A Mother's Burden

by Shadowmane PX-41

Babies in the Park Part 2

Okay. Now, I'm not normally one who likes to bring up my own accomplishments, but I was a valedictorian back at school, I majored in physics and chemistry, and I got practically every science commendation under the sun. Today, I was being told off by someone for jumping into the lake to save my own children. How the mighty have fallen, huh?

Alright, that might not have been the best way to start this part of my life off, but basically, after today, I think it's safe to say that we shouldn't take the kids out anymore. At least not until they're older, that is.

---

I won't go into much detail about how much of an earful that the guy gave me, but basically, he was very upset with me. He said the usual stuff like "What were you thinking?" and "Are you out of your mind?" He said a lot more, but that was the general gist of it. He didn't like me jumping into the water to save my babies.

And I get it, he's just doing his job. He's not doing it just to hinder me or make my life even worse, but goddess, was his complaining endless. Half of the time, I just wanted to scream loudly to the whole park and say, "Two of my babies are out on that lake and nobody is going to save them!" But I didn't, because while my kids are still my kids, I didn't want to make the situation any worse than it already was.

So. After all of that happened, someone managed to take notice of Trixie and Moondancer out on the water, making it seem like one of the boats was haunted, and in seconds, everyone's eyes were on them; even the guy who was telling me off for trying to swim after them. Disregarding the shock and horror, someone was immediately out onto the boats and went after the both of them.

Now, usually, stuff like this would make me seem like a pariah, y'know, the news reports would say how "Oh, this woman did a bad thing because she let her babies get out of her sight and hijack an empty paddleboat in the park lake" and all that stuff. And, yeah, I did have some questions asked about it, when Flash came over and everyone saw I was a mother of five very rambunctious kids, everyone kinda went soft on me. They saw just how hard of a time that I had and decided to just let it be and have that be the end of it.

"I'm sorry about all this," said Flash as we headed back to where we'd been sitting earlier.

"Flash, it's not your fault. I was the one who let them get out of hand like this. If anything, I should be taking the blame for all of this," I didn't want him to have to feel guilty for something that I'd done. "Let's just get them back, lock them into the strollers, and see where we go from there, alright?"

"Twilight, are you sure that's what they would want?" Flash asked, looking down at Sunset and Adagio, who bobbed gently in his hands. "After all, you can't help who they are. They're just babies; young, free, imaginative, all kinds of things. But most of all, they're unpredictable."

"That's kinda one of the drawbacks of raising them too." I looked down and rocked Trixie and Moondancer gently, not wanting to deal with anymore BS today. But no matter how much I try to disguise it, I know that they're not gonna be able to stay still all the time. "But yeah. We definitely need to keep a tighter grip on the babies. Otherwise, who knows what hijinks they could get themselves into?" Honestly, not the kind I would want any part of, knowing kids these days.

Eventually, we made it back to the checkered blanket and set all of the babies back down. They coo and try to speak, the usual goos and gahs out of them, instead of any real words. But this time, me and Flash were completely committed to them and them alone. So much so that we'd lost all our other conversation topics. They just went straight out the window in favour of our five little angels. Though they might be devils in disguise if you don't keep an eye on them.

Adagio and Sunset spent the most time with each other out of all the babies. They played mostly with each other instead of with us, drooling around a lot and toddling around. Sometimes, the grass would get their attention and they'd try to rip it up. Honestly, just as long as they keep to themselves and don't end up ripping up all the grass in the garden, it's fine for them to play with it. It's only when they try to eat the stuff does Flash come along and make them spit it back out again.

Now, Trixie and Starlight were kinda the same when it came to playing. More often than not, they were only enjoying the stuff we did when they were both together. When Flash and I would trade them for the other babies in our group, they would feel really down and whimper while reaching out for the other. Could this have been their first sign of friendship? If it was, then that would've been incredible. But as someone who used to believe in friendship myself, it takes a lot more than just wanting to be with each other to keep on going. It takes trust, devotion, mistakes, and a lot of other things to make and maintain a friendship. And plus, they're babies. And sisters. That's already got them some bonus points; they don't need to make a friendship when their related by blood. Do they?

