//------------------------------//
// Casey's Aftermath (Spring) 
// Story: The Skirmish at Ponyville 
// by PaladinLeader 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 2: Casey’s Aftermath (Spring)
Day One
Casey wakes up in the Canterlot recovery wing along with the rest of her squad. She struggles herself up to find her husband, unbeknownst to her that he’s already dead. She opens each curtain, hoping to see David, only to see a sleeping squadmate or Royal Army troop. She exits the recovery wing and makes her way into the main throne room, where Princess Celestia and Twilight are conversing about the battle. Casey overhears, and she inquires about it.
“Your highness!” she exclaims, surprising the two ponies. “How many of us were killed?” The two ponies glanced at each other nervously. After a moment of silence, Celestia answers her question.
“Only one,” the princess replied.
“WHO?!” yelled Casey, causing the guards to feel uneasy. Casey knows who it is. She can see it in the way Princess Celestia and Twilight act in front of her. She just doesn’t want to believe it.
Twilight walked down the stairs and stood to go eye-level with Casey. Casey starts to snivel as the truth was about to befall on her.
“I’m sorry. It’s your husband. He sacrificed himself to help clear this land of a great evil. You should be proud of him,” replied Twilight. Casey now knows. She falls on her knees and begins to sob hysterically. Twilight places a hoof on her shoulder. Casey sees the compassion the young pony has shown her, and she proceeded to give Twilight a hug.
“I know he saved you,” Casey whispered to her ear. “You’ve already proven your worth by gaining my husband’s trust.” Twilight, surprised, slowly returns the hug. After Casey cried softly for a bit, they let go, and Casey begins her request. “Princess Celestia, I ask that my husband be cremated here in Equestria and for me to stay here in Ponyville. My squad will go home, and I ask that you permit me my husband’s bladed weapon for my self-defense. This is all that I ask as a widow as a result of this conflict.” Twilight looks at Princess Celestia, wondering what she would say to the otherworldly visitor.
“I have taken your suffering into consideration of my decision. When your squad awakes, they shall be back on Earth. I permit you to live with Twilight, and your husband shall be cremated, his ashes for you to decide where it’ll go. I trust you won’t corrupt my subject’s minds with Earth’s ideas. We would like to keep things the way they are. As for your weapon, do not use them on my subjects. I sense that you’ve been in nights where there are no safety, and I can understand that, but there is no more chances of harm here in Equestria thanks to your husband,” ordered the princess.
“Thank you, your highness,” replied Casey.
-----
        “So where do you live in?” asked Casey, who is walking back to Ponyville with Twilight.
        “I live in the library. I love books, although some ponies do call me an ‘egghead’ for that,” replied Twilight.
“‘Egghead?’” asked Casey, to which Twilight sighs.
“It’s what they call ponies who read a lot. I guess I should be proud of it, but it gets really annoying.”
“You should see the names they called me when I was in high school. I was a farm girl, and I didn’t have much to support me. My only friend was David, a town folk. We took the blunt of all the insults. I don’t think I’m allowed to say those names here. Don’t want to give ponies a bad mouth.”
“Tell me more about your husband.”
“We got married after high school. We enlisted because we had no funding to support ourselves in college. He’s known to have some sort of look on his face that can tell you that he’s judging who to trust. That’s why he married me. I’m someone he can trust. And I’m sure you gained his trust, too.”
“You were right back in the throne room. He did save my life. So why keep your husband’s weapon? What does it do?”
“My husband has weird notions and sets of beliefs. When he was twelve, his father, who was a naval seaman, moved to Japan, a country, for stationing. There, he has taken some sword training classes. He graduated in two years. He always carried his katana to battle. He never uses it, though. But he did give me an adept level of training. The weapon was made far back in Earth’s history. This type of sword is legendary, because it was designed to slice through anything. Well, almost anything.”
