//------------------------------// // A Dinner to Be Cooked // Story: The Family Mare // by OroKinAu //------------------------------// "Ah have no idea what the buck ah am doin'!" I exclaimed to myself as I worked my rump off trying to cook this meal. It was so much harder than I thought. I was so worried about messing up that I practically AM messing up. I managed to get the biscuits out of the oven just in time before they started to burn, but they unfortunately got stuck to the pan. "Oh come on!" I quickly tried to look for a spatula, but couldn't find it. "Looking for this?" said a voice as a paw holding the spatula I looked for showed up in front of my face. "Oh, thank ya so much." I grabbed it without thinking who that paw belonged to. Wait...paw?! "DISCORD!" I turned around to see that no good creature standing in front of me with a smug look on his face. "Smells good Applejack." he said to me. "What do ya want now Discord!" I spat, not exactly in the mood to deal with him. "Oh, nothing, just wanted to see how you were adjusting to this new life." he said to me without care. He went over to a family photo of me, Trenderhoof and foals on the wall. "Awww...you look like the perfect family unit, you're living the dream in this world!" "Cut the bull hockey, and tell me why ya sent me here in the first place! Ah demand answers!" I snarled. "Ugh, I already told you the first time, I sent you here so you can learn an important life lesson so you can change your life for the better." he said with some annoyance in his voice. "But WHY are ya doin' this?" "To set your priorities straight my little silly pony." he smirked. "Well...ah think ah know what the lesson ya wanted me learn is." I stated, although it was all just a bluff so I can return back to my own life as soon as possible. "Oh? What is it?" he was on to me. "That ah should learn to give ponies a chance to make them feel better about themselves even though ah don't like them in that way!" I proudly stated. "WRONG-O!" laughed Discord. "That is NOT the lesson I wanted you to learn." "Then what is?! Ah'm so lost here!" I desperate to go back. "Okay, well, since I am not COMPLETELY heartless, I might as well cut you some slack and give you a hint, think about your priorities and schedule before you came here, then compare it to now, the answer might surprise you and lead you another step closer to figuring out that important lesson." he instructed. "My goodness, and I thought you were only horrible at math!" "Ah'm not horrible at math." "Okay, what is 16 divide by four?" "Uh...ah got this!" I said with confidence. "Twelve!" Discord gave me an annoyed look. "Not even close! Come on! Your brother was captain of the mathletes!" "Just leave me the buck alone Discord! Ah can navigate this world without yer help!" "Well, well, well, if it isn't the signature Applejack stubbornness, how interesting." mused the draconequis. "Oh, then I guess since you don't need myself, I guess I can leave you here to fend for yourself, or transport you to another universe where you're married to someone else." "Well...right now, anyone else is better than Trenderhoof." "Like Rainbow Dash?" "Huh?" "Oh yes, there is a universe out there where you and Rainbow Dash are in love and married. You make a cute couple." he cooed. "Why do ponies think that me and my friends are a bunch of fillyfoolers?" I was always confused about that. "We're just FRIENDS who are really close, nothin' more." Discord just shrugged. "Same reason why ponies think Lyra and BonBon are in a relationship." "They're not?!" I was shocked. Discord gave an annoyed sigh. "I'm going to leave you alone now, good luck with dinner." "But!" I really did not want to be alone, I wanted out. "Oh, and one more thing." he went up to my ear and gave a primal growl. Shivers went across my body. "GOSH DARN IT!" I yelled in annoyance, a slight moan came out of my mouth. Discord just boomed with laughter. "Serves you right!" he snapped his fingers and disappeared. I was so very pissed off at him that I threw a rolling pin at him just as he faded away, but it instead went straight through him and hit the opposite wall. "Applejack?" said Trenderhoof as he walked into the kitchen. He saw the rolling pin hit the wall and land on the floor. "You okay?" I gave an angry grunt. "It's nothin'." I turned around to finish up with the cooking. Not only do I have a dinner to serve, but now I must do it while slightly turned on. Damn you Discord! "You