//------------------------------// // Ch 12. The New Apple // Story: Shouldn't Be // by Lumadous //------------------------------// A few hours after I had issued my orders the rest of the ponies were gathered downstairs in Twilight’s basement, crowded around the various pieces of luggage they had packed planning on an extended stay. Rarity, of course, had the largest of the piles. “Now did you forget the kitchen sink?” I asked playfully. “Now why should I bring such a useless thing?” She asked incredulously, “I just packed the essentials, and since you still insist on wearing such dreadful clothes, I also packed for you!” She said as a small suitcase from the top of the stack floated over to me, barely making a dent in the mountain of stuff. “Hey these may be ugly, but they’re functional!” I protested, ignoring the other ponies laugh as I struck a muscle man pose. “Oh, I didn’t know you were a doctor!” She said sweetly. “I’m not a doctor, what made you think that?” I asked, confused. “Well your outfit is inducing vomiting in ponies who have even the slightest fashion sense!” She said dryly. “Oh haha,” I retorted as the others giggled. “You ready yet Twilight?” She looked up briefly from the stack of scrolls she was sorting through, “Yeah, I would’ve been faster if somepony had not decided to crash in.” she said glaring at Rainbow Dash. “I said I was sorry, how was I to know you were right behind the door as I flew through it!” She huffed. “It’s called knockin’ sugarcube.” Said Applejack sarcastically. “But that’s no fun!” Said Pinkie Pie as she popped out from between my legs, scaring me right out of the chair I was in. Fluttershy helped me back into the chair and, while she had stopped treating me like an injured baby animal long ago, she still acted weird around me. Spike walked down the stairs holding a scroll with a fancy red and white ribbon tied around it. “Celestia has responded.” He said to me as he tossed the scroll to me. Popping the wax seal quickly, but carefully, I unrolled the heavy paper of the scroll, reading the fancy hoofwriting as fast as I could. Dear, Sergeant Castle I would be delighted to have you and your friends visit the castle earlier than expected, although my sister forgot to mention that you were visiting. The guards have already been alerted to your imminent arrival, and your quarters are ready for you. Anyways, I’m glad that I will get the opportunity to finally meet you. Sincerely, Princess Celestia P.S. We need to talk about your... current situation. “Well Celestia knows we’re comin’ and is ready for us whenever we get there.” I said, re-reading the final line over again to ensure I read it right. “You alright hun?” asked Applejack, “You look like ya have seen a ghost.” “Umm, yeah. How’s the crowd out there?” I asked Spike. “There are still crazy ponies out there looking for you.” He said as he went back up to the ground floor to continue cleaning the mess Twilight had remade. “Ah-Hah!” She exclaimed as she tugged one from the bottom of the stack, sending the rest tumbling. After looking at it for a moment longer, she put it back on the now destroyed stack, “Whoops, wrong one.” she said sheepishly. All the other ponies exhaled in unison, I guess they had all held their breath. “So is Big Mac going to be okay all alone at the farm?” I asked Applejack. "Yeah, he shouldn't have much to do, seeing as cider season ain't for a couple more months or so. He should be okay on his own for a while. Besides, Apple Bloom will be there to help him. She may be small, but she is one heck of a worker!" She said proudly. There was knocking at the front door, followed shortly by the door being broken down with a resounding crash. Jumping over the table, I rolled underneath it hoping the tablecloth on it would be enough to hide me from the mob, I really didn’t want to hurt anypony. Hoping desperately that they wouldn’t even look into the basement for us. “Hurry!” I said, motioning with my hand to Twilight. Applejack took up a position at the bottom of the stairs, only to be tackled by a yellow and red streak. “An’ you thought you could get away without sayin’ bye!” Said Apple Bloom as she stood on her older sister’s stomach. “Well ah didn’t wanna worry ya, and shouldn’t ya’ll still be in school?” She asked as she rubbed the back of her head. “Naw, school got released early for ‘safety’, don’t they know he’s harmless?” She said as Applejack pushed her gently off her stomach “Was that Miss Cheerilee or the parents?” Asked Rainbow Dash, warily looking up the stairs as more hoof steps were heard from somepony coming down them. “The parents!” Squeaked Sweetie Belle as she appeared at the bottom of the stairs, carrying a dazed looking Spike across her back.. Twilight, seeing Spike hurt, dropped the scroll she had been looking at and rushed to him, levitating him off of Sweetie Belle’s back and setting him down in a seated position on the table. “Umm, sorry Miss Twilight.” Said Scootaloo from behind Sweetie Belle. “I kinda maybe ran over your front door, and Spike. I was trying to catch up to them cause’ they left without me!” Twilight, of course, wasn’t paying any attention to her, she was concentrating while her horn glowed purple, Fluttershy right next to her examining him with more physical means. “So why did you come here?” Asked Rarity as she hugged Sweetie Belle “To see Cass off of course.” Answered Apple Bloom as if visiting the current most wanted ‘criminal’ in town was just an everyday thing. Coming out from underneath my table, I smiled