//------------------------------//
// Foal 
// Story: Apple Bloom's Family 
// by HopeFox 
//------------------------------//

The next several weeks were like a dream to Applejack. She knew that she was working very hard, negotiating with the bank, consulting with Orange Bloom, and ordering supplies for the farm, and yet she felt as light as a feather. She spent two evenings out of three with Orange Counter, in fancy restaurants and theatres, taking long, quiet walks through the city's parks, or just spending time together at his apartment, or in her aunt and uncle's company.

They did their best to keep their relationship discreet, but the occasional knowing look from her aunt or indulgent smile from her uncle showed that her efforts were mostly in vain, and Orange Bloom was always suspiciously welcoming whenever she came to visit. It occurred to her that maybe this was what her parents would have been like, the first time she brought a colt home. She resolved that she would go to her aunt if she needed any advice regarding Orange Counter, but for now, everything was just perfect.

Finally, Orange Counter informed her that everypony involved had signed off on her loan, and the money would be available to her as soon as a transfer could be arranged to the tiny financial office in Ponyville. "Those Steeplechase Manehattan ponies sure do like to put out a bunch of obstacles for me to jump over," commented Applejack as they walked from the bank to Orange Counter's apartment. "I never would have gotten over them all without your help, you and your ma both."

Orange Counter leaned against Applejack's flank and nuzzled her neck. "It was my pleasure," he murmured. "Quite apart from giving me plenty of chances to share in your company, it's my special talent to help good farm ponies like yourself get the money they need to do their work. Some ponies forget that we'd all starve without you, but I'm not one of them."

Applejack stopped against a corner to kiss him, and then they walked in silence for a few minutes, neither of them wanting to talk about what would have to happen next. Finally, Orange Counter broke the silence. "So, I imagine you'll be going back to Ponyville now that your work here is done?"

She sighed and nodded. "I guess I will. There's no tellin' what Big Macintosh will have done to the place without me to keep an eye on him. And my hooves hurt walkin' on these paved roads all the time." She smiled and nuzzled his flank. "But it's been sure nice, too. My aunt and uncle, and your mother, and... and you."

Orange Counter smiled sadly to her. "It's been nice. More than nice. I... I'm going to have to visit Ponyville one day, meet your brother and your grandmother and all your friends, and see all the good work you're doing."

Applejack nodded silently, chewing her lip.

Orange Counter spoke again. "I love you."

"I love you too, sugar cube," replied Applejack, resting a hoof against his. "It's just... you belong here, in the big city, and I just plain don't. I reckon we'd just make a mess of things if we tried to change that."

"You're right. And I will come and visit, I promise."

They embraced outside Orange Counter's apartment building, then went their separate ways. Applejack trotted her way back to her aunt and uncle's home, her heart heavy but still content. It had been a wonderful time, and she had done everything she came to Manehattan to do. Besides, she really was missing Ponyville deeply, and it would be good to sleep in her own bed and wake up to the rooster's call in the morning once more.




A few days later, the day before Applejack's farewell dinner and subsequent departure for Ponyville, Uncle Orange was surprised to find that Applejack wasn't at breakfast. "Darling, where's Applejack?" he asked his wife, who seemed equally perplexed. "I'm sure I heard her come in last night, but she's usually up before us."

Aunt Orange nudged open Applejack's door and looked in on her. Applejack was curled up in bed, groaning gently. "Applejack, what's wrong?" asked her aunt, immediately concerned. "Are you ill? It's past ten in the morning!"

Applejack stirred and raised her head. "What? Nah, I'm fine, I'm gettin' up..."

Aunt Orange quickly trotted to Applejack's bedside and nudged her back into bed as she tried to rise. "No, you most certainly are not, young mare. You're going to lie right there and Hoof will fetch Doctor Crescent."

Applejack simply groaned and rolled over again, closing her eyes.




The Oranges waited anxiously in their sitting room until Hoof returned with Doctor Crescent, an elderly white unicorn with a bright red crescent moon cutie mark. He proceeded directly to Applejack's room, and the Oranges spent another tense half an hour waiting, hearing him murmuring soft questions and seeing the occasional glow of his diagnostic spells from under the door.

Finally, the door opened and the doctor trotted out, giving the Oranges a polite nod. "Your niece is perfectly healthy," he assured them. "She will be back on her hooves after a little rest."

