//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 - Support // Story: Orphans // by Autum Breeze //------------------------------// Chapter 4 Support _____________________________________________________________________ “Do you know why we called you here, Pinkie?” Twilight asked as she, Pinkie, Applejack and Apple Bloom stood in the centre of the library. Pinkie didn’t meet their eyes, just looked to the two sleeping foals in the foal carrier she was wearing. Their smiles were so innocent as they slept, she couldn’t help giving the teeny tiniest of smiles. It had been almost a week since Discord had done what he did, leaving Pinkie the unexpected mother of the two foals left in her care. Twilight had asked her the previous evening to meet at the library after breakfast to discuss some important matters. When Pinkie had arrived with the twins, she was surprised to see Applejack and Apple Bloom were their too. All had worried faces. “We’re all worried ’bout ya’ll, Pinkie,” Applejack said, stepping forward and placing a hoof on the Pinkie pony’s shoulder. “Ya’ll ’ve been working so hard at the bakery and lookin’ after Pound ’n’ Pumpkin, but ya’ll don’t seem happy anymore.” Pinkie looked turned from the foals and looked startled at Applejack. “Wh-whaddaya mean?” she asked, looking away. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just super duper.” “Lamb sakes, girl!” Applejack said, her voice rising. “Don’t lie ta me! Don’t lie ta yerself. Ya ain’t been good since this all started and ya keep try’na blame it all on yerself!” Pinkie stared at Applejack, her eyes moistening. The farm pony blinked, calmed down and pulled Pinkie into a hug. “We’re fam’ly, remember? Ya don’t gotta take this on yer own. Yer an Apple and we always look out for each other. If ya need help at Sugarcube Corner, Big Mac an’ ah can take a few days off and come help ya.” “Me too,” Apple Bloom said, the little filly sounding more grown up than ever before. “Me, Scoots and Sweetie can come ’n’ help, if’n ya ever need it.” “Ya don’t need ta do this on yer own,” Applejack said firmly. “Ya know that, dontcha, Pinkie?” Pinkie shook as Applejack held her. “But this is my fault,” she whispered, tears leaking down her cheeks into the farm pony’s fur. “No, it ain’t,” Applejack pushed Pinkie, but still held her. “Ya’ll never asked for the Cakes to die. It ain’t yer fault the train workers didn’a fix tha’ dang engine sooner. That ain’t and never will be yer fault, sugar cube, and don’t ya’ll ever tell yerself any different.” Pinkie hung her head. “That’s not what I mean.” The other ponies and the dragon that had just walked into the room upon hearing the raised voices all raised an eyebrow. “What do ya mean?” Apple Bloom asked, cocking her head. “I know the train wasn’t my fault,” Pinkie sat down, tears sliding down her face. “But this is.” Apple Bloom kept her head cocked. “What is?” Pinkie sniffed, then turned to the twins and nuzzled them. They stirred, stretched and yawned, then opened their eyes to see Pinkie. “Mommy!” they both cheered, waving their hooves in the air happily. The others all stared at Pinkie, who turned to look back at them, her mane, fully deflated once more. “Why... did they just call ya’ll “mommy”?” Applejack asked, shaking her head. Pinkie started sobbing. “I-I... I asked D-Dis-c-cord to make them st-stop a-a-asking m-m-me wh-where their p-parents went. He- he made them think... I’m their mommy.” They all stared, wide-eyed. “I-I couldn’t bear to hear them ask me that,” the quivering mare continued. “I-I didn’t kn-know this is wh-what he’d do. N-not only that, he... he made it so I ha-have t-to f-feed them.” Apple Bloom frowned. “Weren’t ya’ll already doin’ that? How he make ya feed ’em formula when yer already doin’ it?” “Not formula,” Pinkie whispered, shutting her eyes. Twilight’s eyes grew even wider than before, comprehension dawning on her. “You mean... he made it so you have to... breast-feed them?” A nod was the only answer. Applejack stomped her hoof. “Dang Nabit! I don’ care if he’s reformed’r not, that just ain’t right!” A small whining turned their attention to the foals in the carrier. They were looking expectantly at Pinkie. “Okay,” she said, a weak smile appearing on her face. She lifted the two out of the carrier, then fished