//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7.2 
// Story: How I Became An Alicorn... 
// by ShadowBolt94 
//------------------------------//

(***AN: Well, here it is, Chapter 7 part 2, on time as promised. It's long like I said it would be even when I DID split it in two, it's a bit much I know but I think I owed you guys after going off the radar like that. So Enjoy... Oh, amd I suppose I should add another one in here since Hasbro is starting to stare down at us from above and swoop down like hawks. I DO NOT OWN MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC!!!!! That's Hasbro and Lauren's Faust's gig, not mine. If I did own it there would be Flutterdash Everywhere. I only own my own OC's which are of course back ground character's in this so it doens't really matter. Also Nyx is not my OC. She belongs to Pen Stroke. I just borrowed her for the sake of Twilight having a daughter. And as she couldn't get a date to save her life I figured Nyx was the best solution. So, without further adieu I give you Chapter 7, part 2: ***)
How I Met Your… 
Chapter 7.2: A Few New Additions… 
Sweet Apple Acres, a little later in the morning: 
Applejack was sitting in a chair beside the window of the farm house staring out at the thick white blanket that had covered the property and all of Ponyville last night. Her socked foot tapped restlessly on the floor and Big Mac, who sat on the couch reading the morning newspaper, was starting to lose the battle with his patience. 
“AJ… if you’re so restless to get moving why don’t you go make breakfast…?” he offered. AJ eyed him carefully. 
“No good Mac… you know Granny would tan mah hide if Ah lifted a finger while Ah was back here… something about me needin’ to relax…” She grumbled as her legs were getting more restless to work. She was raised a farm worker, and being on the farm and NOT working was like going to a theme park to watch other people have fun. It just didn’t make sense, and it made her restless. And with the crops all dry for the winter there was nothing TO do anyways. The off season always bugged her.  
Mac sighed and folded his paper setting it down on the coffee table before he addressed his younger sister. “Well then if Granny won’t let you work how about you go for a run around the property…? It’ll wear off some of the steam you’ve got built up and it could double as a patrol.” He offered. Applejack perked up at that and stood up from her chair. 
“Good idea Mac! And when Ah get back would you help me practice in the barn…? Coach said it’d help me if Ah practiced on someone bigger than me… and you’re about as big as they come.” She asked. Her brother let out a hearty laugh and then smiled down at his sister ruffling her blonde hair out of place. 
“You got yourself a deal little sister. It’s been a while since Ah gave you a lesson in whoop ass ain’t it…?” he chuckled. AJ laughed with him. 
“As far as Ah remember you had the losin’ streak the last couple of times you ‘Taught me a lesson in whoop-ass’” she replied with a grin across her freckled face. Her brother stuck out his tongue at her and she did the same before the both got a swift smack at the back of their heads. They rubbed them and turned around to see Granny Smith standing there with a sleepy looking Applebloom at her side. 
“Ah don’t care what you two are doin’ later or who’s kickin’ who’s keester, if ya’ll don’t quiet down or git out I’m gonna whoop both of ya’ll inta next Saturday do I make mahself clear youngin’s…?” she growled at them both. They both straightened up and quickly nodded. 
“Yes ma’am!” they replied in unison before Applejack rushed up stairs to get her track suit on and Big Mac sat down and picked up his paper shoving his nose into it to announce he wouldn’t be making a peep. Granny grumbled all the way to the kitchen while little Bloom sat down on the arm of Mac’s chair and started messing with his orange-blonde hair. 
“Can Ah put bows in your hair today Macky…?” she asked bunching up some of his hair in her fists.
“Nnnope…” He replied as he grabbed his cup of coffee off the table and took a sip. 
“Aww… but why not…? Granny! Can Ah put bows in Macky’s hair…?” she called into the kitchen. Mac almost spat out his coffee and his green eyes widened. 
“Why of course ya can youngin’. Why don’t ya use those pretty sparklin’ ones Ah bought ya yesterday in the market…?” the matron chuckled from the kitchen with her head poking out from the cut away in the wall. 
“Yay~!” she cheered as she ran up the stairs to get her box of bows. Applejack was just coming back down the stairs when she moved aside to let her baby sister up them. She snickered as she grabbed her music player out of her jacket pocket and started putting the ear buds into her ears. 
“Have fun ‘Macky’…!” she called over her shoulder as she made her way to the front door. Big Mac gave her a pleading look but they both knew he was well beyond anyone’s help. Between the unwavering orders of their grandmother and the simple innocent adorableness of their baby sister Mac couldn’t get out of what they asked of him. Applejack snickered to herself as she hit play and began her jog out of the freshly shoveled driveway and over to the orchards where the bare trees had blocked most of the snowfall. She made it all the way into the west fields and was jogging along a path that bordered the country road when she saw something jogging along the road in the distance. She put her hand over her eyes to shield it from the morning sun and saw a sight that nearly made her trip. 
Jogging down the road towards her orchard was none other than Rarity in pure white fuzzy leggings, a fluffy sleeveless vest over a pure white turtleneck that was obviously some kind of under armor because of how tightly it hugged her, and a pair of what looked like sneakers made out of rabbit fur (fake of course or Fluttershy would have died). Applejack came to a halt and paused her music taking the buds out of her ears and calling out to the girl.
“Rare…?! What in tarnation are you doing all the way out here in this kind of weather?!” she asked as the girl came to a stop beside the fence line and moved a few strands of purple hair that had escaped the high ponytail she wore. 
“Jogging of course, do you not see my simply fabulous exercise outfit…?” she asked panting a bit as gestured to her clothing. “Which is more than I can say for your choice in clothing…” she added pointing out the old grey sweatpants, matching sweatshirt, and worn running shoes she wore. 
Applejack glared at her for a moment. “First off, this is a perfectly fine outfit for what I use it for, second, You still didn’t answer what you’re doin’ all the way out here when your house is on the other side of the town.” she countered. Rarity rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. 
“This is my route. I jog past here every morning just after I wake up at sun rise. Although I can’t say I’ve ever seen you jogging out here. Do you not jog often or is this just not your normal route…?” she asked leaning on the fence post with one hand cupping her chin. 
“Ah… hold up, Ah’m still tryin to process the fact that you would willingly jog outside, yet alone this far into the country… how long have you been doing this exactly…?” she asked scratching her head which lacked its signature hat since she wouldn’t endanger it with this kind of weather. 
“Mmm… if I had to estimate it I’d say a little over a year now since that’s when my parents would let me outside of the house. And I may not be one for the outdoors Abigail but I’m not so much against it I can’t enjoy the fresh air a little bit.” She retorted crossing her arms and huffing a bit. Applejack groaned and rubbed her temples. 
“You just keep breakin’ down all those images Ah had of you bein’ the little prissy premadona ya know that…?” she sighed. 
“Sorry darling, but not every beautiful girl who likes fashion and has an affinity for jewels sits around in a posh living room eating bon-bon’s all day. Besides, how on earth am I supposed to catch the eye of royalty if I don’t maintain my physique…?” She asked with a slight giggle. Applejack looked her up and down and did in fact note she had quite the figure for someone who had just turned 14… Applejack was now questioning if slamming her head into the nearest tree would be enough to erase that thought from her head. 
“Fine… just… go about whatever it is ya’ll as doin’ before Ah stopped ya. Ah need to go slam my head into the nearest iced over creek to get it to cool down.” She said before she put her ear buds back into her head and cranked up the volume in hopes it would drown out her wandering thoughts. 
But unfortunately for the farmer the fashionista in question was anything but blind and could see something was distressing her. She vaulted the fence and jogged up beside her tapping her shoulder. “I don’t believe I said I was done talking with you…” she announced. Applejack almost jumped out of her skin and instead skidded on a small patch of ice and fell into the snow bank that had built up on the side of the path. She groaned and ripped her buds out of her ears and brushed the snow off her as she tried to sit up. 
“What the hell was that fer?! Sneakin’ up behind me and scarin the livin’ daylights out of me…!” she asked as she hoisted herself out of the bank and patted the snow off her sweat shirt. Rarity however was giggling now as she noticed that the snow had gotten caught in Applejack’s hair and made her look quite ridiculous. 
