Starlight Chronicles

by WanderingPhysicist

Flashback: The Origin of Satsuma Apple

Main Characters: Applejack, Fluttershy
Cameos: Sunshine, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom, Big Macintosh
Original Start Date: September 22, 2013

---

Applejack paces in her living room. Her stomach has a slight bulge. Her family and friends watch the nervous mare, expecting an obvious announcement. Applejack stops her pacing, faces everypony and smiles bashfully.

‘Ah bet y’all can guess why Ah invited ya here.’

The rest mumble responses, trying to hide their excitement.

Applejack takes a deep breath. ‘Well, Ah have t’ tell ya that Ah’m...’

‘Oh, just say it already, darling,’ Rarity blurts out. ‘We have been noticing it for a couple weeks now.’

‘Fine.’ Applejack steels herself. ‘Ah’m pregnant.’

Everypony cheers. Pinkie fires her party cannon. Rainbow Dash does a loop. Fluttershy shouts an extra loud ‘yay~’.

Apple Bloom hops around excitedly. ‘Ah’m gonna be an aunt! Mah friends are gonna be so jealous!’

Big Macintosh nods. ‘Eeyup.’

‘Ah bet Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle will wanna be an aunt too!’

Big Macintosh nods. ‘Eeyup.’

Rarity laughs nervously. ‘Let’s hope they don’t expect that right away...’

Sunshine trots over and hugs Applejack. ‘That is great to hear,’ the bat pony says. ‘Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Wait until I tell everypony.’ He laughs. ‘My dad is going to be so excited to hear he is a grandfather. Oh! We are definitely going to have to have Luna give a blessing.’ Realization strikes him. ‘We’re going to have to get married.’

Applejack breaks free. ‘Whoa, let’s not get ahead o’ ourselves here.’

Sunshine stares at his fillyfriend. ‘Why? What is it?’

‘Well, uh...’ Applejack looks away and pulls her hat down.

‘Applejack. What is it?’

‘Yer not the father,’ the mare whispers.

Everypony stops their celebration.

‘Oh, my,’ Fluttershy gasps.

‘What do you mean?’ Sunshine growls.

‘It ain’t yer foal.’ Applejack glances at her friends. ‘Its Jimmy’s.’

After a moment of silence, everypony starts yelling at once. Granny Smith faints. Applejack screams and ducks as an end table is thrown at her.

‘You two-timing cheater!’ Pinkie shouts, her mane limp. ‘You promised! … James promised! How could you break a promise like that! I hate both of you so much right now!’

‘It ain’t his fault! Ah was the one who screwed up here!’

‘I don’t care what position you used! It doesn’t excuse the fact that you broke your promise yet again, Liarjack!’ She throws a rock from out of nowhere. ‘I hate you! I want you to die!’

Pinkie storms away, muttering curses. Applejack looks at her other friends. They are all quite angry at her.

‘Dude, you betrayed Twilight.’ Rainbow Dash shakes her head. ‘That is totally not cool. You’re on your own.’

‘I completely agree, darling,’ Rarity adds. ‘Everypony knows married and engaged are off limits.’

The two friends trot off together. Applejack keeps looking for any support. Sunshine pushes past as he heads for the door.

‘Sunshine. Wait.’

The bat pony stops. ‘Applejack. If you weren’t with foal, I would hit you right now.’

‘Sunsh-’

‘Shut up! You told me months ago it was over! I know for a fact he stopped seeing you back then too! Apparently, he was the only one serious about it! This was all your doing! This is all your fault!’

‘Gimme a sec t’...’

‘I was ready to give up my life in Canterlot to be here with you. How could you treat me like this?’

‘Sunshine, Ah...’

‘Goodbye, Applejack. I don’t want to see you again.’

The bat pony storms out. All that is left is Applejack’s family. Granny Smith is still in a faint. Big Macintosh lifts his grandmother to his back. The mare looks away, not wanting to make eye contact.

‘Ah’m sorry,’ Applejack mumbles.

‘Sorry?!’ Apple Bloom shouts. ‘Yer the worst sister ever! Ya get on yer high horse ‘bout family and honesty and integrity, and this is what ya do behind everypony’s back. Ah hate ya!’

‘Apple Bloom...’

The older sister tries approaching her younger sister, but Apple Bloom backs away.

‘Don’ come near me! Ah hate ya! Ah never wanna see ya again! AH HATE YA!’

Apple Bloom gallops out of the house, headed to her clubhouse.

‘Ya got a lota thinkin’ t’ do,’ Big Macintosh snorts, heading up to his room.

