CRACK.

The tree crackled and snapped as it was uprooted due to a tackle from a large country boy. His toned body was tinted red from the sun's heat, and sweat dropped from his large frame as he worked.

The feeble, dead oak fell to the ground and shook the ground around it, the young man who had caused this to happen sat down on the lush grass. Pleased with his work. "Eeyup." He said with a grin, very pleased with his work.

"Great job, Big Mac." His sister, Applejack said as she walked up to his side and patted his toned back.

"Thank ya, sis." Mac smiled at his sister, waving off her compliment quietly.

"Ah can't wait until football season starts! Ah jest know that with you and that Bulk feller on the team, Canterlot High'll definitely go to the divisional championship!"

Mac chuckled before replying, "Eeyup. Spike's on the team too, ya know."

"Really?" Applejack inquired, slightly surprised. "Well, to be honest, ah didn't think he was really good enough to be on varsity as a freshman. Ah mean, you didn't even get invited until halfway through the season your sophomore year. Ah haven't seen Spike in a while, but last time ah saw him he was a chubby little thing." Applejack chuckled heartily.

"Yeah, but ah bet he ain't like that no more." Big Mac chuckled as well. "He's gotta pretty built up after frosh ball. Rumor's are he wants to be a tight end and linebacker."

"Well, color me impressed." Applejack smiled pleasantly. "Ah'll be sure to cheer for him at all the games, too."

"Heh. Ah reckon he thinks all those muscles he's got'll impress that Rarity gal he's been chasin'." Mac was happy for Spike. The younger boy seemed like he felt he fit in now that he was on the team.

"Yeah," Applejack nodded her head. "Rarity's all about 'hunks'." She chuckled.

"If her and Spike hit it off, ah'm sure he'll treat 'er right." Mac said, nodding his head, as if he were agreeing with his own statement.

"Ah'm not worried about Spike mistreating Rarity, Mac." Applejack mused.

"Is there somethin' ya ARE worried about?"

"Yeah..." The country girl admitted with a sigh. "Y'see, Mac, the thing with Rarity is... she does tend to... drift a little."

Mac hummed as an acknowledgement. "So yer afraid she'll break his heart."

"Yeah." Applejack sighed defeatedly. "Ah jest don't know what he sees in her. Sure, she's a great friend, but Ah sure don't envy nobody who dates her."

Mac chuckled. "Ya don't understand how men work, do ya sis?" He asked, pulling a small stalk of wheat from the ground and chewing on the end of it slowly.

"W-Whaddaya mean?" Applejack stammered in an irritated tone. "And aren't you real talkative today, mister 'Ah don't say nothin' but Eeyup and Nope 'bout 95 percent of the time, but when Ah do say somethin' else, It's some form of lecture to mah younger sister'."

Again, Applejack's older brother let out a hardy chuckle before speaking. "Ah didn't mean it that way, sis. What Ah mean by that, is that ya gotta understand that most men are simple. Mosta the time, 'tain't about anythin' other than looks. Spike thinks Rarity's a pretty gal, so let him chase after her. Once he figures it out, he'll look for real love that's based on feelings and affection, not jest looks."

"So you're sayin' that the only reason you don't never date no more's cuz you ain't seen a pretty gal?" AJ challenged.

"It's actually for the exact opposite reason. Notice That ah said most men are only after looks. MOST. Honestly, mosta the time, ah see pretty gals, but ah know they're pretty much all tarts. If'n they were ta date a guy like me or Spike, or even that Bulk feller, mosta them would do it only for the same reason most guys would date tarts like them: fer looks.

"And ah ain't no genius like that Twilight gal that y'all are friends with, but ah know that ah ain't ready ta suffer no more heartbreak than ah already have. That's another reason ah stopped datin'."

"Plus, right now, aside from football, Ah only have enough room in mah heart, as well as mah schedule fer the farm, you, Granny, and Abblebloom. Even if Ah wanted to date, Ah wouldn't have no time." Mac finished with a sagely nod.

Applejack was dumbfounded. Partly because she had never heard her brother talk that much in one sitting, but also because she never knew how wise Mac was, especially with things as complex as love.

"Well, It's gettin' late, and Ah gotta git started on supper. D'ya wanna drive over and pick up Applebloom from Rarity's place while ah cook and get Granny to take her meds?" Mac said as he pulled his white, sweat-stained T-shirt over his head and replaced it with his familiar red flannel that he had earlier slung over the side of a nearby fence.

