Orphans

by Autum Breeze

Rating: teen
Tags: Pinkie Pie, Mr. Cake, Tragedy, Main 6, Cake Twins, Mrs. Cake, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Sad, Romance, Drama
Length: 14663

After a horibble accident on a train to Canterlot claims their parents lives, Pinkie becomes the guardian of the Cake twins.

With BronyDash465's permission, this is a rewrite of their original Orphans fic

Due to an engine malfunction on a train bound for Canterlot, Mr. and Mrs. Cake's children are put in the care of the one pony they trust above all others.

Now having to raise Pound and Pumpkin herself, Pinkie struggles with her emotions throughout their lives.

But if there's one thing she will not fail in honor of the ponies who took her in when she was a filly, that entrusted their children to her, it's that she will make sure the twins' grow up happy, for life is a party and nopony should be unhappy at a party

Published 2014-03-22 15:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-04 04:39:09 UTC

Chapter 1 - New Responsibility

Orphans

Chapter 1

New Responsibility

_____________________________________________________________________

Mr. Cake helped his wife finish sealing the wrapping that was protecting the five-layer chocolate-strawberry swirl cake, with night-blue frosting and sliver edible baubles that were in different star patterns all along the cake that they had spent four hours carefully crafting to perfection.

The cake was to be served at a party being hosted by Princess Luna. She had even invited the bakers to stay for the party as a thank you for putting so much time and effort into creating the cosmic confectionary concoction, even booking them a first class carriage on the train to Canterlot.

Once it was wrapped up tight, his wife helped him carry and load it into the wagon outside that they were using to transport the royal dessert.

After the cake was securely fastened into the wagon, they went back into their home/business and went into the living room, where Pinkie Pie was playing Pinkie’s peek-a-boo, which involved the twins putting their hooves over their eyes, then trying to find where Pinkie had disappeared to within the room when they removed them.

They clapped and laughed as Pinkie burst out from within a small bottle on the shelf above the fireplace shouting, “Here I am!”

Mr. Cake cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the pink pony as his children.

“Well, Pinkie, we’d better be heading off,” he said, removing his hat and apron, as did his wife. “We should be back at around nine tomorrow morning. Are you sure you don’t need anything before we leave?”

“Noooo problem, Mr. Cake!” Pinkie exclaimed loudly, waving a hoof, a huge grin on her face. “I’ll hold the fort while you’re gone. Wait. You don’t have a fort. I’ll hold the bakery til you’re back. Though, how would I hold it. I'm no where near strong enough for that. Maybe I could get Big Mac to help, since he was pulling Berry Punch’s house last Hearts and Hooves Day—”

“That’s okay, Pinkie dear,” Mrs. Cake cut her off, a slightly nervous smile on her face after hearing Pinkie suggesting that she literally hold the bakery with Big Macintosh’s help. “Just have a fun night looking after the twins.”

“You betcha, Mrs. Cake!” Pinkie’s smile extended beyond the lines of her face. “We’re gonna have the funnest night ever, right guys?”

The two foals laughed, clapping their hooves excitedly.

“You two just have loads of fun and Luna’s party and enjoy that amazing cake you made,” Pinkie smiled, then got her cute Pinkie Pout. “Wish I could have some.”

Mr. Cake chuckled. “Maybe, if there’s any left, we’ll bring it home with us,” he said, making Pinkie’s pout return to her overly enthusiastic smile.

“Okay,” she chirped. “Pinkie Promise?”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” both Cakes said, going through the motions of their apprentice’s own funny promise, making the twins giggle at how silly their parents look.

With that, they went outside, Mr. Cake hooked himself onto the wagon and they headed off towards the train station, the sound of Pinkie calling “Say hi to Twilight for me” following then, making them chuckle.

_____________________________________________________________________

Cup Cake fidgeted in her seat as the train rattled down the track, heading for Canterlot.

Her husband sighed, shaking his head. “Stop worrying, honey-bun. We’ve left Pinkie to foalsit before and thing’s have always turned out okay.” He paused. “Well, aside from that time she tried to bake caramel-apple soufflé with ketchup and white chocolate chips and hot sauce, without realizing she’d put baking soda into it inside of the chocolate.”

The married couple shared a giggle as they remembered the sight of Pinkie standing in a fluffy field of caramel and ketchup pastry when they’d returned home.

“I guess,” Cup Cake sighed, forcing herself to stop fidgeting. “I just can’t help worrying, though. I know we can trust Pinkie— I trust her with my life, but I still worry that she’ll do something wrong. Does that make me a bad pony?”

Carrot Cake wrapped a foreleg around her shoulder, grinning. “If you weren’t our foals’ mother, I’d say yes.”

She nudged him in the ribs, smiling at the “oomf” she got in response. “Cheeky.”

_____________________________________________________________________

The train engineer wiped the sweat from his brow and gave a huge sigh.

Just another half hour, he thought to himself. Another half hour and my shift end and I can go to sleep. Celestia, I haven’t wanted to sleep this badly since I was a colt.

He noticed an annoying squeaking sound.

Her frowned, picking a wrench up in his mouth and banged on the furnace a few times.

The noise stopped.

This train really needs fixing up, he thought, shaking his head. By Celestia, when I get to the station, I’m gonna tell the manager this thing needs tuning up before she heads out again.

The squeaking sound returned.

His frown deepening, he picked the wrench he’d just put down up again and banged several times on the furnace, expecting the previous reaction that always happened.

The noise instead grew louder and the dials moved into the red.

Realizing what was about to happen, he ran out of the front and bolted into the passenger carriage screaming, “EVERYPONY, GET OFF THE TR—”

He was cut off as the engine exploded, fire enveloping him in front of all presently in the carriage.

As the torrent of flames surged towards them, both Cakes looked at each other and said, “I love you,” before being surrounded by the flames themselves.

Their last thought was a shared one.

Pinkie, take good care of the kids.

_____________________________________________________________________

Pinkie Pie looked worriedly at the clock on the wall.

It said it was already 11:30 the next day and the Cakes were still not back yet.

She’d put the twins down for their morning nap a few minutes ago and now had nothing to do but wait for the Cakes return.
She shook her head, chuckling.

They were probably running late because they’d had so much fun at the party they’d slept in and had to catch a late train back.

Any second now they’d come through the front door, embarrassed about something they’d done at the party they’d always say she wasn’t quite ready to hear.

At that moment a knock sounded on the door.

For a second, Pinkie wondered why the Cakes would knock, asking permission to enter their own home, when she realized it was somepony else.

She got up, walked to the door and opened it.

Derpy Hooves was standing there, holding out an envelope in her left forehoof.

“Morning, Derpy,” Pinkie cheered, then frowned. “Wait. I thought you didn’t have any shifts today.”

The grey mare shook her head. “I don’t. But I found this lying outside the front door. It’s addressed to you.”

Pinkie’s eyes sparkled. “Oooh, is it that new recipe book I ordered for Japaneighse pastries? I’ve been waiting soooooooooooo long for that. I placed the order, like, five moons ago.”

Derpy shook her head. “I don’t think it’s your recipe book,” the wall-eyed mare chuckled. “Anyway, bye, Pinkie. I have to hurry and pick up Dinky. She slept over at Sweetie Belle’s last night.”

With that, the grey mare trotted off and Pinkie closed the door, her eyes on the envelope in her hoof.

She opened it and noticed there were wet circles on the parchment, as if whoever had been writing this had been crying.

She started reading.

Pinkie,

I wish I didn’t have to write this. Sweet Celestia, how I wish I didn’t have to write this, but you need to know—

Pinkie paused. She didn’t like the sound of this. Why had whoever wrote this wished they didn’t have to?

She kept reading.

—last night, a train heading for Canterlot suffered a severe engine failure and the train exploded.

Several bodies were recovered from the wreckage and I was called to identify two of the bodies.

I was horrified, thinking it might have been you or one of the others and almost refused to go.

But when I was told it was dire the identities of the two bodies were confirmed for the sake of two foals, I went.

Here it became harder to read because of all the tear-marks on the paper, but Pinkie could still read the words as clearly as if they were being spoken to her.

I went and identified the bodies. Pinkie, they were Mr. and Mrs. Cake.

Until further notice, the most likely indefinitely, you have been placed in charge of the care of Pound and Pumpkin Cake as you were the closet to the Cakes and their most trusted friend.

I am so, so sorry this happened, Pinkie, and will try to get back to Ponyville as soon as possible.

Twilight.

Pinkie’s hair had deflated when she read Mr. and Mrs. Cake's names.

She just stared at the letter for several minutes, as if by staring, it could somehow tell her what she’d read wasn’t true and Mr. and Mrs. Cake would come through the front door, telling Pinkie everything was fine.

But it didn’t. Nothing happened.

She sat there for Celestia knows how long, still as a statue, the only sound the ticking of the clock.

Eventually, Pinkie started sobbing.

It started small, then built its way up to a degree that her whole body was shaking, tears streaming down her muzzle and spilling onto the floor, quickly making two small puddles.

They were gone. The two most important ponies in her life, who’d been in her life as far back as she could remember since she left her family rock farm and come to Ponyville, they were gone.

She’d never see their smiling faces again.

She didn’t know how long she sat there, crying like she never had before, when she heard the sound of wails coming from the twins’ room.

She gasped. How could she possibly explain this to the twins? how could she tell them that their mother and father were gone?

