Prologue
Sweet Apple Acres, along with the rest of the countryside surrounding Ponyville, was bathed in the brilliant glow of Celestia’s sun. A light breeze stirred through the treetops of the orchard, bending some branches and blowing loose leaves from them. Each leaf that left a tree fluttered through the blue sky, coming to rest on the ground when the energy imparted upon it by gravity ran out, allowing it to settle peaceful on the grass-covered ground. Each new gust of the breeze brought down more leaves in this way, just as each new gust brought with it another fresh chill in the air. The chill heralded an unwelcome arrival, each breath of cold air was another reminder that the nights were growing colder and longer. Winter was coming, and it was coming entirely too fast.
The idyllic scene was only disrupted by a single sound. As the breeze blew and the trees swayed, a repetitive ringing noise sounded across the landscape. The noise rang out, scattering the peace that had previously hung over the orchard. Such noises had persisted throughout the day, coming and going, increasing and decreasing in tempo and frequency, but always retaining the same sound of an acute strike – the strike of hammer on nail.
On a small, windswept hill adjacent to the Apple Family farm, a little filly played in the long grass. The individual blades of green tickled her light orange pelt as she rolled, giggling happily to herself as such young ponies are apt to do. The same breeze that disturbed the trees also blew through her mane. Strands of pale golden blonde hair, mixed with streaks of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet, were all picked up by currents of moving air as it whipped past the small pegasus filly. Applejoy was unaware of the coming winter and the dangers it posed, her ignorance a product of the youth that older ponies, those more concerned with the world around them, so envied.
Standing on the top of the hill, overlooking their daughter as she played on the slope, Applejack and Rainbow Dash took a break from their work to contemplate that very world as it changed around them. Another chilled breeze whipped through their manes as they gazed out over the farm that stretched before them. The orchard was filled with row after row of fruit-laden apple trees. The whipping wind spun through the orchard and washed over them, causing Applejack to shiver slightly. “Ah’m worried, Rainbow. It’s been gettin’ colder an’ colder earlier this year. Ah hope we can get all the applebuckin’ done in time. Ah think winter’s comin’ early and Applebuck Season’s barely here.”
In a well-practiced move that she had done many times over the past three years, Rainbow Dash lifted a wing and draped it over her wife’s back, pulling her close so that their bodies touched, sharing warmth between them on the unseasonably cold day. “I know, AJ. But we’ll get through it. We’ve been through a lot together.” She turned and gave Applejack a small, light kiss. “Come on. We should get back to the house and help the others.”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash trotted a short distance down the hill before Applejack bent down to scoop Applejoy up and onto her back. “Mommy!” Applejack smiled when she heard her daughter speak. Even though she couldn’t say very many words, it still filled Applejack with a sense of pride and love to hear her speak. Altogether now, the family trotted down the last of the hill, the Apple Family’s farmhouse and the ponies working there coming into view as they approached.
“There you girls are. Come on, let’s get some more work done.” Twilight Sparkle looked cheery as she trotted past them, levitating several boards in front of her as she did so.
“We’re on it!” Applejack gently set her daughter down before she and Rainbow Dash picked up some supplies and tools of their own. “And thanks again for helpin’ us build the new addition, Twi. It sure means a lot to Rainbow and me.”
“No problem, AJ. I’m glad my magic could be of assistance to you.”
“Hey, Big Mac! Do ya have enough nails over there?” Rainbow Dash called over to him as she stumbled across an extra box.
“Eeeyup.” Big macintosh picked up the hammer beside him in his mouth and swung at a nail placed in a board that Twilight had just levitated into place, beginning to secure it firmly to the upright wooden beam that stood to guide the wall he was building. The sound of a hammer striking nails once again began to emanate across the farm.
“Can ah help, Applejack? Oh can Ah can Ah can Ah?”
“Sure, Applebloom. But ya have to wait. Ah told ya, Ah’ll let ya decorate like ya did fer mah old clubhouse once we’re done putin’ up walls.”
“Awwww…” Applebloom sat down and resigned herself to wait until the new addition to the house was ready for her decorating skill. Bored, she sighed and looked around, her wandering eyes finally falling on a small pegasus filly, playing in the grass again. Applebloom smiled. She always thought that her little niece was just the cutest thing she had ever seen. So focused was she on watching the foal play that she never noticed the pony who snuck up behind her.
