Howdy ya’ll! If you guessed this was your friendly apple farmer Applejack, you’d be right! This ain’t nothin’ new to ya’ll by now, switchin’ back and fourth between me and AJ in this here diary thingy, so I reckon I’ll just get right to it. Well shucks… Ya’ll remember the night we told the family about our news, right? I can’t help but feel a bit bad for them, knowin’ they’ve been dragged into this pickle and all, but we’ve stayed strong as a family. I knew they’d be happy for us, and boy howdy, I gotta admit that sure makes me a lot happier too. Poor AJ, he’s been such a sweetheart with everything, but after we all went to sleep he got a little visit from that varmint Discord.

He's been hangin' in there, alright. I been tryin' to help him as much as I can, and it makes me a mite bit glad to still see him happy around me; I can still see his adorable expressions and feel his happiness in my own heart. That takes us to about two weeks after that night. We - along with the rest of the Apples - have been tryin' to figure out what to do about Discord, see, all the while trying to help each other, keep the farm going and the suspicions down, and (for me and AJ) talk about being a ma and pa. Well... I mostly talk to him, that is; he talks with his eyes and his ears.  I stand by that he's a cute dragon when he ain't mad- his hugs are sweeter than a bowl of sugar, I just snuggle right up against that black belly. Though I must admit I miss hearing his voice, and I feel so bad for him when he's sitting around sad and frustrated.

Dag nabbit, I thought it was hard to leave his side before, now I can barely bring myself to let him out of my eyesight for a second. It's a right heavy haul on my heart as well, not being able to tell anyone about what that feller Discord's planning. I worry about my friends, Ponyville, especially my family. But mostly I just can't bare the sight of him sad. He knows that I don't love him no less now that he's not a human no more, he's just getting used to his new self. I put the plow on him last week and he dragged that thing around the whole field in a jiffy! I think that made him feel like a farmer and a pony, and he was tickled to death when he saw how proud I was of him.

I think deep down he kinda likes being a dragon (alright, I don't think it, I know it) but he's afraid to enjoy himself when I'm not around him. While I appreciate it and think it's cute, I think it's a little silly; he can't control Discord did that to him. I'd rather him just be happy. Shoot, I can't say I ain't ok with it myself; flying is a whole bushel of fun, and I can't help but find him so adorable the way he is. But I think he's a bit torn about raising our little one that way. He got a real reason to be torn there, I don't blame him one bit, and I feel for him. Whatever he is, as long as I got him with me, as long as he and my little one are safe, I'll be alright.

And then there's the whole he-can't-talk bit, of course. And he's too big to fit in the house, we gotta keep him in the barn. He can still write fancy stuff with his claws though! That's why I was walking through town in the middle of the day with my big brother, see. We - well mostly I - were gonna go get some paper and ink for him while he waited down in another water hole south of the farm for me.

I love getting this stuff for him, but it was times like this that I was also the most afraid. I'm walking without my love, my hubby, and I can't tell them nothin' about it lest I risk making Discord angrier than he already is (odd thing is, we didn't hear a peep from him at all these two weeks). Walking through that town, knowing what they don't, seeing all them eyes looking at me. Small town like this, everypony knows everypony, too. I must say I'm thankful Big Macintosh is awful protective of me when he knows AJ can't do it himself. You best believe I can take myself too, seein' as I take care of all of them. But sometimes I can use the extra help.

"Alright, big brother. Ah'm headin' in to the shop, you waitin' here?" I said as we stood out front. This little store ain't too far from Quills and Sofas, of course you remember my encounter with the owner of that store two weeks before.  

"Eenope," he said, shaking his head in that low voice of his. I was little embarrassed, to be honest. Walkin' through the streets is one thing, going in there and gettin' some paper is another.

"Ah' think ah' can manage goin' in there and gettin' some paper for AJ," I said with an eye roll.

"I'll be comin' with ya," he replied.

"Alrighty then," I sighed. I fell some eyes on us from the streets, so I did my best to ignore them. I'm sure they were wonderin' what the hay happened to my AJ, but I couldn't do nothing about, couldn't tell them or nothing thanks to you-know-who. I also didn't want them to know about AJ since that would embarrass the poor boy something terrible, not to mention freak all of 'em out. So we walked through the shop's front door side by side. It's a humble little shop with a shelf on the wall with a bunch of paper and ink and stuff, and behind the counter there's a fancy light blue stallion with a black mane slicker than a chased grease hog.

