I spent the night with Twilight and Philomena and told them what happened at AJ’s place while we waited for sleep to take us. So, the very next morning I wanted to check up on AJ to see how she was doing. Right after the sun peeked up over the horizon I was on my way to her farm.

Because it was soo early in the morning, almost no one was up and about yet, so the walk through town was very pleasant. The air was cool as the sun painted the sky in its array of yellow and orange. The farm was quiet as I walked through the archway. And when I got close to the farmhouse it was obvious that my fellow humans weren’t out and about either. All was quiet on the farm. But I wasn’t surprised when Big Mac answered the door when I knocked on it.

“Hey, Big Mac, how’s AJ this morning? Did she tell you what happened yesterday?” concern was etched on my face when I asked.

He nodded to me, “She told me. She, Apple Bloom, and I talked about it. We agreed that it was right to support you, but fear what it would be like without her.” I simply acknowledged his fear with a nod of my head. “She has yet to wake up like she normally does. Normally she’s up before I am.”

“Want me to talk to her?” I offered.

He thought for a second before nodding to me and moving to the side, “Yeah, I trust you. See what you can do.” With a sad smile, I walked into the door but stopped to look at him when he spoke again. “I think she likes you and if she decides to pursue a relationship with you then I’d be ok with it.”

“Thanks,” I said to him then made my way upstairs to AJ’s room. I’d figure Granny would normally sleep in as would Apple Bloom. Even if Granny woke up, her room was downstairs and probably wouldn’t know that I was up here. And Apple Bloom wouldn’t mind. I didn’t even knock on the door when I opened it a crack to take a peek in. She was fast asleep under the covers leaving only her head, arms, and shoulders in view. Quietly slipping in I shut the door behind me.

Her face looked soo sad and it looked like she was crying earlier. Her face was showed evidence of it under her eyes. Dried streaks caked her fur. I sat down on the edge of the bed and gently rubbed her head, brushing away some of her hair. She hummed softly, but it was a disturbed hum as if she was having a bad dream. “I’m here, AJ,” I leaned down to whisper into her ear, “I’m here for you.” I thought she mumbled a very soft “Thank you” while she reached out for my hand. Then pulled it under her head to use it as a pillow. She also pulled me in bed with her. Now she was facing me with my arm under her head with me laying next to her. I used my free hand to rub her bare shoulder. When she wiggled close enough to rest against me, I put my arm around her and held her.

While my hand rubbed her back I noticed something. The bedsheet covered her from the chest down. So, I didn’t know that she wasn’t wearing a bra until my hand told me so. It would be interesting to see her reaction when she wakes up. Until then, I simply enjoyed holding her body against mine with my head resting next to hers on the pillow.

A few minutes later she started to arouse herself from her slumber. Her breathing quickened with her eyes starting to flutter open. After one deep breath, she opened her eyes. When she started to panic a little, I put my hand to her cheek, “It’s alright, AJ.” I shushed her quietly, so she would calm down, “It’s alright. I came to check up on you, but you pulled me in bed with you.”

She started blushing heavily. And it was understandable that she was skeptical and it showed on her face. She looked at me with narrowed eyes then looked down at my arm.

“I wanted to see how you were doing this morning,” I said to her, gently rubbing her head. She still looked a little skeptical, but her face softened though. Plus she wasn’t trying to get away either. “I saw how upset you were last night.”

“Um...Fred?”

I stopped her with a finger on her lips. “Nothing sexual this morning. I won’t make any moves on you, alright?” She nodded at me, looking thankful. “I care about you and want to comfort you.”

“Thank you, Fred, but when my brother finds out-”

“I met him at the door,” I chuckled at her, “he knows I’m here. And he told me that if you decide to have a relationship with me then he’d be ok with it.”

That seemed to surprise her. She looked at me with widened eyes appearing not to know what to say. “Fred?” her face softened with her blushing again. She looked cute as she looked down like a nervous school girl. “I’m naked.”

“I didn’t think I felt a bra on you,” I gave her an amused smirk while my hand continued to gently rub her head. “And I’ll tell you something else. I think you look better without your hair ribbon.”

“That’s mighty sweet of you, Fred,” she said, at last, her voice sounding grateful. She even smiled at me with it reaching her eyes. “Checking up on me and all. But I’m naked and I need to get ready for work. So, would you wait downstairs for me please?”

“I would be happy to do so, once you let me go,” I gave her a grin before taking a quick glance down. She was still holding onto my arm.

She blushed heavily once she realized that she was still holding onto my arm. After she let go, I was able to get off the bed and watch her sit up taking the bedsheet with her. She held it to her chest to keep herself covered as her hair came forward framing her face.

“I’ll leave and meet you downstairs after telling you something.”

She blinked at me, curiosity on her face, “What’s that sugarcube?”

“You are looking extremely sexy this morning,” with a wink at her, I turned to leave her room to go back downstairs. The house was still quiet as I sat down on the sofa by the front door and waited for AJ to come down.

While waiting for her, my mind went back to how she felt in my arms. How it felt to rub her bare back or rub her back over the covers anyway. It was more than just nice being with her. While waiting for her my mind tried to think of a way for her, her brother, and Apple Bloom to get Granny to talk to them and perhaps change her mind. I was still lost in thought when AJ came downstairs in her usual tied in the front plaid shirt and Daisy Duke shorts. It was after standing up and picturing her in a swimsuit that gave me an idea. “Want to take a walk with me this morning? I have an idea.”

“Sure,” she agreed and walked out of the house with me. By this time it was early enough that we met the house women as they were talking up. I gave Sandy a little rub on her head making her giggle.

“You have a swimming hole around here anywhere?” I asked her while walking down the main path toward the farm entrance.

“We do, why?” she asked, now curious.

“I thought about some family time around the swimming hole.” The sun was beginning to warm the air as we walked through the farm entrance, making our way toward town. “Maybe some family time will help to convince her not to move out.”

She seemed to think about it as we walked with the morning cool breeze playing with her hair. “It’s a good idea even if Granny doesn’t swim anymore. Spending time together as a family is still a good idea. We’ll take the afternoon off and do that, so for now there are chores that need to be done.”

^_^

I helped with the chores all that morning and even ate with my fellow humans outside. Eating with them gave me the opportunity to update them on my progress. After lunch, Granny was convinced to join the rest of the family, plus me, at the swimming hole. Big Mac was wearing swim trunks, and my surprise when both AJ and Apple Bloom were wearing bikinis, and Granny had on a swimsuit that looked like something from the ’20s. I said it to AJ once early this morning and I’d say it again. She looks damn sexy with her hair loose from that ribbon. I didn’t have any swim trunks, so AJ said for me to just swim in my undies.

It was shortly after we got into the water that she walked up to me. We were floating in the middle of the pond as Big Mac and Apple Bloom were close to shore throwing a beach type ball around close to Granny. Granny laying on a type of beach chair. To talk with her as I suggested. She was blushing deeply plus the ‘embarrassed and I’m upset with you’ look on her face. “Did you have to undress in front of me?” she asked softly enough so only we two heard her.

I gave her an amused chuckle while my eyes roamed over her fit and lithe form. “Why not? Not like I was stripping down completely. You still haven’t seen me yet.” Apple Bloom was a little too young to really fill out her bikini. AJ on the other hand filled hers out very nicely indeed. It was almost fur colored, just a little lighter in color, and had apples on it. And it fits tightly enough to leave nothing to the imagination. With a smirk, I let my body relax and start floating on top of the water just so I could start floating circles around her. She was still upright using her hands to float slash swim.

