• Published 1st Mar 2013
  • 1,668 Views, 109 Comments

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far - KholdstareV



It's the annual Parents' Day Festival, and Applejack is eager to meet all of her best friends' parents! However, when bad family histories threaten to ruin the occasion, she takes it upon herself the save the holiday for everypony.

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11. A Pie-Eyed Pair

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Chapter 11: A Pie-Eyed Pair

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Pinkie Pie stared at the two ponies before her with wide eyes and a slack-hanging jaw. Her face was an array of contradictions: she could have been looking at dearly-held loved ones or complete strangers. She could have been delighted beyond belief or equally resentful. Somehow, her expression exuded all emotions at once. Every feature on her face, from her eyebrows to her lips, quivered in painful indecision.

"Mommy, daddy," she repeated, scarcely above a whisper. "You came…"

Applejack studied Pinkie Pie's mother and father as they stood side by side, barely seeming to notice their own daughter, or anything else going on around them. They looked very close to their depictions in Pinkie Pie's crayon drawing, but with the major exception of their attire. They had been drawn as wearing simple Amish garb, but in the present reality, her father sported a flashy tie-dye T-shirt and his mane up in a purple Mohawk. Her mother wore a yellow, ripped T-shirt that said "I DIDN'T FALL – THE FLOOR JUST NEEDED SOME LOVIN'!" in black letters, and a mane done in a cascade of beaded braids. Applejack also couldn't help but notice that their eyes, while full of energy, also appeared bloodshot and a bit hollow. Everything about their appearance screamed "carefree", "fun-loving", and "no responsibilities and proud of it!"

"Sooo, like, where are we?" Pinkie Pie's mother asked with a lazy drawl. "How did we get on top of this roof? I seriously don't remember the last five minutes…"

Pinkie Pie's father laughed. "Wow, baby, that stuff really DID do a number on your brain cells! But I dunno, this rainbow chick said she'd hook us up with the gnarliest beer in Equestria. Gotta chance it!"

The two inebriated, party-minded ponies continued to babble on about nonsense that only the two of them could ever understand. Pinkie Pie went unnoticed still, despite her standing mere feet in front of them. She waved a hoof in vain. "Mommy, daddy, I'm right here! Don't you see me…?"

Applejack took a few steps back until she was next to Rainbow Dash, who was still sweating and panting from her flight. "Gosh golly, these two are flashier n' a pair o' lightning bugs! Didn't expect this…"

"Tell me about it," Rainbow Dash huffed. "And I can see where Pinkie gets that insane, Looney Toons-style stamina from. I could barely keep up with them coming back here!"

"So, how was it over there? At that nightclub?"

"Ugh… disgusting. I saw them hanging out at a bar on the far side of the club. There was a strict 'No Flying Indoors' rule, so I had to squeeze through a crowd of sweaty, whacked-out ravers to get over to them. I swear, I'm lucky I didn't get a contact high just by rubbing past some of those ponies!"

"Yeesh, sounds like a pretty sticky wicket. Sorry about that."

"Heh, 'sticky' is right, in more ways than one. But I figured it'd be worth it to help out Pinkie. It's weird, though… When I told them I was there because Pinkie wanted them to join her at the festival, they almost seemed like they didn't know who I was talking about."

Applejack glanced over at the nearby scene of Pinkie Pie and her parents. The latter two were looking out at the view of the festival and laughing uproariously about something. Pinkie Pie had pulled out two red flags and was waving them frantically, still aiming to get their attention. "Really…?"

"Yeah. When I tried to explain, they just called me a crazy 'carpet farmer' and blew me off! You believe that?"

"No kiddin'? Well, that don't make no sense. I mean, first off… Why in the wide world would they call you a 'carpet farmer'?! Is that supposed to be some kinda insult?"

"I wondered the same thing! But apparently, 'carpet farmer' means something in the language of stupid. Anyway, that didn't convince them, so I went with your idea and told them that they could taste the best beer in all of Equestria here. THAT got their attention!"

"Well, it certainly got 'em here! By the way, did you happen to catch their names?"

"Yeah. The dad is Rock Candy, and the mom is Stone Muffin." Rainbow Dash planted a facehoof on herself. "And no, I'm not joking. I really hope those aren't their real names. SO lame…"

Applejack continued to observe the scene before her. Stone Muffin was now leaning off the edge of the barn roof, with her hind hooves barely touching the shingles and her front hooves stretched out far over the drop. Rock Candy was holding her by the tail, preventing her from falling. She hooted and hollered in exhilaration. "WOOOO! Yeah, I'm a Pegasus! Look at me fly, baby!"