"Howdy. We'll take six roles of parchment and three thingys of ink there," I said, sticking my muzzle through my saddlebag for some bits.

"That'll be ten bits," he said with wondering eyebrow, minding my brother. Just as I dropped the money on the counter, we heard a familiar friendly voice from the other side of the store.

"Hello Applejack!" said Cheerilee, standing next to the shelf and going through some paper for herself. "Hi, Sugarbear," she said with a smile at my brother.

"Howdy Pumpkin Pie," he replied, and seein' their lovey dovey really made me wish my hubby was there. She looked with care at us as we joined her by the shelf of supplies, clearly a little nervous or uneasy; it was plain to see she was wondering about AJ and a little worried, but still friendly, just like she's always been.

"Gettin' some paper for yerself there Cheerilee?" I said, to which she nodded with a smile.

"Yep!" she said with a sunny face, before looking a mite bit more concerned. "Is everything ok with AJ? I haven't seen him in three weeks," she asked, swaying a hoof along the floor. I felt my heart take a trip down south at the question. It's no picnic for me, having to answer to stuff like that.

"He's doin' alright," I sighed. He's hangin' in there. "About to go see him here in a second, just gettin' some paper to take to him," I said with a chuckle as my brother raised his eyebrow at me. We can trust that flower of a mare, and I actually did think of giving her a clue of some sort that we's in trouble, but I just couldn't figure out the right way of doing it. I didn't want her to go tellin' somebody else, word gets out, and Discord finds out. Or worse, the town finds AJ. I also didn't want to tell her somethin' without consulting with the family first.

"Oh wonderful, at least it's good to hear he's doing ok," she said, visibly a little relieved, looking at my brother. She came back to me and for a moment her eyes came to rest a tad awkwardly on my mid section, and she looked a little longer than I think either of us would've liked before she looked up, super surprised. "I'm sorry, Applejack," she said with the most embarrassed laugh you ever heard, with some mighty curious eyes, almost apologizing for herself. Before she kept going... "Say, you look a little... "

I felt my own heart rate skip a beat as I looked to Big Macintosh for an answer, then back down at my belly.

"Are you- oh I'm sorry, just forget it," she said, embarrassed.  

"Am I that big already?" I said out loud. Uh oh... Big Macintosh's eyes got big and he looked to me in surprise. I let it slip, alright. We looked nervously at each other, with me blushing something awful before coming back to her. I guess it wasn't the most ideal way of havin' it known. Cheerilee smiled and giggled with shock, and I can't say it wasn't mighty tickling for me.

"Congratulations!" she whispered, trying to keep quiet. I smiled at blushingly at her, giggling a little bit myself. It felt sweet to hear it from a friendly pony like Cheerilee, though I was bit surprised and a bit worried that it was apparently visible enough. I looked at Big Macintosh, who was still lookin' a little shocked and surprised. He said he noticed my belly had just gotten a little bit bigger himself, but that it wasn't visible enough for other ponies to be seein' it. Nothin' we could do about it now though.

"Thanks a bunch, Miss Cheerilee," I said, putting my hoof on my heart as it sputtered with love. If only my hubby had been there with me. I took a few deep breaths before I calmed down. We were fine with her knowin', but we weren't ready for the whole town to know, no sir. "Say, you wouldn't mind not tellin' no pony, would ya?" I whispered sheepishly.

"Oh no problem! I'm just happy for you two!" she said, as Big Macintosh bit onto the stuff we needed from the shelf and dropped in my saddle bag. "We're mighty sorry, we wish we could talk more, but we gotta get goin' here. But thanks so much, Miss Cheerilee! Apple Bloom loves you to death!" I said with a smile.

"See you soon, Big Mac?" she said as we walked away.

"Eeyup," he said, turning his head back with a kinda loverboy expression. I trotted right out the door and turned my head around as he came out behind me.

"Ah' thought you said they wasn't gonna be able to tell!" I cried, as he looked away with embarrassment.

"Just a tiny bit," he muttered.

