Growth Spurts

Chapter Two: The Devil Went Down to Ponyville

The monster grinned at the teenage filly, chin propped up in its hands. “Praying to Celestia, are we? You know, if you’re going to implore the near-omnipotent and pseudo-immortal for help, you might want to ask for someone a little bit closer to home.”

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!” Apple Bloom screamed again, flailing backward into the water before bobbing back to the surface, staring at the rock she had just been leaning against. Sitting on it now instead was some sort of hideous creature that looked as though it had been stitched together piecemeal one chunk at a time; like the old Apple family quilt, except instead of each square being sewn by a different member of the family, it was as if each individual part of his body had come from a different animal. One lizard leg and one goat leg; his arms a lion’s paw and an eagle’s claw; one bat wing and one Pegasus wing; the tail of a dragon but the head of a pony; even his horns didn’t match. There was surely no other creature in all of Equestria like it.

And still Apple Bloom recognized him.

“Discord?!” she gasped, scrambling backward in the water until she reached the shore and jumped back up on dry land. “W-w-what are you doing here?! Are you tryin’ ta wreck up Ponyville again?! ‘C-cause I’ll tell mah sister on you!”

The creature rolled his eyes. “Oh, really now, tattling, at your age? I was under the impression you were a little more mature than that these days. Unless I misheard that little plea of yours for ‘Boys boys boys,’” he added, mockingly batting his eyelashes at the filly.

Apple Bloom flushed all over again. “Y-y’all were listenin’ to me?!”

“My dear sweet child, it was almost impossible not to listen to you. I could hear you crying for vengeance from a mile away. By the way, you simply must introduce me to this ‘Diamond Tiara’ character you’re so bent out of shape about, she sounds like quite the delightfully wicked little trollop.”

Apple Bloom’s blush migrated from embarrassment to shame. “Y-ya mean… ya heard me screamin’ ‘bout that?”

Discord gave her a pleasant, disarming smile. “Don’t worry, little pony, I’m sure very few ears actually heard you. Truth be told I suppose I only heard you because I happened to be nearby.”

Apple Bloom frowned warily. “Whaddaya mean ya just ‘happened’ ta be nearby?”

“That’s my business. Kids are so nosy sometimes…” Discord scoffed, a look of mock-offense on his face. “I was having a pleasant conversation over a late lunch with my dear friend Fluttershy, if you must know.”

“…Fluttershy? Since when’re y’all friends with Fluttershy?”

Discord spread his mismatched arms wide and smiled. “You haven’t heard? Why I’ve turned over a new leaf! Thrown my hat in with the side of goodness and righteousness! Heavens above, what are ponies teaching their children these days if not the reformation of national criminals? You know, I was just having this conversation with Luna, and she had the exact same sort of reception when she--”

“Yeah, Ah heard about yer ‘reforming’ from mah sister,” Apple Bloom interrupted him, “an’ she told me yer not ta be trusted anyway! …An’ quit callin’ me a ‘child!’”

“Oh, young lady, that hurts. That hurts me right here,” Discord said, a convincing tear in his eye as he reached into his chest (more like through it) and drew out a beating heart that inexplicably had a large dagger sticking through it.

“Ewww!” Apple Bloom recoiled from him. “That’s disgustin’!”

Discord sighed dramatically. “Some ponies have no sense of humor.” A second later he tossed the heart up into the air, tilted his head back and opened his mouth wide, caught the heart in his jaws and swallowed it whole with a lick of his lips. “Alright then, miss--?”

“Apple Bloom.”

“‘Apple’ Bloom, of course. How original. Alright, little miss Apple Bloom, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll stop calling you a child, and you give me the benefit of the doubt for a few minutes. Sound fair? I did come by to help you, after all.”

“…Help me?” Apple Bloom echoed, and hesitantly took a step toward him. “You’re here ta… help me?”

“That’s right.”

“…Why?”

“My dear, sweet Apple Bloom, it’s what I live for, to help unfortunate ponyfolk like yourself. Poor souls, with no one else to turn to.”

Apple Bloom gave him the best skeptical frown she could muster. “Uh-huh.”

“What? I’m serious. I said I would start doing good… most of the time… and I meant it. And it just so happened Fluttershy and I heard your angry screaming, and she decided it was the perfect opportunity for me to help a pony in need.”

“…Ah still don’t know…”

Discord shrugged, lounging back on the rock and stretching. “Mmmhh, well, you don’t have to accept my help, of course… it’s not as though I’m a near-omnipotent demigod capable of chaotic and reality-defying magic the likes of which nopony in Equestria can compare to or anything. Case in point, care for a drink?”

