//------------------------------// // Chapter XXXVI: Rememberance // Story: As I'm Falling to Pieces // by Pinkamena Diane Pie //------------------------------// Chapter XXXVI: Remembrance Twilight just stared at her, not believing what she heard. Applejack and Rainbow stood in the doorway, their jaws hanging open. Twilight pocketed the photo, then walked out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. She looked at the assembled ponies for a moment. “Umm...” she started, not knowing what to say. “Well, you all saw that.” She was completely bewildered. Applejack’s face was a mixture of worry and joy. “Do you think she will make a recovery.” “After that, I think she will.” Twilight said, beaming. “All we have to do, I think, is bring back strong, emotional, feelings and memories. Luckily, I saved the photo album from Ponyville, so we have a lot of memories to experiment with.” “How long do you think this will take.” Rainbow asked, looking through the window into Rarity’s room. “Now that we know this, I would guess about a month. It shouldn’t take too long if I can hit the correct memories.” She turned to Applejack, Rainbow, and Fluttershy. “You three are going to play an invaluable roll over the next couple months. I need you to be accessible at all hours of the day, even in the middle of the night. Do you think you can do that?” “Yes.” “Yeah.” “Umm...OK..” “OK then. We should let her rest, then start tomorrow.” ***** The next few weeks were the worst the Lightning had for a long time. Applejack was called away almost everyday, not returning until late at night. When she would return, she would collapse into the bed, falling straight into sleep. He barely had time to talk to her and ask how Rarity was doing. One day she came back in tears, rushing into Lightning’s embrace. “She doesn’t even remember us.” she had cried into his shoulder. “How can she heal if she doesn’t know who we are?” It was the same or Fluttershy and Rainbow. Both looked tired and depressed every morning when they ate breakfast. Immediately afterwards, they would be called back down to the hospital, and Lightning would be forced to wander the Bunker. No other pony was available. Phoenix had left to help Celia with moving, and he probably wouldn’t be back for weeks. He mostly spent his days on the range, getting a feel for the weapons that he had not tried yet. He even tried a bow and arrow. He liked the feel of perfect control over both weapon and projectile. At the end of that day he traded in his old M9 Beretta pistol for it. Other days, he walked through the greenhouse, smelling,and occasionally, tasting the flowers. He wondered what Equestria was like before the bombs and Plague. About a month into Rarity’s treatment, Applejack had once again returned, but she seemed a hundred times overjoyed and happier then before, galloping into the room, a huge smile on her face. “IT’S A BOY!” she shouted as she ran in, tackling Lightning. “It’s going to be a boy!” She had grown a lot in the last month. It would be pretty hard to hide her pregnancy now. “How do you know?” Lightning asked, after he had kissed her. “Ah had Twilight examine me. We will have a full genetic make-up in a week!” she was practically screaming with glee. The next few days seemed infinitely better the previous ones. Then, it got even better. Twilight told Applejack and the rest that they were no longer needed. She would try to rehabilitate her on her own. Lightning rarely left Applejack’s side for the couple days. Rainbow had started regrouping and training the weather team. Lightning and Applejack watched as Rainbow and her recruits, all wearing military grade black gas masks, and boots with metal soles, took the sickly, green clouds out of the air, cleared them of acid, and put them back into place. Without the depressing gloom of the clouds covering the sun, the surface started to look like a happier place. Then, over the hill, Phoenix peeked his head out towards the Bunker. Lightning and Applejack was laying on the ground watching the Pegasi fly around above them, when he stuck his face directly into their view. “So, getting serious are we?” he asked, a huge smile on his face. He stepped back, staying out of the way of Lightning hoof. He walked up and knocked hoofs with Lightning. “So where is Celia?” Lightning asked, looking around. “Oh, she was felling kinda sick, so she went down to my room.” he winked at Lightning, earning himself a sarcastic look from Applejack. “So, what’s been going on here?” Lightning turned to look at Applejack, not knowing where to begin. “Ah guess we could start with Rarity.” Applejack finally said. Lightning turned back to Phoenix, taking a deep breath. Over the next couple of minutes, he explained the situation to Phoenix. How she was a Death Hunter, and Applejack’s friend. How Twilight was trying to rehabilitate her. And how they might have to give her the lethal injection if she didn’t get better. Phoenix snorted when he said that. “Don’t see why you didn’t give it to her in the first place.” he said, nudging the weapon that hung from his thigh. Applejack looked taken aback. “She is MAH friend!” she yelled. “You have no right to talk about her like that!” “How many of other ponies friends has she killed?! This is a terrible idea, bringing a Death Hunter into our Bunker.” He trotted in a circle for a moment, then returned to his old spot. “Other than that, what’s been going on.” he sighed. “Well, we are having a boy.” Lightning said, still annoyed at him for angering Applejack. Phoenix’s face broke into a smile. “No way! We are having a girl!” Lightning gasped. He turned back to Applejack, face-hoofing. “Should have gotten the report from Twilight a week ago!” Applejack’s eyes widened, and she jumped up. “Oh Pony-feathers! You’re right!” She galloped back towards the Bunker. Lightning was close behind her, yelling over his shoulder. “Sorry Phoenix! I will see you at dinner, tonight.” and he disappeared into the Bunker. A couple minutes, and several downed ponies later, they arrived at the hospital. They burst into Twilight’s office. Applejack immediately fell into a chair, wrapping her arms around her stomach. Twilight just stared at them, her eyes wide. “Umm... can I help you?” she asked. Lightning took a deep breath. “Could we see the report on our child?’ he asked, breathing heavy. Twilight smiled when he said this. “I was wondering when you were going to show up.” she typed something on her computer, then turned the monitor towards them. “I have run through both of your genetic make-ups, and this is the most plausible result of a genetic cross.” She clicked a small folder, and brought up a 3D image of a small Colt. He had the same coat and hair color as Applejack, but his eyes were the same bright, reflective yellow as Lightning’s. They stared at the image for a few moments, not saying anything. Then Applejack, who didn’t appear to be breathing, reached out and touched her hoof to the screen. Then she looked down and ran her hoof along her belly, as if she was touching the child that was growing inside. She looked up at Lightning, tears fogging her eyes. “Ah love you, so much” she said. She turned back to Twilight. “How much longer do Ah have?” Twilight turned around and checked the calendar on her wall. “I would say, another five months. The earliest he can be born is at ten months, and that would still be back to be born that early. But as long as you stay here, don’t do any exploring,” she looked at Lightning when she said that. He decided to play innocent, pretending to not know what she was talking about. “...Then you should do perfectly fine.” she finished, turning back to Applejack. “What about Rarity?” Applejack asked, her voice taking on a worried tone. Twilight’s expression faded, turning from happiness to anxious. “Well, she has stopped screaming, but that is about all. The last relapse she had negated any effect of our treatment. It might take another month now, or it could take two weeks, we are not to sure.” Applejack nodded. Lightning could tell this was not the answer she wanted to hear. Her hoof dropped back down to her belly, caressing the bulge. “Well...that’s good...Ah guess.” She touched the colt on the screen again, then stood up. “Thank you again, Twi.” Twilight stood up and trotted over to Applejack. She placed her hoof on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about Rarity. We are treating her better than some of the other patients here.” she said with a smile. “Trust me, you will be the first person I call when she is better.” Applejack sniffed. “Thanks Twi.” They embraced each other, the Applejack walked out of the room. Lightning thanked Twilight as well, then followed her. Applejack was standing down the hall slightly, looking into one of the rooms. Lightning walked up next to her, peeking into the room with her. Two ponies were in the room, a Stallion and a Mare. The Mare was lying down in the bed holding a small filly in a blanket. Next to her stood the Stallion, his eyes filled with pride and love. The Mare had a grey coat with a blonde mane. Her eyes were yellow as well, but they were slightly crossed. The Stallion had a tan coat with a dark brown mane and tail, with light blue eyes. The filly had the same coat and mane as the Mare, but the same eye color as the Stallion. Applejack was watching the tiny filly’s movements as she fretted inside the blanket. Before Lightning could stop her, she took a step into the room. “What is it like?” she asked the Stallion. He looked up, noticed the bulge in he belly, and smiled. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world. Nothing compares to it.” he turned back to the filly, Applejack forgotten. Applejack walked back to Lightning, and he put her arm around her. He started to lead her towards the door, but she pulled him away, pulling him towards Rarity’s room. Lightning didn’t understand why she was going there. It was just going to make her upset, but he followed her anyway. They reached her room, and Applejack looked through the window, at the sleeping Rarity. “Ah just can’t believe that she is like this.” she said, her voice thick. “She was always so proper, so stuck up. She was the complete opposite of me. What would cause her to change into...” she pointed at the broken pony in front of her. Lightning took Applejack in his arms. “You need to stop worrying. If I know Twilight, and I think I do, then she is doing all she can to fix her. What you need to worry about, is us and our family.” he bent his head down and kissed her freckles, on both sides. Through the window, Rarity was stirring. Applejack and Lightning watched as she slowly woke up, her eyes opening to the bright, fluorescent light. She tested her bonds, but they held tight. With a small wail that made Lightning feel sad and scared at the same time, she dropped back down onto her pillow. Applejack reached up and tapped on the window with her hoof. When she got no response, she tried again. This time, Rarity brought her head off the pillow, looking straight at them. Applejack waved at her, a hopeful look on her face. Rarity cocked her head slightly, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them. Lightning was sure she was trying to figure out who would make the best lunch. Then, slowly, she mover her front right hoof. She brought it up and moved it from side to side, exactly the way the Applejack had done. After that, she cocked her head again, then fell back onto the pillow.