**Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville, Equestria**
**006 Summer CC**
**Chiffon Swirl**

The foals Grand Pear passed off to me are bouncing around and chatting away as I lead them across Sweet Apple Acres. It’s not too strange for a stallion to collect foals throughout a day after starting with one or two. They are the paternal sex, after all, and everymare loves a stallion who’s good with foals. Grand Pear, however, is not usually the pony who ends up with this type of responsibility.

He has the instincts, but the ponies of Ponyville know that he’s been having a hard time for longer than anypony likes to think about; although, most ponies don’t know why. I only know the details because I know Pear Butter and Bright Macintosh closely. Otherwise, the Pears and Apples don’t air their ‘dirty laundry’ on the town’s side of the Little Pony River.

Speaking of Bright Mac, I can see him as we approach the Apple’s house and barn drinking from a rain barrel. It looks like he recently finished a chore.

Wiping the water from his muzzle, he greets us, “Howdy, Cupcake. Howdy there, Silly. Looks like y’all made some friends.” He gets down so the foals can climb up onto his back.

“Hello, Mac,” I say, “As you can see, I’ve picked up a little herd of foals. Grand,” I stop and look around to see if Granny is nearby and don’t see her; so, with a quieter voice I continue, “Grand Pear passed them off. So, I’m foalsitting for the afternoon.”

He nods and stands slowly with the foals balancing and hanging on to him.

I start to introduce them, “The purple unicorn filly is Amethyst Star.”

She says, “Hello.”

And Silly adds, “Sparky,” which gets some giggles.

Mac asks, “She yer ‘Sparky,’ Silly?”

The colt responds, “Why?” But she blushes.

Looking back at the little pegasus, “Y’all’s learnin’ some words. Ain’t y’u, Silly?”

I continue, “We also have Cherry Berry and Berry Punch.”

The first isn’t paying attention, because she’s having fun being so high up. She almost loses balance and falls off Bright Mac, but Silly steadies her with one of his wings. The other smiles and says, “Hello, Mr. Apple.”

Mac smiles back and nods, “Berry’s good folks.”

Amethyst adds, “I’m the cousin.”

“That so?” Mac asks to which she nods. He looks at me, “So, what’s got you frazzled, Cupcake?”

I sigh, “It’s Carrot Cake. He’s been trying to make some friendly gestures, but he’s doing the types of things a mare does to woo a stallion. It doesn’t quite work the other way. Doesn’t it?” Mac listens and nods as I continue, “I really do appreciate his efforts. He’s trying, but it’s not been easy to concentrate on work while he was serenading Sugarcube Corner all day while he’s evoking emotional stuff.”

After a moment, Mac asks, “Is there anything Ah can do?”

“I could, uh,” I hesitate a bit, “use some help clearing my mind a bit.” It’s still easier to talk to Mac than Carrot but asking about some physical time still makes me nervous. “Could we maybe have some… alone time?”

He smiles, “Of course.” Thank Celestia, I need this! “Ah’ll need to ask Ma to help with these foals, though.” He becomes serious before adding, “But, y’know, Ah’m a stallion, too. Ah really love when a mare romances me some and makes me feel like a stallion. Ah really like that ‘emotional stuff.’ You know?”

I stop and blink a bit, “D- does Pear-?”

“-Oh, yes, she does.” Mac answers. “Ah mean, you were there when she proposed.”

That’s right. Pear Butter set up a picnic. She sang him a heartfelt song and gave him something special to tie into his mane which is a nature-pony tradition when proposing. Anypony would want to be a part of such a beautiful friendship.

She made an oblong bead from pear wood; and Mac keeps it tied close to his scalp, covered in his mane, and underneath his hat. It’s so well hidden to prevent his dam from seeing it if he removes the cover for whatever reason.

He made one for her, too, out of apple wood; but her mane is quite curly. It would take considerable effort for somepony to find something hidden in there. He also prepared a memorial stone near another memorial tree they planted… And then they brought me in with them and we snuggled like I’ve never snuggled before.

I wasn't just a third-wheel on their chariot. I helped Buttercup with her song and the picnic. I would not be surprised if they had something for me on stand-by that evening. I have not given them a definitive answer yet as I’m still trying to figure things out with Carrot Cake. I just-

-There is some motion over by the Apple’s house. Granny is sitting on her porch -probably taking a moment. Bright Mac motions towards her with his head, and I take the lead towards the matriarch.

