The News
It was a day like any other in the Apple Family home. AppleJack was outside tending to the farm, and Big Mac was out in town selling the mornings harvest. Then you had Granny Smith, who was getting up in her age. But somehow still managed to bake pies all day, and somehow cook three meals a day for the Apple family. Apple Bloom would try to help but had been banned from the kitchen, after somehow turning an apple turnover into a mini bomb that took out half a wall. Till then everypony thought Sweetie belle was the worst cook in town.
Apple Bloom had been in her room for the better part of the afternoon. Normally she would be out with the girls. But Scootaloo was out with Rainbow Dash, and Sweetie Belle was out of town with her sister. So Apple Bloom was kinda bored. She had finished all her daily chores, and even done some twice.
She was sitting at her window, looking at the rolling hills in the distance. The sun would always set over there. And it was a wonderful thing to watch. Even though the sun was not due to set for at least another 6 hours. And a nap was out of the question.
As she sat there, she noticed that her stomach was starting to feel a bit upset.
*I probably ate too much at lunch.* she thought to herself.
But the longer she sat. The worst she started to feel. Each passing moment was getting more uplesent. Her face began to feel very warm. And her vision was starting to spin.
*AppleBloom can you help me with the pigs?* Apple Jack asked, as she came in the room.
AppleBloom turned to her sister. Her face now a slight shade of green. AppleBloom could feel the contents of her stomach rushing to the surface. She proceeded to run past Apple Jack and straight towards the bathroom.
Sounds of AppleBloom vomiting could be heard through the house. Apple Jack walked into the bathroom and comforted her sister, As she expelled the contents of her stomach into the toilet.
A few minutes passed and AppleBloom was finally able to sit back, and regain herself.
*Sugar Cube are you ok?* Apple Jack asked, stroking her sister's mane.
AppleBloom turned towards her. *Actually I feel just fine now.* She said, with a sigh of relief.
Apple Jack looked at her sister. Trying to figure out how somepony who just spent the last 5 minutes throwing up, feels just fine after the fact.
Granny Smith trotted into the room. *AppleBloom are ya feeling ok deary?* the old mare asked.
*Yeah Granny I feel fine now.* She said as she started to wipe her face with a wet cloth.
Granny raised an eye and studied AppleBloom for a moment. The mare was very wise in her old age. And it was next to impossible to hide anything from her.
*Alright. Who’s the father?* Granny asked.
AppleJack and AppleBloom both got white in the face.
*Granny did you just ask AppleBloom if she was pregnant?* Apple Jack asked. As she was already starting to get angry.
*I ain’t asking. I’m telling ya.* Granny said, stomping her hoof on the floor. *I know when a pony is pregnant. Now out with it youngin, what colt did you lay in the barn with?*
Applebloom looked at her granny in shock. She couldn’t believe the old mare would just come out and say something like that. Also, she could not figure out what “Lay in the Barn” meant.
*What do you mean when you say lay in the barn granny?* AppleBloom asked, in a stutter.
Granny Smith had a look of annoyance on her face. *Dangit youngin, what colt dipped his willy into your Apple Pie?*
AppleBloom’s eyes grew wide as she realized what Granny had been talking about. And the whole gravity of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. No pony had ever explained how that worked. And when she would ask about it. Everypony would just change the subject.
AppleBloom put her hooves over her head and laid down on the floor. *I really messed up.* She said, as she began to sob.
This was not the news she wanted today. Her whole world was starting to crash down on top of her. Her mind was starting to fill with worry and dread. If she would have known this would have happened. She would have never done what she had done.
A hoof could be felt running through her mane. AppleBloom looked up to see that Granny’s demeanor had changed. She went from a very angry old mare. To a Granny that is just there to comfort her in her time of need.
*Now AppleBloom, tell Granny who this colt is. I promise I will not be mad.* Granny said, as she lifted AppleBloom’s chin to meet her face.
AppleBloom’s eyes shifted away from her granny. It was hard for her to tell the old mare. She felt like she had just let everypony down.
AppleBloom let out a sigh. *It was Rumble. I let Rumble into my apple pie.* Applebloom said, as she sat back down. Still staring at the floor.
Granny didn’t say anything. She just started to hug Applebloom. She knew now was not the time to be mad at her. That would only make things worse. After a few moments, Granny pulled away.
*Well just to be safe. I think we best get her to the doctor to make sure.* Granny said.
