Sweet Apple Herding

~ ❀ ~

Sunday, May 12th, Year 9 of Princess Twilight

Pip and his parents made their way through the blooming orchard. Sweet Apple Acres in spring was a thing to behold, the flowering trees spreading a sweet scent all along the path from Ponyville.

“Oh Pip, you are so handsome,” his mother, Marigold, said. The small, light brown mare wiped a tear from her eyes.

Pip was wearing a fetching dark vest, custom made by Rarity.

“We are very proud of you, son,” his father added. Clock Work was an impeccably dressed stallion with a grey-spotted-white coat. His speech and general attitude was very formal, as usual, but Pip knew him well enough to sense the genuine affection hidden underneath.

“Thanks,” Pip replied, feeling a little embarrassed. “I’m so glad you could come all the way from Trottingham.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We would never have missed your big day,” his mother assured.

Pip led the older ponies off of the main path and toward the hidden meadow. Guided by a pathway of cheery decorations, they soon arrived at the party held around the twin, entwined apple-pear hybrid trees.

Cheerilee greeted them as they approached. She looked radiant, stunning, her wedding veil fluttering in the soft breeze. Pip hugged her tight, happy to feel her body against his, but he refrained from kissing her. Taboos against physical interaction before marriage - not to mention those against sex - were long gone from Equestrian society, but a minimum of decorum was still required on such an occasion.

After all, they were getting married.

“Hi Cheerilee, do you remember my parents? This is my father, Clock Work, and this is my mom, Marigold.”

“Oh yes, we’ve met before,” Cheerilee said with a smile, though she was blushing slightly, “at parent-teacher conferences.”

“Indeed, Miss Cheerilee,” Marigold agreed. “You always had such nice things to say about our little colt.”

Cheerilee rubbed the back of her neck, clearly a little embarrassed. “He always was such a good student, and I was happy to be his teacher. It’s a little strange that we’re marrying him today, but I’m so happy. I love him.”

“I love you too,” Pip said with a smile.

Pip introduced his parents to Sugar Belle, Big Mac, and Fluttershy. Marigold soon found herself engrossed in a conversation with Sugar Belle, and even the uptight Clock Work ended up finding a proper conversation partner in Rarity.

A lot of ponies had gathered around the meadow, enjoying the food prepared by Applejack, Sugar Belle and Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were there, and several of Pip’s old schoolmates too. Some of Fluttershy’s non-pony students from the School of Friendship had come too, apparently eager to research ponies’ herd bonding. Even Discord was there, though Pip did his best to avoid the Lord of Chaos.

Pip played with the herd’s foals, loving them as if they were his own. Once the bonding would be completed, he would legally be considered their father alongside Big Mac.

“Oh, hey there, Pip.”

Uh, is that… Diamond Tiara? She had changed a lot since the last time Pip had met her, having become a pretty, young mare. She had even forsook her trademark tiara.

“Hello DT, it’s nice to see you.” Pip gave Diamond Tiara a friendly hug.

Diamond Tiara smiled. “Nice to see you too. Applebloom invited me,” she said, answering his silent question.

“And who’s this?” Diamond Tiara asked, pointing at the filly on Pip’s back.

“That’s Rain Hearth. She’s Cheerilee’s daughter. Rain, say hello to Diamond Tiara. We were your mom’s students back in school.” The filly hid her face in his mane. “… she’s shy.”

He turned around to give the filly a quick kiss on the forehead, making her chirp happily.

“Well, she certainly likes you,” Diamond Tiara commented with a smirk.

“Yeah… I’ve been with them since they were born. And I’ll be their father soon, when I officially accept the herd bond.”

“I wish you luck. Miss Cheerilee sure is lucky to have you… you’re very handsome, Pip.” To his surprise, Diamond Tiara planted a little peck on Pip’s cheek. She walked away, a grin on her face.

Idly stroking his cheek where Diamond Tiara had kissed him, Pip settled on a bench next to Cheerilee. She nuzzled lovingly into his fur. She felt very warm, and Pip could smell her delightful musk; like most fertile mares, Cheerilee, Sugar Belle and Fluttershy had gone into heat.

It was their first estrus since they had foaled; that night, once they were married, Pip would mate with mares in heat for the first time.

They were called by Mayor Mare to stand before the majestic blooming hybrid trees. Ponies settled down, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Pip, quite nervous, stood before Big Mac and Sugar Belle, the herd’s alphas. The other herd-mares, Fluttershy and Cheerilee, waited behind the couple.

