After being rudely forced to fall asleep, I woke up to a pair of sad-but-loving green eyes; they were Applejack's of course. I had missed the "private" conversation between her and Discord, but I correctly guessed that he'd essentially just told her what he told me a week earlier, so I was thus not surprised to wake up and find that I was still the way I am. Not much came of it, just that we have to find out of a way to beat him or else I will be stuck like this forever. At least Applejack knows who it is now, though. After a week of all this dragon stuff, opening my eyes and seeing her so deeply upset was kind of a wake up call to me, especially with the immeasurable care in her expression.

I won't repeat what Applejack already went over, but I'm sure you recall we left off with me and her having a much-needed heart-to-heart. I guess Discord had taunted her with some nasty things, and apparently she was afraid of me getting discovered by Ponyville, and something happening to me. It's a lot on her heart. She shouldn't have to take care of me and our foal. At first all I wanted was to deep fry him, but when she clearly needed me to console her, I shoved my anger aside and comforted her as best I could. That apple pony has a way of bringing out the best in me; at least whenever I see her, it drives me to be the best person I can possibly be. Er, best dragon I can be, now I guess. When I do console her, it's a feeling I just can't describe, an incomparably better feeling then revenge. It's like an opening the door into her beautiful and honest heart, and nourishing it with my own.

When we'd had our moment, and we'd hugged long enough, it was time for some good ol' alone time together, and we could talk to each other just like we always used to. We had to take good advantage of this night, since it could be the last time I get to talk for a while. So I flew over to the woods, gathered some twigs and branches from the trees with my mouth so that together we could set up a campfire by the lake. I also got a large log for her to sit on, I carried that between my front claws. I didn't need one; like this, I'm probably just as tall, if not a little taller, when I'm sitting down then when I'm standing up on all fours.

Emerging from the forest, I spread my wings and glided through the air over the lake to where she was waiting on the other side, and found that she had a circle of stones ready not too far from the water's edge. I touched down and dropped the load of firewood in my mouth into the pit, and placed the log down in front of it for her to sit on. Despite everything that just happened, I was quite excited for the chance to talk together for a long time.

There was a brief moment of silence when all there was left to do was light the fire. I lowered my head to just above the firepit and looked over at her, and tried to give her a little smile, though the only thing she can probably see on me at night are my eyes and my glowing blue stripes. I could see her figure standing there, her beautiful orange coat and blonde mane dimmed by the starry night's darkness, but as usual, her innocent green eyes were like little lights that returned my affectionate stare.

"Watch this," I said, turning my head to the pit. I focused my thoughts intently on my stomach; the only other time I'd successfully tried to breath fire was when I spouted out my whole stomach's worth over the lake the day before. I had to be careful not to draw up too much gas and blast the firepit. I breathed up a small amount (relatively, that is) and the flames lit up the area around us and engulfed the firewood, and just like that, we had a healthy campfire.

"Goll-ee sugarcube," she said. I looked over, and now I could see clearly a smiling Applejack, marveling at my new ability.

"I know. One good thing, right?" I replied, sitting back on my tail in front of the fire and putting my front claws together and relaxing them on my stomach. I was still going to act like a human as much as I could. My mind started to wonder towards thinking about what to do again, and how to deal with our new adversary. "Well, we know he's playing the victim."

"Who? Discord? Boy howdy," she said, rolling her eyes as she came to sit on the log. Something occurred to me right then.

"Hold on a second," I said, looking around. She waited eagerly, and when I'd thought it'd been silent long enough, I came back to looking down at her lowered my voice. "Don't say his name. Remember how he came up? It was almost like he had some kind of way of knowing when his name was said."

"Ya know what? Ah' think yer right," she said, looking down in realization. That was followed by a disappointed sigh. "Ugh, ah'm sorry that ah' wasn't able to think of no way, sugarcube. Ah' was so embarrassed when Discord did that whole head shakin' bit."

"Aw, that wasn't your fault, Applejack," I said, as she brought her front hooves together on her lap and looked up at me with a kind of apologetic face. I hated to see her disappointed in herself, she's the last pony on earth that should be. She's got a lot on her mind, like I said, with me, our foal, and selling apples and other family business. Who knows what Discord does all day, he has time to think about silly ways to think about how to communicate like that. I was disappointed in myself, however. "I'm the one that couldn't think to write in the ground with my claws. I let my frustration get the better of me."