As for Moondancer, she was a bit of a special case. Whenever we did anything, and I mean ANYTHING at all in the park, she would only really listen if I was the one doing it with her. Call it a kind of link, or the fact that I was her mother and all, but she just did not want anything to do with stuff if I wasn't around to give her a hand and a push in the right direction. Even as we play, only I was ever able to make her smile. I don't know the real schematics on that, but kids are kids, so if it's not broke, then don't fix it.

But honestly, with me and Flash keeping a watchful eye on the babies, there wasn't anything really eventful that happened after that. Me and Flash just continued to keep the kids safe and protected while they played around. Games like pattycake and "let's see who can rip up the most grass before mama and dada picks us up to do something else." Y'know, the usual games babies play in a grassy city park. Or at least, I think that's what they play? It's not a strong point to make, I know, but I'm a hyper-intelligent valedictorian woman with five babies and a guitar-playing husband so... yeah. The only really bad things after that were the diaper changes. Trust me, ever tried to change a diaper in the middle of a park with people all around you? Not. Even. Once, ladies and gentlemen.

Well, if it wasn't for the fact that there was literally nowhere to change them, the fact that I was carrying soiled diapers to the nearest trash bins would have been another humiliating thing. That, and they smell worse than a skunk drenched in garbage and coated in some of the worst-smelling cheeses known to man! But since we had no tables to work with and no bins that could be closed up, there I was, doing diaper trash duty while Flash powdered them up and set them in new ones.

Still, if this is how the parents of babies always have it, then I guess I can understand the pain they go through now.

"Hey, Twilight," came a voice. And who did it belong to, you might ask? Only Applejack. Her orange skin and blonde hair were very distinguishable, even in the scorching and blinding light of the sun. "How's your day been?"

"Oh, nothing really special, Applejack." I said, waving weakly at her. "Only the fact that I had to dive into the lake and get yelled at by someone just because Trixie and Moondancer took control of a boat and sailed it out into the middle of it. Other than that, my day's been the most hunky-dory it could've ever been."

"It's alright, Twilight. I know how hard it can be raisin' kids; 'specially if ya got five on yer hands." Applejack could see through the bullshit much better than any of us could. Even back as high-school students, she was always the most level-headed one of us. "Heck, I once knew an Apple in the Apple Family that had their hands full with seventeen kids once. 'course, that was when I was a little girl myself, so I don't know how she must've handled all of them, but if ya need a helping hand with anything, I'm always just a call away."

"Thanks, Applejack, but I think that I can handle things just fine." I nodded, giving her a small handshake. "As much of a handful Trixie, Moondancer, Adagio, Sunset, and Starlight are, me and Flash can handle them just fine as we are."

"No, I don't really see it, Twilight." Applejack folded her arms. She knew that I was in need of help, and whether or not I liked it, she would give it to me, no matter how much yelling and ranting I gave her. "You think you sound good enough, but the tone's lying to ya. You're not taking it easy, and the babies are causing you chaos. That, and you need my help, not want it."

"Applejack, just promise me that you won't take charge like you always do whenever I say that I need help like you always do. Remember that time when we were performing our final play at Canterlot High?" I said. No matter how good the reviews were, that doesn't mean that they really filled in on what really happened.

"I sure do. Definitely not one of my better moments." She shook her head and pulled the tip of her hat down slightly before walking past me and going straight for Flash and the others, leaving me to dump the last diaper and return to him too. "But that's all in the past, Twilight. And this time, you ain't working with a bunch of finals students. You're working with your good friend."

"True, but there were many more I could work with. Here, there's just the three of us caring for five babies. Some of which can get REALLY twitchy and erratic at times." I rubbed the back of my head, concerned for Applejack's wellbeing. She might've seen babies before, but I don't remember the last time she looked after one; let alone five.

"Well, that's only natural. They're babies. And babies ain't like regular kids." Applejack just gave me a smile as she rolled up her sleeves and took a seat by Flash, reaching over for Trixie and Starlight, pulling them onto her knees. "Hi there, Trixie, Moondancer. Aunt Applejack's here. And you're gonna have a real hootenanny."

