Tending Twilight

by Hodgepodge

Powerful Strange

Rainbow Dash was walking. Usually she’d have been flying, but she felt like garbage. And besides, she was walking to, walking to…

Twilight’s tree house suddenly appeared a few feet away, and Rainbow Dash realized she’d been walking to there all along. She opened the door to Twilight’s bedroom, finding her friend huddled over a desk, studying in lamplight that left most of her unilluminated.

“T-twilight?”

Her friend didn’t reply.

“Twilight, I’m sorry. I’m… I’m a huge jerk,” Rainbow said plaintively, reaching out to the alicorn.

“You’re sorry?” Twilight’s voice was flat. “Sorry doesn’t really make this better, Rainbow Dash.”

“I know, but I-”

“You should just leave, Dash. Nopony needs someone like you around,” Applejack added from behind her, and she walked past her to put her forelimb around Twilight.

“But you kissed me!”

“Did she really, Dash? We all knew about your little crush!” Twilight said with a frown. “You’re not as subtle as you think you are.”

“Frankly, ah think it’s kinda pathetic,” Applejack said, smirking.

“Yeah! Dashie, I never knew you were so desperate!” Pinkie bounced into view, giggling as always. “Making goo-goo eyes at another mare’s mare!”

“It’s not Rainbow’s fault,” Fluttershy said softly. “She knows nopony really likes her, especially not like that.”

“I completely agree, Fluttershy,” Rarity looked irate, brushing her mane back with a careful hoof. “Dash, why don’t you just leave? It’s obvious you’re not wanted here.”

“I, I’m not?” Dash asked tearfully, backing away from her friends, who suddenly seemed to be filling the whole room.

“No way, Rainbow,” Applejack’s voice sounded completely uninterested, like she was relaying the weather.

“Just go already!” Pinkie Pie yelled with uncharacteristic aggression, and Rainbow found herself turning around, her hooves slamming against the floor as she ran desperately away, her wings pinned to her sides.

She glanced behind her, and realised with horror that her friends had grown even larger, menacing giants on the horizon, thundering hooves following her, growing louder and louder, unable to escape the frantic banging….

***

“Rainbow Dash?”

There was no response. Fluttershy bit her lip hesitantly. Maybe she should just leave Rainbow alone? Perhaps she just didn’t want to be bothered right now…

But what if something terrible had happened to her? Fluttershy knew she’d feel just awful if she flew away and Rainbow Dash was sick, or hurt, or something worse… Maybe something had happened to Tank?

“R-rainbow Dash! Please open the door!” Fluttershy called as her hoof thumped softly against the door.

From inside the house, she could hear a groggy shuffling, and the sound of several things being knocked over as somepony moved.

The door creaked open.

“What is it, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy had to stifle a gasp when she saw Dash. Her mane was more disheveled than she’d ever seen it, and she had enormous bags under her eyes.

“Oh! Um, it’s just, I hope I’m not bothering you, but you, well,” Fluttershy stammered.

“Shy? Breathe.”

Fluttershy did just that, taking in a long, slow breath - and then relaxing, biting her lip. Confrontation was never easy for her - confrontation that might make another pony feel bad was even worse.

“Rainbow… Why weren’t you at my house yesterday?”

“What?”

“Well, um, it’s okay, I’m not mad or anything, but you promised you’d help me with the nesting birds, and I-”

Rainbow Dash groaned, thumping her head against her door frame.

“Great. One more way I’m a shitty friend,” she sighed. “Sorry, Fluttershy. But I guess you probably weren’t too disappointed. Not like it was probably a surprise that I’d let you down.”

“Um, well, actually I, um,” Fluttershy stammered, not sure how to respond. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Rainbow.”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t really look fine...”

Dash glared at Fluttershy, and she withered, backing away, before Dash felt mean, shaking her head to clear it.

“Whatever. Look, just don’t worry about it, okay?”

“Rainbow Dash…”

“Ugh!” Rainbow huffed, glaring at nothing. “Look, Fluttershy, you should know… I’m not a good pony! I did something really bad to our friends. I don’t deserve this - you shouldn’t waste your time caring about someone like me.”