She responded to me while I leisurely floated behind her. Man, it would be soo easy to grab her bikini top string and yank on it. She’d kill me though. “Fred, that’s not the point,” she reprimanded me as if she was my boss or something. “It doesn’t matter if I saw anything or not. It’s reserved for two ponies who like each other, seeing one another, or married.”

I positioned myself in front of her, floating there looking up to her face with a grin of my own. “Ah, but you said we are seeing each other and I’d be hurt if you said that you didn’t like me. Not to mention I wouldn’t believe it from what I saw this morning.” Man, this was too good. I was having so much fun with her. She’d probably kick my ass for it, but it’d be worth it.

I could almost see the smoke coming out of her ears due to the look on her face. She put her hand to her face with a frustrated groan, “You’re going to hold me to that aren’t you?” She put it down quickly in order to keep herself afloat.

“Maaybe,” drawing out the word with a chuckle, I used a hand to float my body up against her. My arm brushed up against her breasts. To my surprise, she didn’t pull back. Interesting. “You are a beautiful mare, AJ. And now your inside is becoming just a beautiful as your outside. And yes, I’m interested. And with how you said that we are seeing one another now public knowledge, it could keep other stallions away.”

She blushed but still looked upset with me. “While that’s kind of you to say, Fred,” she began before her eyes bored into me again, “I’m not...that is to say I don’t think now’s the time for me to-”

Apple Bloom interrupted her by shouting over to Granny, “Granny, why don’t you come in the water?”

Granny was laying on a lawn type chair on the shore when she replied to Apple Bloom. “For one thing,” she began after lifting her head and glaring at me, “that human is with us.” I waved to her in response to that. “And the other is that I’m just too old and achy to go swimming anymore.”

“Granny?” AJ turned around swimming away from me. “You know darn well that’s not why you don’t swim anymore. It’s because you nearly killed yourself off of that high dive.” I leisurely floated after her while listening. “You said that after you broke a leg in that tank you could hardly even look at the water again.”

Granny’s face scrunched up in thought, “I did?”

“You did,” AJ told her.

Echoed by Big Mac, “Eeyup.”

“What tank?” Apple Bloom asked, now curious. “How would diving into a tank break your leg?”

I lazily began to float over to them while they interrogated Granny.

Granny looked embarrassed. She gave out a sigh with her head low before turning to look at Apple Bloom. “It’s because the tank was too shallow. The water wasn’t deep enough to fully stop my fall. So, there was enough force left to break a leg when they hit bottom.”

I was close enough now to see the disappointed looks on both AJ and Big Mac’s faces. Apple Bloom seemed totally confused.

“But Granny, if the tank was too shallow then why’d you jump in it in the first place?” she asked and I hoped that Granny would do right by her answer.

Granny looked over with a resigned expression and with a soft defeated voice declared, “I guess you could say that I was simply being stupid.”

Seemed like Apple Bloom wouldn’t let that keep her from trying to get Granny back into the water again. “Well, that’s all in the past now, Granny. Just because you made one mistake doesn’t mean you have to keep from swimming.”

She was right. I was happy to float a few feet behind them and watch to see what ultimately happened.

“The one mistake I’ll never make,” her voice changed instantly and glared straight at me, “is trusting humans.” She pointed at me, hatred burning in her eyes, “And especially that one.”

Apple Bloom was the only one to take a glance at me with a mix of puzzlement then remorse over what Granny had just said. “But Granny,” Apple Bloom protested softly, her voice echoing the sadness in her heart at Granny’s hatred, “he’s not evil. And I don’t think that humans are either. Sure, there could be some bad apples. But I know more bad ponies than I do bad humans.”

What was interesting about this, was how both AJ and Big Mac were simply standing there behind AB. As if letting her stand on her own two legs, as it were, regarding her own beliefs.

“It don’t matter if they’re good or bad,” Granny huffed out a very horse-like snort then pointed at me again, “he deserves to be put to work on our farm as a slave. He’s human and that’s all there is to it, whether he’s good or not.”

Little AB practically had tears in her eyes, but when she spoke next it was with conviction. And with a tremble in her voice. “I don’t think that’s right, Granny. We, Crusaders, have talked about it, in and out of school. One creature shouldn’t own another.”

There was a pregnant pause as both young and old stared each other down. Finally, with a soft voice, and hopefully I detected some regret in it, Granny said, “Then I ain’t welcome here, no more.” She stood up, grabbed her robe, that she was laying on, and wrapped it around her. “I’m going to go find out what all that music is about in town,” she announced, with finality in her voice, and then stomped off toward Ponyville central.

^_^

After going back to the house to dry off and redress into our regular clothes, all of us started toward town to catch up with Granny. And to see what all the noise was about. We finally caught up to her inside of a small circus looking tent. Ponies, and people, were starting to pile in because of the music, interested at what was going on. Going through the crowd to get to Granny was a bit of trouble, but after a few apologies we had caught up to her.

“Granny, just what are you doing here?” AJ asked her while standing beside her in the front row. AB had taken her place on the other side of Granny while Big Mac and I chose to stand behind them.

“Why have you followed me?” she asked back, still looking a little peeved at us.

“To make sure you don’t do something foalish,” AJ retorted back as the two of them were getting so close I thought they might start to tussle.

“Foalish? Why I-” Granny got interrupted by multiple ponies shushing her and AJ.

And as if right on cue, that’s when we heard tow male voices start singing from behind the curtain. Which got everypony, and everybody’s, attention. Including mine. They started to sing how happy they were that we all showed up and we wouldn’t be disappointed, yadda yadda yadda.

“Wait a minute,” AJ said just loud enough for us to hear, “I think I know that voice.”

That’s when the two ponies came forward from behind the curtain to stand in front of the music cart. “Why indeed you do, Miss Applejack.” Both of them had light yellow coats with red and white two-toned hair and tails. Both were unicorns and dressed in a get-up that looked like snake oil salesmen wore back in the wild west.

“I thought so,” AJ’s coat was ruffled already just by looking at these two. Obviously they have a history. “Flim and Flam. Why are you two here? This town doesn’t like two no good conponies such as yourselves. We’re onto you now. Especially after you tried to con us out of our farm.”

Con-artists. Figures.

“Why don’t we focus on why we are here and maybe you’ll change your mind?” the one with the red mustache asked her with the biggest fake smile I ever did see.

“Not likely,” AJ snorted at him, crossing her arms under her chest.

That’s when they started with their “presentation of a lifetime” routine. And started to sing about this miracle cure tonic. The whole time I was shaking my head.

“What is it, Fred?” Big Mac asked after seeing my head shake.

“Just that this whole thing is fake, including that so-called tonic,” I softly replied to him with a chuckle. “In the human world, these two con-artists are what we call ‘snake oil salesmen.’ That tonic is probably nothing more than vegetable juice.”

“How do you know?” he asked curiously.

“Because this exact same act was done in the past over two hundred years ago in the human world.” I leaned in with another amused chuckle and tapping his shoulder. “Bet you the whole orchard they’ll bring up a pony from the crowd, that you have never seen before, and supposedly cure him on the spot and he starts dancing.”