AppleJack nodded in agreement with the old mare. She knew it was best to get a second opinion on the matter. Even though Granny was never wrong about this kind of thing.
AppleJack helped AppleBloom to her hooves and began to wash her face off with a cloth.
“Well, AppleBloom let's get you ready for your visit with Dr. Hooves.* AppleJack said as she finished cleaning her sister's face off.
AppleBloom already knew what the Dr. was going to say. But she would rather hear it out of his mouth. But also she was dreading the visit. She was afraid of what the Dr. might think of her. With her being so young and already pregnant.
AppleJack led Applebloom down the stairs to the front door. To start the long walk to the other end of town. Apple Bloom knew that she was going to get a lecture all the way there, and back. She always did when AppleJack took her to the Dr. for an injury or something along those lines.
As they began the walk, AppleBloom tried her best to stare at the ground while still keeping up with her sister. She really didn’t want to make eye contact with anypony. It felt like she was on the walk of shame.
It took a little bit for AppleJack to speak up. *AppleBloom I want you to know. That I am not mad at you, and this is not your fault.* AppleJack stopped and looked at her sister. *If it’s anypony’s fault, it’s mine. I should have explained to you how all this worked. Before you started your cycles, I was just too nervous, and really didn’t think you would ever do anything.*
AppleBloom moved her head into her sister’s chest. *AppleJack I’m scared. What if I am pregnant? I don’t know how to raise a foal. Would I even make a good mom? What would everypony else think about me?*
AppleJack hugged AppleBloom. *Don’t you worry sis. We will be there for you every step of the way. And don’t you worry about not being a good mother. Cause I know you will do what’s right when the time comes.*
AppleBloom hugged her sister tighter. *Thank you AppleJack.*
The two continued to share the moment together, till AppleJack decided it was time to finish this long walk. She was dreading the news, just as much if not more than her sister was.
The two walked side by side, all the way to the doctor's office. AppleJack went in first and AppleBloom followed close behind.
The nurse behind the desk looked at AppleJack, then AppleBloom who was hiding behind her. The two coming in together was a common occurrence. Though this time was different. AppleBloom was not physically banged up or covered in tree sap. She looked pretty healthy.
*So what can we do for you today?* The nurse asked with a smile.
AppleJack leaned in close. *We are here for a pregnancy test.* AppleJack Said in a whisper.
The nurse's eyes lit up in excitement. *Do you think you are expecting AppleJack?* She whispered back.
AppleJack motioned her head towards AppleBloom. *Not me.* She said, with a worried look on her face.
The nurse's face quickly went from joy to concern, as she placed her hoof over her mouth. *Oh… Oh my. Well ok, why don’t you two just come straight back and the Dr. will be right with you.* The nurse said as she quickly ushered the two, to a back room.
AppleBloom was sitting upon a table in a room with her sister sitting across from her. She could tell that AppleJack was on edge. AppleJack could never sit still when something was bothering her. AppleBloom was starting to wonder who was more nervous. She or her sister.
A knock at the door was heard and the doctor poked his head in.
*Ah AppleBloom, it’s very nice to see you. And I’m glad to see that you are not injured or missing fur this time.* The doctor said, with a chuckle.
The doctor approached the table and pulled up a stool to sit on. *Ok AppleBloom. I want you to tell me what is going on. Just so I can confirm what the nurse just got through telling me.*
*Doc you see…..* AppleJack tried to speak up but was quickly silenced by the Dr. raising a hoof in her direction.
*AppleJack I do not mean to sound rude. But I wish to hear this from your sister. She is the patient, not you.* Said the Dr., as he put his hoof back down.
AppleJack just sat there quietly and watched as the Dr. waited for her sister's story.
AppleBloom really didn’t want to make eye contact with the Doctor. She felt so ashamed, that she was even there. Sure she made a habit of showing up there a couple of times a month. But never for something like this.
*You see…* AppleBloom spoke. I was just in my room and the next thing I knew I was over the toilet throwing up. Then after that, I felt so much better.*
The doctor looked at AppleBloom and looked at his clipboard. *It shows here that your cycles started this year. Am I correct?* He asked.
AppleBloom just sat there and nodded.
The doctor stood up. *Ok AppleBloom I need you to lay down on the table. I need to run a quick test. And that should give me all the answers I need.*
AppleBloom did as the Doctor said, and laid down on the table. She watched as his horn lit up in a shower of colors. He slowly lowered it towards her belly. Her belly felt warm and tingly. It was a calming sensation. She watched as the horn went dim and then lit back up with a bright pink color.
