Fancy used his magical abilities to adjust his monocle with ease. "I wasn't expecting this call, but I'm pleased to answer it."

Blossom nodded quickly, ears bobbing with the motion. "We're all here, um, didn't bring Big Mac jus' to be sleepin'."

Sugar Belle looked to the empty chair, that symbol of Big Mac's presence, even if he was at home, sleeping. "Well, I know he's listening." She turned her gaze on Blossom. "Which is part of my point... I have decided." She hopped down from her chair, nervous energy preventing her from sitting still. "I don't think we're a herd."

Fancy sat up, carefully keeping his expression neutral. "As is your choice... May I ask what brought this decision about?"

Sugar turned in her pacing. "Because we're not. We're two lovely pairs that get along great. I already had Big Mac... I want to keep him. You two are getting along so well... You two should be a thing." She waves her hooves at Fancy and Blossom, sitting to do so. "I'm a day pony." She pointed at Blossom. "She's a night pony." And onwards to Fancy. "And you... got a hoof in either side."

Blossom wriggled with clear discomfort and a little stuttering stop. "W-well... ah thought... Ah thought ya loved me." She curled a hoof on herself.

"And I do," Sugar firmly assured, each word emphasized. "But I don't think this will work. Not... for marriage. You--" She pointed at Blossom. "Have a special somepony right there." She moved that hoof to direct at Fancy instead. "We all got special someponies. Ain't nopony being left out here. Now..." She faced them directly, ceasing her nervous pacing. "The question becomes what sort of relationship our two couples have."

Blossom warmed in her cheeks. "Um..."

Gently, Fancy coughed and tapped his hoof. "I've seen this manner of connection before. Are you proposing an open relationship?"

Sugar colored sharply. "Not open! If I spot one of you with somepony new, I'll be upset..." She hopped up into her original chair. "But nopony here is 'new'. I'm saying we can... We can leave that door open for us. But we should know where our loyalties lie. I am Big Mac's Mare. He is my stallion. But if Fancy Pants comes by for a visit, then I'll be happy to greet him." She rolled her eyes with a thought. "As if I could keep Blossom away. But you know who my number one is, and always will be."

"I'm glad to hear that." Fancy's tension ratcheted down several steps with a soft breath. "I have no desire to take part in such a relationship."

"That's another thing!" Sugar leaned forward. "If you don't like what I'm saying, don't feel tied down. You have her." She pointed to Blossom. "You two can and will exist even if I wander off. You don't need my approval."

"But that ain't fair!" Blossom tapped a hoof down, resisting the urge to make more noise and possibly damage something.

"Maybe... If you were still one pony." Sugar hiked a brow. "But I seem to remember somepony made a pretty big deal about being two. So, there is nothing unfair about two ponies with two special someponies. Even if they keep kissing and telling with their sib." She huffed at that, looking far more amused than annoyed. "Two couples. They share sometimes, if they get in the mood... but two couples. Not a herd."

Fancy slid to his hooves, only to fall further to his knees, facing Orchard Blossom. "Ma'am."

"Hm?" She inclined her head at the bowing stallion. "What're ya doin' that fer?"

"It is traditional." He raised one hoof towards her. "When a stallion proposes."

Blossom's face went hot, and she wobbled. "W-wait! We ain't even--"

"--That is what I wish to address. M'lady, will you accept me as your boyfriend?" It was, perhaps, far too formal for such a step, but that was Fancy Pants.

"Oh. Oh! Um..." She glanced towards Sugar Belle, who was nodding fiercely. "Um... Ah'd be... delighted." She rubbed at her cheek. "Thought we were already involved."

"Perhaps." Fancy sat there. "But that relationship was different. I was an outsider petitioning to join a herd. That herd has been dissolved, and with it, it rendered us free agents. At no point were you my marefriend, nor did you have a specific claim to me. We have addressed this." He nodded, clearly satisfied with how things had been resolved.

"Yeah..." Blossom quirked an ear at Sugar, tail curling behind her. "Um, so, is that it?"

"That's... kinda it." Sugar strolled forward and hopped up, forehooves on the chair as she leaned in to steal a quick kiss from Blossom. "I hope you two get along famously..."

Blossom went for a return nuzzle and wasn't denied, the two sharing a moment of gentle affection. "Ya know ah still love ya, right?"

Sugar snorted softly. "Goes both ways. But we're officially a fling our +1s are alright with." She slid down to the floor with a clop. "It's different..." She let out a slow breath. "And I feel... I feel better. This feels right." She nodded, gaining confidence in her place in the world. "Fancy?"

"You are a mature and lovely pony." He dipped his head towards Sugar. "Thank you. It is only at your hooves that this all could have happened with such grace. There were countless ways you could have... That we could have... This is a fine way for it to be." He offered a hoof. "If ever you should be in Canterlot, you are quite welcome at my abode. I'd be delighted to show you around."

She went for broke, smooching his cheek as well. "You're a peach. I know you have fancy things waiting for you..." She hurried off to grab a platter and bring it. "But... if you like, take one."

Fancy lifted the lid with his magic, revealing a tray of cookies. He took two, and set the lid back down. Without pausing, he offered one to Blossom. "Thank you. Your baked goods have a charm that's difficult to reproduce in the city, believe it or not."