“Terribly sorry dear here… you’ve got a bit in your hair too…” she giggled as she brushed the flakes out of her light blonde hair that was a bit disheveled from its pony tail. Applejack noticed and groaned. 
“Great… here, stand back and Ah’ll fix it…” she reached back and pulled out the red band that held her hair together and let it fall around her. Rarity was surprised, not only by the length of it; it went all the way down to her hips, but also at how pretty it looked down. Applejack shook her head letting all the loose snow out and she brushed it with her hand for good measure before she took the band back off her wrist and started to tie it back again. She then noticed Rarity’s blue eyes staring at her in surprise. “Yeah, Ah know I really need to cut it. It’s getting’ a might long to be practical anymore.” She said as she tied the end of it together and Rarity snapped out of her trance. 
“No! Nonononono! Do NOT cut your hair!” she protested. Applejack blinked in surprise at the girl’s sudden outburst and Rarity quickly regained her composure. “I-I mean to say, it looks absolutely lovely the way it is. Well… you could stand to brush it more often, but other than that it has certain… rustic charm to it. Well actually you in general give off that feeling but your hair is a big factor in it. Well, and your hat as well but as it’s absent at the moment the hair is what sells it.” she explained quickly. Applejack raised an eyebrow at her. 
“Ah don’t know if that was supposed to be an insult or a compliment, but Ah’ll take it as a compliment so Thank ya very much Rare.” She said with a small gentlemanly bow. Rarity rolled her eyes at that. 
“Applejack, ladies do not BOW they curtsey. Like so.” She said before demonstrating. Applejack cocked an eyebrow at her and shook her head. 
“Good thing Ah’m not a lady then. Ah’m a cowgirl, we don’t conform to them fancy laws of society.” She snickered. Rarity frowned at her again. 
“Ah yes… I’ve forgotten you abandoned the lessons your Aunt installed in you in your youth… Shame… I think you would have made such a wonderful companion had you continued your lessons… Perhaps you could have even attracted the eye of someone who wasn’t drunk out of their minds in the back of a pick-up truck…” she mused with a playful smirk. 
Applejack frowned slightly at that but had a come-back ready in an instant. “And maybe if you lightened up that twelve foot pole up your ass would slide right on out and someone who isn’t as fake as the fur you’re wearin’ would take a second glance at ya.” She retorted with a snide smirk. Rarity scoffed dumbstruck at the wit of the comment thrown at her. But Applejack’s smirk faltered and she burst out laughing which of course made Rarity see the in-sincerity in her words and laughed with her. She hugged her sides as she regained her composure and wiped a few hysterical tears from her eyes. 
“I have to hand it to you Applejack… you’re not as awful as I thought you were…” Rarity admitted with a genuine smile which Applejack returned in kind. 
“And you’re not nearly as stuck up as Ah thought you were… you wanna jog the rest of the way with me…?” she offered motioning back towards the path. Rarity smiled and gave her a nod. 
“I’d love to.” She replied before she took off down the path. She glanced back at the girl and smirked a little. “Last one ta the farm house is a rotten sack of Apples…!” she called mimicking Applejack’s accent to a T. Applejack blinked in surprise before she smirked and lowered her head her emerald eyes brightening. 
“Oh it is on…” she sneered before she bolted after the purple haired diva. 
*** “Whoa, I didn’t know Aunt Rarity could run…! And she challenged Aunt AJ?! Was she asking to have her butt whooped and handed to her on a silver platter…?!” Nyx asked her mother. Twilight laughed and Spike grinned. 
“If you think that’s surprising wait until you hear who won!” he laughed. Nyx’s eyes widened in shock. 
“No way-!”***
An hour later the two girls collapsed on the front step of the farm house panting like out of shape dogs. Rarity was smirking devilishly and Applejack wheezed in the cold air. 
“I told you not to run so hard for so long, but did you believe me nooooo…” Rarity teased. “Didn’t your mother ever read you the story about the Tortoise and the Hare…?” she asked as she sat up and propped herself against the stairs. 
“Sh-shut… yer…*wheeze* pie hole…” Applejack retorted in her exhausted state she fell back in the snow in an attempt to cool down some. Rarity smirked down at her companion and giggled a bit. 
“You look like an out of shape track star that just ran her first marathon.” She commented. Applejack sat up quickly having regained enough oxygen to talk normally. 
“Are you callin’ me fat ya prude…?!” she snapped. Rarity recoiled a bit and shook her head. 
“No, not at all, I simply meant you’re obviously not used to running in such weather.” She explained quickly. She looked down at the tanned skin of the girl who had long since removed her sweat shirt and now just wore her white tank top that had a slight dampness to it and her sweat pants. She was really anything but fat, a blind man could see that from her chiseled arms and legs and the flat toned stomach that came from years of hard work on the farm. The tanned skin and freckles that dotted her face, arms, and chest only added to her overall appeal and- Rarity mentally slapped herself before she could continue and scolded herself fiercely for thinking such a way about one of her friends. 
“Oh… well then Ah guess Ah was jumpin’ to conclusions there fer a minute… ya wanna come in fer a bit…? We’re about to have breakfast.” AJ asked as she got up and walked towards the screen door. 
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly impose like that… I’m not even hungry any-!” she was interrupted by her stomach growling loudly. Applejack smirked at her crossing her arms as she did so. 
“You were sayin’…?” she countered. Rarity sighed and stood up. 
“Traitorous body… fine, I’d love to join you for breakfast Applejack.” She sighed as she stood from the steps and followed her to the door. 
“Good, and… wait, have you been callin’ me Applejack this entire time…?” the farm girl asked curiously. Rarity blinked in surprise noticing for the first time that she HAD. 
“Hm… I suppose so, is that a problem…? Because I still do like your proper name better and have no issues going back to-“ 
“No no no, yer fine. I still prefer Applejack, it was just a shock to hear you say it is all.” She explained quickly as she pulled open the screen door and then opened the front door as well. The two girls were greeted with the smell of a home-style breakfast being laid out on the table. “Granny, better set another plate, I picked up a stray and she’s starvin’…!” Applejack called into the kitchen with a slight chuckle. The white bunned head of the Apple family Matron peeked out of the kitchen and beamed at the sight of the purple haired girl in their door way. 
“Well ain’t that jus’ the prettiest little stray, ya’ll come in and get washed up, it’ll be ready in about another half an hour.” The elder announced as Big Mac peeked his large head from the kitchen as well. Rarity and Applejack both had to cover their mouths quickly so as to stop their laughs when they saw his hair tied up in many places by sparkly little bows. He blushed a bit and Applebloom bounced in from around the corner. 
“Ya like what Ah did to his hair sis?! Ain’t it real pretty?!” she squeaked as she tugged on her sister’s pants. 
“Oh yeah AB, you did a mighty fine job prettyin’ him up… pffft… all he needs is some make up and he could win Miss Equestria…!” she stated bursting out laughing with Rarity close behind her. The two of them rolled on the floor for a bit while Mac retracted into the kitchen to hide while Applebloom took the notion seriously and went to go find the make-up kit she’d gotten at the market too. When the pair recovered enough to stand they wiped tears from their eyes and composed themselves again. 
“Oh… oh my… I haven’t laughed like this in ages… well, Pinkie often elicits a good laugh out of me but other than that…” she breathed. Applejack nodded in agreement. 
“Ah know the feeling, it isn’t normally this crazy around here. Must just be you.” AJ noted with a slight smirk when Rarity blushed a bit. “Come on, Ah’ve gotta change out of this or Granny will throw a fit.” She said motioning up towards the stairs. Rarity followed her and was lead up to her spacious room. 
“Oh my… How ever did you end up with such a nice room Applejack…?” Rarity asked looking around at the room that outsized even her own. Applejack shrugged. 
