//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 - Ah’ll Never have ma Own // Story: The Princess and the Foals // by Autum Breeze //------------------------------// Chapter 20 Ah’ll Never have ma Own _____________________________________________________________________ Applejack took the foals out of the carrier and gently placed them down in their playpen and took of the carrier. “Now, just gotta clean up this mess, then I’ll bottle the milk for ’em,” she said, blushing a little as she could feel the milk within her body. After ten minutes she’d gotten the library looking the way it had before Sunset and Scootlaoo’s little flying demonstration. AJ was about to head for the kitchen, when the sound of yawning turned her attention to the playpen. Sunset and Scootaloo looked around, rubbing their eyes with their hooves. “Well, how’d ya’ll sleep?” Applejack asked, keeping calm. “Otay,” they said. Scootaloo started buzzing her wings and Sunset’s horn glowd with its green aura. Both of them lifted out of the pen, but a glare from the farm pony made them drop back to the floor of pen. “I realize ya’ll’re happy to be flying, scoots and ya’ll’re happy to be usin’ yet magic, Sunset,” she said, shaking her head, “but that don’ escuse ya’ll for doin’ whatcha did.” She pointed a hoof to the kitchen. “Because ya’ll were acting like the little foals you look like, ya destroyed all the milk yer ma left for ya while she’s away. And ya’ll just were wrong ta act the way ya were. Ya’ll know better than that.” Both foal’s ears dropped and they looked down. “Sowwy, Abbleja’,” they mumbled. The farm pony smiled. “Now, give me a minute and Ah’ll give ya yer lunch.” Both foals looked at her with confusion. “But you jus’ said we destwoyed all da miwk,” Scootaloo frowned. “How’w you gonna feed us?” “I have a way,” the mare smiled, turning towards the kitchen. “Jus’ gimme a few minutes and ya’ll be enjoying lunch—” “But I’m hungwy now!” Sunset said, frowning. “I know, jus’ gimme a few and then—” “ No!” Scootaloo said loudly, buzzing her wings and flying up out of the playpen. “We wanna eat now!” AJ frowned. I wonder if they always act like foals when they’re hungry. Then again it is well passed the time on Twilight’s list to feed ’em. Maybe that’s got somethin’ ta do with it. Suddenly both foals started crying and AJ’s resolve broke. just like when Apple Bloom got like this when she was a foal, they'd never stop til they got fed. “Alright, alright,” she said, hushing them. “Ya’ll won’t have to wait.” Both foals’ eyes sparkled. Sunset’s horn glowed and she lifted out of the playpen and landed in front of Applejack, next to her big sister. Applejack blushed. “Now, this might feel a bit weird, since Ah’m not yer ma.” The foals frowned, cocking their heads. She lay down and showed them her teats, now fully ready to feed little foals. They both continued to frown. “I know it’s weird,” Applejack began again. “But Ah needed to find a way to feed ya and I wasn’t thinking to far so Ah—” She gasped and looked down. Both foals were eagerly suckling from her, not seeming the least bit fussed. Guess s’long as they’re gettin’ fed, they don’t mind too much, she thought and lay her head down, waiting for them to finish. After a few moments, Applejack gave warm smile. So this’s what it’d be like if I had ma own foal. Her smiled fell and a few tears slid down her muzzle. If I could have a foal, that is. “Abbleja?” Applejack turned to see both foals had stopped suckling and were looking at her, worry on their cute faces. “ What?” she asked, trying to smile. “Why’w you cwying?” Sunset asked, looking sad. “Ah— Ah’m not,” she said, shaking her head, before her usually “Ah’m Lying” twitch took over. “Abbleja,” Scootaloo looked down, then back at the farm mare. “Pwease teww us. I down’t wike you sad.” Applejack couldn’t help it. The innocence of a filly was too much for her tender heart to ignore. “Okay,” she said, stroking Scootaloo’s mane. “Both o’ ya’ll finished feedin’ an’ Ah’ll tell ya.” A few minutes later the two foals were sitting on the couch with Applejack, who didn’t meet their eyes. “Ah s’ppose Ah’ll try’n keep it short,” she said, then sighed. “A few days ago, while ya’ll were in Canterlot with yer ma, Ah wen’ ta the doctor.” “Why?” Sunset looked suddenly worried. “You weren’ sick, were you?” Applejack shook her head. “Nah. I’m perfectly healthy, sugarcube. Comes with livin’ in the Apple Family. We’re rarely sick cuz we keep to a healthy, stable diet, includin’ apples,” she winked, causing them to giggle. “Nah, I was there for another reason.” “Why?” Scootaloo asked. Applejack sighed. “Ah was worried about somthin’, so Ah asked the doc ta examine me an’ tell me if Ah could... Ah could...” She went quiet and both foals looked at each other worriedly. They’d never seen Applejack so sad before, and Scootaloo had known her a lot longer than Sunset and she could still vouch she’d never seen the farm pony so sad before. “You couwd wat?” Scootaloo asked, her voice quiet. Applejack sighed. It was a mournful sigh. “Ta see if’n Ah could have a foal o’ ma own.” “... An', can you?” Sunset asked, though both foals felt they knew