//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Fluttershy's Foal? // by Autum Breeze //------------------------------// Chapter 4 _____________________________________________________________________ As the trio of ponies returned to the dining hall, Celestia looked to them, slight worry on her face. “Is everything alright now?” Fluttershy glanced back at Twilight, who nodded and the new mother replied, “Oh, yes. Thank you, Your Highness. Twilight just had some things to get off her chest, that’s all.” Celestia chuckled. “I told you, Fluttershy, just call me Celestia. We are family, after all.” Fluttershy pondered what she meant for a second, before she understood Celestia’s meaning. Since she was Twilight’s mother and Twilight was a princess, by default, Fluttershy was part of the Royal Family too. “Well, howdy, cousin,” Applejack greeted Braeburn, who nodded, grinning. “Wha’ brings ya here t’ Ponyville.” Braeburn nuzzled Twilight, who, having not expected it, was helpless against her foalish side that caused her to coo in response. “Ah had t’ make sure mah little girl was alrigh’. Glad t’ see she is.” Rainbow Dash smirked. “So, you gonna ask Fluttershy for her hoof in marriage yet?” Fluttershy and Twilight almost choked on, well, nothing really and a loud crashing from the door showed Discord had just tripped, his eyes wide, while Pinkie bounced in passed him, as oblivious as ever. Braeburn just glared at Rainbow Dash. “Now, ya’ll know that Fluttershy don’ feel tha’ way ’bout me and I don’t her. We’re not gonna go marryin’ each other when we don’t share feelin’s fer one another. 'Sides, marrying just cuz we're Twi's parents ain't the right thing for her.” Rainbow held up her hooves. “Okay, okay. No need to get angry.” Fluttershy, having recovered from that little shock, put Twilight in her highchair and tied a bib printed with Twilight’s Cutie Mark around her front. Twilight glared at Fluttershy once the bib was on, but hid it when she noticed the others turning to her, in order to not arouse suspicion. Fluttershy opened the jar of apple sauce, took a spoon, scooped some up and brought it to Twilight’s mouth. At first, the alicorn looked away, keeping her mouth closed. “Come on, Twilight,” Fluttershy said in a regular voice as apposed to a babying one. “You need to eat.” Twilight sighed, nodded and opened her mouth. Fluttershy put the spoon in and Twilight closed, chewing the apple sauce, more out of habit, since she didn’t need to chew. As she did, she found it tasted really good. She’d expected to gag when the taste hit her tongue, but instead, it was one of the tastiest things she’d ever eaten. She smiled, opening her mouth for another spoonful. As Fluttershy fed Twilight, everypony else daa’wed at the situation, watching mother and daughter sharing a tender moment. Applejack, pulling herself away from her baby second cousin, turned to her other relative. “So, how long’re ya’ll hangin’ around, Braeburn?” The stallion turned to his cousin, tipping his Stetson. “Sorry, cuz, but Ah only had enough time to come check on Twi. Ever since that Tirek fella attacked, the town’s been all crazy-like. Me an’ sheriff Silver Star’ve been workin’ together to keep everypony calm.” “A shame,” Celestia said, looking to Twilight as she finished her last spoonful of apple sauce, having emptied the whole jar. “I think Twilight would’ve liked to spend some more time with her daddy, wouldn’t you, Twilight?” Twilight looked to the princess, giving her a confused look. In truth, a small part of her wanted Braeburn to stay longer, if only so she could learn more about how his being her daddy could affect her future. But the other part of her, the part that liked keeping things in order, knew he had to go back to Appleloosa. He was one of the most important ponies there, after all and a lot of the town looked to him for guidance, the same way ponies now looked to her and her friends as the Council of Friendship— Wait a minute. Was there a Council of Friendship anymore? How could there be when one member is a foal? She decided to ask her mother to ask the others. “Fwuddewshy?” “Yes?” the Pegasus replied, smiling. Twilight fidgeted. “Can... can you ask if da Fwiendship Couwncil is stiww... you know...?” Fluttershy caught on and turned to Luna and