A tall glass appeared out of nowhere in Discord’s more dexterous eagle-claw hand, and with a quick flick of his wrist he swept the glass through the stream, which for a split second had turned from a beautiful blue to a rather dirty brown. A second later it was back to normal and his arm stretched out impossibly far to hold the glass out right under Apple Bloom’s nose. It was now filled to the brim with the dirty brown liquid, complete with ice and a little paper parasol, and after a moment of bewildered staring she suddenly realized the glass was filled with Moon Tea.

“How did you--?”

“I promise it’s not drugged or anything,” Discord assured her with a grin. “Well, no more so than the fact that it technically is a drug. Ponies go to some rather creative lengths to medicate themselves through such a natural biological function, it’s rather amusing. Still, I can’t argue with its effectiveness. And I hear it works quite well as a contraceptive, too, in which case if you’re that interested in boys, you might want to drink up.”

Apple Bloom felt a deep blush creep into her cheeks, but there were far too many penises lingering in the corners of her thoughts to argue about it, and so with just a hint of reluctance she took the glass and drank it down. It was ice cold, which always had a tendency to make the concoction feel more effective, but this glass felt especially so, cooling the fire in her belly more than usual and doing so within moments. “Mmmhh… thanks…” she murmured.

“Extra strength,” Discord added, smiling as he wiped the glass out of existence. “You looked like you needed it. See, I can be nice.”

“That still don’t explain how ya did that in the first place, though…”

“Explaining it would probably break your fragile little pony mind. Suffice it to say chaos magic is wonderfully versatile. I’m certain we could find some way to use all that power to help your little problem.”

Again Apple Bloom hesitated. “…Yeah, well, that sounds real swell an’ all, but unless y’all can make colts appear outta thin air or make estrus hormones go away, Ah don’t think Ah’m interested…”

“Ahh, of course, of course, what else could it be? Can’t quite scratch that insatiable itch when mares outnumber stallions three to one, I take it?”

“Ah guess ya could put it like that, yeah…” Apple Bloom agreed with a blush.

“Yes, an odd little quirk of pony biology, I’m afraid. Just not enough males to go around sometimes.” Discord grinned and floated off the rock in the stream, landing on solid ground in front of Apple Bloom and giving her a little bow. “Well, fret no longer, my dear, today is your lucky day. It just so happens that there is a little something I can do about your colt problem.”

“…Really?”

“Certainly. I’ve managed to pick up a thing or two about the male species, what with being one and all.”

It was hard to think of it as possible, let alone relevant, but Apple Bloom had to agree that yes, Discord seemed for all intents and purposes to be male, whatever that had to do with anyth--

Oh, ewww.

“If yer suggestin’ yerself, y’all can forget it!” Apple Bloom spat out with a shudder. “Ah don’t got no interest in goin’ out with a… a whatever ya are!”

“Oh please, don’t flatter yourself,” Discord dismissed her objection with a wave of a paw. “I’m thousands of years old, I haven’t the slightest interest in dating children.”

“Ah thought we agreed ya wouldn’t call me--!”

“A child, yes, and only if you gave me the benefit of the doubt. I promise I have no desire to chase anypony’s tail. Now can we dispense with the childish accusations and discuss this like adults?”

“…Fine,” Apple Bloom agreed after a brief pause. “Then how are ya proposin’ ta help?”

“It’s quite simple. You want a new boy in your class. I can make it happen.”

“…How?”

“What did I say about trying to explain chaos magic?” Discord reminded her, pacing a slow circle around her now.

“Well, yeah, but… Ah don’t want some… made-up ghost pony or somethin’ that ya just poofed in outta nowhere… it’s gotta be a real pony.”

Discord held a hand up in a solemn swear. “I promise, no creating ponies out of thin air. When you walk into school tomorrow I promise you there will be a real, flesh and blood new colt there.”

“…An’ substitute teachers don’t count.”

“No substitute teachers.”

“…Or guest speakers.”

“Or guest speakers.”

“He’s gotta actually be part o’ the class.”

“A vital member.”

“…An’ nopony with a girlfriend already. He’s gotta be available.”

Discord smirked down at her. “Would you like it to be true love at first sight, as well?”

Apple Bloom couldn’t help blushing. “…Is… is that actually somethin’ you can do?”

“Puh, influence ponies to love each other? Who do I look like, Princess Cadenza?”

“Um… yeah, actually.”

The tri-colored wig on Discord’s head vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “Well, despite what appearances would suggest, I’m afraid that’s outside my realm of influence.”

