AB and Snails were expecting their first foal, just not how much would happen in those 11 months.
Spin-off/sequel to Caramel Rainbows: Eleven months to make a foal. And oh so much can happen.
PS: I know it sounds like I'm doing another Caramel Rainbows but this story I'm going to focus more on the struggles of a pregnancy. You know, fatigue, strange cravings, limitations, mood swings, strange in-laws and fear of miscarriage and birth defects. That kind of stuff.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Hasbro), Rainbow Dash (Hasbro), Apple Jack (Hasbro), Apple Bloom (Hasbro), Snails (Hasbro), ninty-five percent of the characters in this story (Hasbro unless otherwise stated at end of chapter) or Give To Good Home (Cubette). All I own is this story, the other things I have written, Annie Elizabeth Apple, Jonathan Apple, Oliver Apple, Pixie Crunch Apple, Snails' unnamed parents, Carol and Apple Bloom and Snails' unborn foal.
Summary: AB and Snails are expecting their first child. They just didn't expect how much would happen in those eleven months.
Chapter One: Month One
A little over nine and a half years had now passed since the triplets had been born. The three foals were being to school with their cousin Jonny by Aunt Apple Jack as their mother had to prepare the first snow fall of the season.
"Now, y'all kids be good at school today." she reminded them as they approached the schoolhouse.
"We will!" they called back as they ran to meet their friends on the play ground.
Apple Jack stifled a laugh before heading back to the farmhouse. Upon entering the farmhouse she heard the sound of her little sister retching just as she had before leaving earlier that morning. The now fully grown Apple Bloom was leaning over the toilet, emptying her stomache. Her fiancé, Snails, had a hoof on her back, helping her keep steady. This had been happening every morning for the last week. AJ had a hunch she knew what was going on but wanted to allow her little sister to experience the joy of finding out for herself.
"Snails, how's Apple Bloom doin'? Does she have a fever?" AJ asked as she poked her head into the bathroom.
"She's still barfing but I think it's slowing down. No, she doesn't have a fever. When she's done, we're heading over to Stable's and see what's causing this." the mustard coated unicorn replied.
After another five minutes of gorging, Apple Bloom and Snails left for the medical practice. Once the couple was out of sight, AJ allowed a grin to creep on to her face.
"Guess your little babies are havin' babies, Ma and Pa." she said softly, hoping that her words were heard by her deceased parents.
Stable had a clear schedule till ten so he was more than happy to see his in-law.
"Please take climb onto the examination table, Apple Bloom." Stable requested as he levitated a brown clipboard over to himself, "Now tell me your symptoms."
"Well, every morning for the last week, Ah get really nauseous and barf but after Ah do Ah'm fine, Ah keep on gettin' exhausted real early in the day, and Ah need to do mah business more often than Ah normally do." Apple Bloom listed as she held the hoof of her fiancé standing next to the table.
"Would it be ok if you..." Stable asked, levitating a urine cup over to the young couple.
The yellow mare nodded before taking the cup and going into the designated area. A few minutes later, she returned with the cup. The caramel coated stallion then left the young couple to get the results of the test.
"Ah'm scared, Snails. What if there really is something wrong?" the former crusader confessed.
"Don't worry, Apple Bloom, you'll be fine. Even if you aren't, Stable will make sure you get better and we'll be there to help." Snails comforted, "Now where's that brave, happy little filly with the most adorable smile."
"Ah'm not little!" his fiancé retorted.
"There she is!" the mustard colored stallion exclaimed with a smile, "And, yes, Apple Bloom, we all were when we were foals."
This gained him a playful shove from his lover. They talked like this for the next few minutes until the door opened. Doctor Condition entered the room calmly and Snails took hold of his fiancé's forehoof.
"Apple Bloom, do you wish to have your fiancé in the room when I tell you the results?" the unicorn doctor questioned.
"Yes, Ah would." she responded before taking a deep breathe.
"Congratulations! This time next year, you'll have a foal of your own." the doctor congratulated the couple.
Apple Bloom looked down at her belly and then at her lover as did he. Snails pulled his fiancé into a hug and spun her around before setting her down.
"This is great, Apple Bloom!" he exclaimed.
