(Author’s Note: This is a fic that takes place in the same timeline as my previous fic, My Old Apple Acre Home. Yes, Applejack has a daughter in this fic, and she is dating Rainbow, but it is not Rainbow’s filly.
If you would like to know how this came to be, I’d suggest checking out my previous fic before reading this. It also sets up some of the other relationships that are already going on during the time period this takes place. Hope everyone enjoys!)
Prologue
The sun streamed through the small windows of a certain library in the heart of Ponyville. The room that had once belonged to a purple baby dragon was once again the home of a pair of lovers who had nowhere else to go with their newborn daughter. Nopony minded them there, and everypony who visited the library often enjoyed the sounds of the two mares and their filly living happily together. It was something the friends of the mares had heard quite a bit in the last few weeks, but hadn’t heard at all in the last three years.
Applejack was the first to stir, raising her head from the pillow and yawning deeply. She rubbed one of her eyes with her hoof, and rolled on to her side so she was able to look at the other ponies she was sharing this beautiful morning with. Next to her in the larger bed they had managed to acquire recently, a rainbow-maned Pegasus slept easily, not a bit bothered by the light that had begun filtering into the room. Beyond the bed, a small white crib, embroidered with the marks of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, held a sleeping little cyan filly that was just now five months old. The crib had been a gift from the Royal Pony Sisters on their last visit to Ponyville, something Applejack was sure Twilight Sparkle had had a hand in arranging.
Applejack smiled as she sat and just watched them sleep. The ever quiet sleep of Rainbow Dash was easily balanced by the unusually loud snoring of Apple Blitz, something Applejack would never be able to figure out, especially considering the filly’s tiny size. Applejack probably would have sat there all morning if the letter hadn’t shown up minutes later.
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“They what?!” Rainbow Dash cried out with excitement.
“Ya heard me right, Sugarcube,” Applejack said back, bending down and picking up the formal letter that’d arrived with her teeth.
Dash read it once, then again, and then yet again. Each time she read it, her eyes and smile got wider. Finally her face could barely stretch more in either direction.
“OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!” Dash cried out in excitement, not taking into account that the little earth foal was still sleeping not far from the bed.
Apple Blitz lifted her tiny head with a look of surprise, and began to tear up from the shock. Applejack dropped out of bed and trotted over to the little filly before she could begin a full wail. Applejack leaned down and scooped her between her forehooves, cradling her with one arm as she walked back on three legs to the bed. Apple Blitz calmed down a little in her mother’s embrace, and proceeded to look at all of her surroundings as she did every day. Applejack sat her up on the bed close to Rainbow, and got back onto her side.
“Sorry Blitz, didn’t mean to shake you too bad,” Dash chuckled and gave the filly a small tap on the shoulder.
Blitz, who was still unable to stand for very long, toppled from her sitting position, the right side of her head landing softly on the mattress as she looked confused about her new position. Dash quickly sat her back up, chuckling to herself a little more. She then focused her attention back to Applejack.
“Ah know you’re gonna go, Rainbow. It’s yer dream after all,” Applejack said sweetly, wondering what Rainbow was thinking about.
“After I left that day, dropped the Wonderbolt tryouts to come back here to Ponyville, I thought maybe I had other dreams to fulfill first. Like seeing you again,” Dash frowned, thinking back on her mistakes for a moment.
Applejack put her hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, and said “Ya know Sugarcube, that dream came true Why not try an’ make another one happen?”
“But what about you, AJ? And Blitz here? If I do make it, I can’t always be here ya know.”
“Ya know Ah ain’t stupid, Rainbow,” Applejack replied, “but we can manage if ya make it. And with the bits yer sure to make, we’d be able ta make our own place again, maybe try building the farm back again.”
Dash was amazed at how understanding Applejack was about everything. She was sure AJ just wanted to see her happy, and after finding out that the Wonderbolts had decided to not only hold another round of tryouts, but had invited her personally, she didn’t want to turn down the offer.
“Are…are you sure AJ?” Dash asked with a hint of concern, sure Applejack was probably harboring at least a little bit of fear of Dash leaving again.
“Do Ah ever lie to you Dash? Ya need to go and try your best!” Applejack raised a hoof in the air, much like one of Pinkie Pie’s cheers.
Between them, Apple Blitz looked at Applejack’s motion and tried her best to throw one of her weak little legs into the air like her mother. Both mare’s smiled warmly at the sight.
“Ah love ya Rainbow Dash, and Ah just want to see you happy.”
“I love you too, AJ,” Dash told her back, and leaned over Apple Blitz to plant a loving kiss on Applejack’s lips.
For a moment they embraced, all the while the little filly between them tried to bat at their manes that hung down above her. After a moment Dash, pulled back, and looked into AJ’s deep, loving eyes.