I turned my eyes back to the fire and sighed, though I could see she was still watching me out of the corner of my eye.

"Ah'm a mite proud of you, how you've handled everything," she said, so I turned towards her and said thank you with my expression. I could feel myself getting a little red in the cheeks; making her proud is still my special delight. "Ya know sugarcube, we don't have to talk about Discord right now, do we? Ah' got one more night to hear you talk, there ain't no need to waste that sweet voice on him."

With that I couldn't help but laugh a little bit, and felt I a little tug on my heartstrings. I knew she was right, too.

"Alright then," I said, and looked down at my body. The way I had been sitting - a tall kind of sitting on my tail - they could just barely rest my front claws on my back leg's knees, so I fell forward and let my front legs on to the ground again, but lowered my back ones to the ground instead, so I was leaning up off my front ones; kind of like how Winona sits.

"So how's my little dragon doin'?"

"Eh, he's doing alright," I said, giving her a quick beam. "He's got a lot on his mind. He misses being human, and he misses talking to his wife. But as long as he still gets to be with her, and she's happy, then he's happy too."

She smiled. Applejack smiling is still a wonderful, beautiful sight that I've yet to take for granted. She was so cute the way she was sitting with her front hooves resting on the log in between her back legs.

"Well give me the scoop! What's it really like with them wings? And walkin' on all fours, it's a bit different, ain't it?"

"You have no idea how embarrassed I was when you saw me for the first time. And yeah, it's a little weird. I'm not use to having a tail. Or wings. Or claws," I said, and I raised my right claw and felt two little blue quills or spines that I had at the front of my neck. "And I have this gas in my stomach, that's where my fire comes from," leaning up and pressing my left claw against my belly.

"Oh my," she said, with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll never use it. Outside of entertaining you and Apple Bloom, or Big Macintosh and Granny Smith," I replied, and she chuckled again.

"C'mon, honey, ah' know better than anypony that you ain't gonna be usin' it on nopony 'cept Discord. That's why yer the best one to have it," she said, reaching over and patting me on the shoulder. Her flattery caused my ears to fall down. I'm used to doing that to her, not her doing it to me. I brought my eyes back to the fire and remembered the flight together.

"So was I a good enough flier for you?" I said teasingly, turning my gaze from the fire up to the stars.

"Hmm. Ah' suppose," she said in a sly, playful tone.  

"You suppose?" I said, laughing and looking over her with a raised eyebrow. "I know all I can really do yet is glide, but you were screaming like a little filly back there."

"Must ah' remind you who screams like Apple Bloom when ah' run with him on my back?" she said, giggling. Not much I can say about that.

"Alright. You got me," I said, turning back to the fire. She started to chuckle, and defeat never felt so good. Hmmm... "So, would you like to try that right now?"

"What? Let you ride me?" she replied with amusement, and I shook my head eagerly. "Uh, sugarcube, ah' don't think ah-"

"Oh, so you're saying I'm fat, ok," I said, turning to the fire smugly. I was just playing with her of course.

"You ain't fat, not at all! Yer just - a lot heavier than you used to be, ah' mean gee whiz, you gotta be like thirty five feet long," she said in a voice that was half serious, half playing along, but all kind. I turned my head to her and smiled, letting her I was just kidding. I sensed she knew that anyway given her face when I first said it.

"And all things honest, yer already a mighty good flier, and ah' was havin' more fun up there with you than Pinkie in a candy store," she added. Being with her like this was all I needed to wash away the pain Discord had caused us. It felt so good to be able to talk with her again, it felt like forever since we had. Just the two of us alone under the stars. It was just like the days when we first fell in love.

Just then, I happened to catch the smell of apples off of her as a cool night breeze came through. It's a lovely scent, though it also reminded me we still have a farm to manage.

"So how has the selling been without me? You said you sold nearly three hundred bits today?"

