//------------------------------// // Upsy-Daisy! // Story: Tending Twilight // by Hodgepodge //------------------------------// “I won!” Dash crowed as her final horseshoe landed, hitting the sandy earth with a muffled ‘thunk’. “In your FACE, AJ!” They’d been neck and neck for a while now. One of them would get a lucky shot in every once in a while, and think she was coming out on top, and then the other would catch up after a couple of throws. They’d had two more ‘tiebreaker’s before this, but it seemed like the game was finally over. Applejack’s horseshoe had been undershot, resting a little ways in front of the stake - while Rainbow’s had landed behind it. “Uh, I think you’ll find AH won, actually!” Applejack scowled back at her friend, and Twilight glanced awkwardly between the two of them, before looking over at the horseshoes. “I, um, I think she’s right, Rainbow - it looks like AJ’s horseshoe is closer,” she squinted. “Maybe you’ll win next time?” Applejack snorted in triumph, but Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes. “Yeah right! Of course you’d take her side, she’s your marefriend!” She flapped her wings and flew over to the stake in the ground to get a closer look. “See? Mine’s here, and Applejack’s is there!” “By ‘there’, do ya mean ‘closest to th’stake’?” “No! I mean further from it! I won!” Dash landed, stomping towards Applejack with her wings down. “AH won!” “I wo-” “Girls! Stop! There’s an easy way to solve this!” Twilight chided them, once more feeling the weight of alicorn authority pushing down on her as both other ponies fell silent. She trotted towards the stake, her horn glowing as she approached. After a moment, the glow travelled over towards it, giving it a fuchsia glow. Twilight bit her lip as she concentrated. Slowly, two lines of magic crept towards the horseshoes in question like thin pink tendrils, until the shoes too glowed that same color. Twilight muttered under her breath for a moment, wrinkling her nose, before she suddenly looked up with a smile, dropping the enchantment. “Sorry, Dash, but AJ’s right. Yours is further away by about a quarter of an inch,” she informed them both cheerily as she walked back over to Applejack’s side, nuzzling her cheek lovingly. Twilight never got tired of kissing AJ, or touching AJ, or staring lovingly at AJ and knowing she was allowed to stare lovingly at AJ, and didn’t have to calculate the appropriate moment to the second to look away so that she wouldn’t be caught staring at AJ... “Pfft! Whatever,” Dash’s scratchy voice broke Twilight out of her reverie. “You got lucky this time, cowpony.” Her eyebrows were lowered like she was scowling, but Twilight could see the hint of a grin at the edges of her lips. “Yup. I reckon I got real lucky,” Applejack pressed herself against Twilight, giving her a peck on the cheek. “An’ I don’t just mean at horseshoes…” Rainbow just rolled her eyes at that. For a pretty cool pony, AJ could be really mushy since she’d started dating Twilight. But Twilight was a pretty cool pony too, come to think of it, especially now she was the only one of Dash’s Ponyville friends who could join her in one of her favourite activities - flying. Well, technically, Fluttershy could fly, but she’d have as much luck getting the shy pegasus in the air to practice tricks with her as she would convincing AJ to up and move to Cloudsdale. Speaking of which... “Hey, Twilight, you wanna practice flying with me?” Dash asked after a few seconds. Her wings practically itched with the need to get in the air. “I have a couple more maneuvers I think you’re ready for now.” “Is that okay with you, Applejack?” Twilight peeled herself away from her partner. “I don’t want to just abandon you…” “Aw, that’s fine by me, sugarcube. It’ll give me a chance to get some work done, an’ then maybe we can have a nice picnic after,” Applejack rubbed her cheek against Twilight, before stepping away. “Y’know I love spending time with you, but time is bits…” “You’re so boring, AJ,” Rainbow Dash teased, but she seemed pleased all the same. “C’mon Sparkle, let’s get up in the air. You remember how to take off, right?” Applejack watched her marefriend and her best friend make their way high into the sky, Dash occasionally issuing commands for Twi to lift her neck higher or spread her wings further. And then they were too far away to really hear, just two muffled voices above the clouds, and AJ chuckled fondly as she strolled off to her work. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack was surprised when she saw Rainbow and Twilight return to the ground. They usually spent a couple of hours up in the air, although Applejack was pretty sure Twi spent a lot of that time resting and watching Dash ‘perform’. Slightly concerned, AJ walked briskly over to where the pair had touched down, almost forgetting to leave her hoe behind. “Everythin’ alright?” she asked, anxiously. Rainbow Dash loved to perform dizzying stunts - what if she’d talked Twilight into doing one and she’d pulled some important wing muscle? “We’re fine, everything’s fine, Twilight just got worn out,” Dash looked more irritated than concerned, and AJ frowned. “Um, don’t be mad at Rainbow, Applejack?” Twilight gently pleaded. “To be honest, it’s my own fault… I guess I didn’t… *yaaawn*... get much sleep last night.” Applejack looked hard at Twilight, and noticed there were dark circles under her eyes, hidden somewhat by her purple coat. “She fell asleep on a cloud, Applejack!” Rainbow grumbled. “While I was in the middle of showing her an awesome routine…” “I said I was sorry!” Now she knew her marefriend wasn’t injured or in danger, Applejack relaxed, smirking at the pair of ponies in front of her. “Well I reckon if anypony knows a thing or two about sleepin’ on clouds, it’d be Dash,” she said, brushing her slightly damp mane out of her face. She’d been working hard, even if it hadn’t been for long. “Let’s get you back to the library, Twi. Y’can take a nice long nap.” “But… your picnic… I can’t ask Rainbow to miss that, just because I’m a little sleepy…” Applejack sighed. “Well, me an’ Rainbow will have the picnic on our own, how’s that?” “And Pinkie can come too,” Rainbow added, as if she’d just thought of it, although somepony paying attention would have caught the panicky edge in her voice. “I haven’t hung out with her in a while.” “...Right, an’ Pinkie can come too.” “But… I was looking forward to showing you what I’ve been learning, AJ,” Twilight pouted, looking at Applejack pleadingly, but the farmpony just shook her head firmly. “Ya can show me tomorrow, when you’re well-rested, how’s that sound?” “But Ap-” “No buts!” said Applejack with a chuckle. “Sometimes Twi, Ah swear you’re worse ‘n Apple Bloom. Now c’mon, let’s get you to bed.” Twilight closed her mouth, her cheeks flushed. Without intending to, Applejack had just pressed her deeper into littlespace, and she didn’t feel able to argue anymore. It felt nice, knowing she had a pony looking out for her and making sure she took care of herself. “...’kay. Night, Rainbow Dash,” she said softly, as Applejack led her away. “Night, Sparkle,” Rainbow lifted her head over Twilight’s shoulder to look at AJ. “Boss, I’ll wait here, okay?” Applejack nodded in response, before she started walking again, leaning in to Twilight to offer her support, if she wanted it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When they entered Twilight Sparkle’s bedroom, Applejack noticed the bottle first. To be precise, she didn’t notice it until after she was inside the bedroom, near Twilight’s bed, and the sleepy mare was clambering into the mess of sheets, focused on trying to unravel them after leaving them in such a mess this morning. “Huh,” said Applejack, peering at the empty foal’s bottle. “Twi… you had them Cake twins over here?” “What?” Twilight jerked her head, looking more awake. Her eyes eventually landed where AJ’s were looking, and then they shrank to pinpricks as she saw she’d left her bottle out. She wondered frantically if Applejack being the element of honesty would mean she’d be able to tell when Twilight was lying. “Uh, yeah! I was foalsitting, that’s who that bottle was for…” “Huh,” said Applejack, a second time. “I didn’t see ‘em around. When I came over I mean. An’ Spike was alone downstairs.” “Oh! Hah,” Twilight tried to keep her nerves under control. “Well, um, that’s right! Mr and Mrs Cake said they needed a foalsitter today, since they thought Pinkie Pie was going to be busy. But then it turned out she wasn’t! So, I didn’t need to foalsit anymore.” Applejack squinted. She could tell Twi wasn’t telling her something, but she could also tell she was working herself up something fierce, and if she kept asking her questions the poor princess would probably be a shaking wreck in a few minutes. So she dropped it, for now, hoping Twilight would get some sleep. “Alright, Twi’,” she sighed, giving her marefriend a loving smile