Cherry Joy sighed as she looked down at the simple salad in front of her. She'd never really had to worry about money, but she'd never had a lot of it. She and her children had never had to go hungry, and she kept the kids a tthe orphanage fed, even though lately it had been mostly empty. Most of the children in town had been adopted, which made her happy. However, the finances were growing thin. The fact that there weren't many children in need of adoption meant less income for her.

So as she sat there, idly poking at her salad, her thoughts returned to her last conversation with Filthy Rich.

Cherry and Rich were eating together at a restaurant down town. The conversation had been light, with a bit of laughter here and there. Then, a bit of awkward silence. Cherry felt that her partner for dinner tonight had something very unsettling to say, and she wasn't far from the truth.

"...Cherry, I need to talk to you about something." Cherry sighed and looked up at Rich. She knew what he was going to say, and she didn't want him to say it."Rich...we've been through this. I like you, I really do like you. I just don't think it'd be good for the kids." Rich continued obstinately, determined to make her see the benefits of his proposal.

"Just hear me me, Cherry." He took a seat closer to Cherry, something that made her feel uncomfortable and warm at the same time. She had to admit to herself that she enjoyed his company. He was a good stallion. He was charming, witty, and he really cared about the situation with their families.

"I really think that merging our familes could help the situation. I'm really worried about River. He's been acting in ways that have me very concerned." Cherry just looked at him like he'd said something very strange. "...What?"

"Who said anything about merging the familes? Rich, you're talking like you want to get married." Rich's cheeks burned as he realized the implications of what he had indeed said. "Oh...Um..." He took in a deep breath to collect his thoughts, then continued. "I apologize, Cherry. The last thing on my mind is scaring you off and ruining what we have.

It's just that...marrying into the family is something that's very traditional and a common occurance in my family. And of course, it hardly ever starts with love. They're often mutually beneficial." Cherry was becomming increasingly uncomfortable with this conversation, and Rich could see that. Still, he pressed on.

"But...It doesn't have to be some cold partnership. It could always lead to something wonderful, close and personal. It...could lead to love. Now, River and Spark may -never- be friends. But at least if they were forced to be in the same room together outside of school, they might learn to be civil. And the future, Cherry, think of their futures...of our future."

Cherry sighed softly and looked at her plate. It was a lavish salad, with all her favorite vegetables. She could get used to this. And Rich wasn't a bad choice. But...would it be selling out? What would Cheerilee think? No...No. This was her life, and she could do with it what she wanted, and Cheerilee would just have to deal with her decisions. It wasn't just about Cherry, she was looking out for all of them, it was her job. And if the richest stallion in town wanted to ask her out, she wasn't selling out, she was accepting a date. There was just one little problem with this situation...

She looked up again at Rich, ready to make her decision. "Well, Rich, you make some good points, and it all sounds very nice." Rich smiled, eagerly awaiting her answer. "...But I'm afraid this is all wrong. It just won't work." Rich visibly deflated a bit. "Oh...I..." Cherry smiled at him, her eyes dancing in the candle light. "You haven't even asked me out yet."

That night, Rich asked Cherry Joy if she would begin a relationship with him, an opportunity for the both of them to get to know each other better and begin to build the foundations of a possible future. Not just for the two of them, but for their families. For now, though, Cherry wanted to keep their relationship a secret. Cheerilee and Spark Storm needed to be prepared for she finally told her children what was likely going to be a shock to them both.

As the seasons changed, so did the ground. It became time to start plowing the fields again, and Spark Storm, as he mentioned, was there to help the Apple family. He went twice a week to help out, something the Apples were most appreciative of. Spark spent his afternoons running about and playing with his friends, occasionally getting into a fight with River and Mint. Pinkie Pie had gotten to know every last one of Spark's friends, and had thrown a party for all of them. It wasn't long before Spark's entire class had become tightly knit, thanks to Pinkie's parties bringing them all together and getting them to interact.

As time went on, Spark grew. His time on the farm was giving him an Earth pony build, though he was still young. By the time his tenth birthday came around, Spark had nearly the same build as Big Mac, though the big red farmer was still much stronger. Spark had changed from a bouncy little colt into a dashing young Pegasus, and he was nearing the age when little colts and fillies started to notice each other.

Cheerilee had gotten older, too. She was well into the age where colts were noticing her more and more. But she was going through a phase. At least, that's what Cherry had often told herself. Cheerilee was rebellious, started wearing eccentric clothing, styled her hair in ways that made her mother pout. But this was nothing, really, compared to the day that Cheerilee discovered that her mother had gone against her wishes and was dating Filthy Rich.

Thus...it begins. This is it, folks! The last few chapters will conclude this arc, and it will blow your minds.