//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: Month Four // Story: Eleven Months Till The Apple Blooms // by Cinnamon Clover //------------------------------// DISCLAIMER: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Hasbro), Rainbow Dash (Hasbro), Apple Jack (Hasbro), Apple Bloom (Hasbro), Snails (Hasbro), ninty-five percent of the characters in this story (Hasbro unless otherwise stated at end of chapter) or Give To Good Home (Cubette). All I own is this story, the other things I have written, Annie Elizabeth Apple, Jonathan Apple, Oliver Apple, Pixie Crunch Apple, Snails' unnamed parents, Carol and Apple Bloom and Snails' unborn foal. Summary: AB and Snails are expecting their first child. They just didn't expect how much would happen in those eleven months. Chapter Four: Month Four Apple Bloom found herself sitting on the examination table in her in-law's office, her lover and said in-law just a few feet away.  "Ok Apple Bloom, I need you to lay down." the doctor instructed. The mother-to-be did as she was asked. The caramel unicorn then spread this strange gel over her lower abdomen. She then felt him rub this strange looking device over it. Snails looked on with somewhat displeasure. He couldn't deny he didn't like another stallion rubbing her belly but he knew it was necessary for the ultrasound. A few seconds later, the sonogram appeared on a nearby screen. "Ok, you can sit up now." her in-law directed. "Is that..." she started only to become speechless as she then changed her view down to her foal bump. "Yes, it's our little foal." her fiancé answered for her. "See that?" the unicorn doctor asked pointing to a small rounded cone-like object protruding out of the foal's head. He was met with a simultaneous nod from both pomies. "It's a unicorn and it appears to be a filly." Snails announced, having had practice with animal sonograms before as he was a veterinarian. "Indeed it is and you might feel her flutter sometime this month but it won't kick on a regular basis, yet. You might also get some cravings, so don't be surprised if you do." the doctor explained, "Now give me a moment why I retrieve some copies of the sonogram for you to take home." After receiving the wallet size pictured and scheduling her next appointment, the young couple left the clinic. As they walked through town, Apple Bloom felt a uncomfortable pull in her stomach and heard it make a growl like noise. She was hungry and what she wanted was a rather strange dairy treat. "Hey, Snails." she attempted to gain the attention of her mate. "Yeah, AB." acknowledged that he was listening. "Ya know 'bout those cravings Stable told us 'bout?" the yellow mare asked. "Yeah." the lanky stallion confirmed. "Well,  Ah have a real hankerin' for black licorice ice cream." his mate explained. "Well, why don't we head to over to the ice cream parol?" the mustard stallion suggested. So the two headed over to the frozen confectionary store to soove her craving. About a week had passed since her first of many cravings. She had desires for daisies with relish, pickled onions and pear juice, something that disturbed her and her family greatly, along with several other strange delicacies. She now lay on the bed with her lover next to her, both trying to fall asleep. She was almost asleep when she felt it, bringing her back from her near sleep. It was a small flutter coming from inside her lower abdomen. The foal kicked! She excitedly turned to her partner and shaked him awake. "What is it, AB? Can't it wait till morning?" he asked groggily. "Ah felt it kick!" she exclaimed softly. Upon hearing those words, Snails lost all of his previous grogginess, allowing excitement and joy to take it's place. "Really?" he excitedly asked for confirmation. He was met with a nod and his hoof was placed on her growing bump. He was so exstatic that he almost didn't feel it but after a moment he felt a flutter. It was small but still he had felt it. "That's our little filly, Snails." the pregnant mare cried overjoyed at feeling her filly move for the first time, "She's in there and she's ours." "I know, 'Bloom, I know." her fiancé told her with a nuzzle. "Pink Sparkle." the yellow mare spoke softly. It was unexpected to say the least and took Snails back a bit. "What?" the teal maned unicorn asked. "Well, Ah was thinking, if your dad is right 'bout it having a pink coat, we should name her Pink Sparkle. We could call her Spark for short." she explained. "She'll more than likely be pink because when my dad makes an outlandish prediction like that it's either all right or all wrong so how about we ask her?" Snails suggested before getting within three inches of the growing belly, "How does the name Pink Sparkle sound, Spark for short? Do you think it will fit you?" He was met with a small flutter. "Ah think that's a yes." Apple Bloom said with a chuckle before yawning and returning her head to her pillow, "'Night, Spark. 'Night Snails." "'Night to you too, AB. Sweet dreams, Pink Sparkle." the veterinarian bid goodnight before following her lead and returning to the realm of dreams.