//------------------------------// // 15 The News // Story: Alternate Beginnings: Year One // by Doug Graves //------------------------------// “Alright Applejack, what’s so important you interrupted my nap?” Rainbow says, looking at Applejack with a slight frown. “Yes, dear, while I don’t mind going to lunch to discuss things, surely it could have waited? I’ve been having a busy day at the store, for once,” Rarity adds. “Well, Ah have good news, and what might be bad news,” Applejack says, “Ah don’t know how best to put this but… Ah'm pregnant!” Rainbow looks at Applejack suspiciously while Rarity says, “Well, congratulations! Wait. Who is the lucky, or in this case, unlucky stallion? I thought-” “Ya!” Rainbow interrupts, racing up to Applejack, waving a hoof threateningly at her, “I thought you and Doug were married or something! How could you cheat on him like that?” “Well, that’s the thing… Ah didn’t,” Applejack says with a downward look and embarrassed expression, “That leads me to the bad news…” Rainbow gives Applejack another mean look; slowly, her expression softens as realization comes over her face. “Oh no! Oh no oh no oh no, that can’t be true, you know what this means, right?!” Applejack gives a small nod to the hysterical pegasus. “What if? I gotta go, bye!” Rainbow turns and makes to fly away but is stopped by Applejack putting a hoof on her back. Rainbow looks at her, seeing Applejack holding two pregnancy tests. Rainbow gives her a sheepish look before turning around, taking one of the tests and looking at Rarity. Rarity still has a stunned expression on her mouth, but glances over at the two of them when she notices them looking at her. She walks over, grabs one of the tests and slowly makes her way to the bathroom. Rainbow looks at the floor, then back at Applejack. “You know what this means, right?” “Ah do, Rainbow. Ah do.” Applejack gives Rainbow a hug, wrapping the cyan pegasus with her forelegs. “Just remember, we’ll be here for you. Both of us for both of ya, if’n need be.” Rainbow returns the hug with a quiet sob. The Wonderbolts were a very strict, very traditional organization with a strict code of conduct. For trainees and aspiring cadets that meant no activities that would be potentially scandalous, and having a foal out of herd would definitely qualify. Even being in a relationship with Doug might be potentially disqualifying, as a lot of the older pegasi looked down on pegasus-non pegasi relationships. Sometimes even having a non-pegasi in a herd, much less the stallion, was enough of a black mark to disqualify one from the more visible sections of the Wonderbolts, not that any of them would ever put those words to paper. It will also be difficult to get her body back into shape after the pregnancy, not to mention the time taken away from training that will be spent taking care of a foal. Rarity walks out of the bathroom and places the test on the table, face down so the results can’t be seen. “Your turn, Rainbow.” Rainbow looks down at the test, then her hooves, then back at Applejack and Rarity. “Whatever happens,” she says with a small smile, “I’m glad I still have my friends.” She takes the test and slowly heads to the bathroom. “I don’t think I’ve seen Rainbow move so slowly before. Even to a written exam,” Rarity remarks with a sad smile. “Well?” Applejack motions to the test, still lying on the table, “Did ya look?” “No, I wanted to see the same time Rainbow did. Do you think I should be happy or sad at the outcome?” “Well, Ah know Ah'm happy. Doug is happy too. Ah talked to him about this, what the potential ram-i-fi-cations were, his word, of the potential outcomes. Ah think he’s rubbing off on me,” Applejack says with a smile. Rarity returns the smile, looking back at the test, “While I certainly would prefer the test to be negative, as that means I would go back to my life at the Boutique, I can’t help but think of the other possibility. I have been feeling a little off these last few days. I imagine that was what prompted you to check.” Applejack gives a small nod before Rarity continues, “Poor Rainbow Dash. She probably wouldn’t even have noticed until she came back from the Wonderbolts exam with a slower speed than she expected. Probably would have started a diet and stricter workout regime,” Rarity says with a grimace. Applejack puts a hoof around her, saying, “Well, at least this way she won’t put a foal through that. Well, she might put it through a lot more strenuous activity than is reasonably healthy. Though Ah'm one to talk, Ah probably won’t be able to slow down at the farm until Ah'm eight months in, once the harvest season stops. Hopefully Doug and Mac will be able to pick up the slack.” “Just know you have your friends here to help as well,” Rarity says with a smile. They both turn as Rainbow walks back up to the table, placing her test face down next to Rarity’s. “Well, here goes nothing,” Rainbow says, looking at the test. Her hoof hovers over it, unsure of whether she wants the outcome known. She dreads turning the test over, having her worst fears realized. Applejack moves over, giving her back a reassuring tap. “We’re here for you Rainbow, Rarity, no matter what. You can get through this.” Rainbow looks at Applejack, the expression on Rainbow’s face going slowly from dread, to neutral, to a smile. “Well, here goes.” Rainbow and Rarity both take their tests and turn them over, looking at the results.