Celestia. “Um, I was wondering...” “Yes?” they both asked. Fluttershy shied a little. “Um... about the Friendship Council...?” Celestia nodded. “Yes, I know, Fluttershy. While she is a foal, Twilight cannot be a direct member of the council, but once she is old enough, she may join. Until then, it will just be the five of you.” Twilight sighed. Well, it was better than there being no council at all. Still, she was sad she wouldn’t be able to take on the duty she’d been given, what was to her, only a day ago. “Well, Ah’d best be headin’ off,” Braeburn tilted his hat to all present, then nuzzled Twilight. “Mah train won’t jus’ wait for me forever. See ya’ll the next time ya decide to visit A-A-A-Appleloosa!” Twilight, though not sure why, found that last part funny and couldn’t’ stop herself from giggling as Braeburn left, the doors closing behind him. “Wait,” Applejack frowned. “If’n he’s leavin’, where’re—?” A loud crash from outside stopped her and both she, Rarity and Rainbow face-hoofed. _____________________________________________________________________ Fluttershy walked down the streets of Ponyville, smiling and waving to each passersby, the day seeming more normal than it had not too long ago. “Fwuddewshy!” a small, very annoyed voice said from her side. Fluttershy glanced to her right and saw a small frowning face looking up at her from the cream-coloured foal carrier she was wearing, with tiny hooves crossed. “Why did you put me in a foaw cawwiew? I feew widicuwous!” Fluttershy giggled. “Well, you can’t really walk yet, Twilight. And I don’t won’t you getting tired before we say goodbye to your dad.” Twilight looked away, pouting. “Bu’ I down’t wanna say g’bye ta him.” Fluttershy frowned, taking on a firm motherly tone she normally reserved for Angel Bunny. “Twilight, he’s your father. It doesn’t matter that we don’t remember this reality and still remember the original one we lived in, in this version of our reality, Braeburn is your father and we have to accept that and respect him as your father.” “No, we don’t!” Twilight retorted in a slightly whiny way. “I don’ wanna.” Fluttershy sighed. “Twilight, I know this is hard for you; I’m still having trouble coping with this myself—” “At weast you din’a wose your famwiy!” Twilight snarled, yet tears were in her eyes. “I did! Shiny, my mommy and daddy, dey’re not my famwiy no more!” As she started crying, tears running down her face, Fluttershy stopped, walked over to a bench and sat down, taking Twilight out of the foal carrier and held her close. Twilight sobbed for a few minutes as she tried to resist the warm feeling encompassing her as Fluttershy held her, feeling she knew were that of a daughter to her mother. Once she’d calmed, Fluttershy nuzzled the foal. “Better?” Twilight sniffled. “Beddew.” Fluttershy nodded. “Shall we go say goodbye to Braeburn now? I mean, if that’s okay with you, I mean?” Twilight rubbed her eyes with her stubby hooves, sniffled and nodded. “Otay.” Fluttershy got up, putting Twilight back in the foal carrier and they headed to Ponyville Train Station at a brisk trot to make up for the time they’d lost. As Fluttershy walked onto the platform, she saw Braeburn stepping up to the train, ready to board. “Wait.” The soft voice caused the stallion to turn as she as Twilight came up to him. “We wanted to say goodbye and to have a safe trip.” Braeburn smiled. “Thanks, Fluttershy.” He leaned forward and nuzzled Twilight, her resisted for a second, then returned the gesture as best she could. “Guessin’ family think alike.” They turned to see Applejack, Apple Bloom, Big Mac and Granny Smith walking up to them. “Well, don’t this make me feel special,” Braeburn blushed. “Didn’ know Ah’d get such a big send off.” “Come back soon, ya hear?” Granny Smith said, giving her grandson a hug. “Ah wanna know how things’re goin’ over there.” “Will do, Granny,” Braeburn patted her back, pulled away and looked to his two adult cousins. “Keep holdin’ the fort here, ’kay you two.” “You got it, Brae,” Applejack tilted her Stetson. “Eeyep,” Big Mac gave a small nod. Braeburn turned to Twilight and nuzzled her, causing her to giggle. “Be a good girl for yer ma now, ’kay, Twi?” Her foalishness taking over, Twilight gurgled, holding his muzzle with her tiny hooves, a huge smile plastered