+++
title = "Apple Adventure (BBcode)"
names = ["DCFTEF"]
date = "2016-05-23 14:38:20"
tags = [""]
spankers = ["Granny Smith"]
spankees = ["Big Mac"]
posts = [""]
+++

"Take 'er easy, Mac.  Don't burn the clutch out of it."

   Big MacIntosh was 16 years old and had his learner's permit, so Granny Smith had him out on the road for a driving lesson.  "This ain't no Formel-y One racin' car...she's an old girl, be gentle with her.  Shift slow...think about what's happenin' with the linkage, the shift forks an' the gear dogs while you're doin' it.  Smooth, don't force nuthin'.  Double clutch if ya need to, ain't no shame in it...least not as much as grindin' the gears or missin' a shift.   You'll get better with experience."
  "Eeyup, Granny."
  Granny Smith and Big Mac occupied the front seat of the family's red late-model Ford F-150.  His two younger sisters, who'd come along for the ride, watched proudly from the back seat.  By getting his driver's license their beloved big brother was taking an important step toward adulthood and greater freedom.  Driving was a huge milestone in the journey of any young person.  Throughout his life, from the time he was in short pants, Granny had carefully doled out more privilege and authority to Mac as she felt he was ready for it.  With each new kernel of responsibility he inched closer to being treated as a man.  And with the issuance of his learner's permit the government had recognized MacIntosh's legal readiness to take that critical step toward being a fully fledged adult citizen.  His two younger sisters swelled with pride for him, and in him.
Besides, soon he'd be able to drive them around anywhere they wanted, and that was going to be [i]great[/i]. 

   "There's home, Mac.  A'member to look both ways before crossin' the opposite lane and pull her into the driveway."  Granny was pleased with how he'd done.  If Mac had to take his driving test tomorrow she was confident that he'd pass and she'd have put a safe, careful driver on the road.
   "Should I back in?"
   "One step at a time" Granny told him, "just ease her in nose first and we'll be done fer today."  He pulled the F-150 into the driveway, shut off the ignition and made sure it was in gear.  "Parkin' brake, Mac, don't forget the parkin' brake."
   "Sorry Granny" he replied, pressing down the parking brake pedal with his foot.
   She smiled.  "Ain't nuthin' to apologize fer.  Ya did good.  It's a shame you got to wait so long to take yer test."  Mac rolled his eyes and grinned in resigned frustration.  Canterlot City Department of Motor Vehicles was terribly overloaded...it had been 3 months since MacIntosh's 16th birthday but he still had a month to wait before the soonest available driving test appointment.  At least it had given him the chance to practice plenty with Granny.  "I'm real proud of ya, boy, and yer folks would be too."
   That brought a small tear to Mac's eye.  His sisters leaned forward from the back seat and joined in;  "We are too, Mac!"  "Yeah, we got the best big brother of anyone in school!"
   MacIntosh was not a young man who liked to let his emotions show, but today his self-satisfied smile could not be hidden.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

   A day later Granny was getting ready to leave for her book club.  "I'll be gone fer a few hours.  You girls mind yer brother, he's in charge."
   "And after that it's me, right?" asked Applejack, playfully teasing Apple Bloom a bit.
   Granny saw the annoyed pout on her youngest grand-daughter's face, it was hard being the baby of the family and always being at the bottom of the pecking order.  She knew, having grown up with two older brothers.  She made a joke and threw Bloom a little support;  "Nope.  The Chain of Command goes Granny then MacIntosh...then Winona."  Everyone laughed, even AJ.

   "Have fun...don't get into no mischief" warned Granny, "at least none I'm gonna find out about.  I'll have my phone if ya need me."
   Apple Bloom called to her as she walked out to meet her ride "But Granny, ya forgot the [u]book[/u]!"
   "Oh, don't nobody read the book at Book Club...most times it's just a bunch'a housewives an' grand-mommas getting' together t'gossip and have a few glasses of wine."  Leaving her book behind, Granny went out to meet Cookie Crumbles, who would be driving her to the gathering at Cloudy Quartz's home.

   With Granny gone, Apple Bloom playing upstairs with her dollhouse and Mac watching a re-run of a NASCAR race he'd already seen the house was quiet, so Applejack went upstairs to practice plucking at her bass guitar...a recent gift from Auntie & Uncle Orange.  AJ had gone to stay with her Manhattan relatives for a few months during those terrible, traumatic days after her parents had passed and even when she'd returned to live with Granny they still held a great deal of affection for her.  When the holidays rolled around the gift they sent for Applejack was always a[i] little[/i] bit better than what they sent for Mac & Bloom...but there was never any jealousy.  They both loved their middle sister and were happy when she had nice things.  That was the Apple Family way.

   Unfortunately, playing bass without a band was boring, so Applejack looked for something else to do.  She leaned on her windowsill and sighed, but something caught her eye and it led her to a nefarious plan...
   AJ hurried down stairs, hopped over the back of the couch and plopped down next to her big brother.
   "Don't let Granny see you doin' that, you'll catch hell for jumpin' on the furniture."  It was the only admonishment her 'in charge' brother gave and she ignored it.
   "You bored, Mac?"
   He shrugged.  "I seen this race before."  He offered his sister the remote control.  "You want to watch somethin' else?"  
   She did not.  Applejack had a better idea in mind.  "Nah, I'm bored with TV.  Sure would be nice to head over to the Crystal Galleria and see what's shakin'."