Aunt Orange frowned. "But she was certainly unwell this morning," she insisted. "She slept far later than she usually does. Something must be wrong."

Doctor Crescent shook his head. "You will have to ask her yourself, old friend. You know I can't talk about my patients."

The Oranges thanked their doctor for his prompt attention, and Hoof showed him out while Uncle Orange looked in on Applejack, who was already on her feet, looking agitated. "Applejack? Are you sure you should be going out? You still don't look very steady."

Applejack shook out her mane and stepped into the hallway. "I'm just dandy. I have to go see Orange Counter."

"Orange Counter? He'll be at work, dear. Come, now, stay and have breakfast with your aunt and me, at the very least." He stood out of her way nonetheless, letting her go as she would.

"This is real important. I reckon he'll make time for me. I'm real sorry I can't stay for breakfast, but I... I gotta go." With that, she almost galloped out the door, not even stopping to close it behind her.




Orange Counter passed some papers over to the pegasus sitting in front of his desk. "Here are the details of the loan we're offering, Miss Sky. Now, of course I don't want to pressure you at all, but the property market is favourable towards buyers at the moment, especially in the field of cloud estates, and so I would advise you to settle with your agent sooner rather than later, before the market shifts again."

He cut off as the sound of a familiar gait approached his desk, and looked up in surprise. "Applejack! It's lovely to see you, but... what are you doing here? I don't finish until six tonight..."

Applejack shuffled her hooves anxiously, fixing Orange Counter with an intent gaze. "I'm sorry to bother you at work, sugar cube, but I really need to talk to you."

Orange Counter looked from Applejack to the pegasus sitting opposite him, then back to Applejack. "I'm actually really in the middle of something, honey, so maybe we could meet up tonight?"

Applejack edged away from the pegasus mare, giving her an apologetic grin and shifting her hooves again anxiously. "I think... you're really gonna want to hear what I've got to tell you, Orange Counter, and I don't think you want me to say it in front of all these nice ponies."

Orange Counter nodded solemnly, sensing the rising panic in Applejack's voice. "Alright. I'm very sorry, Miss Sky, but I just need to take care of an urgent personal matter. I'll be with you again very shortly, and somepony will be along with a cup of tea." He stood and gave the pegasus a bow, then led Applejack into the kitchen.

"What's on your mind, darling?" he asked as he closed the door behind them. "What's going... wait, is something wrong at home? Is Uncle sick?"

Applejack shook her head, leaning against the kitchen bench. "No, it ain't nothin' like that. I just... need you to listen to me for a minute. This is real important."

Orange Counter stood very still, watching Applejack carefully. "Alright, I'm listening. What is it?"

Applejack shook out her mane and took a deep breath.

"Orange Counter, I'm pregnant."

"WHAT?" shrieked Apple Bloom.




"Sweetie Belle, what are you saying?" demanded Apple Bloom, rising to her hooves. "Applejack can't be pregnant! She just can't be! It don't make any sense!"

Sweetie Belle swallowed nervously and shrank back in her seat, wondering if she'd let her imagination go too far. "It... might?" she hazarded, her voice trembling. "I mean, we're trying to figure out who your parents are, and..."

"Applejack's not my mother!" cried Apple Bloom, stomping her hooves angrily. "She's my sister, and she loves me, and... and I won't listen to your stupid story anymore! This was a stupid idea! I'm going home!" She galloped out the door, crying, and the others could hear her hooves clattering down the ramp, fading as they trailed off towards the farmhouse.

Scootaloo looked awkwardly at Sweetie Belle and shrugged. "I liked the bit where Applejack kicked that pony off the balcony. That's what I'm gonna do if any colt puts his hooves on me."

Sweetie Belle giggled. "Oh, Scootaloo, you don't know anything about romance, do you? I should lend you some of Rarity's books."

The pegasus filly pouted. "I do too! I read some books when I was helping Spike tidy the library last weekend. Wait 'til you hear my story!"

"Mine ain't quite done yet." Sweetie Belle looked out the window, towards the farmhouse. "If Apple Bloom still wants to listen to it."




Apple Bloom cantered into the kitchen, panting heavily. Applejack was standing by the kitchen table with Big Macintosh, making repairs to a pile of leather harness straps while Granny Smith cooked dinner. Apple Bloom rushed to Applejack's side and laid her head against the older mare's flank. "Applejack!" she cried, clinging to her sister.