“I’ve had it since mah Pa refurbished the place when Ah was born. He built in two new rooms and fixed up the three that were already in here. Heck he even added in two new bathrooms, one up here in mah room and one down stairs. Ah think he went a bit over board because Ah was his first gal… Ah never really thought about it much.” She admitted as she opened up her dresser drawers and dug out her favorite old pair of jeans and a long sleeved flannel shirt. “Ah’m gonna take a quick shower, you’re welcome to it after Ah’m done… though Ah don’t think you’d have anything to wear afterwards…” 
Rarity snapped out of her trance and addressed her friend. “Oh that won’t be an issue, I made these clothes with a special enchantment, they can’t get dirty so there’s no need to change clothes.” She said as she gently tapped the crest engraved in her forehead. The clothes she wore glowed slightly in response. “And yes, a shower does sound lovely after that particular run…” she admitted. Applejack chuckled a bit and disappeared into her bathroom shutting the door behind her. Rarity took the opportunity to look around some more. She didn’t like snooping but Applejack hadn’t really told her she shouldn’t… she didn’t dig through her closet or drawers but there was one thing that caught her eye. 
A picture frame sat on her bedside table next to her alarm clock that was of course shaped like an apple. She sat down on the quilted sheets of her bed and picked up the frame to examine it. The picture inside it didn’t look old, just worn. Like it had been wrinkled and town and places and she could see a few stains that resembled water marks. The picture was of their family, Granny Smith looked a bit younger but not much, Big Mac looked like he was just entering his teens, and Applejack looked happy as she was beaming brightly with a hat that looked far too big for her being placed on her head by the steady hand of a tall set man with copper hair. He was smiling down at her and Mac and his other hand was wrapped carefully around the shoulder of an absolute beauty of a woman whose long straw blonde hair was braided neatly and tied at the end with a large red bow. Her bright green eyes shone proudly as she held a small pink bundle in her arms and Rarity could see a small tuft of Red hair on top of the infants head and bright golden eyes like those of her father’s looked up to her mother excitedly. The resemblence Applejack had to her mother was almost haunting. 
As Rarity got lost in her own thoughts she didn’t hear the water in the bathroom stop, or the door to open again and Applejack to emerge fully dressed with a towel draped over her wet head. She did however hear the soft pad of feet come towards her and she quickly stood up setting the picture frame back down on the table and turning to face the farm girl. 
“I’m so sorry! I just saw it sitting there and I got caught up in staring at it and-!!!” Rarity was silenced by the soft smile of her friend as she picked the frame back up. 
“It’s alright Rare… Ah don’ really mind as much anymore. Though, if you’d have done that a year ago Ah’d have probably tossed you out in the cold by now.” She explained her voice much softer than she’d ever heard it before, like she didn’t want to disturb someone. Rarity slowly sat back down next to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. 
“What… what exactly happened to them… if you don’t mind me asking that is…” she added before she could offend. Applejack’s green eyes glanced over at her and she silently looked back down at the frame held in her hands and flipped it around unclamping the backing and letting a folded newspaper article slide out from it. She handed it to Rarity who opened it up to read it. 
‘Tragic Car accident takes life of local Apple farmers: Late last night the bodies of Johnny and Citrus Apple were found about ten miles from their orchard in the ruins of what had been their vehicle. Authorities reported that the slickened roads made them skid off into the ditch late last night; they were killed on impact before the vehicle burst into flames. The two leave their three children, Macintosh (14), Abigail (10), and Blossom (1) in the care of their grandmother Granny Smith. The funeral will be held at ten tomorrow morning and the extended family of the Apples is expected-‘ 
Rarity couldn’t read anymore because the rest was torn off. And her eyes were too clouded with tears to continue anyways. She wiped them away gently and noticed Applejack had been crying while she read. She now realized that the water marks on the picture must have been tear stains. “A-Applejack… I… I’m sorry your family had to suffer like that. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like…” Rarity knew her words weren’t reaching her so she did the next best thing. She brought her arms around the girl and held her tightly. Applejack tensed for a few seconds before she slowly returned the hug and buried her face into Rarity’s shoulder. Rarity hummed softly and stroked her back soothingly until she stopped sobbing. 
Applejack regained her composure and dried her face with her towel letting the warmth of it sooth her. she sighed and lowered the towel to her lap and smiled over at the purple haired girl. “Look at me getting’ all worked up over somethin’ that happened years ago… Ah’m sorry ‘bout that Rare.” She chuckled halfheartedly. Rarity quickly shook her head and smiled at the farmer.
“I’d be concerned if you didn’t. No one ever gets over something like that. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost either of my parents, yet alone both of them. Or at an impressionable age like that… ten years old…? And by the date you’d just turned ten too! And left with little Applebloom to raise with your grandmother… oh dear it’s making ME tear up…!” she announced fanning her eyes slightly. Applejack handed her the towel and she patted them dry. Applejack smiled at her. 
“You remind me of her… my Ma, Ah mean…” Rarity quirked an eyebrow at her. “Not in the high class pretty gal way, but the way you’re both always worried about others more than yourselves. And how you’d both give yer entire heart away if it meant savin’ someone else’s… it’s how scary generous you both are and you don’ even think twice about it neither…”she explained when Rarity looked at her questioningly. “Ah like that about you. Probably about the only thing that keeps me from stranglin’ you half the time too…” she laughed. 
Rarity laughed a bit as well. “And that’s what I admire about you, Applejack. You’re honest to a fault, sometimes a bit blunt yes, but it’s charming.” She admitted with a slight shrug. “But you’d never lie, not like many of the people I’ve called friends in the past. It’s a refreshing change of pace actually. As you’ve pointed out before, the wealthy do tend to be a bit… up tight. But I’ve never wanted that part of the upper class. They can keep their posh attitudes and stingy old fashioned ways, All I ever wanted was to be able to have something to give back. If I were royalty after all I could help those who couldn’t help themselves. They’ve got the money and the power, just not the will. I’ve got the will but not the money or the power. Hence my need for a wealthy companion.” She explained. 
Applejack blinked in surprise. The entire reason she wanted to be rich was so she could give it all away…? She was like a pretty version of Robin Hood! Take from the rich and give to the poor… wait, did she just call her pretty…? Well… she was, no sense in denying that. She gave the girl a fond smile and then the towel she held reminded her. “Ah! Weren’t you goin’ to take a shower Rare…?” she asked. Rarity seemed to remember as well and nodded quickly.
“Where do you keep you towels…?” she asked as she walked towards the bathroom. 
“Linen closet behind the door.” she responded before Rarity closed the door and she heard the water turn on again. Applejack laid back on the bed and ran her fingers through her loose wet hair. “This girl is doin’ things ta me Ah don’t get Ma… What’re you plottin up there…?” she asked the ceiling. She closed her eyes to see if she could hear a response but all she could hear were the clanking of pots and pans down stairs and the running of the shower. “Well… you always did want me ta figure out the puzzles by mahself… guess this is just a bigger one…” she mumbled as she opened her eyes again and sat up to put the article back inside the picture frame. With the picture clasped back up she sat it back on the table and went over to the old television set she had sitting on her dresser and turned it on. the picture was faded but it was still pretty clear and in color so she didn’t complain. She actually like it’s age. She sat back on her bed and listened to a stand-up comedian run his show. The guy was some big famous redneck and his famous line was ‘You might be a redneck if…’ she surprisingly found most of them applied to her and her family and laughed about them all the same. She off handedly wondered if they might be related somehow. 
Rarity emerged from the shower and dried herself off with the towel. She wished she knew a drying spell as her hair was now doomed to reform to its natural straightness. She sighed and brushed it with a brush made out of her magic after she’d gotten dressed again, she left the furry vest off as she no longer needed it and she’d left her shoes at the door so now it was just her under armor turtle neck and her white leggings. She sighed at her appearance in the mirror that hung above the sink and frowned. She needed to remember to ask Twilight if there was a spell that could do her hair and make-up, but in the meantime she’d have to settle for the ‘all-natural’ look the shower had given her. 