   The palatial Crystal Galleria shopping mall may have seemed like an odd destination for the earthy farm-girl but that would have been making a stereotype.  The only stereotype at play here was the eminently verifiable fact that teenagers liked to hang around in busy places where other teenagers congregated, and the Apple teens were no exception.
   "Sure would be..." answered Mac, not taking his sister's bait.
   "Ya know...Granny left the truck and the keys behind."
   "Eeyup.  She sure did."
   "And she's gonna be gone for at least five hours..."  AJ dangled the suggestion, hoping Mac's boredom would tempt him over to the dark side with her.  "Come on, Mac, tell me what yer thinkin'!  I know you can talk so talk to me!"

   Big MacIntosh shut off the television and turned to face his sister.  "I know what yer suggestin' and it sounds like a good way to catch a lickin' if you ask me!"
   "We won't get caught!"  Applejack assured him, "Granny is gone for 5 hours...if we come back in four, and top the truck off with gas she'll never know a thing."
   With a scowl on his face Mac scolded his sister;  "And what about Apple Bloom?  Did you even think about her?  Are you suggesting we leave her here...all alone...because [u]you[/u] want to go to the mall?"

   "I wanna go too!"
   Apple Bloom popped up from behind the couch.  She had snuck up on them and listened to every word of their conversation.  "And you gotta take me or [i]I'm tellin'[/i]!"
   "We ain't goin' nowhere!" snapped MacIntosh.  "I only got my learner's permit, I gotta have a licensed driver in the truck if I'm legally gonna drive!"
   Both sisters teamed up on him, AJ tugging on his right arm, Bloom on his left.
   "But Granny says you're already a terrific driver!"
   "And we won't go on no busy roads!  Back roads only!"
   "We'll be back before Granny even knows we're gone!"
   "We'll pay for the gas outta our allowance...you're drivin' so you ain't gotta kick in a dime!"
   "And we love you, Mac!  Please?"
   "Yeah, pleeeeeaaaassseeeeee?"

   At her advanced age Granny Smith was immune to an attack of the 'puppydog eyes', but sixteen year old Mac had not developed such a thick skin yet.  He knew how a piece of bread in the toaster felt now; trapped and seared between the red-hot intensity of two begging little sisters...sisters who he would go to nearly any length to make happy.  Plus, he was bored too.  "Well, Granny did say not to get in any mischief...that she'd find out about."  The girls knew her brother's resistance was now toast, all they had to do was butter him up.
   "There ain't no big brother in the world we two sisters would feel safer drivin' us to the mall than you, Big Mac."
   "And we promise to listen to every word you say!  When you decide it's time to leave we won't complain!"

   MacIntosh surrendered.
   "Oh, alright...but we're comin' back in 3 hours, not 4.  I'm not takin' any chances."  He was immediately buried in a 2-way overjoyed sister tackle.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

   It took longer than usual to reach the Crystal Galleria mall.  As they'd agreed Mac stuck to the back roads and avoided traffic whenever possible.  He made every decision cautiously, counting to three at every stop sign, using his turn signal without fail and keeping an eye on his mirrors...both for hazards and police.  No music on the radio either, that was a distraction.  The only risk he indulged in was allowing both his sisters to ride in the front seat with him.  It would prove to be a critical mistake, but one that would not become significant until hours later.

   Before allowing them to run off in their own separate directions Mac held court over his sisters.  "Alright, let's all of us keep in mind that what we're doin' could get us in a heap a'trouble...but if we behave like Granny always expects us to behave nobody needs to get in any.  And neither of you mention how we got here...even if you meet up with your friends!  That's a secret just between us and we better keep it if we value the skin on our butts, understand?"  The girls nodded gravely.  It was the longest speech they'd heard their subdued brother make in a long time; he must be serious.  "We'll meet at the food court in two and a half hours.  Stay outta trouble.  See ya then."

   Applejack headed for the trendy shops, not that she had much interest in such things, but it was where she was most likely to find some of her friends.  She did.  Apple Bloom knew her younger friends were not likely to be here without their mothers, so she just entertained herself at the video arcade with a sack of quarters she'd won playing blackjack at Rumble's secret 'kids-only' treehouse casino. 
   Feeling pretty proud of his new driving skills, MacIntosh wanted to do a bit more of it so he went down to the indoor go-kart track on the ground floor.  There he had a buddy from Canterlot High who worked the snack counter and could sneak him free race tickets.  He drove 3 races, winning one and scoring a podium (top 3) in all of them, even against older, more experienced drivers.  The teenager was desperately tempted to tell his buddies Flash & Sandalwood about driving the family pickup over here, but he kept his mouth shut.  If one of them accidentally let it slip to the wrong person that Mac was driving without a license, and the information reached Granny, he wouldn't be driving anywhere for a long time.  He likely wouldn't be sitting down comfortably for a long time either.  He hoped his sisters were resisting temptation just as well.

   In a few hours Mac said goodbye to his friends and rode the elevator upstairs to the food court.  He looked around for his sisters, hoping he wouldn't have to go track them down somewhere in the mall.  Luckily, he saw Applejack waving at him from the line at the Chinese food kiosk.
   "Hey AJ, how did it go?"
   "We had fun.  Pinkie was there, and we ran into Sweet Leaf and her cousin.  How about you?  Seen Bloomy yet?"
   Mac told her about the kart races he'd done.  "And you know where Apple Bloom is.  There's still some time, she isn't late yet."
   Applejack reached the head of the line.  "Well I'm starving, how 'bout you?  Whatcha want?  I'm buyin'."
   This place didn't seem like Mac's kind of scene.  "I dunno, I think I may just go grab a burger..."
   "Don't be a wimp, try somethin' new, it's good."  She turned to the cashier, who was clearly not Chinese, and said "Gimme the #3 special please, with extra snow peas...and pork chop-suey with an eggroll for my brother.  Trust me, you'll like it.  Rarity got me hooked on this stuff.  Her Mom & Dad order take-out Chinese for dinner every Friday."