that made Twilight’s pupils revert to almost their normal size, her muscles unclenching a little. Applejack wasn’t going to ask any more, which was for the best. “I want you to get some rest, okay? Ah’ll see you tomorrow, when you come by the farm, an’ then you can show me every darn thing Dash’s been showing you.” Applejack’s voice was soothing and, though Twilight blushed thinking it, very motherly. With gentleness born from years of putting Apple Bloom to bed, AJ grabbed the blanket between her teeth and slid it up over Twi’s prone body, using a hoof to smooth it out as she went. Twilight felt warm and snuggly and taken care of - and Applejack’s adoring gaze only made her feel that even more. She looked up into those green eyes with a fillyish gaze of her own, until AJ leaned down to kiss her, their lips meeting gently. “Mm. Night, sugarcube. Ah’ll turn out the light as I’m leavin’,” Applejack said with a smile, as Twilight yawned and closed her eyes, settling down. “Mm… good night, Applejack,” Twilight mumbled sleepily. A moment later and the room was bathed in darkness - and Applejack tried to creep quietly towards the stairs to not disturb Twilight. “Oof!” AJ said under her breath as she stumbled. She’d tripped over something on Twilight’s floor and she bent down to pick it up. “A book? Heh, well, ain’t that jus’ like Twi…” She carried the book downstairs and out of the room as quietly as she could without waking the sleeping Alicorn - who started snoring a moment later, putting a smile on Applejack’s face. Once she was in the light, she got a good look at the book she was holding. “Huh,” she said, for the third time that day. It was a book on foal development. Including the last stages of fetal development, judging from the page she was on. Applejack knew, of course, that if the cake twins had been coming over Twilight would probably have wanted to do some studying before they arrived to make sure she did everything ‘right’, even though AJ could have told her there’s no one ‘right’ way to take care of a foal, as long as they’re safe and happy. But it hadn’t been a ‘foal care’ book - it had been foal development. Foal development with a section for before the foal was born, even. Applejack furrowed her brow as she pushed the book into a nearby case that looked like it had space. She’d promised to meet Dash at the farm, and she didn’t like to keep ponies waiting. So with a final glance, she turned and left, trying not to think about the picture that was coming together in her mind. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack had met Rainbow, and they’d traveled to Sugarcube Corner together. At first they’d walked - then they’d trotted - and then they’d been racing, laughing and bumping into each other as they went, until they finally reached the bakery where they knew they’d find Pinkie. AJ couldn’t remember the last time her and Dash had run like this, and it made her resolve to try and spend more time with her friend. Just because she was in a relationship now was no reason to close herself off from everypony else - she didn’t want to become one of those ponies who had no life outside of their partner. They went through the door laughing and grinning, manes a mess - but it was hard to care. Applejack thought privately that this was what life was all about. She had a beautiful mare in her life, good friends by her side, and she was part of the greatest family in Equestria. Blessed was the only word for it, she thought. “Whoa! Hi Rainbow Dash! Hi Applejack!” Pinkie Pie greeted them cheerily from behind the counter. “Have you guys been running? Where’s Twilight?” “Yup. We raced here, Pinkie,” Applejack smiled. “An’ Twi’s gone home, poor thing, she was all worn out. Must’ve stayed up all night studyin’ - wouldn’t that be just like her?” “Yepperoni! That would be just like Twilight! But then I guess anything Twilight does would be just like Twilight, huh? Because anything Twilight does would be the Twilight-iest thing ever, and-” “Pinkie!” The bouncing pink pony stood still for a moment and batted her eyelashes. “Yes, Dashie?” “We wanted to know if you wanted to join us for a picnic, at AJ’s?” “Oh! Sure thing, Dashie!” Pinkie replied chirpily, hopping back from the counter. With impossible dexterity, she hooked the end of her tail under where her apron was tied. Her tail flicked frantically and in an instant the knot was undone. Finally, she pulled her head back in an unponylike fluid motion, out of