"Eeyup," she declared, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "Sure as sugar did. Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom took over for me. Ah' wonder how they finished out? You know my brother ain't the most aggressive salespony, and Apple Bloom, well she's a little too aggressive. Oh by the way, you wanna help me with the finances tomor- " she paused mid sentence and her excitedness was turned a sad disappointment. "Oh, nevermind."

"I'm sorry," I said, raising my right front claw, staring dryly into the fire as I thought. I missed doing the farm's finances too. Now how was I supposed to help? "I don't think I can hold a pencil very well in these. If you got some paper, I suppose I could ... dip the tip of my claw in ink," I said, raising my huge black claw and swishing it through the air. She began to chuckle, though I didn't notice it at first. "I don't think I'll be much of a banjo player anymore."

She laughed, and as a result, I couldn't help it and I gave in too. When she laughs, it's something you have to hear to fully appreciate how contagious it is, I can't hope to do it justice in a written diary. When we caught our breath, I looked into the campfire (still going strong) and thought about that night that we had the hoedown and how happy I was with her, and a large portion of the Apple family that was there. It didn't make me so happy to think about it now, though, I realized.

"When I was at that hoedown," I heard myself say, "I felt like I really belonged. I felt like a true country boy married to a true country girl. I felt like I was one of you guys. I'll admit it, being a dragon is sorta cool in some ways, I mean flying with you today was awesome, but... I don't know, I just ... When I met you, I wanted to be a farmer more than anything else in the world. But now look at me... I can't picture myself as a farmer anymore. Not like this. I can't bare the thought of not being able to work and help the way I did."

I saw her smile fade as she stared at me out of the corner of my eye with such tenderness. It was like she could feel my pain. That didn't help me at all. Nice going, AJ. Now you got her sad. I know being in love, or simply being friends, for that matter, requires you to share your sorrows, not just your joys. When she's sad, I want to know it more than anything else so I can share it with her, help her, and relieve it as best I can, and I deeply appreciate and admire that she is always looking to do the same, better than me at least. But I still have the most intense hatred of the thought of making her sad.

"Sugarcube," she said, and she scooched over on the log until she could reach out and lift my chin up with her hoof. There were those emerald eyes, the windows into her simple but beautiful soul. "Ah' been tellin' you fer two years now, it don't matter what you look like or what you are. You are one of us. Yer always gonna be one of us. Yer my hubby, ah' am always gonna love you. I know what's behind those eyes. That same cute little human."

I felt myself warming up, and hope replacing all my sadness, but she wasn't done.

"And you're still a farmer, ya know that? Ah'll hook up the plow to ya if ya want!" she said, looking back at my back. That was a heartwarming bit of comfort from her, both what she said about me still being the same, and still being able to help the farm by plowing.  

"Besides, yer still a country boy, just now yer a country dragon!" she proclaimed, and took her hat off and placed it on my head.

"I am?" I said, raising my head in excitement. She began to laugh heartily when she looked at me with the hat on (believe or not, it actually stayed in place since one of the little spikes/quills on the top my head kept it from sliding off). Applejack was right. This kind of talk was just what we needed. Even as a dragon, I can still feel the same magic in my heart that came fourth when he had these kinds of moments before.

My stomach killed the moment though and rumbled, as both of us stared in silence at it.

"Ugh, speaking of fat... I may not look fat, but I sure feel fat when I eat as much I have been eating," I said. I hadn't eaten anything for a few hours, and I was getting pretty hungry again. "Oh," I said, turning my head away with red cheeks. Now I was really embarrassed again, and not the good kind. "I think I may have found out a way to help the farm out. That is, I won't have to eat so many apples anymore."

I could feel her watching me, so I turned my head back and saw her and faced her.

"How's that? You still like apples, dontcha? You were knockin' back whole bushels with nothin'!" she said with care and curiosity. I still liked the taste of apples, but I had a new delectable item in my diet. What made it so much worse was that Discord had actually guessed it. I couldn't deny how good a big raw fish tasted on my new forked tongue.

"No it's not that I don't love apples, I still do, it's just that, I can't eat only apples. I'll run the farm dry in a month! We can sell more apples if I eat - "

"Eat what?"

"Well, let's just say it involves water. Like, lakes and rivers kinda water," I said, turning back away and rolling my eyes.

