story is akin to Romeo and Juliet and indeed, she is right in more respects than others.
Back at the Apple Farm, Bright Mac is back to bucking the apples alongside his cousins Hay Bale and Sugar Apple. As he's bucking, Sugar Apple asks him a very touchy question. "Bright Mac, what is it with you and that Pear girl?" she asks.
"She's sweet, she's not like the rest of them, she's different, she's my angel, that's all you need to know," replies Bright Mac.
"Okay," replies Sugar Apple with a smile on her face. She then doesn't bring it up ever again and gets back to bucking her section.
A few hours later, the three go inside and join the rest of the family for dinner. It's the annual Apple family dinner with all the relatives in town to enjoy it. The only other time it's like this is Apple family reunions, so the three cousins are happy to see the rest of their kin. They then spend the rest of the evening sharing stories and telling jokes.
Meanwhile at the Pear family farm, Buttercup sits in her room and watches Bright Mac and his family from her window. She sighs, "if only we could be together with no fuss and no parents in the way." She then steps away from the window and goes downstairs to dinner with her family.
Chapter 11-Four Years Later
Four years later, Pear Butter gives birth to her second foal, an orange coated filly with a blond mane, whom she names Applejack. Big Mac stands beside his mother as he stares at the little filly in her arms. "Big Mac, meet your baby sister, Applejack," says Buttercup.
"Hey lil AJ," says Big Mac to the sleeping filly in his mother's arms.
"She's beautiful, just like her mommy," says Bright Mac. Pear Butter blushes.
A few minutes later, Mrs. Cake walks in with a gift for the little filly. "I knitted your newborn a cute jumper dress with a matching hat," says Mrs. Cake, handing it to Pear Butter.
"Awe, thank you," replies Pear Butter taking the ensemble from Mrs. Cake. "She'll look adorable in it when she's a little bit older."
"You're welcome, now where do you want me to put the pear walnut and apple walnut muffins I made y'all?"
"Just put them on the kitchen counter, thank you," replies Buttercup.
Mrs. Cake takes the basket of muffins and puts them on the kitchen counter then returns to Pear Butter's room. Pear Butter then happily lets Mrs. Cake rock baby Applejack. Mrs. Cake rocks the infant with a smile on her face. "I, too, hope to be a mother someday," sighs Mrs. Cake.
"I'm sure you will be and when the time comes, you'll be a darn great un," replies Pear Butter. The two burst out giggling. A few hours later, Mrs. Cake returns the infant to her mother and then leaves but not before giving Pear Butter a great big hug. Pear Butter is glad Mrs. Cake stopped by. After all, for as long as she can remember, Mrs. Cake has always been her closest and bestest friend.
It's a new day and a five year old Buttercup is out in the pear orchard tending to the trees when she sees Bright Mac. She walks over and greets him.
"How are you doing? I haven't seen you lately," she says to him.
"I'm good, thanks," he replies with a smile.
A few moments later, her father notices this, picks her up and carries her away to her bedroom and tells her not to move. On her bed, she sits there, with tears in her eyes and begins to sing.
"Why can't we stay together? Why do we have to be torn apart? I'm in love with you an Apple. Them stopping me from seeing you is them trying to control my heart. They don't understand what true love is. They likely never will. Why can't we stay together? Someday, I'll find a way to make that change. Why do we have to be torn apart? Truly, I'm an Apple deep down inside my heart. I'm an Apple deep down inside my heart." She then breaks back into a flood of tears. All she wants is to be happy with the pony she loves, even if he is an Apple.
A few days after getting in trouble with her father, Pear Butter is just sitting in her room when all of a sudden she hears her father crying outside. She then peeks out her window and she's him standing over her mother, who seems to be motionless. "Sweet Pear! Sweet Pear!" cries Prickly. "Get up!" He sits there for a few moments, then it hits him. He checks her pulse and alas, there isn't one. He then carries her to the familial burial ground behind the main barn. There, he buries her, then sits down and cries. Pear Butter rushes down from her room and goes to comfort her father.
"It'll be okay, daddy," says Pear Butter, trying to comfort him. "It'll be okay."
"I can't help but blame myself, she was standing there when the tree fell on top of her and I did nothing, I did nothing," he bursts into tears. Pear Butter continues to try and comfort him and her older sisters, Sour Pear and Candied Pear soon come over and do the same.
"Oh daddy," sighs Sour Pear, "everything will get better in time. We promise."
"Come on," adds in Candied Pear, "we have a funeral to plan. After all, all Maw's family is spread all across Equestria."
"You're right," replies Prickly as he follows his three daughters inside. Once inside, they sit down and send out the notes to let the rest of the family know that Sweet Pear has passed away.
Three days later, the family has the funeral. All of Sweet Pear's family was able to make it, so was Prickly's few that lived beyond the farm as well. Even Sweet's close friends Mr. and Mrs. Orange and their daughter Tangerine manage to make it. The funeral soon begins and several tears are shed and words are said.
After the funeral, Prickly goes off and just sits by his wife's grave and cries. "It's all my fault, I should've pushed you out of the way."
Meanwhile, the rest of the family talks over all the memories they shared with Sweet Pear. No one realizes that Prickly has left the rest of them. Not even his own daughters realize that he is gone. Heck, Pear Butter is more so paying attention to the fact that Bright Mac came over to comfort her once he learned of her mother's passing.
"I know how you feel," says Bright Mac, pulling the curl out of Buttercup's face, "really Buttercup, I do. My dad died not long after I was born. His name was Amber Bark. I don't know him, at least, you knew your mother."
"You're right," replies Buttercup as she places her head in his arms and cries on his shoulder. "It still hurts just the same." The two then say their goodbyes and part ways. After all, Bright Mac doesn't want to get in trouble with his mother and Buttercup doesn't want to get in trouble with her father. Even so, they can't help but cry all the way back to their respective homes.