"Oh, forget it. Cheerilee's a smart one, hopefully she's the only one that notices. Ah' ain't ready for the whole town to be knowin'," I said, bringing my hoof to my chin. If only my husband wasn't a fire-breathing dragon, and Discord wasn't threatening the throne, this would all be been fine and dandy, and just the way I wanted it. Ah' don't wanna be walkin' around like this without him... Suddenly I felt a few not-so-friendly stares and such from ponies walkin' about town. A lot of the ponies trust us, and they care about us, but a lot of other ponies ain't so easily won. Well, so far at least. Though a lot of ponies look a little suspicious of us in some way or another. Thankfully the looks wasn't too bad this day, most ponies were just enjoying the blue skies.

"Come on, let's get goin'. I want to see if ah' can get a fishing pole from Rarity's pa since we couldn't find any in the shops," I said, as Big Macintosh came back to my side. We walked together down the square, his head was high and mighty, lookin' around over my shoulder to protect me from any unwanted questioners, and I was just walkin' along with my head down, wantin' to be reunited with AJ. I was used to walkin' through the town with a big 'ol smile on my face, and my special someone standing right beside me. I saw the mayor lookin' over at us out of the corner of her eye, probably wonderin' about us. I'd been tellin' them the same thing for three weeks, some form of the truth without the crucial details.

"Still no AJ," I heard some pony whisper above the crowd's bustle. Just keep goin' Applejack, just keep goin'.

"They're hiding something," said another whisper. A lot of ponies were raisin' an eyebrow at me, and I could see some of them whisperin' amongst themselves, especially the younger stallions like Cherry Cola, Lucky Clover, Dumbbell (he goes by Billy sometimes too, don't ask me). If only ya'll knew... I knew we couldn't be doin' this much longer. We spent the evenings thinking long and hard about what to do, but we couldn't decide on nothing.

I took a deep sigh as I put my mind in front of me and lifted my legs on forward. All I could think about walking over to Rarity's was how much miss having him walk beside me through town and being met with all kinds of love. I remembered when me and AJ first got discovered after he saved me from that jealous pegasus Dumbbell. We were walkin' through town together, comforting each other- the human and the earth pony- gettin' all kinds of looks, but at least he was there with me. Then, over the last two years, it all settled down, and the ponies of this town came to love the two of us again. I thought they'd be ready for a foal between the two of us, but now...

We walked a little further on the dirt road comin' up on Rarity's house, I lifted my head up a little higher. I heard his voice in my heart. Applejack... It was just one word mind you. But after not hearing it for two whole weeks, and only one night in the last three, it was a special gift. I felt sorry for letting it get to me like that. Who am ah' kidding? Ah' don't give a darn about what those ponies think. Ah' love my hubby, and ah' love my foal. And ah' love my family. Long as I got them, nothin' else matters. C'mon, Applejack. Be strong now. It wasn't enough to make me forget about Discord, and the rest of the problems we have, but it was enough to give me some strength till I got back out to him.

Well, we walked along right up to Rarity's house without too much trouble. They've got a lot a little water hole right out in front of their yard, and Rarity's pa fishes out there sometimes. As for me, I just wanted to borrow it so I could catch a few fish for AJ like I promised him. I walked right up and banged on the door with my hoof, and stood back with my brother. Just the pony I was lookin' for answered the door, the white stallion with his big straw hat and funny blue shirt.

"Howdy there, partner! How's it goin'?" I said, as he smiled. He's a mighty carefree pony; he just smiled back like nothing was up.

"Hi Applejack, Hi Big Macintosh! Haven't seen you guys since that hoedown last month! Where's your husband? You guys been gettin' along ok?"

"Oh yeah, we're closer than ever! He's just got a new look and he ain't so comfortable lettin' every pony see him with it yet," I said, rolling my eyes with a smile. It wasn't a lie! Rarity's daddy just laughed and shrugged it off.

"Ah, just let Rarity do what she can with him! She loves that kind of thing you know," he said with a chuckle. I couldn't help but chuckle myself.

"Uh," I said, looking over at my brother.  

"What can I do for ya?" he said, and it saved me from turning to molasses. Phew!

"Ah' was just wonderin' if ah' could borrow a fishing pole? Or better yet, buy one off ya'll," I said friendlily. Rarity's dad disappeared faster than two shakes of a sheep's tale, leaving me and my brother looking strange at each other. Wasn't half a minute later he came back with a fishing pole all ready to go in his mouth, with a hook and everything.

"Here ya go! Free of charge, I got a million of 'em back there," he said, as my brother caught it with his own mouth (a different spot, mind you). I looked over at it and I could already see myself reeling in a fish for AJ and giving it to him like a treat to a puppy. I knew he'd love that.