Applejack lays on her bed sobbing into a pillow. Her dresser is blocking her door. A gentle tap interrupts her crying. Applejack looks up. The tap comes again. She sees Fluttershy flying outside her window. The upset mare turns away and covers her head.

‘Go away!’ Applejack shouts.

Fluttershy huffs and keeps tapping the window. Applejack growls and throws the window open.

‘What! What do ya want!’

Fluttershy shrinks back. She takes a deep breath and looks into her friend’s eyes. ‘I want to talk with you.’

‘Why? So ya can yell at me too?’

‘Applejack, when have you known me to yell at anypony?’

‘It’s rare, but Ah hear it.’

Fluttershy sighs and pushes her way inside. She lands on the bed and pats beside herself. ‘I just want to talk, Applejack. … Don’t think about jumping from the window. I’d catch you and if I couldn’t get you in time, you’re too tough to get hurt. Not to mention, I am sure James would want to save his foal.’

Applejack looks at her friend. ‘Ah wasn’ thinkin’ that...’

‘Come and sit with me.’

The earth pony moans and sits beside her friend. Before anypony can say anything, Applejack grabs Fluttershy in a hug and starts sobbing.

Fluttershy pats her friend’s back. ‘There, there. You messed up, but I am here to help you.’

‘Ya ain’t mad?’

‘Of course I’m upset. You broke a promise, but you are also a single mother whose friends and family have abandoned her in her time of need. I could never turn my back on any of you, no matter how upset I am with you.’

‘Thank ya, Fluttershy.’ Applejack wipes her tears. ‘Ah really bucked mahself with this mess, didn’ ah?’

Fluttershy nods. ‘That is one way of looking at it. You are going to have to work hard to regain everypony’s trust again. I know how hard that is going to be...’

‘Ya do?’

The pegasus smiles. ‘I caused a bit of a SNAFU with James as well, if you remember.’

‘How long’d it take?’

Fluttershy pats her friend’s back. ‘I still think Pinkie hasn’t completely forgiven me...’

‘Ah’m surprised she didn’ kill me outright...’

‘Don’t worry about her. We’ll work on winning her over again when we need to. Right now, we have somepony more important to worry about.’

‘Who?’

‘You, silly.’ Fluttershy smiles. ‘We have to make you feel better.’

‘But what ‘bout Pinkie and mah sister and Sunshine… Sunshine...’

‘Don’t worry about him right now.’

‘Ah hurt ‘im so much… Ah really did love ‘im. Ah really did. Ah don’ know why Ah had t’ buck everythin’ up.’

‘It is in the past now, Applejack. Now, what can I do to make you feel better?’

Applejack hugs her friend and starts crying again. ‘Jus’ talk t’ me. Make me feel like Ah’m not alone.’

Fluttershy nods. ‘All right. Let’s see… Well, the other day I was visiting our friend Beaverton Beaverteeth…’

Applejack sniffles as she holds her friend and listens.

Author's Note:

Welcome to something new!

This is the first of (currently) four planned 'Flashback' chapters. These chapters reveal events that took place after the end of TWP and before the start of Starlight Chronicles (or at least before the chapters they explain) but have an important role to play in the story. Most events covered are touched on throughout the story and are explained here. Most Flashbacks are short. All are important. If, down the line, you have suggestions for other Flashbacks, I'll consider them.

TWP/SCS Timeline: A couple weeks after the wedding, Applejack reveals she is pregnant to her friends.

Comments

[Djerid]

Off topic to the chapter, but i just relised that out of 4 princesses, 3 'liked' james, and of the other he had it on for her husband. When i look at it that way TWP seems a bit more gary stue-ish. Of course i dont really believe this, but it is a thing to point out

Edit: actually i can totally believe he is a gary stue, as i forgot he is discord as well as a time lord buddy of the doctor.

Edit .2 regardless he is one of my favourite fanfiction characters

[WanderingPhysicist]

3303974

Yeah. He totally was. I hated that so much. That is why I was trying (and failing) at reversing that by the end of TWP. (Don't worry. Celestia and Luna moving on will be addressed in SCS.) Fortunately for SCS, James just has to be a good father and husband, and most of his kids are independent already.

I made a list of all James' kids who get his shipping curse and almost all were on it! (But only one wasn't in a stable relationship and thus denied the other ponies.) Not a spoiler since we've already seen others liking on Rei in TWP and some triangles forming for Starlight and Satsuma.

[Patronum2000]

Beaverton Beaverteeth

Hmmm...
This must be a snake!