Chapter 8
Old Fears Born Anew
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“Ah still can’t believe Twilight’s got her own castle now!” Apple Bloom cheered as she, Scootaloo and her mothers walked up the path leading to Sweet Apple Acres.
It had been a couple hours since Tirek had been defeated, after he had attempted to take all the magic in Equestria for himself, even Discord had lost his magic to the tyrant.
However, as usual, the Element Bearers had defeated him and, for whatever reason, a castle tree had grown just outside of Ponyville for Twilight Sparkle to call home.
“It’s awesome!” Scootaloo shouted, thrusting a hoof in the air as she slowly buzzed her wings, her scooter moving at the pace of the other three ponies.
“We have to thank you again for letting us stay with your family at Sweet Apple Acres until our flat gets repaired,” Bon Bon said, looking to the small Earth filly with a smile.
It was going to take a while before their roof would be repaired. Being ripped clean off by a magical draining centaur tended to lead to such problems.
As such, they couldn’t sleep in an apartment with no ceiling and, even though a tarp had been strapped over where the ceiling had been to ensure that, if it rained, the apartment wouldn’t be soaked, they couldn’t live in a building in that kind of state.
The thing Bon Bon had found odd at first was that while Tirek had taken the time to remove their roof and take their magic, he hadn’t bothered with the rest of the town, instead heading off towards the Everfree, no doubt to confront Princess Twilight and take her magic as well.
However, after a bit of thought, she’d reasoned that, the only reason he’d gone after the six of them was he’d sensed Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’s connections to their sisters and, finding more ponies, had decided, what the heck, and taken their magic before moving onto Twilight.
Apple Bloom just waved a hoof dismissively. “Yer family. It’s perfectly normal t’ help out family in trouble.”
“I’m honestly still finding that hard to believe,” Bon Bon whispered to Lyra as the two fillies started chatting out what they’d do whilst they were all living together. “What are the chances that, because you’re Pinkie’s cousin, it makes you an Apple relative at the same time?”
Lyra shook her head. “Ya got me. I had no idea the Pie family was distantly related to the Apples. When the girls told us, it was the first I’d heard of it, too.”
Apple Bloom opened the farm house door, allowing the other three access.
“Granny, Ah’m home!” Apple Bloom called as the door swung closed behind her.
“Welcome back, young’n,” the elderly mare’s voice called, shortly followed by its owner as she hobbled out from the kitchen. She paused, raising an eyebrow at the three unexpected guest. “Oh. Hello, there. Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres. What can Ah do ya for?”
Bon Bon, Lyra and Scootaloo all blinked, confusion coming over their faces, before they turned to a sheepishly smiling Apple Bloom.
“Uh... technically speakin’, Ah hadn’t spoken with Granny ’bout it yet.”
“Spoken t’ me about hwhat?” the green mare asked, narrowing her eyes at her granddaughter.
Apple Bloom chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head with a hoof. “About Lyra, Bon Bon and Scoots staying with us til their roof gets fixed?”
Granny Smith blinked a few times, before looking to the couple and filly. “Yer roof?”
Lyra shrugged. “When Tirek attacked Ponyville, he ripped our apartment’s roof off and, what with the party Pinkie threw to celebrate beating him, it’ll take a while until the repairs can even start. Apple Bloom said we could crash here until then.”
“She also said something rather interesting last night,” Bon Bon said, realizing now she had a chance to get some facts. “She said Pinkie Pie is related to the Apple Family?”
Granny chuckled. “Well, we don’ quite got the proof, but we’re pretty sure. That gal’s got Apple in her blood, after what Ah’ve seen.” She frowned in confusion. “Why’d ya ask?”
“You see, I was adopted when I was a little filly,” Lyra said, taking over the conversation. “I got adopted by the parents of a mare whom recently moved into town. Octavia Melody?”
Granny smiled and nodded. “Ah, yes. Ah’ve met her. Nice mare, even if her marefriend’s a bit on the wild side. Plays wonderful cello music.”
Lyra chuckled, rubbing her neck. “Well, thing is, Octavia is Pinkie’s cousin, which, since I’m her sister after I was adopted by her parents, makes me Pinkie’s cousin, too.”
Granny cocked her head, seeming confused. “Ah’m afraid Ah don’t quite follow ya.”
“Well, if Pinkie’s related to the Apple Family,” Bon Bon stepped back in, “that would mean anypony related to her, whether by blood or by adoption, would also be part of the Apple Family, correct?”
“Uh... Ah guess so,” Granny replied, still looking puzzled.
“Well, I’m related to Pinkie... sorta,” Lyra said, grinning sheepishly. “So... doesn’t that make me an Apple too?”
Granny paused, her brow knitting together as her aged mind went over everything they’d just talked about and sifting through them.