He didn’t answer but simply watched as the song went on about how great it was. Then, sure enough, one of them asked for a volunteer from the crowd. And among the few that raised their hands, they picked out an earth stallion with a white coat and gray hair and tail. Wearing jean type overalls no less with two crutches. I shook my head again, tapping Big Mac on the shoulder, and pointing to the pony that was making his way up to them. “I called it, didn’t I?”

The crowd started parting for him as he walked right by us. The brother without the mustache walked up to him with the so-called tonic and had him drink it. He stood there shaking for a few seconds before dramatically throwing down his crutches and started to dance with them.

“Just what’s going on?” AJ nearly shouted over the music.

The brother with the mustache answered, “Why this is the result of this miracle cure tonic that can-”

“CAN’T DO A DAMN THING,” I shouted over everypony, and everyone, that started to applaud those two. It had the effect I desired. The music stopped and startled everypony quiet. “Sorry, AJ didn’t mean to startle you.”

“How dare you, you human slave,” the mustache less brother pointed at me, “go back to your master.”

I stepped forward, gently moving passed AJ, and took their accomplice by the shoulder when he tried sneaking away. “Hold it,” I looked down at him with a knowing smirk, “you’re not going anywhere either.”

“Unhand this newly cured-”

I silenced him with a bright flash of a flame from my hand, “You three are now under an official royal investigation as per my authority as Prince Fred Justice. The son of Princess Celestia and Nephew of Princess Luna.”

As the crowd started to murmur among themselves with questions, the brothers laughed at me. Obviously not knowing who I really was. “You’re not a prince,” the one with the mustache accused.

“Actually, Flam, he really is Princess Celestia’s son,” AJ stepped forward and defended me. Then looked at me directly, “What’s this all about, Fred?”

“I’m glad you asked, AJ. It’s about these two fixing to commit fraud on the whole town of Ponyville with this so-called tonic,” my voice was loud enough that everypony within the tent heard. And started to murmur again, this time a little louder.

“It’s no fraud,” Flim retorted angrily, “everypony here saw what happened.”

“What happened was your partner here,” I shook the cowering pony’s shoulder, “faked being crippled in order for it to look good for your act. An act which you’ve been doing all over Equestria.”

“Actually it’s only been four towns that-” the pony I was holding started to say, but shut up very quickly after realizing what he just had admitted to.

My grin was a wicked one as I looked down at him while Flim and Flam facepalmed themselves. “Why thank you so much for your admission of guilt.” He hung his head in defeat. “And where do you get the vegetables? You steal them as well?” His lack of an answer told me the answer to that question. “Figures. You three are under arrest for theft and fraud.”

“Now hold on there,” it was Granny that spoke up. Her cane pounded against the dirt as she slowly walked up to me and the brother’s accomplice I was holding. “I may not like these two because they tried to steal the farm. But if you,” she shook her finger at me, “are saying that these two are frauds and that there tonic don’t work, then that must mean that it does work.”

She’s nuts. It was so out of the blue insane that it took the words right out of me. It was so out of left field.

“Granny? What kind of sense is that?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I mean that he’s human,” Granny explained loudly while turning toward the crowd. “And we all know that all humans can’t be trusted, so he must be lying. And because we know he’s lying, because he’s human, then that means it must work as they say.”

“Granny? I can’t believe I’m about to say this,” AJ’s voice was soft as she shook her head in disbelief. “But you’ve finally lost your mind.”

Now the crowd didn’t hardly know what to think if the confused murmuring told me anything. I heard some agree and some disagree with what Granny said.

“Are you insane?” I glared down at Granny. “That so-called tonic is nothing but vegetable juice that can’t cure a damn thing. And if you drink that and overexert yourself you could break something.”

“Listen to your elders,” Flam was saying as he stepped forward with his arms wide open as if welcoming the whole group. “He’s human. A slave. He can’t be believed and especially after putting the fear into this newly cured pony.” He even had the gall to offer a bottle to her. “Granny? Will you take this bottle and promote this to the town as our way of apologizing for our previous misunderstanding?”

“I certainly will,” Granny said without hesitation and took the bottle, uncorking it, and taking a few swigs of her own. “I say that this here tonic works,” she announced, holding up the bottle and tossing down her cane. Even going so far as kicking her feet out and jumping up and down. “I feel like a filly again.”

“No you don’t, Granny,” Big Mac’s powerful low voice shot through.

But it was too late apparently, as the crowd pushed forward toward Granny, her bottle, and the brothers. The whole crowd pretty much pushed me, AJ, Big Mac, and AB out of the tent while they fawned over this fake tonic. We watched, through the tent flap side entrance, pony after pony wanting the tonic from those three frauds. And all with Granny’s help.

“I can’t believe it,” AB was the first one to speak up as we watched. “I can’t believe what Granny just did.”

“Nope.”

“Granny singlehandedly convinced nearly all of Ponyville to buy a fake tonic,” AJ whispered in awe of it all.

Finally, I simply shook my head, “Fuck it. I’m going to Twilight’s. You all can come if you want.”

“What are you going to do?” AJ asked me while I was walking away.

“Nothing I can do, AJ,” I stopped and turned back to her. “I can’t stop a whole town from making a mistake. So, I’m going to do the only thing that I can. Contact my mother and tell her to sent help to Ponyville Hospital because there’s about to be a lot more patients.” I started walking away again only to turn back around. “You know, Twilight said to me that she thought that most ponies in the town were crazy. I never thought I’d see the day that proved she’s right.”

“I’ll go with you,” AB said and began following me.

“I need to head back to the farm,” Big Mac said and started walking off toward the farm.

“I think I’ll follow you, Fred,” AJ sighed and started to follow me toward Twilight’s place.

^_^

AJ and AB followed me into the library and at this point it was mid-morning. Twilight was sitting at the desk when we walked in, AB immediately walked up to Twilight. “Oh, Twilight, you won’t believe what just happened,” she pulled up a chair next to Twilight and sat down.

AJ took a seat on the couch by the door, just looking glum as can be. So, I laid down on the couch and put my head in her lap. I thought that if I stayed looking glum like she did maybe she won’t complain.

“What happened, Apple Bloom?” Twilight asked, giving all her attention to AB.

AJ looked down at me, confused, but then let it go after a couple of seconds and simply leaned back. Meanwhile, as AB is describing what happened earlier, I was enjoying the view. As always she’s wearing her plaid top that’s tied in the front. And while looking up, I noticed that her shirt formed around her breasts well enough for me to tell that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Which made me wonder if she was wearing panties? I guessed not because of the way she sleeps.

“What? Granny did that?” Twilight’s face showed complete confusion and shock. “Simply because Fred pointed out that it was fake?” She threw up her hands as if in defeat while looking at me, luckily I turned my head toward her so she wouldn’t see me looking up at AJ’s breasts, “I told you that the ponies in this town are crazy. But I did not expect to be proven right about it.”

“You know I thought the same thing?” I chuckled.

“Is there anything that you can do about it, Twilight?” AB asked hope etched all over her face for Granny’s sake.

Twilight face fell into a somber look as she answered, “I’m sorry Apple Bloom, but there isn’t much that we can do.”

“One thing you can do,” I spoke up as AJ actually put a hand on my head and started gently scratching my head, “is send a letter to my mother. Tell her what happened and for her to send help and supplies to the hospital. Because there’s going to be a lot more patients soon.”