Rarity stepped out from the bathroom and it made Applejack look up from her position on the bed. If she had been drinking something right about then there would have been a spit take. Seeing her rather curvedly built friend walk out in white leggings and shirt that hugged he every inch, with hair that was un-godly beautiful even more so than usual, and sans make up was more than enough to send Applejack into hysteria. Rarity couldn’t help but blush faintly but she teased the farm girl all the same. 
“You might want to re-hinge your jaw before one of your family members walks in and sees you staring at me like a fish Applejack.” She giggled. It was Applejacks turn to blush now as she quickly snapped out of it and picked her hat up from where it rested on her dresser putting it on to hide her face. 
“A-ah was not starin’ at yah…! Ah’m just not used ta seein’ ya without the ten pounds of make-up ya probably have to apply with a spatula.” She snapped back. Rarity looked slightly offended but knew she was only saying it in good nature. “C-come on, mah family’s probably already eaten half of that spread by now.” AJ commented as she headed back out into the hallway and walked towards the stairs. Rarity smiled despite herself and followed Applejack downstairs and into the dining area located next to the quaint kitchen. Contrary to her prediction, Applejack found her family waiting for them with an extra plate set next to Applejack’s seat. “Ya’ll actually WAITED for us…?!” she asked in shock as they both sat down. 
“We’re farmers youngin’ not uncivilized ruffians, now hush up and eat yer grub.” Her grandmother chided. Applejack nodded but let Rarity serve herself first since she was a guest. Although she didn’t take much, just some eggs and a bagel with cream cheese. When she bit into her bagel the table erupted into a frenzy of limbs and forks rushing at food and Rarity had to duck to avoid a particular egg that flew at her when it slipped out of Bloom’s fork. Applejack grinned when Rarity gave her a horrified look. 
“And ta think you thought Ah was joking when Ah told you where Ah got mah table manners.” She laughed as she bit into a particularly greasy sausage. Rarity composed herself and ate her food while she tried to ignore the carnage that was unfolding at the table. Her family was not in anyways civilized when they ate, her father very often told complete stories with his mouth full of food, her mother wouldn’t hesitate to reach across the table for something if she needed it, and her sister… well let’s just say she’d need a lot of etiquette training in the future and leave it at that. But these Apples brought a whole new meaning to the word ‘uncouth’. 
When at-last it was over and everyone had had their fill Rarity stood to help clear away their dishes but the Apple family Matron would have none of it. 
“Don’t you even think about liftin a single one of yer pretty little fingers dolly, Mac ‘ere will take care of all of this here cleanin’. You go on and enjoy yer vacation with whatever it is youngin’s do now a days.” Granny said shooing the girl from the table along with Applejack who had also tried her hand in helping. 
“But Granny Ah-“ Applejack protested. 
“Nuh-uh kid, ya know the rules.” Mac interrupted. AJ sighed. 
“Fine, But Ah’m not gonna be sittin’ around all day. In fact, ya wanna have a peek at our stables Rare…? There’s some mighty fine horses in there.” She asked turning to her friend. Rarity’s eyes widened a bit and she seemed a bit more excited than she should be. 
“That would be lovely darling…! I love horses, they’re the grace of the plains and they know how to flaunt it!” she replied eagerly. Applejack chuckled a bit at that and she quickly composed herself. “I-I mean to say, it would be my pleasure…” she corrected. 
“Well come on then, let’s go back up and get our stuff on and we’ll walk right on over there.” AJ laughed as she walked towards the stairs. Rarity joyfully skipped after her and together the two donned their jackets and shoes once more and Rarity was bout ready to go when she noticed her hair was still very wet and fussed over tying it back. Applejack sighed and went over to her dresser and pulled out a snow white fuzzy beanie from it. “’ere, put this on, it’ll keep your head warm and you won’t have to worry about catchin’ a head cold.” She said tossing it at the fashionista. Rarity examined it for a minute before realizing it did go well with her outfit and slipped it on over her head bundling her hair up in it. 
“Where ever did you get something this stylish for head wear…?” she asked half sarcastically. Applejack sneered at her. 
“Ah found it on the side of the road and just picked it up.” Rarity was about to yank the garment off her head when AJ quickly caught her by the wrist and laughed. “Ah’m kiddin’ ya premadona, Ah bought it about a year ago, wore it once and it got buried at the back of my dresser since then.” She explained releasing Rarity’s wrist as she sighed in relief. 
“That wasn’t funny Applejack! I thought you’d tricked me into wearing a lice infested hat…!” she pouted crossing her arms. Applejack chuckled and shook her head. 
“Nah, Ah’m not Dash or Pinkie, Ah don’t really like none of that pranking stuff. But Ah could get used to this teasin’ thang if yer gonna look like that every time Ah do it.” she laughed before covering her mouth quickly at what she had said. ‘Damn mah big mouth…’ she cursed mentally as Rarity smirked at her and circled her like a cat that had cornered a mouse. 
“So you find my pouting cute hm…?” she teased making sure to flip the just-drying tip of AJ’s ponytail as she circled around behind her and headed towards the door. 
“A-AH never said that…!!!” she shouted after her. 
“It was implied…!” Rarity sang back. Applejack huffed her face as red as a red delicious apple as she lowered her hat in shame and looked back at the family portrait at the side of her bed. 
“Yer an awfully cruel one Ma… And why’d you have to go and pass on your honest tongue Pa?!” she groaned before she exited her room and shut the door tightly behind her. 
Together the two made the trek from the house to the stables and Applejack paused at the barn doors which were shut tight and bolted shut with a combination lock on the chain. Rarity blinked in surprise at it. “Why the need for the chain and lock…?” she asked. 
“We’ve had a few incidents in the past where drunks will wander in an’ mess with the animals. So we started chaining the place up every night.” Applejack responded as she unhooked the lock and the chains fell to the snowy ground. She slid open the barn doors enough to walk in and flick on the lights. It wasn’t until Rarity was inside she realized how purely massive it all was. On the right side of the barn were stalls that the horses stayed in, out of the ten that were there only six looked occupied. The left side of the barn had a built in stable the kept in the sheep, and she could see there was a huge dirt ramp in the center that had hoof marks in it. “As you can see we keep the sheep and horses up here, but the cows, chickens, and pigs stay under during the winter because it gets too cold for them up here. 
“Y-you have your entire heard of cows and pigs down in your basement…?” she asked in disbelief. 
“Mhm, and all the chickens. Ah told you mah family don’t mess around when it comes to farmin’. Now let me introduce you to our prides and joys.” She chuckled as she walked over to the stables. Rarity followed radiant at the prospect of seeing the horses. Applejack stopped at the first one which contained a tall and proud looking chestnut colored stallion. “These here was mah father’s horse, as such he don’t seem much ridin’ now a days but Mac takes him out every once and a while, his name’s Thunder.” She said petting the large horse on his muzzle. “He’s a Clydesdale and so is his mate right here next door, Her name’s Delilah and she was mah mothers.” She said patting the snout of the softer golden brown mare. Rarity greeted them both and Applejack smiled a bit before she went over to a sack in the corner and threw it over her shoulder. The horses all turned towards her and neighed a bit in anticipation. Applejack chuckled a bit and pulled two shiny red apples out of the bag and handed them to Rarity. “Go ahead and feed ‘em. These are their favorite.” She said nudging her forward a bit. Rarity carefully held out the apples to both of the horses who sniffed them before they both took them out of her hands and ate them swatting there tales in happiness. Rarity giggled a bit feeling a tad like a little girl all over again. AJ smiled and moved on down the line. “This here is Granny’s ol’ boy. He’s a bit rough fer ware but man does he still back a wallop when gets going. His name’s Jasper.” She said rubbing the snout of a light grey old stallion who’s tired eyes looked happy to see the familiar blonde and excited to see the new one of the pretty purple haired one. Rarity took another apple out and held it out for him. When he took it she noticed the hairs on his muzzle tickled her hand and she let out a small giggle. 
“That tickles…!” she squealed. Applejack laughed and nodded. 
