#big macintosh

old sketch: don’t ya just love going to restaurants and asking for a kids menu so you can use their crayons to draw ponies? I sure do

tchernobog:

“Uh, girls?”

 

Silence.

 

“Girls?”

 

The silence stretched on.

 

“Fluttershy? Pinkie?”

 

Silence, with a faint hint of a giggle coming from one of the mares. Applejack had a sneaking suspicion she knew which one, too.

 

Now, everypony knew that Applejack was a hard-working pony. She was dependable and strong, and tended to work throughout the day, with very little breaks in between. A big lunch with her family tended to be her only pit stop until the day’s chores were done.

 

“C’mon. I know y’all ain’t sleepin’.”

 

Sometimes, though, she did take fifteen minutes for a powernap. It left her refreshed, and ready to blaze through the rest of the day.

 

Usually, though, she didn’t wake up with two pregnant mares snuggled up against her.

 

As her pregnancy progressed Fluttershy had become, for lack of a better word, clingy. Applejack never truly minded, as she’d always liked the feeling of physical contact with another pony, especially a loved one like her family, or her five friends.

 

Lately, however, the shy pegasus seemed to take every opportunity she could to press herself up against the larger earth pony. Often, Applejack would simply blink, or turn her head away, only to find a soft body pressed up against hers the next instant.

 

Applejack didn’t mind it at all, if she was honest. But it sometimes made it hard to move.

 

Especially when it gave Pinkie Pie ideas.

 

Applejack didn’t know when they’d gotten there, or why the pair had even stopped by the Acres. Fluttershy had probably found her first. Pinkie, already a clingy pony before the pregnancy, had decided just joined the little snuggle pile because it looked fun.

 

She couldn’t tell whether Fluttershy was asleep or not, and she was loath to wake her up. She strongly suspected Pinkie was awake, but pretending not to be, just to keep Applejack rooted in place. That giggle was probably hers.

 

“Give it up, AJ, you’re not going anywhere.”

 

Or maybe it belonged to the fourth pony in the barn. “I gots work to do…” Applejack mumbled, her eyes downcast.

 

“Eh, one day isn’t gonna hurt much.” Rainbow shrugged, keeping her voice quiet. Her lips quirked upwards every few seconds, fighting to keep from laughing at the obviously beleaguered Applejack.

 

The farmpony frowned at her friend. “Ya here fer a reason, or jus’ to make fun of me?”

 

“Can’t I do both?” Rainbow grinned cheekily. “I saw them heading here and figured I’d check what they were up to.” She blushed as her stomach growled, and stared down at her swollen bulk. “And I think he’s hungry.”

 

“He?”

 

Rainbow shrugged again. “He, she. I dunno yet. Why, you wanna know?”

 

“Kinda…”

 

“Ha.” Rainbow chortled. “Your face says more than ‘kinda’.” She yawned, blinking at the unexpected motion. “I’ll ask Twi about it later.”

 

“Thanks, Sugarcube.” Applejack smiled gratefully. She also raised an eyebrow. “Tired?”

 

“No, just…” Rainbow started, trailing off at Applejack’s skeptical look. “He’s heavy, y’know?”

 

Applejack smirked, and gently lifted a hoof to softly pat the ground, hoping she hadn’t disturbed the other two sleeping mares. “C’mon, there’s still room.”

 

Rainbow frowned and opened her mouth to argue. Her eyes swept over Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, silently staring at the pair. She closed her mouth, quickly looked around her, then glared at Applejack as she trotted closer. “Don’t you tell anypony.”

 

“My lips’re sealed,” Applejack replied, rolling her eyes. Rainbow settled down in front of her, curling up against Applejack’s chest, heaving a happy sigh as Applejack lay her head on her.

 

A few minutes later, the pegasus was fast asleep.

 

Applejack was just closing her eyes as she heard the noise. A set of heavy hooves approached the barn, until the door was shoved open. “AJ, we’re-”

 

Applejack looked on helplessly as Big McIntosh paused to take in the sight before him. He nodded his head in understanding, gently closing the door behind him as he backed out. She heaved a sigh of relief, closing her eyes once more and drifting off into slumber.

 

She never figured out whether the guffaw she heard was real, or just a dream.

My brain wanted me to ponify this scene and would not stop bugging me about it. Now shut up brain or I’ll stab you with a Q-Tip!

Little pic of Pear Butter drawn for Mother’s Day and posted on uh <checks calendar>… armed forces day. Thank you for your service Buttercup.

The Apple Clan from the MLP manga.

(with layout inspiration from the Megaman 11 box art and random Naruto posters)

Thanks again to Shiei for the Apple ninja character designs!