"Ah can't believe it! We're gonna be parents!" Apple Bloom seconed with a grin, "Thanks for seein' me, Stable."
"You're welcome, Apple Bloom. I was happy to help! Now you should go see my desk attendant, Carol, about getting another visit in about a month." Stable suggested before seeing the young couple out to the waiting room.
After scheduling an appointment, the young couple returned back to Sweet Apple Acres. When they arrived back at the farmhouse, Apple Jack, Big Mac and Rainbow Dash were waiting for them.
"Well, now's a good time as any." Apple Bloom said to her fiancé before both took a deep breath.
"AB, how did your appointment go?" her pegasus sister asked.
"It went ok." the yellow mare replied.
"So what was wrong?" her brother asked.
"Nothin', infact Ah'm even better than usual." the farm pony replied
"Why's that, Sugarcube?" her other sister questioned.
"Well,meandSnailsaregonnahaveafoal." she said quickly with her eyes slammed shut.
They were instantly embraced in a hug from both of her sisters. Big Mac made it clear that if he did anything to hurt his baby sister he would wish he was never born. Snails assured him that he would never hurt his beloved, just like he did when he asked for her hand
Apple Bloom and Snails walked down the dirt road towards the pond. A wooden shack could be seen on the horizon. Snails' foalhood home. His unicorn parents were swimming in the pond like a frog, awaiting their arrival. Though he was excited to tell his parents, he was nervous, too. His parents were strange and he was worried what they might do to his bride-to-be.
"Son, come in and frog-kick with your old man!" his dad called out to him, his nightshade berry red tail flowing in the pond water against his ivy green coat.
"H-hi Dad-" he started sheepishly.
"Ribbit!" went his mom, her wet poison joke blue mane clinging to her purple coat.
"H-hi Mom. You guys remember my fiancé, Apple Bloom." the mustard colored unicorn started.
"Of course we do! Hi, Apple Bloom!" the red maned stallion replied.
"Well, umn, she's expecting." he said a little softer than before.
Suddenly his odd parents trampled the young couple.
"Oh, this is wonderful! How many weeks along are you?" the blue maned mare squealed with delight, getting within a mere inch of her daughter-in-law-to-be's face.
"Four weeks" the yellow mare replied as she slowly reversed, trying to make some room between the herself and the socially inept mare.
"I think it'll be a unicorn filly with a pink coat and red mane." the ivy green stallion announced.
Apple Bloom and Snails just looked at him, rolling their eyes. It was possible but unlikely. There had not been a unicorn in her family for several generations except for Annie and, soon, Snips. Unicorn was recessive so unless she somehow had the unicorn gene, it was impossible. Then, they took in the fact that, like Pinkie, Snip's family defied logic. It was a 50/50 chance that it would be a unicorn.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Hasbro), Rainbow Dash (Hasbro), Apple Jack (Hasbro), Apple Bloom (Hasbro), Snails (Hasbro), ninty-five percent of the characters in this story (Hasbro unless otherwise stated at end of chapter) or Give To Good Home (Cubette). All I own is this story, the other things I have written, Annie Elizabeth Apple, Jonathan Apple, Oliver Apple, Pixie Crunch Apple, Snails' unnamed parents, Carol and Apple Bloom and Snails' unborn foal.
Summary: AB and Snails are expecting their first child. They just didn't expect how much would happen in those eleven months.
Chapter Two: Month Two
"How did your last tour go, Sweetie? What about you, Scoot? Any new stunts the Terraquakes are doin'?" the red maned earth pony asked.
"No, not really. We are just perfecting some old ones." Scootaloo replied.
"It was a lot of fun and singing, as usual, but, Apple Bloom, you said you had something to tell us." Sweetie Belle reminded her yellow friend.
The three former crusaders were having a little reunion in their old clubhouse.
"Girls, me and Snails are gonna be parents this time next year." the pregnant mare admitted.
She was instantly bombarded with questions from her two friends.
"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! How far along you? When's it due?" sounded an excited Scootaloo.
"Ah'm almost two months along and it's due in early September." answered the mother-to-be
"Is it a filly or a colt? Is it a unicorn or a earth pony? What are you going to name it?" asked an unusually exuberant Sweetie Belle.