I really need to put on my ‘big mare’ shoes and talk with Carrot more. Maybe he just doesn’t know that mares aren’t attracted to things that stallions are? Stallions have the easy part, really: be kind, cooperate with your mares, and help with the foals. It doesn’t hurt if the stallion keeps himself physically attractive. There’s not really much else to it on his end... We should learn to talk more first.

Should I think about romancing Bright Mac? And Buttercup, too? She’s quite marely, but I think she’d be appreciative. A friendship based only on snuggling isn’t much of a friendship. Is it?

Amidst the foals enjoying their pone-a-back ride, Bright Macintosh greets his mother as we near, “Howdy, Ma.”

“Bright Mac,” she nods, “Ain’t y’u s’pposed to be tendin’ the south field?” She seems to hear the little ones and leans to her side to see the source of the youthful sounds from her rocking chair. “Please tell me one o’ those is yers, Mac.”

“Oh,” He sputters, “W- well, Ah -that’s- uh~”

I jump in to help him, “Afternoon, Granny Smith. Bright Macintosh offered to help me watch some foals today.”

Since that first night I spent with Bright Mac and Pear Butter, I have alternated where I’ve been sleeping over. Some nights with her and some with him. I was a little worried that Granny might want to see more courtship before she found out we were being really friendly. She was just proud that her son finally found a mare and seemed pleasantly relieved that I am not Pear Butter.

It’s not my place to violate Buttercup or Mac’s plans to reveal their relationship to their parents; so, Granny thinks I’m his only special somepony right now. Buttercup said she never wants to lie again, but this, ‘counts as a surprise with a definite expiration,’ so that makes it okay to keep secret for now.

She looks to me and acknowledges, “Chiffon Swirl. Back to see mah boy, eh? Apples makes good friends. Don’t we?” And she chuckles a bit.

We both blush a bit, but I clear my throat and reply, “Speaking of… that, would it be too much trouble if you watched the foals for a bit while Mac and I -uh- well, you know?”

She asks with a glint in her eyes, “How long? Through dinner?”

I stutter a bit, “Well, that’s- I- I don’t think-” I'd let him on me as long as he wants, but we do have to get the foals home before dinner...

But she smirks and tells Mac, “Y’all can leave’em. Jus’ make sure y’u give it to ‘er good. Y’hear?”

Mac gulps and nods before he lowers himself for the little ones to hop off safely. The filly, Cherry Berry, jumped off before he kneeled with a, “Whoo!” They begin to run around once their hooves touch the ground.

Granny watches the foals while they play near the house and tells them stories, “Well, ain’t you a bunch of whipper snappers? Bet y’u’re all full of apple cider ‘n’ apple cider vinegar.”

Before Mac and I head off to find a private place, he asks, “Ma, could you not tell them about ‘adult friendships?’ Because they’re all too young for that.”

She scoffs, “There ain’t nothin’ wrong with a good ol’ fashioned love story! And what me and yer pa had was one for the history books, boy. Maker, Ah miss that stallion. Why Ah remember when we first met. He latched onto me like bark on a tree, and fer thirty days and thirty nights-”

One of the Berry fillies asks, "How did you eat?"

The other one asks, "How did you sleep?"

The colt in the play group comes by and uses one of his words, "-Why?"

The elder looks to the little ones, "When we were tired, we ate; when we were hungry, we ate. But he wouldn't let go; so, Ah had to reach around to feed'im. Why?" Granny Smith asks herself. "Why, he was tryin' to show ma folks how serious he was 'bout me. That weren't normal courtin' back then. No, ma'am. Mares took initiative, but mah dam gave us her blessin' all the same after that stunt. Sometimes it jus' seems silly-"

"-Silly," parrots the little green pegasus.

"That's right: silly. I-" Granny blinked and looked for the tiny voice that's been echoing her, and she noticed the little pegasus. She looks over the fillies still running around nearby to me and Mac and back to Silly. Smiling at him, she asks, "Howdy? Who're you?"

As Mac's dam walks over to the colt walks over to him and gives him a few friendly sniffs, I tell her, "This is Silly. Mac and I will be -uh- foalsitting him every now and then."

"'Silly,' huh?" She sits down and picks up the foal, "Y'u wanna know somethin' real silly? Why, there was this one time-"

Mac pleads with his mother, “-Please, Ma. Surely, there’s some other stories you can share that are more -uh- age friendly while Ah go help Chiffon with something… in the barn?”

Granny rolls her eyes, “Yeah, yeah. Jus’ make sure yer mare’s good ‘n’ satisfied, boy! And don't come back 'till she is.” At that, he and I turn to leave together blushing wildly.