"You're flyin' like the angel that you are, sweet thing!" Rock Candy exclaimed. He lowered his wife a little bit more, causing her body to lean even further out over the edge. Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, had upgraded to doing a hat-and-cane dance number in trying to get herself noticed.

"Celestia almighty! These two are gonna kill themselves!" Applejack thought to herself. She addressed Rainbow Dash urgently. "Listen up, RD, I think now's a good time for you to go find your ma. When you do, ask her to meet at the little shed behind the barn at 8:15. Can you do that?"

Rainbow Dash was watching the idiotic antics of Pinkie Pie's parents, trying to hold in her laughter. "Aw, do I have to go right now? This is entertaining!"

"Well it won't be so entertaining when they start pesterin' ya for that beer ya promised, will it?"

Rainbow Dash's grin vanished immediately. The thought of what Applejack just described appeared to bother her to the core. "Ugh, you're right... I'm outta here. I'll leave the crazies to you."

"Alrighty. Come on back here once you're done. See ya soon!"

"You too," Rainbow Dash replied with a nod. She then spread her wings and took off toward the fairgrounds.

"Hey! The Rainbow chick's flying away!" Stone Muffin shouted in disdain. "HEY RAINBOW CHICK! WHERE'S THAT AWESOME BEER YOU TOLD US ABOUT!?"

"Aww, she's holdin' out!" Rock Candy yelled accusingly. "YOU CARPET FARMER!"

"I gotta fly after her!" Stone Muffin decided. "Gimme a throwing start, baby! I'll catch her!"

"Good idea, honey. Let's get you in the air!"

Applejack ran up to Pinkie Pie's side, who was still fruitlessly spinning her cane and hat. "Pinkie," she interrupted, "If you're gonna get your folks' attention, now's the time!"

"What do you think I've been TRYING to do?!" Pinkie Pie asked angrily. Already, her morose Pinkamena side was beginning to show through the cracks.

"Ya gotta make some more noise!" Applejack demanded. She glanced at Rock Candy, who was holding the giggly Stone Muffin in his front legs, swaying her back and forth, ready to hurl her off the edge of the barn roof in attempt to make her fly. "Quickly now! Don't you have somethin' loud?!"

A lightbulb immediately illuminated over Pinkie Pie's head. "Something loud? Oooh, good idea!" She then magically whipped out her one-pony band set and began to play the Parasprite Polka at an eardrum-splitting volume. The blaring tune made Rock Candy and Stone Muffin freeze in place, and stare at her with looks of surprise and disgust. Pinkie Pie then silenced her instruments, glad to see that her parents finally seemed to acknowledge her. She eagerly awaited their next words.

"Yo DJ, change the record!" Rock Candy complained. "The 19th century called. They want their music back."

"Seriously," Stone Muffin said, lying limp in Rock Candy's forelegs, "Can't you, like, play some dubstep on that thing?"

Pinkie Pie pouted her lips. "What? B-but… don't you guys recognize me?"

Rock Candy and Stone Muffin just stared blankly for several seconds. Stone Muffin then spoke up. "Umm, you look familiar... Oh! Are you the chick we bought that 8-ball off of last week?"

"Hello!" Applejack exclaimed in exasperation. "She's your DAUGHTER! Don't tell me ya'll are too high in the sky to realize THAT!"

"Geez. Say it, don't sonic boom it," Stone Muffin sneered.

Rock Candy, however, examined Pinkie Pie with squinted eyes. "Wait a minute… Yeah, you know what, I DO know you! You're our… youngest, right?"

"I'm your OLDEST!" Pinkie Pie corrected. "How could you forget that?!"

"Well excuse us," Stone Muffin replied sarcastically. "It's been, like, a lot of years since I squeezed you out. Big whoop. And you shouldn't be here. Saddlem and Gomareah is only for grown-up ponies."

"Honey, we're not at Saddlem and Gomareah anymore."

"We're not? Then where are we?"

"On the roof of a barn. I was about to throw you off for some reason."

"Huh? Oh yeah! Throw me, baby!"

Rock Candy once again reared back his ecstatic wife to toss her. Applejack sped over at the last second and grabbed Stone Muffin by the hind legs. "Now put the brakes on, you too! Don't tell me ya'll haven't figured out the reason you should be here!"

