//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Poor Little Rich Pony // by Ugly-Duckling123 //------------------------------// After dinner, Mac went to get Apple Bloom from the barn and put her to bed. He was greeted by the worrying sounds of Appleseed as he entered. "Whoa, boy whats wrong?" Mac asked running up to his horse and calming him down. Appleseed was moving his head to Nutmeg, Mac looked down and saw something wasn't right. "I'll sort this out," he reassured Appleseed. "Just let me get Bloom and I'll be back with help. I promise." he said looking his horse in the eye. Earning his trust Appleseed stepped away letting his owner to get his sister. "I'll be back as soon as I can, boy." Mac said walking out the door. Mac had just gotten in placed Apple Bloom on the sofa, picked up his keys and was about to leave, when Applejack came to him. "What's the rush brother, where are you going in such a hurry?" "To get Fluttershy," Mac answered. "There's something wrong with Nutmeg and it's freaking out Seed." without another word, he opened the door and left, leaving Applejack running to check her horse. 5 mins later Mac pulled up to the clinic just as Fluttershy was locking up for the night. Getting out Mac rushed up to her. "Fluttershy, you've got to help, somethings wrong with Nutmeg." "Oh dear," she said reopening the door grabbing her emergency animal help kit and running to the other side of the truck. "I hope she's alright," Fluttershy said as they pulled away and on the way back to the farm. * In the barn, Applejack was sitting next to Nutmeg stroking her neck trying to stay calm. The doors opened and in came Mac and Fluttershy. The first question Fluttershy asked was "How long has she been down?" "As far as we know this morning," Mac answered going over to stand next to Appleseed. "How long was she like this?" "She was fine when I came to feed the animals before dinner," Applejack said. "But when I just came to get Apple Bloom for bed, Appleseed was saying something was wrong." Mac explained. "Ok, so she's been down most of the day, and problems only just started?" Fluttershy asked taking out a stethoscope and placing it on to Nutmegs chest. "Her heart's faster than normal, and the breathing is stronger." she said smiling. Looking up she said "There's nothing wrong, she's just having her baby..." "But will she be ok?" Applejack said getting over the shock. "I mean she's been down all day." "I'm not sure," Fluttershy said turning her attention back to Nutmeg, "But I'll do all I can to help both of them." * In the house Apple Bloom had just woken up and noticed she was in the living room. "That's weird Mac and AJ normally put me to bed when they get me from the barn if I fall asleep out there." she said to herself, looking at the time 10:45 the clock read. "I hope everything's ok..." she said making it up the stairs to bed. * In the barn Nutmeg was having problems giving birth to the new foal, and Appleseed was blaming the humans for hurting his mare. "Whoa boy," Mac kept saying standing in between his horse and the girls. "It's ok, we're here to help her. Not put her in danger. I promise." he said stroking Appleseed on the neck to calm him down. On the floor, Applejack was talking continuously to Nutmeg stroking her saying she was there for her, while Fluttershy was helping the foal come out. "I can see its head and front legs," she said. "Quick we need some rope to help it out." Applejack went to get some as Mac was still holding back Appleseed, and came back with one of her lasso's. "Ok we need to get this over the foals head and behind the legs. Then we can help Nutmeg by pulling it out as she pushes." Fluttershy explained telling Applejack what to do. "Right," Applejack said doing what she was told to do. But Appleseed wasn't happy at this and started rearing up again trying to get to his mare and stop Applejack from hurting her. "Appleseed stop!" Mac said hugging him to calm him down. "Their trying to help Nutmeg, not harm her." But he didn't like that answer and continued jumping around bucking Mac in the stomach once or twice, and even though Mac was strong and he was still standing, it hurt. "Can you girls hurry up back there?" Mac asked over his shoulder. "I don't think Seed's happy with us being this close to his mare." "We're going as fast as we can brother," Applejack called back, pulling the rope to help the foal out, while Fluttershy was helping Nutmeg. "Nearly there AJ," Fluttershy said seeing the body come out. "Just a bit more." Nutmeg was really struggling now, her breathing was stronger and she was neighing a lot. "You can do it girl," Fluttershy told her rubbing Nutmeg's neck. "Just a bit more." Applejack pulled on the rope again and the foal was fully out. She bent down, pulled the stuff off from the foals nose so it can breath, and took the rope off and backed away slowly always having eye contact with Appleseed who calmed down a bit now everything was fine. Mac sighed with relief and moved out of the way for the new family to be together. But something still looked wrong. Nutmeg wasn't up yet. Fluttershy had gotten out her stethoscope again and was listening to Nutmeg's chest. "This is bad," she said getting up. "Quick Mac pull Seed away again. Applejack you and I need to quickly but carefully help Nutmeg get back on her hooves." The siblings did as they were told, Mac restraining Appleseed, while Applejack got to the other side of Nutmeg. "Ok on the count of three we need to help her up." Fluttershy said to Applejack, who nodded in understanding. "One... Two... Three!" together the girls helped Nutmeg back up and got her standing for a minute, before she was down again, making Appleseed, and Applejack, worry. "We need to try again," Fluttershy said getting down again "One... Two... Three!" the girls got Nutmeg up again. "We need something to help her stand up," Fluttershy said looking around and see the hay bail hook, then looked at the rope on the fence post. "Can either of you get the rope to go over that hook?" Fluttershy asked. Mac was still holding back Appleseed, so Applejack did what was asked and turned to Fluttershy. "What now?" "Now we need to get the rope around Nutmeg, making it so it keeps her standing," Fluttershy explained. Applejack opened the lasso big enough for Nutmeg to poke her head and forelegs though, and pulled it so it was around her tummy. Then Fluttershy went over to Appleseed, so Applejack and Big Mac could pull on the rope slowly raising Nutmeg up and tying it off when she was standing up. Then all three backed away from the horses and all sighed in relief. "I hope she'll be ok," Applejack said looking at her horse who looked as tired as she felt. "So do I AJ," Mac said putting a hand on his sisters shoulder. "Thank you Fluttershy. We couldn't have done it without you." "You're welcome. All of you," she said talking to the horses. "Well I'd best be getting back home. I'll come by tomorrow to see how everyone's doing." "You can stay over for the night," Applejack said smiling. "Seeing it's nearly Midnight." "Oh but... I... I don't want to intruded," Fluttershy started mumbling collecting her things. "Oh Fluttershy, you're our friend, you can never intrude into this family," Applejack said "Isn't that right Mac?" she said grinning at the pink ears her brother had. "Er... Yep," he coughed shifting his eyes at the new born foal. "So, what are we going to call it?" "We said we'd let Bloom do that Mac," Applejack said as they walked out the barn, and back up to the house. "Hope she woke up and went to bed," Mac said holding the door open for the two girls. "I'm sure she did Mac," Applejack said but checking the living room to make sure. "Well good night, come on Fluttershy." she said leading her friend to her room. "Good night," Mac said getting himself a glass of water before going upstairs himself.