Sugar colored faintly. "You're just saying that!"

"Empty praises are not my usual pattern, ma'am." He took a moderate chomp of his cookie. "Were you positioned closer, you would have another client. It would be uncouth to request it of Blossom."

Blossom perked an ear. "Not hardly. Could always grab some either at the start or end of mah 'day'. Whichever works better for ya two."

Fancy shook a hoof. "I would not be the one to personally accept it, so time of day is of little concern to me."

"That's true..." Sugar clopped her hooves with realization. "If you can, end of your shift. I'll be getting up. You can get them nice and fresh. Fancy deserves fresh goods!" She frowned just as suddenly. "But that puts money in this. Makes it awkard--"

Blossom prodded Sugar in the chest. "Ya pay m--Big Mac fer those apples every time he comes 'round. It ain't different. It's just easier to pay somepony ya happen ta like."

Fancy nodded softly at the idea. "I say it's a pleasure to see some of my bits going to a quality place, and a quality pony. There will be no regrets here."

"You two are too much." She put the tray down on her counter. "Well... As much as I love having you two around, that really is that. I need some sleep. Maybe you too?"

Fancy rubbed his chin softly. "I do have a morning engagement. It will be a pleasure when next we converse." He turned to Blossom. "If you would? Oh, don't hesitate to pen some correspondence. The Equestria mail service is quite dependable."

Sugar inclined her head as the other two vanished with nary a pop. "It is..." she finished to herself. "Shoulda thought of that." If nothing else, she had gained a new pen pal, and customer. "Shoot..." But she had lost some special someponies. "Shoot..." But it was the right course of action... "For the best." She let out a slow breath. "I should get some sleep too..."

She cleaned up the bakery first, working off the energy of the moment before she felt ready to try sleeping.

"Yer lookin' chipper this morning." Granny Apple pushed a tray of butter over towards Big Mac. "Somethin' happen?"

"Got a lot figured out." Big Mac accepted the tray and applied it to his toast gently. "A lot less questions, and a lot more answers. Feelin' powerful good, all an' all."

Applejack leaned her head slightly to the side, her expression one of puzzlement. "So who do we have to tackle to figure out what it was?"

"Oh!" As if he had just entirely spaced on that part. "It's mah... relations." He waved off towards Canterlot. "Since me an' Orchard Blossom are different ponies, we decided to handle it like that."

Granny sat up, arms crossed. "Which meant?"

"Which meant... She has a boyfriend, his name's Fancy Pants. Ah--" She pointed at himself emphatically. "Got a girlfriend, you know her plenty. Sugar Belle!"

Letting out a surprised 'huh', Applejack lifted an apple and bit into it with a loud crunch. "So... All separated now? No you an' Fancy? No Fancy n' Sugar? Sugar n' Blossom?" She colored at that last one. "You were givin' hints that all those thin's were thin's."

Granny tapped at the table. "That's all well an' good, but how long do ah gotta wait afore ah meet mah grandfoal's +1! Really now, keepin' me waitin' so long. Ain't right... This Fancy Pants, awful generous, but how's he act? He put on all those airs just caus' he has bits? Ah know the type!"

Big Mac waved wildly. "It ain't like that! He's a right nice pony. Um... If ya tell me when you'll be up, I'll have Blossom bring him by to say hi. Ya know she ain't awake 'til ah'm sleepin'."

Granny Smith leaned in. "Now, ah gotta question. I'd ask her direct, quiet like... but that ain't easy, and you know why. I'll ask you, since ah know you could answer it, and you'd hear even if ah did ask her to her face. Ya ready?"

Applejack turned an ear back. "This somethin' ah should get out of here for?"

"You're her sister," squawked out Granny. "Ain't nothing ah'm askin' that you shouldn't want to know too."

Big Mac looked between the two mares with confusion mounting. "Alright... What's the question then? Ah'll do mah best."

"That's all I can ask." Granny sat back, relaxing. "Now... Ya done went and became a thin'. Did you... Did you... Ah ain't dumb! Ponies these days... Sometimes they do things afore they go an' get married... did ya?"

Big Mac's face darkened from the tip backwards, thoughts pulled to that time. "Ayup," he got out weakly, as if he could barely breathe. "What... 'bout it?"

Granny rolled a hoof in the air. "Was he a gentlepony 'bout it? Did ya like it?! Ain't no reason to be with a pony ya don't... get alon' with that way. Don't feel bad callin' it off if ya two ain't compatible."

Applejack looked ready for the ground to engulf her and be done with it, but she coughed. "Granny ain't... wrong. Even if he did get ya some mighty fine gifts, ya don't owe him that, So, um... be honest, with us, and yerself... Was it... good?"

Big Mac worried his hooves fretfully. "Ah ain't her... but ah remember... and he was... He was perfect. He made Blossom feel so comfortable and wonderful an'..." He shrank in place. "Even ah was thinkin' maybe it'd be alright if he was mah first stallion.. Um.... Ah said too much."

Granny reached across the table, resting a hoof on Big Mac's arm. "You said exactly what ah was hopin' to hear... Don't want no pony ain't worth a child of mine to get wit' em."

Author's Note

The herd, shattered, nooo! Or maybe yes? Your thoughts?

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