Hey again! I know what Pinkie says here is a bit of a non sequitur to the previous chapters, but it'll make sense later on.

Chapter 12

Applejack woke up the next morning, ready to face the day. She took a shower, brushed her mane, put her father's Stetson on, and went downstairs to have breakfast.

Big Macintosh was in the kitchen making breakfast while Apple Bloom sat at the table, her bag under her chair. Granny was still asleep, too old to be doing the chores her grandchildren do.

Breakfast was served. Bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns, you name it.

Applejack and Apple Bloom thanked their brother before digging in.

Apple Bloom cleared her plate first, anxious to get to school on time.

"Bye Applejack! Bye Big Mac! I'm off to school!"

"Bye!" Her siblings responded in unison.

Applejack cleared her plate and after thanking Big Mac again, she went outside to start working.

Applejack finished work WAY ahead of schedule, allowing her to go to Sugarcube Corner to make sure the preparations were going smoothly. It was her brother's party, after all.

She arrived, and after greeting the Cakes and playing with their babies, she looked for Pinkie Pie.

After being unsuccessful, she decided to check the party store.

A bell above the door signalled her arrival, not only catching the proprietor's attention, but the Element of Laughter's as well.

"Oh, hi, Applejack! What brings you here?"

The orange pony took her friend outside.

"How're preparations going?"

"Just fine! I invited everypony else, and, as you can tell, we ran out of party favours, so I came here to pick up more!"

"You mind if I take a gander at what you bought?"

Pinkie placed one of her bags down, and she and Applejack grabbed a handle, and gently pulled it open.

The party favours were designed especially for Big Macintosh. They were all green and red, and some even had Big Mac's cutie mark on them.

Applejack was floored. Big Mac was going to LOVE his favours.

"B-but how did you...?"

"The guy running the Joke shop is on the guest list, and he knows it's a surprise, so he delivers the party things to the Corner in discreet boxes. This time, though, he thought it would be safer for me to pick them up myself." Pinkie had paused after boxes to show her friend one of the cake boxes the party things were delivered in.

Applejack was now twice as shocked as she was before. Sure, this explained why the bag looked like one of the ones from the marketplace, but how could Pinkie have such a well thought out plan in place for the party things?! This was a plan she was expecting Twilight to think of.

"You were expecting Twilight to suggest this, weren't you, Applejack?"

The farmer remained silent, too shocked to speak, which the Element of Laughter took as a yes.

"Well, she didn't!" Pinkie singsonged. "I thought of it all by myself! You see, I have ALOT of experience with surprise parties, and I buy the supplies at the same place every time, it all works out PERFECTLY!"

Applejack bid farewell to Pinkie, and set up her apple stand.

Meanwhile, her thoughts drifted. She was daydreaming about Big Mac's birthday and how perfect it was, reminding her that she hadn't got a gift for him yet. The birthday boy had just started opening his presents when she was brought out of her reverie by a blue unicorn stallion using his golden aura to drop some coins on her stand while putting the apples into his saddlebag.

She counted the money, and found it to be exact price.

She put the money in the barrel next to her (She had labeled the one she is using to hide the party things.) and waited for another customer.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie was putting the party favours in a super secret hiding place that not even the Cakes knew of. Partly because it was discovered accidentally. She only uses this spot for surprise party things, and is VERY inconspicuous. Once the party things were hidden, Pinkie manned the counter while the Cakes tended to their children.

Sorry this chapter was so abrupt, couldn't think of anything!