Where Did I Come From?

by bahatumay


Where She Came From, Part 2

The little filly slept peacefully against Applejack's side, a stark contrast from the still-fuming Applejack herself. She glared at Rainbow. “What were you thinking? Were you thinking? Where d'you expect we go from here, huh?” she whispered angrily.

“I couldn't just leave her there!” Rainbow protested. “They were talking foster care and that's kindof scary! What if she gets lost in the system and ends up with somepony who doesn't really care for her?”

“Yeah, well, we still can't keep her,” Applejack argued. “This is literally foalnapping. And she's gonna be hungry soon, and you didn't even bring any supplies.”

“Ah can get milk,” Apple Bloom offered, turning to face the door.

Applejack shook her head. “That ain’t what she needs. She needs…” Her voice trailed off, and her eyes drifted down to her side. “She needs…”

There was a pause.

“Maybe everything does happen for a reason,” Rainbow murmured.

* * *

At the police station in Canterlot, the chief looked over the case file. “Foalnapping, abuse, possibly involves one or more of the Elements,” he said, tossing the file disgustedly back on his desk. “Lovely.”

A unicorn poked his head in. “Chief Stalwart?” he said. “Your wife-”

“Lieutenant Lemon,” he said, brightening. “Just the pony I wanted to see.”

For some reason, this did not help Lemon feel relieved. “Sir?”

“This case is a big one. A messy one. Messy as a whole can of worms. Maybe even two cans. We need someone who is competent enough to handle this case, but who won't be a huge loss if it all blows up in his face.”

Lemon frowned. “Surely you don’t mean me?”

“Nah. I figured I’d give it to my ‘biggest fan’.”

A smirk spread across Lemon’s face. “I’ll inform the detective that he needs to pack a bag,” he said.

* * *

"Whoa, there," Applejack whinnied, surprised. "You were hungry, weren't you? Hey- ow!" Applejack flinched away, but the filly followed, dragging herself forward and holding on tightly with her gums. Applejack grit her teeth. The filly may not have had teeth of her own, but she sure-

"Ow!"

-could gnaw like no other. Still, Applejack mused, it was a great improvement for the little filly who had struggled for her life in the hospital. She was growing strong; she could even lift her head on her own now.

"Ow!"

And she clearly knew how to get what she wanted. Applejack scowled playfully at her. "Ah'm gonna have to go give my regards to Mrs. Cake, what with two little ones on her- ow!"

* * *

Rainbow walked back into the bedroom and stopped short. Applejack was holding the filly and patting her on the back. She cocked her head. "AJ?" she asked.

"Hey, Rainbow."

"What are you doing?" Rainbow asked.

"Burping the filly," Applejack answered.

Rainbow blinked. "You're what, now?"

"You gotta do this so they can get the air out of their stomachs," Applejack explained.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Huh," Rainbow said. "I never took home ec." Then her eyes narrowed, and she smirked.

"Rainbow..." Applejack warned.

"That's not burping," Rainbow said.

"Rainbow..."

"This is burping!" She shook her head, rolled her neck, and then let loose a colossal belch that echoed off the rafters.

Applejack blinked flatly. "Was that really necessary?" she deadpanned.

"Oh, yes," Rainbow said firmly.

"Everything's a competition to you, huh? You know, it's a good thing Ah love you," Applejack grumbled.

And then the filly returned fire.

"Whoo!" Rainbow cheered, pumping a hoof into the air. "Just like her mother!" She froze, and then her her hoof and her ears dropped and she blushed slightly. "I mean..."

"Shut up and come hold her," Applejack said, a smile playing at her lips.

* * *

Applejack continued. “'And so the yellow birdie sang his song as hard as he could to the little tree, and the little tree…'”

“Applejack?”

Applejack looked up from the book that she was reading to the filly. “Hey, Apple Bloom. What's up?”

Apple Bloom scuffed a hoof against the ground. “So today Ah… kindof told the girls about the whole filly thing, and… well… You don't mind if my friends come over and play with her, do you?”

Applejack chuckled. “No, not at all.”

Apple Bloom sighed, relieved. “Good; because…” Here, she reached a hind leg back and kicked the door open wider, revealing two more fillies standing there, smiling widely. “…they're here,” she finished sheepishly.

Applejack blinked. “Huh,” she said.

Still, she was nothing if not adaptable. She placed the book on the nightstand and shifted her body, revealing the filly. She sat up, squinting at the newcomers.

“Awww!” Sweetie said, dashing forward. She put her face nearly in the filly’s and smiled. The filly opened her mouth, confused, but Sweetie didn’t mind. “Hi! I’m Sweetie Belle!” she said, her voice squeaking.

