Disaster Trio
Art done by KarmaDash for Captain Unstoppable

“Zapp is doing amazing in all of his classes! He had a bit of a rough start I admit, but he is making so many friends! He is doing a far better job than I ever did! He has even taken on the extra classwork I gave him in stride! You should be so very proud of him Rainbow Dash! He’s an absolute genius!” Twilight Sparkle absolutely gushed, singing the praises of Zapp Apple as if he was her very own son.

She sat on the porch of Sweet Apple Acres with Rainbow Dash and Applejack, the latter rocking back and forth in Granny Smith’s old rocking chair as she rubbed her heavily pregnant stomach. Rainbow Dash on the other hoof was absolutely beaming! Her chest was puffed out in pride and had a smile on her face that Twilight had only seen when she was performing with the Wonderbolts, beating Applejack in a bet, or whenever she saw a mare’s look of disappointment when they realized Big Mac was taken. If there was one thing Rainbow Dash liked talking about more than how awesome she is, it’s how awesome her kids are.

“Of course he’s doing great!” Rainbow Dash declared, brushing off some imaginary dust off her shoulder. “Have you seen how awesome his parents are? The strongest earth pony around and the fastest pegasus ever! Not to mention that his totally amazing mom is an Element of Harmony, Hero of Equestria several times over, and the first pony to perform the hat trick of having a unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony kids in over a hundred years!” She said proudly, fluttering her wings. “All my kids are destined for greatness!”

“Thought yer were wantin’ ta be a one and done mom,” AJ added in, not even bothering to open her eyes. Rainbow Dash just let out a snort at AJ’s comment.

“Things happen,” Dash replied, “But it’s natural to be jealous though. Even with eight kids none of them compare to any of mine” her words were dripping with challenge, ready for some verbal sparring with her long time rival, but AJ just kept rocking back and forth rubbing her belly.

Twilight had to suppress a giggle as Rainbow Dash gave out a huff, seeing that her invitation to argue was denied. Even after all this time and with the two of them becoming mothers they hadn’t changed much from their youth, still competing over the smallest thing. She had to feel slightly bad for their children as they were always being made to compete against one another, especially at the family reunions.

Still, she was blown away with how well Zapp was doing in school and taking on the extra assignments she gave him as her own personal student! He had a few magical mishaps here and there, but for the most part she couldn’t have asked for a better student! Even Celestia was impressed by him, and much to Twilight’s chagrin, said how much she would have loved to have him as a student as well.

Thinking about that had made Twilight lose focus of what was going on around her. Giving her head a light shake, she turned her attention back to the proud mother of her student, she saw that Rainbow Dash was looking past her, the look of pride gone and now one of mild confusion.

“You are sure he’s an egghead like you, Egghead?” Twilight felt her face color slightly. She was the Element of Magic, an Alicorn, and the Princess of Magic by Celestia’s mane! Yet Rainbow had to keep calling her that.

“A genius, yes,” Twilight stressed the word. “An absolute pleasure to teach! He is so kind and considerate, like his father.” Twilight added a bit of venom to that last word. As much as Zapp did have the confidence and brashness of his mother, he at least gained a bit of Mac’s level headedness and what Twilight has to assume Mac’s love of learning.

“Are you sure about that?” Rainbow asked, finally turning her attention back to Twilight, raising an eyebrow at her.

Twilight really felt her face go red. Zapp was her personal student, a unicorn as gifted as she was, and his own mother was doubting not only his intelligence but that of Twilight’s? Something had to be done!

“Of course! I’d bet my very horn on it! What would make you ever think he wasn’t gifted?”

“Well, if you look behind you, he’s currently trying to plant an apple pie tree with his cousins.

“Soarin Bright Nimbus Junior!” Applejack hollered, making Twilight jump. Looking back at the country mare Twilight was surprised to see that Applejack hadn’t opened her eyes at all, still rubbing her belly as though nothing had happened.

“Ah’ve told ya a thousand times! Ya can’t grow an Apple pie tree!”

