Hold Me, AJ

by Stratocaster

The Apple/Sparkle Family

Chapter 10: The Apple/Sparkle Family

"Push, Twilight, push!"

"AAAAH!"

The moment of truth had finally arrived. Twilight lay in her hospital bed as her delivery was underway. And of course, as promised, Applejack stood by her side clutching her hoof.

"You can do this, girl," she cheered her on. "I know it!"

"Agh! It hurts so much!" Twilight cried in response as sweat streamed down her face.

"You're doing just fine, Twilight," said Nurse Redheart, performing midwife. "The baby's almost here."

For the next few minutes, Twilight writhed and thrashed her head in agony as the miracle was passing out of her body. But somewhere in her mind, she knew it would soon be over and she and Applejack would rejoice.

"You're doin' great, Twi," smiled Applejack. "But uh, you're kinda givin' my hoof quite a squeeze. Youch!" she gritted her teeth, masking the pain in her hoof. "Yup, yer doin' just fine!"

"Okay, here's the head!" announced Redheart. "It's just about through!"

"AAAAAAAAAGH!"

Twilight screamed in intense pain as she made the final push. Then, with her energy spent, her head fell back on the pillow and she began to drift off from exhaustion. Applejack waited to hear the good news.

"Well Nurse? What happened?" she asked anxiously.

A long silent pause settled in the delivery room before Redheart finally said the words everypony had been waiting to hear. "Congratulations, Twilight, it's a filly!"

Applejack smiled from ear to ear upon hearing the announcement. She turned to her wife who was close to passing out again. "Did ya hear that, Twilight? It's a filly!"

Slowly but surely, Twilight began to stir back awake. After a few blinks of nothing but blurry vision, she finally opened her eyes and saw her.

Cradled in Redheart's hoof was her newborn baby filly, complete with a bright orange coat and a tiny stub of a unicorn's horn. The infant foal wept as she took her first breaths of oxygen. Twilight was overcome.

"Oh my gosh!" she beamed at the darling sight. "A filly! Our very own little girl! Oh I'm so hap- AAAAH!" but a new rush of sharp pain told her that it was not over yet.

"Hang on now," said Redheart after handing the filly to another nurse. "Here comes the other one!"

"WHAT?!?!"

"Oh yeah," Applejack chuckled sheepishly. "I forgot to mention that. Sorry, Twi."

"APPLEJACK I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"Don't worry, that's what all new mothers in labor say." Redheart said reassuringly.

A sudden sense of déjà vu hit everypony as Twilight commenced with berthing her second child, not a minute after the first one. Again, she wriggled and writhed in pain, and took quick deep gasps for air. Applejack continued to cheer her on, but at this point, her words meant nothing to the aggravated new mother. Several more minutes passed before the final stretch arrived.

"Okay, Twilight, just give me one last push." Redheart instructed. "Remember to breathe, dear."

Twilight gasped dramatically. "Oh dear Celestia I can't do it!"

"Yes you can, Twilight." Applejack leaned into her. "You've done so many things that no other pony could do. You're the strongest pony I know, darlin'. Now you bring this kid to the world; I know you can do it!" she laid a kiss on her moist sweating head.

Taking in more gasps of air, Twilight prepared herself for the final final push. With one long cry, she strained every muscle in her body to bring forth the second baby, until she finally ran out of breath. She lied back again panting as Redheart brought her the good news.

"It's a colt!"

"A colt? Really?!" responded Applejack, elated. She looked in Redheart's hooves to see another infant crying from the trauma of being born. This time, it was a male earth pony, with a deep purple coat. As the little colt was carried off to join his sister, Applejack leaned down and stroked Twilight's mane. The spent unicorn looked back with a soft smile.

"You did it, sugarcube, you really did it."

"We did it, Applejack." Twilight replied. "You were braver than I was."

Then, a theory came to Applejack's mind. "Hey, I just realized, we were gonna have two babies anyway when I was pregnant too. Do you think...do you think the spell may have done somethin'?"

"You're right, it must have been a side effect! Because it was used by two mares, it gave us two babies. And after you carried one of them for a while, the spell must have, I don't know, corrected itself and...somehow gave it to me!"

"So, in a certain way, I kind of...impregnated you? Holy smokes," Applejack shook her head. "That magic really is a crazy thing."

"Yeah...let's never use that spell again."

"Agreed."