"Apple Bloom, what's wrong?" asked Applejack, leaning down to nudge her head against Apple Bloom's neck. "You're shakin' like Bloomberg in applebuck season."

Apple Bloom looked up at her sister, her eyes red from crying. "Applejack, I... I just want you to know that I love you... an' I know you love me, an' I don't care who my mother and father were, 'cause you an' Big Macintosh and Granny Smith are my real family an' that's all that matters."

Applejack's eyes grew wide as she listened to Apple Bloom's frantic exclamations, her ears going back in surprise. "Of course I love you, sugar cube. And so do Granny Smith and Big Macintosh. And we always will. Now why don't you go wash up, dinner'll be ready in a jiffy."

Big Macintosh looked at Applejack as Apple Bloom trotted away. "I reckon it's time we told her, don't you think?"

His sister sighed and shuffled her hooves. "I want to. You know I do, big brother. But I don't want her to find out before she's old enough to understand properly. She could get the wrong idea if we just tell her now."

Big Macintosh swung his head towards Apple Bloom's bedroom. "Worse than if she figures it out by herself? She's a curious filly, is Apple Bloom. Better that we tell her first."

Applejack nodded sadly. "Alright. Soon. I promise."




The next day, after morning classes, Apple Bloom came to find Sweetie Belle, her head hanging penitently. Sweetie Belle was stretched out on one of the schoolyard benches with a novel, watching Scootaloo teach two younger fillies how to play hopscotch.

"Sweetie Belle?" squeaked Apple Bloom, looking remorseful. "I just wanna say I'm sorry for spooking out on you last night. I asked you and Scootaloo for help figurin' out who my ma and pa were, an'... it weren't right of me to get angry when you just did what I wanted."

Sweetie Belle sat up and put her forelegs around Apple Bloom's shoulders. "Oh, Apple Bloom, I'm sorry too," she told her friend. "I was treating this whole thing like a game, or like I was writing my own romance novel. But these are real ponies, and it really matters to you." She let go of Apple Bloom and took a bite of her alfalfa hay sandwich. 'So do you wanna hear the rest of it at lunch, or should we give up on it?"

Apple Bloom smiled and nudged her friend's shoulder. "I wanna hear the rest. If... if Applejack really is my ma, then... well, that's okay. It won't mean she loves me any less. It'll just be... weird, is all. But I reckon it's gonna be weird no matter what, and... Applejack would be just as good a ma as she is a sister. So it's okay."

The classes between recess and lunch seemed to drag on for hours for both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, impatient to finish the story. Finally they were free to grab Scootaloo and find a vacant corner of the schoolyard where they could talk in peace.




"Pregnant?" Orange Counter looked shocked, shuffling back on his hooves. "Are you sure?"

"Doctor Crescent says he's sure," confirmed Applejack, her nostrils flaring in agitation. "An' I believe him. I wasn't feeling myself this morning, neither."

The young stallion tossed his head nervously. "And... are you sure that it's..."

"Of course I'm sure it's yours!" interrupted Applejack. "What kind of a filly do you think I am?"

"I'm sorry, I just had to be sure," replied Orange Counter. "So... what are you going to do?"

"I don't know!" Applejack nearly shouted. "I was hopin' you'd have an idea! I'm too young to be having a foal! You think I know what to do? You think I was expectin' this?"

Orange Counter threw up his front hooves helplessly. "I don't know what to do either! You're the first mare I've ever... felt this way about! I don't know what I'm supposed to do!"

Applejack stomped her hooves in frustration. "Fine, then! You go back to work and be useless, and I'll go figure this out myself!" Snorting angrily, she shouldered open the kitchen door and trotted out of the bank.

Her aunt and uncle were still in the sitting room when she returned to their apartment. Uncle Orange greeted her quietly, then retreated into his library while Aunt Orange gestured for Applejack to join her at the table for a cup of tea. Even Hoof was nowhere to be seen, since Aunt Orange was gripping the teapot between her own teeth as she poured Applejack a cup.

"Now, Applejack, dear," began Aunt Orange once they had both taken a sip of tea, "you know I don't want to pry into your personal life, so do forgive me if I am too forward... but has Orange Counter gotten you into... trouble?"

