Chapter 8
Sitting on a cushioned chair that wasn’t very cushioned, Applejack waited while Sumac saw the doctor. Boomer was clinging to her hat, which she thought was a little cute and she didn’t mind. The waiting room was empty, save for her and Pebble. As for Pebble, the little filly was miserable. There were no outward signs, but Applejack knew.
Leaning over, she prodded the little filly in the side, then lowered her head down closer to Pebble’s ear. “You know, you’ve been moping a whole lot. It’s starting to get tiresome.” Much to Applejack’s surprise, she saw Pebble turn and look at her through narrowed eyes. Shocked, startled by Pebble’s actual reaction, Applejack felt a vague sense of unease. Something had to be pretty bad to get Pebble, who was too much like her mother, to react.
“My parents have abandoned me. Just how am I supposed to feel exactly?” Pebble asked in a voice that held no emotion or warmth.
“Is that really what you think?” Applejack’s graceful eyebrow lifted and a quizzical expression appeared upon her face. “Do you really think that your parents have abandoned you? Is that it?”
Pebble nodded.
“Shucks.” Applejack blinked and shook her head. “You know, sometimes, it’s easy to forget that you’re still a foal, but in moments like these, a pony can get a stern reminder.” Applejack reached up and scratched her neck with her hoof. “You’re such a silly filly.”
“I am not.” Pebble’s dry retort had no emotion or feeling.
“Look here, youngin, I’m gonna set you straight. I’m gonna speak to you like an adult, ‘cause you’ll appreciate that. Let’s just get this out into the open, your parents did not abandon you—”
“They did so,” Pebble insisted.
Taking a deep breath, Applejack summoned both her patience and her honesty. She wanted to say, “Did not” but knew that would just lead to an up and down seesaw argument. She had to handle this with care, delicacy, and tact. She blinked, took another deep breath, and reminded herself that she was dealing with a filly that had some adult mannerisms, but was still a little filly with a tender, fragile heart.
“Pebble Pie, your parents love you and did not abandon you. They needed some time with each other. Now, I know for a fact that they go off and work for months at a time and leave you on the rock farm with your grandparents and you’ve never had a problem with that—”
“They want to replace me. I’m an awful foal. I’m mean. I say mean things. I do bad things. I’d want to replace me too.” Pebble slumped over in her chair and her ears drooped down to the sides of her face.
Undaunted, Applejack continued. “Pebble Pie… your parents are very, very involved with one another. They have this powerful love and even all these years later, they’re still romancing each other. They dance with each other every chance they get. They have a love like out of some storybook and several years ago, they decided that they had enough love between them to share it with another pony.” Applejack cleared her throat. “You came along. Tarnish grew up a bit when you were born. He was so madly in love with you. He bragged about you and how perfect you were. He drove everypony nuts… he was always talking about you and how much he loved you.”
Pebble blinked and stared up at Applejack.
“Now, your mother, she’s not one for showing emotions, but it was obvious to those who knew her best that she loved you. She changed a bit after you were born. Pinkie was the one who noticed it the most. She said your mother developed a few soft edges.” Applejack shook her head. “I’ll admit, I had trouble seeing what Pinkie was talking about, but I trust that Pinkie was right. Your mother and father adored you and you became a big part of their storybook romance. You were their ever after, as Twilight called it.”
Impassive, unresponsive, Pebble made no reply.
“Every now and then though, adults need time to themselves. Time just for them. Time to keep their romance kindled. Keep those fires burning. They need private time… for smoochin’ and what not. You know, that stuff you don’t want to see or know about. And that is what Tarnish and Maud are doing right now, this minute. They’re having their… shucks, I don’t know… seventh… eighth… maybe ninth honeymoon?” Applejack reached up and rubbed her chin as she shook her head. “I don’t rightly know. They’re off having themselves a bit of whirlwind romance and when they’re done doing what they’re doing and there’s a new addition on the way, they’re coming back to Ponyville to settle in for a while. Maud said she plans to settle in for over a year—”
“They don’t need another foal. They have me.” Pebble’s voice was low and quiet.
“Pebble… consarnit, you really are a foal…” Applejack’s words trailed off and she felt a growing tightness in her barrel. The kind, honest mare took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and looked into Pebble’s eyes. She then said, “Pebble Pie, you have to understand, the world is more than just you. While your parents love you a great deal and look after your needs, they have their own needs, wants, and desires. Maud has had a hankering for another foal for a couple of years now, and they’ve waited a good long while because of you. Your mother delayed her hopes and dreams just so you could be happy—”
“She did that for me?” Pebble’s eyes widened a bit and her ears perked up.
