"It's past due." Sugar Belle bounced a little on the wooden chair, smiling at Granny Smith. "But I wanted your permission."

Granny considered the perky unicorn that could become her daughter. "Ah 'ppreciate you stoppin' by me. Ah know some ponies yer age wouldn't have thoughta that. Their head in the clouds, their plus one's all their thinkin' 'bout."

Sugar colored a little. "Well, I am thinking of her. And I like what I'm thinking of." She tapped her hooves lightly together. "We've been through things, recently... And it made me realize there isn't a better time than now."

Granny leaned in over the table. "That so? No arguin'... But marriage is a ferever thin'. You sure you're ready?"

"Yes." Sugar clopped a hoof down, features set in determination. "Granny Smith, may I have your granddaughter?"

Granny burst into laughter. "That phrasin'! Silly things... Ah ain't gonna get in yer way none. You two clearly love each other very much..." She raised a hoof to cough into. "Now, if ya don't mind... ah got a question."

"Yeah?" Sugar inclined her head. "What?"

"Which of ya will be the mother?" She waved at Sugar and the theoretical Joanamac.

Sugar went dark quickly. "Well, me? I sure can't be the father." She waved over herself. "All mare, and happy with that, thank you." She sat up taller. "So, if any foals are in the future, it'll have to be Joanamac. She... could do that. If she wants, but that's for us to decide."

"And not me, ah get it." Granny waved her away. "Be that way, keep your secrets. But if there's a great grandfoal, I want to see 'em!"

She reached across the table to pat Sugar's hoof reassuringly. "I can see how much ya care for each other, and that's what matters. You have my blessin', and I know Joanamac'll be over the moon when ya pop the question."

Sugar's nerves settled at the grandmotherly affection. "Thank you, Granny. Your support means the world to us both." A thought occurred that made her smile slyly. "You know, you may want to warn Applejack she could have competition for 'Best Auntie' soon..."

Granny let out a hearty guffaw. "Now that'll get her feathers ruffled for sure! But she'll love every minute of it, mark my words." Her smile softened. "You're already part of the family, Sugar Belle. However ya decide to grow it, we got yer back."

Sugar had to blink sudden moisture from her eyes. This was everything she had hoped for when she came.

"I promise I'll take good care of Joanamac," she vowed. "You've raised a wonderful pony in her."

Granny patted her hoof again with a wink. "I have a feelin' you two are gonna take right fine care of each other."

Sugar Belle circled the table to hug Granny tight, getting a one-armed return before she trotted to the stairs and up them, giggling a bit foalishly along the way.

"Huh." Granny watched her go. "Didn't think she meant right now..." But she wasn't complaining.

Sugar went right up to Joanamac's door and inside without even knocking. She wasn't scared. Closing the door with another giggle, she picked a good spot to sit and wait. There wasn't anypony else there, and she knew that ahead of time. Joanamac had work to do, not time to loaf around.

Sugar Belle eagerly awaited Joanamac's return, planning out in her mind how she would propose. Though she was confident Joanamac would say yes, she still wanted the moment to be perfect.

As the minutes ticked by, Sugar Belle passed the time examining the simple, cozy room. It was easy to picture a young Big Macintosh growing up here - the lived-in furniture, posters on the wall, a well-loved teddy bear tucked into the corner. Though the room's occupant had changed, that warm, nostalgic feel remained.

At last, hoofsteps approached and the door opened. "Sugar Belle? What are ya doin' here?" Joanamac asked in happy surprise.

Sugar turned, heart overflowing at the sight of her love. "I wanted to ask you something important..." she began. "Something between the two of us." All of her bravery felt like it was falling apart suddenly. "It's, um..." She nervously paced in place, words failing it. "We've been..."

Joanamac closed the door with a soft click. "Whatever it is, ah'm here for it." She smiled at Sugar brightly. "Always and forever."

"Y-yes! Exactly, yes...." She curled on herself and willed a felt box to float into the air. "Exactly." Joanamac's eyes were glued on the sudden box Sugar was bringing closer in her magic. "Joanamac, Biggest, most wonderful, Mac I know... Will you take this?"

Joanamac crashed to her haunches, eyes wide and jaw going slack as the box just kept right on coming, shimmering with Sugar's magic. "Is that... what ah think it is?"

Sugar Belle took a firm grip of the box in her magic, making the motion with a hoof as the box popped open, revealing the ring inside. "I know you've been through some changes, but I'm still with you. I want to always be with you. Wherever you land, I'll be beside you."

"Sugar..." Joanamac sniffed loudly, tears coming without being asked. "Sugar..." She pounced forward, knocking the ring aside. Hugging Sugar Belle felt so much more important. Well, that and crying into her fur as Joanamac hugged her tight. "Sugar Belle!"

Sugar returned the hug with a little laugh. "Hon... as lovely as this is... You didn't answer the question."

Joanamac tried to sit back, but hugging Sugar Belle felt way too important at that moment. "Y-yeah, 'course... As if ah'd say no!" She buried her snout into Sugar's neck. "Yes! Yes! A thousand yesses!"

Sugar Belle pat the back of her joyfully sobbing girlfriend who had just become her betrothed.

Joanamac and Sugar Belle shared an emotional embrace, tears of joy flowing freely. In that moment, nothing else mattered but their love and the new future they would build together.

When the initial wave of emotion calmed, Sugar gently took Joanamac's hoof as her magic brought the ring to Joanamac's chest. She pulled out the chain that went through the ring to wrap around Big Mac's neck, allowing the ring to dangle there.

