Big Mac, still considering her name, headed home with a little smile. While navigating the streets of Ponyville, she considered the possibility of not being a Mac, but ultimately decided against it and shook her head. Although she enjoyed being referred to as Mac, she was aware that the name could have several interpretations and meanings. Even though she was still herself, she was just trying to find the right angle to present herself in the best way possible.

"She did it! Well, he did it, and now... she?" Lyra was where Big Mac had left her, now gaping at the transformed pony. "Or this is another Apple and I will look really silly."

Bon Bon snorted softly. "You're good at that without them to help you," she teased good-naturedly. "Hello. Are you a new Apple, or a new flavor of the Apple we already knew?"

Mac smiled at the two mares. "Nice t' see ya both 'gain." She went over to talk more comfortably. "It's me. Mac'll still work. Jus' tryin' to work out what Mac stands fer. Gotta be an apple."

"Duh." Lyra hopped to her hooves to inspect the new mare. "Look at you. Now... You aren't just doing this for fun, right?" She gave Mac's rump a poke. "For one, being a mare isn't 'fun' once you get into it. But, then, neither is being a stallion. Being a pony is... complicated, just a different kind of complicated..."

Bon Bon hiked a brow at the exchange. "Are you having serious thoughts, Lyra? That's not like you."

Big Mac turned her head to keep Lyra in view, but otherwise was still for her wandering. "Ah know..." That she hadn't told either about her adventures as Blossom. "It's complicated, but ah know. So... how do ah look?" She struck a pose, trying to present herself to the mares.

Lyra whistled at the display. "If I weren't taken, I'd consider. You make a nice slice of mare, not gonna lie."

Bon Bon considered with lowered brows. "Hmm... No, not Lyra, sorry." She shrugged with a little chuckle. "But you seem to be a healthy mare in good physical shape. I can say that."

Lyra waved grandly at Mac. "C'mon! I mean, not trying to outsell myself, but check out this big hunk of mare." She gestured like someone trying to show off a car more than a pony. "She's got the looks and she looks strong enough to snap you in half in all the right ways. And she's about as big as the princess!"

"But she still isn't Lyra." Bon Bon hopped down to the ground. "We went over this." She fixed her eyes with Mac's eyes. "If you still have that question, stop by the candy shop, after closing."

Lyra went pink abruptly. "You're... Wow, you are." She burst into giggles of joy. "I'll be there!"

Mac darkened, but shared waves with the two friendly mares. She had places to go, and she went, walking down a new road that'd wind its way towards the farmhouse. At least until something thudded on her back, a familiar presence draping over her with a giggle. "AB?"

"Hi!" She squeezed at Mac from above. "Wow. You really did it. Still not sure why... But ya did it."

Mac turned both ears back at her little sister. "Um, ah did warn."

"Ya did!" She sat up on the changed Big Mac. "Ain't no expert, but ah don't think it came out bad. How ya feelin'?"

Mac walked along with his new companion. "Well, hm. Good, ah think." She lashed her tail as if to work out a kink. "Still gettin' used to it. Ah didn't think ah'd be this kinda mare."

"What kinda mare did ya think you'd be?" Apple Bloom crossed her arms. "Ah'm happy with the mare ah am!"

"Glad ta hear it." The thought of somehow helping the dominoes fall and impacting her little sister felt... awkward... at best. "It's a personal thin', not tryin' to convince nopony else to worry 'bout it."

"Well, ya didn't." She tapped her new sister on the head with a giggle. "But what kinda mare did ya have in mind?" She gasped sharply. "Like that big mare that visited the other night?! She looked like you did when you were signin' up fer the Sisterhooves Social!"

Big Mac chuckled, as much to buy time as anything else. "Yeah, that was an option... But ah got this." She stopped to circle in place, looking herself over anew. "An'... it ain't a bad thing. Ah think... ah like it. Um, whattaya think?"

Apple Bloom clapped rapidly. "You were fine afore, and yer fine now." She rolled her eyes. "Ain't gonna say much more 'bout my sib. Maybe if ya put on a fancy dress or somethin', ah can rate that."

Big Mac colored, called out and having little defense. "Sorry... Ah'm just curious is all. Let's get home." The two went along, Big Mac accelerating into a trot to get them to the door at a light jog. "We're home."

"Who's home?" Granny sat up in her chair as Big Mac and Apple Bloom slipped in. "My stars..."

"Did ah hear somepony?" came Applejack's voice from within the kitchen, the noises of her work drifting free as she labored on something.

"It's... yer sister." Granny waved both said sisters closer. "Look at that... Now, not to be tribalist or nothin', but this is why pony's got nervous 'bout hangin' around unicorns. Them horns go both ways, poke 'em right in the head, give 'em big ideas they don't always think through."

Big Mac let Apple Bloom down to run off. "Ya don't mean that... It was mah idea anyway."

"So, what's yer excuse?" She slid from her chair to her hooves. "Look at you..." She did as others had, circling around Big Mac's new form. "Look at that..."

Big Mac pinned her ears back. "Are ya mad? Ya said you wouldn't be."

"Ah'm not mad!" she snapped. "But this is a lot to take in. Give me a moment..." She reached up, grabbing both of Mac's cheeks between her hooves. "Ah ain't tossin' out the old pictures."

"Ah didn't ask you to." She didn't fight being held. "But we're gonna take some new ones, ah 'magine..."