on her face. The train whistle blew and the conductor shouted, “All aboard. Train to Appleloosa now boarding. Repeat, next stop, Appleloosa!” “Guess Ah’d best be off,” Braeburn said, boarding the train, then opening the window to his cart and waving to the ponies gathered to say farewell to him. “See ya’ll next time Ah come round, or the next time ya’ll come visit A-A-A-Appleloosa!” The train started moving as the ponies all waved. They all stood there til the train was out of sight and the sounds of its engines had disappeared. “Well,” Applejack said, taking off her hat and dusting it before putting it back on. “Big Mac an’ Ah’d better get back to work. What about you, Fluttershy? Any plans for today?” Fluttershy blinked, then looked down. “Oh, um, not really. Twilight and I were just going to walk around Ponyville for a while.” “Can Ah join ya?!” Apple Bloom asked excitedly, bouncing up and down. “I wanna play with mah little sister longer.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Apple Bloom, Twilight is not yer sister. She’s yer second cousin.” Apple Bloom gave her sister a withering look. “Ah know that, Applejack. Ah jus’ like thinkin’ o’ her as mah little sister.” “Oh, it’s okay, Applejack,” Fluttershy said, smiling at Apple Bloom. “She can think of Twilight like a sister if she wants.” “It’s not wike it’s any weiwdew fow me anyway,” Twilight muttered, knowing only Fluttershy understood her. “I’m alweady her cousin becawse I’m now da daughdew o’ Bwaebuwn.” Actually, that brought something interesting to mind. How come Fluttershy, Discord and Pinkie could still understand her, but nopony else could? Well, in truth, it wasn’t that hard to figure out, which was disappointing. A nice hard equation would’ve taken her mind of how strange this all was. The spells used on her and Fluttershy had been focused specifically on them. With the mixing of chaos and raw foal magic, it made sense that an unintended side affect would be that Twilight’s new mother would be able to understand her. Discord wasn’t hard to figure out, either. He was the master of chaos. Had he not been able to understand Twilight, that would’ve been weird. And as for Pinkie Pie... well, she was Pinkie Pie. No need to question further than that. Twilight was pulled from her inner thoughts when she felt Fluttershy moving and looked around to see they were heading out of the train station, Apple Bloom walking alongside them as the rest of her family headed back towards Sweet Apple Acres. _____________________________________________________________________ The trio of ponies walked through Ponyville, being greeted by other ponies such as Derpy Hooves, Berry Punch and Bon-Bon and Lyra. As they walked through town, Apple Bloom was telling Fluttershy about what she and her fellow crusaders had been trying for their Cutie Marks. It was what had caused the crashes that had come within the castle whenever the trio had been out of view. As Fluttershy said that as long as nopony gets hurt, the crusaders should do what they feel is best suited to them, Twilight gave out a cry of shock. Fluttershy stopped, following where Twilight was looking and was shocked. Twilight’s library was still intact, as if Tirek hadn’t destroyed it. In fact, it looked like it hadn’t been touched. Both Fluttershy and Apple Bloom were shocked when suddenly; Twilight started buzzing her little wings, flew out of the foal carrier and flew straight towards tree/house/public library. Just as she reached the door, it was suddenly opened. Unable to stop herself, Twilight slammed into whoever had opened it and they tumbled into the library. Fluttershy hurried inside, Apple Bloom right on her tail, to find Twilight in a tangle with a small purple dragon with green spines. “Spike!” a voice neither Fluttershy nor Twilight had heard in a long time called from somewhere in the back. “What’s going on? You’re not riding the wheeled-ladder for a game again, are you?” Spike sat up, rubbing his head. “No, Sunset. I was going to check on Rarity and see if she needed any help with—” “Pike!” Twilight cried, hugging the baby dragon. Being so small, she was almost the same size, so it was almost like hugging somepony her new age. “Help with what?” a voice with a slight slyness in its tone asked as a yellow unicorn