She slumped. How could she do it? Her whole world had been ripped out from underneath her. She wasn’t in any state to comfort two foals.

No, Pinkie, she said to herself, shaking her head, her expression firming. You need to be strong now. You’re all those little angels have left. You can’t let yourself full into the dumpie-wumpies when they need you.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, then tried to make her hair look as poofy as it normally was, so the twins wouldn’t think something was wrong.

Once she was certain she looked more like her usually self, she walked upstairs to the twins’ room, put a huge smile on her face and walked in saying, “Hey, guys! What’s goin’ on?”

The small unicorn and Pegasus both stopped crying and smiled, cooing as they saw their favourite pink pony.

She walked over to their crib and they both made motions indicating that they wanted hugs.

Pinkie wrapped her hooves around Pound and Pumpkin, pulling them into a tight embrace.

Don’t worry, my little ponies, she promised in her head. I’ll look after you and do everything I can to make your lives super duper happy.

Both foals put their hooves gently to her face and she gasped as she realized she’d started crying again.

The twins gave her curious looks, not understanding why Pinkie was crying when she was smiling.

She held them a little bit tighter, unable to stop her tears, no matter how hard she tried.

Author's Note

As it says in the description, this is my own version of BronyDash465's Orphans fic. most of it will be very similar, including, as many who read the original will notice, this first chapter, but with more detail and longer length.

i actually had to merge chapters 1 and 2 together, since fimfiction wouldn't let me submit it unless it was 1000 or more words

i do not take credit for BronyDash465's idea, just the stuff in this fic that will be that weren't in theirs.

please read, comment and enjoy

Chapter 2 - The Funeral

Chapter 2

The Funeral

_____________________________________________________________________

A knock came from the door.

Pinkie looked up, sighed, stood on her hooves and walked towards the door.

She started to open the door, when Twilight rushed in, going passed Pinkie without even realizing it.

“Pinkie, I’m so sorry I’m late—” the alicorn stopped, looking around in confusion. “Pinkie? Pinkie, are you here?”

“Behind you.”

Twilight turned and the relief on her face, turned to great worry.

Pinkie glared at Twilight, her mane flat. “Three days, Twilight. Three days.”

“Pinkie, I’m sorry,” Twilight began, taking a step forward. “As a princess, I had to remain in Canterlot so the populace knew I wasn’t just shrugging the accident off heartlessly—”

“The others all came!” Pinkie snapped, tears brimming in her eyes. “They all came as soon as they heard. I needed you, but you weren’t here.”

“Pinkie,” Twilight looked like she was going to cry, but was holding back thanks to all her princess training.

“I needed you, Twilight,” Pinkie growled and sobbed at the same time. “You’re the only one I have left now that— that—”

Pinkie broke down, her sobbing racking her body.

The alicorn hurried over and pulled her marefriend into a comforting hug.

Pinkie accepted the embrace and started wailing like a new born foal, though making sure to not be so loud as to wake the twins, her whole body shaking as she pooled all the emotions she’d had to hide from everypony over the last three days, especially the twins.

After a while, Pinkie’s wailing, turned to sobs, that slowly descended into sniffles.

“I’m sorry this happened, Pinkie,” Twilight murmured quietly, stroking the distressed pink pony’s mane with a hoof. “I wish I could do something more than comfort you. I... I'm a princess, for Celestia’s sake and I can’t even do anything to help the mare most important to me.”

Pinkie sniffled, her head resting against Twilight’s chest.

“Its okay, Twiley,” she whispered, hiccuping. “Sorry I shouted at you. I just... this is so hard.”

“I know,” Twilight nodded as she held Pinkie.

“It hurts so much,” Pinkie’s choked as new tears started falling, soaking Twilight’s fur even further.

“I know, Pinkie,” Twilight murmured, sniffling herself. “I know.”

They remained that way for a few more minutes.

Pinkie was ashamed of herself. She was the one who always made other ponies happy, even when they were at their saddest, but this time she was the one who needed to be comforted.

Eventually, Pinkie looked up at Twilight with puffy eyes. “So, why’d it take you so long to get back?”

Twilight sighed sadly. “I’ve been doing what I can to arrange the funeral.”

Pinkie flinched. If the twins didn’t realize what was happening now, why their parents weren’t back yet, they’d surely understand when she took them to the funeral.

She couldn’t not take them. She knew Mr. and Mrs. Cake wouldn’t have wanted that. They’d have wanted to say one last goodbye to their children, before parting to the afterlife.

“Will you... stay with me?” Pinkie asked, her voice as quiet as Fluttershy’s. “I... I don’t wanna be alone tonight.”

Twilight answered by tightening her hold on Pinkie. “Sure, Pinkie. Anything for you.”

_____________________________________________________________________

The bright day was a horrible contrast to the feeling of the ponies gathered in the town square.

All of Ponyville had turned up and were seated in fold-out chairs that stretched to the end of the square and even went a little further.

Everypony was dressed in black and black banners with both Cakes’ cutie marks were hung all around the square.

A low, sad horn sounded and everypony turned to the isle. Four stallions, including Big Macintosh were carrying a large wooden coffin, big enough for two down the aisle, with a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Cake on their wedding night, smiling, the world at their feet.

Pinkie was in front of them, walking solemnly, her mane flat and a single black balloon tied to her tail.

Standing on the recently constructed platform in front of them, were all the princesses and prince Shining Armour, all with solemn faces.

The four stallions lowered the casket and went to their respective seats.

Pinkie stood by the coffin, looking at anything but.

Celestia walked up to the front of the platform and cleared her throat. “My little ponies, today we say farewell to two ponies who did nothing but bring happiness to those around them. Carrot and Cup Cake loved each other as much as anypony could expect. Their love for their children and those they knew, even more so. In losing them, we have lost two ponies who, had fate been kinder to them, would have lived happily til old age and passed naturally...”

Pinkie didn’t hear the rest of Celestia’s speech. Her eyes were on the two foals now in her care, currently sitting on Applejack’s lap.

Both had perplexed looks, which she guessed she understood.

It would be a long time before they fully understood.

After Celestia had finished her speech, the other members of the Royal Family gave their own speeches. Now, it was her turn.

Pinkie slowly trotted to the front of the platform and looked out at the residents of Ponyville, none having every seen the pink party pony sad before.

She sighed and began. “Mr. and Mrs. Cake were like my second mom and dad. They took me in when I had nowhere else to go and treated me like a member of their family. If anypony ever told me they had a problem with something the Cakes had made, I refused to believe them until I saw or tasted the problem myself, knowing they never made a mistake.”

Tears slid down her muzzle, but she wiped them away and continued.

“The idea that they’re gone... is still too hard for me to believe. It pains me to know that now, every day I wake up in the morning, I won’t see their smiling faces. I’ll never hear their laughter.”

She took a deep breath, and looked firmly out at the crowd. “But I will continue running Sugarcube Corner in their name. It was their heart and soul and they worked their whole lives to create it and make it a family business. I won’t let that dream die out. It will live on, through me, Pumpkin and Pound Cake. We will keep their dream alive for them. That is a Pinkie Promise.”

She made the gestures, though no pony thought it funny this time, for they knew how serious this was.

Once done, Pinkie turned, walked over to the coffin and placed a hoof on it.

“I’ll keep this promise til the day I die,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll raise them to be the bestest ponies you’ve ever seen.”

With that, she moved away.

Celestia’s horn ignited and the coffin caught fire. When the flames faded, there was a small silver urn in its place.

Luna levitated it over to Pinkie who took it with a nod.

With that, it was over. Everypony started filing out, none speaking.

Her friends came over and all embraced the pink mare as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“We’re here for you, Pinkie,” they all said.

Pinkie sniffled. “Thanks, girls.”

"Pinkie!"

Pinkie Pie looked down at the two foals by her hooves. They were smiling at her, the way foals always do.

She picked them up and held them close.

"Don't worry, you two," she sniffled as they hugged her in return, though they couldn't know how much better that made her feel. "We'll get through this. I'll make sure you have fun everyday and are always happy."

It's what they would've wanted, she looked up at the sky and could easily imainge the two smiling down at them. I won't let you down... Carrot... Cup. I'll do my best.

Author's Note

here's chapter two.

i know it's sad, but the sad and tradgey tag should've warned you.

i do fear it seems a bit rushed. i don't have too much longer on this computer, so i had to write quickly. i was gonna make this chapter a bit longer and more detailed, maybe having Twilight's speech written and Celestia's speech was gonna go on for longer, but i think it still has the right affect even without.

also, yes, this is a fic with twipie. i felt it was right for this one.

anyway, i will see to when i can get chapter 3 out, but i can't make any promises of when. with my luck i wont even be able to use the iPad to READ any fics, let alone write more chapters.

now, with that all said and done please read, comment and enjoy

Chapter 3 - An Unwanted Role

Chapter 3

An Unwanted Role

_____________________________________________________________________

Pinkie sighed as she stood at the kitchen counter, preparing Pound and Pumpkin’s formula.

It had been a week since the funeral. She was learning to fill her new role as sole owner of Sugarcube Corner and the twins guardian. The Cakes had made her their goddessmother, so she’d ended up being given custody of them.

When the will had been read, it stated that very fact and that Sugarcube Corner and everything the Cakes own now belonged to Pinkie and the twins.

Pinkie finished recapping the bottles, balanced them on her back and made to head upstairs.

She could probably handle everything that had happened... if only one thing wasn’t happening now.