Trixie and Moondancer just stared up at her blankly, small little trickles of drool hanging off of their mouths as they reached up for her face and played around with it. Squashing her cheeks and rubbing her face vigoriously, making a bunch of faces with them. Both of them were lost in their little game, and neither of them wanted to do anything else to Applejack other than that. That just made her laugh as she brought the both of them closer to her face to do it some more.

Y'know, I never understand babies at times. And for very good reason. Sometimes, they can be controlled with toys, food, drink, or changes. That kind of stuff just clicks with them, but when it comes to my kids, I can never really understand what they like and don't like; especially when others are around. Like, the babies never wanted to play with me or Flash when we were with them in their nursery, but as soon as Applejack comes along, both Trixie and Starlight wanted to mess around with her. Just like that. Nothing in return, no winces or crawling away, they were just attracted to her like a magnet. Maybe I might need to do some experiments on the babies. See what attracts them to others as opposed to me and Flash. No, what am I saying? I shouldn't do that to them when they're this young. They've got so much more to do instead.

"So, how've the kids been?" Applejack asked as Trixie and Starlight finished playing their game and scrambled back to Flash's side, prompting Adagio and Sunset over to her.

"Well, they've been a bit of a handful." Flash said, before Moondancer ended up spitting on his legs. "See what I mean? They're totally out of whack."

"That didn't look too bad." Applejack folded her arms. Of course, immmediately after that, Moondancer decided to upchuck a rather nasty bit of vomit onto Flash's legs, causing him to freak out, leap up, and nearly drop her on the ground. "Okay, I take that back."

"Aww, did my little Moondancer let off some of her nasty juices?" I asked, putting on a facade of sweetness as I wiped the last bit from her mouth with the back of my thumb and flicked it away. "Well, don't worry about that. Mama's right here for you. Applejack, hand me a bottle from the bag, will you?"

"Sure thing, Twilight." Applejack reached over and dug around in the back for a bit until she pulled a bottle full of milk out. She quickly gave it to me and I gave it to Moondancer, letting her drink.

Hopefully, that would've gotten rid of the aftertaste of vomit hanging in her mouth. And for the most part, it seemed to work. She drank almost autonomously, her arm and leg movements beginning to still as she let the drink slide down her throat and into her stomach. Once it was all done, she stopped drinking and giggled, reaching up for my face. That quickly came to an end as I patted her back, making her burp loudly.

"So, tell me, Twilight. How much of a hassle can the kids get at times?" Applejack said as she patted Adagio and her poofy locks of golden hair, while stroking Sunset's red and yellow streaks of it. "I mean, I know how babies work and all, thanks to Granny Smith telling me and Applebloom how we were as little ones, but now I wanna know how it's been for you and Flash to raise these five little wonders."

"Well, Applejack, I could tell you, but it's a bit of a long story." I said. And trust me, this is where it's gonna get a bit strange. I mean, a story within a story? How many people do you know who do that? "That, and it goes back to a few weeks ago, when we first settled them into the nursery back home."

"Twilight, I don't care exactly how long the tale is, just as long as you tell me everything, without skipping over any of the details." She folded her arms, her stubbornness and adamant stance on full display as she looked deep into my eyes. "And please, Twilight. Don't be squeamish. It's okay to tell me everything. And I do mean EVERYTHING."

Comments

[badninja]

Great to see this story back! Now I wonder who could be hired as a nanny to help out Twilight? Pinkie, Wallflower, or someone else?

[lunarwolf22]

9170755
id personally prefer wallflower, but thats just me.

[Noctis Prism]

Yikes, family fun all around.

[zerofireking13]

9171707
Dude that was over a YEAR ago. Besides you're comparing apples to oranges, I dislike the forced coupling of two ponies to the point where there's literally NOTHING compelling about it. Twilight liking Flash Sentry is like her fucking her brother. They're TOO similar IN MY OPINION.

[EASTON]

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[Shadowmane PX-41]

9833724
I can't think of something to write. Nothing's dead here.

[Darth Wrex]

9833728
Need some help?

[PixelatedPerson]

This is cute, adorable and hilarious at the same time. I love it.