//------------------------------//
// Apples  
// Story: Unexpected 
// by PonyBlue 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 3


Macintosh felt like time had stopped, though Celestia’s sun continued to tick across the sky. He was inside the barn rather then out in the farm, something he rarely did while there was still day light. Since meeting Rainbow Dash earlier that day, his heart simply wasn’t into tending the apples trees. The large Earth pony stallion set by the barn doors, looking out into the blue sky above, his mouth moving slowly as he chewed a bit of wood. He shifted his position time and again, but couldn't seem to find the thing that eluded him, rest

"Usually when you have something troubling yer mind, you start wood chewing.” Grandpa Hay Seed commented as the old cowpony stallion came into view. "Don’t want to be teaching Apple Bloom any bad habits. Never hear the end of it from yer Granny Smith or yer other sister."

Macintosh let his gaze lingered on his grandfather. "No, ah don’t, on both accounts." He turned his head and spat out the crushed apple stick. The space between his teeth felt empty. He really should try quitting. 

"Gramps…"

The old cowpony turned his head a little to take a look at his grandson's face, curious at Macintosh's strange tone. Macintosh was like him in that regard, a stallion of few words. "Hmm?"

Macintosh held his breath. "Can ah talk with you?"

One look from Macintosh answered it all, the look Hay Seed knew so well, the one Macintosh always used whenever he had serious matter on his mind. The greying brown stallion pushed his saddle bags aside and turned his body, facing his grandson. "What's troubling you?" Hay Seed picked up a stick of apple wood and started chewing.

Macintosh dropped his head. He didn't know how Gramps would react once he uttered his next words. Surely he'll be shocked. Maybe he even lost his respect for him.

"Ah got a mare pregnant."

There was a long silence from old Hay Seed. The words had come out so easily, so casually out of Macintosh's mouth. There was no hint of humour or something even laughable in that one sentence. Hay Seed frowned. He couldn't believe his flicking ears. No matter how furious he blinked his eyes, the pony in front of him stayed the same hardworking, reliable and responsible red buck he had known since the day he was born. 

"Ah see." 

Macintosh took a deep breath. It felt as if the sun and the calm, breezy wind had all been swept away. “Ah got a mare pregnant.” He repeated more for his own ears.

"Who…?"

Minutes ticked by. Macintosh did not answer. 

“No names.” Hay Seed finally answered the gap. “Good that you are trying to protect her reputation. But that won’t last long.” He sighed, before coming to rest by his grandson. He looked at Macintosh, who had his gaze fixed intently on a patch of sky dominated by a white fluffy cloud. His grandson seemed to be thinking hard.

“How did it happen?” He asked quietly.

"Ah…" Macintosh began. "Ah… don't quite remember how it happened to be exact." Each of his next words was accompanied with a sigh. “We were both drunk at that time."
. 
Hay Seed looked lost. "That was mighty foolish of you”.

"Ah…We didn't realize,” the red buck spoke with regret and guilt covering his face. "It just happened, Gramps.”

Macintosh closed his eyes as his memory replayed the scene back to his mind.

“You’re hot…” She leaned up to him. Her mane fanned out behind her like her name sake, a vibrant rainbow. Their lips were close, her breath warm on his face, reeking of alcohol. Her violet eyes, half lidded looked up into his and then she kissed him. 

That simple kiss broke that invisible wall between them. He kissed her in reply. If only he hadn’t, then all this would never have happened. Dash wouldn't have responded to him and that one night wouldn't have ended with the two of them curled up into each other with their heated bodies cooling off in Luna’s night. 

"We didn't intend to do it in the first place…" Macintosh sighed heavily. "But it happened. And what make things worse, there is…"

"A foal is on the way." Grandpa Hay Seed finished. Macintosh nodded weakly.

Silence stretched between the two stallions.

"So… care to tell ma’ what to be expecting from ma’ first great grand foal?” 

Macintosh turned his to his grandfather, surprised at the sudden light tone. He would not call himself a smart pony, but he wasn’t unobservant. The question was casual, though its meaning was not. 

