Butter awoke that morning snuggled into Applejack’s bosom, his feet just reaching to her ripped stomach. Today was a special day, a day he’d been hoping for some time now. Time that had flown by for Butter almost as if in a wonderful daydream. Every instance of adventure that the two had experienced since beginning their life together cycled through his mind. Even now, they were still turning corners onto new and interesting chapters of their lives. Applejack was beginning to warm up to the idea of being bigger, especially whenever Butter chimed in with a little mantra for her. That ‘the bigger she got, the more there was for him to love’. Since he’d given her that little thing to focus on, her moods had improved considerably. No longer did she see her growth spurts as something to be feared, instead they were something she could embrace. Butter had helped her here and there by continuing to have fun with her, despite the size difference between the two. At nineteen feet and ten inches tall, Applejack towered over Butter, quite literally. There were castle walls out there that were smaller than Applejack’s current height. With her immense size they were currently in the market for finding a new place to stay. Applejack’s body just about spanned the entire floor space and her head was bumping off the roof beams. They were likely good for a few more days, perhaps a week at most, but the pressure was on to find somewhere to keep them warm at night.

That was at the back of Butter’s mind for now though; he wanted to focus on making today the most special day he could manage. He carefully slid off Applejack’s stomach and landed in the pile of straw and hay he had prepared late the previous night. He paused as he knelt there, giving Applejack five seconds to wake up or continue to sleep. Thankfully for him, she chose the latter, snoring loudly and rolling over onto her side. Butter spent a moment regretting the loss of opportunity, but soldiered on knowing it was for the greater good. He crossed to the door of the barn and slid it open just enough for him to squeeze out, then once he was outside, he slid it shut again. The first stop of his little escapade was the Apple Family home, where Granny Smith, Apple Bloom and Big Mac all resided. He stepped through the back door, which led into the kitchen and was pleasantly pleased with what he saw. Granny Smith was busy in the kitchen, cooking up breakfast for the others. Butter waltzed on over and made himself obvious to her. He opted against the typical tapping on the shoulder as he had no idea how great a shock it might be and for someone of her advanced age, a shock wasn’t always the best thing. So he just sauntered right up to the counter next to her, edging into her peripheral vision so she was introduced to him that way instead.

“What yer after, sonny?” Granny asked, not taking her eyes away from the pan on the stove before her.

Butter whispered his response into Granny’s ear, cupping his hands around his mouth to avoid anyone else hearing. Granny Smith nearly fainted after hearing what Butter had to say, forcing him to act quickly. With one arm held around her waist and the other firmly gripping the pan on the stove, Butter held her there until she recovered from his news. He knew she had when she leapt to her feet and rushed over to the cabinets, throwing down pile after pile of food, all uncooked, onto the central table. Butter had never seen her move so fast; it was like she was possessed by some kind of demon or at the very least a poltergeist. Leaving the pan to simmer on the stove for a little, he turned around and continued with his spiel.

“So, does that mean you’ll do it?”

“Sonny, a wild pack o’ timberwolves couldn’t keep me away! Jus’ come on back in half an hour, an’ ah’ll have th’ first lot ready for ya!”

Butter nodded and left her to it. He understood that Granny Smith was somewhat of an expert in her field and he knew that one should never bother an expert at work. Now that he had half an hour to kill and about an hour before Applejack woke up and realised he was missing, he decided to wander into town and check on one other thing. The walk to and from town would take up the most of his spare time, but it was worth it to make sure that the orders he had placed in the town had been fulfilled. He popped into the local jewellers and was led to the back room, where the crate he had ordered rested. He was allowed to peer inside to check the contents, but for now he opted to keep the whole thing here, whilst he ensured that everything else was in order. Once he was done with the jewellers, he nipped through the streets and ducked into Rarity’s Boutique. Unsurprisingly, she was sitting at her sewing machine, working away on a roll of white fabric. Butter stood in the doorway, the bell having rung already, but when Rarity was in the zone, there were very few things that could snap her out of it. He coughed into his hands loudly, repeatedly in a short passage of time, until he saw Rarity’s ears twitch over the noise of the sewing machine. Her head swivelled round to look at the door; her glasses slid part way down the bridge of her nose as she looked over them at Butter.