   They got their plates on an orange plastic tray and sat down where they could keep an eye out for their youngest sister.  AJ dug in...MacIntosh was tentative but he was a good sport and tried it.  "How ya like it, Mac?"
   "Looks like somethin' Winona upchucked on the carpet...but it's okay.  Kinda good."  He wasn't even going to attempt to use the chop sticks.

   They finished up and AJ tossed him a fortune cookie.  "Mine says '[i]The greatest risk is not taking one[/i]'.  Well, we took a risk today and it turned out pretty good.  How about yours?"
   Mac cracked his cookie open and read the paper '[i]Recent decisions may have consequences for a long time to come[/i]'.  Hmm, wonder what that could mean..."
   "Aww, don't worry about it.  These things are just for fun...hey, watch where you're walkin'!"

   Three teenage girls walked past, one of whom tossed out her hip and 'accidentally' knocked AJ's hat off her head.   "Why don't you watch where you're sitting?" said the one with her hair in two long purple pigtails with aquamarine streaks.
  Applejack was incensed.  She had a temper for sure, but this girl had [u]really[/u] gotten under her skin.  Big MacIntosh kept a cooler head.  "Maybe you ought to just be on your way before something stupid happens."
   "Oh, I'd say something stupid has already happened" snickered the one with a single blue ponytail.   
   The one with huge golden hair, held in place by a spiked band, said nothing.  She cast a glance at a table full of burly looking boys in Crystal Prep football jerseys, getting their attention.
   "Hey, is that dude giving you trouble?"  They stood up and tried to pick a fight.  Normally Mac would have kept his dignity and walked away but something about this situation rubbed him the wrong way.  He got out of his seat to stare them down.  The three troublemaker girls rubbed the identical red jewel pendants around their necks and seemed to be enjoying the fracas they'd created.
   "You shitheads need to step the fuck off.  My sister and I are just sitting here trying to enjoy this dog-barf food" growled MacIntosh  "We're not looking to start any shit but we don't mind finishing it."  AJ was taken aback.  She had never heard her brother curse in public before.
   "You're gonna get your ass kicked, farm-boy" growled the biggest football player, "it's three on one."  Mac said nothing, but he didn't back down.
   
   "Three on [u]two[/u]!"  
   Before anyone knew what was happening Applejack jumped in, tackling the biggest of the boys.  She took him to the ground, and though a 14 year old girl was unlikely to outright beat a High School football player she succeeded in taking him out of the fight, evening the odds for her big brother.  One of the others went for Mac, shoving him in the chest and finding that the 'farm-boy' was hard as a rock.  Though still at a disadvantage, Mac held his own as his sister rolled around on the ground, grappling with the biggest Crystal Prep boy like she would a rodeo steer.

   "Stop right there!"
   "Shit, run!  Mall cops!"
   The fight was over in seconds.  As soon as mall security arrived the three Crystal Prep boys disengaged and ran.  Big Mac and Applejack, being well raised kids who seldom got in trouble, did not have the instinct to run.  They lingered, and were apprehended.  As she was being led away AJ looked around for the three girls who'd started the fight.  They were nowhere to be seen.

   "I can't believe this," groaned MacIntosh, sitting next to his sister on an ugly orange couch in the Mall security manager's office.  "What came over me?  I [u]never[/u] let jerks get under my skin like that!"  He buried his face in his hands.
   "I threw the first punch," Applejack muttered miserably, "or tackle."  Then she remembered something.  "OH MY GOSH...Apple Bloom!  We're not gonna be there to meet her!"
   At that moment the manager arrived and was instantly beset by both teenagers begging to be released from custody.
   "Mister, we know we screwed up...but we have to meet our little sister!"
   "She won't know where we went!  She might be scared, or think we left her, or..."

   The security manager was holding Apple Bloom by the arm.  He let her go and pushed her toward the ugly orange couch.  "Sit down next to these two until I'm ready for you."

   "Apple Bloom!?" exclaimed Mac, "What are [i]you[/i] doing here?"
   "I got my arm stuck in the prize chute of that stupid claw game" she muttered, plopping down on the ugly orange couch and crossing her arms in a frustrated pout.  "I won that stuffed turtle fair and square!  Then it got stuck in the chute!  I was only tryin' to get what was rightfully mine!"
   "Hold on," said the manager, "you three all know each other?"

   It was Apple Bloom who had an idea to exploit this...but it was not a very good idea.  "Y-Yeah, they're my...my Mom & Dad!  Eeyup, they're my folks and boy are they gonna be sore at me!  I almost wish you were gonna give me over to the cops instead of them.  I'm gonna get it somethin' fierce when they get me home!"
   The manager did not believe her for a second.  "*Ahem*, they already told me they were supposed to meet their little sister...I'm assuming that's you."
   "That was a dumb lie" whispered AJ angrily.  "Who in the heck would be dumb enough to think I'm yer momma?"
   "Least I came up with somethin'!" Bloom growled.