"It's a little too early to tell gender or breed. We have a few names we're thinking of but we aren't deciding till we at least know what it is." explained the yellow mare.
"How did your family react? How did his parents?" questioned the orange pegasus.
"My family is rather supportive and his parents. Well..." the yellow soon-to-be-mother started, "They went all nutty on us but are real excited."
"Well, I'm really happy for you two! Has Snails told Snips yet? They were always so close growing up." the singer asked.
"They still are. Snails and Snips were gonna watch some sort of game over at his place. Snails was gonna tell him while he's there." Apple Bloom explained.
Meanwhile, at Snips' apartment, the two long time friends sitting on a couch in front of the small static television, chatting and drinking a can of beer during halftime. Well, at least Snips was drinking. Snails was just waiting for the right time to give his best friend the news.
"So, how's AB? You told me she wasn't feeling too good last time we talked" Snips asked.
This was his chance.
"Yeah, she's healthy," Snails answered, "but that's not all."
"Really?" the teal unicorn questioned.
"Yes, not only is she healthy," the mustard unicorn started before pausing for emphasis, "but so's the foal she's carrying."
Snips just stared dumbfounded and jaw slacked at his friend before grinning from ear to ear.
"Good job, Snails! I know you're gonna be a great dad!" Snips congratulated, patting his friend on the back.
"Thanks." Snails replied, somewhat surprised by his best friend's sudden enthusiasm and a little bit unsure of how to react.
"Did her siblings take the news well and how did your parents deal with this blessing?" the chubby stallion asked, taking another swig of beer.
"Her sisters were really happy for us and her brother was very clear that I would be in a world of trouble if something were to happen to her. As for my parents, it was the same way they deal with any good news." the lanky stallion started, "First they trampled us, then my mom got the excitement of a little school filly and got within an inch of Apple Bloom's face, and, finally, my dad predicted an unlikely outcome of our foal being a filly unicorn."
"Ah. So, they went nuts again?" the orange maned unicorn asked for clarification.
"When did they stop?" the teal maned unicorn asked jokingly.
"Good point," his companion agreed with a slight chuckle before levitating a can in his friend's direction, "Now have a drink, the game's going to start back up any second now and you deserve a treat."
Snails wasn't much of a drinker but he could manage a can or two.
Two hours later, Snails, a little less than sober but not quite drunk, staggered down the path to the farmhouse. It wasn't very obvious but still noticeable. It just so happened that his fiancé was also heading home. She saw his unsteady steps and sighed uncontently.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Hasbro), Rainbow Dash (Hasbro), Apple Jack (Hasbro), Apple Bloom (Hasbro), Snails (Hasbro), ninty-five percent of the characters in this story (Hasbro unless otherwise stated at end of chapter) or Give To Good Home (Cubette). All I own is this story, the other things I have written, Annie Elizabeth Apple, Jonathan Apple, Oliver Apple, Pixie Crunch Apple, Snails' unnamed parents, Carol and Apple Bloom and Snails' unborn foal.
Summary: AB and Snails are expecting their first child. They just didn't expect how much would happen in those eleven months.
Chapter Three: Month Three
Snails paced the floor of the ER, fearfully awaiting any news of what was going on to his beloved. He mentally replayed what had that led to this.
She picked a zap apple.
If only he insisted she not participate in Zap Apple season this year, this probably would have never happened. He, the four other Apple siblings and the three brother-in-laws could of managed it easily. They had strongly suggested she stay back and insisted that they would be fine but she refused. Even with one less stallion, they were going to be ok. But that wasn't important.
No, the pregnant mare who had fainted and fell off her ladder after picking a single zap apple and was being treated on the other side of those doors was the one that was. The other members of the family had wished they could of stayed but they knew they had to harvest the zap apples. If they didn't, they wouldn't be able to afford any medical assistance she might be requiring.
'If only Family Appreciation Day fell on Zap Apple season like it did when we were in school. Then we might have been able to convince her to go speak to their class instead.' Snails thought to himself, 'She probably would be as thrilled as she was for when Granny Smith was the only one who could come, though.'
Suddenly he felt a hoof on his shoulder drawing himself away from his thoughts. He turned to see a nurse with a kind half-smile.