“Yes, Sugarcube, she did that for you. She’s had this itch for a while now and she put it off until she felt the time was right. Do you know how awful it is to want something so bad but have to wait for it? Like Hearth’s Warming Eve presents… you want ‘em, but no amount of bellyachin’ will make Hearth’s Warming show up faster.” Applejack saw Pebble blink and something happened; some expression was briefly visible on the foal’s face.
“She really does love me,” Pebble said in a low whisper.
“Of course she does, you silly filly. Sometimes, I worry your head is full of rocks.” Applejack sucked in a deep breath and began to feel a bit hopeful that this could work out. Pebble seemed to be coming to some understanding about the situation. All it took was the honest, blunt approach, something that Applejack knew that she was good at. Sometimes, it took kind words, like what Fluttershy did—and sometimes, you had to bludgeon something with the truth.
Applejack looked around the waiting room, glanced at the clock on the wall, eyed the magazines, and looked out the picture window. She sighed, shook her head, and then smiled just a little. “Your mother loves you so much that she wants to share a special gift with you. Something she’s got to make herself. It takes time, love, and some effort. Now, see, that’s the thing with families. They grow. And when they grow, there isn’t less love to go around, but more. This is something I know all about, seeing as how I have Big Mac and Apple Bloom… and there’s also Granny Smith, Hidden Rose, and Ambrosia. Our family has grown a good bit, but we love each other even more now because there’s more love to go around.”
“So I’m not being replaced?” Pebble asked in a small voice.
“Shucks, no. I didn’t replace Big Mac. Apple Bloom didn’t replace me. But I’ll admit, I had some problems for a while being the middle foal. I have to be honest about that. There was a time in my life when I thought I was invisible.” Applejack gave Pebble a sheepish grin.
“When they left, it felt like they were leaving forever. It hurt so much. It wasn’t like the other times they said goodbye and left me on the rock farm. I didn’t feel wanted anymore.” Pebble leaned over in her seat, trying to get a little closer to Applejack.
Reaching out her foreleg, Applejack draped it around Pebble’s withers and rubbed the little filly’s back. The poor thing probably needed a good cry, but Applejack knew that wasn’t going to happen. She felt an odd mix of pity and admiration for Pebble. So tough, so stony, so flinty, but also so brittle, so fragile. Such a tender heart—just like her mother, Maud.
“I said such awful things. Mean things. I was angry and I said some things I shouldn’t have said. I think maybe I’ve convinced myself that I wasn’t wanted so I could punish myself.” Pebble’s ears drooped again and the little filly’s head dropped so she could stare down at her front hooves.
And this is why she needs to go to a fancy school, Applejack thought to herself.
“I’ve been a brat. I think I owe a number of ponies an apology.” Pebble closed her eyes and sighed. “Thank you, Applejack.”
“Aw, shucks, don’t mention it. Somepony had to sit down and straighten you out.” Applejack smiled, feeling good about the situation. Maybe Pebble could cheer up now… well, whatever passed as being cheerful for Pebble. It wasn’t like she smiled or did much of anything to show she was happy.
“They didn’t mention how long they would be gone,” Pebble said to Applejack. “I guess I just assumed they were gone for good. I was miserable. I’m still miserable.”
“Well, Sugarlump, making a foal takes time and a lot of effort. Sometimes, it takes a long time, other times, it just sort of happens by accident, and other times, you go about foal making and it happens right away. Did your mother ever talk to you about how you came along?” Applejack looked down at Pebble, hopeful that if she could get the foal talking, she might feel better.
“Her and Daddy encountered a chaos vortex. Daddy became a force of nature. Mama says that she and Daddy banged rocks together until a little Pebble flaked off.” Pebble’s cheeks darkened a bit as she spoke. “That isn’t how foals are made. She lied to me. I read about it in a book. My mother wasn’t honest.”
Unable to help herself, Applejack laughed. “We used to tell ‘Bloom that Mama applebucked her right out of an apple tree. We even pointed out the tree she fell from. She believed it for the longest time, and that tree is still special to her. She goes there sometimes to talk to Ma and Pa when she’s troubled.”
Blinking, Pebble tried to take in everything that was being said.
As Applejack was thinking of what else to say, the door opened and the eye doctor’s assistant came out. She smiled, stepped forwards, and allowed the door to shut behind her. She approached, still smiling, and gave Applejack a nod.