"Are ya sure? That's awful kind of you!" I said, and I meant it to. I was hoping to pay for it, but if he insisted then I wasn't gonna stop him. He just shrugged it off, carefree as usual.

"Oh don't worry about it! You know I've been meaning to take Sweetie Belle fishing, you mind if we come with you?"

At first we didn't say nothin', my brother and me; we just looked at each other kinda uneasy.

"Actually, uh..."

"I'll be right back! Just let me see what she's up to."

As you might reckon, that posed a problem or two, him coming with us, but once again, he was gone quicker than a whip back in his house. My brother and me looked at each other; we knew what to do. We appreciated his kindness, but I wasn't trying to have him or anybody else come with me to see AJ, and I think you know why. We gave one more look inside, and then we took off galloping away, headed back for the farm.

"C'mon, big brother!" I cried, as he passed right on by me. As I ran it occurred to me that I shouldn't be running so fast. I had to be a lot more careful in general, as a matter of fact. I didn't want to do anything to hurt the baby. So I slowed down to a trot, and soon enough Big Macintosh looked back and slowed himself down too. We didn't say nothin' else until we reached the farm, safe and sound from any followers. We came to a halt in front of the house, since it was just me goin' to see AJ.

"Woo! Thanks Big Macintosh," I said as we both panted like dogs. He can be mighty quiet, but he's a great family member he is. He's always lookin' out for us, has been his whole life. He didn't ask for his sister to fall in love with a human, and he didn't ask to be put in this situation with Discord, but he's just a mighty fine big brother, he is. He dropped the fishing pole down into his hoof before I went up him myself to him for a hug.

"Go have fun with him, sis," he said with a loving face. He sure knew what I needed.

"See ya tonight," I said, as he released me from his chest. I reached down to pick up the pole in my mouth but he kept it away from me, so I looked up at him. He had a shameful smile on his face. I reckoned what that was about.

"Ah'll ask him if you can ride him, though ah' don't why ya can't just ask him yerself," I said, rolling my eyes as he got even giddier in the face. I reached down more time to pick up that darn thing, but he still kept it away from me. I looked back up at him bit ornery, but now I could see he wasn't grinning no more.

"Hold on a second now," he said, as he gave me a careful look. Well I reckoned this a bit more serious, so I just stood there and waited for him, eager to hear him. He looked me over good and long before he talked again. He took a deep breath, too, so I knew he wasn't messin' around. Whatever he had to say, it wasn't gonna be good. "We can't be doin' this much longer."

"Yer right," I said with a sad sigh, as I looked out into our farm. I wasn't so scared of what the townsponies might think, it's still just the thought of something happenin' to AJ. What would they do to him? If they could believe us that it's him, they wouldn't do nothin' to him. But how do we do that? I would have to tell him it was Discord, otherwise they wouldn't believe me, but if I do that, then Discord keeps him that way forever.  

"We gotta think of somethin'. We gotta sit down and decide on some kinda plan like tonight 'er tomorrow," he said. I knew he was right, too.

"Yeah, ah' reckon it's only a matter of time before Goatbeard makes his move on the princess," I said. Goatbeard is our secret name for Discord -came up with it myself- seeing as how he has his name enchanted or what not. This was all just so heavy on my heart. Poor Twilight, the pickle she's about to find herself in. If we's gonna win this, we gonna need her help, and probably the rest of the elements. Maybe even the Princess. Meanwhile, AJ stayin' this way forever seems like a real possibility. Poor sugarcube... I hope it's not too hard on him.

"It's not just that," he said, as he placed the fishing pole in my hoof. "Them ponies are talkin' about us over in town, and it ain't all nice talk. They know somethin's up, and they're gonna find him sooner or later. And they're gonna be findin' out about you real soon too if you keep goin' into town. I wouldn't be tellin' AJ 'bout them, how they've been acting lately, 'cause you know he ain't gonna like it," he said. Oh no... don't say that.

"He just wants to protect me," I pleaded.

"I know that, sis, but they don't. They don't know nothin'," he said, and once again I knew he speakin' the truth as I looked back out over the horizon. I let my nose breath in all the fresh country air it could. It was one of the last nice weather days of the season, but I wasn't enjoying it too much. Neither was my brother. He was tellin' it like it is.

"I'm just sayin', sis. There's dragon fire ahead of us. A storm's comin'. Goatbeard. Ponyville. And we are smack in the middle of it."