The doctor backed away and then scribbled something on his clipboard.
*Well AppleBloom this may or may not be good news to you.* The doctor said while placing his hoof on her shoulder. *You're going to be a mother.*
AppleBlooms eyes began to water, and she quickly jumped off the table and ran out the door. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
*I am not ready to be a mother.* She said to herself, as she was blazing a trail back to the farm. Not seeing her friends who just got back in town and just tried to wave her down.
Sweetie Belle looked over at Scootaloo with concern. *Do you think AppleBloom was upset?*
Scootaloo hit herself in the face with a hoof. *No Sweetie Belle, she was training for the derby.* She said sarcastically.
*Why would she be doing that this late?* Sweetie Belle asked.
Scootaloo was just about to say something when she was interrupted by AppleJack, who was trying her best to catch her sister.
*Come on girls, I need your help.* AppleJack yelled as she came running past.
So Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo took off behind AppleJack trying to catch up to AppleBloom. Not yet knowing why she is so upset.
AppleBloom made her way to the farmhouse and shut herself in her room. The words you're going to be a mother kept echoing through her mind. She was not ready to accept the fact that she was going to be having a foal.
*I don’t even have my cutie mark yet, and I am going to be a mother.?* She thought to herself.
She was so upset and lost in thought that she didn’t hear her friends and her sister come running into the house.
The sound of running could be heard coming up the steps, and without even knocking Applejack and the girls made their way into AppleBloom’s room.
AppleJack approached AppleBlooms bedside and placed a hoof on her back.
*AppleBloom I know you are upset, and you probably don’t want to listen to me right now. But hear me out.* AppleJack Said as she let out a sigh.
*When Mom died, she made me promise to protect you, and to look after you no matter what. And dang it, that’s what I am going to do. You are not going to do this alone. I won't let you, and neither will your friends. Right Girls?* AppleJack said.
*Right!* The two said simultaneously.
*Wait, what are you agreeing to?* Scootaloo asked, feeling somewhat confused about the whole thing.
*Oh yeah. I kinda didn’t explain. Girls AppleBloom is……* AppleJack stopped with the feeling of AppleBloom touching her with her hoof.*
*I’ll tell them AppleJack.* AppleBloom said, looking at her friends. *It would only be right if I told them.*
AppleBloom studied the puzzled look on her friend's faces. She could only imagine what they were going to look like after she told them the news.
*Girls, I really don’t know how to tell you this, But I’m going to be a mother.*
The faces of the two girls show very different emotions. Sweetie Belle had a look of concern, and Scootaloo had a look of sheer rage.
Scootaloo’s hoof slammed to the floor. *I told Rumble to stay away from you. And now I can see he didn’t listen.* She said, as she ran out the door.
This left AppleBloom more confused than before.
*Is there something I should know about?* AppleBloom asked Sweetie Belle.
Sweetie Belle stood there for a second twirling her hoof on the floor.
*Sweetie Belle, what are you not telling me?*
*Before Rumble went away. We overheard him talking about wanting to ride you before he headed to flight school.* Sweetie Belle said.
*You heard him say What?* AppleBloom said, with her mouth hanging open. And AppleJack is looking ready to kill somepony.
*Scootaloo confronted Rumble about it and told him to stay away from you.* Sweetie Belle said, looking at the ground. *We thought that he got the point, but now we see that he didn’t.*
AppleBloom’s Attention went from worrying about her being pregnant, to her worrying about Rumble and more importantly Scootaloo. AppleBloom knew that Scootaloo had a short fuse. But it was still very unlike her to storm out of a room like that.
AppleBloom got up from the bed and whipped her face clean. At that moment she didn’t care about being pregnant. She just wanted to find her friend and be by her side.
*Come on Sweetie Belle, let's go and find Scootaloo for she does something dumb.* AppleBloom said, as she headed towards the door.
AppleJack Cut her off. *AppleBloom I think you should stay here. I think Scootaloo will be alright till the morning. Besides, you're pregnant and you need to rest.*
AppleBloom looked at her sister with a look that would send shivers down the toughest oh ponies. *You don’t know Scootaloo like I do. She may act tough, but she is actually very sensitive and right now she needs me more than ever.* AppleBloom slammed her hoof on the floor. *So you either move aside, or I'm going to buck you to the moon.*
AppleJack slowly moved to the side and allowed her sister and Sweetie Belle to pass. It was hard to admit. But at the moment, she was actually scared of her little sister.
