Two months later, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were finishing up breakfast in their kitchen. Applejack was feeling well, despite her condition, the latest in a long line of sturdy Apple mares who had never lost their appetite when they were with foal. While it was too soon for the pregnancy to affect her appearance, the time she was taking off her work was starting to show; she’d added a little padding over her muscle. Of course, after the first few comments, she taught Dash that it was a good idea to ignore this. She hadn’t heard a peep since Dash figured out that she couldn’t fight back against a pregnant mare.
After they finished eating, Dash flew the dishes to the sink as Applejack rose to her hooves to start washing up.
“I was gonna go get some practice in before work,” Dash mentioned.
“Don’t forget, we're eatin' dinner up at the farmhouse.” Applejack said, as she wiped down the skillet. Dash made a face, causing AJ to raise an eyebrow. “I thought ya' liked Granny Smith's cookin'?”
“I love Granny Smith's cooking! I just hate how she keeps calling me the foal's dad.” Dash rolled her eyes.
Applejack chuckled. “It's just her way of understandin' it, sugarcube. She don't mean no harm.”
“I know, but I'm a mare!” Dash pouted as she landed next to AJ and deposited the last couple of dishes.
“Ya' know, I thought I noticed somethin' like that last night.” Applejack smirked and nuzzled Dash, who couldn’t keep the pout on her face.
“You sure did. Wanna check again?” Dash smirked, and licked Applejack’s ear. “Just to be sure.”
Applejack grinned and wrapped a leg around her marefriend, pulling her into a deep kiss as Dash’s hooves ran down AJ’s side.
The kitchen door opened, and Apple Bloom’s voice chirped, “Heya, you guys.”
Applejack quickly broke the kiss, blushing.
“Awesome timing, kid,” Dash muttered, rolling her eyes.
Applejack chuckled. “Best get used to it,” she said to Dash, then she turned to Apple Bloom. “Off to school?”
“Yup. Just hadta finish a million chores.” Apple Bloom sighed. “You got no idea how much farm work you did!”
Applejack smirked. “Well now, I reckon I do. And I figured it out when I was ‘bout your age.”
Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide. “Am I gonna have to do all this forever now?”
“‘Just ‘til the baby’s born,” Applejack said. “But it’s ‘bout time ya’ started takin’ responsibility, Apple Bloom. This is part of growin’ up.”
“Do ya’ think when ya’ have the baby, I’ll be grown up enough to foal-sit?”
“I think we can work somethin’ out.”
“Oh! I almost forgot! A letter came for you, Rainbow Dash.” Apple Bloom said, retrieving an envelope from her saddlebag and offering it to Dash. She turned right back to her sister and went on, “Applejack, Scoot says you can tell if the foal’s a pegasus if you been feelin’ real sick, cause that’s the baby flappin’ round. Does that mean you’re havin’ an earth pony?”
“I still don’t know, sugar. None of the mares in our family ever got sick ‘cause of a foal, but of course they all had earth ponies. But I reckon that’s an old mare’s tale.” Applejack explained, then she raised an eyebrow at Apple Bloom. “Now don’t you haveta be gettin’ to school, missy?”
“AJ,” Dash gasped.
Applejack looked over at Dash. Dash seemed frozen, staring at the paper in her hooves.
“I- this- unh!” Dash opened and closed her mouth a few more times, but no more words came out. Finally she just waved the letter at Applejack, who took it from her hooves and read,
Dear Ms. Rainbow Dash,
This letter is in regards to your interest in a position on the Wonderbolts. A position has become available, and you have been scheduled for an audition and interview on-
Applejack stopped reading and looked up, eyes wide. “Dash? This is it?”
Rainbow Dash squeaked and nodded.
“This is it!” Applejack shouted, a grin spreading across her face.
“What? What is what?” Apple Bloom asked, confused.
“Oh my! Oh sugarcube, come’ere!” Applejack pulled Dash into a tight hug, which Dash returned with all her strength.
“Aaah! AJ! I’m gonna try out for the Wonderbolts!”
Apple Bloom gasped and hopped in the air. “Really? Really really? I gotta go tell Scoot!” And with that she raced out the door.
“Dash, you gotta practice! We gotta tell the girls!” Applejack said, trying to let go of her pegasus, to get started on their new and exciting plans for the day.