"Sugarcube, you talkin' about fishies?" she said, giggling. It wasn't a teasing kind of a giggle, more of a "that's cute" kind of giggle. I looked at back her and managed a smile at that kind of giggle.

"Big fish, you know. I caught some throughout the day today in this lake."    

"Aw, well maybe ah'll have to get a fishing pole, and we can come out here and ah'll catch 'em for ya!" she said in the kindest, accent-heavy voice you can imagine. And she was completely serious, too.

I looked up at her adorable smiling face and it was as if nothing, not Discord, nor being a dragon, or anything else in the world could lay a hand on me. I could feel something tremendous stirring inside me, but it wasn't dragon fire or hunger. It was just simply pure love for the mare I looked at, and the infinite expanse of stars above had nothing on it. I've never been more proud to have a crush on such a creature. And to think I'm married to her...  But just stares were not enough.

"I love you so much Applejack," I said contently, and raised my right front leg around her and rubbed the top of my head (including the cowboy hat) against her. She hugged back just as snuggly, and I could feel her happiness. We'd been through a lot in the last hour, and occasionally, the last two years as well, but at least I had her. As long as I live, I will do my best to make sure you know how much you are loved by me. You've earned it.

After I happily released her to return to her woody seat beside me, I returned my eyes to the fire and let my mind go again. My thoughts couldn't seem to think about anything except her. So naturally, they shifted to something else having to do with her. Something very special - most special. I looked over at her and then down at her stomach, and pondered a glorious mystery that I would never have dreamed in a million years before coming to Equestria.

"So... How is it doing?" I whispered. She looked down and looked back up with love and reassurance. I spoke the words that came straight from my heart. "Applejack..." I chuckled, "I'm overwhelmed. I'm - I'm honored beyond anything."    

I hadn't realized it, but I had allowed my right claw to come down to rest on the log just beside her. I was pleasantly moved, then, when she put her hoof on top of it. My mind pictured the three of us together.

"Ah' know sugarcube, ah' am too," she said with a bright, deep smile.  

"You know, we still haven't told your family yet," I remarked, and she briefly looked away with concern.

"Ah' know this may not be the best time, not the kinda way ah' wanted to at least, but ah' wish we could tell 'em tonight, while we got ya talkin', but ya think they're asleep already?"

I looked up in thought. I had no idea what time it was. I'd wondered frequently for the last few weeks, especially before the night I became a dragon, how her family might react to the news. I could picture Apple Bloom asking a lot of questions, and maybe a little shock from Big Mac and Granny Smith, but nonetheless excitement and glee to know that the newest member of the Apple family was on his or her way. It all tickled me pink to think about. Hmm. But I wonder how the townsponies will react.

Before I could think any further, my ears picked up a distinct noise from the trees and brush behind us, and as a result I alarmingly  leapt around and positioned myself between Applejack and the trees, and spread my wings and showed my teeth, while watching with defensive fear. Nothing could harm my Applejack.

Now it sounded too large to be a squirrel or some other kind of woodland critter, though it didn't necessarily sound like something overly large either. When there was another rustle, I growled and stepped my four legs forward slowly. Right as I did that is when what made the noise emerged from the trees. Huh?  To my great relief and confusion, it was none other than a big red stallion and a small yellow filly with scared faces, nearly on cue.

"Wait! It's just us!" yelled the little one.  

"Big Macintosh! Apple Bloom! What're ya'll doin' out here?" cried my wife from behind as they walked towards me. I just stood there, still confused.  

"We came lookin' fer ya'll! Duh," said the little sister.

"Eeyup."

Apple Bloom looked at me and immediately planted her hoofs in the ground and started cracking up with high-pitched child laughter as a smile crossed Big Macintosh's face as well.

"Nice hat AJ, you look mighty ferocious," she said, pointing to my forehead. Immediately I blushed; at least the hat covered my falling ear plates.

"Oh. That," I remarked, turning my head away and hooking the hat on my claw and taking it off.

"Hey!" cried Apple Bloom, the smile disappearing from her face. "You can talk!"

"Yep," I replied, giving her a sly grin, before dully remembering it wouldn't last. It also confirmed they hadn't heard any of our conversation. "Though tomorrow morning I guess it's back to large animal noises," I continued, looking away into the hills and rolling my eyes.

