News of Twilight and Applejack’s relationship was great news to Princesses Celestia and Luna. Shining Armor was so happy for his sister. Cadence’s response made Rarity’s look like apathy.
As for Twilight’s parents, Twilight wasn’t sure. There was no real response to any of her letters, and Twilight was starting to worry. Perhaps with them being so focused on Flurry Heart, they didn’t give much thought to it, but it was a little disappointing.
Four Moons Later…
Applejack had moved in with Twilight about one moon after they confessed their love. Now AJ would still stay over at Sweet Apple Acres when she had to work extra late or extra early. But Twilight would come and stay with her marefriend at those times as well. But both mares now considered the castle to be AJ’s home. And Twilight’s room their room.
And despite Rainbow’s constant joking and innuendo, Applejack and Twilight had maintained their pledge of respecting the other and no sex. It was a superpony effort being so close and sleeping together. It was the reason they’d decided they couldn’t shower together.
“Applejack! We need to get to the farm or Granny’s gonna have our tails fer garters!” Called a voice outside Twilight and Applejack’s bedroom. It was Apple Bloom.
The filly liked to stay over with her sister when she was at the castle and not a school day. She’d even got permission to have a Crusader sleepover a couple of times.
Twilight was gracious with the fillies and even let them play in the Throne Room with the map activated.
Twilight and Applejack were awake, they just hadn’t got out of the bed yet. Living together for the last almost three moons hadn’t decreased the fire of desire they had for each other. But they painfully stayed true to their pledge out of respect for the other. But it wasn’t easy sometimes.
“Apple-Honey,” said Twilight kissing her partner, “I guess you’ve got to get going, or Apple Bloom is going to buck our door in if you don’t.”
The two laughed.
Applejack got out of bed and shook out her flowing mane.
“See ya tonight,” said AJ, “Oh! do ya mind Darlin’?”
Twilight smiled, her horn glowed and red ribbons appeared on AJ’s mane and tail, her hat was on her head.
“Have I told you lately just how sexy you look, my lovely cowpony?”
“You have Sugar Cube,” said Applejack with a smirk, “but Ah’ll listen again if’n it’ll make ya feel better.”
“Oh you!” said Twilight who vanished in a flash and was now standing by her partner and nuzzling her. “Until later.”
Twilight kissed Applejack and the two left their room.
Twilight walked the Apple sisters to the front door.
“You sure you don’t want breakfast first, Apple-Honey?” asked Twilight.
“Nah,” said AJ, giving a quick kiss to Twilight, “Granny likes to feed me breakfast to make sure I’m eatin’ enough.”
“Keep an eye on your sister for me, Apple Bloom,” said Twilight.
“Ah sure will,” said the filly, she felt like she had another sister now.
A couple hours later, Twilight had just drilled her pupil on some advanced spells and assigned a friendship lesson to visit and interact with Octavia Melody and DJ Pon-3. Two such different ponies who coexisted under one roof.
But it was widely said that they shared more than just a cottage. However, Ponyville was built on tolerance and respect. As Pinkie Pie once said:
‘What a mare a stallion and their pet manticore do in the privacy of their own home is their business.’
Starlight was just leaving and Twilight was heading to the library when she heard her pupil open the door and say;
“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle, so nice to see you again.”
Twilight froze and turned around.
“Mom? Dad?”
“Nice to see you too Starlight,” said Twilight Velvet, “is our daughter here?”
“Right here mom,” said Twilight trotting up to her parents.
“See you all later,” said Starlight leaving.
“Such a nice pony,” said Night Light.
“Yes she is,” said Twilight, “a good student and a great friend.
But please come in!”
The parents entered and Twilight hugged the both and exchanged kisses. Twilight showed them an empty room they could use, not too far down a hall from hers and Applejack’s room. Then after showing them were the bathroom was, Twilight told her parents she’d have tea in the library for them. The library doubled as a family room for the residents of Friendship Castle.