Fluttershy reached out with a hoof, placing it on Rainbow’s shoulder with a frown. She hated to see a friend so upset, and Rainbow Dash had a tendency to overreact. She always thought she was either the best pony in the world… or the worst.

“Rainbow, I’m sure whatever you did, it wasn’t that bad,” Fluttershy offered.

“I kissed Applejack!”

Stunned, Fluttershy was silent for a few moments. Rainbow Dash could be impulsive and brash, but she wasn’t usually deliberately cruel, just thoughtless.

“Um. Are you, I mean. What happened, Dash?”

Rainbow Dash glared at the floor, squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath before she spoke.

“It was… we were both drunk. And she kissed me. And I flew away but,” Rainbow swallowed. “I wanted her to kiss me, Fluttershy!”

“So you didn’t ask her to do that?” Fluttershy said, frowning, putting the pieces together.

“Of course not!” Dash said, looking offended. “I wouldn’t do that to Twilight, no matter how I feel… How I felt about Applejack. But I didn’t stop her, either!”

“Well, um, I don’t want to correct you, Rainbow Dash, but it sounds like you did stop it,” Fluttershy said carefully and slowly, nervous about Rainbow’s reaction. “I mean, you flew away. You could have gone… further.”

Rainbow Dash looked away, frowning hard. She knew Fluttershy was right, and she probably wasn’t actually the worst ever pony in Equestria. But she felt like the worst pony in Equestria.

“It’s not your fault if somepony tries to kiss you, Rainbow,” ‘Shy continued. “I, I don’t know why Applejack would do that, and if you think you behaved inappropriately as well, then, maybe you should apologize to Twilight? But you can’t put all the blame on yourself.”

“I… I guess you’re right,” Dash sighed, kicking the cloud floor. “It’s not like she forced herself on me or anything, though. I told you… I wanted her to kiss me. I kissed back, the first time.”

“Well, that sounds like you both made a mistake. But making a mistake doesn’t make you a bad pony,” Fluttershy smiled. “You don’t think Applejack is a bad pony, do you?”

“No… no, I don’t. But I… it was my fault…”

“Um, I’m sorry Rainbow, you’re a very nice-looking mare… but I don’t think you’re good-looking enough to, um, compel ponies to kiss you against their will,” Fluttershy said, patiently. “Do you?”

“... I guess not,” Rainbow said, with a tiny smirk. “Even the amazing Rainbow Dash isn’t that amazing”

“But you are pretty amazing,” Fluttershy added, leaning forwards for a friendly nuzzle. “Are you feeling a little better now?”

“Yeah. I guess. I still feel crummy for… other reasons, but I’m just going to head back to bed.”

Fluttershy’s frown returned. Her eyes drifted over Rainbow Dash’s messy mane, and the circles under her eyes. Finally they came to rest on her wings, those powerful blue wings that Rainbow so rarely left un-cared for.

‘Shy wasn’t much of a flyer, but she was a pegasus, and she could tell just from looking that Dash’s wings hadn’t been preened in a couple of days, let alone used for any real aerial activity. Dash’s thoughts always got moody and irritated when she was cooped up indoors for too long - but Fluttershy knew she couldn’t just tell her to get out and catch some air...

"Rainbow Dash, when is the last time you, um, went outside?"

"I don't know… I guess it's been awhile. Who cares anyway, not me," Rainbow Dash glared off into the distance, seemingly at nothing. "And not anypony else, I bet."

Fluttering frowned, thinking as fast as she could.

“You know, Rainbow… it really is a lovely day today. “

“I guess?”

“A lovely day for, flying, maybe?” Fluttershy hinted, leaning forwards hopefully.

“Yeah, or for plummeting straight into the ground because that’s all you deserve…”

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy chided, shocked. “I thought we went over that…”

“Right. Sorry. I just. Haven’t felt like flying lately and I don’t know when I will.”

Fluttershy paused, considering her options.

“Well, okay,” Fluttershy said. “I mean, I personally think it’s a beautiful day outside, for a pegasus. To fly, I mean.”

She unfurled her own wings, uncertainly, not because she wasn’t sure about what she was doing (although she was never sure about what she was doing) but because she hardly ever used them. Flying to Rainbow’s house was about the longest trip she ever made, nowadays.