Hay Seed continued. “Ponyville has changed a lot since ma’ brothers and ah first rode into town. There’re lot more horn heads and there are those flying buzzards all over the place.”

Like many small towns that dotted Equestria, Ponyville had been built hoof over hoof by the labour of Earth ponies. It was only later, after the farms had been wrestled from the land that the pegasi would come. And even later still after the town had began to prosper did the unicorns arrive. All this left an indelible mark, one of lingering resentment that no Earth pony would admit too. Where were the other breeds when the earth ponies needed help? Where were magic and rain clouds when such would have been the difference between life and death?

Big Macintosh had grown up hearing those old grumbling whispers. They were ugly whispers that he cared not to repeat. It was the reason why many Ponyville traditions would not allow magic, despite how practical it would be. It even led to an altercation between his sister and her unicorn friend, Twilight over the issue at last year’s Winter Wrapped Up. 

“They’re called pegasi.” Macintosh corrected, though he was sure his grandfather knew that. Macintosh wasn’t a pony that put much stock in that kind of thinking. Ever pony did what they were best at. No Earth pony would say putting a plough behind a unicorn was a good idea. And no unicorn or pegasus would begrudge an Earth pony for being the strongest of the three breeds

“Ma’ first foal might have wings.” He waited for the old stallion to react and hoped for the best.

"A buzzard in the family?”  A picture of reedy thin pegasus trying to buck an apple tree tickled Hay Seed’s stomach until he couldn't control the funny feeling anymore. “Ah sure was worried it might have been on of yer cousins.” Hay Seed burst out laughing. “No need for town folk calling us inbred.”

Macintosh joined his grandfather’s laughter, even if it wasn’t all that funny. For Macintosh at least, he needed that laugh. A bit of tension he didn’t know existed had evaporated. His heart felt a lot lighter.

Hay Seed stamped his hooves on the ground. “A buzzard in the family would certainly help get the apples to the market faster.”

“Eeyup. Be faster than Apple Jack.”

“That girl won’t like that one bit. Why, she’ll make it a race to the market every day. Remember that iron mare circus with Apple Jack and that friend of hers.”

The two stallions snickered and then laughed again, so hard, until their insides started to hurt from laughing out loud too much. They didn’t hear the steady footstep approaching them, nor the sharp click of steel apple bucking shoes tapping up to the barn door.

“Boy… ya gonna give yer granny Smith a heart attack. Bad enough that buzzard friend of yer sister’s is always at the farm poaching our apples.” 

“Dash ain’t no buzzard.” Macintosh replied, no longer laughing. “And she don’t steal apples. She has a tab with Apple Jack. She pays her bits.”

Hay Seed narrowed his gaze. Apple Bloom, his youngest granddaughter on the farm also had a pegasus friend, who came by often.  She was an orange filly of similar age with a purple mane. Her name was Scootaloo or something. The two stallions exchanged a look.

“It’s her, ain’t it.”

Quietly, Macintosh nodded his head. “Rainbow Dash, she’s pregnant with ma’ foal.”

“So what are yer intentions?” That question from Hay Seed made the soft click of steel shoe halt in mid steps, a moment just behind the barn door. She kept silent not wanting to be discovered for the time being, at least, not yet. Though the two stallions’ voices weren't loud, barely adible, but it was enough. Apple Jack heard every single word.

"Ma intentions?" Macintosh stared up at the sky and shrugged carelessly. "Ah don't know. Ah haven't figured it out yet.”

"A grown buck should always have intentions for the things he does. Have you thought about marriage?" The old stallion scrutinized his grandson.

Macintosh averted his gaze from his grandpa’s direction. Hay Seed didn't miss the perturbed expression that coloured his grandson’s face.

"Don't tell me you haven't thought at all about it."

"Dash and I…" Macintosh muttered. "Our relationship ain’t what might be called…”  The red pony hesitated. What was Dash to him or him to her? “She don’t…” Did she even love him? “We’re not a couple. Ah never thought of asking Dash to marry me."

Hay Seed picked up his second stick of wood. The old cowpony chewed it carefully in his mouth. "Things having happened this way, by next spring, you will be a father. There’ll be a foal running about, probably sitting up in our trees eating the apple blossoms with her mother."