What Snails saw when he entered the room was the scariest sight he had seen in his life. His beloved had a needle in her neck, connected to an IV. She was fully awake and crying her her heart out.
"Apple Bloom, is something wrong? Why are you crying?" Snails asked as he ran over to the side of her bed.
"Ah'm scared, what if there had been a miscarriage or a birth defect because of my stubbornness? Ah don't what Ah would've done." she cried softly.
"Well, now you know to be careful so it didn't happen now and it never will." the mustard stallion explained.
"Ok." his lover agreed. He always knew how to cheer her up when she was down.
The door creaked opened and Stable entered the room.
"That was quite the miracle in the ER. Do you know why?" Stable asked, clearly discontent with what went down.
He was met with shakes from their heads.
"Zap apples are toxic until picked! You got your foal close to toxins in its most vulnerable state! Your lucky not only because you didn't have a miscarriage from the fall but no birth defects from the zap apples!" the less than pleased doctor explained, "I didn't realize that you weren't aware of these things so I'll tell you what you both should do during these next eight months. For one thing, you should eat a very nutritious diet with protein. Secondly, it would be a good idea if you practiced breathing exercises. And lastly, this one is just for Apple Bloom, don't strain yourself and listen to your family members when they suggest you don't do something."
"Ah'm sorry, Ah'll listen better from now on." she replied sincerely.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Hasbro), Rainbow Dash (Hasbro), Apple Jack (Hasbro), Apple Bloom (Hasbro), Snails (Hasbro), ninty-five percent of the characters in this story (Hasbro unless otherwise stated at end of chapter) or Give To Good Home (Cubette). All I own is this story, the other things I have written, Annie Elizabeth Apple, Jonathan Apple, Oliver Apple, Pixie Crunch Apple, Snails' unnamed parents, Carol and Apple Bloom and Snails' unborn foal.
Summary: AB and Snails are expecting their first child. They just didn't expect how much would happen in those eleven months.
Chapter Four: Month Four
Apple Bloom found herself sitting on the examination table in her in-law's office, her lover and said in-law just a few feet away.
"Ok Apple Bloom, I need you to lay down." the doctor instructed.
The mother-to-be did as she was asked. The caramel unicorn then spread this strange gel over her lower abdomen. She then felt him rub this strange looking device over it. Snails looked on with somewhat displeasure. He couldn't deny he didn't like another stallion rubbing her belly but he knew it was necessary for the ultrasound. A few seconds later, the sonogram appeared on a nearby screen.
"Ok, you can sit up now." her in-law directed.
"Is that..." she started only to become speechless as she then changed her view down to her foal bump.
"Yes, it's our little foal." her fiancé answered for her.
"See that?" the unicorn doctor asked pointing to a small rounded cone-like object protruding out of the foal's head.
He was met with a simultaneous nod from both pomies.
"It's a unicorn and it appears to be a filly." Snails announced, having had practice with animal sonograms before as he was a veterinarian.
"Indeed it is and you might feel her flutter sometime this month but it won't kick on a regular basis, yet. You might also get some cravings, so don't be surprised if you do." the doctor explained, "Now give me a moment why I retrieve some copies of the sonogram for you to take home."
After receiving the wallet size pictured and scheduling her next appointment, the young couple left the clinic. As they walked through town, Apple Bloom felt a uncomfortable pull in her stomach and heard it make a growl like noise. She was hungry and what she wanted was a rather strange dairy treat.
"Hey, Snails." she attempted to gain the attention of her mate.
"Yeah, AB." acknowledged that he was listening.
"Ya know 'bout those cravings Stable told us 'bout?" the yellow mare asked.
"Yeah." the lanky stallion confirmed.
"Well, Ah have a real hankerin' for black licorice ice cream." his mate explained.
"Well, why don't we head to over to the ice cream parol?" the mustard stallion suggested.
So the two headed over to the frozen confectionary store to soove her craving.
About a week had passed since her first of many cravings. She had desires for daisies with relish, pickled onions and pear juice, something that disturbed her and her family greatly, along with several other strange delicacies.