“But Ma!” Twilight turned back around and at once felt her heart sink. There was her personal student, her apprentice, the colt she had chosen personally to teach her secrets to… levitating a freshly baked apple pie above an even fresher hole. Standing on either side of him were his cousins Soarin Junior and Spartan Apple.

Junior was practically dancing in place with how excited he was while Spartan was watching. Between the three of them Spartan usually seemed to be the most level headed, but having cousins like these two he rarely was able to talk them out of a plan once they decided on something.

“Zapp said he has figured out the perfect spell for it!”

“I really think I have Aunt AJ!” Zapp said, smiling widely as he did. “Ah’m applying the Weatherwax theory of Morphic fields to change the methodology of a normal apple tree!” Zapp said, which made Twilight groan. Zapp only slipped into his country accent when he was excited about something, and when he got excited about something, it happened.

“The what of the what?” Rainbow asked, tilting her head. “Zapp, I’ve told you a thousand times to speak normally when home”

“Ah’m sorry ma…” Zapp said, a bit of gloom coloring his voice. “But watch!” He said, dropping the pie into the hole. A magenta field of energy appeared over the pile of dirt nearby and filled in the hole. Screwing his eyes shut, Twilight could just make out the silent chant on Zapp’s lips before he struck the freshly filled hole with a blast of magical energy.

At once the ground began to shake as a tree started to sprout out of the ground, growing into a mature apple tree within a matter of seconds. The branches shook as the scent of cinnamon filled the air as, instead of apples, apple pies started to grow from the tree.

Junior’s face was alight as he watched. “Dad! Dad! Dad!” He shouted, “It’s happened! It’s finally happened!” Junior was practically dancing in place, “An apple pie tree!”

“Really?!” From behind the barn Soarin Nimbus senior came flying out, his green eyes just as wide as his son’s. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!” He shouted, coming closer to the tree of his dreams, before coming to a complete halt. “After my wife of course! Who is the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria!” He said, turning to the porch, smiling wide at his wife, who still had her eyes closed. “I love you darling!”

“Good save Sugarcube” AJ said, opening one eye to look at the tree. “Gotta admit, it’s lastin’ longer than Ah’d reckon” she said.

“Ah told you Aunt AJ! Ah really got it dow—” a shriek of horror came out of two very identical throats and Zapp didn’t even need to turn to know what had happened.

Like most of his failed experiments, it hadn’t just failed, it was now on fire. He groaned as he could already hear the flap of wings as his mother, Spartan, and presumably his other cousin Storm Wrangler took to the sky to grab some clouds to help put the fire out.

He felt a large hoof rest on his shoulder, and didn’t have to look up to see who it was.

“Mighty impressive”

“Eeyup…”

“Though… a bit… flammable…”

“Eeyup…”

“Still, Ah’m proud of ya” those words at least warmed his heart, almost as warm as the fire coming from the burning apple pie tree.

“Thanks Pa” Zapp said, looking into the stoic face of his father, then turning his attention to the burning tree.

Twilight could only watch in amazement and horror as Rainbow Dash, Spartan and Storm Wrangler returned with clouds to help put the burning blaze out. The father and son pie loving duo looked onward with crushed hopes as the pies on the tree blacken with the heat, all the while AJ rocked back and forth in her chair as though nothing had happened at all. Twilight could only shake her head as her own horn started to glow as she prepared to lend a helping hoof.

It was just a normal day on Sweet Apple Acres with the Disaster Trio about.

–

Nothing is more important to an Apple than family, the only thing that comes close (besides apples) is friendship. So when an Apple’s best friends are his cousins it is a friendship that can weather any storm and overcome any difficulty…

Even if wiser heads think letting the three stallions stick together is a terrible idea.

Zapp, Spartan and Junior have been inseparable since birth as they were all born very closely to one another (Blame pegasus competitiveness). While growing up on the farm it was common to see the three together, and if they were not together you can be sure that the other two were closeby. When told of the trio and how much they were like their mothers and aunts the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Mayor Mare didn’t run for reelection, not wanting to deal with this new generation of chaos.