around for their bottles. She winced. “I... must’ve left them back home.” She sighed, pulling a blanket out instead and lay down on the floor. The twins went straight to her teats and she put the blanket over them, giving them privacy as they began to suckle. The others all just watched, unable to look away. “Does... does it hurt?” Apple Bloom asked hesitantly. Pinkie sighed. “Not outside, AB.” “But, inside?” Twilight asked, stepping forward. Pinkie closed her eyes as new tears started making their way out. “It hurts so much! This isn’t what I should do. I’m not their mother.” Twilight lay down and nuzzled her marefriend. “In some ways yes... in others, no.” Pinkie looked at her special somepony, her eyes showing her not understanding. Twilight sighed. “Pinkie, I know this isn’t how you wanted this. Heck, none of us wanted it this way. But this is how it is. We can’t change that. And whether we like it or not, you are their mother now. Not by choice, but you are. That’s how they see you and to make them think otherwise would be breaking the Pinkie Promise you made to the Cakes.” She reached a hoof out and began to stroke Pinkie’s mane. “I know that’s not what you want. You want to keep that promise, even if it kills you.” Pinkie broke down into sobs as Twilight gently nuzzled her marefriend. “I know you can do this, Pinkie,” she said after a few minutes. “I have faith in the mare I love. Nothing will ever change that. We’ll help you through this.” “All of us,” Applejack said, coming over, Apple Bloom and Spike right behind. “We’re all here for you,” Twilight whispered. Pinkie sniffled. “Thank you, girls... Spike.” The baby dragon nodded. Though he was glad Pinkie had remembered they weren’t all girls here, he hadn’t wanted to point it out and was glad he didn’t have to. _____________________________________________________________________ “Four apple tarts, five blueberry muffins and three chocolate shakes, that correct, sir?” Twilight asked, jotting down Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoons’s orders. He nodded. “Thank you, your highness.” Twilight shook her head. “When I’m on the job, I’m just Twilight, Mr. Rich.” Before he could say further she went into the kitchen to fetch his order, knowing several dozen tarts and muffins had been finished mere moments before Filthy Rich had arrived. Two days had passed since the scene in the library. Twilight was now helping Pinkie run Sugarcube Corner with the help of AJ and sometimes Big Macintosh. Even Granny Smith helped sometimes, working at the cash register. While sometimes being a few apples short of a bushel, as Applejack put it, when it came to business, Granny was like a well-oiled machine. in one day they'd made as many bits as it would normally have taken Pinkie and the Cakes to make in a week. Apple Bloom and the other CMC members were also doing their part, by looking after the twins while the adults all worked. At first they’d done it in the hopes they’d get their Cutie Marks in baby care, but no luck there. Now they were doing it because they wanted to help Pinkie, even if it cut into their crusading time. Their others friends helped too, from time to time. Rainbow was soon put as the one to serve the orders. Taking them and baking weren’t really her strong point, the latter causing an explosion of cake batter in the bakery the last time she tried. Rarity and Fluttershy wanted to help, and sometimes did, but while their own jobs took too much of their time, they still made plenty to help their pink pony friend. As the day came to an end, the Apples said their goodbyes and left, as did the CMC and Rainbow. Twilight remained behind, helping Pinkie finish cleaning and closing up the shop. Once finished, they sat down in the living room, Pinkie leaning on Twilight’s shoulder while the twins played with their toys on the floor. “Thanks, Twily,” Pinkie whispered, giving a small smile. “Sure, Pinkie,” Twilight wrapped a wing around her marefriend and sighed. “Think we should postpone things for a while? I know this is a bit much to take.” Pinkie nodded, a sad smile on her face as she looked at the twins. “Maybe when they’re older. Right now, I thinks it’s best not to confuse them.” The alicorn leaned down and kissed the earth pony’s mane. “That’s okay, Pinkie. I can wait.”