Chapter 8: The Newcomer
Twilight and Applejack stepped off the train at the Canterlot station brimming with anticipation. It had been a full year since their joyous wedding and they were still reminiscing about their lavish honeymoon in Las Pegasus. After firmly cementing their relationship for this long, it was time they made the one decision even bigger than marriage. They walked through town until they found the Canterlot orphanage.
"Oh Applejack I'm so exited!" said Twilight giddily. "I can't believe we're finally going to have a little foal of our own!"
"Well it had to happen at some point." Applejack smiled proudly.
"Gosh, do you think he'll like me? Or she will like me? I hope it's a filly. I could teach her to be a scholar. But what if she doesn't think I'm smart?! Then we'll get a colt! A nice handsome colt to play with! But what if he doesn't need me?! What if I won't be a good enough parent?!"
"Twilight, simmer down, girl." Applejack chuckled at her wife's neurotic fretting. "I'm sure you'll be a terrific parent. If Apple Bloom can stand- I mean like you, then I know any foal would."
"Right." Twilight sighed. "Sorry, AJ, you won't believe how nervous I can get."
"Oh trust me, I know."
The happy couple entered the orphanage with butterflies in their stomachs. It was a delight to see some of the forlorn foals meeting their new parents for the first time. Soon it would be Twilight and Applejack who would be welcoming a child with open hooves. They finally stopped outside the main hall where the orphans played and looked inside with adoration. There were a few dozen of the little ponies frolicking in play, with rambunctious colts chasing a ball around and darling little fillies creating a world with dolls and stuffed animals. Twilight leaned on Applejack lovingly as she watched the young ones.
"Aw look at them, Applejack!" she cooed. "I wish I could just take them all."
"Let's not get carried away now, Twi. You go ahead and look around while I talk with whoever's in charge." Applejack parted with her and found one of the motherly nuns who ran the orphanage who was standing nearby. "Excuse me, ma'am, my partner n' I want to find a foal to adopt."
"Oh terrific!" The nun spoke gingerly. "It's always a pleasure to know that these children will go to a loving home and family. I'll be happy to help you."
"That's great! We're not too picky, you see, we only just recently married."
"Of course, my child. Now, may I speak with the stallion of the house?"
"Stallion? Oh! No no no, you see, I don't have a husband."
"...Pardon me?"
"Actually, my partner is right over there." Applejack then pointed over in the main hall where Twilight was showing off a spell to the orphans who watched in amazement.
But when the nun made the connection, she became shocked and a little bit appalled. "You are...married to another mare?"
"Yup! She's the love o' my life!" replied Applejack proudly.
The nun paused to consider the situation then looked at Applejack sternly. "I'm sorry, but we can not have a child adopt your kind as parents."
Applejack gawked. "What are ya talkin' about?! Why the heck not?!"
"We do not believe you will make suitable parents. Without a father figure, a child would not be brought up properly."
"Hey listen here, sister," growled Applejack. "I'm ten times the father figure any stallion could be! And besides, just look at my beautiful wife; she's already puttin' smiles on those kids' faces. She's been talkin' about kids nonstop for months! Are you gonna deny her and those kids that kind o' happiness?"
"I'm sorry, my child." The stubborn nun replied. "But our rules are quite strict. I think you are just not fit to raise a foal."
"I'll show you, Celestia darn it!"
"Watch your tongue, young lady, that's heresy!" The nun scolded. "I will have to ask you to leave now."
"Fine!" Applejack stormed off grumbling to herself. "Dumb old bitty." She then looked again into the play area where the children applauded Twilight's magical demonstrations. It pained Applejack to know that she would have to disappoint her beloved.
It became a dower train ride back to Ponyville as Twilight pondered on Applejack's words.
"I just don't get it." She sighed. "I guess some just won't accept same sex couples."
"I'm so sorry, Twi," said Applejack lending a comforting hoof. "You sure you'll be alright?"
Twilight touched the hoof on her shoulder. "Yeah...I'll be fine."