"That's fine..." She released Big Mac. "That's jus' fine... Now, the only other creature ah know who did this wanted to be called somethin' new. You doin' that too?"

"Sorta?" She waved at herself, taking a moment to fluff up her new, longer, mane. "Ah'm still Big Mac. Jus' decidin' what Mac means. Kinda partial fer Joanamac. Big Joanamac! Ah seen one of those, ain't too far from what ah look like. Red, splash of green." She shook her rump and the green apple cutie mark it displayed.

"Well..." Granny sat back. "Glad to hear that. Not sure ah'm ready to call ya somethin' new. Yer still Big Mac from where ah'm sittin'! And yer still Big... Joanamac, huh?" She swatted at Joanamac gently. "Done makin' me proud, not even considerin' not an apple."

"Ah'm not technically..." Applejack strayed off, spotting the new pony sitting there. "What the?"

"Hey, sis." Joanamac waved gently at her as Applejack closed quickly. "Um..."

"You... actually went and did it." She hiked a brow up. "Is this fer keeps or not?"

Granny jumped. "Oh! I went an' fergot that was even an option. Ya gotta tell us. Are ya stayin' like this or not?"

Mac considered, just to shake her head. "Ah'm still... gettin' a feel for it. Also, the end's just as important. When ah go back, if it feels bad, ah'll know fer sure."

Applejack raised her other brow to go with the first. "That ain't 'xactly how it works. 'Sides, ya already dipped a hoof on both sides. Jus' a matter of which is... uh... Which horseshoe fits better."

Granny held up a hoof. "Which may take more than an hour to figure out, ah get that. So, take yer time, figure yerself out. Jus' let us know right after ya do, alright?" She crossed her arms as she sank to her haunches. "It'll take me longer than that to get used to this, so don't say ah don't know the feelin'!"

Joanamac grabbed both of them in a firm hug. "Thanks... Ah'll let ya know the moment ah figure it out."

Applejack tapped at Joanamac's harness. "Ya keepin' this? Or findin' some new fashion?"

Joanamac jumped back in surprise, eyes dropping to the weighty ornament around her neck. "Huh... Didn't even think 'bout it..." Her eyes lifted to Applejack. "Ya wear yer hat most of the time, just gettin' fancy fer special occasions."

"Guilty as charged." Applejack curled one leg before the other with a grin. "Ah keep it simple. But that's me. You're you. That's why ah'm askin'. There ain't no 'right' answer. A pony's fashion's a right personal thin'. Now, if yer huntin' for advice, you should know who I'd go an' suggest. She's both of our friends, and Rarity would be delighted to help."

Granny chuckled at that. "Jus' watch out. Them horns..." She returned to her chair and slid up onto it. "Still, she knows her thing when it comes to that kinda thing."

Mac snorted at Granny. "Ya know Blossom has one of them horns."

"An' ah love her anyway. Shame I don't get to see her often..." She gave Mac a glare as the clear pony that was at fault for that.

"She's her own pony. Ah'll let her know yer lookin' fer her though." Joanamac turned instead for Applejack. "What were ya sayin', when you were comin' out?"

"Huh? Oh!" She clopped her hooves. "Ah was sayin', technically, An applejack ain't an apple. It's somethin' wit' some apples in it. Ain't 'xactly the same thing."

Mac shrugged at that. "Apple Fritter ain't an apple, but it counts don't it?"

"Sure it counts!" Applejack snorted at her brother turned sister. "Ain't nothing wrong with Apple Fritter. Was jus' sayin', not all of us are named fer an apple 'xactly. We can be much anythin' what got an apple in it, includin' an apple." She nodded, looking self-satisfied. "Now... 'bout you... How can ya go an' turn into a mare like that! Shoot... Makin' yer sister right jealous is what yer doin'! Look at you!"

Joanamac looked herself over anew, but it was so much harder to find appeal in oneself... "Am ah that pretty?"

"Are ya that pretty?!" Applejack swatted Joana on the shoulder. "Yes! An' a pox on ya fer makin' me say it! Ya done went from a handsome stallion to a right pretty mare. Ain't fair a'tall!"

"Now you stop that." Joana set a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "Actin' like you ain't a pretty mare. Y'are! They don't make ugly mares in this family."

Granny Smith nodded in sage agreement. "It's true. No such thing as a bruised apple 'round this family. We only come in pretty with our mares."

Applejack colored deep with the praise being heaped on her. "Yer jus' sayin' that..." But she didn't argue it too vigorously. "Anywho! We're farmers. Ah hope yer ready to put that new mare form of yers to work! We got plenty of chores to do tomorrow, an' ah don't care which ya are, yer doin' yer part!"

Joana snapped a salute. "Ah'll be ready! Ain't needin' no fancy clothes fer that." She marched off, ready to get to work the following day.

Granny nodded once at her departing form. "Now... What's this ah hear?" She looked to Applejack. "Only mare ah know that could compete with you is me, when ah was a young thing." She batted her lashes, lacking the effect on her aged face. "Yer mom put you together right! Don't go sassin' her an' sayin' otherwise!"

"Woah, easy there." Applejack backed up, hooves up protectively. "Weren't tryin' to say nothin' 'bout her. A pony's allowed to have their hangups."

"An' a granny gets to call them out fer it." She nodded firmly to emphasize that. "Now what'd you make in there? Smelled good."

Author's Note

Say hello to Joanamac, of the Apples.

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