   Applejack tried next.
   "I'm sorry about all this Mister.  The truth is...our folks are passed on."  She took off her hat and continued sadly, "We're orphans who only came in here to get out of the cold and find something to eat."  Big MacIntosh shot his sister a dirty look and thwacked her on the ear.  Chastened, Applejack stopped talking.  Her sense of honesty was not quite as refined as it would be in later years.

   With his siblings both silenced, MacIntosh looked the security manager in the eye and spoke plainly.  "Sir, I'm sorry about all we done.  Truth is our folks are passed on but we live with our Granny and she cares for us good.  We ain't hungry or cold...'specially since it's 80 degrees outside.  We just did something we wasn't supposed to and we're sorry."  He took a deep breath and continued "I realize I ain't got no right to ask, but could you please not call the police?  I promise I'll tell our Grandmother about everything...and take my word for it, I'm gonna get what's comin' to me.  Just, please let me tell her myself so I can take responsibility for what's happened and my sisters don't get in trouble."

   The manager considered things for a moment.  "How do I know you're actually going to do what you say?"
   "I wouldn't lie to you about that, Sir" he answered, looking the man in the eye sincerely, "I swear it on the graves of my parents."
   AJ and Apple Bloom gasped.  "Mac...no!"
   He looked at them and replied calmly "Ain't nothin' wrong about that if it's the truth."

   In his days as manager there had been a lot of teenagers on that ugly orange couch, making him a lot of promises.  This youngster seemed different though.  Maybe he deserved the benefit of the doubt, but he decided to let the three siblings sweat it out a little more.  "So there's fighting in the food court...plus the incident with the claw machine.  Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"
   Mac felt confession was the best option at this point, so he admitted how they got there; "We took our Granny's truck when we wasn't supposed to."  He said nothing about having no driver's license...he was still hoping to be released and drive home.
   The manager gave a small snort of a laugh and muttered "It doesn't happen to be a late-model red Ford F-150, does it?  License plate A44LE5?  That would wrap up all my problems in one swoop."  He was joking, but all three Apple kids had shocked looks on their faces.  "Wait...you're kidding, aren't you?"

   "W-what happened?" stammered Mac.
   "Someone left it out of gear with the parking brake off" the man explained, "it rolled downhill and hit a light pole in the parking lot."
   Mac turned pale.  "Is...is...is it..."
   "Is it smashed to smithereens?" asked Apple Bloom bluntly.
   "It's not bad...little dent in the bumper, a little paint chipped off the pole.  No harm done but it was blocking traffic so I had to call the police to find out who it belonged to.  They ran the plate and called the owner...I guess that's your Grandmother."

   "B-but why was it out of gear?" gasped Mac, "Sometimes I forget to set the parkin' brake but the transmission is always in gear when I turn off the ignition...how is it possible that..."
   Apple Bloom groaned.  "Ooooohhh, nooooo.  Mac, remember how you let me ride in the front seat?  I...sorta hit my knee on that shifty thing in the center of the floor when I got out.  It went all loosey but I didn't think it was a big deal 'cause the motor wasn't runnin'!"  She covered her face and cried "This is all mah fault!"
   Applejack put an arm around her guilty feeling sister and assured her "It's all our fault.  You knocked the truck outta gear...Mac forgot to set the parking brake...and this whole thing was my own dumb idea."

   The manager gave the three kids a minute to mourn their terrible predicament before saying "Well, at least it looks like you've gotten your wish.  The police contacted your Grandmother and she's on her way here right now.  And there's nothing to press charges over...nothing was stolen, nothing was damaged seriously, so you don't have to worry about the police."
   "Just Granny" groaned Applejack.

   They did not have to worry long.  Less than a minute after this revelation the door swung open and the stout green senior citizen stomped in.  "Somebody better start explainin' why I just got a call from the police sayin' my truck was crashed into a pole at the Crystal Galleria Mall!"  Behind her was Cookie Crumbles, who had driven her over from the Book Club meeting.

   MacIntosh stood up and tried to explain.  He'd planned to accept all the blame himself and accept the full weight of Granny's wrath but it was not as easy as he'd imagined it in his head.  His mouth was dry, he kept tripping over his carefully planned words.  Granny interrupted frequently, asking questions which cut him down to feeling like a naughty little kid rather than a young man.
   Cookie finally interrupted the interrogation.  "Granny Smith, have you got this under control?  Do you need me anymore?"
   "No, dear.  Thank ye fer the ride...but I'll go home in the pickup with the kids.  Tell our book club I'm sorry I had to leave early."
   The pink woman put her hand on Granny's arm and said "The important thing is nobody was hurt.  Count your blessings and remember that when you deal with them."

   Granny Smith turned her attention back to Big MacIntosh, who felt very little right now.  "Alright young man I think I dun heard e'nuff.  Take off yer belt and give it here!"  
   The girls gasped.  Mac began to sweat but he pulled up his untucked shirt and showed Granny "I'm sorry...I'm not wearing one today."
   His Grandmother grumbled and held out her hand to the mall security manager.  "Sir, may I please borrow yer belt fer a few minutes?"
   He held up his hands and rolled back away from his desk in his chair.  "Nooooo way, Ma'am.  We appreciate your business & patronage here at the Crystal Galleria Mall but as an employee of the company I can [u]not[/u] get involved in this!"  Before Granny Smith could argue his radio crackled with an urgent call for assistance:[i] 'Gary, that weird guy with the goofy glasses is stealing shopping carts again, we need you in parking lot 3-C.'[/i]  He grunted irritably and got up from his desk.  "Alright, I gotta go deal with this weirdo...you can use my office for 10 minutes but I want you all [u]gone[/u] when I get back!  Unless you're related to the shopping cart bandit too!"