The twins kept asking where their parents were. Not completely, but by asking “Mommy?” and “Daddy?”

It hurt so much whenever Pinkie had to say, “They’ve just gone away for a while. Don’t worry. You’ll see them again.”

It hurt because while this was the truth, what it implied went against everything the pink party pony stood for. It meant talking about when the twins eventually died themselves, when their time comes.

Pinkie sobbed, her tears running down her muzzle and pooling little puddle on the floor by her hooves.

“Oh, Pinkie Pie,” a voice said from nowhere, sounding sad. “I’ve never seen you like this. You’re so unlike you and that never happens... well, unless you count the time I made your whole personality change, but then that was kinda a oneshot thing, wasn’t it?”

With a loud popping sound, Discord appeared, lying on the Cake’s living room couch, where he stretched out.

“What do you want, Discord?” Pinkie said, not even looking at him.

“Oh,” Discord sounded shocked. “My goodness. If our dear Pinkie Pie isn’t even going to smile at my appearance then this is serious.”

Another popping sound and he was standing in front of her. He bent down to her eye-level.

“I normally like seeing ponies miserable, but, for some reason, seeing you like this doesn’t seem right,” he stood up and put her claw to his chin, scratching his goatee. “Pinkie, I know this might sound strange, but I am willing to help you. What is making you so sad... aside from, well, you know?” He got a little uncomfortable and looked away, scratching behind his head.

Pinkie simply looked down, her tears still falling. “I just wish they’d stop asking me where their mommy and daddy went,” she choked, her body shaking from her sobs. “I don’t want to tell them. Not now. They need to be older to understand— And I don’t want you making them older!” she said sharply as Discord’s clawed fingers were about to snap.

The draconequus groaned and lowered her claw. “Well, what do you want me to do, alter their memories so they won’t ask til say... five years from now?” he was looking annoyed at how his offer of help was being dragged out so much.

Pinkie sniffed, having gone back to crying and looked up at Discord. “You... You could do that?”

Discord smiled again. “Why indeed, my dear Pinkie Pie. Just say the word and I’ll alter their memories so that they won’t ask you about their parents anymore.”

“It... it won’t hurt them, will it?” Pinkie was worried what altering the memories of foals could do to their health and she'd Pinkie Promised to look after those two.

The draconequus looked offended. “Why Pinkie Pie. I cannot believe you would ever think I’d harm a hair on those...” he made a bleah sound, “cute little heads of theirs. I promise the memory altering won’t harm them. It will only ensure they no longer ask you where they’re parents have gone.”

“Plus, a little alteration to their feeding habits for the next month or so to help you bond with them, but you’ll learn about that, soon enough,” he muttered so Pinkie didn’t hear him.

“Pinkie Promise?” Pinkie eyed him wearily, not having heard his last remark.

Discord groaned. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” he said, each thing actually happening to him as he said it.

Pinkie eyed him for a few more seconds before she sighed. “Okay,” she said quietly.

“Just remember,” Discord said, clicking his fingers and disappearing, “you’ll have to bond with them.”

As the last and, rather strange choice of his words echoed after his disappearance, Pinkie slowly made her way upstairs to the twins’ bedroom.

As she moved down the hall, she noticed her body felt a bit... weird. She couldn’t answer what it was, probably one of Discord’s jokes and dismissed it from her mind.

When she went in the twins’ room, they both smiled at her, holding out their hooves expectantly.

For the first time in many days, Pinkie gave a real smile. It was small, but it was real.

She gave them their bottles and turned to make her bed, which she’d left unmade ever since she’d... gotten the letter. In her hast to turn, she hadn’t noticed the confused expressions the twins wore when they took the bottles, before putting them in their mouths.

She’d started sleeping in the twins’ room so she could be with them should they need anything at night.

As she smoothed out her blanket, she heard the sound of spitting-up.

Pinkie whirled around to Pound and Pumpkin giving her “icky” faces, their bottles still three quarters full, the other quarter now on the floor with a few things from last night mixed with them.

Pinkie hurried over, panicking. Were they sick?

She checked both their foreheads. "No, no fever."

"Maybe a diaper change? Nope." Sniff of the air showed no sign of that.

Pinkie couldn’t understand what was happening. Why had the twins not liked their formula? They’d always liked it, even before they’d lost their—

“Mommy?”

Pinkie froze, her eyes diluting. Pound and Pumpkin were looking directly at her, holding out their hooves to say they wanted her to take them out of the crib and hold them.

“Mommy!” they said together, their reaching out becoming more insistent.

“No,” Pinkie whispered, taking a step back, her mane deflating. “No, he... he didn’t.”

Discord’s words rang through her mind.

“I’ll alter their memories so that they won’t ask you about their parents anymore.”

She slumped to her haunches.

He’d kept his promise alright. He’d made it so the twins wouldn’t ask where their parents were...

“Because they think I’m their mommy,” Pinkie whispered, then broke out into quiet sobs, her hooves over her eyes.

“Mommy?” the concerned tone of the two voices made her look up. The twins were looking at her with worried faces, wondering why their “mother” was crying.

After a few minutes of them staring at her and her staring at them, Pinkie got up, walked back to crib and helped the two of them out.

She carried them to her bed and gently lay them down on it, getting up herself and sitting there, watching the two.

“But... if you won’t eat your formula...” she whispered, seeming off in another world, “how can I feed you?”

Both twins looked at each other, giving a raised eyebrow, then crawled down towards Pinkie’s lower area and started nudging her, as if asking her to roll over.

Pinkie turned, puzzled as to what they were doing as she rolled onto her side, but gasped when they clamped their mouths onto her teats, which she now realized were bigger than they had been beforehoof, and started suckling.

She gasped again as she felt milk moving from her teats.

She’d been lactating? When? How? She hadn’t had a foal. When did she start—?

Her eyes widened. The strange feeling. That was her body lactating. Discoed had made her body start producing milk for foals.

But why? The twins could eat solid foods, so why had he—?

His last words echoed in her mind.

“Just remember, you’ll have to bond with them.”

And he was right. As the twins drank their milk, Pinkie felt like a mother feeding her foals.

“But—” she sobbed in her mind. “But I’m not their mommy. This is what Mrs. Cake would do.”

She sobbed for real, burying her face in her hooves.

After a few minutes, she felt two pairs of small hooves touching the guard around her face.

She lowered it and saw the twins looking at her with sad expressions.

They came closer and hugged her tightly. “Mommy.”

Pinkie sobbed and closed her eyes as she held them tightly.

“Y... Yeah... my little cakes,” she managed through her tears. “Mommy... Mommy’s got you—” she choked and went back to sobbing, for more reasons now.

Though she knew the twins were instinctively just trying to make their “mommy” happy again, she couldn’t begin to tell them what help the gesture really did.

P-please, she thought, her mind on the Cakes as they would no doubt be looking down on them from the other world. I-I... I didn’t mean for this. I’m sorry I made them forget.

Suddenly a warmth seemed to encompass Pinkie. A warmth much like the hug the Cakes had given her when she’d first arrived.

She could almost swear it was a hug and that somepony, Mrs. Cake, if she was right, whispered into her ear, It’s alright, Pinkie. We just want you to take care of them. If this is how it has to happen, we understand.

You can tell them when they’re older, Mr. Cake’s voice seemed to say.

The twins weren’t reacting, only enjoying the warmth they thought was coming from Pinkie.

The warmth around Pinkie faded and she gave another sob.

“Thank you.”

Author's Note

here's chapter 3.

so, yeah, that happened. i was honestly not going to to have pinkie nursing them, but last night as i slept i got a feeling that told me i should have her nurse them and that it will help the story more.

in terms of making the twins think she's their mommy, i suppose it does.

the next chapter will either be another while the twins are still foals or later, when their older. don't know yet, nor when it'll be out.

til then, as always, please read, comment and enjoy

Chapter 4 - Support

Chapter 4

Support

_____________________________________________________________________

“Do you know why we called you here, Pinkie?” Twilight asked as she, Pinkie, Applejack and Apple Bloom stood in the centre of the library.

Pinkie didn’t meet their eyes, just looked to the two sleeping foals in the foal carrier she was wearing.

Their smiles were so innocent as they slept, she couldn’t help giving the teeny tiniest of smiles.

It had been almost a week since Discord had done what he did, leaving Pinkie the unexpected mother of the two foals left in her care.

Twilight had asked her the previous evening to meet at the library after breakfast to discuss some important matters.

When Pinkie had arrived with the twins, she was surprised to see Applejack and Apple Bloom were their too. All had worried faces.

“We’re all worried ’bout ya’ll, Pinkie,” Applejack said, stepping forward and placing a hoof on the Pinkie pony’s shoulder. “Ya’ll ’ve been working so hard at the bakery and lookin’ after Pound ’n’ Pumpkin, but ya’ll don’t seem happy anymore.”

Pinkie looked turned from the foals and looked startled at Applejack.

“Wh-whaddaya mean?” she asked, looking away. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just super duper.”

“Lamb sakes, girl!” Applejack said, her voice rising. “Don’t lie ta me! Don’t lie ta yerself. Ya ain’t been good since this all started and ya keep try’na blame it all on yerself!”

Pinkie stared at Applejack, her eyes moistening.

The farm pony blinked, calmed down and pulled Pinkie into a hug. “We’re fam’ly, remember? Ya don’t gotta take this on yer own. Yer an Apple and we always look out for each other. If ya need help at Sugarcube Corner, Big Mac an’ ah can take a few days off and come help ya.”