"Huh?" they said together.

"Wait a minute, ya'll left Granny Smith alone?" said my wife as she walked up along side of me, so we were all four facing each other, with Big Mac to the left of Apple Bloom. We were standing atop a patch of grass extending from the forest to the lake, which behind, of course, were the hills. I was glad to see them. After all, Applejack and I had gotten our moment alone.

"She's asleep," said the filly, and Applejack sighed, bringing her hoof to her face.

"Eeyup."

"She's gettin' older, ya know, and you can't be leavin' her alone," said my wife. Her siblings ignored her, however.

"How's come ya can talk now?" said Apple Bloom, running up and looking up at me eagerly. Applejack and I turned and looked at each other, before she sighed again.

"Looks like we got some 'splainin' to do. How ya'll feel 'bout joinin' us at the campfire?" she said, and the stallion and filly nodded their heads eagerly. Applejack shot me another look, though this one was much deeper and more penetrating. I felt myself submitting to her; I knew what she was thinking. We had just discussed it. Whatever you wanna do, I told her in my heart. "Too bad Granny Smith ain't here, she's a part of this family too. Wouldn't wanna exclude her, though I also don't wanna wake her up. This is kinda important, though. Aw gosh darnit," she continued with a whinny-snort.

"Well, maybe we can bring her out here. We can have a family campout!" said the little sister. I'm not going to lie, an Apple family campout sounded really nice, even though I was a little nervous about telling them the news. And we'd have to explain everything that happened.

"How do you suppose we do that?" said my wife. Her little sister walked up right underneath my head and looked straight up at me with excitement, to which I rolled my eyes, though I thought it was very cute of her.

"Ah' got a way!"

"Apple Bloom," said her older sister, mildly irritated, "You think Granny's fit to be ridin' dragons?"

"She's healthier than an ox," she said, throwing her hoof out. The idea of flying back to the farm to bring Granny Smith out here was not something I had a problem with. Flying was fun, and I was getting better at it with each minute I did it. It always pleases me to provide Apple Bloom some enjoyment too.

"Ugh, you ok with that sugarcube?" said my wife tenderly, officially giving in.

"I don't mind," I chuckled. I don't pass up chances to bond with my little sister-in-law.

"Yee haw! Oh boy, thank you AJ!" cried Apple Bloom, bouncing up and down in innocent bliss, as Applejack shook her head and rolled her eyes with a grin.

"Alright. But hold on, you'll need somethin' to help ya hold on," said Applejack, galloping back to the fire. She picked up the rope she had brought in her mouth and trotted back. "Havin' already done it, yer gonna like it, ah'll say that," she said as she first started tying one end of the rope around Apple Bloom's stomach.  

"Hey! Ah' was supposed to ride him first," she pouted, to which Big Macintosh I looked at each other and laughed.

When it was my turn, I stood in place and let the lasso champion tie the rope behind my legs and over my back in front of my wings again. I spread and stretched them out, and Apple Bloom abandoned her short temper and went back to being excited as she watched me. The country mare asked me again if it was too tight, which I denied as I handed her hat back.

"He looked mighty cute in it, didn't he?" she said to her brother. Gahh... I giggled and looked away feeling as though I was going to melt, fireproof or not. Big Macintosh laughed, but little Apple Bloom was too excited to pay any attention to anything else.

"Help me up, help me up!" she pleaded with her sister. I lowered my stomach the ground so Applejack could place her on my back with ease. The hyper filly was so light that she hardly felt like anything on my back, almost non-noticeable.

"You ready?" I said, turning my eyes back.

"Yup yup yup, ah'm ready alright. Ah' been waitin' fer this my whole life!" she exclaimed, and I laughed once again.

"Ok then, we'll be right back," I assured my wife and her brother.

"Don't have too much fun now, ya hear? And watch those little spike thingys at the top of his neck there," she said with a friendly chuckle. "Wait!" she galloped up and wrapped her front legs around my neck, and sweet delight filled me as I raised my right leg and leaned into her. She rubbed under my chin with her hoof, and the gates of heaven opened and poured all kinds of treasures on top of me. She leaned over my back and hugged her sister, then removed herself. "Alright, now ya'll can go."

