Rainbow Dash took to the air in a slow circle around the farm, gliding lazily through the air. She looked down as she flew, keeping an eye out for anything of interest. She watched Applejack finish with Filthy Rich. She smiled warmly as Applejack retreated to other duties. Then, she spotted somepony else. A pony she recognized, walking through the farm.

"Hey, you!" She zipped down to land in front of Pinkie Pie. "What are you doing, roaming around here? You're not much on apple farming, last I checked."

"Nope." She leaned in, fluttering her lashes. "But I am big on parties, and you're due not one, but two. I just wanted to doublecheck on your schedule so I don't put it when you're busy doing stuff like getting married or getting-ready-for-foal stuff."

Rainbow snorted softly. "You're a nutty one, Pinkie. I don't have any big plans for the next week or so, that good enough?"

"Nope, but it's better than good! So, I'll keep checking in on you. I'll need to figure this party out. It's a big one. A big one!" She bounced into the air and came down facing away to pronk towards town. "Be ready! And tell Applejack!"

Rainbow shook her head and took off into the sky again. "That pony is so crazy sometimes." She scanned the farm below, then grinned and shot towards a blue spot near a red one.

Big Mac and Sugar Belle stood near each other, working the fields together. Big Mac could see the next batch of apples were going to be ripe in the upcoming days. He was already picking out the best trees and fruits, setting aside what needed to be harvested first and foremost.

"Hey there." Rainbow came for a landing next to Sugar Belle. "You two are looking nice and cozy."

The pair exchanged knowing smiles, then Sugar turned to greet Rainbow. "Hi there! Congratulations! The way you and Applejack are together is beautiful."

Rainbow laughed softly, scratching the ground. "Well, we kind of rushed into it."

Sugar waved that away. "The way I hear it, you two took plenty of time as 'just friends'. I heard some ponies started wondering if you were serious or not. Right?"

Rainbow bobbed her head slightly. "Yeah, some ponies wonder why we hadn't been dating the entire time. Some even thought we were already dating." She tossed her head slightly. "But we're serious now. With a foal on the way, partially thanks to you." She touched noses with Sugar. "And you." She nodded at Big Mac, still busy with the apples.

The big stallion just looked up and smiled slightly. "Eeyup. Y'all're welcome." He glanced between Rainbow and Sugar and then dropped his voice a little lower. "It ain't gonna be easy." He rubbed behind his head. "We all got foals on the way."

Rainbow blinked at that. "What?" She whirled on Sugar. "Seriously?!"

The mare blushed brightly and nodded. "Yes, I am. Not very far along, but yeah."

Rainbow stepped up and nuzzled under Sugar's neck. "Congratulations then! Another new filly or colt to play with ours." She clapped with building joys. "As your sister-in-law, you can count on me to be there if you need me."

"Right back at you." Sugar stick out her tongue mildly. "We'll be there for each other, and make it through this."

Big Mac took one more look at the orchards and then approached to stand near Sugar and Rainbow. "Y'all're both family. Yer both gonna be just fine."

Sugar Belle hugged Rainbow close. "Did anypony give you some basics about our, um, condition?"

Rainbow angled her head towards town. "Missus cake gave me a quick rundown of the basics. Why?"

Sugar colored faintly. "Mind sharing that with me? As you likely noticed, becoming a mother doesn't come with any instructions."

Rainbow twitched one ear, then nodded firmly. "Yeah. It's not much, but you should probably get it all the same. Here's the basics of it..."

***

Applejack trotted up to her room after finishing work. She found Rainbow Dash waiting for her, laying on the bed and looking up at the ceiling. "Howdy. Ya busy up there, or jus' hangin'?"

"Hangin'." She glanced over. "Did my weather work. Did some light exercise. Even got a good chat in with Sugar and Big Mac." She flopped over to her belly, watching Applejack. "Why does having a foal take so long?"

"Take so long?" Applejack mosied up with a smirk. "Ya barely even started." She tapped her partner on the nose. "Ain't even been a week, already lookin' fer the end. If that weren't so perfectly you, ah'd be wonderin'."

Rainbow snorted and patted her belly gently. "I'm impatient. I want to meet this pony!" She poked out her tongue. "And I'm also tired. My body is working hard!"

"Now that's true." She settled next to the bed and reached out a hoof to draw Rainbow closer. "And such hard work deserves some cuddles." She kissed Rainbow's ear softly. "An' some soft kisses."

Rainbow laughed warmly, leaning in for those kisses. "You are the best wife-to-be a pony could ask for!" She rubbed back gently against Applejack's touch. "Speaking of that, Pinkie just about has her party cannon ready. She'll be throwing us a bash in under a week. Be ready."

Applejack pressed into her, rubbing along the length of her lover. "If she's throwin' a party, ah'll be there with bells on. After all..." She kissed Rainbow's cheek slowly and sensually. "It's about you, an' that's a fine thin' to be celebratin'."

Rainbow half-pounced, tackling Applejack to the ground. "Sure is!" She buried her snout into Applejack's throat, nipping and hugging close to her. "Think all of Ponyville will show up, for, oh! Did you know Sugar and Big Mac are expecting? I wonder if their foal will be a twin of ours. Wouldn't that be something?"

Applejack laughed at the rambling Rainbow was getting herself into. "Slow down there. Yeah, ah knew 'bout Sugar's foal. Don't surprise me none. And, sure, maybe they will. Odds are 'gainst it, but that sure would be somethin' special. Twins with different moms, but the same pa." She clopped a hoof to one of her cheeks. "Knocks me silly just thinkin' 'bout it."