“Me too,” Apple Bloom said, the little filly sounding more grown up than ever before. “Me, Scoots and Sweetie can come ’n’ help, if’n ya ever need it.”

“Ya don’t need ta do this on yer own,” Applejack said firmly. “Ya know that, dontcha, Pinkie?”

Pinkie shook as Applejack held her.

“But this is my fault,” she whispered, tears leaking down her cheeks into the farm pony’s fur.

“No, it ain’t,” Applejack pushed Pinkie, but still held her. “Ya’ll never asked for the Cakes to die. It ain’t yer fault the train workers didn’a fix tha’ dang engine sooner. That ain’t and never will be yer fault, sugar cube, and don’t ya’ll ever tell yerself any different.”

Pinkie hung her head. “That’s not what I mean.”

The other ponies and the dragon that had just walked into the room upon hearing the raised voices all raised an eyebrow.

“What do ya mean?” Apple Bloom asked, cocking her head.

“I know the train wasn’t my fault,” Pinkie sat down, tears sliding down her face. “But this is.”

Apple Bloom kept her head cocked. “What is?”

Pinkie sniffed, then turned to the twins and nuzzled them.

They stirred, stretched and yawned, then opened their eyes to see Pinkie.

“Mommy!” they both cheered, waving their hooves in the air happily.

The others all stared at Pinkie, who turned to look back at them, her mane, fully deflated once more.

“Why... did they just call ya’ll “mommy”?” Applejack asked, shaking her head.

Pinkie started sobbing. “I-I... I asked D-Dis-c-cord to make them st-stop a-a-asking m-m-me wh-where their p-parents went. He- he made them think... I’m their mommy.”

They all stared, wide-eyed.

“I-I couldn’t bear to hear them ask me that,” the quivering mare continued. “I-I didn’t kn-know this is wh-what he’d do. N-not only that, he... he made it so I ha-have t-to f-feed them.”

Apple Bloom frowned. “Weren’t ya’ll already doin’ that? How he make ya feed ’em formula when yer already doin’ it?”
“Not formula,” Pinkie whispered, shutting her eyes.

Twilight’s eyes grew even wider than before, comprehension dawning on her. “You mean... he made it so you have to... breast-feed them?”

A nod was the only answer.

Applejack stomped her hoof. “Dang Nabit! I don’ care if he’s reformed’r not, that just ain’t right!”

A small whining turned their attention to the foals in the carrier. They were looking expectantly at Pinkie.

“Okay,” she said, a weak smile appearing on her face.

She lifted the two out of the carrier, then fished around for their bottles.

She winced. “I... must’ve left them back home.”

She sighed, pulling a blanket out instead and lay down on the floor.

The twins went straight to her teats and she put the blanket over them, giving them privacy as they began to suckle.
The others all just watched, unable to look away.

“Does... does it hurt?” Apple Bloom asked hesitantly.

Pinkie sighed. “Not outside, AB.”

“But, inside?” Twilight asked, stepping forward.

Pinkie closed her eyes as new tears started making their way out. “It hurts so much! This isn’t what I should do. I’m not their mother.”

Twilight lay down and nuzzled her marefriend. “In some ways yes... in others, no.”

Pinkie looked at her special somepony, her eyes showing her not understanding.

Twilight sighed. “Pinkie, I know this isn’t how you wanted this. Heck, none of us wanted it this way. But this is how it is. We can’t change that. And whether we like it or not, you are their mother now. Not by choice, but you are. That’s how they see you and to make them think otherwise would be breaking the Pinkie Promise you made to the Cakes.”

She reached a hoof out and began to stroke Pinkie’s mane.

“I know that’s not what you want. You want to keep that promise, even if it kills you.”

Pinkie broke down into sobs as Twilight gently nuzzled her marefriend.

“I know you can do this, Pinkie,” she said after a few minutes. “I have faith in the mare I love. Nothing will ever change that. We’ll help you through this.”

“All of us,” Applejack said, coming over, Apple Bloom and Spike right behind.

“We’re all here for you,” Twilight whispered.

Pinkie sniffled. “Thank you, girls... Spike.”

The baby dragon nodded. Though he was glad Pinkie had remembered they weren’t all girls here, he hadn’t wanted to point it out and was glad he didn’t have to.

_____________________________________________________________________

“Four apple tarts, five blueberry muffins and three chocolate shakes, that correct, sir?” Twilight asked, jotting down Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoons’s orders.

He nodded. “Thank you, your highness.”

Twilight shook her head. “When I’m on the job, I’m just Twilight, Mr. Rich.”

Before he could say further she went into the kitchen to fetch his order, knowing several dozen tarts and muffins had been finished mere moments before Filthy Rich had arrived.

Two days had passed since the scene in the library.

Twilight was now helping Pinkie run Sugarcube Corner with the help of AJ and sometimes Big Macintosh. Even Granny Smith helped sometimes, working at the cash register.

While sometimes being a few apples short of a bushel, as Applejack put it, when it came to business, Granny was like a well-oiled machine. in one day they'd made as many bits as it would normally have taken Pinkie and the Cakes to make in a week.

Apple Bloom and the other CMC members were also doing their part, by looking after the twins while the adults all worked.

At first they’d done it in the hopes they’d get their Cutie Marks in baby care, but no luck there.

Now they were doing it because they wanted to help Pinkie, even if it cut into their crusading time.

Their others friends helped too, from time to time.

Rainbow was soon put as the one to serve the orders. Taking them and baking weren’t really her strong point, the latter causing an explosion of cake batter in the bakery the last time she tried.

Rarity and Fluttershy wanted to help, and sometimes did, but while their own jobs took too much of their time, they still made plenty to help their pink pony friend.

As the day came to an end, the Apples said their goodbyes and left, as did the CMC and Rainbow.

Twilight remained behind, helping Pinkie finish cleaning and closing up the shop.

Once finished, they sat down in the living room, Pinkie leaning on Twilight’s shoulder while the twins played with their toys on the floor.

“Thanks, Twily,” Pinkie whispered, giving a small smile.

“Sure, Pinkie,” Twilight wrapped a wing around her marefriend and sighed. “Think we should postpone things for a while? I know this is a bit much to take.”

Pinkie nodded, a sad smile on her face as she looked at the twins. “Maybe when they’re older. Right now, I thinks it’s best not to confuse them.”

The alicorn leaned down and kissed the earth pony’s mane.

“That’s okay, Pinkie. I can wait.”

Author's Note

well, here's chapter 4.

honestly didn't think I'd get this out today, but, hey, life's full of surprises.

now, some might find this a little bit of an odd chapter, especially with the last part of it, but there in meaning to it, a flow for the rest of the story.

one thing none will miss i hope is the obvious fact that this is set after Pinkie Apple Pie, hence when AJ calls her an Apple. this IS however, also set before For Whom The Sweetie Belle Tolls. i noticed Pinkie wasn't in that episode (though Mr. and Mrs. Cake were) so i thought I'd work from that angle.

the next chapter will be set years later, when Pound and Pumpkin are a little younger than the CMC currently are. it will aslo be set after a point in season 4 yet to happen, but that we all know will (provided the makers of the show aren't screwing with us).

anyway, please read, comment and enjoy

Chapter 5 - Suspicions

Chapter 5

Suspicions
_____________________________________________________________________

“Dinner was delicious, Pinkie,” Twilight said as she stood and helped Pinkie clear the plates, balancing them on the pink mare’s wings.

“Yeah, it was great!” Pumpkin exclaimed, her smile wide as her muzzle would allow.

“You’re the best cook ever!” Pound said, shoving a hoof in the air.

Pinkie chuckled. “Okay, you two. Now, before we have dessert, did you both finish your homework?”

Both foals looked away, putting on an innocent act.

Pinkie gave a playful frown. “If you don’t finish your homework, no Caramel Chocolate Tacos for dessert.”

Their eyes went wide with horror and they leaped from the table, running up the stairs.

“Aren't you forgetting something?” Pinkie called out playfully.

Both foals ran half way back down the stairs and smiled sheepishly.

“Thanks for coming to dinner today, Princess Twilight,” they said.

Twilight smiled. "Kids, we're all royalty here. No need for titles."

They both blushed, then turned to Pinkie, trying to divert attention away from their slip-up. “Dinner was great. Thanks, Mommy.”

They hurried back upstairs, not noticing the sadden looked that crossed Pinkie’s face.

“Pinkie?” Twilight asked, hugging the alicorn’s shoulder.

Pinkie buried her face into Twilight’s chest. “It still hurts, Twi. Every time they call me “mommy” it breaks my heart, but also makes me so happy. Does that make me a horrible pony?”

Twilight pulled Pinkie into a full hug. “No, Pinkie. It makes you a wonderful pony.”

Pinkie sniffled and looked up at the Princess of Friendship.

“You’ve made them happy. That was the promise you made. And you don’t need to let your heart break. The Cakes told you they didn’t mind as long as you raise the twins to be happy, didn’t they?”

Pinkie sniffed, burying herself again.

It had been five years since she’d become Pound and Pumpkin’s “mother”.

_____________________________________________________________________

While the twins had still been infants, Twilight had gathered the girls in the library, saying she’d been sensing some extremely powerful magic.

