Does the Party End with Motherhood?

Prologue

Sometime shortly before the events of “My Old Apple Acres Home”….

    It was another beautiful day in Ponyville amidst the trees of Sweet Apple Acres. Celestia’s sun shown bright across the orchard, as a cool breeze blew through it. It was here Big Macintosh was working as hard as ever, trying his best to get the day’s apple bucking done. He was joined by his long time friend, a brown pony who didn’t appear to be as strong as Big Mac, but was no less focused on the job.

“Ya know I’m always glad ta see ya Caramel. Ya’ been so busy in Ponyville all the time, Ah never get ta see much of ya,” Big Macintosh glanced at the brown earth pony not far from him.

“I’ll always try to make some time Macintosh.  The horseshoe business is always busy. Dress shoes, work shoes, even some interesting variations done special requests for ponies with certain... interests in the bedroom,” Caramel told his friend honestly.

Well uh, that’s interestin’ I suppose,” Big Mac gave a false smirk, clearly a little uncomfortable discussing other pony’s priavte matters.

“Don’t worry, we don’t get too much of that. There are a lot of hooves that need a shoe though,” he said cheerfully.

“So, are ya ever gonna ask that special mare ya’ll has been goin’ on about fer sometime now?” Big Mac asked as he swiftly kicked another group of apples from the tall tree.

    Caramel’s blush shown through his brown coat as clear as day, making Big Macintosh chuckle at him.

“Ah’m sure you’ll get around to it,” the red stallion joked, turning away and scanning which tree he’d be bucking next.

“Mac? You think I got a chance with her? I mean, I had the chance that day of the Gala, but I just couldn’t. Time I had any courage at all; she’d hopped on her way and out of that window. “

    Mac couldn’t help but chuckle at his friend.

“Far be it from me ta tell ya what could happen…but uh, I think ya might get working on that there courage a’yours.”

“Huh, wha…” Caramel trailed off as he turned to look  at the road leading in and out of Sweet Apple Acres.

    Big Macintosh’s sister was trotting up the road, a purple unicorn next to her, and a pink pony with a poofy mane bouncing behind them. Caramel quickly ducked away behind a tree.

“T’ain’t nothin’ getting’ done like that,” Big Macintosh rolled his eyes as he spoke.

“Nonononononono, I’m not ready. Nope, not ready. I’m just gonna stay here,” Caramel was shivering and sweating as he pressed himself against the tree.

“Always gotta do things the hard way, dontcha?” Big Mac sighed as he trotted toward the brown earth pony.

“Thank ya’ll kindly fer comin’ to help me bake up all those apple pies fer Carrot Top’s celebration. Hard ta believe her family’s farm was ready and runnin’ before Sweet Apple Acres was,” Applejack said back to her friends.

“It’s my pleasure Applejack!” Twilight said cheerfully, “I’ve been meaning to brush up on my baking skills for quite a while now.”

“And you know how much I love making super duper sugar sweets for everypony!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed between leaps .

“It was a bit of a surprise fer me, but with the Cakes tied down with their third foal, Pan, Ah’d bet they wouldn’t have the time fer such a big job.”

“Have you seen her yet? Ooooo, she’s soooo cute, just like the others! And she’s an earth pony!” Pinkie continued on.

“Heh, Ah can’t imagine having a foal. Lots work, and Ah’m not sure Ah’d be cut out for it,” Applejack gave a small laugh as she mused on the thought of motherhood.

    Lost in her thoughts, Applejack continued on with Pinkie in tow, unaware that Twilight had stopped to watch as Big Macintosh slowly pushed a brown earth pony with a cutie mark of three horseshoes towards them. The brown stallion was trying to plead for Macintosh to let him go as they got closer and closer to the group.

    Finally Pinkie and Applejack took notice and turned to see what was happening as well.

“Ah don’t know what Caramel did this time, but looks like Big Macintosh is trying to teach him a lesson,” Applejack grinned as they got closer.

“Applejack, girls,” Big Macintosh nodded politely when he made it to where they were.

“Caramel causing ya problems again, Mac?” Applejack asked, remembering his past forgetfulness.

“Ee-nope,” Big Mac replied, nudging Caramel away from him, “But Ah think this one has somethin’ he was to say to one a’ you.”

    All three of the girls stood bemused as Caramel forced himself to stand. He shook uncontrollably as he took a single step forward. Twilight and Applejack watched as he passed by the two of them, and came face to face with Pinkie Pie.

“U-u-uh h-h-h-I Pinkie,” he managed to sputter out. “I uh, I’ve been watching you f-for a while now and…well I-I haven’t been w-watching you but I’ve noticed y-you. I was just wondering if y-y-you might like to,” his jittery demeanor causing him to lower himself to a whisper for his question, “like to…go out sometime?”

    There was a long silence between all the ponies. Applejack wasn’t sure but she could swear a random group of tumble weeds blew by during that time. Soon, Pinkie took a deep breath and held it in her lungs for a moment. Then she opened her mouth….

“OhmygoshThatWouldBeTheBestThingEverNoPonyHasEverAskedMEOutBeforeAndI’mSuperExcitedBecauseOneFinallyDidAndItWasSomeoneAsNiceAsYouCaramelOhMyGosh!” Pinkie chattered so fast the other ponies could barely keep up.

“S-so, yes?” Caramel asked her.

“Of course!” she wrapped her front legs around him and gave him a large and somewhat painful hug.

    The others began to laugh as Caramel gasped for breath. Finally Pinkie let him go, dropping him to the ground with a thud. He gasped desperately for air.

“T-tomorrow night then?” he wheezed more than said to her.

“I’ll be there! Although you haven’t said where yet so I can’t really meet you there if there isn’t a there yet but everywhere is a there and everypony is somewhere so everypony is there, right? So I’ll meet you here then!” Pinkie was grinning possibly further than ear to ear.

    Caramel nodded with a smile.

“Alright, alright, ya’ll boys get back ta work. We’ve gotta get bakin’,” Applejack motioned to the other mares.

    Twilight could have had hearts in her eyes and it wouldn’t have made her look any less happy.

“That was adorable!” she squealed as she followed Applejack inside.

    Pinkie also went to follow them, but turned back to Caramel and smiled at him, giving a wink before galloping after her friends. Caramel tumbled over right after, looking like some pets when their pony owners taught them to play dead.

“Now, was that so bad?” Big Macintosh grinned down at him.

“I’ve only got one question. What in Equestria do I do on a date with Pinkie Pie?” he said, his whole body again shaking.

“Eeyup, even Ah don’t know that,” Big Mac chuckled once again, “That mare is one of a kind.”

(Author’s Note: For anyone wondering what the exact timeline of the story is, it goes like this:  This prologue technically comes first in teh sequence of events. The entirety of My Old Apple Acre Home comes next, except for the last chapter. The last chapter takes place 3 years later Dash and AJ nreak up, AJ runs away for nearly 3 years.. In between these 2 chapters, Dash and Twilight dated for a year, but things didnt work. Big Mac also left with Applebloom for Appleoosa to work.  Right before the 3 year mark, AJ come sback to Ponyville with a daughter, Apple Blitz. Big Mac and Applebloom return soon a swell, due to Granny Smith's deatha nd remain there. Then my fic Fillysitting happens 5 months after that and this about 7 months after that fic.

That may be a bit confusing but maybe it helps.)