“Hm? Oh! Butter Nut, darling, whatever brings you here at this hour?”

“Well, I was hoping you might be close to done with my order. You know, the one from about a week ago? I know it was pretty short notice, considering the size of it all, but today is…” Butter was cut off by Rarity gasping.

“Oh, it’s today that you need it? Oh dear of course – now it makes sense. Well, I did finish most of the work already darling. I’ll have to adjust a few of the measurements, since you updated the sizes I have. But yes, it should be ready, if you need it today.”

Trust Rarity to remember such important details about her friends. Butter smiled, but shook his head. “I don’t need it right away Miss Rarity. I’ve still got one more thing to do, but do you think you could finish the last few bits before I get back? I shouldn’t be more than an hour or so.”

“Not to worry, darling. I’ll finish this stitch and I’ll get right on it. Good luck to you - I’ll hopefully hear from you soon, hm?”

“You bet! Thanks again!”

With that Butter was out of the door and back in the cold morning air of Ponyville. He had around eight minutes left before his half an hour was up and his business, for the most part, had been taken care of. Now he just had to return to the special lady in his life and get the wheels of his plan in motion. A spring in his step, he strode through the streets with gusto, a smile as wide as a mile across his face. The butterflies in his stomach were in just about the same happy mood as he was, each one doing their best to improve his mood further. By the time he'd reached the dirt path leading to Sweet Apple Acres, he was practically skipping his way down the path. The sight of his looming home in the distance and the contents within were soon to be treated to a most wonderful surprise. He took a detour into the Apple family home, where Granny Smith had laid out a pancake buffet. There was every conceivable flavour piled up on multiple plates all nestled on the tray. She was still working on the rest of the food that Butter had requested, so he took the tray and slid his way over the barn. Carefully, he slid the door open with a foot, closed it once in, and stood heroically as if home from a daring quest of old.

“Rise and shine, big girl! “

Applejack groaned and stretched, limbs brushing against each far wall. Her feet easily laid flat against one wall, until she rolled to face him and curled inward some. “Sugahcube? What’re ya doin’ over there?”

“Oh, just whipping up a little surprise for my favourite girl in the world. How does some of Granny Smith's pancakes sound to you?”

Applejack bolted upright, her nose flared as she inhaled the sweet aroma of those pancakes. “Blueberry…Strawberry…Cinnamon Apple…even Granny’s Secret Zap Flaps?! Hoowhee!”

The ground trembled as Applejack leapt out of bed, landing on her feet like a gymnast, her current undressed state causing parts of her to also quake. Butter watched in awe as her thunderous footsteps took her toward him rapidly, her body climbing in his vision. The force of her careless stomps made him almost bounce in place, and the towering stack of pancakes wobbled precariously in his grip. If that wasn’t enough, then when she finally stood atop him she bent over and took great whiffs of the scents coming from the platter. Butter swore he felt his hair being pulled up by the force of her nostrils, and that the topmost pancake slid just that little bit from its mooring to nearly fall off. Not wanting to leave the fate of her breakfast to chance, he carefully set the tray down before her, almost like an offering, and snagged the topmost for himself. He placed it on a smaller plate that had been beneath the platter, along with some utensils, and sat down cross-legged for breakfast. Applejack likewise sat down, her careless flop causing Butter to bounce over an inch in the air from the force. Unlike him however she sat with her legs out, ensnaring him between them, the door, and her body. It made for quite the sight, yet spoke of the air of casualness that had built up between them. It wouldn’t have been long ago that the thought of baring herself to him, at a meal no less, was outrageous. Now she happily bared all just to get down to her meal. That his eyes never left her wasn’t just a coincidence, nor was the small boost in confidence she felt from his adoration of her form.

Butter slowly nibbled on his simple meal of a buttermilk pancake, sprinkled with powdered sugar over a thick layer of syrup. Applejack dug into her own with gusto; not bothering to pace or adhere to etiquette in favor of stuffing her face, she simply scooped up several of the pancakes and tossed them down. It was a little off-putting to watch Applejack eat sometimes. Her manners had never been strong, raised as a country girl with practicality over fanciness. As she outgrew most utensils and kitchenware, the giant mare had simply taking to taking giant fistfuls of her meal and scarfing it barehanded. Syrup drizzled from between her fingers as she simply plucked up pile after pile of pancakes, greedily stuffing her mouth before trying to swallow. The thick mush struggled with her, slowly rolling down her throat in a noticeable bulge that Butter watched in fascination. She quickly wiped out the platter he’d brought, but he slipped away and quickly returned with another big helping from Granny, who was now resting in a chair, her task complete.

