Extra A/N:
As promised, here is the tail end of 16.9!

**The Market, Ponyville, Equestria**
**004 Summer CC**
**Chiffon Swirl**

I really love my sister, but she can sure give some bitter truths sometimes. I have a lot to think about on my way to Carrot's house. Going through the Market is not the quickest way to his place, but I need the time.

It does not take very long to get to the Market from Sugarcube Corner, though. I basically just have to walk out the front door. I'm immediately confronted with the sight of a small crowd over by the Pear stall. There are a few mares there, but there is a collection of foals playing. Usually, they would not play in the marketplace. The smaller playgrounds, Saddle Lake, the Little Pony River, their homes, or the larger playground by the school are more common locations to find foals running around.

Getting closer, I can see Grand Pear yawning and stretching. It looks like he's waking up from a nap.

Amidst the little hooves jumping around, Silly seems to be doing... "What is he doing?" The colt is holding his body off the ground with only his forehooves, spinning around, and flicking his hind legs up in the air.

A bunch of the fillies are chanting, "Go, go, go, go."

A mare near me, Cookie Crumbles, says, "I think those are called, 'pommel flares.' My coltfriend from Vanhoover is something of an athlete, and I think he's doing some gymnastics."

"Oh," I say, "Thank you." She's quite excited about her penpal. I'm glad for her. She's a good mare... she's really good in a kitchen, too. I wonder if I should ask her to help in my bakery some time.

She nods and smiles but keeps watching the colt, "Of course."

I can't stay too long talking, so I take my leave to approach the Pears, "Afternoon, Grand Pear."

Slowly losing his grogginess, he looks to me, "Chiffon. Howdy. Mah daughter ain't here. She's back on the farm chorin'."

'Back on the farm.' I look over at the foals and remember the extra weights I have on my belly. If I can't find somepony to help lighten this load, I should probably go over to Perfect Pear Orchard and help Buttercup feed Silly before he goes to bed. They feel like they're getting more sensitive as they near capacity, too.

I nod to Grand Pear in thanks but ask, "Were you sleeping?"

He yawns again and rubs his eyes with a fetlock, "Ah reckon Ah was."

"Who was watching your stall?" I wonder.

He shrugs, "Ah suppose Silly was."

I almost jump, "What? Isn't he too young for that?"

He concurs, "Normally, Ah'd agree, but the pears are all gone, and mah bit bucket is full which is a pleasant surprise. Ah don't think anypony would take advantage of him being unable to haggle yet -not around these parts, anyways. Besides, mares are real protective, and he's surrounded by their foals. So long as the Apples don't come over to muddy things, Ah don't think it's too worrisome."

Apples. To prevent crowding in certain locations, disagreements, and maintain harmony, ponies make formal requests through the Town Hall for official long-term locations in the Town Market. I look to the neighboring stall space where the Apples are assigned.

Burnt Oak, one of the Apple's hired hooves, is picking up for the day. He's one of those stallions that loves to pull a plowshare and gets a lot of work requests in the Spring. He's generally uninterested in the competitions here in the Market and would rather compete on the farm. In that way, he is more like Bright Macintosh.

His talent is more with tree maintenance and using tree products -leaves, bark, twigs, sticks, branches, trunks, burls- to turn into seasoned firewood and kindling. I heard from Buttercup that he's also pretty good at smoking food and cooking food on a plank.

The Apples generally rotate 'market duty,' so, it's his turn today. Given the Apple-Pear rivalry, that's probably a good thing. It's so good, that I asked Pear Butter about it once. She intentionally coordinates with her stallion to try to keep Granny and Grand apart. It doesn't always work, but they try.

Ponies love how competitive they get when they start trying to undercut each others' prices, but everypony feels really uncomfortable when those two start going at it.

Before I think about it, I ask Grand Pear, "Do you need any help picking up?"

He looks at me and smiles, "Only if you ain't busy." I actually am busy, but I'm also looking to give myself some time to think; so, I smile back and start helping him to strike the tarp he hung over his stall. "You know, mah girl hasn't really brought anypony home before. Ah think she really likes you."

Oh.

**The Carrot House, Ponyville, Equestria**
**004 Summer CC**
**Carrot Cake**

I'm in the kitchen again while my sisters are out playing. That's just something that happens when you're older... and a stallion. Sometimes the older fillies watch the younger ones while they play; sometimes the older ones go help the mares in the fields.

This time of year doesn't need many extra hooves in the fields, though. Carrots generally get their seeds planted at the tail-end of Autumn. The seeds sit over the winter, and they start to grow on their own. My dam and mothers will weed those or work on other crops.

We save carrot tops from the Spring crop which can root under the right conditions, and those are the ones we use to produce seeds for the Autumn; so, the fillies only have to help in the Summer when there is an abundance ready to harvest.

I also prefer kitchen work compared to my sisters. It's one of the many reason why I've had such a crush on Chiffon Swirl since I got my Cutie Mark. That was when I noticed her. I was about her heigh back then, but she was still just as plump and soft-looking as she is now.

I know she's not the most alpha mare there is, but she's very responsible business-wise... and all those soft parts. With all the fir farmponies here in Ponyville, I just can't help but think how uncomfortable other mares would be compared to her; her colors are nice, too -very bright and noticeable for a nature-pony.

As I look up from peeling carrots and look out the kitchen window beyond the flower garden behind the house, I see the mare herself walking by. Nuts. I just missed her.

I sigh. Maybe I'll get a chance for her to talk to me on the next delivery. Just before I turn my head back to my carrots, the blue and pink mare walks back up the road the other direction and continues beyond my sight again.