This only intensified to the point where all six of them had sensed it. Then, the items they’d all been careful to cherish without fully knowing why had glowed with a rainbow light and they’d all found themselves in front of the Tree of Harmony, Spike and the twins nowhere to be seen.

All their items had turned into keys, one for each hole in the box that had grown out of the tree when they’d returned the Elements to it.

When they put the keys into the holes and turned, it had bloomed into a beautiful flower the likes of which none of them had ever since.

They’d all felt a surge of power and there’d been a blinding flash of light.

When it faded, every one of them had become alicorns.

When the princesses had arrived shortly after, bringing Spike and the twins with them, to Pinkie's relief, Celestia explained that the Tree of Harmony had taken their giving up the Elements so it could live as a sign they had been deemed worthy and deserved to be alicorns.

She then explained each of the lessons they had each learned that earned them their key had been a test from the tree to prove it was right and that they were all worthy.

Now that the keys had been used, they were all alicorns, each a princess of the Element they beared.

Along with that, Twilight's libarry turned into the Friedship Castle, a throne for each princess, along with a small one by Twilight's for Spike and two by Pinkie's for the twins.

_____________________________________________________________________

Later that evening, Pinkie tucked the twins into bed.

They were sharing a room... their parents’ room, which Twilight had helped Pinkie make ready for them two years ago.

“Goodnight, Mommy,” Pumpkin said, smiling sleepily up at Pinkie.

Pinkie gave a small smile back. “Goodnight, my little princess,” she said, leaning down and kissing Pumpkin on the forehead.

When Pinkie turned to Pound Cake’s bed, he folded his hooves, hovering above his bed.

“I don’ wanna sleep,” he said firmly.

Pinkie flew up to him, her horn glowing with a blue aura. “do I have to use a sleeping spell again, my Poundy?”

Pound winced, both at the nickname and the idea of making his mother angry enough that she’d do that... again.

With a sigh of defeat, he lowered down onto his bed and got in.

Pinkie smiled and kissed him on the forehead, to which he made a gagging expression, which only served to make Pinkie and his sister giggle.

“Goodnight, my little prince,” Pinkie said, walking out the door, closing it behind her.

Once he was sure the sound of their mother’s hoofsteps were gone, Pound pushed the covers of his bed, snuck to the door and slowly opened it, with the intention of sneaking downstairs and getting a few treats from the fridge.

But as he opened the door, he saw a pink mane waiting for him, the wings of the body attached to said mane keeping it airborne.

“Ahem,” Pinkie cleared her throat, a knowing smirk on her face.

Grumbling, Pound closed the door and walked back to his bed, ignoring his sister’s giggles.

Even though she was Ponyville’s party pony, sometimes his mother could be such a party pooper.

_____________________________________________________________________

Pinkie sat in the living room, a photo album open in her hooves.

She looked over all the times she’d had with the twins.

The first time they’d gone to Canterlot, her and girls’ group coronation, their coronation since the twins' mother was a princess.

She put a hoof to her cheek, wiping away the tear that had tried to slide down her cheek.

“You still haven’t told them?”

Pinkie looked up as Twilight walked in, came over to the couch and sat next to her, wrapping a wing around her special mare.

“I haven’t found the right time,” she whispered, then looked to Twilight. “Just when’s the best time to tell your children that you’re not their real mommy?”

Twilight shook her head and pulled the Princess of Laughter closer. “You are their real mother, Pinkie. You’re not their birth mother, but you are their real mother. All those happy times wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t.”

Pinkie nuzzled into Twilight, giving a low sigh.

“Thanks, Twi. I needed that.”

Twilight kissed Pinkie’s mane. “That’s what a marefriend’s for, right?”

Pinkie was quiet for a bit, before she next spoke.

“Do you want to still do it?”

Twilight nodded. “I’ve just been waiting til you’re ready. I couldn’t really say I love you if I can’t be patient, can I?”

Pinkie gave a tiny giggle. “I guess not. Maybe in a few months?”

Twilight smiled. "I think I can't wait a few more months."

She closed her eyes and sighed.

Carrot, she thought, a small tear leaking from her eye, Cup, did I make you proud?

A warm breeze blew through the living room, brushing against Pinkie, though both she and Twilight knew there were no open windows or doors for the wind to have come through.

_____________________________________________________________________

“Well, well, if it ain’t the Royal Cakes?”

Pound and Pumpkin turned and glared at the tanned Earth Pony colt with green eyes, a black mane and a golden nugget as his Cutie Mark.

Behind him stood several other fillies and colts. Some were sneering, others looked nervous.

It was recess at school and Miss Cheerliee was inside, so she couldn’t see this happening, which the twins knew was his plan all along.

Both twins rolled their eyes.

“Hi, Gold Mine,” Pound deadpanned. “What do you want?”

“Well, ain’t that int’r’stin’?” Gold Mine sneered. “The little prince’s askin’ me wha I wan’. If he really is a prince.”

Both narrowed their eyes at the bully.

Normally they took his insults. Being the cousin of Diamond Tiara from Manehattan, they’d known to expect this from him, after what their cousins Apple Bloom and Bab Seeds had told them about the arrogant filly.

But what he’d just said... that sounded like he was insulting their mother!

“Leave our mommy outta this,” Pumpkin said, her horn glowing with its blue aura.

“Unless you wanna learn what my Auntie Rainbow taught me,” Pound snarled, digging the ground with his hooves as if he was going to charge.

Gold simply looked to another of the ponies near him, a scared-looking unicorn with a pink coat, brown mane and tail and blue eyes and nodded.

She hesitantly tossed a large scroll at the twins, which hit the ground and rolled out.

It showed their mother’s family history.

They looked down it and frowned. They weren’t on there.

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” Pumpkin asked, picking up the scroll in her magic and frowning at the picture of her mother. It was from before she’d become an alicorn and was still an Earth Pony.

Gold sneered. “Ain’t yous two ever wondered why you’re not alicorns, like your mother?”

They really didn’t like how he said “mother” like that.

Before anything more could be said, the bell rang, signalling the end of recess.

As they walked back inside, Pumpkin levitated the scroll into her saddlebag.

This was an old scroll from before their mother was a princess, so it would make sense that she was an Earth Pony on it...

But the date. The scroll had been updated a good nine months after their birthday to include Pinkie as part of the Apple Family. So why weren’t they on it?

_____________________________________________________________________

“You all know why I called you here?” Twilight asked, looking at the other princesses as they stood in the throne room.

Sweetie Belle looked the littlest bit anxious.

Even after five years, she still wasn’t used to being the Princess of Inspiration and always felt out of place whenever her sister and the other princesses that lived in Ponyville had these Alicorn Princesses Only meetings.

The only reason Spike was allowed to stay was because he was taking notes Twilight would look over later.

“Pound ’n’ Pumpkin,” Applejack nodded. You had to give it to her, she was the Princess of Honesty, alright.

Twilight nodded, then looked to Pinkie, who flinched.

Twilight stepped toward her and wrapped a wing around her.

“I know it’s not easy, Pinkie, but you need to tell them the truth,” she said softly, though all in the library could hear. “They need to hear it from you before they find out on their own.”

Pinkie’s eyes widened in horror. “How?”

Twilight sighed and levitated over a scroll she’d written five years ago.

“This is the scroll I wrote everything you told me Discord said before he made the twins think you’re their mother,” she said, holding it out to Pinkie, who took it in her own blue magic and read it.

“Look at what he says after you told him not to make the twins older,” Twilight pointed a hoof at a particular line.

Pinkie read it out loud, her voice quivering as she did so.

“W-well, what do you want me to do, alter their memories so they won’t ask til say... f-five years from now?”

Silence rang throughout the library. Spike had even stopped writing notes.

“They’ll... they’ll ask soon... won’t they?” Sweetie asked, though not sure if she was allowed to speak.

Twilight nodded to the youngest princess. “Pinkie,” she turned back to said pony, “you need to tell them. The sooner the better. It won’t be easy, but I know you’ll get through this.”

Pinkie let the scroll fall, her eyes brimming with tears. “How? How can you know?”

Twilight pulled her into a hug. “Because I know how much you love them.”

Author's Note

Chapter 5 is done!

wow, 2 chapters in 1 day. gotta say, i surpsied myself here.

So, what is it that twi's been waiting for Pinkie's okay for? Will Pound and Pumpkin learn the truth before Pinkie can tell them herself and how will this affect their feelings towards Pinkie?

You'll all have to wait until next time to find out.

PS Yes, i did make Sweetie Belle the Goddess of Inspiration, but her reason isn't the same as in This Side of Eternity... don't really know what that reason is yet, but i'll maybe mention it later. we'll see.

Chapter 6 - Inspired

Chapter 6

Inspired

_____________________________________________________________________

Sweetie Belle hovered above Sugarcube Corner.

It had been less than an hour since the meeting in the castle had ended.

She had been flying to meet with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and reminisce on the days they’d been the Cutie Mark Crusaders. These days the heads of that club were several fillies and a colt that reminded them of themselves at that age.

Sweetie Belle was proud the legacy of the CMC was still alive, even though four years had passed since the three of them had gotten their Cutie Marks. Even Babs Seed, Apple Bloom’s cousin had her Cutie Mark and was helping her Aunt Orange in a hair salon.

Sweetie had stopped over Sugarcube Corner however, upon hearing something she had heard before.

A sobbing. A sobbing only one pony in Ponyville could possible make.