"I know there will be challenges ahead," Sugar said, meeting her fiancée's eyes. "But I meant what I said - wherever you are, that's where I want to be. We're in this for the long haul."

Joanamac kissed her tenderly. "I never imagined I could be this happy. Havin' you by my side means everything."

Resting their foreheads together, the newly engaged couple simply enjoyed being close. There would be much to discuss about their future, from wedding plans to the possibility of foals. But for that moment, they were content to bask in this moment and the strength of their bond. Their love had already overcome so much; they were ready to take the next step hoof-in-hoof.

"Howdy, sister."

Sugar blinked at that greeting. "Howdy, AJ." She nodded at the apple farmer, as all the ponies in that house were, beside herself at least. "You don't usually call me that."

"You weren't that, until jus' a moment ago." Applejack pointed to the closed door to Joanamac's room. "Seems, ah'm pickin' up sisters left an' right lately!"

Sugar laughed gently, closing with Applejack. "Well, you're a plenty fine sister to have." She offered an arm, hoof waggling.

AJ accepted it, hugging Sugar gently. "Now, may be gettin' 'head a things... But does this mean you'll be movin' onto the farm?"

Sugar Belle blushed as Applejack brought up her potentially moving to Sweet Apple Acres. "Oh gosh, Joanamac and I haven't discussed details yet. With the excitement of the engagement, I sorta forgot about the logistics!"

She scuffed a hoof awkwardly against the floorboards. "I suppose it makes sense for me to move here, since the farm is so important to your family..."

Applejack gave her a reassuring nudge. "Now don't go decidin' anything just yet. Ain't no rush."

She smiled slyly. " 'Sides, maybe Joanamac will wanna try small town life up in yer town for a spell. She's always been here - might do her good to spread her wings a bit."

Sugar nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good point... I'd miss my little store, and the town doesn't have any other bakers... But you need her. The whole family needs her. we should look at it from all angles." She tapped at her chin, thinking it through with a frown of concentration.

Applejack chuckled. "However ya slice it, we'll make it work. You're part of the family now, and family sticks together."

Sugar impulsively pulled AJ into another hug. "You Apples really are the best. I'm so happy to be joining you."

Applejack returned the embrace warmly. "And we're happy to have ya. Now c'mon, let's see if Granny's got any celebratory pie baking..."

"She said yes?!" A little form dropped onto Sugar's back as she tried to go down the stairs. "You said yes?! Everypony said yes?!" Apple Bloom's hooves were shaking with excitement. "Ah wish ah coulda seen it!"

Sugar took hold of the excited filly in her magic and brought Apple Bloom around for a little hug. "She said yes, and I did too." She winked at Apple Bloom. "Technically, I said that just by asking. It'd be a mighty strange day when somepony proposes, just to change their mind after getting a yes."

Apple Bloom giggled at the thought. "Wouldn't that be funny! Jus' 'magine it. 'Well, now that you said yes, ah could think it through properly. This ain't a good idea!'" She snickered as she finished the imagined scenario. "Glad that didn't happen. Now ah got a new sister!" She grabbed Sugar Belle, practically dangling from her in as tight a squeeze as she could manage.

Sugar Belle grinned and returned Apple Bloom's enthusiastic hug. "I'm so happy to officially join the family!"

She used her magic to lift the filly and give her an affectionate nuzzle. "Now, we were going to see what Granny had ready for us."

Apple Bloom cheered and kicked her little legs gleefully. "This is amazin'! We gotta start plannin' the weddin' party, an' your dress, an' the cake!"

She gasped, eyes going wide. "Can I be the flower filly?! I've always wanted to toss petals!"

Sugar chuckled at her eagerness. "Of course you can! We'll make sure you have a very special role."

Just then, Joanamac came down the stairs and lit up seeing the two important mares in her life bonding. Sugar set Apple Bloom down to go embrace her fiancée.

Granny cleared her throat. "Look at y'all." All eyes turned towards her grave expression. "Goin' on like that..." She leveled a hoof at Sugar Belle. "Y'ain't their sister, not yet. Ain't my daughter either." She smirked ruefully. "Ya see, that's what a weddin's fer."

Joanamac laughed on the way towards the kitchen. "Don't go scarin' us like that. Like we don't know what a weddin's fer!"

Granny thrust a hoof out, blocking Joanamac's way. "There's somethin' important. A precious place ah've been... It's long past due ah brought ya there. Bring yer girl with ya. It involves ya both." She slid to the ground and got to walking out the door. She didn't stop until she arrived at a tree, two trees, intertwined together in the form of a heart.

"There's a long story behind this tree." She gestured at it. "But the short of it is that yer parents, rest their souls, planted them together. It's a symbol of their undying love, and the merging of their families..." She turned to the two betrothed ponies. "An' ah couldn't think of much a finer place or way to continue that tradition."

Joanamac and Applejack gaped at the tree. It had always been there, a curious thing. But, suddenly, a reason behind it. Applejack set a hoof on Jaoanamac's shoulder. "Yer choice, but, um, sounds... good?"

"Sounds more than good." Joanamac smiled at the entwined trees. "It's like them here, givin' their blessin' to us. Thank ya, Granny. Yer the best." It was a fine time for a hug, and she grabbed Granny up for it. "Time to plan a weddin'!"

Author's Note

Y'all quiet... But the question was popped, yay!

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