“Hey, Applebloom. What’s goin’ on?” Applebloom jumped at the sound of the voice and spun around to confront this new arrival.
“Scootaloo? What… what are ya doin’ here?”
“I heard all this racket and thought I’d stop by and see what was happening.”
“Oh. Well, we’re makin’ the house bigger!”
“Well duh, I can see that. But what are you going to be adding?”
“Well, now that we have Fluttershy living here and her new foal due soon, we have to add on to the house and build a couple extra bedrooms to make sure everypony here or visiting has a place to sleep and a nursery to take care of the foals in.” Applebloom grinned at the new level of responsibility she now had. “Just think, Scootaloo, Ah’ll be helpin’ take care of Joy over there, and mah new niece… or nephew… or whatever. Ain’t it excitin’?”
“Taking care of foals? Doesn’t sound very fun to me.”
“Well, Ah think havin’ so many new family members is great. If ya want to, ya can come and visit sometime. Ya can bring yer parents! Ah’m sure they’ll like ta see the new foals and Ah’d sure like ta finally meet them!”
“Uh… yeah…” Scootaloo stammered, suddenly seeming very uneasy, “that’d be great. Uh… I have to run so… see ya later, AB.”
“Bah, Scoots.” Applebloom waved her friend off as she climbed up onto her scooter and zipped away into the distance. When she couldn’t be seen anymore, Applebloom turned back to her friends and family members, just in time to see Rainbow fly up and precariously balance herself on top of the wood-frame construction building with a hammer in her mouth. Pieces of the roof that she was to secure floated up behind her courtesy of Twilight’s magic.
“You be careful up there now, Rainbow. Don’t hurt yerself.”
“I’ll be fine, AJ. Somepony has to do the roof, and it might as well be me. Besides, we have to get this whole thing done before we move Fluttershy to the hospital next week.”
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Rainbow Dash lounged on her back on the provided couch, her wings tucked safely to her sides, and stretched herself out, pressing her head into Applejack’s chest as she did so. For this, she received an affectionate nuzzle from the mare she rested her head on, causing both of them to smile warmly. Rainbow dash felt calm and relaxed. The couch she lay on was comfortable, and the mare she lay on even more so. Even the linoleum tile floors, plain whitewashed walls, harsh dimmed yellow lighting, and lingering stench of antiseptic that had served to irritate her to no ends when she had come to this place previously were now as welcome as an old friend – her experience with them having been repeated so many times that she had grown accustomed to every little annoyance the hospital had to offer. Rainbow Dash gazed down at her own chest, where, rising and falling in time with every breath Rainbow took, Applejoy slept soundly. Rainbow Dash smiled again at her daughter. She loved this little filly more than anypony else in all of Equestria. Well, maybe not everypony else, she decided as she leaned back to look up into the warm green eyes of her wife. ‘No.’ she thought, ‘these two are about equal.’
“Uuggghh… I’m so bored! When do we get to go back and see them!”
“Sweetie Belle, honestly. You can’t rush foalbirth. It’s a beautiful and painful process that can take hours sometimes. Just ask Applejack.”
“Don’t ya even get me started, Rarity.” Everyone shared a laugh at Applejack’s comment, although Rainbow Dash had to stifle the urge just to keep from shaking her daughter awake. “Although, it does seem like this is takin’ longer than Ah did…”
“I agree. I do hope the poor dear is alright. This must be absolute torture for her; she’s just so delicate, after all.”
“Don’t worry, Rarity. Fluttershy has been through a lot, I’m sure she’ll get through this just fine.”
“Thanks, Twilight. I guess I’m just concerned for my best friend.”
“Awwww… I thought I was your best friend.”
“Oh, Pinkie Pie. You girls are all my best friends. Fluttershy and I are just… very close.”
“Ah’m so excited! Ah can’t wait ta see mah new niece, or nephew!”
“I thought you said you were too young to be an aunt?”
“Shut up, Scootaloo. You weren’t here last time. In fact, why are you even here now?”
“Because you and Sweetie Belle are here, and I’ve got nowhere else to be.”
“It’s OK, squirt, the more the merrier. I’m sure Fluttershy won’t mind.”