Dash didn’t release her, only hugging tighter. “Hold on. In a minute.”
Applejack felt something wet on her coat. Dash was crying, though AJ knew better than to point that out. Instead she whispered, “Is everythin' okay?”
“You're carrying my foal, AJ. And I'm trying out for the Wonderbolts. I've never been this happy.” Dash nuzzled Applejack, wiping her tears, then looked at AJ with an amazed smile. “It's like everything in my life is getting awesome, all at once! I'll get my dream, I'll be able to support you and the baby, I'll have a great kid to come and see me fly. I can't believe it. This can’t be real, it’s way too cool.”
“It's real, sugarcube. And you deserve it all.” Applejack said with a smile, but a hint of doubt played at her eyes as she went on. “But you're still gonna have'ta work to make the Wonderbolts.”
Dash nodded, her own face growing concerned. “Then I’m gonna have to work to stay on the Wonderbolts, and I’ll have to be away a lot... AJ, are you sure you can take care of our foal while I do this?”
“Well, right now I don’t got much choice.” Applejack chuckled a little. “But after she’s born, I’ll have plenty help. I dunno if you noticed, but this foal’s gonna be an Apple, and we got a habit of steppin’ up to help each other. Then there’s the girls; I wouldn’t be surprised if Pinkie started livin’ on our sofa to be closer to the baby, and ya’ know we got Twilight for anythin’ serious. With all that help, I’m more likely to be kickin’ ponies out than worryin’ ‘bout not havin’ enough hooves around.”
Rainbow Dash relaxed, the grin returning to her face. “Everything is perfect!” Dash leaned in and kissed Applejack deeply. When the kiss broke, Dash grinned again. “Come on, let’s tell the girls!”
***
Twilight was as thrilled as everypony else with the news. On top of that, it was impossible to be around Dash that day without feeling some part of the happiness and excitement that she projected in every word and action. Twilight knew that Dash liked things to be happening, and it did seem like some wonderful things were happening for her. Of course, Twilight couldn’t forget her part in that, so while their friends celebrated with Dash in the library above, Twilight and Applejack slipped down to the basement to run their daily tests.
Twilight could see that Applejack was doing her best to relax as she sat hooked up to the machines. As the paper with the results fed out, she noted that even that hadn’t managed to get AJ’s vital signs back to normal.
“Magic levels still up?” Applejack asked as Twilight noted the results in her records.
“Yes.” Twilight nodded. Applejack’s magic levels hadn’t gone down since the day of the spell. But Applejack seemed healthy otherwise, so it had become just a vague worry in the back of Twilight’s mind. “Your heart rate is up today, too. That makes sense, of course. It’s very exciting.”
Applejack gave a nervous smile. “Yup. It sure is. . . yup.”
“Something else is wrong, isn’t it?” Twilight said, frowning. More than anypony but Dash, Applejack should have been thrilled today.
“Well. . .” Applejack hesitated.
“Is it something with the baby?”
“No!” Applejack said quickly. “Ya’ know I’d tell ya’ right away if somethin’ happened there. I’d probably be here before it even stopped happenin. . . as a matter of fact, maybe me and Dash oughta stay here.”
“Stay here?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.
“So if somethin’ happened, I’d be right here.” Applejack explained.
“Um, you know I’m happy to let my friends stay, AJ. But I only have one bedroom. That might put a cramp in your lovelife.” Twilight smiled a little, hoping to cheer up her friend as her magic unhooked AJ from the machine.
“Heh. Yeah. That’s true.” Applejack got up, but didn’t head to the stairs. Twilight watched while she shifted nervously.
“Why are you worried, if nothing’s wrong?” Twilight asked gently. “These readings aren’t anything to worry about, you know.”
“I know. I just. . . Twi, if I tell ya’ somethin’, promise ya’ won’t tell Dash?” Applejack bit her lip as she finished.
“If you really want me to, I can keep it between us.” Twilight said slowly, unsure of what she was getting herself into. It wasn’t like Applejack to keep things from Dash, but if it was bothering AJ this much, she needed to talk to somepony about it.
Applejack nodded, and took a breath. “I feel like, well, like I gotta have this foal. I mean, I wanna have her, with all my heart, Twi. But now. . . this has’ta work. I mean, what does Dash want, really want with all her heart?”
Twilight answered almost automatically, “Well, she wants to be a Wonderbolt.