Sweetie Belle flew down, landing outside the cafe/bakery. The closed sign was on the door, though it was normally open at this time of the day.

Using her magic, Sweetie Belle opened the door, using her magic to prevent the bell from signalling her arrival.

Closing the door, she headed into the living area of the bakery and saw Pinkie Pie sitting, her back to the young alicorn.

Her shoulders were rising and falling with the signs of uncontrollable crying.

“Pinkie?” the young princess asked hesitantly.

Pinkie only response was a slight stiffen before she went back to sobbing.

Sweetie Belle wanted to cry now too. She hated seeing Pinkie Pie upset and knew this must have something to do with the meeting. The timing was too close for it not to be.

The young alicorn walked up to the pink mare and gasped.

Pinkie’s eyes were big and puffy, tears stains strong on her cheeks. How long had she been crying, since she got back from the meeting?

She decided to ask before Pinkie became too consumed by her tears to answer.

“What’s wrong, Pinkie?” she put a hoof on the pink alicorn’s knee, a worried look plaguing her features.

“They’ll go before I do,” Pinkie whispered, her voice barely audible

Sweetie Belle blinked. “Who?”

Pinkie merely looked passed Sweetie Belle and sob again.

Sweetie turned her head, following the pink mare’s gaze to a picture of Pound and Pumpkin when they were three, both waving to the camera, huge smiles on their muzzles.

Sweetie Belle understood what Pinkie meant, but instead of being sympathetic, she became angry and rounded on the older mare, making said mare flinch.

“I know they’ll go, Pinkie! Don’t you think we all know that? We’re all in the same boat here!”

Pinkie stared, wide-eyed at the angry young mare standing in front of her.

“Does it matter?” Sweetie asked, and Pinkie blinked in confusion. “The fact that you’ll live beyond them has no point in this, Pinkie—” Sweetie’s eyes narrowed. “Is that why you haven’t told them yet?”

Pinkie flinched.

Sweetie Belle very did a good impression of Twilight under stress as her right-eye twitched with angry. “Are you serious?”

Pinkie looked down, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t want them hating me. I love them so much, Sweetie Belle. I couldn’t bear it if they hated me til the day they died. It would haunt me forever—”

“The fact that you would even think that makes me even angrier!” the white alicorn interrupted, startling the pink one. “It goes against everything you Pinkie Promised the Cakes! It goes against what you said the day I joined the princesses!”

Pinkie blinked, seeming not to understand.

Sweetie Belle’s lips pulled back in a snarl. “Are you telling me you’ve forgotten how I got my Cutie mark, why I became an alicorn?”

_____________________________________________________________________

4 years 11 months ago

Sweetie Belle was trudging through Ponyville, her head held low.

Another attempt to get her Cutie Mark and still nothing. Neither she, nor Apple Bloom and Scootaloo seemed any closer to getting their marks than when they’d first formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

She sighed, her mane covering her eyes. Maybe tomorrow at least one of us will get their mark.

As she passed Sugarcube Corner she heard something. Something she wasn’t used to hearing near the cafe/bakery. It sounded like... crying.

Sweetie Belle turned to the door and saw that it had the Closed sign on it.

The unicorn frowned. Sugarcube Corner never closed this early. The sun wasn’t even setting yet.

Curious, she walked up to the door and lightly pushed it open. The bell tingled, signalling her arrival.

The store was dark, the lights out, chair stacked on top of tables.

After the bell sounded, for a second the crying stopped, but then it continued as if nothing had happened.

Sweetie Belle moved towards the back of the store, the living side of it, where the sound seemed to be coming from.

She tiptoed into the living room, where the crying was the loudest. The lights were out, but she could still see pretty well.

What she saw made her gasped.

Pinkie Pie was lying on one of the couches, tears streaming down her face, her body shaking as it was racked with sobs.

Not sure what had happened, but not wanting to see one of her favourite ponies so upset, Sweetie Belle walked up to Pinkie.

The distraught Earth Pony hadn’t even noticed Sweetie Belle.

“Pinkie?”

The mare looked up, staring at the filly like she’d never seen her before.

Sweetie put a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder, who twitched in response.

“Pinkie, what’s wrong?” she asked, with all the innocence of a filly.

Pinkie sniffed, her lips quivering.

“I-I— I—” Pinkie pulled the small filly into a tight embrace, her sobs returning tenfold as she poured her emotions onto the small filly.

“I-I didn’t want to be th-their m-m-mommy!” she wailed into the white furred shoulder. “I-I know you’re all he-helping... b-but...”

Sweetie Belle returned the hug, wanting to comfort her distraught friend.

“It’s okay, Pinkie,” she said quietly, rubbing her back gentling, just like Rarity had done to her whenever she was upset. “You’ll be a great mother. I know it’s not what you wanted, but the twins are depended on you. You’re all they have left. You need to be strong, for them, if for nopony else.”

After a few minutes of them hugging, Sweetie Belle rubbing her back, Pinkie sniffled and pulled away, giving the small unicorn a tiny smile.

“Thank you, Sweetie Belle,” she said, her voice hoarse. “I’ll do my best.”

Sweetie Belle smiled back, glad she helped Pinkie remember why she’d agreed to care for the Cakes’ twins in the first place.

There was a sudden flash of white light.

It was so sudden and the room was so dark, it blinded both ponies and they rubbed their eyes, wondering what could have caused it.

When their eyesight returned, Pinkie was staring at Sweetie Belle. More precisely, something a little behind Sweetie Belle.

The white unicorn turned her head and her eyes widened. On her flank was a bright green heart where there was blank white fur mere seconds ago.

“I-is... is that my Cutie Mark?” she asked, her voice quivering with both joy and shock.

Before Pinkie could answer though, there was another flash of white light.

This time, however, when her eyesight returned, Sweetie Belle she was standing alone in a starry blue field that radiated magic everywhere. Pinkie was nowhere to be seen.

“What?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Where am I? Pinkie? Pinkie, is this a joke? It isn’t funny.”

Sweetie Belle trotted around in a circle, looking around. She called out a few more times, asking where she was, but the only thing she heard were echoes of her own voice. She sat down, glancing around at the starry ground.

What had just happened?

She was helping Pinkie feel better, she gets her Cutie Mark and now she was in this... wherever it was?

The sound of hooves echoing on tiles reached her ears, which perked and she looked around.

Something was walking towards her from within the endless void of starry blue void surrounding her.

Whatever it was, it was white and large.

Sweetie Belle blinked. Wait. That kinda looked like... Was that...?

The white image came into focus and Sweetie Belle’s jaw dropped.

“Princess Celestia?!” she gasped as the princess of the sun stood before her, a warm smile on her face.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle,” she said, her voice as gentle as a summer breeze. “It seems you proved yourself worthy.”

“Worthy?” the unicorn raised an eyebrow. “Worthy of what?”

Celestia’s smile somehow became warmer. “Welcome, Sweetie Belle, Goddess and Princess of Inspiration.”
“Huh?”

Before she could get her answer, there was another huge flash of light and Sweetie Belle was once again standing in front of Pinkie Pie, who’s eyes were even wider than before.

Sweetie Belle shook her head, trying to get the stars flashing out from her eyes.

“What... what just happened?” she asked, rubbing her head with a forehoof, then paused.

She’d brushed her horn and something felt... different. She moved her hoof higher and noticed her horn had become a little bit longer and a tiny bit pointier.

At that moment she felt something on her back. Something that hadn’t been there before.

She looked over her shoulder and her haw dropped while her pupils became no larger than pins.

On her back was pair of white feathered wings, tinged light-gray at their edges.

_____________________________________________________________________

The Princess of Inspiration glared at Pinkie, who cowered a little.

“Do you remember what I did after I realized I had become an alicorn?” Sweetie asked, her voice dripping with venom. “I ran, straight to Twilight’s, scared out of my mind! I know that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have lived far longer than the one thousand years that Luna was banished to the moon. And in that time, the one thousand years, everypony Luna cared for, her friends and family, save Celestia, they all died, Pinkie. When she returned, Celestia was the only pony left who could understand her.

“If not for Twilight, she might have never been happy and reached out to the rest of us. She’d have lived the rest of eternity, feeling all alone, possibly returning to being Nightmare Moon, if only so that Celestia would banish her to the moon for good!”

Pinkie Pie just stared, her face showing she had no idea what Sweetie Belle was getting at.

“You know why I was so upset about becoming an alicorn?” Sweetie Belle demanded, tears appearing in her eyes. “I knew that, being an alicorn, I’d out-live every non-alicorn. I knew I’d out-live my parents, my friends and even Rarity, before you all became alicorns too. I knew I’d be all alone and the only pony I’d be able to talk to was Twilight.

“She comforted me, telling me that even if it did come to that, she’d be my big sister and I’d have her forever. She’d be there for me, even when I was feeling like nopony understood me. She and Spike would look out for me.”

Sweetie Belle let her tears fall, causing Pinkie to gasp, her ears fall flat against her head.

“And now I find you, telling me you won’t tell them because you don’t want to risk losing the love they have for you? Are you telling me what I did that day, inspiring you to keep caring for them like your own foals, it was all for nothing? That I got my Cutie Mark and became the Alicorn of Inspiration for no reason? That I thought I'd have to watch my sister grow old and die and that I’ll still have to watch my best friends grow old and die while I live on for no reason at all?”

Sweetie Belle fell to her haunches and started sobbing, her hooves over her eyes.