   Once he had stomped out Granny turned her attention to Applejack.  "Awright, you hand over yer belt, young lady!"
   Applejack stammered out another negative answer;  "S-sorry, Granny, I ain't got one n-n-neither!"  She showed her the elastic waist-band of the flowered skirt she was wearing.  "This skirt ain't even got belt loops!"

   That left young Apple Bloom, who was trying her hardest to shrink into the ugly orange couch and not to be noticed.  "At least you got one, half-pint!  Give it here."  With trembling hands, Bloom unbuckled the little pink belt she was wearing.  Scared out of her wits, she handed it over.  It was hardly a belt at all...skinny, only a half-inch wide, and made of glossy pink vinyl instead of leather.
"Now get them britches down, Mac...you know what to do."  Both girls looked on in horror as their beloved big brother obediently unbuttoned his jeans.  He was obviously afraid, his breathing ragged and sweat drops forming on his forehead, but he did as he was told and allowed his pants to slide down to his knees, leaving him in just his white briefs.  "Come on, Mac, I know it been a long time but you remember how this is done."  He blushed and hesitated, but Granny was not in the mood for delays.  She reached down, grasped his underwear and pulled them down to rendezvous with his pants around his knees.  "Ain't nuthin' yer sisters haven't seen a hundred times before."

   It was true; living in a house with only one and a half bathrooms all three of the siblings had seen each other naked more times than they could recount.  It really wasn't that big a deal...he was just their brother.  Applejack and Bloom tried not to look directly at it, but there was no denying the presence of his private parts, dangling loose in the Gary the mall manager's office, concealed only by a thatch of reddish-blonde pubic hair.
   "Bend over that couch" Granny ordered.  Mac was far too big for her to have over her knee.  "Applejack, Bloomy, move!"  The two girls hopped up from the couch where they'd been sitting.  "You'll get your turn soon enough."  The girls gulped nervously, almost in perfect unison.  It was not a surprise that they were going to share their brother's fate but no kid appreciates hearing that they're next in line to be spanked.

   MacIntosh anxiously lowered himself down to bend over the arm of the ugly orange couch.  [i]How much is that little thing gonna hurt?[/i] he wondered.  Apple Blooms tiny pink novelty belt didn't look like much, but apple wood switches were small too and they stung like murder.  Mac bit his lip and fearfully resigned himself to whatever was coming, because he really didn't have a choice either way.
   "I'm sorry it got to be this way, Mac.  I thought you wuz done with this sorta thing but if you aim t'make a habit of disobeyin' me, breakin' the law and puttin' your sisters in danger then we might have a few more of these to git through before you can call yerself a grown man."  She doubled over the little pink thing and got ready to go to work on the teenager's butt.

   Granny's lecture had been short, but it brought Mac to the edge of tears.  He'd screwed up, and the worst part was losing the trust she had in his dependable, responsible maturity.  But then the first lash came down on his bare backside and Mac needed nothing else to bring him to tears.
   "OOOOOWWWW!"  Mac could not believe how much that tiny vinyl belt hurt.  He arched his back and bellowed in pain from just one spank with no idea how many more would follow.  Granny Smith inspected the damage...already the pink stripe across her grandson's rear-end was darker than the belt which left it.  She was impressed.  Who could have known what an impression a little strip of flexible pink plastic could make.

   So Granny went to work for real.  There was limited time and she had 3 youngsters to attend to, so she skipped the warm-up and set to work striping the 16 year old's ass.  Lash after lash, delivered fast and hard, made MacIntosh scream and twist on the ugly orange couch, pouring out a deluge of unmanly tears on its cushions.  "I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!  Aaaagghhh!"
   Both girls watched in horror.  If the belt caused their powerful big brother to cry like a baby what would it to to their own tender tushies?  Mac looked horrible, his mouth twisted into a grotesque frown of agony as tears and snot ran down his face...and his anguished cries stabbed at their hearts, especially Applejack, who reflected on the fact that this trip had all been her idea.  [i]Oh, why couldn't I have been satisfied to just practice my bass?![/i]

   Granny Smith had a set number in mind and she was reaching it.  Mac's bottom was now marked up with 20 painful pink stripes, so she saved the last few for a memorable finale.
   "Am I ever gonna find out you went drivin' without a license again, young man?"
*SMACK*
   "OOWwwoooOOWWwww!  No Granny...I'M SORRY!"
   "Are you gonna let yer sisters...who you wuz responsible fer...ride in a car with an unlicensed driver again?"
*SMACK*
   "No Granny!  No!  Please, OwOwoooowww, please no more!"
   "And are you gonna disobey me again?"
*SMACK*
   "Whhhaaahhh!  No *sob* Granny, I promise!"
   "Good."
*SMACK*
   He was finished.  Granny rubbed the small of his back to indicate this part of his punishment was over.  "Good boy.  You make sure you keep them promises now."