Applejack pushed her teacup away and sighed. "Trouble? Not trouble, really... just... I'm... he... I'm pregnant. With his foal."

Her aunt reached over and placed a front hoof over Applejack's. "I'm sorry, dear, I'll dispense with the euphemisms. Did you manage to speak to him at work?"

Applejack nodded, tears starting to brim at the corners of her eyes. "He doesn't know what to do... I don't know what to do..."

Aunt Orange drew Applejack into a hug and simply held her there, letting her cry. "What can I do?" the young mare sobbed, clutching her aunt tightly. "I don't know how to look after a foal. I'd be a horrible mother. I can barely look after the farm without making a pig's ear of things. How can I do all that and raise a foal too?"

Applejack slowly grew calmer as her aunt held her and groomed her mane, just like her mother did when she was a filly. "Don't sell yourself short, darling," she murmured as Applejack's sobs subsided. "I think you'll be a wonderful mother. I can't remember the last time I was so impressed with a young mare of our acquaintance as I am with you."

Applejack sniffed and looked up at her aunt. "Really? You think I'd be a good mother? Like my mother was to me?"

Aunt Orange nodded. "I do, Applejack dear. I think you'll do fine. If that's what you want to do. You have a few choices open to you. You should talk things over with Orange Counter. I'm sure my husband will be giving him a talk quite similar to this one."

Applejack chuckled at that, and dabbed at her tears with a napkin. "I bet he will. I'm not... angry at him, y'know. I mean, I yelled at him at work, and I probably shouldn't have done that. It ain't his fault any more than it's mine. We just gotta... figure how we're gonna deal with this. Together."




Later that afternoon, Applejack was leafing through a newspaper in her bedroom when there came a knock at the front door. She heard Orange Counter's voice, then the low tones of her uncle in one of his rare serious moods. She put aside her newspaper and did her best to compose herself, sitting up on her bed.

After a short time, Orange Counter knocked at her bedroom door, and entered as she invited him in. He looked subdued and thoughtful, and came to stand next to her bed. "Hey," he greeted her, chewing his lower lip nervously.

"Hey," she replied, smiling up at him. "Sorry I shouted at you today. I wasn't thinkin' straight."

"And I'm sorry I didn't have any answers for you. I should have thought about this possibility back when we first started. But I've done a lot of thinking..."

"You mean my uncle talked at you, right?" she interjected with a slight grin.

"That too," he admitted. "But he didn't say anything I wasn't already thinking. So. Well. What I decided was, well... given what's happened... if it's what you want... I'll..."

Applejack raised her head and glared at him. "Spit it out already, sugar cube. No need to dance around with your fancy words."

Orange Counter nodded, then took a deep breath. "Well, I want you to know that, if you want, I'm prepared to do the honourable thing."

Applejack looked blank. "The honourable thing? And just what is that?"

He tilted his head to one side, smiling nervously. "I mean... that I'll make an honest mare out of you."

Applejack leaned forward, eyes widening. "An honest mare? What do you mean? I ain't honest enough for ya already?"

Orange Counter shook his head. "No, no, that's not what I meant. I mean..." He stopped to take another deep breath. "I mean that I'll marry you."

Applejack sat back against the wall again, looking stunned.

"If that's what you want to do," he continued hurriedly. "Um... say something, please?"

"Marry me?" Applejack repeated, blankly. "You... want to marry me."

"Yes," insisted Orange Counter, his cheeks flushing. "I mean... I want to do what's right. Whatever's best for you, and for our foal. I don't know what that is yet, but if you want to... to stay with me, and we can raise our foal together... then I'll do that."

Applejack shuffled to the edge of the bed and leant her head against Orange Counter's shoulder. "Oh, sweetheart, that's the most noble thing I've ever heard anypony say. I shoulda known better than to doubt you. I know we'll make this right."

Orange Counter turned his head and kissed Applejack's cheek. "So what do you want to do?"

She sighed. "I still don't know yet. Making a family out of the three of us does sound mighty dandy, but I don't reckon I'll fit here in Manehattan any easier just 'cause I've got a foal to take care of, and there's still the farm to think about. Same if you tried livin' in Ponyville. But... maybe. I dunno. I reckon I'd better sleep on it. Come back tomorrow and I might have an answer for ya."