Butter took one more trip out as she began devouring this one as well, returning with a giant container of fresh milk for them to share. Her mouth still full of food, Applejack finally got around to asking Butter what the occasion was.

“Now, ya don’ have t’ tell me what ya game is, but ah know that ah never git Granny’s special pancakes unless there’s some kind o’ occasion. So, do ah get t’ know wut’s so special ‘bout t’day?”

Butter just smiled, finishing his pancake and washing it down with a gulp of milk. “In a little bit AJ. Before that though, I have to go do a few things. You mind waiting a bit until I get back?”

Applejack swallowed multiple times, forcing the mass of mush down her throat. Swigging the container of milk, she burped loud enough to rattle the rafters and patted her stomach. “Sure - Ah reckon it’ll take me a few minutes t’ finish digestin’ all o’ this anyway. You run along an’ do whatcha gotta do.”

Butter was gone in a matter of seconds, shutting the door behind him before she could blink. This was it, the moment he had been waiting so very long for. All his weeks and months of planning, making sure each of the details was worked out as far as they could go; it was all for this one special moment. All he needed to complete it was for Applejack to give him the correct answer when he revealed his hard work to her. He raced back into Ponyville, heading for the jeweller first and letting them know that he was going to need his crate out front as soon as possible. Then it was over to Rarity’s to check on the condition of his order, which he found out was seconds away from completion. He looped around from there to stop off at Sugarcube Corner for a brief chat with Pinkie about the cake recipe he had cooked up for her and then finally a little stopover at Twilight’s to make sure that everyone was aware of the set up. Everyone that was, apart from Applejack, who was still in the barn, sitting and wondering what her little stallion had cooked up this time.

All the people he needed from Ponyville had been checked, double checked, and triple checked by now. He returned to the jeweller to find him holding the crate in his hands, which Butter took from him with gusto. The clerk wished him good luck as he set off, though Butter didn’t respond to him. His mind was too preoccupied with the fervent hope that all of this went smoothly. This could all go so very wrong; just one word from Applejack and everything he’d done would be for nothing. As he lugged the crate back to the barn, he hesitated. His hand mere inches away from the door, his fingers trembling as he willed himself to make the move. This was it. Crunch time. No going back, only going forwards. Time t-

“Are ya coming in or not?” Applejack asked, having opened the door when she noticed the shadow under the door. Since he left she’d also taken to putting her clothes on, thinking he intended to take her out for something. Her face twisted into one of confusion as she looked at Butter and the strange box he was carrying.

“Ah, well…I-I was hoping to maybe do this inside…” He trailed off as he heard footsteps coming up from behind. Turning, he saw the rest of the local Apple family had gathered and were watching him with baited breath. Apple Bloom especially was bouncing excitedly, nudging her now smaller big brother who himself smiled. Granny Smith, decked in her best dress and shawl, looked up with pride toward her granddaughter, who only grew more confused by the appearance of her family. Butter slumped and looked amusedly resigned. “Guess not then, oh well.”

He put the box on the ground, opening the lid and hefting out a large, gold, ring. It weighed quite a bit, even with the master craft work the jeweller had put into it. He dropped to one knee and did his best to hold up the ring for Applejack to see. It shone with a near blinding intensity as the overhead sun caught it. Applejack’s bottom lip quivered as she slowly began to realise what Butter was trying to do. Her hat slid a little ways down her forehead, covering her eyes somewhat but not obscuring her view. A hush fell over the gathered ponies.

“Applejack, I…we’ve known each other for years now, ever since we were kids. But it wasn’t long ago that we both realized we cared for each other more than that.” Butter took a deep breath. “Neither of us wanted to rush things, and we’ve been through a lot of…interesting times. Which has only made me realize I love you more and more with every day. S-So I thought, why wait any longer? Will…um…will you marry me?”