"Agh! Let go of me, you hick!" Stone Muffin spat, flailing her legs. Applejack held on tight.

"The reason we're here?" Rock Candy questioned. His lower lip sagged as he pondered for a moment. "Oh wait, yeah! The beer! We came to try the gnarliest beer in Equestria!"

"Oh, that's RIGHT!" Stone Muffin confirmed. She looked at her daughter. "Hey, Pinkie Pie!"

Pinkie Pie gasped and lit up. "Mom, you remembered my name!"

"Well, ch'yeah! Listen up, are you friends with that rainbow chick?"

Pinkie Pie's bright face dropped several shades darker. "Huh?"

"Are you friends with that rainbow chick that just flew off?" Stone Muffin asked impatiently. "She promised us the best beer ever. And then she just bailed. We gotta catch her now to justify us coming all the way here. So, like, where'd she go?"

Pinkie Pie frowned and looked out over the fairgrounds. "I, umm… I don't know…"

"Tsk, whatever," Stone Muffin blurted. She motioned for Rock Candy to put her down, which he did. "If you two can't supply the goods, then we're outta here. Right, baby?"

Rock Candy nodded. "Yeeeah, pretty sure that's the only reason we came..."

Stone Muffin nodded too. "Cool. Now c'mon baby, let's go try that beer!" She showed the two younger ponies off with her hoof. "Peace out, you two."

"Wait, honey, wasn't I gonna throw you off the barn to help you fly after that chick?"

"No way! Why the heck would I ask you to do THAT?" Stone Muffin asked with a roll of her eyes. "I can't fly, dummy. I'm an Earth pony!"

"Oh, duh! That's true. Heh, that coulda been ugly…" With that, the two began to trot hastily towards the hay bale staircase that led from the barn roof to the ground.

Pinkie Pie was left standing with her hoof outstretched and her eyes large with sadness. "What?! But mommy, daddy, today is Parents' Day! And this is the Parents' Day Festival!"

"So what? My parents aren't here," Stone Muffin shot back. "They're in a home somewhere. I don't even know…"

"But, you're MY parents! I thought YOU both came to see ME!"

Pinkie Pie's words reached Applejack's ears, but not those of their intended recipients. Rock Candy and Stone Muffin continued to trot away, unresponsively. Pinkie Pie's hoof dropped, just as her heart did. "...But no…" she whispered to Applejack, "They're just leaving me again. Like they've always done…" Already, her coat was beginning to fade to grey, and her curly mane was stringing down, one hair at a time. "…Like always…"

Applejack was at a loss. She had hoped that just bringing Pinkie Pie's parents to the festival and placing them in front of their daughter would have done the trick. Clearly, it was not enough. They had come with certain expectations, and if they were not met, they would go right back to the dank pit of sin that they had come from. Pinkie Pie would once again be without her parents on Parents' Day, and Applejack's plan would have failed. She couldn't allow that to happen. Not after coming this far. But what could be done? Thinking back to her plan, she rummaged through her mind for an idea…

It did not take long for her to stumble upon an option. She immediately called out to the two departing ponies. "Hold it! Ya'll wanted to try the best beer in Equestria?! Well, that rainbow chick don't got it no more!"

Rock Candy and Stone Muffin screeched to a halt and looked back with their ears standing tall. They questioned with their eyes what she meant.

Applejack answered by reaching into her saddlebag and pulling out the two beers that Hoppin Barley had given her back at the dunk tank. "I got it. Right here!"

In a flash, the two ponies zoomed right up to Applejack and stared at the beer bottles with star-studded eyes. "Wow, the awesomest beer in all of Equestria!" Rock Candy exclaimed. "What's it called? Hmm…'HOPPIN BARLEY'S BOMBASTIC BREW'. Is it really as great as they say?"

"You're darn tootin'!" Applejack said in her best salespony voice. "Why, this here beer was brewed usin' barley homegrown on a friend's very own farm. It's the finest, hoppiest beer you'll ever try. Gua-ran-teed!"

"Man, look at that cheap-looking label," Stone Muffin observed. "It's moonshine, no doubt. It's GOTTA be good! Let us at it!"

"Certainly!" Applejack said. She used her teeth to pry the bottle caps off. Before handing the bottles over, however, she took a quick, curious sniff of the contents. A noxious odor invaded her nostrils and brought on an urge to vomit. She hid it as best as she could, and handed the bottles over with much hesitation. "Bottoms up!" she said with a crooked smile.