He brushed her mane with one hoof, then nodded. As he walked to the door, Applejack stood up and embraced him again. "I love you," she whispered, holding him tightly.

"I love you too, my darling," replied Orange Counter. "I promise I won't let you down."




Once Orange Counter was gone, Applejack made her way to the kitchen, thinking that spending an hour or two baking might help her calm all of the thoughts buzzing around in her head. Hoof was already there, mixing a carrot and alfalfa sprout salad for supper. He said nothing as Applejack took a bag of flour and a rolling pin to the second bench, going through the soothing motions of preparing a large apple pie.

Once the pie was safely in the hot oven, she turned to the elderly unicorn stallion. "Hoof? Can I ask you something?"

Hoof paused in his preparations to look at her with a sympathetic smile. "Ask away, miss. I'm here to be helpful."

Applejack smiled at the unicorn's unconditional friendliness. "Thanks, it's much appreciated. Hoof, have you ever been married?"

Hoof set his mixing spoon down on the counter, relaxing his magic as he spoke with Applejack. "I was, once, yes."

Applejack drew up a chair and made herself comfortable. "Oh. Did she leave you?"

"She did. But I've no doubt I'll be following her myself in a few years."

"Oh. I... imagine you loved her very much, then."

Hoof smiled wistfully. "I did, and I do. More than I love your uncle and aunt, and that's not easy. We were about your age when we met, and we've loved each other ever since."

Applejack toyed with the oven mitts on her front hooves, her eyes directed to the floor. "You don't regret it, then? Marrying her?"

Hoof shook his head. "I don't, miss. Certainly, there were times when it seemed like we'd be better off apart, but we always got through them, and it was always worth it. But," he continued, fixing Applejack with a speculative look, "plenty of couples aren't so lucky. I've seen couples torn apart by jealousy, stress, money, or simply not being right for each other. It's hard on them and harder on their foals."

Applejack looked up at Hoof at the mention of foals. "Did y'all have foals of your own, Hoof? I mean, they'd be adults now, of course..."

"We did. A colt and a filly. Our colt works as Dame Silverhooves's butler, following in his father's hoof prints. Our filly's an opera singer. Three grandchildren now, one of them will likely take over from me here one day." He sighed deeply. "They all make me so proud."

"I'm sure they do, Hoof," Applejack agreed. "Can you tell me... what's it like being a parent? Is it hard?"

"The hardest thing I've ever done, miss. And the scariest. But the most rewarding, too. Watching my foals grow up, into the finest mare and stallion I could hope them to be, was the most satisfying thing I've ever been part of."

Hoof looked Applejack in the eyes, and spoke quietly but seriously. "You'll be a good mother, miss. Don't be afraid that you won't."




After dinner, Hoof took the plates into the kitchen while Applejack sat at the table with her uncle and aunt. Her aunt smiled at her over a cup of tea while her uncle spoke. "Have you thought any more about your options, dear?"

Applejack pursed her lips, but nodded. "I have... but they all seem pretty lousy. I can try to raise my foal myself in Ponyville... while running the farm, and finding the money from Celestia knows where. I could let Orange Counter raise it... but he's got even less time to spare than I do. We could get married and do it together... but where? And how long would we last together?"

Uncle Orange nodded slowly. "I'll admit that they aren't great options, any of them. There is another possibility, though. You could let another family adopt your foal, to raise themselves."

Applejack tilted her head to one side, considering this. "Hmm... maybe," she pondered. "I'd hate to not be there to see my foal growin' up, but... if that's what was best for him or her, then maybe it'd be best. Who'd do that, though? Who'd be willin' to raise a foal that's not their own?"

Uncle Orange said nothing, but reached across the table to link his front hoof with his wife's.

Applejack blinked. "You... you'd do that? Take my foal and raise it as yer own kin? Give it a good life here in Manehattan?"

Her aunt nodded, smiling sadly. "I'll never have a foal of my own, Applejack. We've tried, for so long... and whatever the reason we couldn't then, I'm too old now. If we had a foal... from anypony... we'd raise him or her the best we could. We don't have to work, we could give it all the time it needs. And we are kin, to you and to Orange Counter. It would... be a great honour if you trusted us with your foal." She squeezed her husband's hoof as she spoke, blinking rapidly.

Applejack was taken aback, and it was several moments before she could speak. "That's... mighty generous of y'all. I don't know what to say. I'll... definitely think about it. I still don't know what to do. I... might. It might be what's best. I... gotta think about it."