“That’s what Ah said the first time he did that ta me to…! Old guy has an eye fer young ladies.” She announced with a tilt of her hat. The stallion neighed at her and she smiled before moving on. “Now this here is Thunder and Delilah’s oldest, she’s Mac’s mare and she knows it. We call her big Red for obvious reasons.” She said as they came to a tall mare whose coat was hued red but Rarity knew it had to be a trick of the light since red was a pretty impossible color for horses. She had a very well kept golden mane though and her eyes were a deep chestnut brown. Rarity personally thought she was a beautiful mare as she held out a particularly shiny apple for the horse. She sniffed it and took it eating it quickly and then turning away from her. Rarity scoffed a bit and Applejack laughed. 
“That mare just gave me the cold shoulder!” she exclaimed in disbelief. 
“She suuuure did. Don’ worry about it sugar cube, the only person she’s EVER liked is Mac. You’re pretty lucky actually, the first time Ah tried to feed her like that she nipped me.” AJ laughed. 
“And you couldn’t have told me that before I put my hand so close to her mouth?!” she asked in disbelief. 
“Oh keep yer knickers on, Ah’d ’ve have stepped in if she tried anything.” AJ said with a roll of her eyes. AJ smiled as she walked onto the next pen. “Next up is AB’s little colt. He just got out of his ‘mommy’ stage so he has his own stable now. This is Zaps.” She said coming to a stable where a bright sunny yellow colt with bright golden orange eyes was just peeking over the top of the stall door. Rarity cooed at him and he whinnied at her as she fed him an apple. He nuzzled her hand and she petted him for a bit which he seemed to enjoy. “Yeah, he’s quite the little sweet heart ain’t he…? Fast as a lightning bolt though, hence the name.” she explained as she moved on to the last one. “And this is MY mare, she’s about as close to me as mah own sister since I’ve raised her from a tiny little foal. Her name’s Jackie… and no, I did not intend that. It just seemed ta fit is all.” She said as she pet the snout of a tall mare whose fur was a mix between her mother’s golden coat and her older sister’s red tinted coat. One would even say it looked orange in the right light, perhaps a sunset. But her light blonde mane was what made Rarity smile as she handed the apple to her. 
“I can see the resemblance.” She giggled as the horse didn’t even hesitate to chomp up the apple. “Oh look, she shares your table manners as well.” Rarity added wiping a bit of juice off her face. AJ frowned at her and stuck out her tongue before the horse did something very surprising, she licked Rarity and nuzzled her softly until she pet her. Applejack tipped her hat back in disbelief. 
“Woo doggy, Ah ain’t never seen her THAT friendly before! She must like your scent or something Rare…!” AJ announced with a laugh at her friend who was petting the horse now. She straightened her cap back on as the lick to the side of her face had tilted it and smiled a bit as she pet the horse some more. 
“Well I can’t imagine why… I look like a mess.” She laughed. The horse neighed at her like it was arguing with her. “Alright dear, if you say so…” she giggled. Applejack was still in disbelief as she stood up on the railing and peered into the troughs. 
“Hmmm, they could use a bit more hay and oats. Let me take care of that real quick and you can stand there and keep pettin’ Jackie. She seems ta like ya well enough.” AJ laughed as she walked over to the other side of the where a ladder led to the hay loft above. Rarity smiled as she pet the horse and fed her and her family a few more apples. Rarity heard a large thump behind her and saw that there was now a large round bale of hay behind her. Two sacks fell down as well before she looked up and saw Applejack leaning over the edge grinning at her. “Sorry princess, did Ah startle ya…?” she snickered. 
“Yes, as a matter of fact you did.” She replied crossing her arms in protest. AJ just laughed and stood backing away from the edge. Rarity’s eyes widened when she realized what she was doing. “Applejack I don’t think that’s a particularly good-“ she was interrupted by a rope coming down from the ceiling and Applejack leaping off the edge and sliding down it to land in front of her. Emerald eyes met her sapphire ones. 
“You were sayin’…?” AJ asked amused by her reaction. Rarity stammered a bit at her close proximity but was unable to form words at the shock. “Ya know, Dash had about that same face when she first saw me doin’ a few tricks in gym… ‘cept her wings went all spread… ya’ll magic folk don’t get magic surges when you’re impressed do ya…?” she asked as she walked over and picked a pitchfork off the barn wall and started breaking up the hay. 
“N-no…! Not unless we’re very young, or very, very startled.” She responded once she composed herself. Applejack grunted in acknowledgement and Rarity quickly noticed Jackie was nibbling at her hat and moved a few steps forward to get out of her reach. The horse whinnied a complaint but Rarity ignored it. She watched Applejack work for a bit but AJ noticed her stare and paused long enough to point at the bags of oats. 
“Look, if you want somethin’ ta do Ah’d suggest tearin’ open one of those bags and fillin a bucket of oats and droppin’ them to the trough that’s attached to the inside of their doors. Buckets are over there.” She said pointing at three pails that were by where AJ got the pitchfork. Rarity shrugged and a blue aura surrounded the three buckets and one of the bags of oats. The bag ripped open and poured into one of the buckets, when it was full she levitated it over to the troughs and dumped it in and moved on to the next bucket and stall. AJ frowned. “Show off…” she muttered as she went back to work. Rarity finished long before Applejack did and eventually got tired of the farm girl taking so long so with a wave of her hand the large bale of hay was reduced to a soft pile and Applejack frowned at her. 
“What…? If you have the talent darling-“ 
“Flaunt it, yes Ah know… Ah’m just wonderin’ why you didn’t do that sooner.” AJ sighed. Rarity shrugged and turned when she heard a whinny from Jackie behind her. Applejack was holding a fork full of hay which she carried over as she rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah, I hear ya sugar cube, hold your horses already…” she chided as she opened the door and entered the stall. Rarity heard the fork clatter to the ground and Applejack gasp. “Oh my dear sweet Celestia… Rare…! Get me a towel fast…!” she called as she bent down to where Rarity couldn’t see her. Rarity panicked a bit but listened on instinct and levitated a towel that had been hanging on the wall into her grasp and slipped into the stall with AJ. 
“What is it darling, is it a rat?! Oh please tell me it isn’t…!” she cried keeping her distance back away from her just in case. Applejack was bent over something on the floor and Jackie was watching with curiosity. AJ took the towel from her and Rarity peeked over her shoulder to see something far worse than a rat. There was a rather skinny cat lying motionless on the few remaining straws of hay and fluids were spread across the cold floor. Applejack was rubbing something in the towel and Rarity quickly knelt down beside her to help once she saw what it was. In the towel was a small pathetic kitten that looked as if it were just born and it was hardly breathing and was probably as cold as ice. 
Rarity didn’t think she quickly took the towel away from Applejack and continued rubbing the kitten as she issued orders. “Go back to the house and get me warm water, not hot, not cold, warm. And a cleaner towel. This one isn’t the cleanest.” She barked. Applejack leapt out of the stall and practically teleported to the house. She was back a few minutes later and Rarity was whispering soothingly to the barely breathing little bundle. “Come on little one… please hold on just a little longer…” she cooed. Applejack threw open the door to the stall and set the bucket on the floor while Jackie wandered out but only to give them space. She stood just outside while the other horses all looked on with anticipation. “Soak the towel and ring it until it’s almost dry then hand it to me.” Rarity ordered now thanking Fluttershy for all those long talks about her helping out at the clinic. When Applejack handed her the towel she quickly switched the kitten out and the response was delayed but quick, the warm towel got the little kitten to mewl. Rarity sighed in relief and bundled the little one up so the heat wouldn’t escape. “Now that she’s responding we need to get her inside and fast. She’s probably starving and we can’t let that go on or she’ll end up like her mother over there.” Rarity stated as she stood and nodded back at the mangled sad form of the skinny grey cat. Both girls moved quickly back to the house where Granny Smith, ever the wise one who had figured out what had happened from the choppy explanation her granddaughter had given her when she came into the house to get the water, had already prepared a bottle of formula and warmed it up. 