“Well?” Applejack asked.
“Little Sumac has rather severe astigmatism. He can see shapes, outlines, things like that, but details and letters are difficult for him to focus on. Corrective eyewear will fix the problem. The doctor is finishing up now and talking to Sumac. He’s going to have some trouble seeing after the eye exam and will need somepony to look after him.”
Applejack glanced down at Pebble and then back at the doctor’s assistant.
“Thanks to the marvelous age we live in, we can get a pair of glasses on his muzzle today, if you would like. The sooner he starts wearing them, the better.” The mare smiled and stood there, waiting for Applejack to respond.
“I think we’ll do that… could I start looking at the frames you have available?” Applejack asked.
“Oh, sure thing… we have a wide variety and a huge selection in stock,” the doctor’s assistant replied. “I’m positive that you’ll find something that will make you happy.”
Almost blind, Sumac stumbled over his own hooves and tumbled into Applejack’s hind leg. Pebble caught him and set him straight before he could pitch over onto the floor. He couldn’t remember the name of his eye condition, but he had just learned that his eyes were light sensitive. Unsteady, he wrapped his foreleg around Applejack’s hind leg and held on.
Applejack was looking at eyeglass frames and Sumac hoped that she picked something nice. He couldn’t see much of anything, just blurry outlines, smeared shapes, and blotches of light and darkness. He heard her snort and clung a little tighter to her leg as she took a few steps.
“Consarnit,” Applejack grumbled.
“Is something wrong?” the fitting assistant asked.
“Yes, there is in fact, something wrong,” Applejack replied. “These so called budget frames look just plain awful. Look, Sumac Apple is going to Princess Twilight’s fancy school and we Apples have a whole lot riding on this… don’t y’all have something that doesn’t quite look so eggheaded? I mean, those horn rim glasses… those are just about the tackiest thing I’ve ever seen and I’m pretty sure that Rarity would faint if she saw Sumac wearing those. When she recovered she’d kick my tail three ways to next week for putting them on his face.” Applejack paused and tilted her head, almost as if she could hear somepony whining.
The fitting assistant took a deep breath and then nodded, something that Sumac did not see. He clung to Applejack’s leg and felt Pebble brush up against his side. His ears perked when he heard Applejack suck in a deep breath.
“And those… those are just about the ugliest things I’ve ever seen… big square black frames. Those are awful. I mean, those are really bad. Those are something you’d make a foal wear as punishment. I won’t do that to Sumac. Eenope.”
For a moment, Applejack sounded a lot like Big Mac, or so Sumac thought.
“Well, we do have a signature series inspired by Trenderhoof—”
“EENOPE.”
Clinging to Applejack’s leg, Sumac wondered what the deal was with Trenderhoof.
“We also have the classics collection. Timeless styles that never go out of fashion.”
“Let’s have a look at those.”
“I must warn you, they are made from exceptional materials and they are quite expensive—”
“I don’t care,” Applejack said, her earth pony stubbornness creeping into her voice.
Sumac heard something rattle, there was the clunk of wood, the creak of hinges, and then he heard Applejack take a deep breath. He wondered what she was seeing. He certainly couldn’t see anything.
“Now, keep in mind, Sumac is going to be wearing lenses that are somewhat darkened and will grow even darker when he is out in the sunlight.”
“Eeyup.” Applejack moved forwards, mindful of the colt hanging on to her leg. “Those… how about those?”
Sumac squirmed, wondering if he was doomed. He hoped and prayed that Applejack wasn’t getting him something totally hideous. He had to trust in Applejack’s goodness, kindness, and earth pony sensibility. He hoped it would all be okay.
“Those are tea shades, a timeless design from yesteryear. They come in black enamel, matte black, silver, and gold. They are perfect for a sensible, intellectual look.”
“I wanna see ‘em on his face,” Applejack said.
Sumac let go of Applejack’s leg and allowed himself to be led along. He felt the assistant touch him, a soft touch on his neck, and then something was placed upon his face. The glasses felt light on his muzzle. He blinked, trying to see, but only could make out a vague blur.
“He’s handsome.”
Sumac froze at the sound of Pebble’s voice and he felt his heart come creeping up into his neck. His tail swished around his hind legs and he wondered what possessed Pebble to say what she had just said.
“Eeyup, he’s handsome alright. We Apple’s is a good lookin’ bunch. And humble too.”