   Time was limited so she immediately turned to Applejack.  "Oh, no...please Granny no, take me home...use the hairbrush...use a switch, please not that!"  The teen was already terrified of the little pink belt and backed away to escape it but Granny Smith grabbed her wrist and pulled her in.  She tucked her first grand-daughter under her left arm, pulling her skirt up to expose a set of yellow apple print panties.  AJ had a collection of apple-themed underwear...any time they were out clothes shopping she checked for cute ones in her size.  They were the only thing she ever begged her Grandmother to buy for her, and Granny usually indulged.  It wasn't money foolishly spent; the hard working girl wore her clothes out fast and undies were no exception, so she frequently needed new ones and if the ones with pictures of apples on them made her happy she deserved them.  A teenage girl could have far worse hobbies than collecting cute underpants...like smoking or drinking or messing around with boys.

   The panties had committed no crime though, so Granny so no need to punish them.  With a quick pull they were down around her thighs as their owner cried and begged for reprieve from the whippy little vinyl belt that had reduced her big brother to a puddle of sobbing misery.  Granny gave no quarter.
*SMACK*
   "WHHHAAAHHH!"  It was every bit as bad as AJ had imagined.  The hard plastic surface was pure stinging fury, like bee stings that cut a merciless path straight across her poor helpless cheeks.  Applejack struggled and wailed, sobbed and gave promise after promise to be a good, obedient girl forever.  At least she tried.  As the terrible little strap tore up her naked rear all that came out of her mouth was unintelligible babbling and an unchecked stream of sticky drool.
   Granny left little time between spanks for the sting to fade, as soon as AJ finished screaming from one whack and got air back into her lungs a new one arrived to force it back out again.  Crying did not ease the pain...begging was impossible and Granny was strong enough to keep the 14 year old tightly in place under her arm.  
   "Aiiiieeeee!  Granny, please no more IT HURTS!  Whhaahhh!"
   But Granny kept on laying stripe after stripe across AJ's bottom until she reached a count matching the girl's age.  She'd get a few less than her older brother but like him the last few would be laid on extra hard.
   "Applejack, I got a sneaky suspicion this adventure wuz your idea...is that true?"
*SMACK*
   "WHHHAAHHH!  OW, OW, OW!  Yes Granny, I'm sorry!"
   "Do you feel good about the whippin' yer brother got?"
*SMACK*
   "Aagghh! NO!  No I don't!"
   "And how do you feel about the whippin' you're gettin'?"
*SMACK*
   "OOWWwwwoow!  It hurts, Granny! *hiccup* Owww, please no more!"
   "Almost done, darlin'.  So how do you feel about talkin' yer big brother into disobeying again?"
*SMACK*
   "OWWW!  Bwhuuuu, huuu, I'll NEVER do it again, PROMISE!"

   She carefully allowed Applejack to regain her feet; she was unsteady on her trembling legs and would have fallen over if Granny had not held onto her for the first few awkward moments.  The bawling teen tried to rub the stinging pain out of her backside but it only made things worse.  It would be a long time before the pain completely died away.

   One more grandchild to go.  Apple Bloom had watched her siblings suffer and cried along with them.  She'd worn that innocuous little pink belt many times before without a single thought of it being used as a terrible tool of tushie torment.  She actually thought it was cute!  How could something cute reduce both Big MacIntosh and Applejack to bawling, crying babies?  At eleven she was already the baby of the family!  What would it do to her?!
   "Come on over here, half-pint.  I ain't as young as I used to be...think I'm gonna sit down for your spankin'."
   Apple Bloom's brain heard the word 'spanking' and it was actually a welcome word for once.  Maybe Granny was only going to spank with her hand, not that awful strap.  A hand-spanking from Granny Smith was no small matter, but it was better than walking away with a ruined rear end.  Apple Bloom liked her rear end just the way it was!

   Granny Smith settled in on the ugly orange couch and beckoned for her last grand-daughter to come to her.  The pre-teen was understandably hesitant.  "G-Granny, are you g-g-gonna use that...that thing on m-me too?"  Tears ran down her pale yellow face.
   "Well," Granny asked her, "did you break the rules like your big brother and big sister?"  The weeping girl nodded, but could not force out the words.  "Did you help Applejack talk MacIntosh into drivin' the truck without a license?"  Things were getting worse for Bloom; that was another question she had to answer in the affirmative.  She was spelling her own doom.  "And do you think it's deceitful to have done all this behind my back?"
   "I'm *hic* sorry, G-Granny."  By this time she knew she was getting a whipping but Granny asked one more question.
   "So if you did all the same bad an' naughty things yer big brother and sister did do you think you ought to get a different punishment?"
   Apple Bloom sobbed "N-No, Granny."

   But MacIntosh, who had only now regained his composure enough to speak, pled for mercy.  "Please Granny...it's too much.  She's just a little kid."  He looked silly as he said this, still trying to pull his pants up over his tormented, swollen rear-end.
   Softly Granny put the question to Apple Bloom; "What do you think, sweetheart?  Are you a little kid who got dragged along by her older brother and sister, or a big kid who played her part in this bad decision?"  Her elder siblings pleaded with their eyes...[i]tell her you're little, you don't want this[/i].  But the seeds of Apple Family honesty and pride had begun to sprout in the youngest member of the family.  She desperately wanted to give the answer that would spare her bottom a terrifying amount of discomfort, but there was only one true answer.
   [i]I can't believe I'm doin' this[/i]...she took a deep breath and answered "I done my fair share of the plottin', ma'am."
   "Come on over then."