As we start to go beyond earshot, we can hear Granny, “Alright, chillun! Gather ‘round, Ah say. Ah say, gather ‘round. Ah gots a story fer y'all ‘bouts how apple trees make apples. See, it's all about pollination, and that all starts with buds on a twig like this’un here…”

**Bringing the foals to their homes a little later…**

Mac and I split the deliveries. He's bringing the Berry fillies home. I dropped off Silly. I think Amethyst's dam, Charoite, is staying in my guest room tonight to get ready to head back to Canterlot in the morning. So, we're heading to Sugarcube Corner. Then, I get to go back to Sweet Apple Acres tonight.

Amethyst Star asked me, “Miss Swirl? Is your sister Lemon Swirl?”

“Yes, she is,” I tell her.

What the filly tells me causes me to almost trip over my own hooves, “I think my dam was pollinating your sister last night.”

**Perfect Pear Orchard, Ponyville, Equestria**
**006 Summer CC**
**Pear Butter**

Chiffon dropped Silly off just before dinner. She asked to go back to spend the night with Bright Mac with the promise to make her decision soon. We shared some nuzzles, and I’ll get her tomorrow night.

I don’t mind us all being good friends, but I don’t want her to lose out on those feelings she has for Carrot. Our wedding is at the end of the Summer, and she knows the deadline is looming. If there is a pony expert in friendship, then it would be news to me, but I haven't heard of many ponies having too much trouble making friends. Herds, comparatively, are not decisions to make as quickly.

But those are all issues for Future Pear Butter, Future Bright Macintosh, and Future Chiffon Swirl.

Right now, I actually have a guest for dinner. She’s talking with my sire while I went to get Silly from Chif; but I was able to learn that she is the unicorn librarian Flo and I met back in Baltimare.

She is a bit taller than Chiffon who is taller than I am and is wearing a shirt with buttons and a collar. Being from Ponyville, I don't have a lot of experience with unicorns; but if I were to guess, I'd say she's of the Wonder branch of that Tribe. Her coat is the color of parchment with eyes are deep sea green; and her bunned mane and tail have a watery gradient. The style reminds me a little of Mac’s dam, Granny Smith, when she puts her hair up before she works. It’s rude to stare; but when the tail is done up like that, I must admit it draws the eyes.

Miss Short Stack hasn’t told me why she has come to visit yet, but she looked quite professional for a casual visit. I don’t think the books I checked out are due yet…

Me and my colt can smell some dinner cooking before reaching the door. When reentering the house, I announce us, “We're back."

Silly jumps off my back and hops through the house towards my sire setting the table. "Howdy, Silly!" He says picking up the colt and looks to me, "Rest yerself, baby. Ah've got this all covered," and he walks back into the kitchen with Silly.

I sit at the table and smile at the mare already there, "He didn't tell y'u anythin' strange. Did he?"

She opens her mouth to respond, but my sire puts a tray of cold pear ciders on the table and distributes one to each of us mares, "Short Stack here was tellin' me why she moved to Ponyville." Then he retreats to the kitchen with the empty try in a forehoof and Silly balancing on his back and calls back, "Casserole still has a bit."

She fidgets a bit but talks to my sire in the kitchen while looking at me bashfully, “Sh- shee’s beautiful and kind." Who? "I know she’s maternal and strong, and I can’t help but want to be good friends with her." Wait. Is she talking about me!? "And that’s not even to mention that she also has a stall-”

“-Stack!" I interrupt her from reflex, "C- can I talk to you in private? For a moment?”

She gulps, “Oh. Yes. Okay.” Her ears sag back.

I call to my dad, "We'll be back in a few, daddy!"

He acknowledges, "Okay," and I lead her to the front porch.

When I close the door, we sit, and I ask, "Were you talkin' about me in there?"

"When I saw you at the library in Baltimare," she confesses, "something in me just said, 'Be friends with this mare.' I guess you could say it was," she swallows nervously, "uh, love at first sight."

I blink, “Really?" She replies with a silent nod. This mare really changed her life just for me? "Ah really appreciate all those things you said about me, but-”

“-if you’re secretly a stallion, I’m okay with that," she says, "but I really don’t think a stallion could be anywhere as marely as you.”

I blink, “What? No, well, thank you; Ah am all mare. It’s about,” and I take a moment to look around and listen for my sire. I can hear some sounds from the kitchen; so, I speak softly, “Bright Mac.”

She asks, “Why are you whispering? If he’s a mare, I’m okay with that, too.”

“What? No," I reply, "He’s totally a stallion. Ah can vouch for that.”

