The Hatchling

by Dafaddah

Chapter 3: Dinner at Apple Acres

It was decided to hold a full gathering of the Element Bearers and Spike. Messengers were dispatched to call them out to Sweet Apple Acres Farm as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the royal party was of course invited to supper.

Having Princess Celestia dining at Apple Acres meant getting out the good china and silverware. Twilight grinned as she carefully floated the prized dishes onto the table. It had become her tradition to set the Apple’s table whenever she dined with the family. As the youngest foal of her own family, it had been her job when she was a filly. Here and now, Lil’ Mac and Blossom helped, respectively placing napkins and glasses on the table.

Throughout the hustle and fuss, Princess Celestia sat serenely, a bastion of calm in the eye of the storm. Cheerilee had been watching over the simmering pots when she noticed her amusement.

“I’ve tried telling Twilight to sit and be served like proper royalty,” remarked the school teacher with an nervous smirk. “But she can be very obstinate at times.”

Big Mac flapped an ear while pulling biscuits out of the oven. “Twilight’s been comin’ over for supper for so many years she’s just like family,” he stated gravely.

“An' family members get chores!” added Granny from her place next to the stove.

Princess Celestia's laughter was like bells chiming. “It greatly warms my heart to see the place Twilight has in this family. Such homely pleasures are exceedingly rare for royalty. I must admit being quite envious!”

The aged mare cackled. “Well then, we could always let y'all help with the dishes.”

“Granny!” blurted Cheerilee.

Just then Twilight re-entered the kitchen with Blossom and Lil' Mac in tow, each one carrying a brass candlestick. She froze as she suddenly noticed that she was the center of attention.

“What?” she asked, blushing. This only set all the other adults to laughing, including Princess Celestia.

Twilight shook her head, and then helped the foals place the candlesticks on the table and light them. Big Mac and Cheerilee began loading the table with all sorts of enticing farm fare. Soon enough, everypony was seated and enjoying dinner.

---

Almost an hour later, Princess Celestia pushed her plate back and dabbed her lips with a glowing napkin.

“Y’all sure ya don’t want another piece of Apple cobbler, Yer Majesty?” asked Applejack.

“No, thank you, Lady Apple,” she replied. “If my sister finds out I already had two desserts I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Can I have another?” asked Blossom. She had spent the entire dinner seated next to the alabaster princess, imitating everything Celestia did as far as an earth pony could. The princess had caught-on quite early, and thereafter had used only hoof and mouth to eat just as an earth pony would.

“One piece is enough, even for a growing filly,” said Cheerilee.

The filly in question sighed in disappointment. “I guess so.” Her face brightened up. “Mom! Can I show Princess Celestia Miss Smarty Pants?”

“Certainly, sweetheart,” said Cheerilee, “but go wash your hooves first.”

“Yes, ma'am!” The filly slipped off of her bench and bounded out of the kitchen.

Celestia turned to Twilight, who had spent much of the dinner with three year old Lil’ Mac in her lap. She winked at the shy colt. “You did a good job feeding your aunt Twilight, young stallion!”

He beamed back up at her. “Yeah. Auntie Twi’ likes carrots!” he stated emphatically.

“He’s usually pretty quiet, that one!” said Big Mac.

"That’s because still waters run deep!" cooed Twilight.

A young male voice called out from the hallway. “And with both Cheerilee and Twilight on his case, that lil’ dude is on a one way trip to eggheadsville!”

“Unca Spike!” Lil’ Mac hopped off Twilight’s lap, galloped to the entrance and jumped into the dragon’s open arms.

“There’s another princess like Auntie Twi’ here,” began the colt breathlessly, “‘cept she’s white ‘stead of purple, an’ she had dinner with us, an’ Blossom’s gonna show her Miss Smarty Pants, an’ Auntie Jackie and Pop found a gold egg in tha orchard thiiiiis big!” His eyes were wide and he held both forehooves up as far apart as his little limbs could manage.

“That big, eh?” replied Spike with raised brows. The colt nodded emphatically. With Lil’ Mac still in his arms, Spike approached the table and bowed to the princesses. “Your Majesties!”