“Interesting. Anyways, we’re here,” Twilight announced as they arrived at her partially damaged home late at night. “This is where you’ll be living from now on. I’ll be bunking with Spike, my baby dragon, for now. You can sleep in my bed.”
“Thank you, Twilight. I got a list of things I need to acquire for living here in Equestria. Can you help me out tomorrow finding these items?” asked Casey.
“Sure. But for now, I need some rest. Good night.”
“Good night. I’ll be back inside. Got to do something outside first.” Casey exits the library and heads toward the nearby river. On the bridge, she unpacks from her backpack a large jar. Inside was the cremated remains of David. She opens the jar. A tear forms in her eyes as she spreads the ashes over the river. Halfway through, sniffles turned in to bawling. “So long, David,” said Casey, barely legible. She kneels resigned, and she watches as the dust becomes one with the river. Minutes later, she makes her way back to the library.
-----
Day Two
“Um, Twilight?” asked Spike, nudging the unicorn awake from her slumber.
“Spike, it’s too early! Let me rest!” replied Twilight, eyes barely open.
“I’m more rather concerned about what our roommate is doing.” The two quietly rose to Casey’s bedroom. They take a peek inside. Casey, who is wearing a black top tank, black cargo pants, and socks, is on her back on the floor, rising her top half to her bended knees and back, counting out,
“98! 99! 100!” At a hundred, she quickly rolls over and begins to push herself off the ground, restarting her count.
Twilight and Spike shoot each other a look. “Casey,” said the unicorn, “what are you doing?” Casey realized she woke them up. 
“Sorry, guys. It was training to do 100 sit-ups and push-ups every morning, and David told me to keep doing them to stay ready for whatever comes my way. A katana is sort of heavy for me.”
“Sit-ups? Push-ups? What for?” asked Twilight.
“Humans utilize sit-ups usually for reducing their belly size, but I also believe that they help flex some muscles. Push-ups are for the strength of the arms. Well, since we’re up, let’s go over my list. First thing, I need clothing. I’m not going to wear my combat uniform every day because I highly doubt Equestria has a simple means of cleaning clothing.”
“Can’t you just go naked?” asked Spike.
“Humans are a little self-conscious. That could be an understatement,” replied Casey.
“Well I know the perfect pony for clothing. Let’s stop by Rarity’s place,” said Twilight. 
“I’ll stay here and fix the mess you’ve made, again, Twilight,” said Spike. Casey put on her boots and followed Twilight to the Carousel Boutique. After an hour passed by, Casey seemed to have rejected most of Rarity’s designs.
“I grew up as a cowgirl,” said Casey. “All I want is something simple to cover parts of my body.”
“Simple?! Darling, for one of the few humans to ever graced their presence on this world, you are one of the beautiful ones, and you deserve something better than ‘simple’!” exclaimed Rarity.
“My final order, Rarity, stands. Something like my current pants except blue, a shorter, yellow version, a thicker, white version, something like my shirt with sleeves to my elbows that is brown, a coat similar to my shirt except olive drab, some footwear, everything symmetrical and one pieced colored. No jewels. That’s it. Please?”
“Humans have weird tastes. But if that suits you, darling, then you’ll have it. Now pose for me so that I can replicate a human mannequin.” Casey stands with her feet shoulder-width apart and positions her arms out wide.
“How long will this take?”
“Seconds. And done. Come back in about two days and I’ll have your clothing done, Mrs. Kane,” said Rarity, using a spell to conjure the mannequin.
“What’s next on the list?” asked Twilight.
“Something I thought I would never have to look for again,” said Casey. “A job. I don’t suppose American dollars would be accepted here, do you?”
“Dollars? Um, I guess not. We have these gold coins called bits.”
“Figures. Is there a choir for ponies around here?”
“Closest I’ve found is Fluttershy’s bird choir.”
“What about medicine practice?”
“Hospital has too many workers.”
“Farming?”
“I think Applejack might have an opening for you.”
“Applejack owns a farm?”