Pinkie Pie's parents snatched the bottles and began to gulp them down quickly. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both watched with great anticipation. When the bottles were emptied, the two older ponies stood still for a moment, with blank expressions. Applejack held her breath, awaiting their judgment. If she had had fingers, they would have been tightly crossed.

"That beer…" Rock Candy began, staring at the bottle curiously. His mouth spread into a wild grin. "…was the AWESOMEST-TASTING *%&# THESE LIPS HAVE EVER TOUCHED!"

"Oh my gosh, it's so strong, so robust, so…" Stone Muffin squealed and jumped in glee. "…hoppy! I love it love it LOVE IT!"

Both ponies tossed the bottles in the air in celebration, before running right back up to Applejack. "Do you have more?!" they asked in unison.

Applejack was equal parts astounded and ecstatic to see that the two had loved that vile, rancid-smelling liquid. She smirked, knowing she had just earned herself the leverage that she needed. "I'm afraid that's the last of it for now," she replied. "But don't fret – the stallion who brews that beer is here at this very festival. And, if you can hang out 'til about 8:30 or so, you'll be able to meet him in this here barn, right under our hooves!"

The two looked at one another excitedly. Rock Candy then raised his foreleg to his face and examined a watch that seemingly only existed in his brain. "Aww, but it's barely 8 o' clock! That's, like… a long time from now!"

"Lame!" complained Stone Muffin. "What are we supposed to do to kill time until then?"

"Weeell," Applejack said, putting a hoof around Pinkie Pie's shoulders, "let's not forget where we are. This is the Parents' Day Festival. And ya'll are the parents of this here lovely lil' thang, ain't ya?" She gave Pinkie Pie a wink, who, from beyond her cascading straight hair, returned a small smile. "Why don't ya let Pinkie Pie show you around? You can try out the fun activities, eat the good food, enjoy the once-a-year experience! Ya'll are already here, and you're all together. No reason not to, right?"

Stone Muffin peered out over the scene of the festivities, her lips angled. "Ehh, I dunno. Looks a little kiddy to me. I mean, look out there. It's all families and stuff…"

"Exactly! Families!" Applejack chirped. "That there's the whole point!"

"Yeah mom, it'll be super-duper FUN!" Pinkie Pie jumped in. Her skin color and mane were beginning to return to their usual, cheery brightness. "There's SO MUCH to do out there! There's a shooting range, horseshoes, a dunk tank, a Ferris wheel, pottery-making, pastry-making, memory-making, and MERRY-MAKING!"

In contrast to his wife, Rock Candy appeared more than convinced. "Wow, they got all this for Parents' Day?! It DOES look fun out there! C'mon honey, let's check it out! Saddlem and Gomareah's been getting kinda boring, anyway."

Stone Muffin still looked uncertain, but eventually shrugged. "Eh, whatever. Why not? It's just 'til we can get more of that beer, after all."

Pinkie Pie erupted in excitement and joy. "YAY! For once, I actually get to spend Parent's Day with my PARENTS!" She skipped over to them and hugged them both. "Don't worry, mommy and daddy! I'll make this night the most fun any of us have ever had since I first introduced you to partying!"

"Lead the way, girlie!" Rock Candy said happily. He then looked at Applejack. "By the way, what was your name?"

"Applejack, sir," she replied. "A good friend of Pinkie Pie's. It's a pleasure to meet ya." She caught sight of Rock Candy's Cutie Mark, which she saw depicted a red electric guitar. "Nice Cutie Mark ya got there. Do you play?"

"What? Haha, naw! It's just for show. It actually used to be a pickax, but I had a tattoo artist alter it a bit!"

"You… tattooed over you Cutie Mark?" Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow. "Isn't that kind of… illegal?"

"Kind of? It totally is! Isn't it awesome?" he asked jovially. "But hey, it's not TOO big of a change. I mean, c'mon, it's still a type of 'ax', isn't it?"

"Heh, I suppose you're right," Applejack replied, shrugging it off.

"Oh, and check out MY Cutie Mark," Stone Muffin insisted, flashing hers in Applejack's direction. It represented three yellow rocks suspended above a pipe. "MINE used to be just three regular rocks, cuz we used to live on a boring rock farm. I had mine altered into something way cooler, too... But it's not too big of a stretch – I mean, it is still a type of 'rocks', right?"

Applejack could only laugh this time. "No question about that!"