The giant mare didn’t respond right away. Her hands lifted up, wringing themselves in an uncharacteristic display of nerves. Apple Bloom in the back was quietly chanting ‘yes, yes, yes!’ to herself, and Granny Smith’s smile made her look ten years younger. Big Mac however, and soon the rest of the gathered observers, noted that she had yet to reply.

Butter licked his lips as the moment dragged on. “Applejack?”

“A-Ah dunno, Sugahcube. We’re...not exactly yer average couple. Marriage is great an’ all, but ah don’t think we can be like them. Ah mean look at me! If ya were hopin’ t’ git some kids outta it, ah hate t’ tell ya but ah can’t see it happenin’. An’ where are we gonna live? Ah can hardly fit in th’ barn these days - are we jus’ supposed t’ roam th’ land? Ah jus’...ah don’ think marriage is th’ right thing for us, Sugahcube.” Applejack replied worriedly.

But Butter wasn’t going to be turned down as easily as that, at least not without trying first. “Applejack, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than I have been with you. Yes, things haven’t exactly been easy between us - each day had the potential to be something new, something challenging - but we’ve always seen them off haven’t we? I don’t know how many times I need to say it, but I love you, and like it or not, you’re stuck with me.”

Applejack still looked uncertain. “Ah jus’... marriage is such a strong word…” There was a loud huff from behind the proposing stallion, though nobody knew who made it.

“Then let’s not call it that!” Butter thought for a moment. “We’re…well we’re already a couple, so how about we just say we’re becoming…partners! Mates? No, partners is better. Mutually exclusive, life-long, partners.”

As the Apple family exchanged looks of resigned amusement, Applejack mulled over his words. “What yer suggestin’...ah...alright Butter Nut…ah’ll...Ah accept yer offer!”

She reached down and plucked the ring from Butter’s grip, trying to stick it on her finger. The ring didn’t seem to fit though; she could force it about halfway down the correct finger and then it became rather hard to push it any further. Her face fell as she struggled with it, trying in vain to get it to fit. Butter wasn’t exactly much help; he was frozen on the spot, a look of pure glee stuck to his face over his work-around victory. His eyes shimmered with an excess of moisture, his brain still processing that Applejack had actually said yes. Once that was complete, his normal functions returned and he was able to help her out with the ring.

“Uh, Applejack? I did sorta plan for you to say yes, but I didn’t expect for you to want to wear any jewelry, so…” He blushed. “Before I tell you, do you mind if we still have a ceremony? It won’t be anything big – just close friends and family, not even in town, promise.”

“Ah guess?” Her eyes narrow in suspicion.“Wait, did ya let them know before ya even came t’ me?!”

Butter rubbed the back of his head. “Ahem, yeah. I ‘kinda’ got carried away with the planning before I even asked you if you’d say yes. It’s…actually all ready to go, today. Like, in about a few hours. I even sent out letters…”

Applejack sighed, but smiled in wry amusement. It would seem her little stallion had his heart set on this. “Well, ah guess ah have no choice but t’ agree then, huh? What are we callin’ it though? Not a marriage ceremony but a…?”

“Beats me, maybe Pinkie will think of something. Now, you just go back inside and keep that ring safe until the ceremony. Rarity will be along shortly with the outfit I asked for - I’m sure you’ll love it. I’ve gotta run and finish up what I couldn’t do this morning. See you in a few hours!”

Then he was off, zooming down the path away from Sweet Apple Acres and into town once more. Leaving Applejack with the ring, her family, and a wellspring of happiness she scarcely wanted to acknowledge. Despite her uncertainties, Applejack felt like she had made the right decision. Saying no would have destroyed Butter, that much was clear, and when the world got her down, she needed Butter to help her through it. Getting closer to him in this way was only going to improve the solidarity that they had, and at the sizes she was approaching, she needed that more than ever. Pocketing the ring, she crouched down as Apple Bloom rushed forward to congratulate her, Big Mac walking up as well. Only Granny Smith remained in her spot and shook her head.