“An apple farm. It’s the first structure here in Ponyville. In fact, her grandmother founded Ponyville.” So the two went over to Sweet Apple Acres for Casey’s employment. On the way over, they’ve encountered Rainbow Dash resting on a cloud.
“Hey! What’s that thing you’re carrying on the side? Didn’t David have that?” asked Rainbow Dash, noticing the blade Casey keeps.
“Just carrying his tradition. It’s also my protection,” yelled back Casey.
“What does it do?”
“It cuts things.”
“Like an oversized knife?”
“Not exactly. It’s a very well-designed blade that can cut through virtually anything.”
“It’s not like you’re going to go dragon slaying, are you?”
“Like I said, it’s for protection, not offensive reasons.”
“Take care! I think I’m dozing off!”
“You’re always lazing on a cloud, Rainbow!” yelled Twilight, giggling to herself leaving Casey a little confused.. The two arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was more than eager to take in a worker.
“Now remember, we fellas do this for our living. If you wish to make this your living, let’s go now and find a role you can play in this here farm. We’ll teach you the tricks of the trade as time goes on, but for now, we’re going to designate you a certain duty that you’ll do,” said Applejack.
“Yes, ma’am. I understand. Seeing how taking down the apples the way I’ve seen you do it isn’t what most humans would do, catching apples will be too fast for me, and I don’t want to stereotype by being in the kitchen, I’ll guess I’ll do yard work,” said Casey.
“Sounds reasonable! You’ll start tomorrow. Your first task is to fix the picket fences around the fields.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“What’s next on your list?” asked Twilight.
“Food. I’m not going to eat grass all the time. There’s got to be some way for me to get food.”
“You can start here with this apple!” replied Applejack, to which Casey laughs heartily.
“I know that! It’s just the human taste buds can’t really eat the same thing all day. I mean, you’ve seen how Roger complained without meat.”
“Really strange how you humans eat meat.”
“Don’t dragons?” countered Casey.
“In some cases. Usually it’s frowned upon, so I guess you have to become a vegetarian,” replied Twilight.
“Wonderful. Anything sweet besides an apple?”
“We can go to the Sugar Cube Corner.” So the two headed to the Sugar Cube Corner. On the way, they’ve met up with Fluttershy after Casey overheard a choir of birds being played.
“Wait a minute… Bird’s don’t sing that orchestrated!” pointed out Casey.
“Well, um, that’s because I trained them. Eh-heh,” said Fluttershy, approaching the two from the choir.
“Hey, Fluttershy!” greeted Twilight. “Why do you have your choir here?”
“The mayor asked for music for the coat and filly fair that’s going on.”
“I kind of noticed the young ponies running about,” commented Casey.
“I was too busy trying to finish your list,” said Twilight, to which they all laugh.
“You know, Fluttershy, when I was in high school, I was in the mixed choir. I earned 4th chair.”
“Really? That’s great! All these birds have the same chair to me, though. Heheh.”
“Well, we got to go. I’m hungry.”
“See you!” As the human and the unicorn entered the Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie was inside tasting all the products.
“Hey, Pinkie! Leave some for us!” exclaimed Twilight.
“Sorry! I just broke my piggy bank and found lots and lots of bits! Cupcake eating challenge?” asked the jolly earth pony.
“Um, sure?” wondered Casey. Pinkie places a dozen cupcakes on the table.
“You! Me! First to eat as much cupcakes wins!” At the start, Pinkie took a ginormous bite on two cupcakes while Casey struggles to get the paper wrappings off her first cupcake. As soon as the cupcake was free of the wrappings, Pinkie is already on the third cupcake. After Casey has taken three bites, the last two cupcakes were gone. “You humans eat so slow! Haha.”
Casey laughs. “Well I don’t really like cupcakes. I’ve been eyeing that pie over there, though.”
“Why not a pie-eating contest!”
“Considering the mess ‘we’ve’ made, I think I’m through with contests.” Casey gives Pinkie a smile.