"Come on, mom and dad!" Pinkie Pie shouted. "The night's still young! No more dilly-dallying! We got a FESTIVAL to hit up!"

"WOO! Let's do it!" Rock Candy called out, taking a spot next to Pinkie Pie and trotting alongside her toward the hay bale steps. "And after that, beer time!"

"That's what I'M looking forward to," Stone Muffin mused, trotting on Pinkie Pie's other side. "Although, that dunk tank DOES sound pretty awesome…"

"It will be!" Pinkie Pie promised through her shining smile. "Let's make this Parents' Day ROCK!" She turned her head and acknowledged Applejack as she and her parents descended the steps. "Thank you, Applejack! Thank you so very very very very very…!" Her voice faded as the three ponies disappeared from view, ready to go off and enjoy at least a small chunk of the evening together.

Applejack smiled back, and with a nod, said softly to herself, "You're welcome, Pinkie." A feeling of deep satisfaction rose within her like a warm spring. This reunion, she felt, was worthy of a pat on the back. A part of her worried that Pinkie Pie's parents really only cared about getting another taste of Hoppin Barley's beer, but she had confidence that the opportunity to spend time with their daughter at the festival could win them over. Perhaps, at the end of the night, they may find that they did, in fact, have more of a reason to be there than just great booze. And, even if not, Pinkie Pie would at least get to spend some time with her mother and father on this special night, which in reality, was all she had asked for. Either way, Applejack felt she could count this as another success to check off her list.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the familiar roaring sound of Rainbow Dash's flight drawing near. She turned to see her Pegasus friend land gently on the rooftop, then gallop up to her excitedly. "OK, it's all cool! My mom's gonna be at the shed at 8:15."

"Nice work, RD," Applejack replied.

"Thanks. I didn't really know what to tell her, though. I mean, YOU still haven't even told me what's gonna be happening there."

"We'll discuss it right now. So c'mon, let's head on down there."

The two proceeded to descend the hay bale pile from the barn roof to the grass below. As they did, Rainbow Dash perked up. "Oh, hey, I saw the juiciest thing while I was out there! Rarity was at her booth, and she was with this HOT Earth pony! I was a little jealous, I admit, but man, congrats to her! She bagged herself a good one! I wonder who he is?"

"Oh, I know who he is. Matter of fact, I introduced the two earlier tonight."

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. "No. Way. Details! Now!!"

Applejack shook her head. "Hate to break up the fun gossip n' all, but we got other things to focus on right now. Namely, your folks."

"Oh, right," Rainbow Dash replied glumly. "You said you were gonna try to make them reconcile or something, right?"

"Sure am, sugar cube," Applejack said confidently. "After talkin' to 'em both, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of why they're at each others' throats so much, and what needs to be done to make 'em find peace with each other and save their marriage."

"Save their marriage? Heh, it’s still impossible for me to picture that. Some broken things really are just beyond repair, Applejack…"

"C'mon, have a little faith," Applejack pleaded. "Not just in me, but in them, too. I mean, how can you be so sure they'll never be able to patch things up?"

"Well, let me put it this way…" Rainbow Dash explained. The two were now nearing the telltale shed. "You know how when a healthy couple fights, they get really heated for a while, maybe stop talking for a bit, but at the end of the day, are able to face each other again and say they're sorry? Then, you know, reach a compromise, kiss, and just move on?"

"Sure. Seen it happen with my own ma and pa plenty of times. So, your folks do that too? What's the big deal, then?"

"They do that too, yeah. Except take out the parts about them saying sorry, or compromising, or kissing, or moving on… Those parts never come. With them, it's just one long, never-ending fight, interspersed by long periods where my dad's away and they don't talk, only for them to continue where they left off next time they have to see each other because of me…" She sighed heavily. "Seriously, I love them both, and I wish it could be like the old days when the three of us all got along. But now, we only get together maybe once a month. And I dread it every time. Cuz to me, all it means is more drama, drama, drama…"

They now stood mere feet from the shed's door. "Well, that's what we hope to fix tonight," Applejack responded. Before she could let Rainbow Dash give another negative reply, however, she raised a hoof, ordering her to be still and silent. Applejack approached the shed slowly, visibly cautious. Rainbow Dash noticed, and began to grow worried. "Yo AJ, what's your beef?"