“An’ ah thought my son were a darn wool-headed mule with mah daughter-in-law…”

****

True to his word, a few minutes later Rarity knocked on the door of the barn, carrying the neatest bundles of white cloth one could ever see. Applejack opened the door and ushered her inside, closing it again once she was inside. Rarity placed the bundle of clothes onto the sofa, before turning to face Applejack. Standing at just over five and a half feet meant that Rarity was a fair bit smaller than Butter. So when faced with Applejack, she had to admit, it was a little unnerving. When they had first met, the difference had certainly been somewhat intimidating, but nowhere near to this scale. She could often ignore the towering mare’s height if she was sitting, or not quite in her line of sight. But standing before her, with the farmer standing tall, reinforced what she had already intellectually known from working with the measurements she’d been given. That her friend was an entire world of scales bigger than the seamstress, and indeed, the rest of Ponyville. Especially once you considered her advanced, healthy and strong build from years on the farm.

But being ever the professional, and also a dear friend, Rarity carefully tucked those worries away and focused on the here and now. “Now then, Applejack, if you’d kindly undress. Let us see if we can have you slip into something more appropriate for the occasion, shall we?”

Despite visiting her many times in the past for new clothes, Applejack still felt that there was a little something between the pair when it came to seeing Applejack in the nude. Rarity herself was quite the model figure; curves in all the right places, a well groomed tail and hair, and a completely unblemished complexion made her one of the most beautiful mares in Ponyville. Her bosom and butt were the kind of things one might see on the front of fashion magazines, and her hips were so shapely one could swear they were crafted by the Princesses themselves. The one thing she didn’t have was musculature though; there was little to no tone to her body or limbs. An accurate description that Applejack had heard in the past was that she sort of resembled a marshmallow. Soft, white, fluffy and pudgy. A lot of squish, but not much else. Whereas the farmer had all of this but also the muscles, toned from years of hard work on the farm from dawn to dusk. Even before she’d grown it had been like comparing a redwood to a willow; one thick and towering, the other thin and curved. Certainly both had been blessed with amazing genetics, but it was clear who had the favor of whomever guided such things.

Applejack even recalled a time when she had visited Rarity to get one of her shirts let out to deal with her advancing bosom, and Rarity had accidentally let slip just how much she longed for the same kind of body. Applejack had stupidly suggested some kind of workout regimen, but Rarity had shot that down with a death glare and a comment about how she had very little spare time. Thankfully such jealously had never festered, but there were times that it made their interactions strange. Not awkward or uncomfortable, but still not average for friends, or customer and owner.

Applejack dropped the overalls, button-up shirt and sandals she’d put on before while stepping out of the pile they left. Following the smaller mare’s instructions she spread her legs some and held her arms out to the side. There was a pause, before Rarity levitated the clothes out of their bundled state and unfurled them to make it easier to wear. Looking closer, Applejack’s outfit revealed itself to her, and it was far from the traditional design favoured by most brides to-be. The bodice resembled the shirts she was fond of wearing, except that the front had been stitched together so she couldn’t wear it openly. Her stomach was still on show though, which she expected nothing less if Butter had a hand in things. The top of her chest was on show as well, the smattering of freckles easily visible to those that could look her straight on. Though aside from being something of a revealing top half, it was the lower half that impressed her the most. Knowing that Applejack was somewhat adverse to ‘poofy’ outfits and especially dresses, Rarity had factored it into her design to create something more appropriate. Essentially it was a pleated skirt stitched onto a pair of leggings; the former reached down to her knees while the latter reached her ankles. It would allow her to appear more feminine, less ‘uncouth’ as Rarity might put it, but also retain her dignity from those who might glance up. Altogether the outfit resembled more a high-end cowgirl’s attire, perhaps for a fancy hoe-down, more than a wedding, yet retained the white purity that a bride deserved.

Applejack was beginning to take a shine to this outfit, her worries melting away like ice on a hot summer’s day. There was just one thing left to show and Rarity seemed a little iffy about doing so. Once she’d managed to fit the ‘dress’ onto Applejack and saw how snugly it fit her curves, there was no stopping her from breaking out the shoes. In truth when Butter had handed her the outfit’s design, she hadn’t taken to it well, even asking if it was possible to completely redo it. Butter had stuck to his guns though and insisted that she follow the plan exactly as he had outlined it. So, resigned to it, Rarity had crafted the cowgirl attire, which of course required equally glamorous cowboy boots. An imprinted snake pattern ran along the side, over the heel and then back down the other side. An oversized ruby had been mounted onto the leg sections of the boot, one for each side. The most notable detail though was how much space there was at the front, something Butter had specifically asked for the most. Like sandals there was no leather covering where her toes should be, leaving them free to breathe, unlike the rest of her foot. They fit incredibly well too, roomier than anything she had tried on so far, possibly in her entire life.