I wasn't the mare I was used to bein' walking right along through the woods just south of the farm, with both the saddle bag on my back and the fishing pole in my mouth. I could see the tiniest bit of color comin' in on some of the leaves, meaning that the summer be almost over. My gears were turnin' in my head about my hubby and everything that lay ahead of us. I wondered if it was better to just tell the townsponies it was Discord, that way they wouldn't freak out or nothin'. But can you imagine bein' a father and not bein' able to talk in words to your own son? I felt so bad him, my poor sugarcube. I looked up at the light comin' down through the trees and asked the big one. How are we gettin' out of this one? That was the worst part, not bein' able to think of how to deal with it.

Now thankfully this water hole was only about two miles south of the farm (AJ said - er, wrote with his claw - that there's a lot of fish in this one), not like the other that was six, so I didn't have to walk as far. But I made it a lot longer with my bein' so sad, even though I couldn't get there to see him fast enough. It would take a lot to kill a dragon like AJ, but problem is, he wouldn't defend himself unless I was in trouble. He wouldn't breathe fire on nopony that didn't deserve it. Even if the odds were little, little was too much. My foal needs his daddy... Ah' need his daddy. Ah' can live with it all, just don't take him away from me... Making me think of all the wonderful times with him, back at the farm, back at Manehattan, his light blue eyes... watching the stars with him for hours each and every night, the time he helped my little sister with Diamond Tiara, it all made me so happy but so sad at the same time because I couldn't think of him not being there with me.

Stupid Rainbow... if she hadn't insisted he stay back at the farm... it's all her fault. Now looking back on it, I know this was mighty silly of me to think, and in my heart I knew that wasn't the truth. I think that much was clear to me pretty quick, and that anger flipped right back over to feelin' blue instead. Why didn't I just stay beside him that night? My hooves were gettin' heavier with every step. I wanted to protect him with all my heart, but I couldn't put our foal in danger either. He can protect himself, Applejack. He can fly away if he has too...

Finally gettin' to the big opening in the trees I was looking for, where there's grassy hills and such, I came to that there water hole where he was meetin' me. I spotted him right away. He was sleeping like a baby on his belly with his wings folded in on his back and his tail wrapped up around his head, horns, quills, claws and all. There's my husband... He was under a lonely oak tree that's a neighbor to the water, but I wondered if he still stuck out like sore thumb to a pegasus flyin' overhead, seein' as how his whole bottom half and all his shiny black scales was sticking out from under the tree.

Before I ran out to him like a silly filly, I couldn't help to give him a good, long stare as he slept there so innocently. I could see his weariness even when he slept. He's suffered a good deal for me, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He ain't like no other creature I ever saw, not by what he looks like, but how he acts, how his spirit seems to shine despite being the color coal. I just knew deep inside me that there wasn't a drop of regret. Didn't regret marrying him, didn't regret what I had inside me. Never have. Wouldn't trade my life with him for any other. I just love him with all I got, and that ain't even enough. I just want to make him happy, cause heaven knows that's all he's ever made me.

"Wake up sugarcube," I said, laying down in front of him and sticking my face in front of his. His big blue eyes opened up slow at first, but once they got a good look at what was in front of 'em, they were quickly wide and bright but with a hint of shame as a friendly bellow escaped his mouth, and behind him his tail twitched. I reckon we were both a little sad, but so happy to see to each other just the same. The two of us stood right on up, and after that he rubbed me with his short, thick neck and all his smooth, warm scales. "How's my country boy doin', huh?"

He growled happily and pushed at my back with his snout.

"Alright, hold yer horses," I said with a chuckle as I pulled out the new parchment with me teeth and laid it across the grass. "Ya know, you seem to have gotten a tad bigger," I said as I examined his body. He looked surprised and scared at my observation and turned his head back at his body before lifting himself up and feeling his belly with a fearful groan. He wasn't so much fatter, just his body was just a bit thicker all over, strong and lean. I reckon that's because of how much he's been eating. He'd be a strong sucker to kill, no doubt. Ah' just wonder about some of those spears out there. Being a four legger, he didn't stand a whole lot taller than me when I first saw him, but I couldn't really tell; the top of my hat still seemed to come to about his chin or so. I gave one more quick look around; there didn't seem to be nopony out here besides us, and there were a lot of trees and hills around so I figured it was a pretty good spot after all. This little water hole was about a hundred and fifty feet across or so, and I reckoned I'd been here before; this was one of Granny Smith's favorites spots to swim.

