A good day's work was grand for putting the mind straight. Big Mac and Sugar were winded, but smiling in the farmhouse, all the chores completed for the day. Granny was rocking in her chair, watching them with some thought working its way through her head. "One thin'... A little awkard... But worth bringin' up... ah think..."

Sugar perked her ears up at Granny. "What's that?"

Granny pointed to Big Mac, then Sugar. "I know you done made up yer mind, and ah ain't gonna try to get in the way of that. But... Y'ain't done it yet. You." She pointed to Big Mac all the more pointedely. "Are a stallion. You are a mare." She pointed at Sugar. "And you two love each other a lot..."

Big Mac inclined their head. "Got most of that right... Where ya goin' wit' this?"

Granny brought her hooves together slowly. "As the matron of this family, it's mah right to bring this up." She spoke with dread importance. "A chance is slippin' us right by. If we ever want to see a foal 'tween the two of you... There's a thin' you two should be doing, even if's the last time."

Sugar went dark so quickly she almost swooned with the rushing of her blood to a new place. "Granny!"

"You know ah ain't wrong." She folded her arms. "I will support mah grandchild whatever path they walk, but ah'd never be able to look in the mirror if ah didn't say nothin'. Today ain't yesterday... If a foal's gonna have two moms and no pa, better than no foal at all."

Big Mac squirmed at the subject. "We ain't... even engaged..."

Sugar curled on herself and her horn glowed, a small felt box floating from her. "About that..."

Big Mac's eyes widened, world shrinking to that box, following it and it alone as it came closer.

"Big Mac... I wanted to make this a whole... thing..." She nervously paced as she pressed it against them, her magic popping it open to reveal the small jeweled ring inside. "Will you marry me?"

Big Mac suddenly tensed. "No! Uh, Ah mean... I don't got yer ring!"

Sugar put a hoof at their trembling nose. "When a pony proposes, sometimes that happens. We can trade fair when we tie the knot proper." A certain smile spread over her face. "You're a fine gift just by yourself..."

Big Mac colored in a cheery smile, hugging her close. "Yes.... Yes then! Ayup!"

Granny clapped sedately with a smile. "Congratulations, the both of ya... Now... as ah was sayin'..."

Sugar seemed to quiet in thought. Slow and steady would be nice, but they also just... literally didn't have the time. Starlight and Twilight, those celestial events, would slam the book shut on that topic quite permanently. "I'm... not against it..."

Big Mac touched their snout to Sugar's. "Ya know... ain't even sure it'll work."

Sugar colored gently. "Not like trying's an awful thing... I happen to like every part of you, even the parts we're about to say goodbye to. So..."

Granny pointed to the stairs heading upstairs. "Off with ya. All the help ah can give on this." Following after them certainly felt like a step too far.

So they went, ascending together towards Big Mac's room. Sugar curled a hoof to her chin. "One thing, still curious... What did you learn from those two mares? We... already played once... as mares... What was left to know?"

Big Mac nervously laughed. "Yeah... but ah was sittin' in unicorn shoes, and we did thin's only a unicorn could do. Ah won't be one... Ah was powerful nervous I wouldn't know what ta do... so ah asked... Are ya mad?"

Sugar lened against them. "I'm not mad... but I do want to know what you did. Spill it."

"Ah... kissed her, Bon Bon. Just once! She wanted to be sure ah know how to do that. Um..." They rubbed behind their head. "She said ah passed, and that was all ah needed to know. Mares kiss a lot, she said, and not always on the lips. Hug and kiss, just in new ways..."

"She isn't wrong..." Sugar mused over that and how kisses and hugs could be used. "But you are a silly pony. I would have told you. I will show you. We'll be mares, so I can step you through that, one bit at a time." She closed the door behind them as they entered the rooom. "But... I want to ask you something."

"Anythin'." They shook free their heavy harness and set it aside. "What's up?"

"This." Sugar pointed at Big Mac and herself. "This is The Stallion Thing. The most stallionest thing a pony can do. I know you don't want to be that, that you aren't that... Are you alright with this? If you aren't, Granny can take a hike. I won't be mad. If you want to, then we will. If you don't, then we won't. Simple as that."

Big Mac sat on their haunches. "Ah... Ah ain't angry at it. Ready to put it behind, but ah ain't angry with it... Yer a pony ah'm alright bein' a stallion fer..." They couldn't know the complex social issues that could sorround a pony in a more complicated and less forgiving society. "Let's... try one last time... A fine farewell to the whole thin'."