After several minutes, Granny’s wrinkled face pulled up into a smile and, with a speed for a pony of her age that will baffle all who experienced the moment to this day, rushed forward and pulled Lyra into a crushing hug.
“Ah’ve got another grandfoal!” she cheered, pulling back, chuckling like a drunken pony. “Who knew?”
“And a great grandfoal, too!” Scootaloo called, squeezing herself between her mother and the older mare and hugging her.
“Ah what?” Granny Smith said, taken aback.
Bon Bon chuckled. “You see, Granny Smith, we adopted Scootaloo a short while ago. Since they makes her our daughter and Lyra’s your granddaughter, Scootaloo is your great granddaughter.”
Granny Smith blinked for several moments, before giving a, to everypony’s surprise, a dejected sigh.
“Don’t you want me as a great granddaughter?” Scootaloo asked, fearing just that. Maybe, while Lyra could be accepted, her being adopted cancelled it for herself somehow?
The elderly mare gave a wry chuckle and hugged the filly closer. “Nah, young’n. Ah’m more th’n happy t’ welcome ya as family.” She sighed again. “Ah just feel real old now, knowing Ah got me a great grandchild, and AJ an’ Big Mac ain’ even settled down yet.”
After that, they all went into the kitchen, where Big Mac was preparing dinner. He blinked in confusion at the three ponies walking in with her sister and grandmother.
However, a quick explanation from Apple Bloom and a confirmation from Granny was all it took for his confusion to become a smile as he welcomed new family, before apologizing, saying dinner might take a bit longer, since he now had to increase to double the recipe.
Bon Bon, after experienced at cooking, being a candy maker, offered to assist, which Mac happily accepted.
Whilst they began to make a larger meal for a group of six, Lyra and Granny went out of the kitchen with the two fillies to discuss sleeping arrangements.
“Ah hope the you two won’t mind the guest room?” Granny said as they headed upstairs, the fillies bounding up like it was a race.
“That’ll be just fine, Granny,” the unicorn replied, smiling at her newest grandparent. Boy, were her parents going to be in for a surprise when she next spoke to them. The Pie family itself was pretty big. Add the Apples to that, and they probably amounted to a large portion of Equestria’s pony population.
Granny gave an odd frown. “But... there’s only the one bed.”
Lyra smirked. “Granny, Bon Bon and I are married, have been for a long time now. Sharing a bed isn’t odd for us at all.”
The elder mare blushed, scolding herself. “How can Ah be so scatter-brained as t’ not think o’ that. Scootaloo couldn’t be both o’ yers daughter unless ya were. Must be gettin’ older than Ah thought.”
Lyra chuckled. “Well, you did just learn you had another granddaughter, granddaughter-in-law— Wait, is that even a thing? —and a great granddaughter. Learning that kinda thing would shock a lot of ponies. I doubt age has anything to do with it. Anyway, as for where Scoots will sleep,” she decided to move them back onto their original topic “I’m pretty sure she and Bloom have already decided.”
The giggling from Apple Bloom’s room confirmed Lyra’s theory, causing the two mares to chuckle.
Less than an hour later Applejack came home and was very surprised to see the other three ponies, though the situation was quickly explained and she welcomed her new kin with open hooves.
Dinner was a warm affair, with conversations about Lyra and Bon Bon’s past as well as discussions about Applejack’s visit to Appleloosa for the Appleloosa rodeo in a few weeks.
Of course, the moment she half-heartedly mentioned how several of the family had gotten their Cutie Marks in rodeos, the two Cutie Mark Crusaders begged her to take them and Sweetie Belle with them when she went.
Applejack had no chance to deny, for the two fixed her with Apple Bloom’s patented (though she had clearly taught it to her friends) puppy dog eyes, leaving the farm mare no choice but to yield to their pleas.
After dinner was over, the family all gathered round and Granny showed them all the old photo albums, revealing all the new family the three ponies had to look forward to getting to know.
Not too much later, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were put to bed, in light of their protests that they weren’t tired, which were made null and void due to the massive yawns the fillies gave after finishing said protests.
As Applejack tucked her sister in for the night, Bon Bon and Lyra did the same for Scootaloo in her sleeping bag.
“Goodnight, sweetie,” Bon Bon said, leaning down and kissing the Pegasus’ forehead.
“Yeah. Night, kiddo,” Lyra said, copying her wife’s actions.
“Night, Mom,” Scootaloo gave a sleepy smile to Bon Bon, before turning her head to Lyra. “Night, Momma.”
The two mares smiled, before turning out the lights and following Applejack out the room, before bidding her, Big Mac and Granny Smith goodnight before heading for bed themselves. It had been a long day and they decided they could really use some rest.
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Scootaloo looked around. She was standing in a field she remembered all too well.
“Hello?” she called out, looking around. “Mom? Momma? Is anypony there?”
“Scootaloo!”