“I think I’m going to fly right now,” she said softly.

“Right. You do that,” Rainbow replied, trying to look disinterested.

“O-okay,” Fluttershy flapped her wings, taking to the air. “I, um, really hope I don’t fall and hurt myself, because I’m not a very strong flyer…”

Rainbow Dash frowned, watching as Fluttershy climbed a few feet into the air, her wings beating unsteadily. She was so obvious, Dash thought. She ought to just turn around and go back inside.

Fluttershy’s heart was in her throat as she climbed higher, looking down at Ponyville spread out below her. She could fall, she could really fall, and it scared her. But…

“Oh no,” she tried to yell, pretending her wings hadn’t caught the air. “I’m falling! Oh, dear, somepony help!”

Fluttershy let herself stop flapping, her slow ascent replaced by a slightly more rapid descent, her tail and mane ruffled as she glid down towards the ground, wings still spread fully. She twirled down, further and further, getting faster as she went.

Fluttershy felt a pang of anxiety, and then another. What if Rainbow Dash didn’t rescue her in time? What if she really did start falling uncontrollably, and then Dash couldn’t reach her? Maybe she-

Her thoughts were interrupted by Dash swooping down from above, catching her in her scrawny forelegs. Fluttershy eeped, instantly trying to make herself as light as possible, but she needn’t have bothered - Dash deposited her on a nearby cloud bank, and landed beside her with a smirk on her face.

“‘Shy, I can see right through you,” Rainbow said, fondly.

“Oh,” Fluttershy said with a blush. “Was it that obvious I wasn’t really falling? I thought it would make sense…”

“It was, yeah. I know you,” Dash sighed, running a hoof over her messy mane. “And I guess you know me too, huh? Gimme five minutes to preen, and then let’s get flying. I think I really need it.”

------------------------

It didn’t take long at all for Fluttershy to be tired of flying, but she smiled cheerily through her burning pink cheeks as her friend enjoyed the open air, a casual, easy smile on her own face. Dash started out gliding gently, but she couldn’t resist showing off after a while, swooping around the clouds, performing daring dives and loop-de-loops.

Of course, she didn’t expect Fluttershy to do exactly what she did… But she didn’t seem to notice ‘Shy was having trouble keeping up.

Eventually though, Fluttershy had to call it quits. Disheveled and sweaty, she flopped onto a cloud for the 3rd time in a row, panting heavily. Her wings ached like she’d never used them so much in one day before - furrowing her brow, she considered that maybe she hadn’t used them so much in a day before. But at least Dash was happy…

“Fluttershy, are you taking another rest?” Rainbow called from afar, smirking as she flapped over.

“I’m sorry… I’m not a very strong flyer,” Fluttershy managed through heavy breaths. “Maybe we could stop, for a little while?”

Fluttershy could see Rainbow Dash's frown, and knew that any second now, she would want to charge off again, always to the next thing, finding something new to do. At the very least, Shy was glad that she seemed to be out of her funk for now.

Fluttershy’s ear flicked gently, a bouncing noise, like a ball, drifting up from the ground below. She hung her head over the edge of the cloud gingerly, some of her long mane dangling over it, and was unsurprised when she saw Pinkie Pie hopping down the path with a box of cupcakes on her back.

It was really amazing how she managed not to drop a single one, despite the fact that with every bounce the box was sent flying into the air, only to land neatly back exactly where it had started, balanced unsteadily on Pinkie’s back.

"Pinkie Pie!" Fluttershy yelled – or tried to yell, her voice getting lost in the winds above, and never reaching the ground. Dash took notice, and flew over too, grinning as she saw her friend.

"Yo, Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash yelled, her own voice easily reaching the earth pony below.

Pinkie looked around frantically, before she finally glanced upwards and gasped, her smile growing impossibly wide.

“OH HI RAINBOW DASH! HI FLUTTERSHY!”

The pegasi flew down to meet her, Dash zooming straight down, Fluttershy gently gliding, face still red from exertion.

“Is that a delivery for somepony?” Dash asked, gesturing with her head to Pinkie’s box of cupcakes.