with green eyes and red and yellow mane and a sunset designed Cutie Mark came around the corner, then blinked in surprise. “Oh. Fluttershy...” she looked down and saw the foal hugging the dragon and smiled, “and baby Princess Twilight. I didn’t expect to see you today. What brings you here? Need a book for something?” “Oh, um...” Fluttershy had been about to say Twilight had flown in, but something had stopped her, something had also drawn the attention of the other two ponies and the baby dragon. Twilight was still holding onto Spike and tears were sliding down her face, slowly wetting Spike’s scales. “Um, is everything okay?” the baby dragon asked, as he held Twilight, patting her back, trying to comfort the crying foal. Fluttershy closed her eyes so nopony saw the sadness in them. Twilight was crying both from joy and sadness. She was happy that Spike was still around and that he was living in the library, but she was also unimaginably sad because he wasn’t exactly the Spike she knew. She hadn’t raised him. From the looks of it, Sunset Shimmer had. Fluttershy opened her eyes and looked to Sunset, who had an eyebrow cocked in confusion. “She’s... She’s been through a lot recently, Sunset. Please, just... let her cry. She needs it.” Sunset’s ears drooped at the look on Fluttershy’s face and her tone. She nodded and they all just stood in silence as Twilight cried into Spike. After a few minutes, Sunset looked to Fluttershy, then back to Spike. “Spike?” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Maybe you should take Twilight upstairs. I think she wants to be with you for a bit.” Spike nodded and, with a little difficulty, picked up the little alicorn and took her upstairs. They all watched until he was gone and the door closed behind him. “Um, Sunset?” “Hmm?” the unicorn turned to the Pegasus. Fluttershy looked away, then back again. “Um, I’m not sure if I remember if you already told me or not, but, um, how did you become Princess Celestia’s student? If you don’t mind my asking, that is?” Sunset sighed and nodded. “Well, I guess I never really did tell you or your friends everything. Though, seeing as you’ve been dealing with an upset Twilight today, I think I’ll tell you.” She cleared her throat. “First of all, I’m not technically related to Shining Armour. I’m adopted.” Fluttershy gasped. “You were an orphan?” Sunset nodded, then looked down. “I’ve tried to be the best student Princess Celestia’s ever had because of it.” When Fluttershy gave a confused frown, she chuckled. “Let me explain.” _____________________________________________________________________ 17 Years Ago Princess Celestia grumbled as she held her umbrella in her magic, looking around the streets as the rain bucketed down around her. I had to decide to sneak out for the day, didn’t I? she thought grumpily as she tried to focus her eyes on the castle. She grunted. Oh, for my sake! I can’t teleport in this weather. I can’t even see the castle now. I can’t very well just teleport when I can’t see. I could end up landing on one of the castle staff. Or one of the nobles. She chuckled at that last thought. A small shuffling sound caused the sun goddess to pause and turned her head to a small alley way a few hooves’ distance from where she was standing. Curious, she moved forward and looked inside the alley. It wasn’t much. A dumpster, pieces of trash like bottles and paper (now soggy from the rain) lining the ground, a small dirty plush doll of a yellow pony that was sobbing... Celestia paused, frowning. What? She stepped closer, getting a better look at the plush doll, gasping and stepping back. It wasn’t a plush doll. It was a small filly, maybe three or four years old. Her mane was matted and raggedy, her eyes barely open, just staring ahead, or rather, down at the ground. She was horribly thin; it must have been days since she’d had something decent to eat. Celestia looked around, searching for somepony to help. In the distance, she could see the lights of a house through the rain. They were the only lights on, so it was her best chance to save the filly. She needed to get her inside a warm place before she caught pneumonia. She levitated the filly, the filly’s lack of acknowledging that she was being lifted off the ground worrying her immensely, lower her onto