She now lay on the bed with her lover next to her, both trying to fall asleep. She was almost asleep when she felt it, bringing her back from her near sleep. It was a small flutter coming from inside her lower abdomen. The foal kicked! She excitedly turned to her partner and shaked him awake.
"What is it, AB? Can't it wait till morning?" he asked groggily.
"Ah felt it kick!" she exclaimed softly.
Upon hearing those words, Snails lost all of his previous grogginess, allowing excitement and joy to take it's place.
"Really?" he excitedly asked for confirmation.
He was met with a nod and his hoof was placed on her growing bump. He was so exstatic that he almost didn't feel it but after a moment he felt a flutter. It was small but still he had felt it.
"That's our little filly, Snails." the pregnant mare cried overjoyed at feeling her filly move for the first time, "She's in there and she's ours."
"I know, 'Bloom, I know." her fiancé told her with a nuzzle.
"Pink Sparkle." the yellow mare spoke softly.
It was unexpected to say the least and took Snails back a bit.
"What?" the teal maned unicorn asked.
"Well, Ah was thinking, if your dad is right 'bout it having a pink coat, we should name her Pink Sparkle. We could call her Spark for short." she explained.
"She'll more than likely be pink because when my dad makes an outlandish prediction like that it's either all right or all wrong so how about we ask her?" Snails suggested before getting within three inches of the growing belly, "How does the name Pink Sparkle sound, Spark for short? Do you think it will fit you?"
He was met with a small flutter.
"Ah think that's a yes." Apple Bloom said with a chuckle before yawning and returning her head to her pillow, "'Night, Spark. 'Night Snails."
"'Night to you too, AB. Sweet dreams, Pink Sparkle." the veterinarian bid goodnight before following her lead and returning to the realm of dreams.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Hasbro), Rainbow Dash (Hasbro), Apple Jack (Hasbro), Apple Bloom (Hasbro), Snails (Hasbro), ninty-five percent of the characters in this story (Hasbro unless otherwise stated at end of chapter) or Give To Good Home (Cubette). All I own is this story, the other things I have written, Annie Elizabeth Apple, Jonathan Apple, Oliver Apple, Pixie Crunch Apple, Snails' unnamed parents, Carol and Pink Sparkle.
Summary: AB and Snails are expecting their first child. They just didn't expect how much would happen in those eleven months.
Chapter Five: Month Five
"No, Apple Bloom. Ah'm sorry but ah don't want ya to help out with Winter Wrap-Up tomorrow. Ya have a foal to take care of." AJ insisted, "Think of it as a maternity leave."
Apple Bloom's face that was once full of annoyance was slowly giving way to confusion.
"What's a maternity leave?" the pregnant mare asked curiously.
"It's when a pregnant mare takes a leave from work so they can focus on keepin' their baby safe and returns a few months after it's born. Me and Rainbow both took one when we were." the orange mare explained.
"Fine." the younger sister finally gave in.
The conversation with her sister ran through her mind fifty times at least. She was out of her mind stir crazy. Everyday it had been the same for the last week: wake up, eat breakfast, get the foals off to school, practice breathing exercises, make lunch for everypony, eat lunch with everypony, pick the foals up from school, help the foals with homework, make dinner for everypony, eat dinner with everypony, go to bed. Sure it was busy but the majority of them didn't involve moving around.
At least she had an appointment with Stable tomorrow morning and then the whole afternoon with Snails. It would be a good change of pace for the expecting mare. She was a little worried about Sparkle as she had been very active since she first started fluttering. Snails assured her it was fine and that just meant she'd be more athletic than other fillies.
"Ya said she shouldn't be kickin' a whole lot yet but she is. Is that bad?" the expecting mother asked her doctor with the father at her side.
"Really? No, if anything that means she, just like yourself, is getting a little stir crazy and she'll probably be an early bloomer." the doctor replied.
He then proceeded to take a 4-D sonogram to see how she was moving. After seeing it, he had a look of pure surprise.
"She is very active indeed! It's very unusual to find a fetus this active, especially this early in a pregnancy!" the doctor exclaimed, "Yes, she'll definitely be a very strong, athletic filly if she keeps this up"
"So, has her due date changed?" asked the father-to-be.
"Yes, it shall probably be around hmmm.... I'd say August twenty fourth." the doctor replied.