“Nopity-nope-nope! This is my mid-afternoon pre-dinner after-lunchtime snack!” Pinkie replied, cheerily.

“That’s an awwwful lot of cupcakes for just one pony, Pinkie…”

“Well, usually I only have half a box of cupcakes, but today my hoof tingled and my lips wrinkled and my tail flippity-flippered, so I knew I’d have to bring extra!”

“What for?” Fluttershy asked softly, almost recovered now.

“For my FRIENDS, of course! Come on! Let’s have a picnic!”

Looking at each other helplessly and shrugging, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash followed along behind Pinkie, who was bouncing off in the other direction without even waiting for them to follow.

-----------------------

“And then, uh, she kissed me…”

Pinkie Pie gasped as she heard the end of Rainbow Dash’s story, eyes wide.

“Whoa! And then what happened!”

“And then I flew off. I haven’t seen her since,” Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m too ashamed to go see her or Twilight I’m sorry.”

“Hm. Hmm hmm hmm,” Pinkie Pie hummed, slurping the icing off of a cupcake. “You could throw an ‘I’m sorry I kissed your marefriend but I’ll never ever do it again except maybe in the second book!’ party.”

“What? Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash groaned, rolling her eyes. “That would be totally inappropriate. I don’t even understand how both of you are so cool with it. I feel like a monster.”

“You’re not a monster, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said softly, putting a hoof on Rainbow’s foreleg. “You’re our friend. And I’m sure Twilight will forgive you, with time.”

“Uh huh! Everypony makes mistakes! It doesn’t mean you have to stay away from everypony forever and ever! Just say sorry and everything is okie-dokey-lokie!”

Rainbow Dash frowned.

“I don’t think this is that kind of problem. Maybe some problems are the kind where you are supposed to stay away forever, did you ever think of that?”

“Nope! But I bet somepony else did…” Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin thoughtfully - and then gasped loudly, her eyes wide.

“Oooo! Bye guys!” she said cheerily, as she zipped away, leaving a cloud of Pinkie-shaped dust behind, making Fluttershy and Dash cough.

“Urgh!”

“Well that was. Strange,” Fluttershy said, softly.

“Pinkie Pie’s always strange,” Rainbow remarked, rolling her eyes. “At least this time she left cupcakes…”

Fluttershy giggled and agreed, biting into another cupcake with lemon yellow frosting. Neither of them were terribly surprised when Pinkie Pie didn’t return, and it wasn’t long before Fluttershy realised she had to leave for ‘um, an, um, appointment…’

Dash waved her off as she glided away, keeping the smile on her face… until she was well out of view, sagging onto the ground and sighing sadly as her friend disappeared.

It would take more than cupcakes to get over this...

----------------------------

Applejack trotted beside Rarity, her mouth a straight line. When she’d arrived at the carousel boutique, the stylish unicorn had told her only that they had to meet her client elsewhere, out of town.

“So, jes’ how far out of town are we talkin’, sugarcube?” Applejack asked, breaking the oppressive silence that had hung over them for the past few minutes. Ponyville was already some ways behind them, and Canterlot was still further in front.

“Not too far,” Rarity replied, distractedly, adjusting her saddlebags. “After that, the portal will take us the rest of the way.”

“Portal?!”

“Mm. That should take us… Well, that should take us all the way there, at any rate,” Rarity said vaguely.

“Ah don’t know about this, Rarity.”

“Oh, don’t be so worried, Applejack,” Rarity said with a smile. “Relax, I assure you it’s going to go swimmingly.”

“I’d find it easier not t’be worried if I knew where the ponyfeathers we’re goin’,” Applejack snapped, frowning.

“Ah, yes, well,” Rarity frowned as she walked. “I’m sorry, darling, I’d love to reveal the… specific location, and elaborate, but this secrecy is a condition of you being allowed to attend! Would you rather not go at all?”

“Attend? Attend what?”

“You shall see, Applejack! Now hurry up, I think that’s our porter,” Rarity’s trot turned into a leisurely canter, as a grey unicorn waved them both over to what appeared to be an unremarkable shack.

“How many bags,” he asked, expressionless.