As soon as she was a safe distance, I lumbered my body forward with a jog. Same as her sister, Apple Bloom fell forward and I felt her small front legs holding on as best they could to the back of my neck.

"Whoa!" I heard her call out, though I ignored it and spread my wings and a rush of both wind and thrill came with lift off, as the air pressed upward against my wings. Three smooth flaps and we were fifty feet off the ground, gliding through the night air towards Sweet Apple Acres under a sea of stars; two more, and we passed right over the trees. Flying is fun for me by itself, but Apple Bloom was the real entertainment.

"THIS IS SO FUN!!!"

"Fun? We're just gliding!"

I flapped my wings a few more times and we climbed higher into the night, the moonlit valley coming into view as we sailed towards the farm, which was now directly in front of us only a couple of miles.

"Look! Look! I see the farm!" she shouted from atop my back.

"Yep," I chuckled through the breezy wind.

"Best night ever!" she proclaimed. Dragon or not, I was pleased to give it to her; I had always thought I kind of assumed a big-brother role to her when I married Applejack, at least that's what I've tried to be. I guess you could say she's kind of helped prepared me to be a father, too. Now I had a nasty little idea when I saw we were coming up to the edge of the forest. I angled my wings and body so we descended fast and hard, and Apple Bloom of course loved every second of it, though as we approached the trees, she screamed for dear life.

Just before we hit them, I pulled up and let us shoot out over top of them, leaving the filly on top of me laughing wildly.  Keeping my wings spread, I brought my head forward until I was looking back behind us upside down, and I could see the surge of wind from my wings and body leaving some leaves swirling behind us.

I looked up triumphantly, just as Apple Bloom leaned forward and shouted in my ears.

"We gotta do that again!"

As much as I wanted to, when we came over the southern edge of the orchard, I tilted my wings and body downward again and we began a much smoother descent over the apple trees. When I spotted the farmhouse atop the hill, I floated us down gently and caught the ground with my claws, running forward a few steps and coming to a halt just in front of the front door. In the new silence, I heard Apple Bloom's heavy breathing and wheezing.  

"Alright, go wake her up," I said, bringing my belly to dirt. I felt her sliding off, but instead of falling off completely, she was just dangling awkwardly against my body. Ugh. "Did you forget to untie the rope?"  

"Uh, maybe," she said, embarrassed. I tried to turn my head around; there she was, hanging down against me. Her big sister had really tied that thing tight.  

"Ok, why don't you- just- " I muttered, raising my front left claw up clumsily to try to cut it.

"Ow!" she squeaked.

"Sorry!" I whispered, as I must've nicked her instead. Thankfully I had brought it up really gently, but I still felt bad now. "Are you ok?"

"Uh, well, ah'm bleedin' a little, but it's nothin' bad," she replied.

"Oh gosh I'm sorry!" I cried. Now I felt terrible. I sunk to the ground and covered my face with my claws. I hurt Apple Bloom! My wife's little sister!  

"AJ, it's alright, really, ah' ain't no baby, it's just a scratch. Ah'm glad you didn't raise them faster, or ah' might be two fillies instead of one. Those things 'er sharp!" she said. Her words provided some consolation, but not enough. Stupid Discord, stupid stupid Discord... I stood back up and turned my head around. There were four small trickles of blood near her rump. They weren't bad, but at the time in my worried state, they looked worse to me then they really were.

"Ahh! I'm so sorry Apple Bloom!"

"It ain't bad, AJ! We'll just put a little water on it, wipe it off, and ah'll be fine. What do you think ah' am, a baby?" she said, raising her eyebrow.

"No, no," I said, shaking my head pleadingly.

"Oh, good," she said, with a bright smile before looking down with confusion and then to me for answers. "So uh, now what do we do?"

"Hmm, I wonder if I should just cut it where it comes under my belly," I said out loud.

"Uh, ah' ain't so sure that's a good idea. Ah' can't tie like my sis' can, and ah' don't think Granny Smith can neither."

"So... what do we do then? I can't fit through the door."  