They met, snout to snout, rubbing slowly side by side. Little kisses became big hugs, and they came together in a way that could be the last time they ever did such a thing. Big Mac did their best, feeling energized in a strange way. Knowing it was the tail end, and what it might bring, with the mare they had accepted a proposal from...

It wasn't a sure thing, but it could be a thing... And welcoming a foal? They were nervous, but so very excited at the idea.

Applejack inclined her head. "So... Is this why Mac'd run off?"

Granny snickered softly. "Reckon so." They could both hear the newly engaged ponies performing the ancient dance of foal making up above them. "Here's ta hopin' it works out."

Applejack inclined her head the other way. "Did you put them up ta this?"

"Guilty." She didn't look very guilty. "Destiny can be a tricky thin', Applejack. We're 'bout to test it. If they get a foal or not, 'least they took the shot. Ah'll be happy either way." She sank back with a smile. "'Bout that... When are you gonna start lookin'?"

"Granny!" Applejack pulled her hat down to cover her face. "Ah swear... How'd you find yer special pony?"

Granny flicked her ears back. "Tit fer tat, huh... He was a fine pony..." Her eyes went distant, to the past where she had that pony. "A nice slice, as they say... Ran into him at a fair, of all places... Powerful good at games, and was powerful eager to show off ta me. Silly thin'... It was the only way he knew to say he liked me."

Applejack imagined being at a fair, having some stallion following her around, loudly crowing about their skills at each game and showing off. "That'd drive me crazy..."

"It did!" Granny snorted. "But ah sat him down and asked why he was goin' on an on, and he confessed his heart was all a flutter fer me... Told him to take it down a notch, and we tried a date... an' it worked out." She smiled with the old memories. "Didn't regret it."

Applejack took off her hat to hold to her chest. "He was a good one..." She'd met him, a long time ago. "Sorry fer bringin' him up."

"Don't be." Granny slid to her hooves. "It's good to remember th' good times. Even if they're right next to the bad ones. Some advice, the older you get, the more the two get crowded on each other." She raised a hoof to point upwards, at the sounds of the two young ponies working to make younger ponies. "This is a mixed one, fer sure. Ah'm losin' a grandson. Gaining a granddaughter... Maybe ah'll put mah eyes on a great grandfoal in a while... What a powerful mixed time..." She headed into the kitchen.

Applejack trailed after her. "If it... works, they're gonna need our help. Ah don't think either of them has much a clue."

"As if you do." Granny swatted at Applejack with a smirk. "But we'll be there. Apples Together."

"Apples Forever," continued Applejack with a genuine smile. "No arguments there. They won't be doin' this alone, either way, foal er not."

Granny got to fixing a light snack for the both of them. "Don't sound.... upset. Good. Maybe her proposin' was just the right thin' at the right time... Now, jus' to be clear, ah didn't put her up to that. That was all her idea."

"Not that you're upset." Applejack took her portion between her hooves to chomp. "It's all workin' out in its strange way." She quirked an ear at a sudden knocking. "Now, who's that?" She set her food down and went to find out. She opened the door to find two unicorns. "Oh!"

Twilight nodded at Applejack. "Hello. You know why we're here, right?"

Applejack nodded. "Yup. Yer gonna have to wait just a little... Big Mac's saying g'bye to 'Little Mac' fer the last time."

Twilight did not seem to get it. Fortunately, Starlight did, pressing past her. "Tell them to head up to the castle." She pointed at Twilight's castle, as if anypony in the entire town could miss the thing. "We're ready when they are, alright?"

Applejack nodded firmly. "Ya got it. We'll likely all head up ther with 'em. It's... kind of a big moment, ya know?"

Starlight smiled gently at that. "They're lucky to have a family like this. See you all there." They shared fond waves, the unicorns retreating to the castle to be ready for when things were to begin.

Applejack closed the door with a light click. "They're lucky, havin' friends like that."

"Lucky on a number of fronts." Granny nodded slowly. "But then, they're an Apple. We got luck runnin' like that at times."

The two shared a nod, and the rest of the snack. The Apple family would change, and maybe grow, but, either way, would be the Apple family. And that was a fine thing.

Author's Note

A little shorter than usual, but this feels like the proper cut-off point. Next time, Joanamac, for keeps!