her back and brisking walked towards the light. She’d have run, but with the ground so wet, tripping would be too easy and, besides that, it could hurt the filly. She reached the door and knocked quickly on the door. She heard the sound of confused voices before the door opened, revealing a mare silhouetted by the light from within. The mare gasped upon seeing her. “Princess Celestia? Oh, dear; what’re you doing outside in this weather—?” “Never mind about me!” Celestia said, showing the filly on her back. “This filly needs help far more than I do!” The mare gasped, her horn glowing with a magenta light, the same light encompassing the filly and carrying her inside, the mare hurriedly running off, the filly levitating behind, leaving Celestia standing on the step with an unusual mixture of relief and confusion. A groan came from somewhere inside, followed by some hoofsteps and another silhouette appeared in the doorway. “Honestly, just leaving you here. Come inside, Princess. This weather’s no place for a mare like yourself.” Celestia hesitated, then walked inside, blinking several times as her eyes adjusted to the light. She was in a small living room with modest furnishings, and several portraits around the white-painted walls. She turned to thank the pony who’d let her in. He was a blue stallion with a dark-blue mane and tail, yellow eyes and a Cutie Mark of a yellow crescent moon with a smaller white crescent moon in the empty space facing in the opposite direction. The stallion levitated over some towels, which she used to dress herself off as best she could while saying, “Thank you. I hope your wife is able to help that small filly.” The stallion nodded. “I’m sure she’ll be able to help. Aside from her job as an accountant, she works part time as a nurse. In the mean time, let me get you something to drink.” He walked off into the kitchen, while the sounds of his wife running around upstairs pulled Celestia’s attention to the ceiling. He’d she gotten to the filly in time. She hated the thought that she mightn’t have been able to save one of her little ponies. Just like I couldn’t save you, little sister. As she was lost in these fearful and heartbreaking thoughts, the stallion returned, levitating a mug of warm tea, steam wafting from it. “Please, Princess,” he said, startling her out of her thoughts, “stop worrying. You’ve done all you could, considering the circumstances. All we can do is wait for my wife to be done and see what happens from there.” She reluctantly nodded, walked over to the couch and sat down, accepting the mug and taking a small sip. For several minutes they waited in silence as they listened to his wife doing whatever it was she was doing to care for the filly. After an agonizingly long fifty minutes, the sound of hoofsteps coming slowly down the stairs could be heard. The two turned two the stairs to see an alabaster mare with a purple and white mane and tail, blue eyes and three purple stars for a Cutie Mark step down and walked towards them. “How is she?” Celestia asked, anxious as to the filly’s condition. The mare sighed. “Well, it was a bit touch and go for a while, since this isn’t a hospital and I wasn’t fully prepared,” she walked over to the couch and sat next to the monarch, “but I was able to get some fluids into her and some liquid food I had leftover from my last shift and was able to stabilize her. She’s sleeping in our room. I think Shining’s awake. This’ll be hard to explain to him.” Celestia blinked, confusion momentarily overriding her worry for the filly. “Who?” “Our son,” the stallion answered, leaning back in his chair. “He’s eight. Still yet to get his Cutie Mark.” He cleared his throat. “Sorry. We haven’t introduced ourselves. I’m Night Light and this is my wife, Twilight Velvet. Our son’s name is Shining Armour.” Celestia nodded. “It is nice to meet you.” She sighed in exhaustion, levitating her regalia off with her magic and rubbing her face. “Thank you for taking us in. I honestly wasn’t sure what to do.” Twilight Velvet nodded, then frowned. “What happened to that poor filly?” Celestia shook her head. “I don’t really know. I found her in an alley. If I had to guess, though, I’d say she’s homeless.” “An orphan?” Velvet whispered, looking down, her eyes becoming misty. “How horrible. She