What? That's...

She reversed and is walking back the way she came. She's pacing? It looks like she's thinking about something. Oh, I hope she's finally going mare-up the courage to confess! I know she has tried many times before, but she's cursed with the most adorable awkwardness.

Yesterday evening's attempt was not a one-off. She's done things like that before. I think she probably would have succeeded, too; but the incident at Sugarcube Corner with the underwear probably rattled her. It certainly shocked me; but the more I think about it, the more I want to see her wear them.

As she paces back up the road by my house, my eyes take in her whole self and zero in on her belly; there, I notice there is something different about her today. The normal jiggle of her flanks are being completely outshone by two swollen, swaying, soupy assets.

Oh, she's bagged up. Bagged up!? Wait. She's not with foal. How? Why? Did she have some kind of growth spurt recently? I mean, some mares are more endowed than others but: this!

I know it's not most stallion's, 'cup of tea,' but I never thought a soft nature-mare could possibly get any softer... Sweet Celestia, that's hot.

Okay, okay. Calm down. Especially you, my Little Carrot. I need you to retreat back into your house right now. You'll scare her if you show up to the party too soon. It's normally the mare's job to bring the initiative, but there's no rules against putting myself in a position that helps her.

Alright. How's my mane? My breath? Okay, Carrot: you look good, you feel good, and today is good. Today's the day she makes her move. Today's the first day of the rest of our lives!

I walk out of the back door, down the garden path, and stand next to the road. She's approaching. Just stay cool.

...

But she doesn't stop. She doesn't even look up; she's lost in whatever she's thinking about. Before I know it, she walked on.

Okay, Carrot, you can help with this. After she turns around and begins her way back, I wait for her to get a few paces away and loudly clear my throat, "Ahem!"

She jumps a bit and looks at the source of the sound -me- and blinks.

She doesn't look like she was expecting that. That's okay. I can jump start this racer, "Oh! Chiffon Swirl. Y- you came back."

"Heh, yeah. Sorry about that."

I'm so excited that I can't hold back some giggles. She's here. She's going to confess, and we'll live happily ever after.

"So, uh~" "How's it been going?"

What!? come on. just confess. "Oh, well, you know. Growing carrots. Washing carrots. Making carrot deliveries. Peeling carrots." I wish I could spend more time baking things with carrots than peeling them. We don't even need to peel them usually. It's just something we do to help the compost.

She nods, "Yeah~ yeah... Well, that sounds good. Weather is nice."

She's so nervous. Yeah, she's definitely trying to confess. Her awkwardness is kinda cute. "Mmhm. Yeah."

She sighs but closes her eyes; and after a few moments, she grits her teeth and steels herself. Looking at me, she says, "Carrot Cake," ooh~ here it comes, "I like you. I like you a lot." Yes! "And I realize there is a lot of competition for mares out here," I'm not sure where she's going with this; but she has been thinking about this almost as much as I've been wanting it, and I nod along to encourage her, "but I... I~ don't know if I'm ready yet."

She stands there while I continue to nod. After I notice the silence and her words start to register, I still and whisper, "What?"

She says, "You're a great guy, and I totally want to have your foals. But I've just been really confused lately, and that's not a good state of mind to be making big decisions. So, I think I'm going to be," she pauses while looking for the right word and settles on, "measured right now."

What am I hearing right now? "Okay." My voice sounds and feels distant.

Chiffon smiles and gives me a single pat on the shoulder, "So, you know, I'll see you around."

Almost mechanically, I ask, "What about friends?"

She tilts her head and smiles, "Well, of course, we're still friends."

Come on, Carrot. Wake up! You need to save this. Say something, "Uh~"

"Oh, howdy, Cupcake."

A big, sweaty stallion walks up to Chiffon, and she says, "Oh, hey, Mac." Bright Macintosh!? What are you doing talking to Chiffon Swirl? In front of my house? In front of me! "I was going to head over to help with Silly next." Silly? Who's Silly!?

The red-maned farmpony answered her, "Buttercup's on that. She worked pretty hard today and at lunch said she planned to tuck in early tonight; and since Silly will get hers, she recommended Ah help y'u with yours unless..." He trails off and motions with his head to me. Silly with Buttercup? I thought Bright Mac was her stallion. Who is Silly! What are they talking about? What is even going on right now?

She nods, "I definitely need somepony to help -uh- lessen that load. Thank you." As they turn, Chiffon looks back, "See you around, Carrot. Let's hang out sometime."

Bright Mac nods to me, "Good to see y'u, Carrot," and follows her as they head towards the direction of Sugarcube Corner.

Before they disappear around a building, I can hear her say, "I hope you worked up a thirst today."

Bright Mac? What are you and Chiffon doing? Why is she going with you? Why isn't she with me? This doesn't make any sense. I saw her before you did! I should be with her. She was going to confess to me. What happened?

I... I... "I need some ice cream," and full box of tissues.

Author's Note

Mrs. Cake is not a 'young adult' when the Cake Twins are born and introduced in S02E13, "Baby Cakes." Right now, in Truancy, she is a young adult. Dinky Do / Derpy Hooves is in the same young adult age range as Rainbow Dash as shown in S07E07, "Parental Glideance," but is considered to be the mother of Dinky who is older than the Cake Twins. So, we can deduce that the age range of Equestrian parenthood appears to be somewhat wider than the somewhat narrow window for human females.

That means there is still lots of time for the Cake Twins to happen, but that path might have a few more twists and turns than it did in for Mr. and Mrs. Cake in canon. Then again, we never really got a look at their early courtship in the Show.