AJ propped himself down on his belly and extended his right claw just beside the paper and waited eagerly for me. I let the saddlebag fall to the ground and pulled out a thing of ink with my hoof. I twisted it off with my teeth and laid it right next to him so he could go to town. He dipped the tip of his sickle of a claw into the ink and turned his head sideways as he scribbled across the paper. I looked behind him and his tail was swishing around. Guess I gotta thank Discord some for giving him a tail to be cute with. I looked back up and he was staring at me eagerly with them big blue eyes.

"Doing a lot better now that you're here! How was your day?" it said on the piece of paper. It sure wasn't the handwriting I was used to, but it was good enough for me alright.

"Well ah'd say it just got a lot better too," I said with an honest smile and as much as sweetness as I could give him. There were his blue eyes, all gentle and happy to look in mine, doing wonders for me. He turned his head back to the piece of paper so I laid myself down beside him and put my chin on his idle leg, watching him scribble away with his right one.

"Wanna go for a ride under the stars tonight?" it said, with him turning his face down at me. I could always go for one of those.

"Sure as ah' love you, sweetheart," I said with a chuckle. He cooed with delight before he went back to scribblin'.

"Gonna sleep with me again out in the barn afterword?" it said as he turned to me with a playful smile. I reached my hoof up and scratched the back of his head, and for the first time ever I heard a kinda purr from him. I reckoned he liked it a lot.

"O'course ah' am! Who do ah' look like, Rarity? It's more comfortable out there anyway," I said as he raised his right claw with my scratching. I was it was just as tickling for me watching him as it was for him getting tickled by me. He nuzzled me gently when he'd had enough; kinda funny how I used to be the only one who could do that. His smile left his face when his eyes came to rest on my mid section right then. He stared at it mighty deep, with a lot of wonder in his eyes. They came back proudly to me for a moment, then he turned his head away in shame as a sorrowed bellow escaped his mouth.

"Hey," I said, pushing my head against his chest under his chin, my front legs lying on top of his free one. "Ah' don't want none of that now. Yer gonna make a great father." He stared out at the water for a moment before he came back and sadly rested the bottom of his chin against me. The two of us shared a sad moment together right then, but we took comfort in each other. After a moment, he looked down and gave me a more protective form of his loving gazes. Then he went back to writin' with his claw.

"How were the ponies in town today? Are they getting suspicious?" it read, while his face looked on down with an eagerness about it. Oh, dagnabbit... I felt a little knot in my tummy after reading that one. I was hopin' to heaven he wasn't gonna ask me that. I didn't wanna lie to him of course, but I knew my answer would make sad, or even worse, and that was the last thing this mare wanted. You wanna give me a heartache, give one to him.

"Well," I sighed, "they are gettin' a bit suspicious, ah'm afraid. They know somethin's up," I said, and just like that he had a caring, worried expression, turnin' back to his paper.

"Are they being nice?" it said, as he turned to me for an answer. I was afraid to answer that one.

"A lot of 'em are," I said, with a kinda pleading in my voice. I watched with worry as AJ stared out in front of him, sad at first, but his eyebrows clenched and frightening growl escaped his mouth. When he was angry as a human, rare as it was, well... let's just say his new self is a lot scarier when he's mad with them teeth and everything else. I knew he was just protecting me, but it still ain't what I wanted from him right then. I just wanted him to be happy.

"Are ya hungry?" I said, standing up walking in front of him, puttin' extra encouragement in my voice. He looked at me and his anger disappeared, and he shook his head up and down like Winona waiting for a bone. I couldn't help but chuckle a little knowin' I got him. "Look what I brought," I said, walking over to the fishin' pole and pickin' it up with my hoof. He stood up and cooed with excitement at that. I took out a worm from the bucket in the saddlebag, put the fishhook in my mouth, and brought the worm to the hook.

"Follow me, sugarcube," I said as we gave each other a smile. I was just happy to help him. I carried the pole over to the water as he galloped beside me like a giddy horse. Suddenly he spread his mighty wings and took off into the air, gliding just over the surface of the lake, watching me with a smile. Then, when he was about two hundred feet away from me, he turned and dived right into the water, throwing a big splash up. He'd sure gotten good at this, and I admit it looked awful cool. Few seconds later, out popped his head, lookin' at me with bright eyes and a big ol' catfish stuck between his teeth. He threw that sucker back like it was nothin', smiled at me, took a big breath and went back under as I sat down and threw my line into the water, laughing all the while. It was officially playtime. I figured he was comin' over to me now, so I started watchin' my own bobber so I could catch a fish and give it to him myself. But I was only watching for a few seconds when the most blood curdlin' of all noises came from behind me.

