//------------------------------// // News // Story: Growth through the Thorn // by Soniclink137 //------------------------------// It was a bright spring day at Sweet Apple Acres as Applejack was busy working on the things around her empty home. Ever since Braeburn and Big Macintosh moved out, besides when they come over to work, Applejack has been pretty much left alone not including Apple Bloom. She hopes that somepony will change that soon, but that hadn’t happened so far. Applejack went about what she was doing, which wasn’t much since the apples were blooming and she couldn’t do much apple bucking, Big Macintosh is usually the one who did seed spreading and things like that, Caramel did all the fixing up around here, and Braeburn also did a few odd jobs and did the cooking. The only thing she could really do was herd the animals while waiting for everypony to get here, which Fluttershy could do herself but Applejack likes to do it for her. Fluttershy already has plenty of animals to take care of at her house including her devil bunny Angel, so Applejack didn’t want to bother her with the animals around here as well. “Yah, yah,” Applejack cried out as she one again had to herd the pigs into their pen. Dang pigs are always escaping, she thought as she tried to rope in all the pigs into the pen. Why is it always the pigs? Y’all don’t see the cows doin that…well lately anyways. Normally Applejack would be good with this, but for some reason she was having a lot of trouble. She could not get the pigs in a unified line because they kept scattering off to do their own thing. When they did she would rope them back or have Winona bark at them but they were only two against an entire herd of pigs that wanted to do their own thing. “Come on Winona, we gotta get these pigs in fast before Big Mac gets here,” Applejack said. “Ah don’t want ta give him the idea that Ah can’t handle things here.” Winona gave out a loud bark and tried getting the pigs back in at least a circle so they both could get them out from there. Applejack rounded the pigs, while kicking up grass as she ran, and tried to scare the pigs into a circle. It worked for the most part, but the pigs were still frantic. Every time Applejack thought she got them all a pig would decide to move out, and then another, and another. Applejack stopped for a moment, closed her eyes, and screamed in anger. She wanted to throw down her hat onto the floor and stomp on it out of anger but she managed to control herself that much. Why the hay is this so difficult today? Applejack thought. I have never had this much trouble with the pigs. “Now come on you guys, please stop giving Applejack so much trouble and just go into your pen,” said a gentle voice. Applejack opened her eyes to see Fluttershy talking to the pigs and herding them just fine, much to her dismay. Fluttershy managed to get the pigs in a line and into the pen in just a few seconds, versus the hour that Applejack took with no progress. That made Applejack feel even worse about herself. “Listen Flutters, Ah’m…Ah’m sorry ya had ta do that for me,” Applejack told her. “Oh it’s no problem,” Fluttershy said with extra cheer in her voice. “I wanted to come here anyways. I have something I wanted to tell you, so I flew all the way here before Makie comes here.” “Ya wanted ta tell me something?” Applejack asked. Fluttershy nodded. “Yeah!” she said. Fluttershy walked up closer to Applejack. When she got close Fluttershy put her muzzle next to the orange earth pony’s left ear. She whispered for a few seconds in Applejack’s ear before backing up to see Applejack’s reaction. Applejack had her muzzle open out of complete surprise. “Ya…you’re?” Applejack asked. “Eeyup,” Fluttershy said, taking in her husband’s speech. “I’m off to tell everypony else! See ya later Applejack.” Fluttershy flew off leaving Applejack standing there just looking in her direction in surprise. While Fluttershy was flying towards Ponyville both Braeburn and Big Macintosh were about to enter when they noticed Fluttershy flying overhead. The both looked up and watched as she passed by before walking up to Applejack. “Did she tell ya?” Big Macintosh asked. “Y-yeah,” Applejack said. A tear started flowing out of her left eye. Braeburn chuckled. “Sounds like Fluttershy gave ya the same news that Pinkie Pie got’s huh?” he asked. Big Macintosh and Applejack both snapped their heads towards Braeburn in surpise. ~ “Pinkie Pie!” Fluttershy yelled as she flew into Sugarcube Corner. But when she went in all she saw within the pink walls were the Cakes working the restaurant as usual. Of course after seeing that Fluttershy backed up a little out of embarrassment from her outburst. “Pinkie Pie is in the kitchen honey,” Mrs. Cake said. “You can head back to meet her.” “Umm…ok,” Fluttershy said shyly. She sheepishly walked over across the floorboards of Sugarcube corner to go in the back to the kitchen. When she got inside the white kitchen the pink party pony was bouncing around working on the usual cooking. She seemed to be really peppy today while baking her cupcakes, even for Pinkie Pie, and she was also being hasty while making them. She was dashing around at speeds that would make Rainbow Dash jealous in order to get her work done. “Hey Pinkie Pie!” Fluttershy said, excitedly but quietly. “Hi Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly and loudly. She waved a hoof over at Fluttershy before bouncing up to her. “Pinkie, I’ve got good news!” Fluttershy said. “Really? Me too!” Pinkie Pie said with a bounce. “Oh really?” Fluttershy asked. “Well…you can tell me your news first and I’ll…tell you mine after you.” “No you go ahead!” Pinkie said. “You came all the way here to tell me. Your auntie Pinkie will go after you.” “…Pinkie I’m a year older then you,” Fluttershy said. She came to an idea. “How about we both say it at the same time?” “Alright!” Pinkie