Now, Sumac felt himself blushing after hearing Applejack. He hoped that they were being honest and not just saying what they said to make him feel better. He wanted to believe. He needed things to be okay because he was blind at the moment and didn’t have much of a say.
“What colour would you recommend?” Applejack asked.
“Either black or silver… for contrast,” the mare replied.
“Pebble?”
“Silver.” Pebble’s voice sounded quite firm on the issue.
“We’ll take silver,” Applejack said. “How long till they are finished?”
“An hour, two at most. You could come back and pick them up. We’ll give Sumac a final fitting and everything should be just perfect.”
“That’ll do.”
Sumac could hardly believe his luck. So far, so good, but he didn’t know what he would look like. He felt the frames pulled off of his face and for a moment, he could smell the mare’s perfume. She smelled like vanilla and strawberries, which was rather pleasant.
“Try to keep Sumac out of direct sunlight for the rest of the day. The doctor said he was a very brave colt and brave little colts deserve a reward for being so brave.”
“Eeyup, I get it. The air puff thing right into the eyeball freaks a lot of foals out.” Applejack’s voice held a faint trace of laughter. “I know I didn’t like it.”
“It was scary,” Sumac admitted. “So were the eye drops. They burned.” No sooner had he spoken than he felt Pebble hugging him. He felt weird and squirmy all over as she squeezed him.
“I got the burning eye drops too… I didn’t like those at all but at least I had my Daddy to make me feel better. You didn’t have anypony.” Pebble gave Sumac a hard enough to squeeze to cause the colt to wheeze.
“Thanks a whole lot,” Applejack said to the fitting assistant.
“Oh, don’t mention it,” the mare replied. “He’s going to be a little looker in those glasses.”
“Yeah, he is.” There was a long pause from Applejack and then she said, “While I’m here, I suppose I should set up appointments for Hidden Rose and Ambrosia…”
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Hehehe. Mommy Applejack is best Applejack.
Lovely chapter. You did good with this.
Also, Sumac, welcome to the tea shades club.
I'm in my 30s and that air puff thing still freaks me out.
I can totally sympathize with Sumac, as I also have pretty bad astigmatism. I can't see much other than general shapes without my glasses.
Which are obviously the best design ever.
Ah'm likin' this here story. Keep up tha good work, y'hear?
An Hour for eyeglasses? I had to wait for a week!
7069819 I respectfully disagree. Particularly not a child like Sumac. It's not that a child shouldn't be made aware that actions have consequences, but it should be done as positively as possible.
7069854
I agree too... But Big Mac is old fashioned and he doesn't keep copies of Parenting Psychology Today in the outhouse.
While Big Mac is a very good influence on Sumac, and his Sumac's primary father figure, he isn't perfect. I wanted a figure with flaws, imperfections, warts.
7069863 Oh, I'm not criticizing your writing, Kudzu! I'm grousing at the character.
Flawed characters are the best characters, '
cause I can rage at themsince perfection doesn't leave much of a story to tell.I hate the air puff test. First time I ever had one I wasn't expecting it and I actually jerked back right off the stool I was sitting on.
7067861 I think it might be AJ was just viscerally turned off by his hipster shades.
AJ is best background pone.
And Sumac gets a nice, intellectual look!
he sounds like me.
lol.
not severe astigmatism... just a little bit,
I do have nearsighted problems, though.
and my glasses are sexy.
:rofl:
jk, jk, I look something like some sort of mad hillbilly scientist.
Oh the air puff thing. I never had to do that until my most recent exam and it freaked me the fuck out. That was bullshit. Took me 10 minutes to finish that. And the dialation drops do sting, and they only give you cheap sunglasses. Rules of the eye docter 101: bring your own
overpricednice sun glasses.7068124 Well, given that they're basically the original Ben Franklin design (though his were bifocals)...
Sumac has your eyes, Kudz. Is there something you're not telling us?
Victory for the Element of Blunt Honesty!
AJ picking out properly fashionable frames for a foal? My initial reaction is to be a tad uncertain about how that will go, but then I think of her fancy outfit in Simple Ways and wonder if it won't be so bad. Pebble's input might mean a lot, too.
"Pebble, blinked and stared up at Applejack"
Extra comma there.
And, from chapter 1, and i forgot to mention it until now, "It’s so hard so to be so angry"
Extra "so"
You know, when I first read this my reaction was about like AJ's, "Oh, what a cute variation on the stork story."
...
Having now read about her parents' adventures, I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly how things went down.