Her uncle pressed his hoof against her shoulder. "Do what's right for you and for your foal, dear. Just remember that this is another option you've got."

She nuzzled the hoof gently. "I will. Thank you."




Applejack sat on her bed that night, clutching her stuffed toy dragon and gazing out the window at the moon and stars. "What am I gonna do?" she asked the night. "I don't know if I can give this little one the upbringing it'll need all by my lonesome... but how can I give it away? My own kin? My own flesh and blood?"

She shifted awkwardly on her bed, unable to get comfortable. "Orange Counter would do his best, but he's barely more than a colt himself, and he's got his bank career to think about. Aunt and Uncle... they're rich, they could give it a better life than I ever could. Just... without its ma."

She pulled the blankets up under her chin and closed her eyes, her thoughts chasing each other around her head until she finally drifted off to sleep.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

Applejack jolted awake as the sound of a rooster crowing cut through her dreams. Was she back at Sweet Apple Acres already? She tumbled out of bed and rushed to her window, where the first rays of dawn were just flooding into her bedroom.

She was still in Manehattan, but she had definitely heard a real, live rooster waking her up. She poked her head out of her window and saw a large, proud-looking rooster on the balcony of the Oranges' master bedroom, perched on the railing.

Applejack stared at the bird in wonder, then turned her gaze towards Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres, where she had seen the rainbow guiding her home, years ago. Home. That was what she learnt the last time she came to Manehattan, that Sweet Apple Acres was her home, the place where she belonged, and always would belong.

She thought about her brother, who would be hauling diseased trees out of the ground to be burned now. She thought about her grandmother, still doing her part around the farm despite her advanced years, and lending her wisdom to Applejack and her brother, keeping them working and living the way her parents taught them.

She thought about her parents. The way they had raised her to be resourceful and strong, honest and industrious. The way her mother had always had time for her, no matter how hard she was working. The way her father would take her out to watch him buck apples and pull the plough, teaching her everything he knew.

She remembered the family they had together, the five of them, before death had reduced that number to three. She thought about the family she still had, and how they would stand by her no matter what. How there was no better family in all of Equestria.

As it had the day she saw the rainbow, everything became clear.




She met Orange Counter in the hallway, surprised that he was even awake at this hour, let alone already here. She smiled at him, then noticed the telltale scratches of a rooster's claws on his neck and back. "Orange Counter, did you..."

He grinned, then yawned loudly. "You wouldn't believe how far I had to walk to find somepony who even knew what a rooster was, let alone would lend me one. Mother told me how you missed waking up to your rooster last time you were here, so I thought..."

Applejack threw herself at the young stallion and wrapped her front legs around his shoulders. "You stupid mule. You did all that for me? Consarn it, why'd you have to be so sweet?" She kissed his cheek and neck as she hugged him tightly, laughing.

"Because you're worth it," he replied, nuzzling against her. "These weeks with you have been the happiest of my life. I'll always remember you, no matter what you decide you want to do. Speaking of which..."

Applejack nodded. "I've made my decision. Are my aunt and uncle awake?"

Orange Counter nodded and led her into the dining room, where her aunt and uncle were waiting for her, along with a large plate of pancakes. The four of them spent some time in idle chatter over their morning meal before Applejack took a deep breath and began to relate her decision.

"First, I wanna thank y'all for the offers you've made. It's good to know that I've got so many choices in this matter, 'cause it ain't easy. I reckon it's the toughest decision I've ever had to make.

"Family's the most important thing in my life, even more important than growin' apples. I loved my ma and pa more than I know how to say, and I wouldn't be the pony I am today if I hadn't grown up with them. And that's why I can't imagine not being around to be a mother to my own foal, to be the best parent I can be, like my parents were for me.

"So... I'm gonna go home and raise my foal myself, in Ponyville. I'll have Granny Smith and Big Macintosh to help me, so I don't reckon it'll be as hard as it might've been. He or she is gonna grow up knowing what it means to be an Apple, and will get all the love that an Apple needs.

"Aunt, uncle... I'm real grateful for your offer, and I'm sorry you won't get the foal you wanted, at least not from me. You've been like parents to me the whole time I've been here, and I really wanna see you both happy."