“I want you to come with me,” Dash told Applejack, hoping the orange earth pony swould ay what she wanted to hear.
“But aren’t the tryouts in Cloudsdale? Ah’d have to get all magic-ed up by Twilight again,” she told Dash, “But…Ah’d love to see you tryout. But what about Apple Blitz?”
“Well, she would be a handful to try and keep calm at the event,” Dash said, putting her hoof to her chin to think for a moment.
“Babysitter!” Dash exclaimed after a few moments.
“Do ya know any off hand Rainbow?” Applejack asked, full well knowing the answer already.
“Well…no, but I’d bet one of our friends could help. Fluttershy I’d bet would be great with kids. Or Rarity, since she sometimes watches Sweetie Belle anyway. Pinkie Pie….well, I’d just be afraid we’d get our daughter back in cake form by accident.”
Applejack laughed for a moment, then nodded at Rainbow’s ideas.
“Alright hun,” Applejack grinned, “Let me feed the little one here, and then we’ll go out and visit a few ponies.”
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“Oh goodness, I’m so sorry Applejack, but I’m just far too busy with these new designs for Fancy Pants to watch such a little filly,” Rarity said, looking sad at having to turn her friends down.
“Ain’t nuthin’ Rarity,” Applejack smiled back, “We know ya gotta lot of work these days. How’re you and Twilight, if ya don’t mind me askin’?”
“Oh, just fine darling,” Rarity replied as she bent down and stroked Apple Blitz’s mane, who was now riding in her carrier bag atop Applejack’s back, eliciting a small smile from her. “But I’ve been so busy; we’ve hardly had the time to do anything together in days.”
“Well, we won’t keep you any longer then,” Dash said, then asked, “Hey Rarity, you happen to know if Fluttershy is home?”
“Afraid not,” Rarity told her, “Seems Big Macintosh wanted her to come with him for his visit back to Appleoosa, and they won’t be back until tomorrow evening.”
“Mah brother went back to Appleoosa and didn’t even tell me?” AJ butted in quickly.
“I guess so,” Rarity was taken aback a bit by Applejack’s sudden outburst. “I didn’t know it was a secret or anything.”
“Well, not yer fault Rarity. We’ll let you get back to your work.”
Rarity patted Apple Blitz on the head, eyeing the little filly with thoughts on filly fashion suddenly running through her head. With a smile and her head full of ideas, Rarity went back inside as the two mares trotted away from her door.
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“Well, maybe bringing her along won’t be so trying,” Dash tried to tell Applejack, hoping she’d still come with her to the tryouts.
“Ah don’t know. Ah’m already afraid of Twi casting spells on her at such a young age, let alone if somethin’ were ta go wrong while we’re way up there.”
The two had already gone back to the library and were standing at the front door talking.
“I really want you there AJ, and you know I’d love to have her there too if it wasn’t too much trouble.”
Applejack sighed. Her motherly instincts told her she should be afraid of taking Apple Blitz to Cloudsdale, just in case. Her love for Rainbow Dash, however, began to tell her she needed to be there for her lover no matter what.
Deciding they didn’t want to discuss things in front of all of Ponyville, they walked up to the door, and, deciding to be polite, knocked on the door to be let back in. When it opened, Spike was standing in the doorway, his eyes narrowed at the mares.
“Oh, it’s you guys. Any chance of me having my room back sometime this centu-“ he was cut off as Twilight slid up into the door, kicking Spike out of the way and into one of the walls.
Spike fell from the impact zone and walked away grumbling.
“Sorry girls, come in. You live here you know, you really don’t have to knock.” Twilight grinned.
“Just bein’ respectful,” Applejack said as they trotted into the main reading area.
Before their conversation could continue, Dash spoke up, “Hey Twilight, remember that cloud walking speel you used back at the Best Young Flier Competition?”
Twilight nodded.
“You think you can do that again so Applejack can come with me to Cloudsdale?”
Applejack cut in before Twilight could reply, “Ah know I don’t want Apple Blitz goin’. I’m just too worried about havin’ her all the way up there, so maybe Ah just can’t go,” Applejack sighed when she finished.
“But AJ…” Dash trailed off.
“I’ll watch Apple Blitz!” Twilight spoke up quickly, “She’s so cute and well behaved for such a little filly, I don’t mind.”
“Uh, Twilight?” AJ asked, “Do you know anything about raising a filly?”
“Well, not personally, no. But I have a ton of books and I’ve seen you and Applebloom and Rarity and Sweetie Belle, and you both had to be like parents sometimes.”
Dash and Applejack glanced nervously at each other, wondering if it really was a good idea.
“Besides,” said Twilight “How hard can it be?”