“Fillies and gentlecolts!” the mayor announced. “Today, we are here to celebrate the binding of Pipsqueak into the herd of Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle.

“Big Macintosh. Do you accept Pip as a husband for you and your herd, to love and cherish him as you love and cherish all your herdmates, to raise his foals as your own, and stand with him for the rest of your lives?”

Big Mac, dressed in an elegant suit, nodded, looking at Pip. “Eeyup!”

“Sugar Belle. Do you accept Pipsqueak as a husband for you and your herd, to love and cherish him as you love and cherish all your herdmates, to carry and raise his foals, and stand with him for the rest of your lives?”

Sugar Belle smiled brightly under her white veil. “I do.”

“Cheerilee, Fluttershy… do any of you wish to contest your alphas’ decision to invite this stallion into your herd as your new husband for life?”

Both mares shook their heads.

“Pipsqueak, do you accept Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle as your alphas, to bind yourself as a husband for them and their herd, to love and cherish your herdmates, and to raise their foals as your own?”

Pip took a deep breath.

“I do.”

“Then, in the name of Princess Twilight of Equestria, it is my great pleasure to declare all of you husbands, wives and herdmates. Pip, you may kiss your alphas!”

Thunderous cheers rose from the audience as everypony stomped their hooves on the ground.

Closing his eyes, Pip pressed his muzzle against Big Mac’s and kissed the alpha stallion. Sugar Belle raised her white veil and he kissed her too, sealing their eternal bond. Joining in, Fluttershy and Cheerilee crushed Pip with a group hug, kissing him in turns.

As he emerged from the happy pony pile, Pip saw several ponies crying, including his parents.

Looking down, the newlywed stallion saw Harvest Blossom, Orchard Breeze, and Rain Hearth running up to him. He invited the foals on his back, happy to feel their little body against his fur. They were his foals now, and he was their father.

Harvest Blossom, the red unicorn filly, hugged his withers with her tiny hooves. As Pip looked behind him, he noticed the foal’s tiny horn aglow with brilliant crimson magic. The filly gazed up at the twin trees, then closed her eyes to unleash a bolt of energy. The red light circled around the trees, spinning faster and faster. It disintegrated into a mist of red sparks, immediately absorbed by the trees’ blooming flowers. The blossoms swelled and glowed crimson, before bursting in a rain of white petals. In their places, fully mature fruits hung from the trees.

Absolutely everypony was left dumbstruck as petals showered on them… except for Harvest Blossom, who just looked adorably satisfied with herself.

“Well, this is certainly quite unique.” An unicorn mare Pip had not noticed earlier made her way through the crowd. Pink flames engulfed the mare for an instant, revealing the towering silhouette of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Ponies around her bowed down respectfully. The ruler of Equestria gently levitated Harvest Blossom so she could look at her. The filly curiously stared at the alicorn flowing, shimmering mane.

“Now, who do we have here?” The princess briefly nudged the filly’s horn with her own, generating pink and crimson sparks.

Sugar Belle looked worried. “This is our daughter, Harvest Blossom, your h-highness.”

Twilight Sparkle gave the filly back to its mother. “There is a powerful magic within her.”

“Is… that a problem?”

“I don’t think so. If it turns out to be, if her magic runs out of control, simply send me a letter.” The princess stood silent for a moment. “One day, she will be a powerful unicorn. I will tutor her, once she is older.”

Twilight Sparkle smiled at Pip. “Congratulations on your wedding, Pip. I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to cause such a fuss and hijack the ceremony; I simply wanted to attend for my friend Fluttershy.”

She looked around. “Alright everypony, it’s time for the party!”

Much later, as sunset bathed Sweet Apple Acres in its orange glow, the guests starting to leave, Twilight Sparkle approached the herd, surrounded by her friends.

“Well, congratulations again everypony. I trust everything is alright?”

“Yes, your highness,” Sugar Belle answered. “Applejack and the Apple family will clean up and take care of our foals while we’re gone.”

Sugar Belle turned toward Pip. “We have a surprise for you, Pip. Well two surprises, but… let’s start with the first one: Princess Twilight will bring us with her to Canterlot. For our honeymoon, we have a suite just for us five… in the Royal Palace.”

“Oh, wow…”

Sugar Belle grinned. “We already packed your things too, so we can go right now. Princess?”

The princess’ horn glowed. Pip felt tingling magic surrounding him, and suddenly the world disappeared.