Applejack slammed her hooves back against the tree, knocking every apple free in a sheet of fruit, the perfect harvest. They plummeted down into a row of buckets lined up perfectly beneath, where they thudded loudly into place.

Applejack took off her hat and wiped her brow. "I am on fiiiiiire today!" She smiled, her southern drawl crisp and loud. She trotted along the length of her family's orchard, inspecting her fine crop of apples. She looked up just in time for a pony to zip in at her.

"Hey AJ!" Rainbow waved even as she landed. "You about done? Need any help? I've got some time if you want."

"Not a one of them left up there! I've just gotta buck a few more trees and I'm all set!" Applejack grinned.

Rainbow smirked back. "Then you can count on me to set it up so you can knock it down." Before AJ could respond, Rainbow was gone, and back again with empty buckets. With a trail of a rainbow, she deposited them under the next tree. "Ta da!"

Applejack just rolled her eyes. "Alright, Dash. Thanks fer the help."

"Hey, no prob! When ya don't have much of anything else to do, ya tend to be generous with your time!" She clicked her tongue with a dramatic wink. Her multicolored mane blew gently in the wind, shimmering with its own little rainbows. "Besides, I want to hang out with my fave farm mare, so she has to get done with her chores."

The two working together brought in the last of the ready trees, stocking apple barrels high in the barn. Applejack nodded approvingly at their harvest. "Lookin' good! We'll have plenty to sell to all of Equestria. Plenty to fill our own bellies. And plenty fer cider!" She grinned widely.

"I call first cup!" Rainbow smiled, hooves rubbing together eagerly.

Applejack was surprised to hear that. "Well I wouldn't dream of cutting ya outta that, sugarcube." She turned to Rainbow. "Now, you were sayin' ya wanted to be here when ah wasn't so busy. Well, we're done now. What'd you want 'xactly?"

"Yeah, see... um..." Rainbow cleared her throat dramatically, doing a half circle in the air before hovering near Applejack. "Soooo, I figured, we haven't just hung out." She landed beside Applejack. "Just mare to mare." She put a wing over Applejack. "As friends." She waggled her brows with additional unspoken meanings.

Applejack pushed her hat down firmly and gave Rainbow a leery glance. "A'ight. We can do that." She started walking to her family's house, but felt Rainbow's wing pushing her away. "What?" She turned back to Rainbow. "You had somewhere else in mind?"

Rainbow Dash snorted and pointed up. "Up there." She grinned, giving a coy wink. "C'mon, you'll love it."

Applejack peered into the sky. "Well, ya see, only one of us happens to be a pegasus." She tossed her head at Rainbow. "That's you. We earth ponies usually prefer to keep our hooves on the ground, ya know?"

"That's where you're wrong, my little pony." Rainbow smirked. "I've already got it taken care of."

As Applejack continued to look upwards, Rainbow wrapped her forelegs around Applejack, keeping a hind leg hooked around her flank and wings beating furiously.

"Ack! Rainbow! What are ya-" Applejack could barely protest as they shot into the sky.

Rainbow leaned in, kissing Applejack's startled face. "Just trust me. I'd never let you go, ever. You know that, right? Now, you can watch, or you can keep your eyes closed." She grinned. "I know which one I'd prefer..." She chuckled again as she pressed her lips to Applejack's neck.

Applejack shivered at the touch. Though she was quite shocked at first, Rainbow's firm grip had her relaxing. "Ah do trust you." She nuzzled back at Rainbow. "Jus' be careful, kindly. Ah'm in your hooves, literal-like."

"Mmm," Rainbow mused against Applejack's cheek, blowing a soft wisp of breath. "A very rare opportunity..."

Before Applejack could retort, Rainbow kissed her on the mouth, deepening it as she carried her into the sky. Applejack found herself getting caught up in the moment, softly moaning back at Rainbow's attentions. Her eyes fluttered shut, and soon she found herself smiling and responding, giving over to Rainbow's strange impulse.

When she had the chance, Applejack let out a breathless laugh. "Ah swear, sugarcube, This is, mmm, fun. But also kinda scary." She touched noses with Rainbow Dash. "Ya know ah love ya, right?"

