A single candle burns in the gutted remains of the once grand Pear House, now nothing more than the Apple’s sorting barn. Applejack sits next to that candle, waiting for her herdmates and idly passing the time sorting through order forms for the coming week. It helps give her an idea of which orchards to harvest and thus replenish first and which ones she can put off until later.

Or, rare though the case might be, tell to stop growing. It always hurts, having to do that, but sometimes a variety falls out of fashion, and they only need to make so much sauce. She smiles as a thought strikes her. What if Ah have Doug harvest those apples? They don’t regrow like after Big Mac or Ah hit ‘em.

She taps at the table, her excitement demanding some outlet. She wants to find him and put this to the test right away! There’s a couple Fuji rows that one of those apple aficionados wants a crate of right at the start of spring, but then they gotta mix ‘em in at market ‘cause nopony else wants that many. But she wouldn’t interrupt Doug’s night with ‘Shy, no ma’am, even if she’s had no trouble in the past dragging him out of bed for some horn-brained scheme or other.

Her attention turns to her surroundings. The painted walls, with little doodles and carvings of farm life. The windows, shuttered except for the one right by the table the candle is on. The many crates Doug crafted lined up like soldiers awaiting their assignments. Or, if she’s being morbid and thinking about her stallion’s name, caskets waiting to be filled. Applejack ain’t exactly sure why Granny Smith wants all of their apples to come through this building in particular, but she ain’t gonna argue one way or another. It’s centrally located in the orchards, a good road to Ponyville, and it smells like apples. Well, all the barns do that, this one just more’n most. Must be why she likes calling the Mares of Herd Apple to this building.

Oh, and Rainbow Dash got knocked up in here. She might have thought the pegasus would be bothered by the reminder, except every meeting she sits right on that spot with a goofy grin on her muzzle until the second time a cough or other distraction breaks her out.

Speaking of, the chromatic mare pushes the barn door open with a rusty squeak, two flaps of her wings taking her to that exact spot almost in the middle of the room. She lands, spins around once and plops down on her rump, her tail curling around her hind legs. She stares off into space like she forgot anypony else is here.

Applejack is happy enough to let the missed greeting slide. She smirks at the barest bulge in Rainbow Dash’s belly, her seated position making it all the more noticeable. At least if you know the mare and where to look. It’s not as much as hers, but she’s been packing on extra weight like she might hibernate through summer! She snorts at the audacity.

Rainbow Dash glances around for the source of the noise, relaxing as she sees Applejack. “Oh!” she greets cheerily, then yawns. “Sup?”

“Evenin’,” Applejack returns, smiling as Rarity enters the barn. “Welcome.”

“Good evening, Applejack, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity greets as she closes the door behind her, wincing at the rusty squeak. “You didn’t fix that?”

“Bit’a noise never bothered me,” Applejack says with a shrug. “But you’re free t’do what ya want.”

Rarity harrumphs as she joins Rainbow Dash in the center of the barn. She pulls a blanket out from her saddlebags and spreads it under her, then takes out a quill and notebook.

“So, Ah’m sure ya heard,” Applejack starts with a smile, “but Fluttershy’s spendin’ the night with Doug gettin’ acquainted as the newest member of the herd.”

“Took her long enough!” Rainbow Dash jokes, laughing to herself.

“I’m glad she found somepony at all,” Rarity says, the other two mares nodding along. “Well,” she clarifies, “not somepony at all, but you know what I mean. Pegasi can be so concerned with the superficial at times.”

“Superficial?” Rainbow Dash spits out. “Oh, and unicorns aren’t even a little turned off by a pony who only knows how to pick something up and put it back down?”

“Not to the same extent,” Rarity retorts, ignoring Applejack clearing her throat. She growls at Rainbow Dash, leaning her head as if to charge.

“Yeah, well-” Rainbow Dash starts, a hoof pawing at the wooden floor.

“Enough,” Applejack commands, glaring down both of her herdmates. “Ah know you’re both on edge, especially with no news from the Docs, but this ain’t the time. We’re focusin’ on Fluttershy today. Got it?”

“Of course,” Rarity says, a slight nod to Applejack, then a mean look to Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah, I’m glad for ‘Shy,” Rainbow Dash says, pointedly ignoring Rarity. “I thought the only way she’d get in a herd is if I promised to join after I’d left the Bolts!” She chuckles to herself, shaking her head. “Never thought it’d be the other way around.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Applejack commiserates. “Ah never thought Ah’d be happy to have two pegasi in mah herd, much less one.” She glances at Rarity. “And a unicorn for that matter.”

“I could say the same,” Rarity says, her hostility dissipating. “It’s not at all what I imagined it to be.” She looks at Rainbow Dash out of the corner of her eye. “And in other ways, it’s exactly the same.”

Applejack ignores the barb. “What’d’ya think about next week’s schedule, Rares? Do ya think he’ll do two nights with the four of us? And then Ah’m thinkin’ we split mornin’ and evenin’, so we each get him every other day.”

“He might be willing to condense it to one,” Rarity says with a pensive tap of hoof on chin.

“Nah,” Rainbow Dash counters. “He’s gonna be worn out from tonight.”

“Really?” Applejack says, raising an eyebrow. “Ya do realize this is Fluttershy we’re talkin’ about, right?”