Finally ready for her big day, or whatever she was calling it, Applejack did a careful twirl to show it off. She was a stunning creature, inducing a whole new level of adorable jealousy in Rarity. Now completely ready, Rarity had instructions to lead her to where the ceremony was taking place, ideally with her blindfolded to avoid spoiling the surprise. Naturally, Rarity skipped over that idea as having someone as big as Applejack stumbling around blindfolded was hardly the safe option. Instead she just led her out of the barn and into the area past the North field where Butter, and her family and friends, waited for her. A red carpet had been laid for her leading through the trees. At the foot of it was a young apple tree sapling, which Rarity explained to be the ‘bouquet’ on this occasion. A sweet notion to be sure, and Rarity even had a few ribbons adorning it for the occasion. Granny took over from Rarity at the base of the carpet and began to lead her grandchild down the aisle. Standing at the other end, all suited and booted was Butter, looking the smartest she had ever seen him. In front of him was none other than Princess Twilight, the only princess available on short notice to officiate for them. To Applejack, it was perhaps the most touching thing her friend had ever done for her.

Applejack strode down the aisle, the ring Butter had asked her to hold onto clutched tightly in her hands along with the apple tree. Sitting on whatever spare chairs were available was the rest of her Ponyville family. Her other four friends had gathered near the front, and surprisingly, even Rainbow Dash had gotten all dolled up for the occasion. There was no doubt that a lot of kicking and screaming had taken place to get her to look like that, but Applejack was grateful she had stuck with it. On the other side from her friends, there were another three chairs, one for Apple Bloom, who had brought the rest of the CMC along, one for Big Mac and another for Granny once her duties were filled. The rest of the location had been decorated with bits of ribbon and streamers, and what appeared to be confetti, no doubt a late addition by Pinkie Pie. On a wide buffet table sat various home baked goods, both from the bouncy baker and her family, with a small cake that had a top adornment that made her chuckle. Two cute, cartoonish pony figurines were nuzzling one another, and like their real world counterparts, the tiny Applejack was almost big enough to fit on the top layer by herself, with tinier Butter on his hind legs to reach her muzzle. Butter really had put a lot of thought into all this and if Applejack was quite honest with herself, it made her very emotional. Her eyes welled up as she strode next to him, casting a shadow on Twilight and the space behind her.

“Everyone, you find yourselves gathered here today to witness the …” Twilight began, only for Butter to cough and lean in to quickly speak with her. “What? But…so you’re not getting-?”

“We are! Sorta.” Butter quickly interrupted before anyone else got the wrong idea. Casting a furtive glance up at Applejack, he said, “Applejack is a little…iffy…on calling it a uh, marriage. This is more of a…partnership?”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

In the crowd, Granny Smith’s surprisingly good hearing picked up the hushed words, and she shook her head again.

“I know, but…” Leaning in further, Butter lowered his voice more to a whisper. “Look, can we just skip the formalities and get the vows done? I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“But I read all sixty-five volumes of Marriages: The Ins and Outs of the Big Day!” Twilight pouted, earning a chuckle from the crowd at her exclamation. Up above, Applejack’s cheeks flushed red and she began to fidget, which was hardly unnoticeable.“Oh, very well. Applejack? Butter said you have the ring?”

The bride nodded, slipping it into her fingers and dropping it down for Butter to pick up. Which he did, being careful not to stretch too much and risk tearing his suit.

“Butter, if you’ll repeat after me…” Twilight cleared her throat. “I give you this ring…”

“I give you this ring.”

“As a symbol…”

“As a symbol.”

“Of the bond we share….”

“Of the bond we share.”

“And how I hope that no matter what may come our way that we remain like this ring, completely unbroken.”

“And how I hope that no matter what may come our way that we remain like this ring, completely unbroken.”