The filly cocked her head.

“Aww, she’s adorable!” Sweetie cooed. “May I hold her?” she asked Applejack excitedly.

Applejack nodded. “Sure,” she said. The filly seemed to be ok with Sweetie Belle, so she rolled up and let the little foal crawl to her hooves. Sweetie scooped her up and snuggled her close. “Aww, aren’t you just precious?”

“Eugh,” Scootaloo said, sticking her tongue out.

“Oh, come on,” Sweetie Belle said, turning to Scootaloo and holding her out. “Just give it a try? Please? You could get your cutie mark in this!”

"I don't think I'd want a cutie mark in this," Scootaloo grumbled, but she buzzed her wings and got up on the bed. She took the filly and held her over her shoulder.

A crooked smile crossed her face. The filly was tiny but warm, and easy to hold. It was crazy that a pony could be this small. Tiny ears, tiny hooves, tiny little muzzle, tiny little... everything. Almost like she needed to be protected, and Scootaloo was the only one who could do it. “Well, this isn’t so bad,” she mumbled, bringing a hoof up to stroke her mane. It was short, and a bit ragged and thin, but it was clean, and coarse, just like a mane should be.

And then the filly convulsed once. She made a sound like a hacking cat, and Scootaloo felt something wet and sticky land on her back.

She froze. “Aaaand ssshe just ralphed on me, didn't she?”

Apple Bloom tried to hide her smile. “Yeah, kindof, yeah,” she admitted.

Scootaloo calmly passed her back to Applejack. “Well, that was a bust. I'm out.” She quickly headed out the door.

“Shower's on the right,” Applejack called after her.

Scootaloo turned into the bathroom, desperate to get cleaned up. Already her fur was beginning to smell like nasty milk, and that was totally uncool. Warm nasty milk.

She pushed open the door and stopped short.

Rainbow Dash did, too, dropping to the ground. She had obviously been trying to do wingups, but she stopped when the door opened. She looked up and breathed an obvious sigh of relief when she realized it was Scootaloo. “Don’t tell Applejack,” she whispered. "She still thinks I need to be resting."

Scootaloo made the motions of a Pinkie promise. It was so awkward; she could now fly better than her idol and every time she saw her she felt uncomfortable.

But that didn’t matter. Rainbow would soon be back at the top of her game. Especially if she kept working out in secret like this.

Hopefully.

* * *

The young filly looked over her kingdom from her wooden high chair. She waved her forelegs excitedly as her latest conquest approached.

“Glad we still had this old thing kicking around,” Applejack said as she slid the bowl of applesauce onto the tray. She lifted a spoon and smiled widely. Sure, she was young enough that she still needed mother's milk; but there was no reason a pony couldn't start on a diet of nice, healthy apple products early. “You ready for the Applesauce Express?”

The foal opened her mouth widely in invitation. “Ah! Ah!” she said.

Applejack carried the spoon over and placed it in her mouth. The filly clamped her mouth shut, trapping the spoon firmly between her gums, and let out a few incoherent squeals of glee.

“That’s not quite how… eh,” Applejack shrugged and dropped her hoof. She’d get the spoon back eventually.

The door opened behind her, and she turned to see Macintosh stepping in.

The reaction was instantaneous. The filly dropped the spoon and cowered back, eyes widening in fear.

Mac grimaced and stepped back. This was quite painful. For the first time in as long as he could remember, there was a cute little foal here to hold and play with and make funny faces at… and she was scared of him.

Applejack gave him an apologetic smile. She had no explanation for the filly's behavior; Mac had been nothing but friendly to her.

Mac sighed, retrieved the water he'd come for, and then left.

* * *

Applejack was awoken by a hoof shaking her. "Applejack!" Rainbow hissed.

"Mhm?" Applejack grunted.

"There's noises," Rainbow said urgently.

Applejack pawed at her pillow, tempted to pull it over her head. "This is an old farmhouse, Rainbow. There're always nois-"

"From the filly's room!"

Applejack sat straight up. "And it don't sound like her?"

"Nope," Rainbow whispered. "Come on!"

The two mares slunk out of bed, creeping over to the filly's room, walking carefully to surprise whomever it was right in the act. They neared, and Rainbow shushed Applejack with her hoof as she leaned in, ear pressed to the door.

Her intense look of concentration slowly faded into confusion. Applejack leaned in and pressed her ear against the door...

"...and since you just got here, that's ok; I'll sing to you another way! Yes, welcome, welcome, welcome..."

Bewildered, Applejack slowly pushed open the door. Pinkie Pie stood at the side of the crib on her hind legs, and in her forelegs she carried a small cake. She danced in place, bobbing her head along to the song she was singing, and the little filly stared, clearly unsure how to take this.