Twilight rose from her seat and rushed to hug her former assistant. Despite Twilight having become almost as tall as Celestia, Spike now towered several inches taller. “I’m so glad you could make it!” she said and stepped back.

Celestia stepped forward and also hugged the dragon warmly. “Ambassador Spike,” she said, “as you have already been expertly briefed by Princess Twilight’s able and most dashing assistant, perhaps you could take a seat and grant us your counsel.”

Spike nodded and sat down next to Big Mac, setting Lil’ Mac between himself and Twilight. He poked the foal in the ribs with a claw. “Hey, squirt! Looks like you’re gunning for my old job!”

Lil’ Mac blushed and buried his face in Twilight’s side. The adults were still laughing when the sound of tiny hooves cantered in and a tattered rag doll appeared on the table. A moment later Blossom hopped back up into place next to Princess Celestia.

“Smarty Pants, this is Her Royal Majesty Princess Celestia of Equestria,” said the filly gravely.

The doll’s right foreleg glowed and rose to touch Princess Celestia’s. “It’s so nice to see you again, Miss Smarty Pants!” said the princess.

Blossom looked up in confusion. Celestia cupped a hoof to her mouth and bent down to touch the filly’s ear. “You can ask your Aunt Twilight later how I met Miss Smarty Pants,” she whispered, sotto voce. “And be sure to ask her to tell you all about our adventures together!”

There was no mistaking the sudden gleam of joy in the filly’s eyes.

“But, now, it’s time for good foals to go to bed,” said Big Mac. “Y’all kiss Granny and yer aunties g’night, now!”

The foals of course gave half-hearted objections, but after nuzzling each of the guests, including Princess Celestia to her obvious delight, they trooped off to bed followed by their dad.

Granny Smith rose shakily to her legs. “An’ it’s time I got mah beauty rest! Good night, y’all!” Before she left she turned and glared at the guardponies. “And keep an eye on those tin-plated galoots! I don’t like the look in their eyes, I tell ‘ya!” She harrumphed, and left the kitchen.

“Goodnight, Granny Smith!” chorused Twilight, Cheerilee and Applejack.

Big Mac had just returned from tucking the foals in when there was the sound of a hoof knocking at the front door.

Cheerilee rose and returned a moment later in the company of the remaining Element Bearers. They bowed briefly to the princesses and then the kitchen erupted into a friendly scrum of happy greetings, hugs and nuzzlings. As usual, Rainbow Dash sat next to Applejack, and Pinkie Pie next to her. Rarity took the place on the other side of Spike from Twilight and offered one forehoof to Spike, which he clasped in a muscular claw. She draped another limb around Fluttershy's foreleg, who seemed even more quiet than usual. Big Mac And Cheerilee served coffee and tea to the new arrivals, and placed a huge plate of pastries conspicuously close to Pinkie Pie, who immediately set to munching happily.

When everypony was seated, Twilight placed both forehooves on the table and leaned forward. “Thanks everypony for coming here, and to the Apples for their hospitality and letting us use their home in this urgent situation.”

Twilight related the find in the Zap Apple orchard, and its implications. Everypony seemed to take the news in stride, except for Rarity who cast a concerned glance at Fluttershy.

“Since we’re all here now,” concluded Twilight, “we can discuss the matter at hoof: who should we ask to raise Discord?”

There was silence around the table.

“Well,” began Spike with a nod to Princess Celestia. “Having him be a ward of one of the ruling princesses might be safest, but it could also be seen as putting Discord in line for succession to the throne, and given his reputation in prior incarnations, that might cause... issues with the populace.”

He looked back at the egg. “No, it seems to me that the most obvious,and safest course of action, is to ask one of the Element Bearers to take up the job.”

The mares in question exchanged uneasy glances.

“Therein lies the problem, Spike,” said Celestia. “Raising another being isn’t just a job, it’s a lifelong commitment.” She smiled knowingly at him. “Tell me Spike, do you think Twilight raising you was just a job?”