“Oh… well, that’s okay,” Apple Bloom admitted. “Ah mean, Ah don’t wanna be greedy or anythin’. If there was a new boy in class, everypony else should have a fair chance at him…”

“Ah, how very noble of you. I’m sure your little friends will appreciate the opportunity.”

“…An’ what about, ya know… estrus? Can ya fix that too?”

“I promise, estrus will be the last thing on your mind.”

Apple Bloom’s frown grew more pronounced. “Yer bein’ awful vague about all this… what’s the catch? There’s gotta be a catch.”

“Oh really, must you be so suspicious? I’m here to help, remember?”

Apple Bloom stared him down intensely, searching his face and her mind as hard as she could for where a trap might be hidden, but she simply couldn’t see one. Still, perhaps it was better to be safe than sorry… Discord might have been reformed, but her sister had warned her he was still not to be so easily trusted, and she’d already been burned once today by being too trusting. She had no desire to be burned again.

But then where did that leave her? Still alone. Still in heat, which was getting gradually worse. Still with slipping grades. Still looking forward to a completely miserable summer of ice packs and nasty tea. The very thought made Apple Bloom shudder; nothing about that sounded appealing. Discord was offering her a chance at something better, and he wasn’t even asking for anything in return. Could she really say no to a chance like that?

Discord, meanwhile, nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and moved away from Apple Bloom again. “Well, that’s alright. If you don’t want my help, no one is forcing you to take it. I suppose I’ll take my leave then, I really must get back to my own plans for the day. I’m a busy demigod, you know, and--”

“Wait.”

Discord paused, and turned back to Apple Bloom with a broad grin. “Yeeeeeeeessssssss?”

Apple Bloom blushed and hesitated for long moment. “…You promise you can do all that stuff you said?”

“Without a doubt.”

Another pause. “…Alright,” she finally agreed, blushing. “If… if ya can really do all that stuff, then… then Ah’d really… appreciate it.”

“Excellent.” Discord smiled wider than ever, shaking her hoof and patting her head. “You won’t regret it, my dear.”

“Ah better not,” Apple Bloom warned as she swiftly shook him off, “or yer gonna be hearin’ from mah sister an’ her friends.”

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head, Apple Bloom. If at any time you’re unsatisfied with my help, just say the word and I promise I’ll put everything back to normal. Now you run home and get some sleep. And by the time you wake up tomorrow, you won’t have to worry about estrus anymore, and there will be a new little colt in your class when you arrive at school. Toodles!”

Discord gave the filly one last little wave, and then vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Apple Bloom to her thoughts once again.

Truthfully Apple Bloom still wasn’t quite sure she’d made a good decision. No matter how well-reformed he might have been, trusting Discord just didn’t sound entirely smart. But he had made a promise to help her, another promise to put everything back to normal if it didn’t work out, and she had her sister’s group of friends, the Elements of Harmony, to hold him to his word. And if it meant she could meet a nice new boy… if it meant her summer wouldn’t be quite so miserable… it sounded like a dream come true.

She sincerely hoped it was worth the risk.

With a nervous breath and a hopeful prayer, Apple Bloom finally picked her saddlebag back up off the ground, and scampered toward home.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Applejack had initially demanded to know why she’d come home late and dripping wet, and Apple Bloom debated on whether to tell her exactly what had happened, but ultimately decided against it; she didn’t want to incur her sister’s wrath over associating with Discord unless it became absolutely necessary. Instead she settled for a partial truth, informing her sister that she’d felt momentarily overwhelmed by estrus hormones and taken a dip in the stream to cool herself off. Being her first active heat, Applejack swiftly took pity on her and withdrew any anger or punishment, though she wasn’t excused from her usual chores around the farm. But that was fine by Apple Bloom. Chores gave her something to focus on other than her deal with Discord, or the ache in her hindquarters that… actually wasn’t so bad anymore. The extra-strength Moon Tea really did seem to be working. Or perhaps Discord was already spinning his inexplicable magic, and the unbearable urges were slowly draining out of her. That would certainly be encouraging.