_____________________________________________________________________

Pinkie Pie stared at the crying alicorn in front of her.

For a second, she didn’t know what to do, then her instincts kicked back in and she pulled the tiny alicorn into a big huge.

She let Sweetie Belle sob into her chest, holding her like a unicorn filly had done so long ago now.

Like back when Twilight had held her, she was ashamed of herself. Here she was feeling sorry for herself, when she hadn’t even considered how Sweetie Belle was feeling.

Sure, she’d noticed how Sweetie Belle had stayed at Twilight’s house for the first few days after she’d become an alicorn, but she’d never thought as to why. She just assumed she was having a week-long sleepover with Spike.

Not once had she thought that Sweetie Belle was afraid of her new life as an immortal.

After a couple minutes, Sweetie Belle calmed down, her sobs having falling into sniffles.

“You okay?” she asked quietly, looking down at the small alicorn.

Sweetie Belle looked up at her, a small smile on her face, a tiny chuckle escaping her lips. “Wasn’t it me who came to stop you feeling sad?”

Pinkie giggled, pulling her back into another hug. “Thank you, Sweetie. You really earned your Cutie Mark in Inspiration.”

Sweetie Belle just held onto her cousin, smiling into her pink fur.

Author's Note

here's chapter 6.

i know some might wonder why i wrote a chapter that centered around Sweetie Belle and her rise to alicornhood. well, that was because i knew someponies were wondering about it, so i decided I'd do it.

i hope it wasn't too much of a change in story perspective. it is leading to later on, when pinkie reveals the truth. she just needed an extra push and Sweetie Belle provided it.

I also thought it would be good to show Sweetie Belle knows what her being an alicorn means in the long run, so that in later chapters people wont question why her emotions go the way they do.

also, i don't know if her becoming an alicorn makes her twilight's cousin, and since pinkie's an alicorn now, hers too. i think it makes them sisters? Not sure.

anyway, I've prattled on long enough and will take me leave.

Please read, comment and enjoy.

Chapter 7 - Confusion

Chapter 7

Confusion

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“Mommy, we’re home!” the twins called as they came inside the living room.

They stopped when they saw their mother hugging their Auntie Sweetie Belle. Both of them looked like they’d been crying about something.

“Mommy?” Pumpkin asked, stepping closer and both alicorns turned to the small unicorn. “Is something wrong?”

Her mother gave a teary smile and shook her head. “No, my little Pumpkin. Everything’s okay now.”

“Okay,” Pumpkin said, looking unsure, but nodding all the same. “Is it okay if me an’ Pound go up stairs and play?”

Her mother nodded. “Sure, honey. Just don’t make too much noise okay?”

Both twins nodded and ran upstairs, not wanting to interrupt whatever the two alicorns had been talking about anything further.

Once upstairs, Pumpkin glanced behind her at her brother. “Is she looking?”

Pound hovered into the air, looking over the edge of the stairs, but staying out of sight to any from below.

He landed a second later, shaking his head. “They started hugging again. Wonder what that’s all about.”

“We’ll ask Mommy later,” Pumpkin said, walking up to a small cord that hung from the ceiling.

Her horn glowed with its blue aura and the cord followed suit, coming down, revealing a ladder that led up to the attic.

“Are you sure we should do this?” Pound asked, a little more nervous than the Pegasus normally would be, compared to his cool attitude that he’d gotten from their Auntie Rainbow Dash. “Mommy told as never to go up there. She must have had a reason.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of, Pound,” his sister replied, turning to look at him, pulling the old family tree scroll out of her saddlebag. “I’m scared Mommy’s hiding something from us. I don’t want to believe it, but this scroll was updated after everypony learned Mommy’s a member of the Apple family. But it’s set months after we were born and we’re not on it. Doesn’t that worry you?”

Pound blinked, then looked away. “Yeah. It scares me.”

Pumpkin nodded and started up the stairs. “Something’s going on, Pound. And I’ll bet it has something to do with why Mommy gets sad whenever we call her that.”

“Wait. She gets sad when we call her “Mommy”?” Pound asked, shocked as her followed his sister. “How’d you know that—? Whoa.”

Upon entering the attic, they’d entered a whole other world.

Things they’d seen their mother using when they were younger, like their baby things, their old toddler toys, their big foal strollers were scattered all around along with old looking things, mirrors, clothing from before their mother had been born and boxes. Lots and lots of brown boxes.

Pound looked to his sister. “Where do we start looking?”

She didn’t say anything, but lit up her horn.

A blue light moved over the boxes and stopped on one, which glowed blue, then was teleported right in front of them, the stack falling into place like a puzzle, as if nothing had just happened.

He glanced at her. "How...?"

"Locator spell," she shrugged. "Auntie Twilight taught it to me a few months ago. I just looked for something strong with Mommy's magical aura."

They opened the box and looked inside. There were photos and other assorted items tht didn’t seem to make sense.

“Hey,” Pound said, picking up a photo. “These are photos of Mr. and Mrs. Cake. The ponies that took Mommy in when she needed a home.”

Their mother had told them the story of how she’d arrived in Ponyville as a filly after leaving her family’s rock farm, intent on making a new start and embracing her special talent.

However, after throwing a few parties on her first day, night had fallen and she had nowhere to go.
It started raining and she’d hidden under a tree for cover.

As she hat sat there, curled into a ball for warm, she’d felt a shadow come over her, a hoof on her mane and looked up to see the face of a light-blue coated Earth Pony who took her in.

After that, their mother had stayed with the Earth Pony who introduced herself as Mrs. Cake and her husband, Mr. Cake. She became their apprentice and lived with them ever since.

But, months after he and her sister had been born, the Mr. and Mrs. Cake had died in a train accident.

Pound had always assumed that was why their mother looked sad sometimes and he’d seen her mane deflated as appose to its usual fluffiness.

But... why did their calling her “Mommy” makes her just as sad as when the Cakes died? It didn’t make sense to the small Pegasus colt.

“What in Celestia’s name...?”

He looked up from the box. His sister was holding a photo in her magic, her brow furrowed at what she was seeing.

“What is it, sis?” he asked, getting airborne and flying across to look over her shoulder.

What he saw made him raise an eyebrow in utter confusion.

It was a picture of Mrs. Cake, her husband, their mother and them.

Mrs. Cake was in a hospital bed, looking tired, her mane plastered to her head, her eyes tired.

Had she been in some kind of strenuous operation?

Expect, that wasn’t the confusing thing about the picture. No, what was confusing, was Pound knew that look.

A year ago, one of the fillies at school had brought a picture to show and tell. It was picture of her the day she was born. In the picture it had been her mother, her father and in her mother’s forelimbs was a small foal that look like said filly, wrapped in a pink blanket.

So... why, in this picture, did Mrs. Cake look like that filly’s mother had after giving birth to her... and why was she holding two foals in her hooves, one in a blue blanket, one in a pink one.

That foals... were a Pesgaus colt that looked like Pound and a unicorn foal that looked like Pumpkin.

Why did the foals look like them, and why was Mrs. Cake the one in the bed and not their mother?

They looked at each other, worry on both their faces.

What was going on?

_____________________________________________________________________

Pinkie stared at the photo of her little cakes on the mantel piece, a few tears in her eyes.

She sighed, turned to one of the shelves and her horn glowing with her blue aura.

A panel on the wall glowed with the same aura and moved away, revealing a hidden cupboard. She opened it to reveal a brown photo album.

It glowed with her aura and levitated it out, hovering in front of her.

She had to tell them, now. If she didn’t it would eat at her and never stop. And if they found out before she told them, it would be even worse.

“Mommy?”

She turned to see them walking down the stairs, a piece of paper levitating in front of Pumpkin in her own blue aura.

Pinkie gave a small smile. “What’s that you got there... my... little...”

The look on their faces was of confusion and sadness.

The photo... was of Mrs. Cake, the day they were born.

She sighed and nodded towards the couch.

“Come on, kids,” she said, a sad smile on her face. “It’s time I told you everything.”

Author's Note

chapter 7

so, the twins learned something is up. there's a photo of them with another mare aside from their mother who looks like she'd just given birth and had been holding them for some reason. why was pinkie not in the bed holding them? they will soon know.

and pinkie has decided to tell the truth. now all will be known.

a few more chapters after this and then... who knows?

please read, comment and ejoy

Chapter 8 - The Truth Comes Out

Chapter 8

The Truth Comes Out

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Pinkie sat down on the couch, patting down to indicate for the twins to sit as well.

They did so, both looking worried about their mother’s expression, to which she couldn’t help but feel warmed by.

I may as well enjoy this warm feeling, she thought gloomily as the two sat on either side of her. After they learn the truth they’ll probably hate me more than Rarity does getting dirty.

She gave an inward chuckle at that, short lived as it was.

Once the twins were seated comfortably, she opened the album.

Inside it were pictures of the twins when they were little foals.

Each picture depicted them sometimes with Mrs. Cake, sometimes with Mr. Cake, some herself and the each of them at different times in different pairing ups and some where they were all together.

Pinkie sniffled. It had been so long ago now.

Pumpkin put a hoof on hers, a concerned look on her face.

“Mommy, don’t do this if it makes you sad,” she said, looking up at her with all the innocence of a little filly. “I don’t want you sad. It makes me sad, too.”

“Same here,” Pounded hugged her side, buring his muzzle into her fur.

Pinkie sniffled again and wrapped her wings around them.