“Two, thank you,” Rarity said with a ladylike smile. “And here’s the fare - 25 bits, altogether. Keep the change.”

She batted her long eyelashes demurely, as the stoic porter grasped the money in his own magic and deposited it into a coin purse tied to his waist.

Applejack swallowed, glancing around the room. The shack seemed run-down, but not dirty, and she could see pictures of the pony in front of her on the walls - in some places with what looked like friends and family, in others, alone. A porcelain cat sat opposite a concrete dog on the the hearth, a mixmatched decor that Rarity surely thought was ‘just ghastly’, but said nothing about.

Of course, it would have been strange to comment on that… and not on the twin metal spires in the centre of the room. They were set several feet apart, the color of tarnished copper and twisted with arcane runes.

Applejack’s knees trembled as the grey unicorn lit his horn, sending a streak of blue lightning to one of the spires. It bounced back and forth between them, leaving streaks that grew wider and wider, until, eventually, between the two poles was a glowing sheet of fluorescent magic, sparks fizzling off of it occasionally.

“First time?” the unicorn asked, watching Applejack, who was quaking like a little filly.

“Um, yessir. Is it gonna hurt?”

“Nah, not at all. You might feel a little nauseous, but that’s all,” the pony offered a small smile, the first Applejack had seen from him since they arrived.

“Try and step out of the range of the portal if you think you’re gonna hurl, though,” he added, frowning.

Reassured, Applejack swallowed, and took a deep breath to steady herself as she walked towards the portal. Hesitantly, she lifted a hoof towards it, looking to Rarity for encouragement. As the alabaster unicorn nodded, Applejack forged ahead, stepping through the portal without looking back.

With a lurching feeling in her stomach, she fell through the portal, feeling herself hang in mid-air for a moment before she felt her hooves on the floor again. It was as if the ground had come up to meet her in exactly the same place as the ground she’d left behind.

With a fizzling pop, Rarity appeared behind her, tossing her mane to rid it of residual magic.

“Come now, Applejack,” she said, offering a hoof. “Not far now!”

True to her word, they only spent a handful of minutes wandering the unfamiliar streets. As they did so, Applejack let her eyes wander, unsure where they were. It was a big city, with looming skyscrapers all around - Manehattan? Nah, in Manehattan they never turned the lights off, and here it seemed like everypony but her and Rarity was already going to bed.

They reached a red door, and Rarity knocked on it carefully, tapping out a pattern Applejack couldn’t quite keep up with.

The door opened, and a smiling yellow earth pony with a chubby face greeted Rarity with a big hug.

“Raaaarity! Sweetie! How have you been?!”

Rarity smiled despite the other pony’s boisterous behavior, patting her gingerly on the back.

“I’m very well, Sunny! And how are you and… the boys?”

Sunny beamed even wider, if that was possible.

“Ohh, you know them, always getting into trouble,” she said, with a chuckle. “Marble tried cooking pancakes yesterday and left the whole room covered in batter.”

Both ponies shared a small chuckle at that, and then Sunny seemed to finally notice Applejack was there.

“You must be AJ,” Sunny said, gently.

“That's me,” Applejack replied, smiling despite her nerves and the unfamiliar location.

“Well… thank you for being so open minded, sugar. Not every pony is… they're right in here…”

Applejack found herself being led to a door, and, at Rarity’s encouragement, they both walked in.

Applejack did a double take as she entered the room. Taking up most of the comfy looking couch opposite her, was none other than her own brother, Big Macintosh.

“Big Mac?” she said, incredulously, her ears back.

“Eeyup…” He replied, gently, a blush barely visible underneath his red coat.

“What’re you doin’ here?” Applejack demanded, taking a step forwards.

Macintosh opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a yellow blur crashed through the open door.

“I’msosorry!” Fluttershy panted, as she flapped over to the couch, disheveled and sweating from exertion.

“Fluttershy!?” Applejack asked, looking to Rarity as if hoping she might have an answer. Rarity just nodded, curtly.

“I *pant* I was with…. A friend,” Fluttershy said, breathlessly, smoothing out her wings with a hoof. “And I nearly lost track of time, I’m sorry, sweetie, I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”

With her own wings straightened out, Fluttershy turned her attention to Big Macintosh, fussing with his yellow mane, brushing it out of his eyes.