“Uh, yeah.” Rainbow Dash nods her head like it’s completely obvious. “She’s, like, super into what she likes. And if Doug is one of those?” She mimes something with both hooves that might have meant something if two mares butting heads is considered foreplay. “She was never into sex before. She didn’t even use a cooler!”

“Is that why you came to me for help?” Rarity asks.

Rainbow Dash shrugs. “Uh, I mean, she’d help, if I asked her, but it always felt super awkward asking when she didn’t want help in return.”

“Didn’t bother ya none when ya came to me,” Applejack retorts.

“Yeah, well, that’s different,” Rainbow Dash says. “Like when I take extra apples after a nap.”

“Ah knew it!” Applejack exclaims, pointing a hoof accusingly. “Big Mac said Ah was imaginin’ it, but Ah knew those trees looked lighter!”

“Hey, I put in the extra effort to make sure your rain is right!” Rainbow Dash huffs as Applejack’s glare continues. “Plus, you’re like a professional when it comes to your hooves. It’s a quick pro go!”

“A what now?” Applejack deadpans, her eyebrow raising again.

“You know. I water your backyard, and you water mine?” Rainbow Dash leans forward to shake her flanks in Applejack’s general direction.

“So help me, if Ah started drinkin’ ‘jack ‘cause of this, Ah’m blamin’ you.” Applejack finds her pointing hoof is still aimed at Rainbow Dash, so she jabs it at her again.

“Relax,” Rainbow Dash says, her hoof firmly pushing Applejack’s foreleg down. “Besides, it’s not like you know Fluttershy like I do.”

“Oh, yeah?” Applejack says, puffing her chest up.

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash returns with a nod. She smirks. “Wanna make it interesting?”

“Mah hat says Fluttershy don’t go more’n twice, and Ah’d be surprised she makes it through one without hidin’.” Applejack nods resolutely.

“I’ll be wearing that hat for a week,” Rainbow Dash says with a smirk. “No way she goes less than six.”

“Six?!” Applejack spits out, flabbergasted.

“It is the ‘shy’ ones,” Rarity says, a faint smile at her own joke. “I would have said four, but they do have all night…” After she trails off she lets her smile grow. “If you’re wrong, Applejack, I’ll make you a new hat.” She eyes the beat up Stetson with a grain of disgust. “And you have to wear it.”

“Mmm,” Applejack says with a shake of her head. She grits her teeth. “Fine. But only as a travelin’ hat. Anytime Ah’m on the farm, Ah’m wearin’ this one.”

“I suppose I can agree to that,” Rarity says, turning to Rainbow Dash. “What sort of apparel would you prefer?”

“I could use a ballcap. Oh, and a matching one for Doug!” Rainbow Dash grins at the thought. “He’s always using his hand to block the sun when he watches me.”

“And if I am right,” Rarity says with a sly grin, “I can always use some models.”

“Ah, pony,” Applejack and Rainbow Dash groan.

*

Spoiled Rich huffs as she joins her stallion and second mare in bed, worn out from another round of mosaic crafting.

“Rough breaks?” Filthy Rich asks, laying a hoof over his mare as she slips next to him.

“He hasn’t put a sliver out of line,” Spoiled Rich spits out.

“I was talking about the foals,” Filthy Rich says, yawning.

“Class is going well, now that we have our focus back. Far too little import was given to Ponyville and the founders.” Spoiled Rich grins as she feels her stallion swell at the compliment.

“Good on Fluttershy, too. I had a soft spot for her.” Filthy Rich snuggles closer to his mare, Silver Set already asleep. “Glad to see her find somepony.”

Spoiled Rich grits her teeth. She isn’t going to say anything too insulting about the mare and her… lack of flying. Some ponies just weren’t born with the same chops as others. “Indeed.”

She finds sleep does not come to her easily, her mind running through the other single mares and who might need prodding to find a more… appropriate herd. And who could be left to their own devices if necessary. She’s comfortable playing the long game, and knows sooner or later he’ll misstep, and she’ll be ready to capitalize.

*

“Joyous news!” Princess Cadance exclaims as she skips into Princess Celestia’s office.

The regal white alicorn meets her with a smile of her own as her papers come to a pause. “Oh? I have some, as well.”

“You won’t believe it! Shi… Wait.” Cadance eyes Celestia closely. “What’s yours?” Her eyes narrow, a bit of her good cheer fading. “The plan for your sister?”

“One of them.” Celestia nods gravely. “Herd Apple accepted a mare not already pregnant with Doug’s foal.”

Cadance’s joyful look falls further. “This course of action... You think they will be old enough by then? Barely mares, just out of their fillyhood…”

“Trained properly? I believe so.” Celestia takes a deep breath. “Even if we delay a year, they will prevail.”

“I… perhaps delaying is the best course,” Cadance says hesitantly. “After all, if something is wrong with the three foals…” She gulps, not wanting to consider the possibility. “And we would need four others?”

“Or two, if we each had a second,” Celestia states evenly.

“And you have two students,” Cadance continues for the elder alicorn, the resulting nod not callous but resigned. She hangs her head. “They would be so young…”

“They would be. But it would be for Equestria,” Celestia says, looking to the evening sky and the white moon, the rocky shadows in the rough shape of an alicorn. She can no longer wield the Elements of Harmony as she once did, and must find six who can if there is to be any hope. “And my sister.”

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