//------------------------------// // That Time You Teach Your Brother's Marefriend the Phrase // Story: Awkward, But Worth It // by bahatumay //------------------------------// Applejack trotted purposefully towards the barn. She was going to retrieve a pile of baskets she had asked Apple Bloom to move and then stack, and she was internally wondering if she had completed her task, as her sister was a good worker, but easily distracted. She grinned as she heard a female voice inside the barn, and slowed to a quiet walk to try and surprise her sister. She paused, though, when she realized it was not Apple Bloom in the barn, but Cheerilee; and she seemed to be having an intense debate with herself. “I can’t... No, I can’t tell him... I have to, though... I’ve lied to him for so long...” She made a despondent groan. “But what happens when I do? He’ll leave me for sure.” She sighed. “No, he wouldn’t do that. But I know he’d never look at me the same way again...” There was a sound much like a head hitting the barn wall. “I just... I just don’t know what to do.” Now, Applejack was an honest pony. She didn’t have any special honesty powers or anything, but she was fairly open about things and liked it when other ponies were open, too. So to hear that Cheerilee was keeping a secret from Big Mac--one that could potentially end their relationship--she knew she needed to investigate. Abandoning her quest for the baskets, she turned her sights towards the sky and headed off in search of Rainbow Dash. * * * Rainbow lay lazily on the bed as Applejack paced. She raised her head just enough to make eye contact. “Look, I don't think it's serious,” she said dismissively. “It could be, though! Endin’ their relationship isn’t somethin’ to joke about. They’re almost as close as we are.” “It’s gotta be something small,” Rainbow insisted. “Maybe it’s just that she doesn’t actually like to swallow.” Applejack’s jaw dropped, and she faced Rainbow Dash with an incredulous look on her face. Rainbow tried to grin and break the tension, but Applejack just stared and stared. “Stop looking at me like that,” Rainbow complained, bringing a wing up to cover her face. Applejack finally managed to squeeze some words out of her tortured mind. “Why would you even say that? What is wrong with you?” Rainbow shrugged. “Look, if I have to see that image in my nightmares, I’m making sure I’m not the only one.” “You’ll be sleepin’ outside tonight, see who’s havin’ nightmares then,” Applejack grumbled as she resumed her pacing. Rainbow sat up and quickly tried to do some damage control. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Look, what I meant was, she couldn't get a job as a teacher if she'd done something really bad.” “Ah know, but still. Ah don't like secrets, and if she's kept one this long...” “Maybe it's a good secret, like maybe she's an heiress,” Rainbow suggested, “and she’s just afraid of shocking Mac with her huge bags of bits. Or maybe she can talk to ghosts!” “There're no such things as ghosts, Rainbow.” “Says you,” Rainbow said, sticking out her tongue. “Daring Do isn't based on actual events, remember?” Rainbow crossed her forelegs and pouted. “They could be, though,” she grumbled. Then she brightened as a new idea appeared. “Maybe she lied about her special talent. Maybe she's actually--get this--a gardener!” Applejack shook her head. “Ah don't think that's it.” She straightened and said, “Only one way to find out.” Rainbow's expression turned worried. “You aren't going to meddle, are you?” “Of course not! Just... fact findin'. Like in a library.” “Yeah, but every time we get involved in Mac's love life it gets awkward.” She shuddered. “And we always end up getting there right as they’re getting it on.” Rainbow had seen more straight sex than she had ever wanted to see this way, and was perfectly content leaving Mac to his own devices. “It'll be fine. They'll never know Ah'm there.” “I think that's part of the problem,” Rainbow said under her breath, but she could tell that Applejack was determined to know and nothing could stop her. She sighed. “Good luck, I guess. So what now?” “Now, Ah go and see what Cheerilee’s up to.” * * * Applejack is a farm pony, and as such is used to working hard for her opportunites. Every once in a while, though... “Applejack? Do you have a moment?” ...they just fall right into your lap. Applejack grinned. “‘Course Ah do. What’s up, Chi?” Cheerilee scuffed the ground with a hoof. “Well, you see... You know your brother very well, right?” “Ah do.” “I have... been holding something back from him and I’d like to tell him. How do you think I should do it?” Applejack grinned. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea, after all. “When Rainbow and Ah first started our relationship, Twilight taught us a phrase and we’ve been stickin’ with it since then. ‘Awkward, but worth it’.” “Awkward?” “But worth it,” emphasized Applejack. “What you gotta do is just go up and do it. It’ll be awkward while it’s happening, but worth it when you’re even closer. That’s what happened when Rainbow told me how much she liked it when Ah take her wing and...” Her voice trailed off as she realized she was two seconds from spilling an intimate secret of her own. “That’s not important right now. But what you gotta do is just do it. He loves you, and it’ll be fine.” Cheerilee looked somewhat comforted. “Is that all? Just do it?” “Oh, yeah,” Applejack said, taking Cheerilee by the foreleg and pulling her into the bathroom. “And practice in front of a mirror.” “And you’re sure this is going to work?” Cheerilee asked, looking over herself in the mirror again. The confidence she had previously felt started slipping again. “It’s worked for us,” Applejack answered. “Ah promise.” Cheerilee made an uncertain noise as she looked back at Applejack. “I suppose I’ve put it off long enough,” she finally said. “So, you gonna practice?” Applejack asked a bit too quickly. Cheerilee shook her head. “I’ve got papers to grade back at the schoolhouse. Besides, I’ll see him tonight. I’ll do it then.” She gave Applejack a hug. “Thanks, Applejack.” Applejack was mildly disappointed, but returned the hug. “No matter what happens, I’ll always consider you a good friend.” And with that somewhat ominous line, Cheerilee departed. Applejack frowned. Tonight, she planned on having a little stake-out, yes or yes. * * * Night came, and it found two earth ponies sitting on a picnic table, under a blanket, looking up at the stars; and one orange earth pony hiding in the trees a good fifty feet away. Her quest for knowledge squashed any guilty feelings she may have had, though Rainbow’s warning of 'it's just going to get weird, just wait and see' did keep repeating itself. “I think I could never see enough of the stars,” Cheerilee said. “They’re just so beautiful.” “Ah like them ‘cause they’re solid,” Mac said. “Never get lost lookin’ at stars.” They sat in silence for a while. Applejack swished her tail impatiently. Eventually, Cheerilee rolled over. “Mac, I... I kindof lied about why I never asked you out.” Applejack tensed. Here it came. “Ah know.” “You know?” Cheerilee was shocked, and mentally promised to give Applejack a firm dressing-down. “H- how did you know?” “Ah just did. Ah knew you were hidin’ something, but Ah didn’t know what. Ah figured it was a past relationship what went sour and you needed time t’ heal. Ah figured Ah’d wait until you came around and talked to me.” He smiled. “Guess Ah was right, huh?” “Partly,” Cheerilee agreed, relieved that Applejack had not shared her secret, but nervous that now she would have to. “I told you that I thought you wouldn’t really be interested in an older mare like me, and that’s true.” “You ain’t that much older'n me,” Mac argued. “I suppose not. But I remember telling you that. I then remember you taking me to the south orchard and showing me just how wrong I was.” Mac flushed ever so slightly. As much as he enjoyed actually having sex with Cheerilee, talking about it always embarrassed him. Especially since he never spoke that much anyway. “And I also remember you carrying me home because I couldn’t walk straight after you... thoroughly convinced me of the error in my thinking.” Applejack flinched. She and her brother had a strict ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy on their sexual lives, and that was how she liked it. Perhaps Rainbow had been the teensiest bit right after all. Mac’s ears dropped and he sheepishly looked down. “Ah know, and Ah’m sorry Ah-” Cheerilee quieted him by placing a hoof against his lips. “Don’t be,” she said with a subtle grin. Mac smiled uncertainly, but did remain silent. Cheerilee dropped her hoof and sighed. “The truth is... I’m... I...” She took a deep breath and steeled herself. “I never asked you out because I saw you with Apple Bloom, and... and I could see how much you loved her, and I thought... Oh, I’m sorry, but... You and her, and...” Mac cocked his head. “Did you think Ah was in a relationship with mah sister?” Applejack’s shocked, spluttering reaction was only drowned out by Cheerilee’s own. “I mean... oh, that could have come out wrong, oh ponyfeathers...” Cheerilee frowned and quickly tried to regain her train of thought. “I can see where ‘awkward’ can come in.” She took a breath. “No, what I meant was, I’ve seen how close you are to Apple Bloom, and Applejack. You care so, so much about your family, and I...” Her voice cracked here, and tears started brimming in her eyes. “I can’t give you one.” Applejack