   Granny Smith had her youngest grandchild stand in front of her as she unbuttoned her shorts, unzipped the fly and pulled them down to her knees.  Her cartoon character undies slid down her legs next, exposing everything nature had given her.  Granny drew the sobbing pre-teen across her lap and began with a sharp *SMACK*.  Poor Apple Bloom regretted the decision she'd made instantly but it was too late to back out.  She was getting a big girl spanking now.  "EeeeOWWWW! Ow! Ow! Ow!"  It was so much worse than Granny's bare hand.  Even worse than the big nasty hairbrush Granny used when Bloom had been really bad.
  "OwOwowowOw!  Whhaaahhh!  I'm OWCH! I'm sorry!"
   Granny had no intention of spanking an eleven year old as severely as she had her sixteen year old brother, or even her fourteen year old sister, but she intended for Apple Bloom to remember this lesson.  The littlest sibling squealed and wept, cried out loud and begged forgiveness as her skinny butt was decorated with pink streaks to match those of her older siblings.  None of them would be sitting down comfortably tonight.  "Whaaahhh!  Ow, please stop OW!"
   For Mac and AJ, seeing their little sister, whom they treasured above all things in this world, crying and suffering because of something they could have prevented was almost as bad as being whipped themselves.  They were both done with their spankings and had fresh first-hand experience at how much a skinny strip of vinyl absolutely [u][i]roasted[/i][/u] a rear-end.  Bloom's little heinie was even smaller,  so the pink belt marks cris-crossed more on her bottom than they had on their own rumps.  Everywhere two lines crossed there was a little spot of maximum agony...the kind that would hurt for hours to come and give a stingy reminder of well-earned punishment when they sat down days later.

   Thankfully, the youngest Apple's spanking was short.  Granny paused to deliver the few lecturing questions that would draw the ordeal to a close.  "Bloomy, was talking yer big brother into doin' wrong a good idea?"
*Smack!*
   "WhhaaOWOwOw!  No Granny, I'm sorrryyyy!"
   "Do ya see how bad things turned out because ya didn't follow the rules and obey yer Grandma?"
*Smack!*
   "Aiiie!  Ouch! I do, Granny, I do! OW!"
    "And who is the person who's ultimately responsible fer ever'thing you do?"
*SMACK!*
   Apple Bloom howled...this was the hardest spank yet.  Once she caught her breath she realized Granny was waiting for a reply but she hesitated. Bloom thought she knew the answer, but would a wrong answer earn her even more painful stripes across her butt?
   "Huuuu huuuuu *sob* Is it y-you, Granny?"

   Granny Smith was finished spanking (for today at least). Apple Bloom's count had been 12.  She set down the dreaded pink belt and gathered the crying child into her big, pillowy lap.  "No, half-pint, it's [i]you[/i].  I might put yer big brother or big sister in charge fer a day, but in the end and for your whole life you are the one who is responsible...and will be held accountable...for your decisions and actions.  Do you understand me, Apple Bloom?"
   "*sniffle* I do, Granny.  I gotta be smarter when I m-make my decisions..."
   "Yer plenty smart, Bloomy.  You just gotta remember to use them smarts."  The youngest Apple daughter nodded and eagerly buried her head under Granny's chin.  She'd chosen to accept a belt spanking like a big girl, but now that the price was paid she craved the comfort of being Granny's baby again.  Granny indulged her without a second thought, and her two older siblings knelt in front of the ugly orange couch (now spotted with tears) and joined in the relief that the worst of it was over.

   Granny Smith led her sniffling brood to the rest rooms, pausing occasionally to let them catch up.  All three walked unsteadily, knees wobbly and rear ends still burning from the belt.  Applejack felt added guilt since she was the only one wearing a loose skirt...she could only imagine how Mac & Bloom's backsides felt trapped inside rough blue jeans and denim shorts!
   Granny took all three into the unisex bathroom provided for parents who needed to change diapers.  She wiped their faces with cool cloths, removing the sticky mess of tears, drool and runny nose drippings.  They all cringed when she took a hairbrush from her purse, but it was only her little plastic one, which she used to straighten their disheveled hair.  Once she was satisfied that her grandchildren were restored to as much dignity as they reasonably deserved she went out to the parking lot.

   "One little dent, my foot!" Granny snapped, inspecting the harm to her truck, "You ought to be payin' fer that damage outta yer allowances!"  She knew it was just for show though; the Ford was older than Applejack, nearly as old as MacIntosh.  It had so many dents and scratches that one more was hardly even noticeable.
   Sadly, Big Mac handed over the keys.  "Oh no you don't" muttered Granny, "you drove here, you're drivin' back."
   Mac turned pale.  Sitting down on the hard bench seats would be agony...and now he had to drive the truck too!?  Those seats may have been soft and forgiving once upon a time when the truck rolled off the assembly line in  Dearborn, but that was years ago.  The vinyl upholstery was now hard and covered in jagged edged cracks, the old foam seat padding was squashed down to the springs.  "I gotta d-drive, too?"
   "Eeyup" answered Granny.  Mac gulped hard and gingerly climbed into the driver's seat, wincing as he went.  The girls took their usual spots in the back seat and found it no softer.  AJ had pitied her siblings choice of clothing back in the mall but now she was the worst off, with only a short breezy skirt and a pair of apple print panties between her and sharp cracks in the unforgiving vinyl.  It was going to be a long drive home for her.