At last, Redheart presented the new parents with their offspring after wrapping them in blankets. She placed them both in Twilight's hooves and they immediately ceased their crying. They began to feel their mother's embrace for the first time, their eyes not yet ready to open. Twilight and Applejack looked down at them heartfelt.

"Oh look at them," cooed Twilight. "They're so precious."

"Well of course they're beautiful." Applejack replied. "They look just like us...only reversed. Hmm, what do you think we should name them?"

"You name the colt; after all, you are technically the father, I guess."

"Makes sense, kind of." Applejack thought for a moment as she stared at the purple colt resting in Twilight's hoof. He even squirmed, trying to adjust to the comfort of his mother's breast. "I got it," said Applejack. "Cortland!"

"Cortland?" repeated Twilight.

"Yeah, it's a kind of apple. And it just happens to be my favorite kind of apple!"

"Cortland," Twilight tested out the name. "That's a very handsome name for a colt. Cortland Apple." She looked at the colt lovingly, ready to call him by his new name. But then, her eyes drifted to the colt's twin sister. "Now what about you, little one?" Twilight stared at the precious sleeping filly who gave a heart melting yawn. She admired the infant's bright summery coat and it immediately came to her. "Daylight! Daylight Sparkle!"

"Let me guess," said Applejack. "She looks like the sun doesn't she?"

"She looks like you, AJ;" smiled Twilight. "And just as beautiful."

Applejack blushed at the compliment. "Ah, ya still manage to do that after all these years!"

"Applejack, I don't know anypony else I would rather spend this moment with than you."

"I was just thinkin' the same thing." Applejack then gently hugged her warmly. "I love you, Twilight."

Twilight kissed her again. "I love you too, AJ."

...

Epilogue

Five Years Later...

As Celestia's sun shone over the Ponyville landscape, Applejack bound over the grassy field; and scampering alongside her was her darling son. Little Cortland followed her across the wide open field which led to the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres until they finally came upon the apple trees.

"Applejack!" said the young colt jumping in place. "Come on, I want to start applebucking!"

"Settle down, Cortland," replied Applejack. "The trees are right here. Now, are ya ready?"

Cortland gave his rough and tough determined face, which he clearly had inherited from her. "I've been ready!"

"Alright, son, now go show those trees who's boss!"

With that, Cortland stepped up the a full apple tree with his game face on. After turning around, he reared back his hind legs and with all his might gave the trunk a swift mule kick; but none of the apples budged.

"Come on, Cortland, give it all ya got!" Applejack rallied him.

Cortland grunted as he continued to buck the stubborn tree. But after a few minutes of desperate trying, the sweet fruit did nothing more than shake where they hung. At this point, Cortland was ready to give up; but his hard headed parent wouldn't have any of it.

"Come on, son," she looked him in the eye. "Is that the best ya got? Just do it like how I showed ya! Are you gonna let those apples make fun of ya?"

With newly found confidence, Cortland narrowed his eyes again. "No way!" He approached the tree again and readied himself once more. Gathering all his strength and determination, Cortland pictured how Applejack showed him the correct technique to applebucking and gave it all he got. He gave one final devastating kick to the tree and waited. After several long suspenseful seconds, a single apple managed to plummet from its branch.

Cortland was elated. "I did it! Applejack, I did it! I knocked and apple down!"

"I knew you could do it, kiddo!" smiled Applejack as she picked him up in a hug. "I am so proud o' you!"

After celebrating his victory some more, Cortland raced her back to their house. It was a humble family fit cottage resting on a hilltop overlooking a great view of the town. And lying on the front lawn enjoying the sunset was Twilight and her beautiful daughter. She was showing Daylight a journal of spells she had learned over the years, inspiring the young unicorn to follow in her mother's path.

"Wow, so this spell lets you walk on clouds?" asked Daylight with amazement.

"It's very handy when visiting pegasus homes." Twilight nodded. "I'll teach you it soon when you're ready."

"Mommy, I want to be a smart unicorn just like you one day!"

"That is so sweet of you, Daylight," smiled Twilight. "I know you will someday."

But their peace was interrupted by the rougher half of the family. "Hey Daylight, watcha doin'?" teased Cortland. "Reading more nerd stuff?"

"Stop it, Cortland!" whined Daylight. "You dumb boys wouldn't know!"

"Ah come on, why don't you get out more?" Cortland taunted as he flipped through the pages of the spell tome getting the pages dirty.

"Cut it out!" ordered Daylight. "Applejack, make him stop!"