as Apple Bloom rushed to hug my leg. “Come back soon!” She squealed, hugging harder than I thought possible. “Oh, an’ you forgot someone!” She reached into her saddlebags and pulled out Mr. Apple. I smiled as I took him from her grasp, putting him in my cargo pocket on my left leg so his head peaked out. “Now he can see what adventures I go on too!” I said, ruffling the younger fillies hair as she giggled. “And Rainbow Dash, you make that yuck face behind me one more time, I’ll make you give Mr. Apple a ride through town on his own cart.” Judging by the giggling that was caused by that I had guessed right as to what she had been doing. Twilight, who had obviously completed her check up on Spike, was hugging the life out of the poor dragon. “Umm, Twi...” Said Fluttershy in barely more than a whisper. “Twi...” A little louder, “TWILIGHT!” She finally yelled as Spike started changing colors due to lack of air. “Oh!” She exclaimed sheepishly, “Whoops.”. Setting Spike down, he looked embarrassed about being treated like that in front of Rarity. But that was quickly overcome with joy as she picked him up. “Oh my Spikey Wikey got a booboo, you going to be okay?” She said with a babying voice as she kissed his forehead. “I am now!” He sighed dreamily, looking like he had just melted in her hoofs. “Is this it?” Asked Pinkie Pie from behind a giant stack of scrolls, her hoof, holding a scroll, was the only thing visible. “How did you do that?” Asked Twilight after examining it for a moment. “It was under T for Teleportation, of course!” She exclaimed happily. “Where else would it be you silly filly!” Twilight just planted her face into her hoof, I’m guessing that this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. “Can we come?” Asked Apple Bloom. “Maybe we can earn our cutie marks there!” “I’m sure the Princesses wouldn’t mind. Twilight, how many people can you transport?” I asked as I turned to her. “The whole town if I need to.” She said proudly. “This is a really powerful spell.” “Not powerful dangerous right? I don’t wanna end up in Canterlot minus a leg or two.” I asked skeptically. “Oh, don’t worry, there hasn't been a reported teleportation accident in years.” Twilight said confidently. “So it’s up to your parents whether or not you're allowed to come.” I said to the three young fillies in front of me. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle went up to their respective sisters, talking to them in private. Scootaloo just stood there looking awkward, shuffling a little of her tiny hooves. “Aren’t you going to ask your parents, Scootaloo?” I ask gently, taking a knee so I was closer to her level. She mumbled something, looking ashamed. “I didn’t hear ya, my ears have been near too many explosions to be of much use.” “The orphanage doesn’t care.” She muttered again, I could just barely make out the words. There was a gasp of surprise from the ponies around the room. “You're an orphan?” Asked Fluttershy. “Yeah, I don’t like ponies knowing that.” She said as she started crying, her friends rushing back to her side. “Hey, you know what I see when I look at you?” I asked gently, taking her hoof in my hand, she shook her head, tears coming faster now. “I see one lucky filly with some of the craziest aunts and some of the best sisters!” I said motioning to the ponies around the room. “And not all of us didn’t know!” Said Pinkie Pie calmly, despite the fact she was bouncing, again. “Did you think you could hide from the Hide and Seek champion whenever I came over to bring the Paarrrtay to the orphanage?” “And we also knew.” Said Sweetie Belle, “We’ve known since forever, we just didn’t want to bring it up and rub your face in it.” Scootaloo, tears now flowing freely down her face, hugged her friends as the older ponies and I found normal things suddenly very interesting to study. Thinking for a moment, I was struck by inspiration. I turned to Applejack who was studying an old wooden stool. “Hey you mind having an extra mouth to feed at the farm?” I whispered to her “Ah, no, most of the time we got extra helpins’.” She said, looking confused. Turning to Twilight, “What laws are there on adoptions here in Equestria?” Still trying to keep my voice down. With a very confused look on her face, she recited from memory, “If a group of parents so want to adopt a child of the state they must have proof of a job and residence that have the capacity of taking care of a child.” “Paperwork?” I whispered, motioning with my hands to keep quiet. “None” Giving me another confused look, “Just a simple spell that almost any unicorn with the approval of the Princesses can cast. Why are you asking me all of this?” Ignoring her, I turned to Applejack as realization dawned on her face, “Do you mind if I use another of your rooms in the house?” “There ain’t anymore.” She whispered back sadly, the three young fillies still oblivious to the clandestine meeting happening right in front of them. “Well I’ll move into the barn!” I whispered back, “An’ can I be a full on employee there?” “Sure hun, you’re already like family so you don’t even need to ask!” Turning back to Twilight, “Can you cast that spell, now?” “Umm, yeah, why are we whispering? And why are you asking these weird questions?” She was actually starting to look angry about not knowing what was going on. Turning now to the group of fillies who were comforting their orange friend. “Hey Scoots, how would you like to live with the Apple family.” I ask loudly enough to be heard over her sobs. “It would be great, but