the answer. Applejack shook her head, took off her Stetson and put it down on the couch’s arm. “No. Doesn’’ ma’er what Ah do, ’cordin’ ta the tests, ma chances o’ bearin’ a foal is practically none.” There was quiet for a few minutes as the meaning of that last sentice hung in the air, sinking into the foals’ minds. “Is... Is dat why you wan’ed to foawsit us?” Sunset asked, looking up at the farm mare. She nodded. “Ah just wan’ed to know how Twi fel’, even if only a li’l, cuz Ah know Ah never will have ma own foaw.” Applejack started sobbing, tears leaking from her eyes and felling onto her knees. Both foals looked at each other. They didn’t like seeing the farm mare like this. she was always strong, and never faltering. To see the strong earth mare like this... it hurt them. They crawled up to her, onto her lap and hugged her around the waist. Applejack gasped in surprise and looked down at the two small ponies holding her close. “If you wan’,” Sunset said, looking up at the sobbing farm mare, “tiw ouw Mommy comes back, we’ww caw you “Momma”. Otay?” Applejack looked from Sunset to her big sister, who nodded. Both foals had tears in their eyes. Applejack’s hurt was hurting them. “Sure,” AJ pulled the two of them into a hug and held them close, small smile on her muzzle. “And Momma AJ look after you both just like her own.” After a few minutes, the broke the hug and Scootaloo giggled. “Youw miwk tas’ diffwent fwom Mama’s.” She giggled again. Her sister joined her. “Yeah. Youw miwk tas’ wike abbles.” Applejack chuckled. “Ah though’ it migh’. Don’’ right know why, bu’ all mares in the Apple Family have milk tha’ taste like apples. Guess we got apple juice running in our veins.” Both foals giggled uncontrollably. It was too funny. The idea of every single mare in the Apple Family having milk that tasted like apple caused them to burst out laughing and Applejack joined in. “Wow! You’d make a great Mommy, Applejack!” Applejack chuckled. “Thanks, Pinkie. Ah guess Ah— Pinkie Pie!” Applejack leaped up in fright, sending the foals flying into the air. Luckily, Scootaloo started buzzing her wings and Sunset covered herself in her aura before they fell and remained airborne. Pinkie Pie had suddenly appeared next to Applejack out of nowhere, her smile as wide as ever. “Pinkie Pie, what in tarnation are you doin’ here?” Applejack asked, her breathing still higher than usual. “Weren’t ya’ll at some party in Trottin’ham?” “Yeah! That was a great party!” Pinkie bounced in place. “I just got back and my Pinkie Sense told me you were looking after Twilight's foals, so I came over to see how you were doing and you’re doing great!” “Uh, thanks, Pinkie, Ah guess,” she muttered. “You and Twily are gonna make the cutest couple,” Pinkie chirped. “Well, Ah guess we would— wait, what?” the farm pony’s eyes went wide. “Well, you will, when you get married, anyway. Oh, can I host the party? OH, it’ll be great. Even better than the one I threw for Shining Armour and Princess Candance’s wedding,” Pinkie rambled. “B-b-b-b-but Twi and Ah ain’t even gone on a date,” Applejack stammered, her face beat-red. “Shoot, I don’t even know if she goes for mares like Ah do. And what in Celestia’s name makes ya'll thank we’re gonna get married?” “Easy,” Pinkie grinned, bouncing in place. “My Pinkie Sense told me two of my bestest friends who aren’t of the same race right now are gonna get married and we all know Rarity’s got a thing for Fancy Pants and they’re both unicorns and Rainbow and Fluttershy have been together, since, like, forever and bedsides, they’re both Pegasuseseses. And I know I’m not getting married anytime soon, so that just leaves your and Twilight. Congratulations!” “Ah— Ah— Ah—” Applejack stammered, her brain not able to think beyond that single word for some reason. “Wow, is that the time already?” Pinkie asked, lifting her right foreleg, which suddenly had several dozen watches on it. “I gotta get back to Sugarcube Corner to help the Cakes with the twins. Well, later, girls. Glad to see your wings and magic working. Later Applejack. Let’s talk more about the party later.” With that, the pink mare bounced out the door that had been closed a second ago and closed behind her. Applejack was silent for a long time, her mind still trying to process what had just happened. Pinkie had said she was getting married soon, to Twilight, of all ponies. Sure, she knew Twilight was a lovely mare and she'd been curious about whwether she and Twilight could be a thing, but she'd never really thought about it and here Pinkie was, saying the two of them were going to get married? How would that even work? She was just a regular Earth Pony. Twilight was an alicorn princess. Was it even allowed? “Um, Abbleja’?” Scootaloo asked, giving the older mare and cocked eyebrow stare. “Does tha’ mean you’w gonna be ouw Momma for weal? Uh, Abbleja'?” Applejack didn't hear the foal's voice anymore. She felt her herself sliding to her side and the world started going black. Her brain had absorbed too much information too quickly and it couldn’t take it. The last thing she saw was the two foals giving her weird looks before she blacked out.