understood instantly, and her jaw dropped. She cast a nervous glance at her brother to gauge his reaction, but Mac just cocked his head again, wordlessly asking for further explanation. “I’m barren, Mac,” she said, with one tear trailing down her cheek. “Sterile. My heat cycle comes at strange times, if it ever comes at all.” “Ever?” Cheerilee swallowed and looked down. “My last estrus was five years ago. I don’t know when the next one will come, if it ever even does. I know how much you care about family, and I’d love to be a part of it, but... I can’t give you foals.” She smiled tearfully. “And they’d be beautiful foals, Mac. They’d get your eyes, I’m sure.” Tears flowed freely now, and she turned away. “I’m sorry I lied to you.” She tried to get off the table and run, but found her tail pinned firmly to the table with a powerful red hoof. “Then Ah guess it’s a good thing Ah fell in love with you and not your ovaries, huh?” Cheerilee froze. “Y- you mean...” “Chi, Ah said Ah love you and that means Ah love all of you.” Cheerilee licked her lips nervously. “Ah wanted to go out with you because of you, not because Ah wanted to get a mare pregnant.” Cheerilee looked back at her flank and gave her hindquarters an experimental wiggle. “Considering how often you’ve mounted me this week, I don’t know how much I believe that.” Applejack felt a brief wave of nausea flash through her stomach. Sex is a beautiful thing, to be sure; but when it comes to talking about your brother doing it, it’s just kindof, for lack of a better term, ‘icky’. Applejack didn’t know how she would react when Apple Bloom became old enough to want to try it. Mac shrugged, even as he blushed furiously. “Ah know a good thing when Ah see it. And you are a good thing.” “Thanks,” Cheerilee said, briefly wondering if she was being complimented or objectified. “But be honest, are you disappointed?” Mac shrugged. “A bit. But like Ah said, it’s you Ah love, and Ah meant that. If’n you have to take me with all my imperfections, Ah can take you with...” Mac’s voice trailed off. “That sounded a lot less insulting in my head,” he mumbled, averting his eyes. Cheerilee chuckled. Awkward indeed. She scooted back under Macintosh and nuzzled him under his chin. “I understand,” she said quietly. Mac lowered his head to rest on hers, and the two sat quietly for a brief moment until Mac leaned backwards, laying back on the table and pulling Cheerilee close. Applejack felt a sense of relief as she watched them spooning in the moonlight. Cheerilee had just revealed her deepest, darkest secret, and Mac had merely accepted it as part of her and still loved her. Applejack smiled, happy that things had worked out. Mac broke the silence. “There is one problem, though.” Cheerilee tensed visibly. “Who's gonna tell Apple Bloom that it's her job to keep the family going?” Cheerilee chuckled, extremely relieved. “Not me,” she said. Then, she paused. “What if she likes mares too? Mac shrugged again, completely unconcerned. “We're Apples. We can get through anything. But no more secrets, ok?” Cheerilee wiped her eyes and nodded. “Ok, no secrets.” Applejack smiled and decided that her work was done here. Silently, she turned to leave. “Well, as long as we’re sharing secrets,” Cheerilee said hesitantly. “I’ve... I’ve always wanted to be eaten out on my own kitchen table.” And with that, Applejack decided that her work here was more than done, and continued moving with a newfound sense of urgency. Unfortunately, she had to be quiet so as to not interrupt the two; and being quiet required walking slowly. Slow enough to catch much of the ensuing conversation. Mac chuckled. “Like with a fork and knife?” Cheerilee clamped her tail protectively over her marehood. “Sharp objects don’t go anywhere near my vagina, thank you very much.” She paused. “But I wouldn’t say no to a spoon...” Mac grinned. “Ah think we can work that out. Actually, Ah had a few things Ah was hopin’ to ask you for, too...” Luckily, Applejack finally made her escape around this point before Mac could reciprocate. She did hear Cheerilee’s reaction to his suggestion, though. Her cheers of, “Yes! Oh, yes, yes, yes! I will! I will!” gave her reason to disappear as fast as she could. * * * Rainbow grinned at Applejack as the earth pony crawled into bed. "So, how did it go?" she asked. "Great. Really," Applejack said as she took off her hat and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Cheerilee spilled, and now Mac and Cheerilee are happy and sharin' all kinds of secrets." "What kind of secrets?" Rainbow asked. Applejack gave Rainbow a semi-haunted look. "All. Kinds." Rainbow blinked. "Oh." "Yeah." There was a pause. "And if'n Cheerilee asks us to lunch at her house sometime, we're busy. Just sayin'."