In what felt like no time at all her chores were finished, dinner was served and eaten, her homework was done (after some struggle and effort to piece together the lesson she was supposed to have listened to that day), and Apple Bloom was crawling into bed for the night with a heavy yawn. The day’s excitement had really worn her out, and the sooner she got to sleep, the sooner she could wake up and meet the new boy in class. She hoped he was cute… maybe a tough, strong Earth Pony like her who knew the value of family and his own four hooves and a hard day’s work, and wasn’t afraid to get down and dirty in all the best ways. Or perhaps he might be a cool, adventurous Pegasus that would take her flying and turn every date into a heart-pounding thrill-ride and then make out with her atop a big fluffy cloud, cuddling her nice and close so she wouldn’t fall. Maybe he would be a dark and mysterious bad boy Bat Pony, who didn’t get along with authority and her family didn’t approve of at all but was still incredibly dreamy and with a heart of gold deep down inside. Or maybe even a classy, romantic Unicorn, a noble gentlecolt straight out of a fairy tale that knew just how to make her heart swoon and brought her flowers every day just to show her how much he loved her.

A broad grin filled Apple Bloom’s face as she crawled under the covers and swiftly drifted off to sleep. She knew the odds of Discord being that generous were probably slim, but still…

It was nice to dream.

And a moment later, dreaming was just what she was doing.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

“Apple Bloom, consarnit, wake up already, ya slept in long enough.”

Apple Bloom groaned and stirred slowly out of a heavy slumber at the sound of her sister pounding on her door, murmuring sluggishly. “Ah’m up, Ah’m up…”

“Well ya don’t sound up, ya sound half asleep with a frog in yer throat. Now come on, if ya don’t get up in the next five minutes ya won’t have time fer any breakfast!”

She heard Applejack’s hooves march away from the door, and then things returned to blissful, peaceful quiet. She very nearly fell asleep again anyway, but by some miracle she managed to hold on to consciousness. Actually getting up was proving a little harder though, and it was several minutes of lazy struggling before she could even get her legs under her. Her limbs felt sore, and oddly heavy, and she had a bit of a headache. Her hind end felt funny too, though she couldn’t quite place exactly how or why. It certainly wasn’t the usual pulsing heat of estrus, though, which made her sigh in relief. Finally, just one morning where she didn’t wake up uncomfortably warm and with slightly sticky thighs--

Apple Bloom shot fully awake in an instant, her eyes wide.

Her estrus. It was gone.

It was gone!

It wasn’t held down or chilled or medicated or anything, it was just straight-up gone!

Apple Bloom nearly jumped for joy as she sat up and stretched. She felt wonderful. Finally that annoying, throbbing ache in her crotch was no more, and she could think clearly, truly clearly, for the first time all week. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time her mind had felt so clear and calm at all. She felt stronger too, even. Empowered, almost. Like she could buck down a whole tree of apples in a single kick. Had she had a growth spurt while she slept? Her muscles were feeling a little sore, and her room did seem a tiny bit smaller now than it had last night…

BAM BAM BAM!

“Apple Bloom, this isn’t funny, yer gonna be late fer school!” Applejack shouted from the other side of the door, sounding decidedly annoyed this time. “Get yer flank outta bed, right now! If Ah hafta come in there an’ drag ya out m’self yer gonna be in big trouble, missy!”

Apple Bloom gasped and whipped around to face her bedside clock, reality swiftly swooping back down. She’d forgotten to set her alarm, which explained her sister’s angry thumping on the door, and now it was already well past sunrise; school would be starting in less than fifteen minutes.

Oh gosh, school! Apple Bloom realized. If her estrus was gone, then that meant Discord had really kept his word, and that meant… that meant there would be a new colt in class today! And she was on the verge of missing it!

Apple Bloom dove out of bed to grab her saddlebags and throw them over her back. She blindly grabbed a comb and ran it through her mane a few times, not even taking the time to tie her usual bow into it before jamming the comb in the saddlebags without so much as a glance in the mirror to make sure it looked okay. A second later she threw the door to her room open just as Applejack started banging on it again, and sprinted out in a blur.

“Gah!” Applejack yelped, leaping out of the way just in time to avoid getting trampled by a red and yellow blur. “What the hay--?!”

“Sorry sis no time to talk gotta get to school big day today!” she shouted back over her shoulder, grunting and coughing to clear whatever gunk was in her throat to make her voice sound so funny. Her brother and grandmother were given a similarly swift greeting as she tore past them, and she just barely took the time to shove an apple in her mouth before she galloped out the door and across the farm at full speed. If she hurried, she might make it just as the bell was ringing…

She crossed the farm and through town in record time – maybe she really did have a growth spurt the previous night, even her strides seemed longer – but unfortunately she was still a bit late. She could hear the school bells ringing just as she rounded the last corner. Hopefully Cheerilee would excuse her, she would only be a minute or two late…

Apple Bloom slowed as she approached the front door of the schoolhouse, panting and gasping for breath after her lengthy sprint, and as she grew near, she heard Cheerilee’s voice wafting through the open window.