“And?” Applejack prompted.
Twilight considered the question. “Um. . . she wants to have this baby with you.”
“Anythin’ else?” Applejack raised her eyebrows.
After several moments of thought, Twilight shook her head. “No. Not really.”
“Right.” Applejack nodded. “She’s got an audition, Twilight. But, if that don’t work, and then somethin’ happened to this baby. . .” Applejack trailed off, looking almost haunted. “Dash thinks everythin’s perfect right now, but it ain’t perfect yet. I can’t really help with with gettin’ on the Wonderbolts, but I can- no, I gotta have this foal. That way, if she don’t make the Wonderbolts at least she’s got somethin’, right?”
“AJ, you’re already doing all you can.” Twilight pointed out. They both were, she reminded herself.
“I know. I just wish there was more I could do.” Applejack stomped the floor in frustration, then looked almost pleadingly at Twilight. “I gotta be careful. And I need ya’ to make sure I’m bein’ careful, any way you can think. Like, should I miss the Summer Sun Celebration? I know Princess Celestia invited us special and all, but she’d understand if I hadn’t oughta travel all the way to Canterlot.”
“As long as we make you comfortable, you should be fine,” Twilight said with a small smile. She knew that it must be driving Applejack crazy to not have any way to effect this, but she went on honestly, “Really, at this point anything that isn’t strenuous should be safe. The only thing I’d even think about is the magic from being there when Princess Celestia raises the sun, but your magic levels haven’t been that high. I’m beginning to think that you’re just carrying a pegasus. Normally the pony magic wouldn’t show up this early, but if it was a side effect of a spell that the magic infused from the beginning, that would make sense.”
Applejack’s face lit up. “A pegasus? Really? Oh Twi, that’d be perfect! If Dash didn’t make the Wonderbolts, havin’ a little girl she could fly with would make her so happy.” She laid a hoof on her belly, smiling. She seemed to relax a little, and Twilight relaxed right along with her.
“If she does make the Wonderbolts, you’re going to have an interesting time trying to take care of a little pegasus- especially if she has Dash’s talent.” Twilight giggled.
Applejack grinned. “Good thing I got a lasso. I’ll have to get Dash to let me work on my pegasus wrangelin’.”
Twilight raised her eyebrows with a smirk. “And that is exactly why you don’t want to stay with me.”
“Twilight Sparkle!” Applejack said, chuckling. “You’re gettin’ as bad as Dash.”
“Just trying to help you guys!” Twilight giggled. “Come on, let’s get back to the party.”
Applejack seemed more relaxed as they went back up to the library where Pinkie had set up the party. The decorations were in the Wonderbolt's blue and gold, and Dash was showing off by flying under and over streamers, until she caught sight of AJ and flew into a bookcase.
Twilight tried to hold back a giggle, but Applejack just grinned and shook her head. “That’s some Wonderbolt’s flyin’ right there.”
Dash shook her head and flew over to them. “Good thing you’re not coming to my audition. I don’t need distractions. Anyway, is everything cool?”
“Yup, sugarcube, everythin’s cool.” Applejack gave Dash a nuzzle.
“Of course it is!” Dash grinned. “So, tomorrow everypony needs to come and watch me do a run-through of my audition. It absolutely has to be the coolest thing any of you have ever seen... Really, I mean it, if you’ve ever seen anything more cool, you have to let me know.”
“Of course, darling,” Rarity agreed, smiling.
“Does that include ice cream? Does it have to be cooler than ice cream?” Pinkie asked, earning a confused look from Dash that Pinkie didn’t seem to notice.
“You know we’ll do everything we can to help,” Twilight said with a smile.
“Then there’s no way I can mess up!” Dash grinned and landed between AJ and Twilight with a wing over each of them. “With friends like you guys, how can things not turn out awesome?”
Behind Dash’s head, Twilight and AJ exchanged worried glances.
***
Rainbow Dash was up early the next day, out of bed at the same time as Applejack and ready to go. She’d been up late the night before, as well, planning her routine half a dozen different ways, trying to find the moves that would perfectly show off every asset she could offer the Wonderbolts. She knew she was going to change her mind over and over before her audition, the only thing she was sure of was that she’d finish with a sonic rainboom.
She took her notes to the breakfast table with her, trying to decide if she needed something that showed more control, and where she could fit that in, while Applejack made their breakfast.