She sighed, but slowly nodded and magically brought over a piece of parchment and a human-looking pen.

“What are you writing with, Twilight?” AB asked while Twilight wrote the letter.

“It’s a style of pen that Fred had described to me,” she explained while writing. “I had it made up as a prototype before approving it for mass production.” She held it up letting us look at it. It was how I described and it looked like a basic Bic pen. “Thanks for describing it to me a while back, Fred,” she gave me a wide thankful smile. “This works way better than quill and ink.”

“You’re welcome,” I waved to her as my eyes began to droop thanks to what AJ was doing to my head.

While AB was looking at the pen, turning it around in her small hands, Twilight got up from the chair, “I’ll have Spike send it.” And made her way over to the steps and up to the second floor.

“How does it work, Fred?” Ab asked, still gazing at the pen.

“It’s simple really,” said as my eyes drooped closed. “The small tube has ink inside of it. It flows down to the tip where a very small and tiny metal ball puts the ink onto the paper as it rolls across it.”

“Oh ok, but what do you do when the pen runs out?” she asked while starting to scribble on a corner of a parchment that Twilight was using for notes.

“Easy. Get another one. Unless of course it was designed so the tip and ink tube can be replaced. But in the human world, they’re simply thrown away and replaced. The ink lasts a long time and they’re usually bought in bulk because they’re so cheap. I suspect that’s what will happen here.”

“Wow! This makes writing so much easier,” AB’s excited voice hit my ears making me smile. All the while AJ was still lightly scratching my head. Slowly putting me to sleep. One of the best feelings in the world is when a guy’s head is in the lap of a girl and she’s gently scratching your head.

“Yes, it does,” Twilight agreed as she walked down the stairs, “and far less messy, plus there’s no waiting for the ink to dry. The letter is sent.”

The library door opened with a swift bang with Rainbow darting in. In her hand was one of the bottles of “tonic” and walked in like it was the best thing in the world. “Look at this,” she practically waved it around in her excitement, “it’s the-”

“Worst thing you could’ve done, Rainbow,” AJ cut her off suddenly with an edge in her voice as she suddenly stood up from the couch. Which got me upset that my perfect pillow suddenly disappeared.

“What?! What do you mean by that? This stuff is great,” Rainbow faced AJ with a shocked look as if she couldn’t believe her ears.

I looked over at Twilight and waved my hand to get her attention.

“No it ain’t, Rainbow,” AJ stepped up to her as if she was about to face off against her in a fight. Then pointed at the bottle in her hand, “That’s fake, Rainbow. How on this world can you buy something from those two...what did you call them, Fred?”

“Con-artists,” I replied while finally getting Twilight’s attention. With a curl of a finger with a wink and a smile, I urged her over to me. It took her a second to figure out what I wanted, but with an amused roll of her eyes, she started walking over.

“Yeah, con-artists,” AJ continued with a snort. “Remember how those two nearly conned us out of the farm?”

“But everypony’s buying it,” she attempted to defend, motioning to the bottle. “And they said-”

“I know what they said, Rainbow,” AJ cut her off again, “I was there. The whole family, plus Fred. That so-called tonic is a fake and won’t do nothin’ for ya.”

While Twilight was walking over, I turned my head toward the two. “Listen, Rainbow. Their act was nothing, but that. An act. And it was soo cliché. That type of act has been used to peddle fake products for hundreds of years in the human world. They even have a stallion pretending to be injured just so that he can come forward and pretend to be healed by it. I’ll bet you that it’s nothing more than vegetable juice.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw, what I thought was Twilight, lift my head up, sat down, and put my head into her lap. But after looking up, I noticed that it wasn’t Twilight. It was Apple Bloom. She giggled cutely and wiggled her fingers at me to say hello with a wide smile. It wasn’t the lap I wanted, but I looked up to her with a smile. Not quite as comfortable as Twilight, but I might as well enjoy it if Twilight wasn’t going to come over here. She didn’t either but returned to her reading at the table.

“Then how come almost the entire town is buying it then?” Rainbow asked, now looking totally confused.

AJ sighed, nearly hanging her head, “Because Granny endorsed it. She’s actually supporting them. And you want to know why?” Rainbow shook her head, now curious. “It’s because she hates humans, Fred especially, so much that she’s willing to blindly follow the same two con-artists that nearly took our farm simply because he pointed out that it's a fake tonic.”

Apple Bloom was wearing her usual get-up of shorts and a basic shirt. And even though she was rubbing my head, it just wasn’t the same. She’s a little bit too young, not filled out like her older sister, and a little too giggly for my liking. Still, a lap is a lap. Even if it vibrates a little from her giggling.

Rainbow whistled softly, her face showed complete disbelief, “Whoa. Never thought she would take it that far.”

“Well, she did,” AJ sighed again, looking down with a somber look.

Rainbow looked down at the bottle, turning it around in her hand, “Then if this is fake, what can we do about it?”

“The only thing we can do,” I spoke up while AB played with my long blond hair, “is what we’ve already done. Asking my mother to send more emergency medical supplies in preparation for the influx of more patients with who knows how many broken bones.”

“Is that really the only thing we can do?” Rainbow asked, looking at each of us in turn with clear worry on her face.

“Unless you know of a way to convince the whole town it’s fake...”

“But, AJ, I could do stunts that I thought were impossible,” Rainbow questioned as the two stared at each other. “If this is fake, then how could I do them?”

I had to laugh at that, interrupting them, then lifted a hand to get their attention. “That’s because you could always do them, Rainbow. It’s what we call mind over matter. All that tonic did was give you the belief that you could. It didn’t give you any manner of enhancements.” Apple Bloom put my arm back down because it was interfering with her doing something to my hair.

“Rainbow’s got a point, Fred,” AJ voice was directed at me, although I couldn’t see her because AB had turned my head toward her. So, the only thing I could see was her belly button. Giving me an urge to blow raspberries against her belly. “How could she do all those things?”

“As I said,” I tried explaining while deciding on whether or not to belly blow her, “Rainbow could always do those things, even repeatedly. She just didn’t think she could. Human doctors have been giving people what they call a placebo for a long time. For example, let’s say someone has a headache, but the doctors don’t have any pain pills. So, what they’ll do is give them a small sugar pill and call it the most powerful headache pill ever created. A short time later, the headache goes away.”

“How’s that possible?”

“Easy, Rainbow. The body can do some amazing things if the mind can be convinced to do so. That doesn’t include jumping into a shallow water-filled pool and not break your legs and or your neck.” I had finally decided to give her a belly blow given the chance. “Therein lies the danger with what those two cons are selling. They’re telling everyone that there broken bones are healed when they’re not. That’s the reason for extra medical help.”

“That makes sense,” Twilight spoke up, sounding like she’s about to give a lecture. “I’ve read books on such methods from medical journals. Not that I’m a nurse, but even in Equestria there are certain aspects of the mind that we can’t comprehend.”

I had my eyes closed while feeling AB tug and pull lightly against my hair. It wasn’t until Twilight finished talking that I heard giggles from Rainbow and AJ. I didn’t think anything of it at first until Twilight started to giggle as well.

“Alright what’s all the giggling about?” I asked, sitting up from AB’s lap.