“Like it’ll last a week.” Came a rough sounding voice from the crowd, a bit too loud for many’s taste. “Ow! Geeze Rarity…”

“Hush! Not a word from you missy, or it’s the spa again tomorrow!”

A wave of laughter passed through the crowd, dispelling the mood the bad joke had caused in the couple. Twilight smiled and looked between the bride and groom. “Now, if you’ll place the ring on Applejack, you can kiss your new wife.”

Butter blushed as he hefted the ring up and placed it onto the fourth smallest toe on Applejack’s left foot. Applejack smirked; that was just like Butter. What had seemed like a careful and considerate fashion choice, was also another way of indulging in their mutual enjoyment. Though for the kiss he went a much more traditional route. Resting his palms on her knee, he stood on his tip-toes and puckered up his lips for her. Applejack took a step back before she crouched, bending over and wrapping her hands around his body. Puckering her lips, she sucked in a rush of air and pulled Butter into their embrace, making that traditional kissing sound as the crowd cheered. Butter sighed heavily as he found himself stuck against the two massive, firm walls, almost missing it once they were gone. Finally the pair were together forever and just like any wedding, traditional or not, the party was what came next.

Going well into the night, their reception was a full on affair. Pinkie Pie had done a wonderful job as always, and the cake was especially a smash hit when the couple shared the first bites. Everyone came up to them and congratulated their joining, although every time the word marriage was used, Applejack tried to correct them, only succeeding in confusing. As the hours grew late, they all began to disperse, until only Pinkie Pie and the happy duo remained in the clearing. The party pony busied with cleaning up after another round of congratulations and unseen glances to the married couple. Applejack, knowing her friend would not care for help this time, turned to return home. However a hand on her exposed toes made her halt and look down. There was one final surprise that Butter had yet to reveal, and now was the perfect opportunity. Leading her further beyond the ceremony grounds, he passed into the part of the field that held a few of the younger saplings, just like the one she held aloft still as a bouquet. Waiting a moment for her to plant it alongside its kin, Butter revealed to her his final gift: A home for them both, nestled in the young field nearby.

In secret, and with the help of Applejack’s extended family and Twilight Sparkle herself, Butter had put together a house that would suit them for the future. With a perfectly timed magical reveal, their new abode lit up like a late night celebration in Equestria. Though it appeared mountainous in size, it was all for show. Butter had gotten her family to make the base house; just a simple affair, much like the one that the Apple family themselves lived in but with more modern appliances. Once it had been built, Butter had consulted with Twilight, informing her that their current home was soon to be outgrown and this new home needed to last. After a quick consultation with the other Princesses, it had been agreed that a size altering spell would be cast on this new build, as well as a perception spell to make it less conspicuous. The end result was a house that could house Applejack as long as she remained less than forty feet tall, and to those on the outside, would only appear to be that of a regular home. It even had extra amenities for Butter so that he could get around the place just as easily as Applejack, no matter how far the size difference stretched.

To say that Applejack was taken aback by the whole thing was an understatement. She was overjoyed, and completely at a loss for restraint and totally at the mercy of her emotions. Everything that she had kept pent up inside her all day gushed out of her in a storm of epic proportions. She cried, she laughed, she screamed, she picked up Butter and squeezed him in her death grip. It was perfect; a little home away from home and a proper one at that. No more tiny couches, no more straw bedding, no more banging her head on the roof, or having to duck under doorways. She looked down at Butter as she held him there in her arms, cradling him after her hug. Another kiss smothered his face before she pulled back and let him collapse into the exposed top of her cleavage.

“Sugahcube...ah...ah just don’ know whut t’ say…”

“You don’t have to say anything, dear.” Butter said, his heart hammering as loudly as Applejack’s. Both felt elated at what the term of endearment really meant now to the both of them. “But, if it’s not too much trouble, do you think you could carry me through the archway instead of the other way around? I’m not sure I’d be up for the honeymoon if I tried.”

“Hun, ah don’ think yer leavin’ my arms fer a while.” Applejack replied with a big grin. Tail wagging in tandem with his, the big mare kicked the door open and stepped inside, letting the entrance to their new home swing shut slowly behind her. Home, Sweet Home.