"...to Ponyville, my dear! I don't know if I've shared before but I'm so glad that you're here! And though I don't know how you got here--I don't even know your name!--I'm still singing to welcome you to our town just the same!" She held that last note out and then held the cake out to the filly, who stared open-mouthed at the strange offering.

She glanced over at Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "What?" she asked. "You know I have to welcome everypony new to Ponyville. Everypony."

Rainbow finally broke the silence. "You're insane, Pinkie. You know this, right?"

Pinkie considered this, and then nodded proudly. "Yep!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "You almost gave me a heart attack. I'm going back to bed."

"But I brought you a slice of cake, too!" Pinkie protested, holding out a slice from... somewhere.

Rainbow slowed to a stop, and then exhaled. "Fine," she grumbled. "One slice of cake, and then I'm going back to bed."

She ended up eating three.

* * *

The peaceful afternoon was interrupted by a knock on the door. Apple Bloom was closest, so she walked over and opened it.

She somewhat regretted it when she saw an unknown pony standing there, somewhat at an angle to the door. He had khaki fur, a gray mane that had been clipped short, and he wore large sunglasses that hid his expression even as he looked at the ground. That wasn’t so bad; what was really disconcerting was that he was wearing a thick, padded vest with a golden badge gleaming on front and saddlebags with a shockstick strapped to one side.

Oh, and the two Royal Guards standing at attention behind him. Those were fairly discomforting, too.

He did not raise his eyes, but he did shift his body slightly. “Good afternoon,” the pony said, his voice low and clipped.

“Hi,” Apple Bloom said hesitantly.

“I am Detective Cane Sugar.”

“Apple Bloom,” Apple Bloom said, instinctively returning her name.

Now he looked up, but did not remove his sunglasses. “I trust you know why I’m here?”

“Uh… If Ah say no, would you believe me?”

A tiny smile might have crept across his face. “Not at all. A foalnapping is nothing to sneeze at, if you’ll pardon my pun.”

Apple Bloom was sweating bullets here. Not only did she not understand the pun, Applejack was currently holding the foal he was looking for in the front room. “Is this the part where Ah ask if you have a warrant?” she asked hopefully.

“If it is, it’ll become the part where I tell you that the reports of a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane seen at the hospital shortly before the disappearance of the unnamed filly match up with the reports of a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane who lives here, which gives us probable cause to search your house for her.”

Apple Bloom swallowed nervously. “Ok,” she said, taking a step back.

With a polite nod, Cane indicated that she go first. Ears pinned to her head and breathing heavily, Apple Bloom led them through the house.

“Hey, who was… it…” Applejack's voice trailed off as she saw their visitors.

Rainbow shot to her hooves. “Uh, it's not what it looks like,” she said quickly.

“It never is.” Cane made a show of digging into his saddlebags and pulling out the description, and then looking back and forth between the foal and the paper. “I imagine there's a very good explanation for this… astounding coincidence?” he asked.

“A very good explanation,” Rainbow said confidently. “You'll be amazed at this explanation. It's so good it'll rock your world explanation.”

Cane raised an eyebrow, his skepticism visible even from behind the sunglasses.

Rainbow attempted an answer that would fulfill her previous boast. “It’s because… uh… well, you see…”

“We adopted her,” Applejack broke in.

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, nodding. “That.”

The guard on the left raised an eyebrow. He could spot a liar miles away, and from what he had seen, so could Cane. He expected Cane to call her out in his cold, calculating way.

So it came as somewhat of a surprise when Detective Cane folded the paper and put it back into his bag. “I see. So sorry to interrupt. I’ll just need a signed statement from each of you, and then we’ll be out of your manes.”

The guard opened his mouth to protest, but Cane gave him a discrete nudge, and he quickly shut his mouth.

Rainbow stared at the blank paper. “What do I-?”

“A simple ‘we adopted her’ and your signature will be sufficient.”

When both mares had signed their own papers, Cane tucked them into his bags and nodded, indicating that the royal guards following him should leave. Cane turned to leave as well, but before he did, he paused and looked at Rainbow. “Where?” he asked.

“What?”

“Where did you find her?”

Rainbow bit her lip. “In a dumpster,” she answered.

“Where?”

Rainbow swallowed. “Corner of State and Fifth, Canterlot,” she recalled.

Cane nodded and walked away, gently shutting the door behind him.

There was a long, painful silence, punctuated by the filly's contented gurgling noises.

Applejack eventually spoke. “Ah think this is far from over,” she said.

Nopony disagreed.