said. “Three…two…one…” “I’m pregnant!” they both said at the same time. They both looked at each other in surprise after saying that. There was silence for a few seconds as they both looked at each other in surprise from their announcements. Eventually Pinkie Pie spoke. “You are?” she asked unnaturally quietly. “Yeah,” Fluttershy said. “I just learned this morning. What about you?” “I learned last night!” Pinkie Pie said. “I’ve been trying to get done here as fast as I can so I can tell everypony!” “I want to tell everypony too,” Fluttershy said. “In fact I’m going to see Rainbow Dash as soon as I’m done talking to you. I’m sure she’ll be able to give me a lot of advice for it since she’s only a few months away from having her foal.” “So how far along are you?” Pinkie asked, not holding anything back. Fluttershy blushed and turned her head back. “About…two months along,” Fluttershy said. “I…didn’t notice it because I thought it was a spring flu.” “Same here!” Pinkie Pie said. “I thought I just had too many sweets, which I’ve been eating a lot of lately, because I’m apparently having cravings now, which is weird because I don’t really feel like I’ve been eating that differently, I’ve just been eating how I normally eat and…” Pinkie Pie continued rambling on for a few minutes her subjects randomly, not saying on a subject for too long. Fluttershy respectfully let her continue rambling for a while without interrupting her, even if she wasn’t exactly fully listening. Eventually Pinkie Pie managed to stop rambling in which Fluttershy spoke. “Well I should be going now,” Fluttershy said. “I know you need to get back to work.” “Yeah I should,” Pinkie Pie said. “But we’ll all meet up later right?” “Yeah we will,” Fluttershy said. “I’m off to see Rainbow Dash now. See ya later!” “See ya Fluttershy!” Pinkie said as she went back to cooking. Fluttershy left the kitchen and walked back though the dining hall. Once she was out of Sugarcube Corner she took off for the blue skies above Ponyville above the many buildings. While avoiding the weather patrol, she flew among the clouds flying towards Rainbow Dash’s cloud home. Rainbow Dash’s cloud manor was outside of Ponyville, not really seeable from the town unless you are on the very edge of it. It was actually quite large, even before she adopted Scootaloo and married Soarin’, and Rainbow Dash likes to brag that she built it herself. Though included now is a staircase leading to the ground so that Rainbow Dash can get into Ponyville while she is weighted down by her foal. Fluttershy walked onto the small balcony of Rainbow Dash’s house and let herself in. She walked around the entrance and took a left to go the living room where Rainbow Dash will spend her time reading while she can’t fly. Soarin’ would also be in there with her on weekends when he wasn’t at the Wonderbolt headquarters training. Which it happened to be at that time. Rainbow Dash was resting on the couch on her back with a Daring Doo book within her quite unamused face. Soarin’ was on the couch next to her with a smile on his face, a hoof on Rainbow Dash’s extended belly rubbing it gently. While Fluttershy walked in Rainbow Dash winced and Soarin’ smiled all that bigger knowing that was his foal kicking. “Rainbow Dash! Soarin’!” Fluttershy called over at the two pegasi. Rainbow Dash looked up from the book she was reading to see Fluttershy walked in. She put a smile on her face as she waved over at them. “Hey Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash said. Rainbow Dash attempted to get up but the extra weight prevented her from getting up that well. Soarin’ used his strength to help her and eventually they managed to get Rainbow Dash back on her four hooves. After that they both walked up to Fluttershy, Soarin’ moving a bit slower so that his wife could keep up with him. “Hey Fluttershy, what are you here for?” Soarin’ asked. “I have good news,” Fluttershy said. “I’m pregnant!” “Really?!” Rainbow Dash asked out of surprise. Fluttershy nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah I am!” she said. “I’m going to be a mother soon, just like you will be Rainbow Dash!” “That’s awesome Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said. “Hey listen, if you need some advice you can always ask me.” “Advice number one, be nice to Big Macintosh even if you’re really angry at that moment,” Soarin’ said. “Remember, you will probably feel better in a few minutes so it’s best not to take it out on him. He will thank you for it later.” Rainbow Dash gave him an annoyed look to which Soarin’ responded with a nervous smile. “Also Pinkie Pie is pregnant as well!” Fluttershy said without reservation. “Oh…wow,” Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ both said. They both looked at each other with their eyes wide. The unspoken message of, avoid her while she is having her mood swings, passed between the two before they looked back at Fluttershy. “Well…that’s…good for you guys I guess,” Soarin’ said. “Pinkie Pie is going to bring everypony together soon!” Fluttershy said. “As soon as we’re all done with work we’ll meet up!” Fluttershy fluttered for a few seconds. “I’m so excited I could just scream!” Fluttershy landed on the ground and she quietly yelled “yay!” “Good for you Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said. “I guess we’ll see you later then right?” “Yeah,” Fluttershy said. “See ya later.” Fluttershy then ran out of the living room quickly in an excited run. “Wow, Fluttershy is really excited isn’t she?” Soarin’ asked. “Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said. “This is probably the most outgoing I’ve seen her. And then just imagine what’s going to happen when Pinkie’s done with her work. The entire town’s probably going to know.” “Yeah, it’s kinda nice if you ask me,” Soarin’ said. “It seems the…Apple Family is really growing. I’m…glad for them.”