Rainbow leaned her head against Applejack's chest and snuggled into her warmly. "Love you, you silly filly." She kissed the underside of Applejack's chin, making her blush softly. "Now, you cheered me up, I want to do the same. How can I get a big happy smile out of my hardworking farmer mare?"

Applejack lifted a hoof and clacked it gently with one of Rainbow's own. "Ah'm already happy." She rubbed her hoof against the other's. "Yer happy. We're havin' a foal soon, which means a lot 'f stress, sure, but it'll be worth it." She nestled in warmly with Rainbow. "Couldn't ask fer too much more right now. How 'bout we get ready for Pinkie. She don't do things by halves."

Rainbow let her hoof drop into Applejack's own. She gripped the other's hoof and held it close. "Yeah. Pinkie's the best pony to celebrate with. We'll have to give her all we've got."

The party came in just a few days, with all of Ponyville called not for one, or even two things. Nope, it had become a triple bash! The ponies of honor were Big Mac, Sugar Belle, Rainbow, and Applejack. With two foals and a wedding approaching, the entire community was full of cheers and laughter. Everyone agreed it was a great time to have a party.

Pinkie Pie burst out from the top of a tower of balloons with a huge, exaggerated gasp. "It's party time!" She threw her arms around as many of them as she could capture, which ended up being the two moms-to-be. "With our two newest moms. Everypony's gathered to wish you both a great day and all the rest of them until the foals are in your arms."

Rainbow laughed and wrapped a hoof around Applejack, leaning against her. "Thanks everypony. You all rock. Now, let's get this party started!"

Applejack hugged Rainbow Dash back with a warm laugh. "Yeah! Time to party! Show 'em what they're here for!" She looked expectantly at Pinkie.

The earth mare bounced away to start the party going in earnest, leaving the expecting parents to chat with the many Ponyvillians and field their countless questions. It was only after several minutes of answering that the pair of them managed to escape the press.

Applejack sidled up to Big Mac as they got their chance to breathe. "How ya feelin', big brother?"

"Nope." Big Mac mimed zipping his lip, then walked away in silence.

Applejack snorted at that. "Wish ah had that excuse." She imagined trying to pull off that stoic routine a moment before she shook her head. "Ah'd never last."

"Hey," Rainbow Dash said, poking Applejack in the side. "We're the guests of honor, so you can have whatever you like." She gestured around to everything. "Food, drink, snacks, and games, or you could just sit and watch the whole thing go by. Me, gonna take a swing." She pointed to a bobbing doll ponies were slapping with a stick one by one. "I bet I'll break it." With a laugh, she trotted over to join the fun.

Applejack chuckled at the antics. "That's mah mare. She ain't 'bout to sit still." She glanced around, then headed over towards the food tables, sniffing for what she liked best. A pony came up alongside her. "Howdy."

"Hey." The elderly stallion sank to his haunches. "Jus' thought I'd give my well-wishes."

It was only then that Applejack recognized the pony. "Grand Pear! Don't see you too often. How ya doin'?"

He coughed gently into his hoof, then rubbed at his chest. "Not as young as I used to be, that's for sure." He laughed with a wheezing tone, then shook his head. "But that's just how it goes, right? I heard my grand-daughter was about to have a foal, came runnin'. Right pretty mare you're havin' it with, but, um." He glanced away. "How'd you pull that off?"

Applejack sputtered a bit at that. "Well, shoot." She rubbed behind her head, squirming with indecision. "She had help, from a stallion we both trusted fer the job."

Grand Pear sat still a moment before it clicked. "Oh. Oh!" He let out a laugh as it tumbled into place. "Well, if you're both happy, and we get a foal to love, that sounds great." He rolled his shoulders slowly. "This may be selfish of me, but, um. I'd like to be a part of their life. I didn't get to be in much of yours, still regret that. But, with your leave, that don't have to happen again."

Applejack nodded slowly, taking that in. "Ah think ah'd like that. Ah'm sure Rainbow would like that, even. An', shoot. Ah'd be honored to call y'all kin." She snorted at her own words. "Listen ta me. Yer already kin." She grabbed Grand Pear into a hug. "And if you wanna be a grandpa to mah foal, ain't gonna stop you. It'll be good fer both of ya."

He embraced Applejack, hugging her close. "You are a gift, Applejack." He stepped away with a soft smile. "I'm glad I got to talk with you today, but I should be going."

"What's the rush?" She got an arm around him, directing him towards where Rainbow was chatting with other ponies. "Meet my mare, enjoy the food. You're a part of this, ya daft stallion. No need to go runnin' off."

Applejack dragged him over, surprising Rainbow when she turned. "Applejack?" She looked to the stallion with confusion. "Grand Pear?"

Applejack introduced him. "Rainbow, this is Grand Pear. He's mah mom's dad. Ah know y'ain't seen him much, but that's somethin' we're both aimin' to fix."

Rainbow's eyes went wide with understanding. She waved gently with a small smile. "Good to see you, Grand Pear. Thanks for coming."

He chuckled warmly and returned the gesture. "Thanks fer invitin' me." He paused. "No, that was Pinkie, but thank you for welcoming me all the same."

Author's Note

Grand Pear couldn't pass up the chance to stop a cycle of hurt. He might have failed one generation, but maybe he can make up for it.

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