"Hi Applejack!" said the voice of Sweetie Belle.

"HUH?" I screamed as I turned around faster than a jack rabbit in summertime. I nearly dropped the fishin' pole as I hopped up in terror. Trotting right towards me was none other than Rarity's little sister, the young white filly and friend to my little sister, with her daddy whom had just given me this pole not a half hour ago. They were excited to see me, but boy howdy, I was scared outta my wits to see them. I looked back at the lake as my eyes twitched uncontrollably; AJ was still hidden somewhere out there.

"WHAT ARE YA'LL DOIN' HERE?" I cried as my legs wobbled and my belly queezed.

"We followed this river right down out of the city. Didn't know it turned into this little lake here! We were hoping we'd find you," said her father as they ran right up to me and stood across from me. I ain't never had to think quicker in all my life. I kept lookin' back at the water more nervous than a worm in an apple on cider day. What do ah' do?? What do ah' do! As her older sister might've said -Sweetie Belle's, that is- this was the worst possible thing.

"Uh," I stuttered quietly, as I looked back out into the lake. I could see a massive figure swimming just under the surface moving right towards us from about a hundred feet out. It was movin' in quick, too. I turned back to them and cried as desperate as foal as they kept on smilin'.

"But... but... ya'll got a darn pond right in front of yer house!"

Suddenly, they weren't payin' no attention to me. They were watchin' the line whizzing out of my pole, which was still in my hoof.

"You got one there!" said the mustached stallion, pointing to it. My heart was moving so fast I could hardly hear him over it's own beatin'. I just stared at him dumb as an ox, speechless. "Aren't you gonna reel it in?" he asked eagerly. Gotta warn AJ, gotta warn AJ!!

"Go ahead Applejack!" said his daughter. They waited for me to do somethin', but I did nothin' related to that. I just turned around and stared out into the lake, hoping he'd see us and hide. Sweetie Belle's daddy ran up to me and stole my fishing pole, taking it over himself.

"This is a nice one, Applejack! At least a five pounder!" he said, putting his hoof on the reel and cranking it as Sweetie skipped up  beside him. I turned around with the worst gulp in my whole life. They were busy watching the line, I was busy watching the commotion under the surface coming right up to us.

"You two! Uh, look back there!" I said, pointing behind us as a last attempt to do something other than just stand there like darned fool. But they didn't do nothin', they just kept on reelin' in that stupid fish. I froze up, stiff as a barn board. What was AJ gonna do, eat the fish on my line from the water?

"Nice job Applejack!" said the poor cute filly as her pa cranked away. I just stood behind them and braced for it, biting my hoof something awful. AJ disappeared completely under the water as he came within thirty feet of the shoreline. I pulled my hat down over my eyes but lifted it back up at the last second to see it for myself. As Sweetie's father reeled in the fish the last bit and it came flopping out of the water, AJ's head came right out behind it, his toothy mouth open wide as it clamped down on his lunch right in front of them.

What happened next is something I do swear to this day. For two of the most awkward seconds ya'll could ever imagine, there was complete silence between the three of them as the three of them looked in horror at each other, the fish hanging out of AJ's mouth. Only a few moments before, AJ was a scary dragon. Now he was a scaredy dragon as he looked with shock and terror into the two ponies eyes. But let me tell you, they was just as scared of him as he was of them.

"Monster!!!" cried Sweetie's father as he shielded his screaming daughter with his body. AJ roared in fear, and rose himself up out of the water, beating his mighty wings furiously like a hurricane as it blasted water on the lot of us, which only terrified them further. I stood there and beheld it all as the two ponies took of running into the hills and trees as my husband tried to free himself from the water.

After those two had disappeared, he finally emerged on the other shoreline and shook himself off, but by then it was too late. He stared at me in crippling shame, enough to make the most evil creature in all the land feel bad for him. I didn't feel a whole lot different, having let it happen myself. We stood there and looked each other with as much as love as we could muster, soaking wet and sorrowful. At least they were gone.