The revelation seemed to seep into Macintosh's head because the muscle of his neck grew even tenser.

"Macintosh”, Hay Seed continued. 

“Most ponies would say marriage is the best solution. Perhaps it is, perhaps it ain’t. It’ll be true that for a short while there’ll be fewer problems, certainly with the village folk. ” Hay Seed paused. “There is one thing ah have to add. A marriage like any good building needs a good foundation. With a strong foundation and regular up keep, a marriage can last a lifetime. Marriage for the sake of responsibility is a hollow thing. It will not make a good family for anypony. For yourself, yer foal or that pegasus mare. It only makes three unhappy ponies.” Hay Seed stopped. He was unused to making long speeches.

“Macintosh, ah never pried into yer personal affairs, but do you love this mare?”

Macintosh froze at hearing his own answer. The word slipped out of his mouth so easily he couldn't even stop himself. 

“No.”


*** ** ***

Apple Jack was shocked. He couldn’t have said that. She still couldn’t believe her ears after hearing the word from Big Macintosh’s very own mouth. Apple Jack wanted to jump in and buck his red hide.

Big Macintosh was the most responsible pony she knew. He was an upstanding pony and stallion. He always did what was right. How could he say this? Dash needed a stallion to protect her and her foal.

Apple Jack really hadn’t planned on eavesdropping on two of her kin’s conversation, or rather discussion. That was the last thing she had in mind when she returned home to Sweet Apple Acres. She had arrived ready to burst with a shout of ‘Big Macintosh, you got to patch things up with Dash’. Dash needed to know that Twilight was wrong. Nopony shouldn’t ever consider killing her own foal as an answer to life’s troubles. 

Apple Jack was at the barn door when a question from Gramps brought her to a halt. 

“So what are yer intentions?”  

Just hearing the serious tone of Gramps, even without seeing his face was enough for Apple Jack to conclude that he knew about Dash’s pregnancy. Macintosh probably had told him the news. Besides, what other more serious topic was there if it wasn't about Rainbow Dash and her pregnancy?

With a little hint of embarrassment, Apple Jack continued to listen to their voices. As she listened more and more into their deep talk, the feelings within her turned to anger.

What? Macintosh wasn’t considering marrying Rainbow Dash? 

She was angry at the revelation. Only minutes ago she had thought she had known everything that was to her brother. What was her brother going to do? Abandon Dash in the rain at the train station? Just like that cad of a unicorn did with Derpy Hooves…. A speck of guilt touched Apple Jack…. she meant Ditzy Doo. It was unkind that Ditzy was called Derpy Hooves by many a pony behind her back on account of her eyes. 

Her thoughts turned back to Rainbow Dash. Was her friend nothing to her brother? Just…a mare who happened to be the mother of his foal by accident? What of the faith she had put into him? She stood up for him. She put her good word in for him with Dash.

“Horsefeathers.” She turned to head back to the farmhouse before she did something she would later regret. Twilight Sparkles' words from earlier that afternoon came unbidden. 

‘You can’t just assume Macintosh will marry Rainbow Dash.’


*** ** ***


Breakfast at the Apple table the following morning was chilly and it had nothing to do with the fact that it was six in the morning or that Princess Celestia was still fast asleep and had yet to raise her sun. 

“Apple Bloom, would you tell yer brother to pass the maple syrup.”

The little olive yellow pony glanced at her older sister than to her big brother. Sitting between her two older siblings was rather unpleasant this morning.  Helplessly, Apple Bloom turned to her grandmother. Her big honey yellow eyes begging to be excused from the table. Going to school had never felt so appealing. 

Granny Smith, matriarch of the Apple clan put her hoof down. She nodded to her youngest grandchild, who quickly ran out of the kitchen with a hurried call of “Bye Everypony” followed by the sound of the front door slamming shut. 

Once the little filly was gone, she then turned to her other two grandchildren. Macintosh was silently eating his hay. Apple Jack on the other hoof, if glares were daggers, Macintosh would most surely be struck dead. “What’s going on between the two of yew?” The old green mare’s eyes were specifically on Apple Jack. Her eldest granddaughter looked away. Old Apple Smith didn’t like this kind of behaviour at her table. “If yew can’t be civil, best be out in farm.”