“Are you okay, baby?”

“Eyup, Momma,” Big Mac replied, his voice deep and loving.

“MOMMA!?” Applejack blurted, and two sets of eyes from across the room span to look at her, both wide and surprised, as if they’d forgotten she was there.

“Sit down, Applejack,” Fluttershy said, slowly, firmly, but not un-kindly. “We have a lot to explain to you.”

----------------------------

Rarity left them alone after that, and the door was closed. Applejack sat on the chair opposite Mac and Fluttershy, her mouth hanging open. How had she never noticed Big Macintosh was an adult foal?

“I’m guessing you have a lot of questions,” Fluttershy said, softly.

Applejack frowned.

“Ah guess I do!” she said, looking at the floor as she gathered her thoughts. “But.... hay, I’d hate t’upset somepony else. Maybe it’d be best if y’all explained what the hay this is all about, in your own words? Ah didn’t even know you were together!”

Big Mac and Fluttershy shared a silent glance, and they both nodded.

“Okay, Applejack. We’ll tell you about, um, us,” Fluttershy said, a shy smile on her face. “We’re sorry we didn’t tell you. We were just… waiting for the right time.”

“It, um, all started a long time ago, after Big Mac and I were in the Ponytones together… We started spending a lot of time with each other. I think the other ponies thought we were cute together, and I guess maybe we flirted a little… It was, um, nice…”

Both shy ponies were blushing and looking away from each other, before Fluttershy pressed on.

“Anyway… I guess we really hit it off, but we were both too shy to say anything! At least I thought that was the problem… Until one day Mac told me he had something to show me in the barn, and it was important.”

Fluttershy bit her lip, visibly steeling herself. She gave a concerned glance to Big Mac, who nodded again, but even he looked more stiff and stoic than usual.

“...Well, when I got there, I definitely didn’t expect to see Mac in, um, diapers and booties, and um, a little pink dress…”

“Did ya laugh?” Applejack asked, leaning forwards in her seat.

“Oh no! Not at all! I was just… surprised,” Fluttershy said, gently, patting Mac’s hoof with her own. “I didn’t know to what say at first! But then I saw those big, green eyes looking at me, and I just knew he was about to cry… he reminded me of, of one of my animals. So I wrapped my wings around him and told him it was all going to be alright. And, um, he cried.”

Applejack lifted an eyebrow, looking over at her brother.

“That true?”

“Eeyup,” Mac said, with a sheepish smile. “Bawled like a li’l filly.”

“You’re my little filly,” Fluttershy said fondly, before she continued. “He was just so emotional, poor thing. He must have kept those feelings locked up for so long!”

Applejack frowned thoughtfully. Yep, she’d had no idea that Big Mac was interested in being treated like a baby and wearing diapers. But he’d always been a bit like a big colt, in his way. Deferring to his grandmother and sisters, even little Applebloom… and he slept with that woollen doll Twilight gave him near enough every night… There’d been signs, but she’d never have guessed that about Mac.

“And yer… okay, with this?”

Applejack was struggling to wrap her head around everything she’d heard recently. Her own fears about losing her capable, intelligent marefriend in a haze of babyhood and soggy diapers floated to the surface again.

“Oh yes!” Fluttershy nodded emphatically. “I’m, um, I really enjoy taking care of other ponies…”

“Huh. Ya know Fluttershy I always figured, if you liked somepony like Mac, or some other big guy… Well, it’d be cuz he could support you… Be th’big, strong stallion, make you feel like a, uh, del-ee-cat flower of marehood, like y’are?”

Big Macintosh snorted as if Applejack had said something offensive, but Fluttershy lifted a hoof in a ‘shush’ing motion.

“Well, Applejack, you’re half right. Mac does support me. He’s my shoulder to cry on when things go wrong, and he helps me calm down when I’m over-emotional myself. He’s everything you said, and more,” Fluttershy nuzzled Big Macintosh, who happily did the same back.