Uncle Orange leant his hoof against Applejack's shoulder. "We are happy, dear. We've had you here for longer than we deserve. We always hoped you'd come back again after your first visit, and now you have, and it's meant more than you can imagine to have somepony like a daughter to us, even for a little while. You'll both come and visit some day, won't you?"

"Of course we will. And Orange Counter... I love you. I never knew I could feel this way about a stallion before I met you. You make me feel beautiful, and valued, and loved. But I..." She lowered her head and sighed deeply. "But I can't marry you. I can't leave Ponyville for you, and I can't ask you to leave Manehattan for me. Even though I know you would if I asked. You're brilliant working for the bank, and you're gonna do great things here. I can't take you away from that, and I don't want our foal growing up knowing that you gave that up on his or her account."

Orange Counter nodded solemnly. "I think you're right, Applejack. There's just no way we could make it work, but I had to give you that choice. So I'll do the other honourable thing instead. Raising a foal isn't cheap – food, horseshoes, medicine, education... I get a lot of struggling families coming to see us, and I want to make sure you never have to struggle to pay for everything our foal needs."

Applejack chewed her lip awkwardly. "Oh, now, I couldn't let you... I can't stop you, can I?" The young stallion shook his head. "I shouldn't try. I can't say I wasn't worried about how we were gonna make ends meet with another mouth to feed, so... thank you. You've been so noble through this whole thing, even when I've shouted at you... how can I thank you enough?"

Orange Counter leant over to kiss Applejack's cheek. "Just be a good mother for our foal. And make sure it knows it's got a father, who wants to be part of its life too, one day."




Applejack left Manehattan the next day, a much different pony from the one who had arrived months earlier, seeking nothing more than a bank loan. She had found love and left it behind her, and learned about being a daughter, a lover and a mother.

She arrived back at Sweet Apple Acres in the early evening, when her brother and grandmother were sitting down to dinner. "Evenin', y'all," she greeted them, as if she'd only been making a day trip to Ponyville. "Got good news from the bank – they're lendin' us all we need to get things running again around here. I, ah, also got some other news."

Big Macintosh sat and listened to her story while Granny Smith laid out a third setting for dinner, reminding Applejack of just how much she missed her family's cooking. Granny Smith shook her head when Applejack finished. "Oh, you silly pony," she chided her lightly. "Didn't your mother warm you about these smooth Manehattan colts?"

Big Macintosh nudged Applejack's shoulder. "Don't you worry, little sis. We'll all bring your foal up to be a proper Apple. We'll always look after our kin."

Applejack sighed and relaxed, breathing in the cool, fresh air of home. She knew she had made the right choice.




"And then Applejack gave birth to a filly, and decided to name her after Orange Counter's mother, Orange Bloom. And that's how we got Apple Bloom, our best friend."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were huddled against one another, both crying softly. "That's so sad!" exclaimed Apple Bloom. "Poor Applejack, having to leave my pa in Manehattan when she loved him so much!"

Scootaloo looked up and realised that the story was over, and hastily drew herself upright. "Oh, you're done? Um... yeah, nice story, Sweetie Belle, but did you have to make it so sappy? Hang on, I think I've got something in my eye..."

Sweetie Belle cantered forward and hugged them both before Scootaloo could escape. "Don't be such a silly filly, Scoot. So what do you think, Apple Bloom? Think I might be right?"

Apple Bloom nodded thoughtfully. "The facts all fit. And Applejack always said that my mother loved me very much... I guess the only way she could say that for sure is if she is my mother. I... I reckon I couldn't ask for a better ma than Applejack herself."

Scootaloo hugged her friends, then extricated herself from their limbs. "Well, my story's gonna be much more exciting! But we'd better get to class. I'll tell you my idea after school!"




Author's Note:

Scootaloo's story will begin next chapter! For those who are interested, I've rather shamelessly stolen the personalities of the Oranges (and Hoof) from Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey. Also, since this might be a point of contention, Applejack's "aunt and uncle" are something like her third or fourth cousins, and Orange Counter is her fifth cousin twice removed or so. They may seem closer, but that's only because the Apple and Orange families are very tightly knit, and treat even distant relatives as cherished family.

Update: I don't know what to say! Somepony has drawn art inspired by this chapter! This is a drawing of Applejack as she tries to make her decision of what to do with her foal. I can't thank the artist enough for this!