AB had one long braided strand of hair in one hand. “A ponytail!” she exclaimed happily then put the other hand on her mouth trying to contain the giggles.

I looked at the braid then to AB. After giving her a disarming wide smile then lunged toward her meeting her navel with my lips blowing raspberries into her. She immediately started laughing while trying to pull my head away with my new braided ponytail. It didn’t work and her laughing got contagious with the rest of them laughing as well. It only lasted a couple of minutes before AJ walked up and separated us.

“Alright that’s enough,” she grabbed both of my shoulders and pulled me back up and off the couch forcing AB to let go of my hair. Which gave her a chance to catch her breath. “Thanks for the laugh, but I have to go see what I can do.” She let me go and start heading toward the door. “Come on, Apple Bloom let’s go.”

“Ok,” AB stood up, looked up at me and tugged on my ponytail. “Nice ponytail,” she giggled and skipped off. Leaving just Rainbow, Twilight and I with Spike still upstairs.

“Ok, so what now?” Rainbow wondered aloud with a shrug.

“First thing is to un-braid my hair,” I said now looking at Twilight. “Would you mind?”

Twilight used her magic to un-braid my hair back to normal.

“Thank you. Second thing, is to check on the other girls first to make sure they aren’t falling into the same trap,” I said to them. “First place I’ll check is Fluttershy’s first then Rarity’s. Rainbow would you check up on Harmony and Pinkie?”

“Sure thing,” Rainbow saluted and left with me following close behind.

^_^

My first stop was Fluttershy’s cottage in hopes that she hadn’t believed what those cons were selling. From the outside, everything looked fine. Just the usual small animals doing their thing in her front yard. Nothing looked out of the ordinary as my eyes scanned the front yard while walking through it. And my ears didn’t pick up anything unusual inside either as I walked up to the front door giving it a knock.

Philomena opened up the door, took a second to recognize it was me, then pulled me inside with a happy hug. I returned it, rubbing my cheek against hers then turned her head giving her a kiss on her cheek.

She hummed contently, “My mate.” She was wearing her usual one-piece dress.

“You look good as always, love you,” I kissed her cheek again.

“Thank you, love you,” she replied, put an arm around me, as I turned toward Fluttershy. Who looked like she was taking a break by laying on the couch. Fluttershy waved to us as we walked up to her.

“Taking a break?” I asked. Philomena helped her sit up enough where I could sit down on the couch behind her then lower her head into my lap. Her face showed contentment as she took my hand and placed it on her baby bump.

“Yes, just taking a break,” she hummed, closing her eyes, and rubbing her head against me. “The foal is getting tiresome. I also went to the doctor for a checkup yesterday and I’m starting the third trimester.”

There was room on the couch for Philomena to sit on the other side of me. Where she took my free arm and put it around her before leaning against me. “I guess you won’t be flying in the relay at the games then?”

“Probably not,” her voice showed her disappointment, “even with the pregnancy wrap supporting me.”

“Well, I’ll talk with Rainbow,” still rubbed her baby bump, “perhaps Harmony will think about taking your place?” After taking a look around I didn’t see any bottle around. “You didn’t so happen to buy any of that so-called tonic that Flim and Flam were selling did you?”

She shook her head. Philomena shook her head too when I looked. “I didn’t even know they were in town.”

“Good thing you didn’t because they’re selling this fake tonic that claims to instantly heal, give you strength, and whatnot. And given their history with this town, they wouldn’t have much luck if Granny hadn’t spearheaded their sales.”

Fluttershy’s eyes held complete disbelief in them as she suddenly looked up at me in shock. “What do you mean?”

“I was with, AJ and her family this morning at the swimming hole when Granny walked off. Upset with me being with them again and all. She walked off toward town because of the music. By the time we caught up to her the show had started.” I shook my head in remembrance. “I tried telling them that the whole thing was fake, but it was because I pointed it out that Granny decided to believe them. All because she hates me so much. She won’t even believe me even if it costs her her life. Which it might if she can’t be convinced it’s fake.”

“That’s horrible,” Fluttershy’s face echoed her words, “others will get hurt. And just think of the ponies hoping that it will work. They’ll think it worked and only hurt themselves worse.”

I gave her a nod, “Which is why I asked my mother to send extra medical supplies. Just in case.”

“How you know it was fake?” Philomena asked, curiosity on her face.

“Easy,” I chuckled with another shake of my head, “they’re playing the same trick on you ponies as other humans have done in the human world over and over again over the past few hundred years. Same song, same verse, and same dance. Just different location.”

“What if they knew what it was made from?” Fluttershy suggested. “Would that convince them that it’s fake?”

“Maybe,” I hummed in thought, “that and the news of others making their injuries worse just might do the trick.” My hand around Philomena wanted to explore, so my fingers rubbed up against the side of her breast. “Rainbow bought one,” I continued as Philomena sighed softly in pleasure, “but luckily we were able to convince her it was fake. Right now she’s making sure that Harmony and Pinkie know it. I wanted to check on you two before heading over to Rarity.”

Philomena’s disappointed moan hit my ears before she turned my head to her. “Stay? And pleasure us more?”

I kissed her cheek then looked down at Fluttershy, “Sorry, but I really need to check on Rarity. To make sure that she hasn’t bought into their con. Then I’ll gladly come back and spend time with you lovelies.” I kissed Philomena again, “My beautiful fiery phoenix mate.” Fluttershy had sat up, so I leaned over and kissed her as well, “And my beautiful butterfly with our foal. I’ll return as soon as I can.”

“You better,” Fluttershy’s voice was whisper quiet, but had a fierceness to it.

Then Philomena turned my head toward her and whispered one of her own, “Yes, must come later. Or I come get you.”

“Understood,” I said to them both then got up and started walking toward the door, “when I return, I’m all yours.”

^_^

The bell rang over the door to the boutique as I stepped inside. “Just a minute,” came Rarity’s voice sing-songing its way from her back work area. The sign on the door showed that she was open, but no one else was inside. She was probably working on an order.

“It’s alright, Rarity,” I called out to her while making my way through the showroom and into her back room, “it’s just me. I came to check up on you this morning.” There was a pause while I opened the door and gazed inside. She was currently at her sewing machine sewing away at something. “And make sure you didn’t buy any of that so-called tonic that Flim and Flam have been selling.” She was wearing her basic work dress. Nothing fancy, just a simple one-piece white dress.

“Flim and Flam?” she questioned, raising her head first before turning around to face me. “What are they doing back here again?”

“Fake tonic,” I explained with a light chuckle, “promising to cure anything, give strength, and who knows what else? I take it by your reaction that you haven’t heard they’re even in town, much less bought anything?”

She shook her head, crossing her arms under her breasts making them perk up drawing my eyes to them. “I wouldn’t buy anything from them. Nor would I expect anyone in this town to either.”

I gave her a sad look after a sigh of disappointment, “Unless Granny endorsed them.”

She laughed, “Why would she do that? She nearly lost her farm to those two.”

“I know, but I was with her and the rest of her family when Flim and Flam put on their show. And that’s exactly what it was, a show. They are using the same tactics and tricks that humans have been using for centuries. Even using their helper to fake being injured just so they can cure him with that so-called miracle tonic.”

She snorted like a bull and shook her head, “That sounds like something they would do.”

