chapter 1.

The mare sat in the run-down cafe, the same to which she went to every other time her parents had a fight. She would grab a few bits and go down there for at least an hour, and they never even knew she was gone. She looked up and noticed a buff red stallion sitting across the room. He was looking back at her, and so she shifted to his table, wearing a smile.

"Howdy, partner?!" she said her sugar sweet tone "anypony sitting there?"

- "Nope"

"'You new in town? I would have remembered a handsome stallion like you, sugarcube"

The stallion's cheeks blushed sharply "not too bad yourself. What is your name?" he asked

- "Applejack"

- "Applejack?" he showed interest, "So we both have apple names and cutie marks?! I am Big Macintosh"

"I gotta go soon, so how bout we meet here tomorrow? Again?" asked Applejack.

- "Eeyup"

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And so, they met every day, for about three months. Then started meeting elsewhere, first from discreet chatter, to close distances, to holding hooves and even kissing.

"Big Mac?"

-"Eeyup?"

-"Will we ever..." she started,

-"Definately! I love you!" he smiled.

"I...I just think..."

-"Think what?"

"Well, you say you love me, sugar cube..."

- "I do!"

"so, when?"

He smiled and rolled over to her "Well, if you can't wait..."

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"I feel a little off today, Big Mac!" winced applejack "I'm gunna... oh no!" she ran to the toilet as fast as she could, and predictably, threw up again. When she was done, she came out to see Big Mac's grave facial expression.

"Take this..." he handed her a small strip of plastic, which turned out to be a pregnancy test. Her face was blank, flushed away from all emotion. She said nothing as she shifted into the stall and back out again a while later "was it...?".

-"Eeyup"

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She got home that night and not saying a word to her parents, slipped upstairs and started to pack her bags.

"Applejack?" her mother gasped entering the room "what are you doing?" her face was a confused twist of chaos.

"I gotta go, mama..." Applejack continued packing like she had said nothing.

"but why?..." her mother said, as her eyelids were cups of water which were soon to be spilled.

"Because, mama, I ma'self am gunna be a mama!" Applejack snapped, which returned her mother's tears back into their glands as her brows strained with anger.

"Is that red stallion, ain't it? The one with tha apple cutie mark?" the irritated mare asked.

-"Eeyup"

"I saw you with him! Holding hooves, ya were! I should have thought there was more to it, BUT NOW LEAVE! Get out of my sight and NEVER come back!!" Applejack's mother grabbed the pony and tossed her out of her room with much fury. Applejack had now finished packing not only her valuables, but also her rotten memories as she walked out of the house. And so, she headed back to the cafe to find Big Mac, who also had a suitcase.

They set off together that night. Big Mac, tired, Applejack, throwing up. They travelled around many towns to find home, but no jobs were there to be found.

"We gotta have a place to live, ya'know..." Big Mac sighed.

"Well, what about that place there?" Applejack raised her hoof to point to a little flat nearby, with a hanging post of dying, decaying wood saying "FOR RENT" in the window.

"Eeyup"

They knocked on the door and a boring looking white mare stepped out, with a horrible face of disgust as she had seen it all in her many years.

"Howdy! We hear about the flat to rent" Applejack smiled

"How old are you?"

"16, both of us" Applejack continued "looking for a place to stay temporarily"

The mare then saw Applejack's slightly swollen belly and looked stern "married?" Big Mac shook his head.

"Are you..." she then bowed her head and whispered, eyes narrowed at the pair "in the family way?"

Applejack sighed, "I know what it looks like, but we are an honest string"

"I will NOT have you two living in sin under my roof!" the elder raised her voice, shooing the pair away as she protectively crawled forward "I was almost about to accept you but with a foal on the way! How dare you ask a Celestia cowering nag like myself like this! You have some nerve!" and so she returned, slamming the door in their faces.

"That was... easy..." Applejack bowed her head, as she felt the shame of much innocent fault derive from the eyes of many passing by ponies around.

- "Eeyup"
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They walked miles and miles, into a little town called Ponyville, Applejack was now heavily bearing the burden of her womb.

"We can stay here, for now" she said, curling up on the floor and closing her eyes. Big Mac wanted to keep going, but he had learned it was harder to argue with Applejack when she was asleep. He sat next to her but before he could close his eyes, a voice shock him alert.

"Y'all got some place to sleep tonight!" said an old creaky voice. Creaky, but yet had a detail of friendliness on it's outlines with typical country accent.

Big Mac responded to the voice "nope!"

"Well then, what do ye think of me so bad that ah wouldn' invate ye into my barn?! Come on in, sugarcubes!" the mare was old enough, but still managed to hall a large stallion to his hooves "you, AND your lady"

Applejack woke up "huh.. what?"

"Ayum Granny Smith and your friend tole me that you've have no place to stay tonight"

Applejack staggered to her feet, her belly now in full view, mute, and Granny Smith's eyes widened at the sight.

"oh, Sweetie!" she put her hoof round her back and helped her into the house that juxtaposed with a deep, fruity orchard.

"A farm, isn't it..."

"Indeed! And you'll be needing some time to sort yourself out, won't ya? Poor thingie!"

"I'm wiling to offer any help, madonna. In return for your generosity"

"Well, what's your name?"

"Big Mac"

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"Come on! You can do it! Push...PUSH!"

"Tell me...to push...one more...bucking...time... and amma rip... your bucking... tail off!" She screamed again as her spine curled outward, bringing out the flesh as his hoof became a reflection of all her agony through must squeezing. Big Mac only bit his lip, but remained strong through the stress of the eventful scene

"Aaaaaand she's here!" Granny Smith called out with glee as wiped the tiny foal with delicate towels. She barely had any mane, but the rare hair was as red as the skins of delicious apples, and her thin coat was a tuft of pale yellow.

"it's... It's a she?" Applejack let out, swollowing the last bits of her water in extreme thirst. "We have a filly?!" She arched her head forward and looked at the tiny filly, who has barely even opened her eyes. She then took a glance at Big Mac, who's cheeks shone in liquid pride as he couldn't help smiling at his daughter.
Applejack smiled, and relaxed "Applebloom, the name shall be..." at last she said, putting herself into a well deserved rest.

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"She cannot know!" Applejack terrorised, now calm. "She will think she is our sister" tears like rain from her eyes, "we will tell her that Big Mac and I are her brother and sister"

"Are you sure, sugarcube? That's mad!"

"Yes... YES! I AM! That is the only way she will have a fair life... I hope..."

Author's Note:

thanks to my wonderful proof reader poisoning orchid!

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