After arriving back home, the two seldom spoke for the rest of the day. It was an eerie quiet that they weren't used to that could only mean Twilight was still discouraged; she kept her self cooped up in her study. By the end of the afternoon, Applejack finally disturbed the silence and poked her head in the room.
"Twilight? You there?" she announced softly. "I don't know if I told ya already, but I have to spend the night at the family farm. I have to get goin' soon." No response came. "Twilight? Darlin'?"
Applejack stepped inside the study to find Twilight bent over a table with her full concentration buried in a large tome. She didn't speak a word until Applejack approached her curiously.
"Applejack," she finally said with a smile. "I think I just found a way for us to have a child."
"I'm sorry, Twi," replied Applejack. "But if that orphanage won't let us adopt a kid then I don't know who will."
"That's just it," Twilight suddenly seemed hopeful. "We won't have to adopt. We can create our very own foal. And not just a child, but an actual baby!"
Applejack stared back befuddled. "...Beg pardon?"
That's when Twilight levitated the book to show her the page. "It's a new spell I found: the Impregnation Spell. When a couple is unable to conceive a child, one of them, that is if they're a unicorn of course, can simply use this spell to combine their genes and make them pregnant with a perfectly real child!"
"Yer sayin' you can use this spell for us?" gawked Applejack. "Sheeyoot, Twilight, just when I thought all that magic couldn't get any crazier!" She paused to think about the situation. "You really think we should do it?"
"Nopony is going to let us adopt, Applejack; this is the only way." Twilight smiled. "This is our chance to finally have our own little foal!"
Applejack couldn't help but match her wife's smile. "Well heck, if you wanna go through with it, I'm with ya all the way, Twi."
"Oh I'm so glad you agree!...But there is one thing that I still don't get."
"...What is it?"
She turned to the spell tome again. "According to this, if the male casts the spell, then his wife will become pregnant. If the female casts it, then it'll work on herself just the same. But it doesn't say anything about mare couples."
"What are ya sayin', Twilight?"
"Applejack, this may sound strange, but the spell could affect either one of us. Most likely, it could be me because I'm the one casting it. But then again, you are technically my wife, so it could affect you. There's no way of knowing which one of us will be pregnant with our child."
Applejack shook her head from the shock of the complication. "Darn, that's some heavy truth there. I used to imagine what it would be like having a kid, but not exactly like this."
"Either way, we would still have one." Twilight continued. "We just couldn't tell which one of us would bare the burden."
"Then I don't see any reason why we shouldn't go through with it."
Twilight paused to consider the situation she was dealt with. "Applejack, if I cast this spell, I just want you to know that I hope it's me. I don't want you to be left with the burden. You've already done so much."
"What are ya kiddin'?!" Applejack suddenly replied cockily. "Have you forgotten I'm the toughest mare in Ponyville? I've taken on worse stuff! If I have to carry a child then bring it on!"
"You'd really be happy with it?"
"Anythin' fer you, darlin'!" she grinned proudly.
Twilight smiled back. "You really are the best, you know that?"
After a few more minutes of mental preparation, the couple was finally ready to begin the biggest stage in their relationship. Twilight charged the magic within her horn and braced herself as she looked at Applejack.
"You ready?" she asked.
"Whenever you are."
"Okay, here it goes."
With that, the two closed their eyes as Twilight began the Impregnation Spell. As with most spells, a purple aura surged from her horn and formed a sparkling cloud above. Then, the cloud extended two smaller auras which surrounded Twilight and Applejack, who were holding each other as they braced for the unexpected. After the magic continued surging for another minute, an odd low whirring sound pulsated as a new shape appeared; a round shape which contained a strange amoeba-like form inside. The whirring grew louder and louder until finally, the magical aura fizzled away and the spell concluded.
Applejack and Twilight opened their eyes and waited for anything. The room was silent once again as the spell had left an eerie calm.
"...Well? Did it work?" asked Applejack.