“We find all sorts of little critters around this place, so it’s good ta keep a few jars of spare formula around just in case.” She explained handing the tiny bottle to Rarity. She gave the older woman a gentle smile of thanks and quickly sat down at the table and nudged the bottle into the kitten’s mewling mouth. It suckled gratefully and it was soon satisfied when the bottle was gone. Rarity rubbed the little one’s stomach gently with one finger while she turned to Applejack and asked if they had an electric heating pad she could use. But again the family had thought ahead of them and Big Mac came in with the fuzzy pad in hand. He also had a small crate in his hand and set it inside with a blanket over it. Rarity placed the little bundle inside sans towel and watched her snuggle into the warmth of it. Only then did she let out the breath she had been holding. 
Applejack patted her shoulder gently and smiled. “Ah didn’t know you had a knack for handling situations like that Rare…! Where’d you learn to do all that…?” she asked as she watched the little white ball fall into a deep sleep. 
“O-oh… well… I learned the treatment part from Fluttershy of course, she’s always going on about these poor little creatures that get caught up in the cold weather and how she has to treat them for it… but, as for keeping my head I’d have to say that was self-taught. I had to with my little sister, she’s a handful all on her own…” She explained as she removed her hat and ran her fingers through her hair to untangle it. 
Granny Smith smiled at her and looked down into the cage. “Well yer cool head saved this little one’s life. Ya can keep ‘er if ya want dolly.” She said as she smiled up at the purple haired girl. Rarity blinked in surprise. 
“Me…?! With all due respect madam are you sure…?” she asked her blue eyes widening in surprise. 
“Well ya can keep pets in yer dorm can ya…? And by the sounds of it you’ve got one heck of a vet fer a roommate. I’m sure she’d be able to help you out.” Granny reasoned her orange eyes warm and pleasant. “And you can even take the canister of formula we have in the pantry. That should last ya a good few weeks of feedin’s and by then the little one will be able to eat solid foods too!” she offered. Rarity thought about it for a few seconds before she smiled at the elder. 
“Well… I have been wanting a cat for the longest time… and, by the looks of her she’s just my type too~!” she sang happily looking into the cage at the long haired white kitten. “Ohhhh, I can’t wait until she opens her eyes! I wonder what color they’ll be! Perhaps a beautiful azure or a striking yellow!” she hummed. Applejack chuckled until she noticed Winona had come up to sniff the open cage. Surprisingly the puppy didn’t bark or even lick the tiny ball of fluff. She just saw what was inside and whimpered a bit and lay down next to it with her ears folded back.  
“Aw, ain’t that just the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen…? Even lil’ ol’ Winona knows she’s delicate!” Applejack cooed patting the little pup on her head. “Good girl, you play guard dog while we go get this all settled out.” She instructed and the pup sat to attention her ears perked just like a guard dog. Rarity wondered just how smart the puppy was but was interrupted when she felt a small tug on her shirt. Applejack smiled down at her and motioned towards the kitchen. “Come on; let’s get you that formula and then we can give you a lift back to your house.” She whispered knowing she didn’t want to wake the little kit. Rarity nodded and followed her into the kitchen where she got out a large jar of white powder from the bottom shelf. It was about as big as The cat carrier was and Rarity quickly shook her head knowing full well from Fluttershy just how expensive formula was. 
“No no no, I cannot accept that much. That must have cost a fortune…!” she whispered harshly. Applejack rolled her eyes. 
“Sugar, you wanna know the one rule Apples hold above all else ‘cept that ya always defend your friends and family…?” Rarity looked at her questioningly. “Ya listen to yer elders. And Granny says ta take it, so take it.” she ordered shoving the large plastic jug towards her. 
“B-but I…! Oh fine… but only because I think your grandmother would lecture me for a life time if I didn’t…” she sighed taking the jar from her. “But I swear Applejack, I’m giving this back somehow. I don’t know in what form yet, but you’ll be getting paid back I guarantee it.” she said her sapphire eyes like daggers as she took the jar. Applejack winced and nodded. 
“Fine, fine, Ah get it… Yeesh… for someone who’s so charitable you’d think ya’d be a bit more acceptin’ when people try ta help you out…” she commented as she walked over to the counter and picked up the keys from the table. “Come on, Ah’ll take ya.” She sighed. Rarity gave her a cautious stare. 
“Applejack, you’re only two months older than me, you can’t drive yet.” she explained slowly like she was talking to a child. Applejack looked at her like she’d been insulted. 
“Says who…? Granny! Can Ah drive?!” She called into the living room. 
“Sure ya can sweetie, If ta coppers try an’ stop ya tell ‘em yer on an errand fer me!” 
“Got it! Well come on then, stop stallin’ Ah’ve been driving since Ah was ten so you’re safe with me.” She chuckled. Rarity didn’t know which to be more shocked about, the fact she’d been driving since she was ten and her grandmother LET her, or that the local Police would be persuaded just by hearing something that simple was an excuse. 
“H-how did… a-and your grandmother…?!” she exclaimed trying to piece together the puzzle in her mind. 
“Ah’ll answer yer questions in the truck, for now though just go get the kit and anything else you might’ve left behind while I warm up the truck.” She said pushing the girl towards the living room. Rarity, if nothing else, was sensible. So she listened and checked her person for her cellphone and her music player she had brought with her; she had both in her jacket pockets. When she assured herself she wasn’t missing anything she levitated the plastic jar beside her and held the cat carrier close to her so the cold wouldn’t penetrate it in the short trek from the front door to the large red truck that waited outside. 
“Goodbye Granny Smith, it was a pleasure meeting you. And thank you once again for your hospitality.” She called. The elder waved to her with a smile from her seat on the rocking chair and the moment the door closed she chuckled to herself in a way only old people can get away with. 
“That dolly’s going to give mah little AJ quite the heartache…” she cooed as she picked up the little pup by her feet. “Ah sure hope you know what you’re doin’ up there Citrus and Johnny… because yer poor daughter’s about as clueless as a little babe.” She sighed looking up at the ceiling. 
“You ready to go…?” Applejack asked as Rarity sat in the passenger seat with the carrier on her lap and the jar between her ankles to hold them in place just in case. 
“As ready as I’ll ever be darling…” she said as she double checked that her seatbelt was intact. It looked like a pretty new truck so she knew it would be completely intact but it didn’t hurt to check. Applejack rolled her eyes and for the first time Rarity noticed how natural she looked in the driver’s seat.  She had an air of ease about her like this was second nature to her… next to kicking apple trees of course. When they pulled out of the drive and started towards town Rarity relaxed enough to talk again. “So… who exactly taught you how to drive…?” she asked. Applejack smiled a bit at that her eyes still on the road but they looked distant. 
“Mah Pa… well, he started it at least, soon after the accident took him and Mac took up where he left off… Heh… It’s funny ya know…? After the accident you’d think Ah’d want nothin’ ta do with drivin’… but it actually made me want to more. So Ah’d know not to make their same mistakes. We hardly ever drive at night anyways, and if it’s raining then we just pull over and wait for it to pass. We’re mighty patient folk… Although drivin’ on these ice roads is pretty bad too…” she admitted knowing the snow plows and salt could only do so much. “Good thing Mac put in the extra money for the all-terrain weather proof tires.” She added when she saw Rarity tense. The magic user sighed in relief and looked out the window at the passing white scenery. 
“It’s very serene… the snow I mean.” She commented off handedly. “I find it like looking at a beautiful work of art, calming… and quiet. The pure white of it all… no it’s… oh what is the word…?” Rarity asked with a small huff of irritation. 
“A blanket of white snow is like a blank canvas for the earth, it allows us to stop for a moment and admire what we do not otherwise notice in times of bounty like summer, or that we look over in times of great beauty like spring and autumn. It makes us look at the bare nature of everything around us and find beauty within it all. Much like how I never noticed how beautiful you could be until you washed away all of that which you had done to improve your self-image.” Applejack stated her voice devoid of an accent and sounding more sagely than anything else. Her green eyes slanted towards her with a slight smile. “That’s a hint and a half sugarcube.” She chuckled taking her accent back. 