"It'l alright, Daylight." Applejack hushed before scolding her son. "Cortland, knock it off! Leave yer sister alone!"

"Ah jeez I was just teasin'!" Cortland kicked the dirt.

"Cortland, honey," said Applejack in her motherly tone. "Why don't you go play somewhere else for a while?"

The rambunctious colt couldn't refuse his mother's calm demeanor. "Okay, mom!" he said and hugged her before cantering off.

Applejack started to follow him, but then looked back at her wife. "I don't know how you manage to control that boy."

"All it takes is a little love." Twilight boasted.

"Well, you sure are good at it." She shared a nuzzled with her.

"I said it before, I love you, AJ."

"I love you, Twilight."

After Applejack headed off, Daylight looked at her mother curiously. "Mommy, I was wondering, how did you and Applejack meet? And how did you fall in love?"

Twilight looked down at her daughter and could not help but smile. "Now that, Daylight, is a story I'll be happy to tell..."

THE END

Comments

[Stratocaster]

And they lived happily ever after! Thank you all for sticking around for this long! This was actually the last of four stories I started in January that I had to juggle with ever since, and I have not added a new one for that long! Note to self: DON'T WRITE MORE THAN ONE FICTION AT A TIME!

But on a lighter side, I'm going to college! And don't fret, Stratocaster is not going anywhere! I'll still be writing more stories, just from a dorm room in New Hampshire! In conclusion, thank you for reading Hold Me, AJ! I'll see you all soon!

[BronyPonyMan]

is there gonna be a sequel? this story was wrapped up quite nicely, but i almost always ask this, since i've found that's it's always a possibility.

[Phoenix Skyfire]

Sequel? Please!!!!!!! Such a good story....

[PonyVania]

Well everything is ending rather awesomely, my dears.

five moustache out of five

[Rhythmic Gravity Chance]

It was a pretty good story to read.
I would of enjoyed it more but AJ really was made to be "the hero" when some situations really should've went pretty badly, that or I want a little darkness to stain a nice picture.
Oh, well... reading on.

[JosephRascon1789]

Well this is a great story Good show gent

[Stratocaster]

2869198 I'm not sure how I can make a sequel to something like this. But I might write something involving Cortland and Daylight!

[Stratocaster]

2869260 I'm not sure how I can make a sequel to something like this. But I might write something involving Cortland and Daylight!

[Phoenix Skyfire]

well.... why not write a story about be4 the epilogue.... Twilight and AJ's first year as parents

[Stratocaster]

2947710 Hmm, that might work. I can picture them asking Pinkie Pie to foalsit.

[Phoenix Skyfire]

2952361 I think it would be a wonderful story myself.... and Pinkie... Foalsitting???? remember what happened to the Cake Twins? i say have Shy Foal Sit..... or maybe even have Twi ask Cadance to....

[Stratocaster]

2953973 Lol, well whatever I do, I won't be doing any story writing until at least late August. That's when I'll hopefully get a new computer; mine's a piece of crap!

[Phoenix Skyfire]

2960384 lol i know that feeling... i actually use my tablet to write my storys... from Google Documents

[Stratocaster]

2960823 Wow, don't I feel old fashioned!

[Phoenix Skyfire]

2983136 dont feel so bad only got mine in feb

[Stratocaster]

2993893 Thanks! Glad I could, um...fit your headcanon!

100 comments!

[elmago02]

"Cortland, honey," said Applejack in her motherly tone. "Why don't you go play somewhere else for a while?"
The rambunctious colt couldn't refuse his mother's calm demeanor. "Okay, mom!" he said and hugged her before cantering off.
Applejack started to follow him, but then looked back at her wife. "I don't know how you manage to control that boy."
"All it takes is a little love." Twilight boasted.

I think that you wanted to say '"Cortland, honey," said Twilight in her motherly tone. "Why don't you go play somewhere else for a while?"'
Because Cortland doesn't call AJ 'mom', and it makes more sense like this.

Good story, just a few shipping stories show what happens after a pair gets together.

[Alicorn308]

That. Was. So. AWESOME. and no tears just smiles. Yay

[Commander Darklight]

Im sorry but i saw what other groups this was in and i saw alicorn AJ group and i went NOPE! not happening and walked away

im sorry every time i see a story with any of the other 5 turning alicorn i laugh so hard because personally they look so stupid i cant see the others with the additions

[Ace Pony Stories]

One word: Amazing

[fancybloom]

I just have one question, why doesn't Cortland call Applejack 'mom'?