"Sure, Ah'll do that." AJ said with a smile as she got the keys to the apple family pickup from Mac and started to drive over to Rarity's house.

Mac sighed tiredly as he started his trek back to the Apple home from the east orchard. On his way back he began to think about the recent events that had intersected his life. He was about to head into his senior year at Canterlot High in about four months, counting summer break. He had been invited to the varsity football team, and the lacrosse coach offered a Varsity position in the offseason, as had the wrestling coach. He had so many opportunities laid before him. Opportunity. The one thing that seemed to usually elude him. And yet here it was, conveniently placed before him so suddenly. "Strange how that happens." He thought to himself.

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

Applejack knocked on the door to Rarity's house and small business, Carousel Boutique, waiting for her to answer. When the door opened, however, it was not Rarity who answered, but a tall, blond boy dressed in very a nice suit, though slightly dishelved.

"Uh..." Applejack stammered. "Ah don't think ah've seen ya before, but, uh... Can ya send my little sister out here?"

Before the boy could answer, however, Rarity pulled him back into the entryway, and kissed him full on the lips, only releasing him after sucking face for about half a minute.

"Au revoir, darling!" Rarity said as the boy made his way past Applejack and out the door, leaving Rarity in a dreamy stupor.

"Uh, Rarity?" Applejack snapped Rarity out of her trance.

"Oh, Applejack, darling! Did you come to pick up Applebloom?" Rarity replied to her friend in a cheery tone.

"Y-yeah..." She replied awkwardly. "And, uh... If'n ya don't mind me askin'..." Applejack stopped as she motioned to the young man walking away from Carousel Boutique. "Who's that feller?"

"Oh, you aren't going to believe this, darling!" Rarity nearly squealed with excitement, "He's a prince! Prince Blueblood! He dropped by for a new suit he needs for an upcoming royal conference with the prime minister of Saddle Arabia, and we talked and... Well, did some other things..." Rarity giggled before continuing, "and he's simply a dream!" She sighed in a very over-dramatic, heart-felt way.

"Ya mean, his wallet is your dream." Applejack deadpanned.

Rarity's expression changed from a daydreaming smile to a scowl. "I'll just pretend I didn't hear that." She stared AJ down for a few more seconds before turning to the stairs in the entryway and calling for her younger sister. "Sweetie Belle! Applejack is here to pick up your friend!"

Three voices could be heard groaning from up the stairs. "Awwww! But sis, Ah don't wanna go home yet!" A high pitched voice with a southern drawl could be heard calling to the two older girls at the storefront.

Only in that moment, when she heard Applebloom's voice, two things became very apparent to Applejack. Number one: Rarity had just informed her that she screwed a prince in her house. Number two: Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were in the house while it happened.

While the younger group of girls continued their activities inside, Applejack began arguing with Rarity in the doorway. "Ya mean ta tell me that you screwed that feller while mah little sister was here?! And Scootaloo AND Sweetie Belle?! What was goin' on in yer head to think that's okay?" Applejack began to raise her voice as she got in Rarity's face.

"Shhh!!" Rarity hushed Applejack with a finger over her lips. "They don't know, okay? But if you keep talking so loudly, they will soon enough! Just don't say anything about it, okay?"

Applejack kept her voice down as Rarity requested, but didn't let up on her. "How could you do that? Do you know how damaged those girls woulda been if they saw or even heard what you two were doing? They're in fifth grade, fer cryin' out loud!"

"Oh, calm down, Applejack. They didn't hear or see us. No harm done, right?" Rarity replied nonchalantly, rolling her eyes as at her friend's frantic attitude as she pulled a file out of her purse, which was set down on the table in the doorway, and began to file her nails to perfection.

"Calm down?! Just imagine what yer teachin' yer sister by sleepin' around like this! Do you want her ta grow up ta be a whore?" Applejack fumed at the way Rarity was treating this whole situation.

"A whore!?" Rarity gasped incredulously. "Applejack, I am NOT a whore! There is nothing wrong with a lady getting a little... help... from time to time." She harumphed as she crossed her arms across her chest and stuck her nose up, facing away from Applejack.

"Oh, yeah? How would you react if you found out Sweetie was fuckin' boys behind HER bedroom door, miss priss? Are ya tellin' me there ain't nothin' wrong with that, neither?"

"Applejack, you know that's different." Rarity offered defensively.

Applejack scoffed. "Would you just listen to yourself, Rarity?!" Applejack growled. "That tears it. APPLEBLOOM! Say goodbye to yer friends. We're goin' home!"

"But sis!" Applebloom complained, "Ah don't-"

"NOW!"