the neckhole - the ponies watching could have sworn the apron hung in mid-air for a moment, before it fell in a heap onto the ground. “I was due to finish soon anyway! Mr.Cake!” Pinkie called to her employer. “I’m going to hang out with my friends for a bit, okay?” “That’s fine, Pinkie!” Mr.Cake replied from the kitchen, although it sounded like his mouth was full. “I’m just putting a batch of muffins in and then I can take right over.” “Okiedokielokie!” “Finally!” griped Rainbow Dash, but she seemed happy that Pinkie was joining them. “AJ promised she’d break out her private supply of cider if I beat her here.” “First of all,” began Applejack as the three girls walked together towards her farm. “Ah never even said there was a private supply at all. I said IF’n there were, then ah MIGHT be convinced to part with some of it, IF ya managed t’get to Sugarcube Corner in front of me.” Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to say something, but Applejack kept going. “An’ second of all? Ya didn’t beat me there.” The earth pony smirked as she trotted ahead, leaving Rainbow speechless for a moment. Just a moment, though. Rainbow cantered past Pinkie, who was giggling at her friends’ silly banter, and snorted challengingly. “I did so!” “Y’need me to go get Twilight and prove I won again, sugarcube?” AJ teased. “Oh, so you need your marefriend to help you cheat?” “Dashie! Don’t say that! When does Twilight Sparkle ever cheat?” Pinkie scolded her. “She’s an alicorn princess now, remember, I don’t think she’s allowed to even for ittybitty little things like a race to Sugarcube Corner!” Dash sagged a little at that. “Alright, you got me. She doesn’t cheat, ever. And… I guess the element of honesty probably doesn’t, either,” she sighed. “I was just kidding.” “Hmm... “ Pinkie narrowed her eyes, looking Dash over seriously for a moment, and then went back to bouncing along with a grin on her face. “Okie dokie! I believe you, Dashie!” The three walked in relative silence for a few minutes - or rather, Applejack and Rainbow Dash walked in relative silence. Pinkie Pie hopped, skipped and jumped, while humming cheerfully. AJ and Rainbow shared a look and rolled their eyes in unison, before Rainbow cleared her throat. “Heh… So… Since AJ here doesn’t think I won the last race… how about we have another one?” “Oh, you’re on, pony girl!” Applejack said with a grin, already starting to pick up speed. “Y’joining us Pinkie?” “Of course! A super fun race with some of my bestest best friends? I wouldn’t miss that for the world!” “Awesome! Alright then… On your marks,” Rainbow said, and all three ponies slowed to a stop, although they trotted and bounced in place as they waited. “Get set…” Applejack said as she grinned determinedly, crouching down, ready to run. “Go go GO!” yelled Pinkie, and the two athletic ponies on either side of her took off with excited whinnies. Pinkie herself whirled around and charged off in the opposite direction, leaving a pink blur behind her. “See you girls at the finish line!” she called back in a singsong voice. Dash and Applejack were both looking straight ahead as they hurtled full speed in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, a matching grin on each pony’s face. “Where - *hff* where’s Pinkie goin’?” Applejack managed breathlessly, falling back a little as she spoke but soon making up the distance when she was finished. “Pfftt.. Who… Who cares? She’s PINKIE Pie - she’ll… whoof…. She’ll meet us there, I’m sure of it,” Rainbow Dash shook her head briefly and blew air hard out of her nostrils before putting on a burst of speed. “Let’s GO, cowpony!” “Oh it is ON now!” Applejack grinned as she reared, before rushing off herself. “Ah’m right behind you, ponygirl!” Within a few moments, she had passed Rainbow, and stuck her tongue out even as she kept galloping. “An’ I guess NOW ah’m right in front o’ you!” Dash gasped in mock indignation, and then smirked terribly as she picked up speed to try and match the orange farmpony who was so often her rival in races like these. The pair kept neck and neck for a while - Applejack got ahead, then Rainbow, then Applejack again. They kept going like that for several minutes, until AJ saw the fence posts of her family’s farm and lowered her head, trying to pull ahead. “Oh no you don’t!” said Dash, laughing as she bumped Applejack with her shoulder, knocking her off-balance slightly. “Hahah! Tryin’ to play dirty, huh?” AJ asked as she bumped her