“Thanks, Rainbow Dash.”
“Oh, Rainbow, speaking of Applebloom’s nieces, how is your own little Darling?”
“You mean Little AJ? She’s doing great.”
“I hear she came down with a cold last week. Is she alright?”
“Yeah. She powered right through that thing in just two days. I’m telling you, she’s as stubborn as her mother.” That earned Rainbow a smack to the head from an orange hoof, but not hard enough that it hurt. It was a light, loving hit.
“She gets a lot o’ her bull-headedness from her father too, ya know.”
“Hey. Don’t call me that.”
“Well it’s what ya are, Sugarcube. Can’t change that.”
“You know I prefer ‘Momma’”
“Ah know. Ah’m just teasin’ ya, Rainbow.” Applejack grabbed the sides of Rainbow Dash’s head in her hooves and pulled her back so her face was pointed towards hers. Their eyes locked and they both smiled.
“I know.” They shared a quick kiss.
“Awwwwwwwwwwwwww” Three voices sang out as Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Pinkie Pie all tilted their heads, watching the happy couple.
“Ew. Gross!”
“Shut up, Scootaloo.”
“Eh-hem.” The sound of somepony clearing their throat caused eight of the nine ponies in the waiting room, Applejoy being the sole exception, to quickly break off their conversation and turn their heads towards the spot where the sound had emanated from. Standing in the open doorway was a white earth pony mare. She had blue eyes that shone with a kind, caring, devotion that came naturally to mares of her profession. Her normally well-groomed pink mane was messy after many hours of work. Her cap was dislodged for the same reason, although her characteristic bun was still drawn up behind her head. Despite appearing tired and overworked, she wore a satisfied smile. Confident that she had everypony’s attention, Nurse Redheart spoke to address the waiting crowd. “They’re ready for you back there. Normally, we only allow direct family members in, but Mrs. Fluttershy and Mr. Macintosh asked me to allow the other Elements of Harmony to see them.”
The assembled ponies began to pull themselves off the provided couches and headed towards the doorway past Nurse Redheart, who stood adjacent to the door. Rarity was held back only briefly as she had to explain how Sweetie Belle was her sister and that she just had to go with her and that no, she wouldn’t cause any problems.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash took some extra time in getting ready. Making sure to be careful, they gently shook Applejoy awake, hoping against hope that pulling her from her nap wouldn’t cause a scene. Blinking the sleep from her pink eyes, Applejoy yawned and stretched herself out against Rainbow’s chest before rolling onto her back with a giggle, a wide smile drawn across her whole face.
“Come on, Little AJ. Let’s go see Auntie Fluttershy and Uncle Macintosh and meet your new cousin!” Rainbow Dash smiled blissfully as she spoke to her daughter, gently placing her onto her back as she got down off the couch.
“Momma!”
“I love you too.” With Applejoy safely lying between her wings, Rainbow Dash smiled at Applejack. Applejack lovingly rubbed her cheek against Rainbow’s and the two of them, followed by Applebloom and Scootaloo, headed towards the door leading out into the corridor where their friends had disappeared not moments before. They began to file past Nurse Redheart, but Scootaloo, bringing up the end of the line, suddenly found her path blocked by a white hoof.
“I’m sorry, but who are you?”
“Um… I’m with them.”
“Then what is your relation to the family?”
“I’m… umm…”
“She’s my little sister.” Rainbow Dash, having overheard the exchange, had turned around in the hallway and returned out the door again. She glared slightly at Nurse Redheart while she used a free hoof to ruffle Scootaloo’s mane. “Come on, Scoots. Let’s go see Fluttershy.” They both made their way past the now silent Nurse Redheart and trotted into the hallway where they met back up with Applejack and Applebloom. “Don’t worry about her kiddo, she’s just doing her job.”
“Thank you so much, Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo hugged her idol’s fore-legs in appreciation.
“No problem, squirt. I couldn’t just let them make you stay behind and miss out on everything. Besides, I think of you like a sister anyway. I did teach you to fly, remember?”
“Yeah! Thanks again!”
“That was a good thing ya did, Sugarcube.”