Rarity however was stunned silent before a light smile traced her lips and she stared back out the window. “You’re just full of surprises aren’t you Miss Apple…?” she breathed causing the glass on her window to fog up a bit. She smiled and used her pinky to delicately trace a pattern in the left over fog. Three shining gems stones sat at the center of three apples. She blinked when she realized what she’d drawn and quickly erased it before the driver of the two could see. Her blue eyes widened as she felt her fingers trace over where she knew her mark was on her collar bone. ‘I’m going to need to have a serious conversation with myself when I get home…’ she thought biting her lip ever so slightly.   
Back on the rock farm: 
Pinkie, despite what many believed, was not always sugar-pops and gumdrops. There was one exception and her family knew it all too well. Pinkamena Diane Pie wasn’t, and probably never will be, a morning person. Despite this she was used to waking up early and helping the Cakes out in the bakery before she went into school so at 5 AM on the dot the pink haired girl rose from her sleep her long hair completely straight and hanging in her face a bit as she opened her eyes slowly. She didn’t process where she was, or even question why it wasn’t her room above the bakery. She just simply swung her legs over the side of the bed and like the undead rose from her bed and slowly walked downstairs and into the kitchen where her mother already had a large cup of hot chocolate waiting for her on the counter. Pinkie didn’t greet her good morning, she didn’t even glance at her. The only thing Pinkie DID do was eye the steaming foamy cup on the counter and grab it like a snake snapping at its prey. She disregarded the intense temperature of it and chugged it all in one go. After smacking her lips together a bit her eyes snapped awake and her hair fluffed out in its normal poofy form like it had a mind of its own. Only then did she address her mother, though she still sounded tired and hadn’t quite gotten her energy back up to normal Pinkie levels yet. 
“Morning mom! Is there anymore of this…?” she asked. Sue giggled a bit and pointed at the stove where a pot of the brown substance sat steaming on a burner that was now turned off. A bowl of whipped cream was next to it and Pinkie smiled at it going to refill her cup before she sat down beside her mother at the table. 
“I see your attitude towards mornings hasn’t changed.” She commented as Pinkie drank her hot chocolate, slower this time and blowing on it a bit as well. 
“Nah… I don’t get how all of you can be so okay with them… being dragged out of my sugar filled dreams into the cold isn’t something I’ll ever enjoy.” Pinkie replied with a slight shudder at the air. Her mother smiled and shook her head. 
“Don’t look at it like that Pinkamena, look at it like starting fresh in a new day that is full of new possibilities…!” she offered with a smile at her middle child. Pinkie shook her head. 
“Sorry, I’m not even thinking about anything until I’ve had at least three cups of this stuff.” She explained holding up the cup which she drained yet again and stood to go get another refill. Her hair poofed out a little more with each cup she drank, a sign that Pinkamena was slowly becoming more and more Pinkie by the minute. When she had drank about six mugs of the liquid miracle worker she had fully adopted her full Pinkieness with all the enthusiasm she was famous for. She slammed the mug back down her face now dawning a full out whipped cream beard before she licked it off in one swoop and beamed. “That’s MUCH better, so what’s on the agenda today~?” she sang her bright eyes rejuvenated as her mother smiled at her.  
“Well, we don’t have much to do today. There’s only one field that needs to be rotated and that should only take a few-“ she would have finished were Pinkie not already gone in the blink of an eye. Her mother chuckled as she picked up the mug and walked back into the kitchen silently counting down in her head. Pinkie’s head popped out from the counter under the sink. 
“Ummm, which field was that again…?” she asked with a small nervous chuckle. 
“6-A, the quartz field.” She responded simply as she rinsed out the cup. Pinkie thanked her and quickly disappeared into the counter again. If she had bothered to check she would have found the space empty, but she didn’t bother questioning how her daughter did what she did, she’d done things like this since she was an infant so the family had adjusted accordingly. Sue couldn’t help but smile as she hummed to herself for the first time in months while she worked on getting breakfast made. 
Pinkie made quick work of the quartz field, it only took a minute or so with her Pinkie speed actually, so she decided to wander around for a bit to see how her home had changed in her absence. She counted the number of trees and bushes growing out of the craggy mountains all around the property, 166… that was four more than last time! She zoomed from peak to peak to get a birds eye view of it all, she could see the position of all the fields below her and snapped a few pictures with a camera she had pulled out of her hair. 
“Man, the view up here is still amazing…! I bet Flutters would hate it all the way up here…!” she snickered. “And then Dashie would tease her for being a scardey cat and Rarity would lecture Dash about being more accepting of Flutter’s flaws and AJ and Twilight would be watching while Spike would nod in agreement with everything Rarity says because he’s a silly love struck little guy~!” she proclaimed acting out the scene as she did so. She laughed to herself the snow underneath her flattening when she rolled over it. She stopped and sighed staring up at the lazy morning clouds. “Faust I miss them all so much already…” she breathed. She closed her eyes and pictured them all sitting back in the café laughing and having a good time. It made her smile and she felt her heart ache just a little more. She quickly sat up and shook her head to clear it. “NO!!! I’m so not gonna get sad when I’m finally out here with my family again! They’ve missed me all year and I haven’t seen any of them in so long I almost forgot their faces…!” she complained out loud like she was arguing with herself. With a look of fierce determination she trekked down the mountain a bit, found a large rock and lifted it walking down like she was going into a cellar. The rock fell shut behind her and she kicked down the steps of her attic and walked down into the main hall on the second floor of the house. It shut behind her just as Inkie was coming out of their room awning and rubbing one of her eyes with the sleeve of her grey sleeping gown. 
“Morning Pinkie… you go for a walk this early…?” she asked noticing the snowflakes in her sister’s poofy pink hair. Pinkie beamed and nodded. 
“Yup~! Just came down off the mountain! The view’s still totally awesome by the way!” she replied bouncing a little as she made her way back down  stairs with her sister close behind. 
“That’s great Pinkie… Mmm~ smells like mother’s making pancakes!” she said sniffing the air. Pinkie caught the scent as well and sniffed it a bit before getting a dreamy look in her eyes. 
“Yeah, and she used whole milk and added a bit more sugar too, that makes them extra sweet~!” she hummed lazily drifting towards the scent via air. Her older sister giggled at her antics and followed her towards the kitchen where their mother was just adding the last pancake to the stack. Clyde already sat at the table reading the paper and another noise from upstairs signaled Blinkie had woken up and would be down shortly as well. Sue looked over at the pair and smiled. 
“Oh good you’re both here, Inkatalia could you please set the-“ but before either of them could move Pinkie had already set the table complete with a vase of balloons and confetti spread over the white table cloth as well. 
“Got it!” she snag happily as she took her seat. Clyde didn’t even bat an eyelash even though he was now wearing a coned party hat with a ridiculous pom-pom at the top of it. 
“Look dear, it says the local science facility might be going out of business soon. Seems there hasn’t been many good inventions as of late.” He said looking up a bit from the paper. 
“Well that’s a shame, I wonder what they’ll turn that facility into.” Sue pondered as she set down the plate of pancakes and went to retrieve the bacon and eggs she had made as well. 
“I don’t really know… but it’s a shame that no one has any great ideas any more, actually… Pinkie, you said you were taking an advanced science class right…?” her father asked the girl who had already forked a couple of the flapjacks onto her plate and was currently drowning it in syrup. 
“Sure am! Why? You need help with something in the fields…?” she asked curiously. 
“Well, in a way, you see I was thinking about what you said about your friend’s father inventing that cloud crop… and about what you said about making plants out of rocks-“ he started but Pinkie knew where he was going with this and set down the bottle of syrup quirking an eyebrow at him. 
“And you wanted to know if it was possible…?” she asked him with a small smile. He nodded as he loaded his plate with eggs and Blinkie walked in taking her seat at the table with a yawn. “Wellllll, I’m better at physics really, but I still like biology so I study it often enough. And a little bit ago Twilight told me about these rare plants that grow up in the highest mountains in Equestria, they’re called the Dragon’s Keep because unlike normal plants that produce their own sugar these ones produce this weird gem dust. I think with enough cross breeding you could make them grow whole gems like fruit…!” she explained. “Or at least that’s my theory, it’d be really cool if you could though…!” she giggled as she cut into her stack and bit into them happily. Clyde nodded slowly like he was deep in thought. 
