//------------------------------// // Chapter 17 // Story: A Filly's New Hope // by Mocha Star //------------------------------// The bells rang loudly and ponies cheered, echoing across the valley and into the snow covered hills creating a small avalanche in the distance.         Tree and Apple trotted from the barn, sides pressed together as they looked around, amid the hail of various plant, fruit, and vegetable seeds they were being bombarded with as they grinned proudly.                  A large warmed tarp gazebo had been set up, the weather over the farm was set to a light snowfall, and inside the gazebo was a plethora of vegetarian delights with a small table set up just separate with various fish dishes and eggs.         Nova couldn’t have been happier and she gabbed most of the afternoon of the celebration to everypony how she knew they’d be getting married.         Nova spent the next couple nights at the Apple’s farmhouse, even though she didn’t know why she couldn’t sleep at her own, she had a great time with her new siblings.  As far as she was concerned, she was an Apple, and no pony could tell her otherwise.         With time and help from Tender and Tree, her horn began to grow to a usable size and she began to learn basic magic techniques.         …         “Okay, sis, now, focus the magic from your chest to your mind, then with your mind feel your horn and the tip of it.  That’s good,” Tree said softly as he, Apple, and Nova sat in a large porcelain bathtub he’d received as a wedding gift.           Nova was lifting a bar of soap, slowly moving it from a table beside the tub to her own hooves… then it slipped from her grip.           With a large splash and a round of chuckles Tree reached in and gripped the bar between his hooves.  “Don’t worry, sis.  You’ll get there before you know it.  Now, if only you could find out the secret to lifting that gem.”         Nova reached to her chest and lifted the gem, looking down and seeing it glowing in it’s ethereal purple glow and shrugged. “Magic doesn’t work on it, but my secret does.”         Apple moved closer to it and poked it with her hoof. “Ah still don’t get it, a gem that ain’t magic, but is?  Y’all unicorns’re fill of confusin’ messes.  Ain’t no sense ta magic, Ah say.  Just use’n yer hooves’n gettin’r done’s all a pony needs.”         Nova looked at Apple. “Huh?”         Tree and Apple laughed as they leaned back, forelegs draped over the sides of the tub. “Honey, even I have some trouble understanding you sometimes.  Hope our foals don’t have any troubles,” Tree said as he sighed, post laugh.         “Well, three months and I’ll be ready to carry…  Hope yer ready,” Apple said factly.         Nova gulped and looked around, wide eyed.         “So, you mean I could have a sister, or something?”         “Heh, seems like it,” Tree said sinking into the water and dowsing his mane.  He was under for several seconds before Apple yelped and giggled, squirming in the water and splashing.         “Gah,” she reached down and pulled him above the water and to her eye level, c’mere ya galoot.”         “MMmpgh,” was all he could get out as she kissed him.         “Ugh, eew!  Yuck, ya know I’m here, right?  Sheesh, I’m never getting married if it means I hafta kiss,” she said climbing from the tub and splatting on the floor.  “I’m clean, I’ll see you for my tuck-in,” she said shaking slightly then grabbing a towel in her teeth and walking to the door.  “And don’t take forever this time… ick,” she stuck out her tongue and slammed the door on the married couple.         “So gross,” she sighed as she dried herself in her room, tossing the towel in a heap near the door as she walked across her bed and reared to look out the window.         “Uh, hi again, stars.  Th-thanks, ya know, for granting my wish.  And, ya know, for giving me a family and a sister soon.  I guess I wished the right way, huh?” She yawned, squeaking, “and, I hope you all grant another wish for another pony that needs it, because, ya know… If ya helped me this much, you can help -yawn- another.”         She fell onto the bed and rolled herself under the covers, pulling the sheet up and waiting.         Nearly half an hour later Tree and Apple entered her room to find her asleep.  “Aww, Ah told ya we shoulda waited and tucked her in.  She was plum beat after the day,” Apple said as she gripped the sheet in her teeth and pulled them over the sleeping filly.                  “I know, Apple, but there’s just no getting past those sweet Apple acres you have back there,” he chuckled and prepared for a push that didn’t come.           Tree looked at Apple who was looking thoughtfully out the window.         “Uh, you okay?  You didn’t hurt me that time?”         “Huh?  Nah, that was a good thought… Ah’m gonna be takin’ over the farm soon and it’s gonna need a name.  Ah think Sweet Apple Acres has a good ring to it,” she looked over and kissed his cheek.         “Well, now I know I’m part’a the family.  Naming a farm’s as big a deal as naming a baby.”         Apple hummed. “Ah couldn’t agree more.  Now, let’s get ta bed; ya plum tuckered me out too, Ah reckon,” she giggled as she turned and swatted her tail across his face.         “Oh-ho-ho-ho yeah…”