“But,” Fluttershy continued. “I also get to see another side of him not every pony knows. Sometimes I get a little tired of everypony talking over me, but I never have that problem with Mac. He listens. It feels nice, sometimes, to be the one in charge - to be assertive and know you’re not hurting anypony’s feelings.”

“Feels nice to give up control, too,” Mac agreed. “Everypony expects me t’be a big, strong stallion, like ya said, AJ. But ah don’t always want t’be that. Sometimes ah… ah wanna be cute.”

“When Mac is being Melly, I feel really important, and loved. It’s really special to me. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

“Melly?” Applejack repeated.

“Melba. Red Melba. It’s mah filly name,” Mac said, unapologetically. “Chose it mahself, years ago.”

Despite the unusual situation, Applejack found herself nodding in approval. That was a good, apple name - a mutation of a cultivar from Vanhoover, produced by crossing a Macintosh with a Liveland Raspberry. Appropriate.

“Thought ya’d like it,” Macintosh, and he smiled, watching as Applejack smiled back, slowly.

“So… ya think… somepony can be uh, normal… An’ still get into this kinda thing?” Applejack asked, hopefully. “Like they could, uh, I dunno, have an important job like prin- I mean, mayor of all Equestria, an’ still be a

“Normal is a setting on a washing machine, Applejack,” Fluttershy said, smiling. “My friend Treehugger told me that. And it’s very true, in my opinion. Everypony has some weird quirks.”

“But-”

“I know what you meant, Applejack,” Fluttershy said, with a hint of a sigh. “I’m just saying you should try and keep an open mind… Anyway… You’ve known Mac for all of your life. And he’s a very hard worker, isn’t he? Almost as dependable as you.”

“That’s true. Ah couldn’t run the farm without him,” Applejack said, truthfully.

“Well the same pony who helps you run the entire farm, and raise Applebloom, is also my sweet little filly. Those things don’t have to cancel each other out. They can both be true.”

“They can both be true…” Applejack repeated to herself, her eyes widening with that thought.

She looked back at Macintosh, being cuddled and fussed over by Fluttershy. He was the same pony she’d always known. Yes, he wanted to be coddled and looked after like a baby foal, and that was a little odd… But he was also still her big brother, still the pony she depended on every day.

If he could do both, why couldn’t Twilight?

“...Ah think I understand a little better now, y’all,” Applejack replied, with a genuine smile. “Thank both of y’all for your help. Ah’ll be goin’ now…”

“Wait. AJ… Do ya want to… meet her?” Big Mac asked, uncertainly.

“Her? … Red Melba?” Applejack smiled back, nervous herself, but willing to see where this went. “Ah’d be honoured.”

---------------------------

While Fluttershy helped Mac change, Applejack had a nice conversation with Sunny Smiles and Rarity in another room, helping them set up for an event that was starting soon. Rarity’s bulging saddle bags turned out to be full of clothing, adult outfits made to look like foal’s clothes, which she laid out on a table to sell, carefully.

It turned out tonight was a regular gathering for adult foals and other ageplayers - that was what they called ponies who liked to play a different age, not just babies. Since Fluttershy and Mac attended regularly, it was easy enough to arrange for them to come early to talk to AJ.

Applejack expressed her gratitude to both of the ponies, smiling, before asking more about Sunny herself.

Sunny told Applejack she’d met Rarity through work - she worked with fabric too, but ‘mostly household stuff’, upholstering furniture, making curtains… At a Manehattan sewing convention she’d met Rarity, and when she’d seen the fashionista’s fabulous outfits, she’d just had to have some for her ‘little boys’, who Applejack quickly understood were adult stallions that saw Sunny as their ‘Big Sister’.

“Not ‘Mommy’?” Applejack asked, pinning up a banner to one side of the wall, genuinely curious. “Ah thought that was what people usually called their uh, you know…”

“Caregivers. The female ones, anyway. And, no, that title never really fit me, to be honest. I’m much more of a goofy big sister type than a Mom.”

Applejack was about to ask more about their relationship, but her attention was soon stolen by the sound of the door opening.

“Here we are, everypony,” Fluttershy said, unable to keep a note of pride from her voice as she stepped aside, revealing… Red Melba.