“And if one wanted to obtain some of these Dragon Keep plants…?” he asked after a bit. Blinkie and Inkie looked at each other confused by their father’s sudden interest in whimsical things like plants. 
Pinkie tapped her chin which was covered in syrup. “Welllllllll, normally you’d have to get them from this big fancy market that’s way expensive…” she started to the dismay of Clyde. “But, when I went for my walk earlier there was this big patch of the stuff growing on the top of the mountain…! That’s the only reason I remembered what Twilight had told me about them because they looked really weird and I’d never seen any up there before!” she explained cutting off another chunk of the pancakes and bringing them up to her mouth only to have her father zip right beside her in an instant his golden yellow eyes wide in excitement. Pinkie dropped her fork in surprise. Her father was NEVER excited. 
“Could you take me to them?!” he asked quickly. 
“Wh-what…?” Pinkie asked confused by her father’s behavior. 
“The plants Pinkamena! The Dragon’s Keep! Could you take me to them?!” he asked again urgently.  Pinkie exchanged a worried look with her siblings and mother but nodded slightly. 
“Yeah, I guess…?” she responded like she was unsure. He grinned and quickly grabbed her wrist. 
“Excellent! Let’s go then!” he said pulling her up from the chair. But Sue quickly stopped him. 
“Clyde honey, slow down for a moment please, let’s finish breakfast and THEN you can go on your search for that magic plant.” She said catching her husband by his suspenders before he could pass her. He looked like he was about to protest but a sharp glare from his wife over her thin rimmed reading glasses and he shut his mouth quickly and sat down at the table without another word. Pinkie sat down her head spinning in confusion. 
“Okay, this day just got too weird for me to handle. Mom, is there any hot chocolate left…?” she asked half pleading with the universe to at least let her have that. 
“Yes dear, it’s still on the stove.” Her mother responded before taking a bit of her eggs. Pinkie got up quickly and ran to the stove grabbing the pot and tilting it into her mouth to pour the liquid life saver into her mouth. When it was all gone she sighed in relief and sat back at the table to finish her pancakes. 
When breakfast was over and Clyde had seemed to calm down enough to NOT terrify his family Sue let him go with Pinkie. She led him back up stairs and Clyde raised an eyebrow at his daughter. “Pinkamena, I don’t mean to question you but where are you taking me…?” he asked as she pulled down the stairs to the attic. 
“The mountain top, duh! That’s where you wanted to go right…?” she said with a roll of her eyes like it was obvious. 
“Yes… but, that’s the stairs to the attic…” he said slowly. Pinkie looked at him confused. 
“What are you talking about Daddy? I’ve been using these stairs to go to the mountains for years!” she giggled. Her father had his jaw slacked open and questioned what exactly she meant by that when she grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him up with her. “Come on I’ll show you!” she sang. Clyde let her take him thinking she’d obviously had too much sugar. Making parties out of nothing was one thing, as was popping out of random places she shouldn’t be able to, but stairs that should lead to his attic leading him to a mountain top…? That was a bit much even for Pinkie. But he was again proven wrong as he felt the air get colder and the blackness that surrounded him was penetrated when Pinkie lifted the rock like it was a door on hinges and poked her pink head out before she jumped out onto the snow covered surface and waved for her father to follow. 
He stood in disbelief at what he saw. He was on the mountain…! He was literally standing on the mountain! And when he looked back down into the hole he had come through he could see the grey wooden steps of the attic stairs illuminated by the light of the second floor hall. His mind spun but he quickly snapped out of it when he saw what he came for growing not too far from the rock-door-portal- thing. They looked like sugar cane, except their leaves sparkled like the finest gems and they were colored like them too, one looked like amethyst, another like sapphires, one like rubies, he could see a few that had the unique properties of ammolite as well. It was as if an entire field of precious gems were sitting up here sparkling in the morning sun. it was a beautiful sight in the bleakness of the craggy mountains he called home. But he didn’t have a moment to lose. 
“Pinkie… do you happen to have a bucket and a pair of sheers on you…?” he asked his daughter. She dug through her hair for a minute before she pulled out the requested items and handed them to her father. 
“You gonna take a bunch of samples…?” she asked with a giggle. He nodded and started trimming off a few leaves of the plants in question, one or two from every verity he could see. Pinkie helped and when they were finished they had found over forty different kinds growing up here, there was even one diamond one in the very center but they couldn’t cut through it and were lucky enough to find it had shed a leaf onto the snowy ground. They took it and headed back towards the rock door. When they got back inside their house Pinkie put the stairs back up and Clyde disappeared into his work shed for the rest of the day. But Pinkie didn’t mind, she had other plans anyways.
When the sun was at its highest and it had gotten as warm as it was going to get Pinkie was walking through the small patch of evergreen woods that bordered her home with a pair of ice skates slung over her shoulder and her incubator with the egg proudly displayed inside it in her arms. She came to a clearing that housed a small frozen pond and she bounced in excitement. 
“Look Eggy! It’s your home…! Well, where I found you anyways. I know it looks different, but that’s because it was summer when I found you. This is my favorite place to visit. It’s really pretty in the spring and summer when all the flowers are in bloom. But during the winter I LOVE to skate on it!” she giggled as she sat the incubator down on a flat stone and sat herself down to put on her ice skates. When she was all laced up she sprung onto the ice and let herself glide across the unusually smooth surface of it. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself. This felt right, she loved the company of others, it was what she was born for, to be surrounded by people and to make them laugh and smile. But she did have moments where she liked the peace and quiet. Ice skating out here was one of those moments. But she wasn’t alone, she had her faithful companion with her. She grinned and skated by scooping the egg up and out of the incubator and she giggled as she hugged it close. “Someday you’ll be able to see this with me Eggy, maybe you’ll even be able to skate with me too~!” she hummed happily holding the little egg high in the air shadowing the sun out of her eyes. 
Pinkie saw the curled up figure inside the egg move and she gasped as she saw the shell of the egg crack. She quickly came to a halt in the center of the pond and held the egg flat in her palms. “Eggy…?” she whispered in wonder. It wiggled in response and the crack got bigger. Her bright blue eyes widened as a tiny piece of the shell popped off and a tiny green speck could be seen from inside it. Pinkie watched in stunned silence as it kept fighting and eventually the entire top of the egg was gone and a tiny alligator no bigger than her longest finger sat in her palms covered in the warm fluids of the egg yolk. Tears streamed down her eyes in rivers and she sank to her knees as she stared at the little gator that looked around confused his purple eyes curious until they locked with Pinkie’s watering blue ones. He opened his mouth and let out a small chirp revealing he had no teeth at all, just a wide range of pink gums. 
Pinkie giggled as her tears of joy continued to fall and she spoke to the new born alligator softly. “Well look at you… you’re so little, and you don’t even have any teeth yet! You’re all gummy!” she laughed holding him closer to her face. He chirped again and latched onto her nose. Despite not having any teeth she giggled as he remained latched onto her nose like he was trying to eat her face. “I like that for a name… little Gummy, much better than calling you Eggy for the rest of your life huh…?” she giggled. The little gator let her nose go landing back in her palms and he nuzzled her with his snout chirping happily. Pinkie smiled happily and dried her tears with her free hand. “Then that’s your name now Gummy…!” she announced with a happy grin. You wanna skate with me?” she asked brightly. The gator leapt up onto her head and buried himself in her hair sticking his head out like he was playing in the reeds of a pond. Pinkie giggled at his antics and started skating once more being sure to deposit the remains of his egg beside the incubator before she did a few laps around the pond jumping and twirling in joy. She couldn’t have asked for a better Hearth’s Warming gift if she’s tried. And she knew he’d make a wonderful addition to her already crazy family.