With a nod I continued, “And they did. I even told everypony there that it was fake, but that’s when Granny decided to endorse them. They offered one to her as a peace offering and she went with it.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide in shock, “But why?”

“Simple,” I shrugged with a sigh, “in her eyes because all humans tell nothing but lies then I must be lying about it. Therefore because I’m human it must be a good tonic.”

One of her eyes started to twitch as her mouth hung open. Little squeaks of disbelief came from her as her mind tried to comprehend what her ears have heard.

“Yeah, I know, hard to believe she actually did that, right? Well she did and now ponies have been buying and drinking that tonic. Ponies with broken bones under the impression that they were instantly healed. And with that thought in their head just think of what they would want to do?”

She just nodded slowly, now understanding what I was getting at. “That’s horrible, even for them.”

“Which is why I’ve already had Twilight write a letter to my mother for extra medical supplies. Because unfortunately, I think we’ll need them.” Her nod was slow though she looked like she was too much in shock to speak. “In any case, Rainbow and I were making sure our friends at least were safe from the tonic. Which, my guess is that it’s nothing more than vegetable juice.” When she didn’t say anything, I decided to head back to Fluttershy’s place. “I’ll let you get back to work, Rarity.” And left her to think and work.

^_^

While walking through the center of town, I saw AJ sitting down on a bench at the water fountain. And she didn’t look that good either. Looks like Fluttershy and Philomena will have to wait. I walked over to her.

“AJ? You alright?” I asked her, sitting down next to her on the bench and put my arm around her. “What happened?”

She didn’t answer at first. Just sat there staring off into the distance with wide eyes that had a blank expression in them. She finally spoke after a few minutes with me sitting next to her. “I think I just made a terrible mistake.”

“Ok, tell me what happened,” I said to her in a soft and soothing friendly voice.

“I found Silver Shill, that’s their accomplice, at their trailer making the stuff,” she stared off into the distance still, her voice sounding as if she just committed a crime. “So, I confronted him about it, but we only exchanged a few words before he ran off. Now knowing what it was made from, I went looking for Flim and Flam. I found them in the tent counting the money they just made.” She paused for a couple of seconds, “And...somehow the conversation got around to me agreeing with them that if they only say that the tonic is to give them courage then it’s ok. The next thing I knew, I was standing before a crowd with them claiming it’s now fully Apple family endorsed.” For the first time since I sat down, she turned her head to look at me. Her eyes were filled with a type of I goofed up horror on her face. “I screwed up, didn’t I?”

I nodded slowly to her, pulling her into a hug. “Yes, but it wasn’t all your fault though. They’re fast talkers and talked you into it. I got a feeling that’s their gift, right?”

She nodded against my chest, taking a sniff. “Yeah. And when they spoke of how Granny is doing things that she’s always been wanting to for years, I was just afraid of taking that away from her.”

“I get the picture,” said softly, trying to encourage her and lift her spirits while rubbing her head. “At the same time, remember what I said about how doctor’s used placebos?” She nodded against my chest again. “It’s only supposed to be doctor’s that do it. Because they realize how dangerous it could get. These brothers are blatantly putting ponies in danger, selling a fake tonic, just for money. Yes, it’s true that you made a mistake, but don’t beat yourself up over it. You fell victim to their sweet-talking just like other people in the human world have done the same for centuries, alright?”

“I think I understand,” her voice was soft, but sounded stronger at least, “but I still stood in front of the crowd and endorsed it.”

“Then...” I let the sentence trail off to steer her into thinking of what to do.

“I’ve got to do something to make it right,” now her voice sounded more determined, more like herself. She lifted herself off my chest with another sniff and a small smile. “Thanks, Fred.”

“You’re welcome,” returned her smile with one of my own.

“AJ,” Rainbow’s voice suddenly called out to us like thunder right before she landed in front of us. The look on her face had me immediately concerned. It was a look that said a catastrophe was about to happen. “You gotta come quick.”

AJ stood up, “What is it? What’s going on?”

“It’s Granny, she’s at the top of this high dive fixing to take a plunge into a small tank of water.”

“Oh land sakes, where is she? We need to stop her.”

“Follow me,” Rainbow started running toward Flim and Flam’s tent. We ran past ponies that were walking toward it over the bridge and stream. My ears picked up parts of the conversation on the way. It seems that Flim and Flam hadn’t wasted time asking Granny to do this grand stunt as a way to promote the tonic. They didn’t waste time in setting it up behind the tent either. We could already hear one of the brothers shouting into the crowd as the tall high dive tower came into view over the top of the tent.

“Come one and come all to see what this marvelous tonic can do for you. We’re not supposed to say that it cures any and all kinds of diseases.” We had to slow down and maneuver through the throng of ponies and people the closer we got. All the while the brothers spouted their rhetoric. “And we’re not supposed to say that it heals broken bones instantly. And we’re not supposed to say that it can give you the confidence that you never thought you had.”

“That’s right, brother,” the other said, “and nothing is good without proof. So, watch Granny Smith perform this dangerous stunt with ease. And all because of our miracle tonic.”

“Oh no, she’s reached the top,” AJ’s voice was loud enough to cut through the crowd. “Are we too late?” We all spotted Granny standing at the top of the diving platform doing some stretches. And if we weren’t fast enough to save her it will be the last stretches she ever does. Rainbow and AJ started to almost push people and ponies our of the way that had surrounded the platform and the small shallow pool. We ignored the complaints and grumbles of some of the ponies as we pressed passed them.

Flim and Flam were standing beside the platform looking up to it. Just as Granny stepped forward.

“GRANNY, NO!” AJ shouted a second before Granny jumped off. “GRANNY!”

“Rainbow!” I urged.

“On it,” Rainbow left her trail behind her as she zoomed off. Meanwhile, I was pressing my way through the last of the ponies to get in front of them. And just in time to see Rainbow miss Granny, failing to catch her as she plunged to her death. AJ shakily and softly called out to her again as Rainbow dived to catch her. But I knew that she wouldn’t catch her in time.

“Move, move,” after pressing past the last of them I used my magic, thrusting my hands out, to catch Granny in my levitation. Or at the very least to slow her down so Rainbow can grab her. “Got her,” said to AJ as my magic took hold of her. But because of her momentum she didn’t immediately stop. However, she did slow down which gave Rainbow what she needed to grab Granny about ten feet from the ground. Of course, not everybody, or everypony, was happy about that outcome. Some boos and complaints were being tossed around by the crowd as AJ and I ran up to them.

“Rainbow, what in Equestria did you do that for?” Granny turned around immediately tapping Rainbow’s chest with a finger.

“She did it so you wouldn’t get hurt, Granny,” AJ defended as she ran up giving Granny an almost bone-crushing hug. “Or worse get yourself killed.”

Granny pulled back, now looking at AJ as if she lost her mind, “What’re you talking about dying? This here tonic has given me the strength of a young filly.” The crowd started to agree with her until AJ shouted out to the contrary.

“No, it hasn’t, Granny. That there tonic ain’t doing a lick of good for nopony or nobody,” AJ even grabbed Granny’s arms and shook her slightly. She looked nail spitting mad for sure. “That there tonic is a fake. It’s nothing more than spiced up apple juice.”

Flim and Flam, looking a little nervous, decided to try and defend their tonic by stepping up to us. “But how can you say that Applejack,” Flim began questioning with a mischievous, and almost evil, smile, “when it was you that endorsed our tonic right after your Granny did?”

