Episodal Aftermaths

by KnightMysterio

Brotherhooves Social

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Sweet Apple Acres...
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Big Macintosh quietly whistled to himself as he finished up his chores for the day, checking the various trees in the orchard to see if they were ready to harvest.

“A few more days yet,” he said to himself. “Almost Applebuck Season.” He nodded. Now that was some good, satisfying work.

Once he was finished, he went over to where he had a canteen set up, taking a long drink and sitting down to relax, looking over the fields. He smiled warmly. The orchard had never looked better, he thought.

And then came a disruption.

Thunderlane came up, dragging Time Turner and an irritated-looking Caramel with him. “Bro, you got a minute?” Thunderlane asked in a concerned tone.

“Eeyup,” he said, calmly taking a drink.

Thunderlane looked to Time Turner, who seemed quite interested in some of the new fallen apples, and Caramel, who just glared back at him, and nodded. “Okay. Um... We were wanting to talk to you about what went down recently.”

Big Macintosh blinked. “What do ya mean?” he asked.

“At the Sisterhooves Social, I mean,” Thunderlane said, smiling nervously.

Big Macintosh frowned. “...What about it?” he asked.

“Well... With what all happened during the Social...” Thunderlane, looking to Caramel and Time Turner for support and getting none. “...Is there anything you want to tell us, bro?”

Big Macintosh frowned, confused. “....Nnnope,” he said.

“You sure about this?” Thunderlane asked.

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh said, wondering where his friend was going with this.

“Welp, we're done. Bye now!” Caramel said with faked cheerfulness, turning to leave. Thunderlane grabbed him by the tail and dragged him back. Caramel glared at him. “This is so stupid, Thunderlane.”

“Look, we gotta do this!” Thunderlane said.

“Why!?” Caramel snapped.

“You know why,” he stage-whispered. “Somethin' weird happened and we need to talk to him about it. As bros.”

“Bros. Do you know how stupid that sounds?” Caramel asked, scowling.

“We have to do this,” Thunderlane said. “For Big Mac. We just have to ask him...”

“Allow me,” said Time Turner, coming forward with a small sack of five apples. “How much for these?” he asked, smiling pleasantly.

“Six bits,” Big Macintosh said. Time Turner handed over the bits and put them in a canvas shopping back, trotting off with them and whistling.

“Dude, really?!” Thunderlane shouted after him.

Time Turner rolled his eyes. “IF Big Macintosh has made a lifestyle change, then it's his business. If not, then it's still his business. I refuse to participate in this inanity any further,” he said. “Now if you'll excuse me, I have a mixed fruit pie with my name on it and these apples are just what I needed to finish it.” The Earth pony trotted off, whistling, leaving a fuming Thunderlane behind.

Now Big Macintosh was really confused. “Lifestyle change? What are y'all talking about?” he asked.

Thunderlane facehooved. Caramel glared at the pegasus. “Just ask him,” he said.

“This is kinda awkward, y'know,” Thunderlane snapped.

“Only because you're making it awkward by beating around the damn bush,” Caramel countered. “ASK HIM.”

“You can't just ask another guy that!” Thunderlane protested.

“Why not!?” Caramel demanded.

“Because... Because you just can't!” Thunderlane sputtered.

Big Macintosh was confused. And he was getting a little annoyed. “Boys, I'm right here...”

Caramel glared at Thunderlane. “Just ask him, damn it,” he said. “All this hemming and hawing around the issue is doing is just making you look like an idiot.”

Thunderlane squirmed uncomfortably. “Then you ask him, you're so dead set on it.”

Caramel shook his head. “Oh no,” he said. “You're the one who wanted to make an issue out of it. YOU ASK HIM. Or I tell your little brother you wussed out.”

“HEY!” Big Macintosh snapped, sitting forward and stomping a massive hoof. “Cheap shot, Caramel! Don't go bringin' youngins into adult business. Y'hear?”

Caramel flinched, his ears lowering as he backed away a little. “S-Sorry...”

Thunderlane shook his head, sitting down and rubbing his temple. “No, no, he's right... I feel stupid just standing here...”

Big Macintosh frowned. “Then just ask me,” he said. “I ain't got nothin' to hide.”

Thunderlane stared at him for a moment, and sighed. “Okay, okay... Mac, are you gay?”

Big Macintosh went wide-eyed, and then began laughing. “Now where'd you get a dumb idea like that?”

Thunderlane's ears lowered. “Well... you wore all that drag stuff at the Social,” he said.

“First off,” Big Macintosh said, chuckling, “Bein' gay and dressin' in mare's clothes don't always go together. I got a cousin in Whinneyapolis who's been married to a fine mare for goin' on ten years now. A fashion designer. He models her dresses for her.”

“Oh...” Thunderlane said, feeling stupid.

“Told you,” Caramel said, smirking.

“Secondly,” Big Macintosh continued. “I had my reasons for wearing that getup.”

Thunderlane frowned. “Well, what were they?” he asked.