She hung there and thought for a moment, her chin on her hoof. That's when I realized that we probably weren't going inside.

"Uh... ah' got nothin'," she said with a blushing smile. I raised an eyebrow at her for a moment, then started walking over a window. I wondered if maybe she was sleeping on her favorite chair. I walked up to window, and sure enough, though the room was dark I could she was on the other side in her rocking chair beside the stairs, and we could hear her snoring through the glass.

"Here, you better knock on the glass. It might be weird if she wakes up and sees me looking through the window at her," I said, turning my body so she was front and center in the glass.

"Granny Smith!" she whispered, lightly tapping the window with her hoof as she dangled on the side of my body.

"Is she awake?" I said, turning my head around and giving the farm around us a double check. My head was past the window, so I couldn't see inside anymore. It's ok, it's just your granddaughter and the human-turned-dragon that's madly in love with your other granddaughter, I thought to myself. I swooshed my tail around while I waited for Granny Smith to wake up. I could just picture Applejack watching us and admiring our teamwork, and as a result I chuckled.

"Granny Smith!" called Apple Bloom, loud this time. Apparently she had slept through knocking thus far. Sometimes the slightest thing is enough to wake her up, other times you can throw water on her and she doesn't wake.  There was a rumbling sound, and I realized it was my stomach.

"Oh gre- hic!" I hiccuped mid-sentence, and in the process I involuntarily drew up a small amount of gas from my stomach, resulting in a ball of flame. "Oh!" I said apologetically, covering my mouth with one claw. It was just a few feet from the house, too.

"Hey, that did it. She's gettin' up!" said my little sister-in-law, as I whipped my head around and saw her waving in to the window. Before I knew it, the aged green mare was peering through the window at us with utter confusion.

"Hi," I said with an embarrassed grin, and her face only got more confused to hear me speak.

"Hey Granny, wanna go camping with us? AJ can fly us back to Big Mac and Applejack, they got a fire and everything," she exclaimed quickly. Granny Smith disappeared from the window and soon came out the door, so I (we) turned around to face her. She got out and her confusion didn't get any better.

"Feathers on the goat! What in the name of Uncle Apple Strudel is a goin' on here?" she said, pointing to a free-hanging Apple Bloom. Granny has the strongest country accent of all of us. I took a breath to start talking, but the little one beat me to it.

"Ah' forgot to untie the rope," she said sheepishly.

"I flew her here. This was our means of making sure that she didn't fall off," I said, and the filly nodded her head.

"Yer talkin'?" she said, raising an eyebrow.  

"Yep, though not for long. We've got a campfire going south of the orchard, where Applejack and Big Mac are waiting. Her and I will explain everything there. I can fly us there, it's no problem," I said, and waited hopefully. Over the last two years, we've grown closer, her and I have, and less formal. At first I just tried to be as polite as possible, but certainly not fake or insincere.

"Whattya think Granny? Up fer a little Apple family adventure?" said Apple Bloom, unintentionally stretching her legs into me as she spoke.

"What do ah' think, now ya say? Ah' think you got yerselves a deal!" said Granny Smith. I turned my head around and smiled at AB before we both smiled at Granny Smith. I laid down again and let the elder pony help the other one as she struggled to climb back up my body. The filly went to help her grandmother up, but I quickly stood up.

"Oh, um, do you want me to walk over there to the steps? That might be easier," I said with my head around. She shook her head no.

"Sonny, you just lay on right back down, yer Granny Smith appreciates the thought but she's just fine n' dandy, " she said, so without any hesitation, I did exactly what she said and crouched back down to the ground. I turned my head around to make sure she got on smoothly; her granddaughter reached out her hoof and hooked legs, and pulled her grandmother up with all her might. There was what sounded like a crack, and when Granny ended at the top of my back, her eyes popped out as though she was in pain.

"You alright?" Apple Bloom and I said together. Granny's expression soon turned into a smile.

"Alright? Ah' think it's back in place now," she said, referring to whatever bone we heard. Granny Smith wrapped her front legs around Apple Bloom and held on tight. It was cute to have grandmother and her other granddaughter on top of me.

"You ready? Hold on tight," I said, and the two of them grinned at me as the filly embraced her granny's legs. "Here we go!"