"Shhh!" Applejack shushed. She pressed herself against the wall next to shed door, and hesitantly placed her hoof on the knob. She then took in a deep breath, and carefully opened it just enough to be able to peek inside. She did so, and after several seconds, gave a sigh of relief. "OK," she said, signaling to her friend to come, "Coast is clear."

"Clear from what?" Rainbow Dash asked, anxiously trotting over.

"Never mind. Just follow me. We'll talk in here while we wait for your folks to arrive."

"Sure," Rainbow Dash said, allowing Applejack to lead her into the unoccupied barn. Once inside, she caught sight of the collage of portraits on the rear wall. Her eyes went wide with wonder. "Applejack, what in the world IS all this?"

"That's what we're here to talk about!" Applejack said with a grin. "So hear me out, pardner. I got a proposal that I think you AND your folks will find mighty appealing…"

~~~

Aeroswift sailed over the barn, curiosity plaguing her mind. Behind it, she spotted a small, wooden toolshed. "That must be the place," she said to herself. "But where's Rainbow Dash?" She gracefully touched down on the grass and took a look around. Her only daughter had asked her to meet at the “little shed behind the barn” at 8:15. When she had last seen a clock just minutes before, it was around 8:12. She knew she was on time, as she always was. And yet, Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen. At least not out in the open. "She must be inside," Aeroswift reasoned. "Wonder what she has planned?"

She moved at a casual pace towards the small, indistinct structure, and raised a hoof to open to the door. At that moment, the sound of another Pegasus landing next to her made her heart skip. She turned toward the sound's source in alarm, ready to knock out any threat if the need arose. When she saw who it was, her readiness to deliver a kick did not subside in the least. "Sweetgood!"

Sweetgood Mac was standing there frozen, equally as surprised and dismayed. As the two laid eyes on one another, a painful jolt of electricity jumped between them. "Oh! Aeroswift! Umm… hello."

Aeroswift swallowed her shock, and took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself. "Err, hello to you, too…" She craned her neck. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm… not entirely sure," Sweetgood Mac admitted. "Rainbow Dash's friend, Applejack, asked me to meet at the shed by the barn at 8:15. Said it was something important concerning Rainbow Dash. So, here I am."

"Hmm, OK…" Aeroswift replied, suspicion written across all her features. "Well, Rainbow Dash asked me just a little bit ago to meet here at 8:15, too."

"Really? Interesting…"

"Very." Aeroswift shifted her eyes to and fro. "You don't suppose there might be more than one shed near the barn, do you?"

"This is the only one I saw," Sweetgood Mac answered flatly.

"…So, could this be… a coincidence, maybe?"

Sweetgood Mac shook his head. "I don't believe in coincidence."

"Right, of course YOU wouldn't."

"You know me too well, don't you?"

"Unfortunately."

"Mm-hmm…"

"So what do you think this is all about?"

"No idea. Applejack didn't give me specifics."

"Rainbow Dash didn't give me any, either."

An uncomfortable silence followed. The invisible miasma of disdain thickened between the two spouses, the very nature of which desired to push them away from each other. However, they both stood where they were, kept there by their shared curiosity of what their daughter had in store. One way or another, they both knew that they would be entering that shed together.

Sweetgood Mac cleared his throat. He then raised a hoof, gesturing for his wife to proceed. "Well, after you, dear…" The last word came out awkward and forced.

Aeroswift couldn't look at him as she approached the door. "Don't call me that." She turned the knob and entered with haste.

"Right…" Sweetgood replied softly, a sinking feeling in his chest. He slipped through the doorway soon after. Once inside, he took a stand several feet to Aeroswift's right. The two looked ahead at the rear wall, both equally perplexed and fascinated by what they were looking at.

In the center of the rear wall, they witnessed the great collage of photos of Rainbow Dash. Every photo depicted one of her fantastic achievements that she had accomplished over the course of the past couple years. To the left of the collage stood Applejack, and to the right, Rainbow Dash herself. The two younger ponies stood at attention, as though ready to speak when the two elder ponies indicated that they were ready to as well.

Aeroswift was the first to open her mouth. "Rainbow, sweetie… What in the world IS all this?"

"And why did you have your mother and I come together?" Sweetgood Mac questioned.

"Mom, dad," Rainbow Dash declared, "It's been too long since the three of us have had an honest talk about the state of our family. With the help of my friend Applejack, I really think it's time that we do. I want to kick things off by making a very important announcement…"

Aeroswift and Sweetgood Mac glanced at one another, then back at their daughter, eager to hear what she had to say…