“You two sweet-talked me into, you did,” AJ rounded on them giving them a death glare that would kill on the spot. “I saw how that tonic was giving Granny the confidence to do the things that she’s always wanted to. I didn’t want to take that away from her, but tarnation there are just some things that are just too dangerous. That tonic don’t heal bones and it certainly don’t give you any more strength than you normally would have otherwise.” Then she looked at Granny again, “And tarnation there was no way that you could have finished that dive without breaking your neck. And thanks to Fred and Rainbow you’re still alive.”

“Are you saying you lied?” came one voice from the crowd that I didn’t recognize.

AJ looked around at the crowd before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “I guess I did,” she said as the crowd gasped as if in horror of it all.

“Don’t you go putting it all on her,” I shouted out in her defense while gazing around at the crowd. “These two are known con-artists that have sold all of you into buying spiced up apple juice thinking that it will cure anything. It’s what they do, remember?” Walking up, I put an arm around AJ and looked down at her with a smile. “Remember that when you think about judging her.”

“That’s right,” Rainbow echoed as she too came up and put an arm around AJ, “I fell for it too. We all did, but it’s high time we ran these two out of town.”

The crowd started murmuring starting to get louder as that thought made its way through their thick skulls. And it finally started to dawn on the brothers that their time in this town was quickly coming to an end.

“You know, brother, I think there are other towns that we haven’t visited yet,” Flim stammered while backing away from the crowd rather quickly.

Flam was close on his heels, “I wholeheartedly agree, dear brother of mine. It appears that we have run out our welcome.” Then they turned tails and ran off toward their trailer.

One surprise was when their third partner came walking up to AJ. “I’d like to apologize for what I’ve done,” Silver Shill spoke softly while holding a single bit out to her. “For a while, I’ve been thinking all wrong about how I’ve been lying to both people and ponies. That it was ok as long as no pony got hurt. But thanks to you, Applejack, I now know differently. I can’t tell you that I’ll tell the truth all the time, but now I can see how it can harm others. Even kill. I want you to have this. Thank you.”

AJ took it with a grateful smile on her face, “Thanks Silver, that’s mighty nice and I’m glad you’ve seen the error of those ways.”

“I have and now I’ll do business honestly,” he said, shook her hand again, and then started walking off. And with the crowd either running after Flim and Flam or simply disbursed, it left me with just Granny, AJ and Rainbow.

And by the look on Granny’s face, she wasn’t too happy about the outcome. “I can’t believe you would do a thing like that, Applejack. To stop me from-”

“They stopped you from killing yourself, Granny,” AJ rounded on her again. “Why can’t you see that? Why can’t you see that that there tonic is nothing more than spiced up apple juice? If you don’t want to believe, Fred then fine. At least believe me because I saw them make the stuff.”

“And why can’t you see that that there human next to you is a low down no good for nothing-”

“Don’t say it, Granny,” AJ interrupted with figurative fire in her eyes and anger in her voice. “Don’t you dare say it. If it wasn’t for Fred slowing you down, so Rainbow can grab you, you wouldn’t be alive to hate him. So, don’t you dare say anything negative against him.”

Granny squared off against AJ, looking up at her as if wanting to put herself nose to nose with her. Too bad she was just a little too short to do so. “You like this human that much, huh?”

“Yes, I do, Granny,” AJ looked down, firmness etched on her face. “I was wrong about humans and so are you Granny.”

Granny’s horse-like snort was short and loud as she turned around. “Then I ain’t welcome at the farm anymore. That tears it, young lady. I’m moving out to live with Golden Delicious. Hope you can live with yourself when I’m gone.”

While Granny was walking away, as she always did now that she knew that the tonic was fake, AJ was beginning to shake with all the mixed emotions that Granny had induced in her mind. She was obviously angry at her, but tears were also running down her face. Because Granny was leaving. Family is the most important thing for AJ. And like the civil war did in the human world, it was doing so here as well. Breaking families apart. And when Granny was far enough away, AJ turned and softly wept into my chest as Rainbow and I held her.

^_^

We held AJ for a good few minutes before she pulled back and told us that she needed to talk with Big Mac and Apple Bloom as a family about this. Of course, we told her that she wasn’t alone and wanted to know what she wanted us to do. After talking with them and trying to convince Granny not to move out one last time, she would send for us. So, Rainbow flew off to tell the others while I told AJ that I’ll be at Fluttershy’s when she’s ready for me.

“On my, I can see how AJ would be devastated at Granny leaving,” Fluttershy commented softly as she, Philomena, and I lay naked together in her bed. “Family is everything to her. I hope that Granny can be convinced to stay.”

Philomena cooed an agreement.

“I hope so too,” I agreed while rubbing both of them between their wings. Both of them were laying on my chest because I was laying on my back. “However, as I told AJ some time ago, to some hatred is like an old warn in blanket. One gets soo used to wearing it that they don’t want to remove it. Unfortunately, I don’t think Granny will want to remove that old blanket of hatred.” The windows were open, so there was a nice cool breeze blowing through. Which was nice to combat the overall sickening feeling.

“Any injured?” Philomena softly asked, concerned for others.

“Before coming back here, I was able to find out that there were some that got further hurt because of the tonic.” Fluttershy hummed contently as my fingers dug into her coat between her wings, stirring them into a pleasurable flutter. “Don’t know what the fallout is going to be, but I’m guessing that mother might want to bring Flim and Flam in for questioning at the very least. Fining them or charging them at worst. On the upside of things, the added supplies came in before I came here, so at least the hospital is well prepared. Plus with the word now out that the tonic was actually fake, hopefully, there won’t be any further injuries due to the tonic at least.”

Neither said anything at that, just hummed in agreement. Both of them also had their eyes closed as my fingers continued to firmly massage between their wings. As Fluttershy’s fingers gently rubbed and scratched my chest, Philomena used a hand to run down my chest, down my stomach, and gently took my semi-hard member in her hand. She had on a mischievous smile on her face when I looked because she was slowly and lightly stroking me. It was eager or wanting to quickly get me off, but the lethargic and lazy movements of one that wants to take her time. She wanted to enjoy the feeling of my member in her hand. How she affected me. My body instantly responded to her, my member quickly hardening with her ministrations.

And we stayed like that for a while, not sure how long. Nothing eager. Not wanting wild out of control sex. Just wanted to enjoy the feeling of our bodies close together. To enjoy each others presence as close as nature would allow us to be. Philomena’s ministrations on my hard member making my body feel hot. Which only made the feeling of their fur and feathers against my skin tingle that much more. More importantly, I was enjoying their warmth and the feeling of the naked bodies against my own. For a while, nothing outside of this room existed, nor did we care as we kissed, fondled, and held each other.

Until Rainbow’s head suddenly showed up in the window directly across from the bed. My eyes just so happen to be open and looking in that direction, but Fluttershy and Philomena didn’t see her. At first, I wondered how she was able to do that with her arms crossed on the window sill until I remembered, duh she’s a pegasus. At this point, my member was fully aroused and hard with Fluttershy and Philomena taking turns lightly running their hands up and down my shaft. Rainbow was hovering there resting her head on her crossed arms eyeing my hard member hungrily. After another minute of looking she wiggled her eyebrows at me and licks her lips.

