A Rare Seedling

This is kind of an epilogue to Lost from my side stories. It's not in the side story itself because I liked how I ended it and I didn't want to give it too many endings. So here's this that's a bit relevant to A Balance of Fire and Light.

Applejack carefully examined the planter bed, checking the soil's moisture, and examining the five seedlings only now beginning to sprout.

“We need y'all to grow up big an healthy, ya hear.” She quietly said to the plants. “Ya'll are the last of your kind now, and for all the times you've saved us it's time to return the favor.”

“Is everything alright Applejack?” Fluttershy asked as she quietly approached Applejack.

“I think so. All of these plants are looking good so far.” Applejack answered as she stood up and turned to her friend.

“I thought I heard you say that they were the last of their kind.”

Applejack slowly nodded as she explained, “Yeah, after the world they came from went missing, James can't get any more beans to grow new plants from.”

“I thought they were out of all of them.” Fluttershy asked, astonished any were still around.

“They have a seed vault where they keep enough seeds to restart extinct plants should something disastrous happen.” Applejack explained as she checked the amount of sunlight they were getting, calculating where the shadows would fall as the day wore on. “Which I guess did.”

“And this is all of them?”

“Not all of them, but more than half. James and Lucca have two beans planted in some special garden that they know will grow them, but it's going to be more than a year until they're big enough to even begin making more beans.”

“Oh my, they have that much trouble with them?”

“Not from they way they tell it. Seems we just do a better job with 'em than anypony else, so they gave me seven beans to grow with.”

“But there's only five plants growing here.”

“Which is where you come in Fluttershy. I gave one to Twilight already.” Applejack said with a large grim, leading her friend towards the barn. “And you did a mighty fine job growing them.”

Fluttershy giggled and smiled sheepishly. “It helps that there's an abundance of fertilizer available.”

“Don't put all yer eggs in one basket,” Applejack quoted, “which is why I'm giving you the last seedling.”

“What?” Fluttershy asked, astonished. “Oh no, I only grow plants as a hobby. You're the real farm pony, besides I have so many animals, what if something happens to it? Angel Bunny has been chewing on all sorts of things lately.”

“That's why I'm growing five plants. But things can happen here too. And you know what you're doing growing these so there's nothing for you to worry about.” Applejack said, pushing the pot onto Fluttershy.

“But they're so rare now. Are you sure it's okay for me to grow this?”

“Fluttershy, I trust you. And I know James and Lucca trust you too.”

“What if somepony gets seriously hurt?”

“That's exactly why we need to grow these as best we can, and use most of those beans for a new crop.” Applejack said as they went back to the planter where the other seedlings resided. Once there, Applejack began to examine the area as if something were missing.

In a moment she had it and readily announced her realization. “That's what I was forgetting: the traps.”

“Traps!” Fluttershy gasped.

“Yeah, can't have critters getting to them.”

“You can't hurt the cute little animals who are just looking for something to eat.”

Applejack paused and stared at Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, I ain't gonna hurt 'em. They're live traps, I just catch them and move them someplace else. Less of course you wanna talk to them and convince them to leave.”

“I could see about getting the message out.” She whispered.

“That'll help a bunch, thank you.” Applejack said as she knelt back down by the seedlings, “Ya'll heard me: Big and healthy.”