Rainbow pressed another kiss to Applejack's cheek. "Yeah. I do. You make me feel like I'm soaring. And it's not just when we're flying." She smirked playfully. "Speakin' ah that though, it's been a long time, when are we gonna get serious? We should be shouting at every pony! Why aren't we—"

Applejack got a hoof in Rainbow's mouth. "Shhh." As if there were any other ponies near them so far in the sky. "We ain't gettin' hitched."

"Why not?" Rainbow scowled at Applejack. "You like me. I like you. We get along. We hang out, like, all the time! It makes sense! And it's not just that." She smiled, pressing a soft kiss to AJ's cheek. "I love you too. So much. We have fun together."

Applejack relaxed into the affection, hugging Rainbow gently. "Yeah, yeah... But we're mares. Ain't got nothin' 'gainst that." She colored with memories of past times. "We've worked around how, um, that. But there ain't no foals in it."

Rainbow Dash pouted as they soared up into the sky. "Yeah? So? A lot of ponies get married and never have foals! Some can't!" She scowled, muttering under her breath. "Plus foals suck."

Applejack frowned at that. "Foals are the work a pony does fer the next generation! Granny would be real sore with me if ah didn't do mah part. A family without foals? Means ah'm lettin' down the whole Apple clan!" She stroked Rainbow's mane gently. "Ah mean, ah'm sorry you ain't keen on 'em, but ah am. And you should respect that."

"I... I do." Rainbow said softly. "I just thought... we'd be so good together." She huffed with rising irritation. "Okay! Just... I'll figure this out." She started to lower towards the ground, carrying Applejack along. "Just promise me, if I make a foal happen, we're getting married. We'll raise that foal so hard! Together!"

Applejack smiled sadly. "You don't make foals happen. Ya need a stallion fer that."

Rainbow opened her mouth to argue, but realized what Applejack meant. Her wings froze mid-beat and she tumbled through the air.

"Rainbow!" Applejack screamed, clinging onto Rainbow Dash's falling body.

Rainbow straightened out into a swoop, dropping Applejack gently to the ground. "Sorry. But promise! If I don't make it happen, then you're off scot-free, but if I do! If I do! Then we're getting together." She thrust a hoof towards Applejack expectantly.

Applejack sighed and nodded. "Sure thing, sugarcube. Ah'll let ya try whatever." She reached a hoof out to touch Rainbow's outstretched one. "But ah promise. If you can get me knocked up, we're makin' it official."

Rainbow inclined her head. "Technically, you just asked for a foal. We're both mares."

Applejack blinked at that. "What? But you—" Rainbow was already gone in a streak. "Dang it." She shook her head as she turned back for her homestead. "That mare. She's goin' so fast she don't care where she ends up."

Rainbow sped away from Sweet Apple Acres, her target the smartest, nerdiest, has-the-most-bookiest pony she knew.

"How do you make a foal?"

Twilight Sparkle gave Rainbow Dash a perplexed look. "Well, when a stallion and a mare love—MMMPH!" She clamped her mouth shut with magic as Rainbow laid a hoof over it.

"Not literally! I mean, if you have two mares, can a foal happen?" Rainbow waved her free hoof wildly. "Just asking for a friend."

Twilight turned up her nose at Rainbow's hoof, but was still silent, thoughtful. "Well, every living creature needs to reproduce to carry on its species. I suppose ponies are no different." She flinched at Rainbow's cross look. "Right, two females. Hm." She crossed her arms. "No. Females only produce eggs. Eggs do not become foals without sperm. That's just how that works. Unless one of those females were to somehow produce sperm, this cannot proceed." She tapped at her chin. "Technically... No, no! No."

Rainbow raised a brow high. "Tell me more?"

"No, no, no. It's a crazy idea. Never been tried before. The odds are tremendously small, and would require harvesting eggs. Getting viable eggs from a mare is extremely difficult! And then you'd have to do things with them, and then get them back into place. This is an incredibly complicated process that would face a tremendous failure chance. No, you'd be better off involving a stallion." She inclined her head at Rainbow. "Who's curious, by the way?"

"Uh, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash lied without hesitation. "Thanks for the info!" She bolted off again, leaving Twilight standing there bewildered.