“You can always rely on Pinkie if you ever need to cheer up,” said Twilight. “Anything else on the list?”
“I’m guessing that’s it. I just hope Rarity isn’t having a hard time with a human mannequin.”
“I’ll be heading home if you need me. I got some studies.”
“Alright. I’ll venture the town.” Casey stayed in the Sugar Cube Corner with Pinkie while Twilight heads to the library. “I’m guessing it’s an apple pie, isn’t it?” asked Casey towards Pinkie.
“Most pies are,” replied Pinkie.
“At least it’s a favorite.” Casey slowly slices a portion of the pie. As she finished putting that portion on her plate, Pinkie dives her head into the pie, finishing the entire pie in a minute. Casey laughs at her humor. “Why do you eat so much sweets?”
“It’s part of my cutie mark. I’m a party animal!”
“Cutie mark?”
“It’s a symbol thingy on our flanks that tells us what we’re really, really, really, really, ‘really’ good at. What’s your cutie mark?”
“Humans don’t have cutie marks.”
“Really?! Then how do you know what you’ll be good at in life?!”
“Simple, really. We follow our hearts. It’s so simple, however, that people overlook it.”
“Ah. Where’d I put my party cannon? We need to celebrate!”
“Celebrate what?!”
“For following your heart!”
“Ah, there it is!” Pinkie rolls her party cannon and aims it directly at the ceiling.
“Pinkie, you’re not going to destroy this building, are you?!”
“Relax!” expressed Pinkie. She pulls the string and out goes confetti and balloons.
“Nice. You better bring one of those for my birthday.”
“When’s that?”
“Exactly next week.”
“Awesome! I’ll go refill this thing.”
“Anyways, I going to go explore the town; see you, Pinkie!”
“Bye-bye!”
-----
Day 81
“I reckon she’s adjusted well,” said Applejack, who was her friends watching Casey. Casey is on the bridge where she dropped David’s ashes, her feet dangling into the water.
“I’m glad her clothes fit. That was probably the most difficult order I’ve ever had!” exclaimed Rarity.
“Well she does look better instead of her black combat uniform. Have you noticed she’s getting fatter?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“She’s pregnant, Rainbow. David told me before he died,” replied Twilight. “She was a week pregnant before the battle.” She turns her head towards Fluttershy and said, “Fluttershy! You can help care for her baby whenever she’s not around.”
“Sure! I never knew what a human baby would look like!” exclaimed Fluttershy. “It’ll be like raising a coat or filly!”
“But you never even had a baby,” countered the blue pony. All the girls laughed.
“My tail is shaking! I think it is something to do with Casey. Should we go to her?!” exclaimed Pinkie. Before Pinkie finished, Twilight was already on her way. The rest followed suit.
Casey, her stomach slightly bigger, looked deep into the water. Tears were streaming down her face raining into the river. When she saw Twilight and her friends approaching, she quickly looked the other way and wiped her tears.
“What’s wrong, Casey?” asked Twilight, her friends gathered around her.
“I’m… I’m pregnant…” stated Casey.
“Your husband told me. I thought you knew before he died,” said Twilight. Casey shed more tears into the river.
“We’ve never kept secrets from each other. We were always in the field together. From boot camp to the Asiatic conflict, we’ve always stayed together. I guess he still wanted to be with me even if he knew I was pregnant.”
“How’d he know you are pregnant?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“His mother was a nurse. We met several times,” replied Casey.
“How long do you have to carry the baby?” asked Fluttershy.
“About nine months, give or take. Applejack, when my belly gets heavy, I don’t think I can work on your field for the time being,” said Casey.
“Understandable, Mrs. Kane. We don’t want to damage any babies in our world.”
“Thanks,” replied the human. “I need some time for myself, girls.”
“Alright. Try not to stay out too long,” said the purple unicorn. The ponies dispersed to their own separate homes. In the meanwhile, Casey resumes her personal dilemma while pouring tears.