Her posture perks up a bit, “Oh. What is it then?”

I explain, “You see, my sire-”

“-Is he a mare?” She asks.

Where is she getting this? “What? Who said -no. Look, mah sire and mah stallion’s dam, Granny Smith, do not get along -like- at all. It’s really, really important that you do not tell mah sire about me and Mac until Ah marry him." I add, "And Ah’ll tell him at that point anyway.”

Short Stacks thinks for a moment, “Your stallion is Bright Macintosh?”

“Yes," I answer.

She asks, “And he’s with Chiffon Swirl right now?”

“Yes," I say. I wasn't expecting to lay out my whole situation like this. I thought she was coming to enforce some library rule.

Slowly putting things together, she continues, “So, does she have two stallions right now? Mac and Carrot Cake?”

Oh, boy. “Ah don’t think so. Carrot hasn’t said anything to me, but Ah think he is tryin’ to convince Chiffon to be his friend." I wouldn't be against Carrot; but two-stallion herds already have certain regulations that I do not currently meet, and that doesn't necessarily include the new herd minimums that are rumoured coming soon. "She or Mac would say something if Carrot was, though. Ah trust’em both…" I don't think most mares think about those situations given the infrequency of them, "How would it work with two stallions, anyway? Ah mean, a mare only has one foal hole.”

Stack rubs the back of her neck, “I’m not an expert in that, but -uh- mares do have holes other than a ‘foal hole.’”

I furrow my brow trying to imagine the mechanics. Now I'm curious, “But if he’s mounted or Ah am, how would a second stallion -you know- fit? There isn’t any extra space where Mac is concerned.”

“Um~ maybe," she considers the theoretical situation, "if the mounted stallion gets the upper part, and the other one is underneath the mare and gets the lower one? Like if it’s a daisy, lettuce, and tomato sandwich where the stallions are the two slices of bread and the mare is the daisy, lettuce, and tomato? Again, I’m not an expert.”

I say, scrunching my nose, “Ah don’t know. That seems a little selfish.”

“What do you mean?” She asks.

“If the mare’s in the middle," I explain, "she can’t really control the flow. Stallions prefer a mare who is in charge. You know? But you can’t really do anything in that position other than just accept the friendship. Ah don’t imagine just accepting friendship without reciprocating it is something somepony’s supposed to do. It’s a give and take. You know? But that type of thing sounds like it's the mare just takin'. Believe me, Mac and Ah gots lots of friendship to share, and we love sharin’.”

“Those romance novels never really get into the practical details, I guess," the librarian admits, "but you do have a point. Are you marrying her, too?”

“Chiffon?” I ask.

She nods, “Yeah.”

“That’s…" Another difficult question, "Ah thought she was going back to Carrot, but she’s having a harder time deciding than Ah imagined she would. It would be nice if she could make her choice by the wedding, though. Ah'll be her friend regardless.”

“Oh~" She starts to realize something, "you’re the one getting married. You must be the one that Ivory Scroll was talking about.”

I tilt my head, “You know Ivory?”

She smiles, “I met her today, but she didn’t say who was getting married.”

“She’s a really good friend." I explain, "She’ll be officiatin’.”

Stack tells me, “You know, she might need some attention from her friends.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Well," she says, "Ivory just seemed a little lonely when I was talking with her. Maybe she’s interested in you, too? Like Chiffon is?”

I blink, “Wow." Ivory's about the same age as me and Chiffon; so, it makes sense that she'd be interested in finding some friends for a herd of her own. "Ah’m still tryin’ to wrap my head around the fact that Chiffon is really considering us over Carrot. Then you moved across the country for Mac and me. Now, you say Ivory might want to befriend my herd?”

“Well~" Stack begins, "there might be one more.”

“What?” I ask. 'One more,' what?

She answers, “I’m not exactly the only pony who has planned to move to Ponyville just to be your friend, Pear Butter.”

My jaw drops, “What?”

From inside the house, my sire announces, "Dinner's ready!"

Author's Note

I realized after posting last week that I set up scenes for Sweet Apple Acres and Perfect Pear Orchard. So, there is a new 17.2. The 17.2 that I was planning is now 17.3. ~~I decided to put them both out together.~~ I just realized that I left a note for a scene in 17.3 at work; so, I won't be able to finish that chapter until tomorrow at the earliest. Otherwise, they would both come out today. Sorry.

I give an outline of various Pony Tribes and their Branches in a Blog Post for Chapter Fourteen:
Unicorn Tribe, Wonder Line, "affinities to creative and utilitarian magicks, thicker / wider horns."