She gave me a knowing grin when my member twitched when Fluttershy ran her finger across it. She wasn’t the only one to show up either. Behind her my eyes spotted Harmony hovering behind her. Who had floated up close behind Rainbow to take a good look of her own. Our eyes met and Harmony winked at me.

“You know, we hate to break up how lovely this is,” Rainbow finally spoke up, “but AJ has requested us.”

It startled Fluttershy. She “eep”ed softly and tried using her wing to hide her head under it. Philomena just opened her eyes, smiled at them and after a wave from her, she started stroking my hard member again.

“Especially you Philomena. AJ wants to speak to you specifically after she tells us what happened after she got back home.” Rainbow shrugged when Philomena gave her a disappointed look. “Sorry, ain’t my call.”

“Come on, Fluttershy,” I urged her softly up.

Rainbow stopped me, “Not you, Fred.” That got me looking at her, now confused. “Don’t know why, but she wants to see you later after she talks to us and Philomena. Just obeying orders.”

So, with a shrug, I laid back down on the bed. And watched Philomena and Fluttershy get dressed in front of me as Rainbow and Harmony watched as well. A few minutes later, Fluttershy leaned down and kissed me as she left the room. Philomena leaned down rubbing her cheek against mine before I kissed her cheek before she left. That’s when Rainbow disappeared from the window leaving Harmony there. Only for her to pull Harmony away with, “You too, Harmony. Let’s go.” And Harmony disappeared from view as well, leaving me alone and naked in Fluttershy’s room.

As I laid there wondering what to do, my mind went over the information that AJ wanted to speak to Philomena...privately. It took me a few seconds to realize that there was a good chance that she really wants to be my mare as well. Which would leave only Rarity left. My head spun while thinking of the so-called herd that I was apparently putting together. Further it was fairly normal here because of the stallion to mare ratio. Then I got up, going to the bathroom in order to take a shower so I would be clean and smelling nice for AJ later.

^_^

Sometime later, Fluttershy and Philomena came back to the cottage telling me that AJ wanted to see me at their farmhouse. By this time I had changed back into my clothes, kissed both of them, and left for the farmhouse. The sun was setting as I walked out of town and on the path toward the house. When close enough to the house, the only thing I saw was AJ sitting on the porch swing. And as I got closer it looked like she’d been crying. My heart dropped in my chest for her as I realized that Granny must have actually left and couldn’t be talked out of it.

With a heartfelt sigh, I walked up, sat down beside her on the porch, and put an arm around her. She looked absolutely defeated. After a soft sniff, she leaned into me letting my hand rub her arm.

“She’s really gone, Fred,” she finally said after a few minutes of silence. Her voice sounded just like she looked. Defeated. “I couldn’t talk her out of it. She hates humans so much that she’s willing to break up the family.” She shifted to rest her head on my shoulder and putting her arm through mine, “I didn’t want to believe you that this could happen to the Apple Family. That this issue would rip families apart. But that’s what happened. She left.” Now that she was talking it was like the floodgates had opened up. “I love Granny to death, but right now I’m so mad I could spit nails. She put her hatred for you and other humans over us and the farm. I can’t believe that she actually did that. That she’s really gone and moved out.”

She went silent again for a couple of minutes before she started crying again. Putting my other arm around her, I pulled her into a hug. And held her while she softly cried for Granny.

A little later she pulled back with a sniff and a hiccup, “Sorry I got your shirt wet.”

I kissed her lightly on her forehead after an amused chuckle, “Don’t think anything of it. You really think, after knowing me all this time, that I would get that upset over my shirt getting wet? Whether or not it was by spilled drink or a girl crying?”

That got a short giggle out of her at least. She shook her head, “Nah, you wouldn’t.” Then her eyes met mine. And there was possession in them. Her voice also lowered as did her eyes. “But it does give me a chance to do something.” She stood up then took my hand, “Come with me.”

The look on her face, when she took my hand, told me that this was the reason she wanted to see me. To do something with me. And I had a guess at what it was. What surprised me was where she was leading me. I let her lead me, by the hand, from the front porch, and into the barn. Flashes of what Flutterbat did to me popped into my mind as AJ walked me up to the ladder leading to the loft. With those images going through my mind, my heart started to react along with the emotions that those images generated.

“It’s alright, sugarcube,” AJ’s voice was soft and soothing as she took both of my hands in hers. Looking down at her showed a soft smile with bedroom eyes on her face. “There’s a reason that I brought you here. And there’s a reason why I want to go up into the loft with you.”

A nod and a calming breath from me is all she needed to let go, turn around, and start going up the ladder. After getting up there, what my eyes spotted was a large bed set up in the corner. An actual bed, minus the bed frame, and not hay wrapped in a blanket. The hay was moved to the other side of the loft leaving a nice clean wooden floor for the mattress to rest on. She let me look for a few seconds before stepping up to me, putting both hands on my chest.

When her eyes met mine I could see all the emotions in them that she went through today. She was still hurting from Granny leaving and it showed in her eyes. But there was something else in them. I guessed it was that something else she was fixing to tell me about. “I need you tonight, Fred,” her voice was soft, soothing, and alluring which made my heartbeat for another reason. My hands instinctively gently gripped her waist as my eyes searched hers. And those eyes held a need in them that needed soothing which was of both desire and hurt. “That’s the reason I wanted to speak with Philomena.” She smirked a little, “But you probably already figured that part out. Yes, I want to be part of your herd with the other girls. Philomena has given me permission.”

I smiled at that, letting my hands tell her as much by slowly rubbing up and down each side of her. My fingers felt every curve of her body as each hard curve spoke of years on the farm.

“You have made such a difference in my life, Fred. You’ve shown me what I was doing wrong while being a real friend to me and my family. Even Granny when you chose to save her life in spite of her hatred for you.” Her fingers flexed, lightly scratching my chest as she talked. Then started blushing as her voice lowered a little more like a girl being embarrassed with her crush. “I also remember the dream I had with you. It was really you that made love to me. Remember what I said?”

“That I could stop being gentle,” said to her with a smirk.

Her blush was quite evident as she nodded up at me. “That will come later, but not now...” She closed her eyes, leaned in, and wrapped her arms around me laying her head on my chest. “Right now I need you to be gentle.” Wrapping my arms around her, I started taking off her hair and tail ribbons as she was talking. And I didn’t bother to hide it either. Starting with her hair first. While enjoying the feel of her impressive breasts against my chest, even through her shirt. “Love me, Fred? Love me like Philomena, Fluttershy, Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow.”

Without answering her, I tossed her hair ribbon on the floor beside the bed then reached down for her tail. She didn’t resist or try and move her tail away as my hands reached down and removed the ribbon there as well, throwing it next to the other one. And after making sure her hair was spread out nicely, by running my hands through it, I held her to me. “Then I’ll love you, AJ,” whispered to her while rubbing her back with my hands from her neck down to her tail. “And it won’t be a dream.”

Some may be upset that I had Granny move out over her hatred for humans. I wrote it that way so that readers will understand that the civil war broke families apart just like it did here. The civil war was about ending slavery. One person should never own another because all our equal under the eyes of our creator no matter what the color is. Our creator is not a respecter of persons, but treats everyone equally because we are all his creation. Such is the belief that I live by and in my opinion, of which I have the right to, so should others.