Applebloom slowly came down stairs, trying to make herself as little as possible. She knew by Applejack's volume that something had happened, and she knew even better that she should not do anything to further set her older sister off.

She stared down at Applebloom before telling her in the same tone, "Go to the truck, Applebloom. Ah'll be there in a sec."

"...okay..." Applebloom obeyed quietly as she slowly walked over to the Apple family truck and got in the cabin of it.

Applejack then turned her attention back to the fashionista in front of her, who was still filing her nails. "Ah'm telling ya, Rarity. 'Tain't a good idea ta date somebody just fer looks and money. And it's even worse to fuck 'em while there's little kids in the house."

"Oh, whatever, Applejack. You're just jealous because you can't turn heads with that brutish country bumpkin lifestyle of yours."

The farm girl gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "Give me one reason why ah shouldn't punch you in the face right now." She spat the words out at Rarity as if they left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Well, for one-" Rarity was cut short as Applejack growled in anger before turning and heading to her truck.

On the way home, Applejack talked to her little sister in an angered tone. Not because she was mad at Applebloom, but she was in fact still mad at what Rarity had done. "Listen here, Applebloom. Ya'll can still hang out with yer friends, but ah don't want ya goin' over ta Rarity's anymore."

"But... Why cain't Ah go over to Sweetie Belle's house anymore?" She asked in a quiet manner.

Applejack sighed before explaining, "well, sugarcube, ya see... Well, ah think that Rarity's becoming a bad role model for Sweetie Belle. And ah don't want that rubbin' off on you."

"What did she do?" Applebloom asked curiously.

'Oh, buck me.' Applejack thought. 'Ah cain't lie to her, but ah can't tell her what Rarity did...' She thought over it for a moment before carefully answering, "She, uh... Did somethin' that she shouldn't have done."

"Like she told a lie or sumthin'?" The young country girl inquired.

"She didn't lie, no... But it was still somethin' pretty bad and ah don't want you ta be around her, in case she does it again." Applejack stated firmly, hoping Applebloom would be content with the answer she had been given.

"But, she's your friend, right? Doesn't that mean y'all should be able to forgive mistakes and trust eachother?"

Applejack sighed in irritation. "Applebloom, with what she did, 'tain't as simple as that."

"Why?" The little girl asked.

"Ya don't need ta know why, sugarcube." The older farm girl stated flatly.

"Why?"

Applejack was now getting very irritated. "Applebloom, this conversation is over."

"But-"

"I said we ain't gonna talk about it no more."

Applebloom responded by giving an audible "Hmph," crossing her arms, and looking out the window as they drove through the countryside. The rest of the ride home was uneventful.

When they got back to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Applebloom. Went inside their home to find Granny Smith in her rocking chair, knitting. Applebloom took a seat in Granny's lap, as she usually did when the rocking chair was occupied by the old but happy and funny woman. "Hi, Granny!" Applebloom said enthusiastically as she gave her grandmother a hug.

"Howdy there, young'un." Granny chuckled as she put down her knitting needles and bounced Applebloom on her lap. "It's a good thing you two came back when ya did." She continued as she held the rocked in the chair with Applebloom. "Mac is almost done with dinner."

"Oooh! What's he makin'?" Applebloom assked excitedly.

"Well, he told me he was makin' some stew, and apple pie for dessert." Granny said with a small smile as she turned to Applejack. "Since we're gonna be eatin' soon, can ya get my teeth from my bedroom, Applejack?"

"Course Ah can, Granny." Applejack said quickly as she hurried upstairs to Granny Smith's bedroom. She came back down a minute later with a glass full of water, a pair of shiny, white dentures floating in it. Granny popped them into her mouth, and put Applebloom back on the ground from her lap.

"Alright, y'all. Let's go see if dinner's ready."

"Ah'm starvin'!" Applebloom stated energietically before sprinting over to the Apple family dinner table.

As the family sat down and around the dinner table, Applejack took off her stetson hat and took a big whiff of the soup. "Smells great, big brother!" She beamed at Big Mac.

"Eeyup." The quiet young man stated plainly before sitting down at the table himself, bringing the rest of the dinner with him. The small family then began to enjoy their homemade meal. Although, Applejack still had a troubled mind. She left the dinner table a few minutes later with a single thought.

'Ah'm gonna give Rarity another piece o' mah mind tomorrow.'

Author's Notes:

As always, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

UPDATE: Due to real-life responsibilities, I will not be able to post chapters for about a week. Sorry!

Stay awesome!