“Before you ask, it ain't because I like wearin' mare's clothes all the time or anything related to wanting to change my gender or previous changes to my gender.” Big Macintosh said, smirking at Thunderlane. Then he sighed. “Well... When you got a sister who's a superhero, it's hard to stack up just bein' a farmer against all that. Apple Bloom's been wanting to spend time with AJ more and more... I was feelin' lonely. When Applejack got called off on some friendship mission the day before the Social, I figured that'd be a good opportunity. So I gave Apple Bloom a big sister to compete with – Orchard Blossom.”

“Mac?” Caramel said.

“Eeyup?” Big Macintosh replied.

“Absolutely nopony was fooled,” Caramel said.

Big Macintosh sighed. “Yeah, yeah, I know...”

“Plus, the Social allows for substitutions. Brothers fall into the allowed category,” Thunderlane added. “Your family hosted the one before that, you'd think you'd know that...”

“I forgot, okay? I was desperate to get Apple Bloom to look up to me like she looked up to AJ and I made a mistake,” Big Macintosh grumped.

“Sorry, bro...” Thunderlane said, grimacing.

“Yeah...” Caramel said. “We really don't mean to make fun. It's pretty cool that you're willing to go that far.”

Thunderlane smiled a little. “Plus, I kinda understand where you're coming from. Rainbow Dash and I aren't related, but it's a little hard to compete for role model status when you've got someone like her for a little brother to look up to.”

Big Macintosh smiled, and offered Thunderlane a sip from his canteen. Thunderlane politely declined. “Nah, bro, I'm good. Thanks, though,” he said.

“Guess that settles things,” Caramel said.

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh said.

“Yeah...” Thunderlane said, looking sheepish. “Sorry about the trouble, Big Mac.”

“Don't worry about it,” Big Macintosh said, going back to relaxing.

Thunderlane chuckled. “And maybe next time, get Rarity to help you so you actually look like a mare.”

Big Macintosh blinked. “Now, wait just a minute...”

“Oh here we go...” Caramel muttered, facehooving.

Big Macintosh frowned at Thunderlane. “Now, I thought I was gosh durn pretty. It was my first time lookin' like that, but I think I did a pretty dang good job.”

Thunderlane smirked. “Bro, nopony was buying it. None of the judges thought you were a mare,” he said. “And neither did anypony lookin' at you.”

Big Macintosh scowled. “And I suppose you think you could do better?”

Thunderlane thought about it. “Yeah... yeah, I could,” he said, grinning confidently. “I'd definitely be a prettier mare than you.”

“Shots fired, shots fired,” Caramel muttered, slowly walking away from this growing train wreck. “Evacuate immediately...”

Big Macintosh scoffed. “Yeah right,” he said. “You are too dang macho to pull off a female look. I, on the other hand, have the prerequisite sensitivity and gentleness of soul that makes my feminine side more prominent.”

“You're built like a bulldozer, Mac,” Thunderlane said, scowling. “Me, I got the smooth curves and sleek lines that make for a truly fine mare. I put on a dress, I look so damn good I get guys asking me out almost immediately.” It would not be until much later that Thunderlane would realize what he just said.

“Anypony who mistakes YOU for a mare would have to be drunker than a skunk swimmin' in Zap Apple Cider!” Big Macintosh sneered.

“Anypony who mistakes YOU for a mare would have to be blinder than a blind flea crawling in the blackest part of Nightmare Moon's fur!” Thunderlane growled.

The two glared at each other for a long moment.

“Crossdressing contest this weekend?” Thunderlane suggested.

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh agreed. “Loser buys the winner's lunch for a month.”

“I'm fine with that,” Thunderlane said, grinning viciously.

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Later...
Carousel Boutique...
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Rarity shook her head, chuckling. “Good heavens,” she said as she stitched a hem together. “I can see Thunderlane agreeing to such foolishness, but I thought your brother more intelligent.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “So did I. I asked him about it and he just mumbled something about 'a stallion's pride,'” she said, giggling.

Rarity giggled as well. “Well, that covers those two. Why are the others participating?” she asked.

Applejack finished off her milk and set the glass down on a coaster. “Well. Firstly, they all got involved because Rainbow Dash overheard things and decided to make the competition 'more interesting.'” Applejack shook her head.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Naturally, she lacks to tact to discern when to mind her own business...”

“Eeyup,” Applejack agreed. “Anyway. Bulk Biceps is in it because he likes feeling pretty, apparently.”

“I always knew Bulky was a sensitive sort,” Rarity smiled.

Applejack chuckled. “Yeah, he's one of the nice ones. Mr. Rich is participating just to use the contest as a publicity stunt.”

Rarity grimaced. “His wife must be livid,” she said.

Applejack snorted. “His wife can go suck an egg,” she muttered. “Anyway. That Letrotski guy from the bowling alley's in on this because he lost a bet with his friends and had to do something weird.”

“And so he chose this,” Rarity said, nodding. “And Discord is participating...”

“...because Discord,” Applejack said.

There was a long silence in the boutique. “...Honestly, 'because Discord' really is the explanation for half of what he does,” Rarity said after a moment.

“Eeyup,” Applejack agreed.

Rarity glanced out her window, seeing Twilight Sparkle, the chosen judge for this upcoming fiasco, was explaining to Discord that yes, actually becoming female would be cheating.

“I love this town sometimes, don't you?” Rarity said, giggling.

“Eeyup,” Applejack agreed, smiling.