“No,” she whispered, taking in a deep breath. “I need to do this. I owe it to you both.”

They were slightly confused by this, but she brought their attention back to the book and the photos held within.

“These are your parents, Carrot Cake and Cup Cake,” she said, her voice squeaking a little as she said “parents”.
They looked to the photos, then back to her, sad looks on their faces.

“You’re...?” Pumpkin sniffled, her eyes watering. “You’re not our mommy?”

Pinkie continued to smile, but started to sob. “I didn’t give birth to you, my little cakes,” she pointed to Mrs. Cake in a picture where said mare was smiling at the camera whilst she stood over a stove, Pound and Pumpkin when they were still little foals holding onto her back. “That honor, the one who brought you two wonderful ponies into this world, goes to her.”

Pumpkin looked at the photo, then buried her muzzle into Pinkie’s wings.

They remained silent for a while. It was Pumpkin who decided to break it.

“What...? What happened to them?” she whisper, her voice muffled from within Pinkie’s embrace.

Pinkie sighed. “I've already told you, Pumpkin. That part of my tall tale is true.”

“But... why can’t we remember them as our mommy and daddy?” Pound asked, looking up at Pinkie, frowning. “I remember them as ponies, but not as our mommy and daddy.”

Pinkie sighed. “That’s my fault, my little Poundy.”

For the first time, Pound did not flinch or scowl at his nickname and just looked up at Pinkie with confusion.

Pumpkin looked up to, confusion on her face as well, an eyebrow raised. “I don’t understand. How’s it your fault, Mommy?”

Pinkie’s heart ached. She still called her “mommy”, even after she told them the Cakes had been their birth parents. But she also knew there was no way she’d ever hear that again once she said the horrible answer to the question posed to her by the filly unicorn.

Tears slid down her face. “A week after your parents funeral, I was completely distraught. You both kept asking where they were and why they hadn’t come back.”

“We could ask those kinda questions back then?” Pound’s curiosity temporarily outweighed everything else.

Pinkie should her head. “You kept asking “Mommy?” and “Daddy?”. It hurt so much every time because the only way I could answer without breaking down in front of you was by saying you’d joined them one day.”

“You mean...?” Pumpkin’s eyes were wide.

Pinkie nodded. “I could only answer by telling you, without telling you, that you’d see them again when you died—” she choked and started sobbing again.

There was silence, only broken by Pinkie’s sobs.

“So... why don’t we remember this?” Pound asked, receiving a glare from his sister in return. "I still remember a few things from when we were foals. How come I can't remember them? I even remember that day, now I think of it. You sat down when we called you "Mommy", looking horrified. I didn't understand why. I though somepony had been mean to you or something."

Pinkie managed to gain control of her sobbing, bringing them down to sniffles.

“A week after the funeral, I was at my breaking point. If you’d asked me again, I don’t think I would’ve been able to coup and I’d have broken my Pinkie Promise to your parents about taking care of you.”

The twins giggled, despite themselves, thinking of their mother’s funny own type of promise, so special nopony had ever broken one in their living memory.

Pinkie took a deep breath. “Well, as I was taking your bottles up for your mid-morning feed, Discord appeared in the living room.”

“You mean Uncle Discord?” Pound raised an eyebrow. “That strange looking guy who runs Maniactic Meddling Joke Shop? Auntie Fluttershy’s husband?”

She nodded. “The very same. Anyway, he asked me what he could do to make me feel better.”

“What did you tell him?” Pumpkin looked slightly nervous about what the answer might be.

An ashamed look passed over Pinkie’s face. “I told him I didn’t want you to ask me where your parents were and he... he...” she shook her head to tell them not to interrupt and let her finish. “He... altered your memories.”

There was silence, both young ponies staring, eyes wide with horror.

“I-I... I didn’t know he’d... make you think— I’M SO SORRY!” she burst into another fit of sobs, her shoulders jerking as they racked her body.

“You mean... the only reason we think you’re our mommy... is because Discord made us think it?” Pumpkin asked, her voice quivering.

Pinkie continued to sob, but nodded. “I-I asked hi-him t-to beca-cause I-I c-c-coudln’t be-bear you a-asking m-me a-anym-more. P-please, d-don’t hate me!”

Pound and Pumpkin looked at each other and nodded.

“Mommy, it’s okay,” Pumpkin said as she and her brother held onto the pink mare. “We’re so sorry we did that to you. We’re sorry we made you so sad you did that to us.”

Pinkie’s sobbing lessened a little as she looked from one small pony to the other.

“Y-you... d-don’t ha-hate me for it?” she choked, her face drenched in her tears.

Both Pegasus and unicorn held on even tighter.

“I don’t care that you didn’a give birth to us,” Pumpkin said into her pink fur. “I don’t care that you asked Discord to alter our memories. You’re still my mommy and I love you.”

“Me too,” Pound sniffled, breaking his cool facade Rainbow Dash had taught him and blabbering like the small colt his was. “You’ve been our mommy all this time. I love you!”

Pinkie sobbed, but now with a huge smile on her face as she pulled her children into a tight embrace. “I love you both so much too!”

They stayed that way for a long time.

Pinkie wasn’t sure how long she held her children close to her, but when she looked out the window, she could see the sun was almost done setting.

She smiled. She’d let them sleep in her bed tonight. Celestia knows they’d all feel better being together tonight.

Pinkie could not believe how happy she was.

She had been so afraid the twins would hate her when they learned the truth. She’d been certain they’d never want to look at her again and go live in the Ponyville orphanage to be adopted by some other ponies.

But they didn’t. The still loved her, maybe even more so now than they ever had. She was a mother with two loving children and she had her mentors to thank for it and her friends and Sweetie Belle too.

“I promise,” she whispered as she gentling stroked their manes as they all cuddled together, “I’ll tell you everything about the Cakes. Everything about your real mommy and daddy.”

“But you are our read mommy, Mommy,” Pumpkin murmured into Pinkie’s fur. “You raised us. We love you.”

Pinkie couldn’t tell them how happy it made her to hear that, so she just nuzzled her unicorn daughter and quietly said, “And I love you too, my pretty Pumpkin... my powerful Pound,” she added, feeling a small thump on the side of her Pound was hugging.

Pumpkin suddenly pulled a little away, looking up, her eyes sparkling. “Does this mean Twilight will be our third mommy?”

Pinkie almost joked on her own breath.

"Hey, yeah!" Pound exclaimed, looking up at the shocked pink mare. "We've already go a daddy and two mommies. Will Twilight be our third mommy?"

Pinkie sputtered, not sure what to say. “Wh-what? Pumpkin— Pound— how did you—?”

Pumpkin winked and Pound chuckled. “We may be little, but we know you love her too, Mommy,” she said, giggling.

Pinkie was dumbstruck. She’d only meant to tell them the truth about their origons, but it had suddenly turned to them catching her red-hoofed about marrying Twilight. How had this happened so quickly?

Then, she smiled. Of course. Their my children. They take after the mommy who raised them.

Her smile turned sly. “Okay, you little trouble makers,” she said, her voice filling with mock anger, which she noticed them pick up on instantly, “you’re gonna pay for that.”

“Run!” Pumpkin cried in fake fear, her face betraying how she really felt. “It’s the Tickle Monster!”

Her horn glowed and she teleported away.

Pound leaped out of his mother’s wing’s grasp and tried to fly away, but, unlike his sister, failed to escape.

“Got you!” Pinkie cried, pouncing on her prey, pinning him to the floor with her hooves and started tickling under his upper limbs and blowing raspberries onto his stomach!

“S-s-sister!” he cried through his laughter, tears streaming down his face. “Save me!”

Pinkie was about to blow another raspberry, when something bowled into her head, knocking her over.

Within seconds, she was pinned down by the unicorn filly’s magic and Pound started tickling her underside with his hooves.

“No!” Pinkie laughed, struggling to break free of her prey, now turned predators. “St-st-stop! AHHHHAAAHAHAHAHAHAAH!”

“Say “uncle”!” both twins shouted, their faces gleaming with joy. “Say “uncle”, Mommy Tickle Monster!”

For several minutes Pinkie tried to fight back, but it was no use. They had her pinned.

“A-alright! Al -ahahhaha- right! I give, I give! Uncle, uncle!” Pinkie screamed.

The magical hold on her broke, Pound stopped tickling her and they all fell on the floor in a heap, giggling.

After a while, when her fits of giggles had finally stopped, Pinkie noticed everything had gone quiet. She rolled onto her belly and saw both twins had fallen asleep, big smiles on their faces.

She stood up and looked outside. It was just starting to get dark.

“I think we’ll all head in early tonight, what you think, guys?” she asked, looking to the sleeping foals.

They said nothing, just continued to sleep, content.

Pinkie’s smile softened.

Her horned glowed, as did the twins and she levitated them to her room. There she pulled the covers from her bed and got in, lowering the sleeping ponies in with her.

Upon touching the bed, they both sought the warmth of their mother and snuggled into her.

A few tears of happiness came to Pinkie eyes as she pulled the blanket over the three of them, turned out the lights with her magic and went to sleep, her children beside her, knowing things could only be better from now on.

Author's Note

Well, there it is. Pinkie told the twins the truth, but instead of hating her, they love her even more now.

Next chapter will probably be the wedding day or maybe later in the future, when their already married and the twins have grown up. we'll have to see.

Til next time, my herd, please read, comment and enjoy