I ran forward, since running still makes for a smoother take off, and spread my wings. I tilted them up and with a slow flap, off we lifted into the moonlit sky.

"Hotdiggedy!" cried Granny Smith, as her granddaughter cackled and laughed. I took us higher into the night, the valley coming into view again, but not too high; just high enough to be over the trees with a nice cushion. I let my wings do all the work, catching air beneath their massive leathery material and leading us safely along through the sky. I was relaxed but focused; I had two passengers now, both of them beloved kin to wife and me. Just like her, I wouldn't dare let anything happen to them.

"Look! Lookie there," said the old mare.

I tuned out all sounds except my own thoughts and the soft breeze in my ears as we approached the south end of the orchard. I let the wind flow off of my face, and even closed my eyes for a second. Immediately I pictured that angelic orange mare, and felt that ever familiar love and care coming fourth from my heart. Well, time to tell them, Applejack. I began to wonder how Granny Smith would react to the news that Applejack was expecting.

I regret to say that I haven't written a whole lot about the grandmother of my wife. Maybe it's because she hasn't played a large role in our adventures thus far, but she is certainly somepony worth mentioning; I have a lot to thank her for, too, for raising the mare that Applejack turned out to be. The mare I fell in love with. After her parents died, Granny Smith took the three pony siblings in as her own. Some might say that she's a bit odd (if not just in her dotage), but I have never viewed her that way. She has always been a character, I grant them, but a thoroughly charming and friendly character, with a whole lot of lovable countryness thrown in. I'm sure it was a bit ... difficult for her when she found out that her granddaughter had secretly married a human. And now this whole dragon thing. She's handled it better than I could ever ask for, and she's become like my own grandma. I owe her a lot, and I couldn't ask for a better great grandmother for my own son or daughter.

Though it wasn't just telling about our foal, unfortunately. We also had to explain the Discord crisis. I was glad to know that he seemed to have little interest in doing anything else to them or me, just threatening to keep me this way forever. He won't lay a claw on them. Not if I have anything to say about it.

I spotted the fire at the edge of the lake in front of us as we glided over the forest, and two small pony figures besides it. I tilted my wings downward and we began our descent. As much of a good time I'd had with them, I was already yearning to be with Applejack again, and I began preparing myself for our warm reunion. I started listening consciously when I felt the pat of a hoof on my shoulder.

"He's one hum-dinger of a good flier, ain't he?" said Granny Smith. I brushed it off, though I was flattered.

"Me? Oh I don't think so, I haven't been doing it long enough. I can glide, that's about it," I said with a big smile unbeknownst to them. Even though I knew what I said was true. I felt as though the closer I was to the Apple family, the closer I was to Applejack, since the family is one. Since Applejack had brought it up, this night I felt like both a country dragon and a member of the Apple family. I brought us down to grass patch softly and caught us with my big claws, once again running a few steps to catch our landing. I cut the rope over my belly with my claw and laid down on the ground for them to get off.

"That was amazing! You gotta try that Big Mac!" cried Apple Bloom, as the big red stallion helped them off, and they talked excitedly about their flight.

Though I wasn't a part of the conversation, I was delighted to have been the source of their adventure, as I stood up and watched them. They were so casual and so giddy the way they talked, yet they had no idea what good and bad news we had for them. They were so much in unison, each one smiling and listening with such interest at what the other had to say. They cared for each other so strongly. I was both excited and nervous to tell them the good news, and somewhat saddened to tell them the bad. But I was admittedly feeling a bit lonely all of the sudden.

It was then that I noticed Applejack wasn't a part of the conversation either. So I turned my head back to look for her, only to find her big green eyes staring me straight in the face, and all the kindness that emanates from them.

"Hello Applejack," I said with a smile, a deep affection pouring up through my eyes. So while Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, and Apple Bloom all tended each other, Applejack and I stayed off together alongside them. She wrapped her pony arms around my head and brought the top of her head to me, and that loneliness took a hike. After only twenty minutes or so of being apart, we were already back to embracing each other where we belonged. We had a long night ahead of us, and an uncertain future, but we had each other. Never before was there a family quite like this. But what a special family it is.