"I don't know." Twilight responded checking the air for more of the spell's effects. "Do you feel any different?"
Applejack awkwardly felt her stomach for any sign of pregnancy. "Heck if I know. What about you?"
"No, me neither." Then, Twilight thought of something rather discouraging. "Maybe...it didn't work?"
"What? With yer magic? I It had to have worked."
"Well, it's not like pregnant mares know it instantly. Maybe the effects don't kick in until later, like most long term spells."
"Oh yeah, good point." Applejack thought. "Maybe I should stay with you for the night; just to see what happens."
Twilight smiled. "No, you go ahead and stay with your family; I'll be fine. I guess all we have to do is wait and see."
"Yeah. Well, if anything, I really hope it's me." Applejack laid a kiss on her lover's head. "Goodnight, Twi, I love you."
"I love you too, AJ." Twilight replied before Applejack set off. From then on, all the both of them would have to do was wait.
...
The very next morning, Twilight awoke in her bed, unusually alone; what was also unusual was the way she felt getting up. She opened one eye at the clock, which wasn't set to ring, and read the time: 10:00 AM. It was not like Twilight to sleep in that much, being a studious early bird; but today, she felt especially sluggish. A slight lightness was lingering in her head as she slowly sat up to shake off the morning dew. But more importantly, she realized something truly strange as she sat up on the bedside.
"Wow, I've never felt more hungry in my entire life." Twilight mumbled to herself. She then pressed her hoof to her temple. "Ugh, I still feel so tired," she sighed. "But I better get to making breakfast."
After finally pulling herself out of bed, Twilight slumped down the stairs to the kitchen with her stomach grumbling. "Hmm, I wonder what I should have."
It wasn't long before she prepared a nice hefty breakfast of two omelettes with strawberries, petunias, pickles, and mayonnaise, followed by a stack of waffles topped with chocolate syrup, peanut butter, marshmallows, cream cheese, and oat flakes, followed by Prench toast which included grilled peppers, anchovies, and plenty of fresh salsa; all of which was washed down with a peculiar orange juice/half n' half mixture. After topping it all off with a cup of ice cream with raspberry drizzle, almonds and more marshmallows, Twilight sat back in her chair and picked her teeth, leaving the sink overflowing with dirty dishes.
"Hmm, that was pretty good," she pondered. "But I'm still a little bit hungry. Eh, I'll just wait until lunch."
After not washing the dishes, Twilight retired back upstairs to the bathroom to wash her face. But she still felt the mass of fatigue from when she woke up as she stared into the mirror and pulled down her lower eyelid.
"What is wrong with me today? I still feel so sluggish. What did I do last night to...wait a minute."
Suddenly springing to action, Twilight stepped onto the bathroom scale. Minus the amount of concocted food she had jus consumed, her weight still seemed a bit more than she expected.
"Could it be?"
Then, she knew just what to do. Twilight sat on her haunches and inspected her abdomen. She ran her hoof over her belly and was shocked to feel the slightest bit of roundness. Then, she focused her hoof over the bump and waited until at last, she felt it: a tiny second heartbeat.
Twilight gasped. "Oh my gosh...it's me!" She stood in astonishment. "I'm pregnant! The spell worked on me! Of course, it was so obvious! I was the one who cast it; it had to work on me! I can't believe it! APPLEJACK!"
With a quickened pace, Twilight hurried downstairs to bring the good news to her love. She was completely elated, already imagining the look on Applejack's face when she would find out that the spell was a success. As she approached the front door, she prepared herself to burst out of the library and sprint down the road to Sweet Apple Acres. But she was immediately stopped by Applejack who was already standing at the doorstep with a brimming smile on her face.
"Applejack?! What are you doing here?"
"Twilight, it worked! The spell worked on me! I'm pregnant!"
"..."
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe it! I'm gonna be the mother of our foal! Oh you should see your face right now; you're completely speechless! Sugracube, even your eye is a twitchin'! I still can't believe it either! Oh I'm just so happy!!!"