right back, the gate to Sweet Apple Acres getting closer and closer. “You’d know *pant* all about dirt!” “An’ in a moment I’ll know all about beatin’ arrogant pegasus ponies *huff* into the dus’!” “Hah! In your dreams!” Both ponies seemed to decide simultaneously that there was no time for banter, and that she was going to win. The finish line was so close! Nearly there… almost… almost…! “Hi guys! What took ya so long?” Pinkie Pie hopped out unexpectedly, from behind a bush that seemed too small to conceal a full-grown pony. “AHHH!” Rainbow Dash and Applejack screamed in unison, both trying to skid to a halt. Inevitably their hooves skidded on the dusty ground as they tried to stop, and where one pony when left, the other pony went right, and they happened to head right towards each other. And suddenly earth pony crashed into pegasus, and in a cloud of dust they tumbled about down the path until finally coming to a stop in a heap in front of Pinkie Pie. “Ohmigosh! Are you girls okay?” asked Pinkie. That had looked like a lot of fun, and funny too - but if Applejack or Rainbow Dash were hurt, it wasn’t funny at all! Dash had landed on top of Applejack, and her stetson rested akimbo on the pegasus’ head. Dash looked down and to the left at AJ, and AJ looked up and to the right at Dash - and then they burst out laughing, and Pinkie sighed before she burst out laughing too. “I guess PINKIE’s th’one who won that race!” Applejack said between laughs, and after she and Rainbow got up and dusted themselves off, they all walked off down the path to the farmhouse. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I think that one looks like a fuzzy bunny!” All three ponies were laying on their back, looking up at the sky. It wasn’t quite night, but it was getting close, the sky darkening gradually. They’d eaten the picnic and now they rested, watching clouds lazily drift across the sky. “Nah, it looks more like a duck!” Rainbow argued, squinting up at the vague shape. “Or maybe a wolf… with big ears?” Applejack didn’t say anything, closing her eyes and enjoying the peace of the evening. This was one of her favourite times of the day. Usually, by now she’d have finished all her chores and dinner, and she had a peaceful moment to herself to read, or just enjoy the night air. She enjoyed this time even more than usual nowadays, because more often than not, she got to spend her evenings with Twilight Sparkle. Twilight… “Hey Pinkie?” “Yeah, AJ?” Pinkie replied, rolling onto her side towards Applejack. “How come y’weren’t busy today?” “I was busy! Busy at work, which is my job, which is how I make bits! I was there when you came to get me, remember, you silly filly?” Pinkie gave her a confused look, and Rainbow snickered. “No, ah mean… I thought Twilight supposed to look after the twins today, since you were busy ‘n all - but then you weren’t busy after all?” “Nope! I mean, I don’t think so! I mean, Mrs. Cake was looking after the foals today, it was her turn!” Applejack went quiet for a few seconds, and then: “...Ya sure?” “Yepperoni! What’s wrong, AJ?” “Nothin’!” said Applejack hurriedly. In truth, she was pretty sure something was wrong. She didn’t always find it easy to tell when somepony was lying, but now she was pretty much certain she’d caught Twilight in a fib. Worse, she couldn’t work out why she was lying. What could her marefriend possibly have to hide from her? Unless… Applejack swallowed. “Pinkie, when Mr an’ Mrs. Cake decided to have the twins… when did you find out about it? Like, were there any...clues? Before they told you officially they were plannin’ to have a foal?” Dash’s ear quirked as if she was listening closely now, but she didn’t turn to look in Applejack’s direction. In fact, she seemed to be making a show of not looking at her, staring at the grass intently, playing with it, pressing down the blades with a hoof, before letting them spring up again. “Um, gosh… I didn’t really notice, but… Well, Mrs.Cake started eating healthier, for a while before… and um, they had some kind of chart they wouldn’t explain to me! It looked like a sticker chart, but it only had stickers on 5 or 6 days a month! Isn’t that silly?” Pinkie Pie rambled, pausing to rub her chin in thought. “...Oh! And then of course there were the books!” “Th’books?” Applejack asked, looking concerned. “Yep! They bought all kinds of books about foals! I think Mr.Cake was worried about not being a good enough Daddy! Which is silly! He’s a great