Spike was elated to see Twilight’s parents. He didn’t see Twilight as a mother, in spite of Twilight hatching and raising him. But he did look to Night Light and Twilight Velvet as grandparents.
“It’s so good to see you, mom and dad.” Said Twilight, “not that I’m not happy to see you, but what brings you to Ponyville.”
“Well frankly,” said Twilight Velvet, “we get news, moons ago, that our daughter has a special somepony in her life. The princesses know her, Shining and Cadence have met her. We’ve been wondering when we were going to meet her?”
“And don’t try some cockamamie excuse that you’re afraid that we’d reject you and her because you’re in love with a mare,” said Night Light. “We’ve known our daughter has gone out with colts in the past but she preferred fillies. And we could care less which team you’re batting for. We love you and we’re proud of you. You and Shining have achieved such high levels of success and at young ages."
"So when are we going to meet her.” Said the motherly pony.
“I’m so glad to hear that,” said Twilight relieved, “I hadn’t heard much of anything from you and I’ve been afraid that you might not be as open to this as I hoped.”
“Oh Sweetie,” said Twilight Velvet, getting up and hugging her daughter. “We love you too much to hold something petty like that against you. We’re happy that our daughter is happy.”
“I’m so relieved to hear that,” said Twilight. “Applejack will be home after her daily work at Sweet Apple Acres is done.”
“I know you’ve mentioned her in your letters, and I’m sure we’ve must’ve met her along with your other friends. But I still can’t put a hoof on which one she was.”
“Mom, she’s the most beautiful Earth Pony to walk Celestia’s good earth.”
Twilight’s parents smiled to see their daughter held such high admiration for her marefriend.
It was later that day, Twilight Velvet and Night Light had went to put their things away in the room they were provided. Starlight had reported she’d had fun visiting Octavia and Vinyl. She could see why their relationship was so steamy, it was always the result when fire and ice came together.
Twilight had fixed a scrumptious meal and had set the table with her new love of proper silverware placement. It was kind of funny that everypony there would be able to appreciate this save Applejack and Apple Bloom who came over often. Earth Ponies have trouble with silverware and have to be excused (by Unicorns) for eating with their face in their food.
Twilight’s parents were talking with Starlight Glimmer, Twilight was reading, when they heard somepony in the hall.
“Twi Sugar, Ah’m home.”
Twilight’s parents thought it heart warming with the way their daughter’s face lit up and she vanished in a flash. The parents left the library in time to see Twilight giving a rather passionate kiss to an orange Earth Pony with a cowpony hat, red ribbons in her mane and tail and a three apple cutie mark. They recognized her from the past. There was a cute little filly with her that they recognized as a flower filly from Shining and Cadence’s wedding.
On breaking the kiss Twilight noticed her parents had joined them.
“Mom, dad,” said Twilight in introduction, “you remember Applejack. She’s the love of my life.”
“So nice to see y’all again.” Said Applejack.
“Nice to see you too, we’ve heard so much about you.” Said Night Light.
Twilight Velvet and Night Light hugged AJ.
“So,” said Twilight Velvet looking at Apple Bloom, “aren’t you going to introduce your daughter to us?”
There were shocked looks on Twilight, Applejack and Apple Bloom’s face. AJ and Apple Bloom looked at each other.
“Mom, Apple Bloom is Applejack’s sister,” said the younger Twilight.
“Come on Twilight,” said the mother, “I’m a mother and I was in the Special Unit of the Royal Guard before I retired. I don’t have to probe their memories to know a mother and daughter when I see them.”
Twilight looked at her marefriend, Apple Bloom looked very confused.
Applejack only had a completely blank look on her face as if her eyes were fixed on something far away, or deep inside.
“Apple-Honey?”
“Sis?”
To Applejack, time froze.
She was in her mind in front of the locked door. The heartbeat was now almost deafening. The door was cracking, the hinges were coming loose. AJ was trying her best to hold it back but it exploded open. AJ went flying and landed hard. Out of the doorway walked Apple Bloom, just a tiny foal.