The hair all over the Pegasus’ body stood on end. Those were her parents voices. Her birth parents voices.
She whirled around to find herself in a building she didn’t like remembering. It was the building she’d spent her last night with her mom and dad.
She tried to back away from the flames, her eyes brimming with tears as she could see them standing in a burning cirle, unable to get away.
“Mom! Dad!” she cried, her tears falling as she watch the two ponies who’d brought her into this world as the fire grew closer to them.
Suddenly, the flames surged upward, engulfing them and blocking them from view as the roars of angry monsters rang out.
Before Scootaloo could cry out, the flame vanished to be replaced with a new scene. She was standing in the middle of Ponyville. However, she was not alone. Standing before her was the giant centaur who’d taken hers, her friends’ and her mothers’ magic.
He leered down at her, holding Bon Bon in one hand and Lyra in the other. “Any final words for your parents, foal?”
“Let them go!” Scootaloo cried in both fear and rage, leaping forward, only to be held in place by Tirek’s orange aura.
He chuckled. “Very well then. Down the hatch.”
With those words, he opened his mouth, that horrible sound coming from it and both ponies magic started flowing out of them and into Tirek’s open maw.
Scootaloo watched in horror as their Cutie Marks faded away, leaving their flanks as blank as her own. However, Tirek didn’t stop. More and more magic seemed to be flowing out of her mothers.
To her horror, their bodies started to thin, their faces becoming sunken.
“Stop!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face as she struggled frantically against the magic holding her in place. “You’ve already taken their magic. What’re you doing to them now? You don’t have to!”
"I think not,” Tirek leered as Lyra and Bon Bon’s body became thinner and thinner. “I may have taken their magic, but I want their life forces as well.”
“Sc-Scoots,” Lyra struggled to say as her very life energy was being drained from her.
“S-sorry,” Bon Bon wheezed, looking almost like a skeleton.
“Stop!” Scootaloo wailed at the top of her lungs.
“ENOUGH!”
The booming voice rocked the very world around the distraught Pegasus, before Tirek vanished into a cloud of smoke.
Scootaloo, free of his magic, dropped to the ground. She looked around frantically for her mothers, but saw no sign.
“You will not find them, Scootaloo,” she turned as the regal form of Princess Luna appeared before her and landed in front of the filly. “They were never here to begin with.”
“This... this is just a dream?” Scootaloo croaked, her face still stained with her tears.
Luna came forward and pulled her into a winged embrace. “I am sorry for not arriving sooner. We are still getting used to our magic again after having to go without it.”
Scootaloo didn’t meet the Alicorn’s eyes, just kept her head down.
“Scootaloo, your dreams express your greatest fears,” Luna said solemnly. “I realize it is hard, but you must fight those fears, or they will consume you... just as mine did so long ago.”
“B-but I don’t wanna lose them!” Scootaloo cried, looking up into the lunar princess’s eyes. “I’ve already lost my first parents and then my aunt! I can’t lose them, too!”
“You won’t, Scootaloo,” Luna said with a warm, yet slightly wry smile. “You never will.”
There was a flash of blue light and the necklace Aunt Lofty had given Scootaloo was suddenly around her neck.
“Your parents and your aunts live on within you, Scootaloo,” Luna said softly, lifting the filly’s chin to look her in the eye. “They have always been watching over you and always will. And your mothers are tougher than you give them credit. I know you fear losing them, but they can handle themselves in ways that would surprise you.”
Scootaloo blinked, a little confused. “What do you mean?”
“Something Tia is unaware I know of,” Luna replied with a mischievous wink. “But I am sworn to secrecy.”
“Hey, no fair,” Scootaloo pouted. “You can’t just tell me you know something juicy and then say you can’t tell me about it. Maybe just a hint?”
The lunar princess shook her head, chuckling. “Now, I do believe there is something you want to do, is there not?”
Scootaloo blinked a few times, before she looked down, a slight blush on her cheeks. “Yeah.”
The princess nodded. “Then I shall not keep you any further, young filly. A good night We wish to you.”
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Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes. She lifted her head and looked around to find herself in Apple Bloom’s bedroom.
Nodding to herself, the Pegasus got up out of her sleeping bag, crept quietly so as not to wake the farm filly out of the room and down to the guest bedroom.
She carefully opened the door and slid inside. She crept up to the bed and climbed up, crawling over until she was in front of her sleeping mothers, who were holding each other in their forelegs.
Carefully, she squeezed herself into their embrace, before settling down and closing her eyes.
As she was soothed to sleep by the warmth of her mothers and the sounds of their gentle breathing, she could swear, for a moment, that she could also feel her mother, father and Aunt Holiday and Lofty holding her too.
With a small smile, she closed her eyes and returned to the realm of sleep. This time, no nightmares would haunt her, protected in the loving embrace of her family.