Dad!” “Go back t’the books, Pinkie. Books with… stuff about foals in? Bein’ pregnant, maybe?” Applejack asked, an edge to her voice. Rainbow’s ear flicked again, and her mouth was a straight line, but she still kept looking away. “Yeah! Ooo, you’re smart! All kinds of things like that!” Applejack fell silent again. Inside her, emotions warred with each other - uncertainty, disappointment, betrayal… even sympathy, for her dear, sweet marefriend who was apparently too nervous to bring up an awkward topic around her own partner. “...Girls? I gotta talk to y’all about somethin’. But it’s gotta stay secret, okay? Promise me?” “Ooo, do you mean-” “Yeah Pinkie - Pinkie promise for me?” Applejack looked directly at Rainbow Dash, who was looking at her with a queasy expression. “Dash, you too? Please?” Rainbow seemed to fight with herself, and then she sighed, nodding. “Sure… I Pinkie promise,” she said weakly. “Nope! You have to do the whole thing! Like this, remember!” Pinkie grinned as she sat up, gesturing with her hooves as she went through each part of the Pinkie promise in turn, Rainbow Dash copying her movements with far less enthusiasm. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” “-in my eye. Ugh! There,” Dash grumbled. “Thanks,” Applejack sighed. “Girls… I think maybe Twi’s gettin’ to thinkin’ about foals, already. I think she wants us t’have one.” “WHAT?” Rainbow yelled, looking irritated by the very suggestion. “Ooooo! Another foal! How super exciting!” Pinkie Pie said genuinely, grinning. “No, not super exciting! Super crazy!” Dash snorted angrily. “How long have you and Twilight even been dating?” “Uh, comin’ up on about a year now? Ah know it seems soon…” “It IS soon! Way too soon! You’re still way too young for a foal!” Rainbow Dash was standing now, her wings unfurled slightly. “What even makes you think Twilight would want something like that?” “The books. The books Pinkie mentioned. Twilight’s got one of them, she was hidin’ it in her room, an’...” Applejack swallowed. “She had a foal’s bottle too, already.” She saw Rainbow open her mouth to protest, and interrupted with the thing that made her sure this was what Twilight was feeling. “An’ when I asked her? Dash, she lied. Right to my face,” Applejack frowned as she spoke. “She told me she had it for the cake twins, ‘cept the cake twins were never due to come over. So you tell me what other explanation makes sense, cuz I’m all ears.” Rainbow Dash started to speak again, several times - but Applejack was right. She couldn’t think of another explanation. Everything seemed to point to that conclusion - that Twilight wanted to have Applejack’s foal, and make a perfect little family after just a year of dating her. When Rainbow couldn’t think of anything else to say, Pinkie spoke up instead. “What are you gonna do, AJ? Do you want a foal? Cuz they’re super cute and all but also a TONNE of work! You’d have to be super duper sure you wanted one!” “I don’t rightly know, Pinkie. I keep thinkin’ an’ thinkin’... an’ I just go in circles. I wish this wasn’t so confusin’,” Applejack shook her head, her eyes closed. “If we’d been together longer, ah know I’d want to do it for sure. But hay, we’re not even married yet! I just don’t know what I want…” “Awww,” Pinkie reached a hoof out and rested it on AJ’s reassuringly. “Don’t worry - this’ll all work itself out by the end of the story!” Applejack blinked. “Well I don’t reckon this here is a story, it’s real life!” “That’s what you think!” Pinkie said with a grin, and she winked, right at you. “...Right,” said Rainbow Dash, walking over to Applejack, although for some reason it seemed like it was taking all her effort to do so. “Look… AJ, whatever you decide to do… we’ll be here for you. And a pony that’s half you and half Twi is going to be pretty awesome, I have to admit.” “Heh, as awesome as you?” Applejack teased, feeling a bit better. “Pfft, don’t push it!” Rainbow said with a smirk. “But, seriously… you need to…” Rainbow gulped. “You need to go talk to her tomorrow, okay? And decide what’s going to happen… together. Because you are. Together. As a couple.” “As a team!” interjected Pinkie, and Rainbow nodded. “Right! Yeah! That.” “Awww… thank you girls,” Applejack grabbed them both, pulling them into a strong earth pony hug with both forelimbs. “What what ah do without you two here?” “Hehe,” replied Rainbow Dash weakly. “Wh-what are friends for?” Unnoticed, a single bead of sweat ran down her forehead.