look stressed hun." he said with concern as he walked up to me. "Mind if I take over?" "No, ah got it, ah got it, ah'm almost done anyways." I insist. "Are you sure? Because I hate to see you needlessly push yourself." he assured me as he nuzzled my neck. I jumped a bit from that. "AJ?" "Ah'm fine okay? Just get the foals down here while ah serve the food." Although that nuzzle did not really help with my current 'condition'. I was careful to keep my tail between my legs so no further embarrassment would happen. He just sighed. "If you insist." he trotted out of the kitchen. "MACOUN! CORTLAND! DINNER!" he yelled. The unmistakable stampede of two hungry foals came running down the stairs and in to the kitchen. "What are we having mommy!" they both ask with excitement as they sat at the table. "Oh, uh, biscuits and mashed potatoes." I answer. "YAY!" they cheer as I came up to the table and served each of the foals their portions. I then sat in my spot at the table and me and Trenderhoof served ourselves. I watch as both foals ate messily, and happily gorging themselves. I smile since it reminded me so much of my eating habits. "Delicious as usual hun." Trenderhoof smiled at me as he calmly ate his meal. I kind of blush from that compliment. Suddenly, the mood was ruined by a loud belch. "Excuse me." said a sheepish Cortland. This was followed by a super loud belch that nearly shook the house. I was in shock. "Uh...sorry..." blushed an embarrassed Macoun. Such power from a girly girl. I was impressed. I decided to let a loud belch rip as well. It also nearly shook the house as well. The foals and Trenderhoof just laugh. "That's my country mare!" cheered the stallion. "Go mom!" exclaimed Cortland. The entire meal went pretty well. I could get used to this. Later that night, Trenderhoof carried Macoun on his back, and I carried Cortland. "Mind tucking in Cortland while in tuck in Macoun?" he asked me. "Oh, uh, sure." I nodded. It shouldn't be that hard, I tucked in Apple Bloom loads of times when she was younger. I carried the colt over to his room and placed him on the bed. "Okay buddy, time for bed." "Okay mommy." he crawled under the covers of his bed and lied down on his back. "Mommy?" "Yes son?" I asked him, curious. "How did you and daddy fall in love?" he asked me, he looked very curious. "Well...that's a question for another night, it's gettin' late." I bluffed my way out of it since I don't have a complete picture. "Oh, alright." he looked disappointed but did as told and went to sleep. "Night mommy." "Night sugarcube." I smiled as I kissed his forehead, walked out the room and gently closed the door. As I reached my room, I saw Trenderhoof levitating a quill, paper and ink, writing. "What are ya doin' hun?" I asked as I took off my hat so I can get in bed. "Oh, just editing my column for the magazine." he said focused on his work. "Ah, well, today was very interestin'," I crawled under the covers. "It was, although you seem to be acting stranger than normal." "Ah guess ah was a bit out of it today, but ah should be normal now." I gave a nervous smile, I did not want to raise his suspicions any further. Trenderhoof used his magic to put away the quill, paper and ink, and took off his glasses. "Anyways, I have a tough day tomorrow getting that gazebo you always wanted built." "Ah, ya don't have to, if ya want ah can take care of it." "No, no, no, I'm going to build that gazebo by myself for you, think of it as a late anniversary gift from your loving husband." he jokingly insisted. "Besides, didn't you say after the foals were born that you were going to focus on them more than the chores?" "Ah did?" I quickly caught myself. "Oh, ya ah did, must have forgotten." "Yeah, it was then, when you looked into their eyes, that you finally realized that there was more to life than just work and chores." he said nostalgically. "Anyways, good night my beautiful country mare." he kissed my cheek and went to bed. Beautiful? He actually called me beautiful? I never thought myself as beautiful, sure my family and friends would say that I am, but I always felt that they were just saying that because that's what their supposed to do. I never heard anyone outside of my friends or family say that about me before. I was shocked. "Beautiful?" "That you are." he said as he drifted off to sleep. I was kind of touched by that, I smiled with pride as I closed my eyes to sleep. Beautiful...he genuinely thinks I'm beautiful...gosh.