“If you would excuse me, Granny Smith.” Apple Jack stood up. The orange pony trotted out the door.

The table was silent and Macintosh soon followed. “Thank you for breakfast,” he said, and two old ponies were soon alone at the table.

Apple Smith looked across the table to her husband of 50 years. “Ah know that look Hay Seed, yew know something. So out with it!” 

“You know you can’t get anything out of me, Smith.” The old cowpony answered with a stubborn expression on his face, which turned to a slight grin as he watched his wife of 50 years.

“If ah were 30 years younger, ah buck that grin off yer face.” 

Hay Seed continued grinning.

Even after all the many decades they have been together, nothing seemed to have changed. Smith was still the same fiery mare who dared to hire him and his two brothers, three lowlifes with nothing more that a promise of warm beds and a good meal to defend her stake of land and that of her friends from the Longhorn Desperados. Of course, that was what got him interested in the first place and stopped him from throwing her out of the salon onto her rump. What kind of mare was brave enough or desperate enough to approach the Hay Brothers with empty hooves? It did help that Apple Smith had a nice rump.

Hay Seed flicked his ears forwards to listen to Apple Smith tirade. 

“Ah could have yew thrown off ma farm and ah still have that wanted poster,” she threatened with the easy of a well rehearsed play.

The old bounty on Hay brothers he mussed. “60 bits don’t buy all that much no more,” he answered. “As for me getting off yer farm, that’ll never happen, Smith. Ah be back after sundown and terrorise you in yer own bed.” He leered. “Farm fillies like yer self should be wise not to tangle with the likes of the Hay brothers.” 

She batted him on the nose for his troubles. The old stallion continued to grin.

Eeyup, he and his two brothers met the Longhorn gang in a final showdown at Ponyville. Once the dust had settled and that was back before the town square had been paved over with cobbled stones, the Hay Brothers stood tall. The Longhorn gang had been taught a lesson that was not to be forgotten. Those land claims eventually become the Apple, Lemon and Carrot farms. And the Hay brothers, well they vanished into the sunset never to be found by long arm of the law, while the Apple, Lemon and Carrot got themselves their husbands. 

“Carrot Redland, Lemon Zest and I will form us a posse and run yew off good and proper.”

Hay Seed frowned. “Carrot Redland passed on two winters ago. Zest hasn’t been herself, not since ma brother died. You know that.”

Apple Smith stopped mid sentence. She slummed into her chair. She felt tired. Her bad hips as always ached terribly. “Ah forgot. Ah honestly forgot.” She was silent for a long time before she finally spoke. “Time’s fast catching up on us, ain’t it.”

Hay Seed reached out and held Apple Smith’s hoof with his own. When did their hooves become so worn and nicked? “Ah’m sorry, ah can’t tell you what’s happening at yer own table. It’s not ma place to say, nor ma place to be involved. If anything is to be said, our grandchildren will tell us.” 

“Surely, if the matter is of such seriousness it would be best we lend our advice.”  She looked up as if expecting Hay Seed to agree.

Hay Seed shook his head. “There are no right answers to this one. Only what a pony can live by.” His fore hoof was by Apple Smith’s face stroking her now dull green coat, it had been so very bright once. “Ah won’t have it any other way but you have mighty strong and forceful opinions, Smith. It hasn’t always turned out right.”

Apple Smith looked away, letting Hay Seed touch fall from her face. “Yew talking about our eldest, aren’t yew?” Hay Seed didn’t reply. He didn’t need too. She breathed slowly. As much as she wished to deny it, her husband was right. She had raised her daughters to be strong ponies, and her eldest, the mother of her three grandchildren living on the farm, had been the strongest. Sweet Apple Acres was simply not large enough for two strong willed and stubborn mares. It was a rift between mother and daughter that never healed

Hay Seed began to clear the breakfast table. “You don’t want to go making the same mistake.”

A rift that never would heal because she had outlived her eldest daughter. It was one of the great regrets in her long life. Apple Smith didn’t reply.


** *** **