‘Why don’t you want me mama?’
‘Oh Baby, it was never that Ah didn’t want ya.’
Applejack had dreaded this day, she’d always hoped it’d be a situation where she was in control. But her fear was always that it’d be something else, just like this.
That day had come…
Applejack bolted down the hall to the stair.
“Oh, dear!” said Twilight Velvet, “I… I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay mom, none of us knew. Excuse me, I need to talk to my marefriend.” Said Twilight, “Apple Bloom, can you wait in the library with my parents.”
“Sure thing, Twilight.”
Twilight Velvet took the filly by the hoof and led her to the library.
Twilight didn’t wait and vanished in a flash. She reappeared in hers and AJ’s bedroom. Applejack was standing by an open window. Twilight didn’t need to be near to hear her love crying.
“Apple-Honey?”
Applejack ran to Twilight and hugged her so tight that Twilight almost had trouble breathing. Twilight allowed her to get some of the crying out of her system. After a few moments, AJ looked deep into Twilight’s eyes. Twilight couldn’t ever remember Applejack looking this frightened. Twilight kissed her a small but honest kiss.
“Let’s sit,” said Twilight leading AJ to a sofa in their room.
AJ nodded her head and followed.
When they sat, Applejack held Twilight and rested her head on her shoulder, Twilight put a wing around her love.
“I don’t think I need to ask,” said Twilight delicately, “but is it true? Is Apple Bloom your daughter? Is that the reason for the enlarged breasts?”
“Yes Darlin’,” said Applejack, trying to hold back the sobs.
“If you don’t want to talk about it. I totally respect you and your wishes.”
“No Twi,” said AJ, “ya need to know.”
“Then shouldn’t you tell Apple Bloom also?”
The look of fear doubled on AJ’s face.
Apple Bloom had went into the library with Twilight’s parents. Starlight Glimmer was telling Twilight Velvet and Night Light about how she and Twilight had met. Apple Bloom was fascinated with Starlight’s traveling through time.
“So Starlight, how did ya…” Apple Bloom didn’t get to finish her question. She disappeared in a flash.
“… learn to go through time?” finished Apple Bloom.
The filly suddenly noticed that she wasn’t in the library anymore. She was in Twilight and Applejack’s bedroom.
“Sit down please,” said Twilight motioning to a cushion close to themselves.
“We all need to talk,” said AJ with tears in her eyes.
Twilight and Apple Bloom looked intently at Applejack. AJ reached out and held Apple Bloom’s hoof.
“Sugar Cube,” said Applejack, “ya know the story Ah told ya ‘bout my trouble with lyin’?
Ah was a young teen, an’ it was a time in my life that Ah was really runnin’ wild, givin’ Granny no end of grief. What she an’ Ah didn’t know at that time was Ah was in more trouble than just lyin’. After ma an’ pa were killed in the accident, Ah really acted out. Ah’d skip school an’ Ah was hangin’ out with older colts that weren’t the kind of colts my family wanted me to be around. Ah’m ‘fraid that Ah did things that Ah shouldn’t have been doin’. Things Ah’m not proud of.”
Applejack paused and breathed deeply a few times.
“One morning, Ah was gettin’ ready fer school, when Ah told Granny that Ah felt sick, then Ah ran to the bathroom an’ threw up. Granny was shocked, she realized that this was the third day in a row.
Nopony had talked to me ‘bout sex, least nopony that Ah cared to pay any attention to. All Ah knew was, after the first time, it felt good. And it made the colts happy an’ they’d pay attention to me.
Well the doctor checked me over an’ after some blood an’ urine tests, she gave the news,
Ah was pregnant.
They wanted me to bring the father in so they could check them to see if’n there were any family medical issues that we should be ’ware of. Ah had to tell ‘em that Ah wasn’t even sure who the father was.
That bit of news broke Granny’s heart. For the first time, Ah saw what Ah’d been doin’ was perhaps somethin’ Ah shouldn’t have been doin’ in the first place. But it was too late.