why are y-you asking?” She sobbed. “Would you mind if I adopted you?” I asked, taking her hoof in my hand again. The young filly froze, just like an old windows computer, the expression draining from her face. Her friends on either side of her were slack jawed as they realized what I had just said. “Do you really mean it?” She asked fearfully after a couple of minutes. “I would never joke about something like that.” I said gently. She stood there for a couple more moments, the basement utterly silent as the other ponies stared at me in shock, all of their jaws, except Applejack’s, were hanging so low they nearly touched the floor. What happened next shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did nonetheless. Scootaloo tackled me with such great force that it catapulted us across the floor in a mess of fur and body parts. “OMIGOSHOMIGISHOMIGOSHOMIGISHOMIGOSHOMIGISHOMIGOSHOMIGISHOMIGOSHOMIGISH!!!” Squealed Scootaloo, sounding a lot like her role model. “Can I take that as a yes?” I said as she choked me with a strong hug around the neck. “Heck yeah!” She practically yelled in my ear. “Hey Twilight, mind castin’ that spell now?” I asked her, struggling to breath. “Umm, no, I can’t.” She said, looking close to tears. The silence that descended on the room was deadly, all ponies glaring at Twilight. “I.. I’m sorry, but there has to be two parents!” She stuttered. “Then sign me up!” Said Applejack, stepping forward. Apple Bloom launched herself at her sister, performing a near perfect flying hug. Scootaloo, who was crying even more now, also ran to Applejack. “THANK YOU!!” She yelled as she hugged Applejack around the neck, choking her now. I hesitated, realizing what was implied by us adopting a kid together, but decided to mention it to Applejack later. No way in hell was I even going to think about ruining this event. I nodded to Twilight, who stepped towards me with her horn glowing, touching it briefly to my forehead. She then walked to Applejack, a bit of green swirling around in the purple of her magic, and touched her still glowing horn to Applejacks forehead, a bit of orange coming out of her forehead. She turned to Scootaloo and touched it to her forehead also, her orange coming out and joining our colors. Twilight then raised her head, all three of the colors mixing, staying separate but becoming one entity, before a flash of light blinded me. I felt something briefly strike my forehead, more like if I had walked through a cobweb than like something actually touching me. When my sight returned I saw that Scootaloo and Applejack also looked blinded, but everyone else, while teary eyed, looked fine. “So what exactly did that spell do?” I asked Twilight, rubbing my eyes. “I took a part of each of your souls and mixed them, then gave all of you a part of each other, not enough to affect you in anyway, but enough to say that wherever any of you go you will be carrying a piece of each other.” She said, her smile almost bigger than her face. “Sister!” Cried Apple Bloom as she hugged Scootaloo. “Sister!” She cried back as she hugged back. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that Apple Bloom was actually an aunt more than a sister, but I'm sure they’re smart enough to figure it out on their own here soon enough, if they cared enough to even make the distinction. “So should I start calling you wife?” I joke at Applejack, who suddenly blushed. “I..Umm...I’m sorry I didn’...umm” She stuttered out. “Hmmm, turns out you can get cuter,” I said leaning in towards her. “OH, for Celestia's sake get a freakin room you two, I’m about to puke over here!” Exclaimed Rainbow Dash. Remembering that we weren't alone in the room I stood up straight suddenly, now blushing myself. “So, umm, Dad?” Said Scootaloo as she tugged on my pants leg, giving me puppy dog eyes that I’m sure she was going to get me with in the future, “Can I come to Canterlot?” “Hmm,” Pausing, putting my finger on my lip as if I had to think hard about it. “Did you do your homework?” “Yes!” She replied instantly. “Do your chores?” “Yes” “Brush your teeth?” She hesitated, looking crestfallen, “No.” “Hmmm, then ask your mother.” A brief pause. “Mom?” Giving Applejack the puppy dog eyes now. “Ah don’ see why not, it ain’t fittin for only two of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to go.” She said after a moment or two of ‘deep thought’. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to buy you a toothbrush in Canterlot cause you're comin with us then!” I said picking her up and tossing her lightly in the air, fully intending to catch her, but she stayed about 3 inches above my hands, her wings beating fast. “I’M GOING TO CANTERLOT WITH MY PARENTS!” She screamed. “I’M ALSO FLYING!” She screamed again, hoof-pumping the air, and momentarily forgetting to flap, falling right into my outstretched hands, giggling. “We are going to Have. Such. A. Huge. PAARRRTTTYYY!” Yelled Pinkie Pie in excitement, “I’ve never had an adoption and a first time flyer party at the same time!” The front door upstairs crashed open again, multiple hoofsteps could be heard spreading out across the room. “He has to be in here!” Yelled somemare I didn’t know. “Umm, Twilight?” I asked, hoping that they wouldn’t notice the door. “Working on it.” She replied, her horn glowing brightly, a breeze now swirling around her. “You, check her basement!” Came a different voice from upstairs. “Twi?” Squeaked Fluttershy, panicking. “On it!” She yelled as I was blinded again, just before the world cut to black.