AppleBloom and Sweetie Belle headed off to look for Scootaloo. They knew It would not be easy to find her. But they did know of a few of the places she liked to go to cool down. They started their search down by the river. This was her favorite spot to be.
Once they got there, they could tell that she had not even been by it. So they started searching every spot in town. And still came up with nothing. It was getting late and the only light they had now were the street lamps.
They stopped next to the town fountain to rest for a second. *Where do you think she is Sweetie?* AppleBloom asked.
SweetieBelle started to speak, and then a train whistle could be heard in the distance. Without thinking both of them darted off towards the train station. AppleBloom was growing very tired but still pushed herself to get to her friend.
They rounded the corner to the train platform, and there she was. Looking at the oncoming train. No bags packed, just a ticket hanging from her mouth.
*Scootaloo!!!* AppleBloom yelled as she ran onto the platform.
Scootaloo looked over at her. Her eyes were red from crying. *AppleBloom what are you doing here?* She said, as AppleBloom ran at her in full trot.
AppleBloom skidded to a halt in front of her. Then proceeded to rip the ticket out of her mouth. She looked at it, and it was a ticket to Manehatten.
*You're going after Rumble aren't you?* AppleBloom asked.
Scootaloo looked at the ground. *I told him to stay away from you, but he didn’t listen. I told him If he did anything to you. I would make him pay, and that is what I am going to do.*
AppleBloom was not having it, with her friend's attitude. She knew just how bull-headed she was when she set her mind to something. AppleBloom took a step forward and slapped Scootaloo across the face.
*You idiot, what the buck are you thinking.* Applebloom said grabbing onto Scootaloo. *I need you here. Forget about Rumble, He will get what is coming to him soon enough.*
*AppleBloom I.*
*No!* AppleBloom said, cutting her off. *I need you here. I need my best friend here with me.*
AppleBloom stood there sobbing into Scootaloo’s chest. Her sobs could be heard through the station. Sweetie Belle just stood back and watched. She really didn’t know what to do in this situation. She had never been good with confrontation and was not willing to start trying to be now.
The train pulled into the Station with a screech. Steam shot out from the engine. The conductor stepped off the train and called out. *Last train to Manhatten.*
Scootaloo looked up at the conductor, then looked back down at AppleBloom still sobbing into her chest. She knew there was no way AppleBloom was going to let her leave. Scootaloo wrapped her front legs around her and held her tight.
*Ok you win, I won’t go after Rumble.* Scootaloo said, stroking AppleBloom’s mane.
The conductor looked at the two young ponies with a bit of confusion, before getting back on the train and moving on towards his next stop.
Sweetie Belle walked up to the two. *You know girls, it’s getting kind of late. I think we should be getting home before our folks start to worry about us.*
AppleBloom released her hold on Scootaloo and looked up at the clock. It was nearly 9:30. It was a bit later than she was used to staying out. And she had to admit, she was getting rather tired.
*Alright. Come on girls let's get home.* AppleBloom said, as she started towards the end of the platform.
The three of them chatted for a bit as they walked through the quiet town. None of them wanted to leave the other. It had been a long day after all, plus they still had so much to talk about. So they each agreed to meet up at SugarCube Corner for lunch the next day, to finish catching up.
Soon they split and headed back to their homes. AppleBloom used this time alone to gather her thoughts and try to make a plan on how she was going to deal with the pregnancy. By the time she got home, she had come up with no solutions.
*Well I guess I'm just going to make like a pegasus and wing it.* She said to herself, as she approached her front door.
Upon entering the house. She noticed it was quiet, even more, quiet than normal. She really didn’t want to question it and headed up the stairs to her room.
She opened the door and saw AppleJack sitting there, staring out her window. This was not the AppleJack she was used to seeing. Her mane was down, and her hat was sitting by her side. She could smell a hint of hard cider, so she knew that she had been drinking a bit.
*AppleJack I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I was just so worried about Scootaloo, I couldn’t think about anything else.* AppleBloom said, as she approached her sister.
AppleJack turned towards her. The cool night air blowing through the window causing her blonde mane to dance.
*It's ok Sugar Cube.* Applejack said, giving a warm smile. *When you said that it helped me realize that you are not a little filly anymore. You have grown into a fine young mare, and no matter what I am proud of you.*
A tear could be seen slipping down AppleJacks face as she came towards AppleBloom and embraced her in a hug.
*I Love You AppleBloom*
*I Love you too AppleJack*