looks so sweet.” Celestia nodded. “I will contact Foal Services tomorrow and see if anypony has reported a missing foal matching her description.” She sighed. “Though, if nopony claims her, I’ll have to send her to an orphanage.” Velvet’s head shot up and she looked to her husband, a determined look on her face. Night Light sighed. “I know that look.” He chuckled. “No point in my arguing, is there?” Velvet smirked. “Nope.” “Did I miss something?” Celestia asked, looking between the two unicorns, very confused. Velvet looked to Celestia. “Until you find out if she is an orphan or not, and if she is, can we have her, Princess?” Celestia blinked, very surprised. “You’d... you want to adopt her, just like that?” Night Light shook his head. “We’ve been trying to have another foal for almost two years, your highness. Sadly, thing’s haven’t been working out. If it is alright, provided the child is an orphan, we would love to adopt her.” “A little filly,” Velvet closed her eyes, a warm smile on her face. “Shiny would love to have a little sister.” Celestia looked to the two ponies, then smiled. “Of course. If it turns out she is an orphan, which I do believe she is, I would be happy for you both to adopt her. In fact, I will even help you, if that is the case.” Velvet leaped forward and hugged the monarch. “Oh, thank you, Your Highness. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” _____________________________________________________________________ “A few weeks later it was confirmed that I was an orphan and I was adopted into their family,” Sunset finished as the three of them sat in the middle of the library. “I suppose I never did mention that when Shining got married to Cadance, did I?” Fluttershy shook her head. Sunset chuckled. “I really should’ve told you all back at the wedding, I could see you were all confused when you compared me to Shining and my parents.” Fluttershy nodded, though it was a lie, since she didn’t remember this reality’s version of Shining Armour and Cadance’s wedding, only the other version. Sunset shook her head. “I still can’t believe Twilight saw everything the same way I did.” She chuckled. “Didn’t really help convince you or anypony that I was right, having a foal backing me up, did it?” Fluttershy, only because the idea was funny when she put aside what was really happening at that time, giggled and played along. “I did want to scold Twilight for that. Though, I’m glad I didn’t.” Sunset nodded, then chuckled. “I remember Cadance’s confusion when she saw Twilight with me when we found her in those crystal caverns. That won’t stop being funny for a long time.” Fluttershy nodded, then decided to move the conversation on. “So, you grew up as a member of their family and became Celestia’s personal student?” Sunset nodded, then shook her head. “I still can’t believe I managed to hatch Spike’s egg. It wasn’t even meant to be possible. Celestia had a few stern words with the ponies testing me about why a filly needed to hatch a dragon egg in order to pass the test. Come to think of it,” she frowned, looking confused. "That's something that's always bothered me. Celestia told me Spike looks the way he does because of the magic that hatched him, but... I'm the one that hatched him... right?" “Hey,” a voice whispered from the stairs. The three ponies looked up to see Spike standing at the top, holding a sleeping Twilight. “Twi fell asleep.” Fluttershy stood up, flew to Spike, picked up Twilight and gently placed her in the foal carrier. “I think she’s had a long day. I’ll take her back to the castle for a nap.” Sunset and Spike nodded and the three ponies left, Apple Bloom watching Twilight as they walked back towards the castle. “Can Ah stay an’ watch Twilight while she sleeps?” the filly asked. Fluttershy smiled at her. “Of course, Apple Bloom.” She yawned. “I think I could use a little nap myself. Will you keep an eye on Twilight while I sleep?” Apple Bloom nodded excitedly. A few minutes later they reached the castle. Fluttershy led the way to hers and Twilight’s room. Apple Bloom silently closed the door as Fluttershy took Twilight out of the foal carrier and gently laid her in her crip, then, with a warm smile on her face, went to her own bed and fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.