“Everypony, settle down, I have a very important announcement to make before we start!” she was saying in her happy, singsong tone. “We have a new student joining our class today, and he’ll hopefully be with us for years to come!”

Apple Bloom gasped in delight and grinned ear to ear. A new student! And it was a ‘he!’ Discord had been telling the truth! There really was a new boy in class!

Brimming with excitement, Apple Bloom tugged the handle and threw the door open, her eyes flying immediately to the front of the class, where Cheerilee stood side by side with…

“I want you all to give a nice, warm welcome to mister Spike the dragon! Go on Spike, say hello!”

“Hey everypony! I’m really excited to finally be here with you all! I can’t wait to--”

“Spike?!” Apple Bloom burst out indignantly. “That’s the new boy in class?!”

Every head in the room whipped around and stared at Apple Bloom in stunned silence, but Apple Bloom was too angry to notice right away. Of all the cheap, lousy, low-down dirty tricks! She already knew Spike was going to be joining her class! He’d told her so himself! It was already going to happen! That so didn’t count! Discord didn’t even actually have to do anything! He cheated!

Well, sort of. He did still make her estrus go away. Apple Bloom had to admit that was probably the more important thing. Without that nagging in her backside, having a boyfriend didn’t seem so cripplingly necessary. But still! Discord had totally weaseled out of the other half of his promise!

Not that she had anything against Spike, of course… cheating or not, she was glad to have him in class with her now. He’d been a good friend lately, and she did like him well enough, even if his eyes were probably elsewhere, and--…

…and actually his eyes were fixed directly on her, staring at her for some reason.

Everypony was, in fact.

Oh, right. She’d interrupted Spike’s introduction. Whoops.

“Ah-heh…” Apple Bloom chuckled nervously. “S-sorry everypony, Ah… Ah was just… surprised ta see Spike here, that’s all…”

Apple Bloom forced a cough. Sweet Celestia, what was wrong with her voice? She cleared her throat a few times, trying to break up whatever gunk was back there, but her sinuses seemed clear. And yet she still sounded like she had a frog in her throat that was dropping her voice at least a full octave.

She swiftly forgot about that, though, when she refocused her attention again on the class and found that everypony was still staring at her without making a sound, and so intently that it was starting to creep her out. Even Cheerilee herself had been shocked into wide-eyed silence.

“…What?” Apple Bloom said into the silence, awkwardly running a hoof over her head. “Is it the mane? Ah don’t look that weird without the bow do Ah? Ah was just in a hurry…”

Nothing. No response at all.

“…What? …Is it ‘cause Ah was late? … Is it mah voice? ‘Cause Ah… Ah don’t know why… why it’s…”

Apple Bloom trailed off and looked around at everyone, from the teacher to her best friends and all the way back around again, eyes pleading for an explanation. But no one moved. No one spoke. Everyone just sat (or stood) and stared, on top of a number of other very strange reactions. Diamond Tiara’s jaw was hanging open so far Apple Bloom could see her tonsils. Silver Spoon was blushing beet red. So was Sweetie Belle, for that matter. Spike looked utterly thunderstruck and a little weirded out. And both Scootaloo’s and Rumble’s wings had snapped open to full extension and refused to move an inch.

“…What?! What’s everypony starin’ at?!”

And then, finally, someone answered.

“…Apple Bloom?” Spike hesitantly spoke up. “Is… is that you?”

“A’course it’s me, who else would Ah be?!” she demanded.

“But… but you… you’re… you’re a…”

“…I’m a… what?”

“You’re… a boy!”

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “I’m a what? That’s ridiculous, why would I suddenly be a--?”

Apple Bloom froze mid-sentence and joined the rest of the class in wide-eyed silence as her eyes fell upon a small vanity mirror on Diamond Tiara’s desk, where an oddly familiar colt she’d never seen before was looking right back at her. A colt with thick, muscular legs and a firm, squared jaw… as well as a soft yellow coat, a shoulder-length mop of messy red mane, and orange eyes.

“What the…?”

Apple Bloom grabbed the mirror from Diamond Tiara, who for once didn’t fight her in the slightest, and pulled it over for a closer look. The colt in the mirror followed her motion the whole way, and when she stood and stared front and center at the mirror, the colt stood and stared straight back.

“…Ah… Ah don’t… Ah’m…”

Slowly, shakily, Apple Bloom looked down at her own body.

Her ever so slightly thicker, taller, blockier, and undeniably colt body.

“…AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!”