Applejack gasped. The pony in front of her sure looked like her big brother, but the resemblance ended there. Melba’s mane was brushed and lightly curled, soft, golden locks contrasting with her red coat. She’d done something to her eyelashes to make them more striking, but what was most noticeable was her outfit.

Big Mac usually wore a huge yoke around his neck, and nothing else. Melba had removed the yoke completely, replacing it with a pretty dress with poofy sleeves, most of it in a bright aquamarine that made her eyes pop, with complementary lime green accents. The dress ended in a frill, exposing the last few inches of Melba’s rump, which was covered in a thick white diaper… and her tail, which swished anxiously, held up in a ribbon the same shade of green as her dress’ accents.

Melba crossed her front hooves, shyly, waiting for approval from Applejack. She clearly wanted to run and hide - but with Fluttershy’s wing on her back, she held her ground, silently.

Applejack swallowed, trying to decide what to say - but when she did, the words came easier than she could have possibly imagined.

“Y’look real cute, Ma- Melly. It suits ya,” she smiled, craning her neck up to nuzzle Mel’s nose. “I’m glad ya told me. That both of ya… trusted me enough, t’open up.”

“Yer welcome,” Melba replied, visibly relaxing. “C’mon, Momma… I promised Marble Mark ah’d help put out the arts an’ crafts.”

Applejack watched them both leave, a sad smile on her face. Seeing it now, it looked… silly. But also harmless, and a little sweet. She couldn’t believe she’d been so afraid of Twilight doing this.

“Applejack, I’m finished setting up my stall now, darling,” Rarity said, looking a little frazzled. “I need to be back here before the event starts to sell my wares… but I have a little time to walk you back to the portal if you’d like. Or… you could stay here?”

Applejack considered it for a few moments, and then shook her head.

“Nah. Thanks Rarity, but I think ah’d feel wrong stayin’ here,” Applejack shifted uncomfortably. “This time, anyway.”

Her mind was filled with memories of leaving Twilight’s bedroom, running away as fast as her hooves could carry her… And then coming back, slowly and shame-faced, to admit she’d kissed Rainbow in her panic over Twilight’s hobby. It seemed so silly now, and Applejack was horribly embarrassed.

“You’re leaving, AJ?” Sunny Smiles asked, with a pout. “Well, come give me a hug, okay?”

Applejack readily agreed, and was quickly wrapped in one of the strongest hugs of her life, grinning as she pulled away.

“It’s been awesome getting to know ya, Sunny.”

“Likewise!... I really hope I can see you here again someday…”

Applejack chuckled.

“Oh don’t worry. Ah’m plannin’ on it…”

Comments

[Hanku2691]

Gotta say, wasn't expecting those 2 of all the ponies I'd been thinking might be here. Glad to see Applejack is starting to understand, but bummed how everything with Rainbow seems to be going. Here's hoping there's happy endings all around, looking forward to more as it arrives.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

I was certainly not expecting Big Macintosh, or Fluttershy for that matter.

[LilGuppy]

YEEEEES! I was so happy to read this! Big Mac is my favorite, both as a pony and an adult foal. When I heard about Rarity's client, I thought that he would be perfect since he was AJ's brother. She knows him perfectly, and learning a whole new side of him would totally hemp clear her mind. Plus, I love FlutterMac, and Flutters is the perfect caretaker! Awesome chapter, and I hope we can see Red Melba again.

[Lucha]

I really like the steady progression AJ is taking with this instead of the 1,2,3, over it approach a lot of other stories do. Nice job.

[Darkentrophy]

Overall, solid chapter. I will admit that I was surprised at how many characters you decided to incorporate into the reveal, and the relationships required for them. I do feel it was a little excessive to use Big Mac and tie in a Fluttermac pairing without much in the way of foreshadowing, especially given how quickly Applejack accepts it after spending the last few chapters wrestling with her thoughts on Twilight. Not to mention that this is following a chapter where Applejack and Dash got drunk and kissed each other. You're throwing a lot into the Suspension of Disbelief machine at once; be careful not to jam it.

Still, I'm on board and I don't plan to get off, although I am a little wary about the ride getting choppy now . Keep it up, looking forward to more.

[Amethyst_Spark]

Hope there’s an update soon ^_^