He blushed. “No, of course not!” he replied. “She’s the best mom a dragon’s ever had, even if we don’t play it publicly that way.” He gave Twilight a quick peck on the cheek which was followed by d’awes and chuckles around the table. Twilight hooked a foreleg into Spike’s.

“Still, I think Spike makes a valid point in suggesting it be one of the Element Bearers,” she said. “I got a lot of help raising Spike from all of you, and I don’t think bringing up Discord is going to be even as simple as raising a fire-breathing dragon. It will be good for the pony who does so to have friends who can help, and who knew Discord before he was... er, dispersed. Other ponies might just be too frightened of him to raise him in a proper fashion.”

“Princess Celestia, might I ask a question?” said Cheerilee.

“Certainly!” said the princess.

“When Discord hatches from this egg, will he remember his previous life, or will he be reborn in mind as well as in body?”

Celestia's gaze turned inwards for a moment. “I was a filly myself when last this occurred. It was several thousands of years past. As with many things that happened so long ago, I cannot recall it with one hundred percent certainty, but I seem to remember my elders saying that he would be ‘different this time’. This would indicate that his memories did not carry over from one incarnation to the next.”

Fluttershy gasped. “Does that mean... he won’t know... us?” Besides her, Rarity’s expression grew troubled.

Celestia’s own eyes widened. “Discord never spoke to me or my sister of his previous lives, not even after his reform.”

“He wouldn’t talk to me about his childhood either,” said Fluttershy. “Whenever I brought it up he just made a joke about some things being best forgotten.” Her head dropped, hiding her face in her mane. “I didn’t really understand, not until now.” Her withers shook with a sob as she rose from the table and rushed from the room.

Rarity muttered an apology, sketched a bow, and hurried out after her.

“Oh, my!” Celestia seemed distressed. “I... didn’t know they had grown so close.”

Twilight looked on the verge of tears herself. “I should have told you more about those days before he died.”

She sighed.

“After Tirek, Discord felt really bad about what he had done to us all. But with Fluttershy it was... worse. She had been hurt very deeply, and he knew it. He just couldn’t do enough to try to make it up to her. It took him years, but he finally made it back into her heart. To this day, I think he truly did love her.

“And then the war happened, and he fought like he hadn’t the first time Tirek freed himself. Maybe he felt he had something to prove to us. Or maybe he was just trying to protect Fluttershy." She glanced towards the parlor from which gentle sobbing could be heard.

“And then... I was fighting a losing battle, –” she lifted her prosthetic foreleg, “– when he intervened and took the spell that was supposed to end my life. His was extinguished instead.”

She then turned her gaze to the golden egg.

“In three weeks, ready or not, we have a baby draconequus on our hooves.”

Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves together. “Goodie! We'll have a new foal in the family I can foalsit!”

“The Cake twins aren't enough of a hoofful, Pinkie?” said Cheerilee with a smile.

“Nuh-uh. And they spend most of their time at school, or with their little friends. I hardly see them anymore.” Pinkie pulled another pastry from the plate and focused all of her attention on it as she took a huge bite.

“Yer Majesty,” said Applejack. “When y’all faced this situation before, didn’t anypony think of some other way to handle it?”

The princess’s ears lowered. “Yes, Applejack, somepony did, though it gives me no pride. At that time it was proposed that we avoid any risk at all by turning the egg to stone,” said Celestia. “A small number of reasonably powerful unicorns could have managed the spell as long as Discord was still in his egg.”

There was the sudden sound of hooves on the wooden floor. “No!” shouted Fluttershy as loud as she could manage. She and Rarity stood in the doorway, the yellow mare trembling in anger. “You will not steal his future! He saved us all, and he deserves better than that!”

“But, Fluttershy –” began Applejack.

“– Applejack, please!” interrupted Twilight. She looked her friends in the eye each in turn.

“Yes, Discord does deserve better than that.” She exchanged glances with Princess Celestia. “And even if he didn’t, a certain princess taught me that all living beings deserve a chance to love and be loved. Even the avatar of Chaos.”