After the appointment had come to a close, the sweethearts headed off to hang out in their place, the old dead apple tree on the top of the hill. The love birds sat down with hind legs crossed. Snails gently placed his hoof on his beautiful's hoof.
"Snails, Stable got me thinkin'. Did you like bein' as early bloomer or did you wish you had been a blank flank a little bit longer?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I definitely wished I hadn't found it as early as I did, but I have a family of early bloomers." answered her fiancé.
"Well, my family is full of late bloomers. Ah wonder what that will mean for Spark." Apple Bloom thought out loud.
"I personally hope she's a late bloomer like her mom." the lanky unicorn replied.
"Why's that, Sugarcube?" she asked.
"Late cutie marks always look more detailed and unique than early cutie marks." he explained motioning to their cutie marks.
It was true. Her apple shaped paint palette with it's rings and paint drop splatters was truly something compared to the very common cutie mark of a simple purple snail with a orange-yellow shell.
A/N: Sorry I didn't address this earlier in the story. I already said she was no longer a crusader but I never said what her cutie mark was. I hadn't even remembered until I talked about Spark being a early bloomer.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Hasbro), Rainbow Dash (Hasbro), Apple Jack (Hasbro), Apple Bloom (Hasbro), Snails (Hasbro), ninty-five percent of the characters in this story (Hasbro unless otherwise stated at end of chapter) or Give To Good Home (Cubette). All I own is this story, the other things I have written, Annie Elizabeth Apple, Jonathan Apple, Oliver Apple, Pixie Crunch Apple, Snails' unnamed parents, Carol and Pink Sparkle.
Summary: AB and Snails are expecting their first child. They just didn't expect how much would happen in those eleven months.
Chapter Six: Month Six
Apple Bloom awkwardly walked down the path to the cemetery with her family, slightly leaning up against her mate for balance. Each pony in the travelling party had two flowers sitting in the saddle bags on their backs. The emotions were not grey and filled with sorrow like that gloomy day when she was one nor the one just a year prior. Instead they were rather content and full of reverence and thanks. As they neared the gate, they spotted the two graves that were visiting.
The cyan mare started by placing a rose on the headstone on the left, followed by the rest of the family, one by one, till everypony had put a rose on the slab with the exception of the yellow mare who had also put one down for her unborn foal. When the proceedings were done, a total of fifth-teen flowers sat on the marker.
Though they could not see it through the pile of florae, they all knew what it read, ‘Here lies Rosette Apple. May she find her eternal bliss.’
The group then turned to the tomb on the right and repeated the ritual of placing down flora with the expecting mother placing, not only one for herself, but one for her yet to be born daughter, Pink Sparkle. The only differencing factor in this procedure was instead of woody perennials, the flowers being placed on the stone were red columbines.
This stone’s inscription was also not visible but, as it was dug only a short twelve months ago, all present could recall what it read, ‘Rest in Peace, Granny Smith Apple. You shall always be loved and never forgotten.’
After the group had given their gratitude to the deceased mares, the family went their separate ways. Soarin’ went with his wife and son to the train station so they could ride the train to Canterlot to see his parents, along with Caramel, his brother and their families whose parents also lived there. Before going with her husband, Stable, Twilight gave Big Mac a cloud walking spell so he could visit Fluttershy’s parents with her. Snail’s fiancé leaned up against him as they walked over to his parents’ hut.
Upon arriving at the hut, they were immediately greeted and invited inside by Snail’s father. Snail’s mother was sitting on the sofa inside, reading a book. When she heard the quiet sounds of hooves approaching the door, she set her book down on the coffee table and turned half way around in her seat just in time to see son an her future daughter in-law enter the room. Her son was levitating a tray with a homemade apple pie resting on it that he had prepared with his fiancé the night before above his head. The mare beside him had an envelope in her mouth.
“Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.” Snails wished warmly.
A/N: I know this chapter isn’t that good and mostly filler. Well, this filler I thought had some use! It told you that Granny is officially on the other side, Twilight is married to Stable, Fluttershy is married to Big Mac, and the area of residence of several parents. Sorry if I'm messing up the month chronology, it kind of got confusing but from here on out I'll try to keep that together.