Rainbow Dash soared over Ponyville, kicking up clouds in her wake as she considered all the options. She needed a stallion. The stallion would have to— She colored with the thought of that, a stallion covering Applejack or herself. A strange rush of feelings and memories swam in her head, making her stomach turn.

She landed outside Sugarcube Corner, taking a moment to collect herself. There was only one pony she knew who might be able to do this with minimum trouble. Well, maybe a few, but one felt like a sure bet. She nodded to herself. He was a family pony, he'd understand making Apples.

It would be perfect!

"What would be perfect?" Pinkie leaned in with a big smile.

Rainbow Dash yelped. "Nothing!" She turned and poked at Pinkie. "You can't ask me what nothing is! It's noooooooothing!"

Pinkie just laughed at Rainbow's pushing. "You're so silly, Dash. Did you come for a snack?" She waved at Sugarcube Corner. "It's late in the day, but they're still yummy-licious!"

Rainbow couldn't help smiling at Pinkie's exuberance. "Thanks, but I'm here for someone else. Do you know where Big Mac is?"

"Oh! Yeah, I saw him helping out in Carrot Top's field!" Pinkie pointed the way. "He's so nice!"

"Yeah, that's why I'm looking for him." Rainbow took off again, leaving Pinkie behind with her boundless smile.

Rainbow zipped around town, and soon came across the massive red stallion tilling fields. "Mac! Hey!"

Big Mac looked up as Rainbow came in for a landing. "Ayup?" He looked Rainbow over a moment. "Mm?" He could tell something was up with her.

Rainbow put on her best smile. "I was hoping to talk to you, privately. You might be able to save Applejack's entire life!"

Big Mac blinked at that. "Howdja figure?"

Rainbow began walking and gestured for him to follow. "C'mon, lemme explain." Once she felt like they were sufficiently out of earshot, she turned to him. "It's about family. You know family. You respect family, right?"

"Ayup."

"Applejack wants a foal." Rainbow watched Big Mac for his reaction.

Big Mac tipped his head slightly. "Uh-huh." He seemed to be waiting for more.

"And... well... She can't get one without you." Rainbow coughed into her hoof.

Big Mac scowled at Rainbow. "Nope." He thudded Rainbow right in the chest with a hoof. "Thought you were better than that. Ain't interested in mah own sister."

"I don't mean that!" Rainbow scurried to cut off his escape. "That's not what I'm asking! See, she wants to have a foal, but, uh, two mares can't do that. She needs a stallion." She smiled sheepishly at him. "I'm a mare. You're a stallion. Mare and stallion, right? You know the math."

Big Mac blinked, struck dumb a moment. "Ya know ah'm married, right?"

Rainbow applied a hoof to her face. "I'm not asking you to cheat, just help your sister have a foal." She fell back at his withering stare. "Not like that! With me."

"That's still cheatin'." He folded his forelegs. "Not even considerin' how hurt Sugar Belle'd be if she found out. Applejack doesn't need my help to get her with foal. If it's meant to happen, it'll happen."

Rainbow snorted at that. "It's up to us to make it happen, big guy. Look, I'm not trying to get you in any trouble with Sugar Belle. Why don't we go ask her? Like I said, this isn't for fun. We do what needs to happen, get a foal, the end."

Big Mac gritted his teeth. "Ya don't ask yer wife for permission to go around knockin' mares up!"

Rainbow looked confused a moment.

Big Mac sank to his haunches, realizing her confusion. "Ya don't. That ain't right."

"If she can't make foals, then doesn't that fall on you? Aren't you the family stallion?" Rainbow threw up her hooves. "I know the whole concept of family is important to you. Look, give me permission and I'll ask her. I won't tell her you were involved in asking unless she says yes."

Big Mac gazed away thoughtfully. "That's it, though? No trouble? Ya ask Sugar Belle if ah can make a foal with ya, and we do that and be done with it? Applejack's off the hook as soon as we get the job done?"

Rainbow held out a hoof. "For the good of the Apples." She crossed the hoof over her chest. "We're doing it for a foal, nothing else. I'm not trying to get between you two. Besides, you two are adorable."

Author's Note

Let's start a naughty little tale. I got a new patron, and they requested these words, and so it shall be! Let AppleDash live on!

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