“Yeah… I guess it was. I couldn’t just leave her hanging all alone, could I? Besides, lying comes easier to me than it does to some ponies.” Rainbow Dash grinned at Applejack, receiving a kiss on the cheek in return. They both started trotting down the darkened hallway, light spilling from an open door on their right telling them just where to go. “Come on, let’s go see the new foal.”
As they approached, Rarity poked her head out of the opened doorway, a wide smile spread across her face. “I think you mean foals, darling.”
“Wait, foals? As in, more than one?” Rainbow and Applejack took off galloping for the lighted entrance, Applejoy giggling as she bounced along for the ride and fillies in hot pursuit. They slowed as they entered the room, not wanting to cause any sort of commotion. At the far side of the room, a metal-framed bed stood. It was flanked by a sink and a few other indiscernible pieces of medical machinery. Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle stood around the room, clearing away from the door to let the others in. On a pair of chairs placed next to the wall on the right side of the room, two pegasi, a mare and stallion, an elder couple with wrinkles on their faces and streaks of silver in their manes, looked upon their daughter and new grandchildren with abject love in their eyes. They had flown from Cloudsdale just for this moment.
Fluttershy and her two foals, occupying the center bed, had become the center of everypony’s attention. Her pink, flowing mane had become disheveled and beads of sweat were visible, flickering in the soft light like many sequins strewn across her body. There were bags under her eyes, direct evidence of how tired she was – the struggle had lasted many hours and had only been made longer by the fact that doctors had not anticipated having to deal with the birth of twins. Despite her exhausted, unkempt appearance however, Fluttershy’s blue eyes shone with the love and mirth of a new mother. She looked truly happy as she lay in bed, her lower half tucked underneath the green sheets. Big Macintosh, standing on the left side of his wife’s bed, looked almost as tired as she did and just as happy and proud. He nodded to acknowledge the entrance of his sisters and sister-in-law, stroking Fluttershy’s mane all the while.
Fluttershy looked up when she heard them enter, her eyes still shining with abject happiness. “Hello Rainbow Dash, Applejack.” She smiled weakly as she addressed them, her face seeming to glow as she did so, “I’d like you to meet my son, Honeycrisp…” She pointed a yellow hoof, indicating a small golden earth pony foal with a matted mane of deep orange and freckles under his closed eyes, sleeping soundly with his small head against his mother’s chest. “… and my daughter, Sweet Blossom.” She moved her hoof to point towards her second foal, a little red pegasus with a pink mane and tail which looked stunningly reminiscent of that of her mother, upon whose stomach she was silently curled.
“They’re beautiful, Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash smiled as she approached the bed, reaching out to lay one of her hooves on that of her oldest friend. “Look, Little AJ, look at your new cousins. Soon you’ll be able to play with them. Won’t that be fun?”
“K… k… k-kuzins. Kuzins. Kuzins kuzins kuzins!” For several moments, Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood in silence, blinking at their daughter as she spoke, and finally grinning at each other when she had finished.
“Well… that’s a new one.” Applejack moved to the other side of the bed, stopping next to her brother. “Nice job, big bro.” She punched his shoulder with a hoof, grinning mischievously at him as siblings are apt to do. Big Macintosh smiled back at her, having lived with her for her entire life, he knew the love behind her joking words and playful actions. “Twins, huh? Wow, Fluttershy. Ah knew ya were gettin’ pretty big, but Ah never thought ya would have twins. Congrats.”
“Twins? How can they be twins? They don’t even look like each other.”
“Sweetie Belle, don’t be so rude.”
“Actually, Sweetie Belle, when twins don’t look perfectly alike, they’re called fraternal twins. That means they were carried and born together, but they don’t look the same.”
“Thank you, Twilight.” Rarity smiled at her friend, who smiled back. Looking around the room, Fluttershy realized that everyone was smiling. Everyone was happy for her. Stifling a yawn, Fluttershy turned her head to look at Big Macintosh, who leaned over to nuzzle the side of her face. Her already warm cheek was comforted and warmed even further by his muzzle, and Fluttershy leaned her head over to rest against her husband’s strong shoulder. She flicked her sparkling eyes downward again, gazing lovingly at her son and daughter before she gradually let her eyelids blink closed. Surrounded by friends and family, supported by the strength of her lover, and worn out after a long and trying day, Fluttershy drifted off to join her children in a blissful world of dreams.