Ah’d heard ‘bout doctors being able to end unwanted pregnancies, but Granny said absolutely not! Ah was the one who was at fault, not the foal. So Granny pulled me from school fer a year an’ kept me home most of the time. That’s why Ah’m ‘bout a year older than most of my friends.
But the whole thing actually helped my attitude. Knowing that Ah was gonna be a mama changed my outlook on many things. Ah wanted to be fer the foal what Ah’d lost.
That’s the reason ya have no memory of ma an’ pa, they were gone long a’fore ya were born.
After ya were delivered, Granny had a talk with Big Mac an’ me. She told us that there’re ponies out there who’d think bad of me an’ the foal because of my age. It wasn’t fair but some hearts never change. So she said that we were gonna treat ya as our little sister.
But Granny told me that it didn’t release me from raising ya an’ being a mother to ya. An’ Sugar Cube, Ah’ve always loved ya as well as any mother could.
An’ there ain’t no mother on earth more proud of their daughter that Ah am.”
“Then if’n yer proud of me, why ain’t ya never told me a’fore?”
“Everypony just got used to it an’ hadn’t thought about it. Ah’m sorry Sugar Cube.
As time went by, Ah started to feel guilty that Ah hadn’t told ya. Those feelin’s just continued to build up an’ Ah became scared to think of what ya and everypony else would think of me to the point that Ah’ve been havin’ nightmares. Ah guess that should have told me somethin’. But ya know how thickheaded Ah can be. Ah never lied ’bout it, but Ah never told anypony either.”
“So ya never said anythin’ ‘bout it to me because ya really were ‘shamed of me.” Said Apple Bloom flatly. “’Cause Ah reminded ya of what ya did,”
“It was never that Ah was ‘shamed of ya, Ah was ‘shamed of me. An’ Ah’m ’shamed that Ah’ve kept quiet fer so long. It wasn’t right, an’ it wasn’t fair to ya.”
Apple Bloom had a blank look on her face but a tear on her cheek.
“S’cuse me,” said Apple Bloom as she got up and left the room.
Twilight and AJ just looked at each other.
“I couldn’t tell Apple-Honey, how do you think she took it?”
“Ah don’t reckon Ah know Twi,” said AJ really taken aback, “Ah just don’t know.
But what ‘bout you, My Love?”
“What about me?” asked Twilight, “I’m not going to stop loving you just because you had a wild past and now have the most beautiful, smart and special daughter in the world. In a way, she’s like my daughter too, now. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”
“Sweetheart,” said AJ, “if’n we didn’t have guests downstairs an’ we hadn’t made that promise. Ah’d be all over ya right now. Ah love ya so much.”
“We can talk about that later,” said Twilight with a wink, “but we do have my parents downstairs and they want to get to know you.”
Twilight and AJ kissed then went down to be with their guests.
Applejack related the whole thing to Twilight’s parents, Starlight and Spike (Spike didn’t follow everything explained).
Applejack was afraid of how Twilight’s parents would take it. But what they said next put those fears at bay.
“Twilight,” said Twilight Velvet, “just because your daughter is older than Flurry Heart, that doesn’t mean that Shining and Cadence didn’t have our first grandfoal.”
Then she broke out laughing at the puzzled look on Twilight’s face.
Dinner was almost ready and everypony was just relaxing when Apple Bloom returned. She had Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo with her along with their new friends Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
“There she is,” said Apple Bloom, “if’n ya don’t believe me, then just ask her!”
“Applejack,” said Scootaloo. “Are you really Apple Bloom’s mom?”
All the fillies looked as curious as Scootaloo.
“Yes girls, Ah am,” said AJ proudly.
The friends tackled Apple Bloom to the floor hugging her.
Apple Bloom had tears in her eyes.
“Ah have the most special mama in the world!”
Everypony laughed and noticed how proud, Applejack, Apple Bloom and Twilight looked.