   It would not be a very long drive for Mac though.  He started the engine and checked his mirrors dutifully as it warmed up.  His butt was already warm...now trapped against the seat it burned like fire, but there was nothing he could do about that.  With one last sad look toward Granny he put the truck in gear, let out the clutch and pulled away.  Every time he had to move his legs to work the pedals it hurt, every time he reached for the floor shifter it hurt even worse.
   Suffering MacIntosh gave a brave effort against the pain, making it almost all the way around the mall's perimeter road before he yanked the wheel right and pulled to a stop in one of the parking lots.  Fearfully, he began to weep.  "I can't do it Granny...I'm sorry, I don't mean to disobey but I can't drive now.  I can't concentrate and my eyes are all puffy an' blurry.  You said I shouldn't never drive when I don't think it's safe..."

   Granny Smith saw that he was right and nodded approvingly.  "It's okay, Mac.  That's right responsible of you...and brave of you to tell me.  You ain't in no more trouble, hop out and we'll change seats."  It would take at least a minute for the driver swap, and the girls in the back saw their opportunity to hop out for a tiny respite from the pain too.  As their seat-belts clicked open Granny snapped "Not you two!  You sit your little rumps right where they are!"  AJ and Apple Bloom cringed and sniffled.  They hoped Granny would take the short way home, via the highway.  She didn't...she took the back roads.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

   At home all three Apple youngsters were sentenced to two weeks of hard time, grounded except for chores...and they'd have a lot of them.  But once the heat had died down (the heat of Granny's displeasure, the heat in their bottoms had hardly faded) Mac notified his sisters of his intention to go downstairs and plead on their behalf.
   "I wuz supposed to be in charge.  I ought to be the one takin' most of the blame."
   Of course they protested;  "Mac, no!  We messed up too, it ain't right fer you to take all the blame!"  But he was resolute and went to speak with their Grandmother. 

   Granny Smith heard his appeal patiently and when he was done pointed out something he might not have considered; "MacIntosh, as things stand you'll be done bein' grounded just in time fer yer drivin' test."
   "Eeyup"
   "You know if ya get a longer spell you ain't gonna make it."
   He hesitated, but replied sadly "Eeyup."
   "Mac, are ya shy about takin' yer test 'cause of what happened today?"
   "No Granny."
   "Because it don't have nuthin' to do with how good a driver you are.  Yer ready for yer test."
   "I know, Granny.  But it don't seem right that I was in charge and my sisters gotta be stuck in their rooms for a whole two weeks."
   "You let me worry about yer sisters, Mac.  They know what they done."
   "But that's just it, Granny!  You put me in charge...I was supposed to be responsible.  I messed up, but if I'm ever gonna deserve your trust again I ought to [u]act[/u] responsible and accept responsibility.  Don't that make sense?"

   Granny Smith considered things for a moment.  "Ya know you'll have to wait even longer than 4 more months to take yer test again.  Summer's here and all them test appointments is booked up solid."
   He looked down at his feet sadly and replied "Yes, Granny."

   She accepted his appeal.  The girls had their sentences commuted to extra chores and one hour early bed-time for two weeks.  Mac would be doing a whole month on lockdown.  When Applejack and Bloom found out they wailed for his misfortune, but he'd set an example of dignity, responsibility and sacrifice that both of them would remember for the rest of their lives.

   Late that night Granny Smith checked on her grand-kids.  Apple Bloom was not in her bed...Granny found her in AJ's room, both of them spooning in bed, sound asleep wearing soft flannel night gowns.  MacIntosh's light was out, but he was still awake.

   "Mac, I been thinkin'" she said softly, sitting down on his bed.  "You know you done wrong today, that's fer certain, but it don't seem right to make you wait months to take yer test.  Besides, I get plumb wore-out drivin' you young-uns around all the places you need and want to go.  Would be awful nice to have some help.  So yer gettin' a furlough...one day out to go take yer test."
   His eyes lit up in disbelief.  He'd accepted his fate and had not hoped for reprieve, but here it was.  "R-really, Granny?"
   "You deserve this chance, Mac."
   He sat up in bed in spite of his still sore behind, and threw his arms around her pillowy fatness.  "Thank ya, Granny!  Thank you so much!"

   Two weeks later Granny Smith, AJ and Apple Bloom sat on a park bench near Canterlot City Park and waited.  The red F-150 turned slowly around the corner, drove down the street and stopped.  After a pause the pickup truck went into reverse and MacIntosh parallel parked flawlessly.  Granny smiled with satisfaction as she heard the clicking, ratcheting sound of the parking brake.
   In a few minutes the test evaluator got out and moved on to the next teenager waiting to test.  Applejack and Bloom dashed over, Granny plodding along behind them.
   "Did ya pass, did ya pass?" exclaimed Apple Bloom, hopping up and down with excitement.
   Her big brother smiled and replied "Eeyup."

   The family went for a celebratory lunch after that...Chinese food, ironically.  MacIntosh handed his new license around so everyone could get a good look.  It was not his permanent one with his photograph...just his paper learner's permit with a big blue '[color=#4000FF]APPROVED[/color]' stamp and the evaluator's signature...but it was legal!
   Once AJ and Bloomy had gotten a good look it was returned to MacIntosh but his Granny cleared her throat.  With a kind but stern expression Granny Smith held out her hand.  She didn't say a word, Mac knew what to do.  He handed his new treasure over without a fuss.  "Two more weeks, MacIntosh...and you can have this back" she promised as she tucked it away in her purse.

   Two more weeks was not so long to wait.
   Mac had always been a patient young man.