“AJ, I’ve got a griffon dive into an upward barrel roll, do you think adding a loop in between there is gonna look sloppy?”
“A griffon dive is the one where ya’ pull up just before ya’ hit the dirt, and give your marefriend a heart attack, right?” Applejack said. Then she tossed the half-done pancakes into the air, catching them on the griddle.
“Yup.”
“It’ll look better if ya’ shoot up outta that. The Wonderbolts don’t like things as showy as you do, sugarcube. Keep it sharp and clean.”
“You’re right.” Dash smiled and made a note on her paper. She set down the pencil and grinned at AJ. “I knew I took you to all those shows for a reason.”
“And here I thought ya’ just liked the company.” Applejack smiled over her shoulder at Dash.
“Nope. All part of my plan to make the team.” Dash smirked. “Step twenty seven: find a hot cowpony and drag her around to Wonderbolts shows.”
Applejack chuckled. “What step are we on now, on this plan of yours?”
“Step one hundred.” Dash flew over to Applejack and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Win everything.”
“I think you’re skippin’ step ninety nine, which is eatin’ your breakfast before it gets cold,” Applejack said with a grin as she carefully moved the last pancakes onto the stack.
“No way am I skipping step ninety nine. You made pancakes.” Dash picked up the plate and flew it over to the table. She set it in the middle, and took a healthy portion for herself.
“Not too many.” Applejack admonished, sitting down at the table and eying Dash’s plate. “You’re gonna be flyin’ all over today.”
“But, I need fuel!” Dash protested.
“Have an extra apple.” Applejack used her tail to take one from a nearby bushel and toss it to Dash. “It’s lighter than a belly full of pancakes.”
Dash caught the apple, then put back a few of her pancakes with a smile. “Got it, boss. What would I do without you?”
“You’d be stuck back on step twenty six.” Applejack said with a grin, then she dug into her breakfast.
Later that afternoon, Dash hovered as she scanned the sky over the park. She had cleared every cloud to give herself a perfectly clear practice space, but she needed to be certain she hadn’t missed anything. She turned back to her friends who were gathered to watch, grinning and enthusiastic. Dash grinned back at them.
“You girls ready?”
“Yes!” a chorus of voices replied. Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly.
“Are you pumped?” Dash darted across the sky and struck a pose.
“Yes!” they called, though Dash could see Twilight and AJ snickering.
“How pumped are you?!” Dash demanded.
“Yes!” Pinkie shouted automatically.
Twilight considered the question. “Um, three quarters of the way?”
Rarity and Fluttershy exchanged confused looks.
“Just get up there and fly, Dash.” Applejack chuckled.
“Right.” Dash nodded and flew down to kiss her marefriend’s cheek. “Let me know everything, AJ. How it looks, anything I’m off on. You need to be my eyes on the ground.”
Applejack gave her a nuzzle. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
“Let’s do this!” Dash nodded, and flew up above the tree line. She gave herself time for a few deep breaths, then took off, running through the routine she’d mapped out.
The early tricks went easily, she’d designed the routine to give her some time to calm her nerves. She knew she’d be a wreck the day of the auditions, and she couldn’t mess this up like her Young Flyers competition.
As she moved into the harder tricks, she focused on the sky. She could hear the cheers of her friends, Pinkie was always dependable for that, but they blended into the rushing of the air in her ears. There was nothing but Rainbow Dash and sky as she looped, dove, twisted, and maneuvered. She made the tiny adjustments of her wings required to keep each trick clean, certain she was looking forward to a positive report from AJ and her friends when she landed.
Nearly finished, she climbed the sky, beating her wings like mad to pick up speed. After not too long she felt the force cone forming in front of her, and her strong wings fought against it as victory approached. Sure enough, high in the sky she felt it burst, reminding her of everything wonderful that was happening in her life right now. It was awesome, she was awesome, life was awesome. As the boom faded, she listened for the cheers of her friends, the celebration of just how cool everything was.
What she heard wasn’t cheers but a high pitched scream of terror. Rarity.
Dash glanced down and saw her friends gathered around something. Well, most of her friends.
Pinkie and Rarity raced toward Ponyville, revealing Applejack lying on the ground, motionless.
And in that instant, Rainbow Dash felt everything inside of her die.