She faced Fluttershy. “Don’t worry, we’ll find somepony who will raise him well.”

A soft smile appeared on her tear-streaked face. “You won’t have to,” she said.

Twilight’s brow furrowed. “And why not?”

“Because I’m going to raise him!” said Fluttershy.

The ponies around the table exchanged gazes.

Rarity and Applejack looked concerned.

Spike and Princess Celestia were smiling.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “As if that’s a surprise to anypony.”

Pinkie Pie opened her mouth to speak, but then turned suddenly to look at Fluttershy. Her ears drooped, and her mouth closed without the mare saying anything.

“Are you sure about this, Fluttershy?” asked Twilight. “You’re... still in mourning for, er... the previous Discord, and a big decision like this should be made carefully and rationally.”

“Should it?” asked Fluttershy angrily. “Raising a thinking being as potentially dangerous as Discord will require somepony willing to devote herself heart and soul. Rationality falls far short of that type of commitment!” She tilted her head and her expression softened. “I’ve raised all sorts of beings, and I’ve loved them all. The one thing you and everypony here can be sure of is that I’ll love this child, heart and soul.”

There was silence in the Apple’s kitchen.

“Nopony doubts that, or you, darling,” said Rarity. “We simply don’t want see you hurt any further."

Fluttershy sighed and raised her head. There was a very determined look on her face. “Well, maybe it’s about time I stopped moping over losing him and starting living in the present.”

Twilight smiled warmly. “I think that’s very good advice for all of us!” Heads nodded and faces grinned around the table, including that of Princess Celestia. “It looks like you managed to convince us, Fluttershy. And make no mistake, we’re all behind you one hundred percent in this.”

Ponies and dragon alike, left their seats and in ones and twos went to the yellow mare to express their congratulations.

The rest of the evening went by quickly. Rarity and Pinkie walked back to Ponyville together. Dash hurried off to manage a midnight rainstorm. Princess Celestia volunteered to convey Fluttershy and the egg back to her cottage in the Royal Chariot, then together they flew off into the night.

Twilight watched them go at Applejack’s side. She held the sheaf of drawings Lil’ Mac had given his Auntie Twi. They would be added to the ones already plastering several rooms of her apartments in the castle.

“Will she really be okay for this?” asked the orange mare.

Twilight couldn’t keep the doubt from her face. She smiled apologetically.

“Rationally speaking, who else amongst us is better suited? I’ve got a kingdom to run. You’ve been doing the work of three ponies since the war, ditto for Dash. Rarity spends a third of her time on the road at fashion events and running her store chain, and Pinkie is, well, busy being Pinkie. No, we’d better hope Fluttershy is the one.”

She looked at the crayon drawings in her hoof.

“You know, these days I always wonder. Was the reason Celestia had me hatch Spike’s egg because she had some idea about what my life would be like, and she wanted me to have a chance at motherhood before it was too late?” She placed a hoof on Applejack’s withers. “Tell me, am I preventing all of you from being able to live your own lives, from having families?”

Applejack laughed. “Sugarcube, I done figured out long ago Ah wasn’t the type of mare to jus’ settle down. None of us are, if'an' ya’ll wanna be fully rational ‘bout it. Dash has more coltfriends than she can count, an' she likes it that way. Rarity and Spike are happy even if their jobs often keep them apart. Young'uns are a complication neither one of 'em seems to want. Fluttershy's too bashful to bag a special somepony of 'er own, and Pinkie don't sit still long enough fer anypony to bag her!” She laughed again. “We’all are busy livin’ our lives, Twilight, and we wouldn’t have it any other way! Now don’t you ever doubt that!”

Her friend’s smile was infectious. “You’re a good friend, Applejack! You all are.”

“Yer darn tootin’! Now getcher’self off ta bed.”

“Yes, Minister Applejack!” Twilight curtsied, and disappeared in a flash.

Applejack looked towards Ponyville, and chuckled softly as she trotted back to the farmhouse and all the things that meant home.

Comments

[PresentPerfect]

ugh and Sparity too

You're really trying to make me hate this story :(