Troubleshoes sat at the hospital a couple of weeks after a rather heated two days of nearly non-stop rutting. Applejack's estrus had once more ended three days early, both knowing what that'd meant last time it'd happened, and this time both hoping for the opposite result of their first hospital visit under the same pretenses. They'd simply come to confirm what they already knew, with Applejack and Troubleshoes claiming to 'feel' that she was pregnant, as well as Granny Smith telling her she was for definite, all along with her heat ending early.

Most Earth Ponies have a certain ability to pick up on when a pony was with foal, though its strength ranged from just getting a funny feeling while being near a pregnant mare, to outright knowing the day it would be born, the time, and the gender of it within the first few weeks of conception, with a pony's age usually maturing the ability more. Applejack's was only just budding, and while Granny Smith's was matured enough to tell definitively that a mare was pregnant, and its gender after a few weeks or so; hers was relatively weak though it would seem, as its strength was nowhere near that of Pinkie Pie's. That mare could predict when a foal would be born to the second, their gender, weight, length, and race within a week of their conception, and in fact did when Mrs. Cake was pregnant with the twins – and she'd been right with everything for both, including the exact time either was born!

Now, as Troubleshoes waited for Applejack to come out of the same restroom as the first time again, he sat with that same small, eager smile he'd held before the first time they'd done this.

As Applejack came out of the bathroom with a smile on her face moments later, his own smile grew much larger as she happily pranced up to him, proudly bearing the test in her mouth and letting him see it:

• / Pregnant

As he saw that positive result, they immediately wrapped each other in a hug. "Well daddy...looks like we've got another foal to plan for..." Applejack said with a smile, and Troubleshoes indeed returned it. Looks like those old lucky broaches, and quite some 'hard work' towards their goal, had rewarded them. As they went up and had it officially documented, they were both smiling the whole time, and decided to take Golden out for dinner and ice cream in celebration.

~

As they'd arrived at the ice cream parlor after a dinner of authentic Istallian-style pizza, Applejack sat with her bowl of rocky road, watching as Troubleshoes and Golden laughed and fooled around. As she watched, she saw as Trouble scooped some of Golden's ice cream up and dabbed it onto her nose with a verbal 'boop', instantly sending Applejack back to memories of her father doing the same to her all those years ago. Instead of tearing up at those memories however, she simply smiled. She took another bite of her ice cream, her smile not fading for a long time after.

After dinner and dessert, Golden and her parents had gone home again, full bellies and smiles all around. As Applejack looked to Troubleshoes and he nodded while they were sitting on the sofa, Golden meanwhile playing with some of her toys on the floor, Troubleshoes cleared his throat. "Goldie, we need t' talk t' you about something." he said softly, but even still Golden's eyes went wide.

"Ah swear, Ah only mean to take one cookie! Ah know y' told me not to take any or Ah'd spoil mah supper, but they were jus' so good! Granny's such a good baker an'...an'...Ahm sorry!" Golden suddenly spilled out in her little-filly drawl, sounding much like Apple Bloom did at her age, in fact looking near tears in her guilt. "Ah won't do it ever again! I'll even go fer a week without dessert, Ah jus'..." She stopped as her throat closed up, so upset she'd actually stared to cry.

Both Applejack and Troubleshoes looked at each other is shock, then to their filly again, neither believing how guilty she felt over sneaking a few cookies! "Now now Sugarlump, It's alright! We weren't gonna accuse you of that, but since you admitted to it before we could catch ya... well, jus' don't do it again, ahlright? Nex' time Ah won't be so lenient." Applejack said. Normally she would have given her the punishment of a couple of days without dessert for such a stunt, but given the circumstances she was in a very good mood.

Golden nodded and wiped her tears, her worrying lessening at being absolved of her punishment and guilt. "But...if y' weren't talkin' 'bout th' cookies, what were ya talkin' about?" Golden asked, her head cocked. She was now confused rather than worried. They'd gone out for dinner like they were celebrating one of their birthdays or something, and them talking to her wasn't about the cookies...

"Well..." Applejack continued, looking to Troubleshoes and smiling; "Yer gonna have a little brother er sister in a few months!"

After a few moments of silence, with Golden having the same expression on her face the whole time, Applejack and her stallion were starting to grow slightly worried. Was she unhappy? Was she going to be upset that she was going to be a big sister, and wouldn't be the only foal anymore? Was—

"OHMAHGOSH AHM GONNA BE A BIG SISTER!!!" Golden suddenly squealed out, prancing around and squealing out, before rearing on her back legs and aimlessly swatting at the air with her front hooves, her very sudden burst of enthusiasm taking her parents quite aback. As she continued joyously squealing and bouncing all over the place, Applejack and Trouble nuzzled with each other before giving each other a soft kiss. Their daughter loved the idea of having a sibling, and they loved the idea of giving her one...or maybe more. Perfect.

~ ~ ~

"Ma! Pa! C'mon! C'mon!" a young filly shouted behind her as she galloped ahead as fast as her legs would take her, eager to reach their destination. As they reached the flat crest of a gently steeped hill, the filly was bounding with excitement, almost losing her still-oversized Stetson in the process, her long, braided light-brown mane bouncing against her side with each hoof-fall, her bound tail flailing wildly behind her as she galloped.

"Ah really wish ya'd stay with th' group Sugarlump. Don't need ya gettin' hurt." A mare called out in response to the eager just-turned-three-years-old filly, only leading to an excited giggle from the filly and more encouragements for them to catch up.

"Ah swear, she reminds me so much of mahself at that age..." Applejack said as she and Troubleshoes slowly caught up, with Troubleshoes carrying everything at his insistence, both arriving at roughly the same time at the top of the hill with their own happy burdens. As she looked out over the vast expense of apple trees that early-summer afternoon, she sighed happily at the vista presented to her; acre after acre of fertile and green orchard and farmland, all of the trees bearing the starts of apples, all of the plants starting to grow their own respective crop.

"Beautiful, in'it?" Applejack asked, looking to the stallion beside her, who mumbled through a mouthful of basket handle what Applejack thought was a 'yes'.

"What'd yer ma tell ya 'bout talkin with yer mouth full?" Applejack joked, getting a shrill laugh at that quip from the little filly now bounding around in the tall grass, and Trouble soon after setting down the basket and giving a proper 'yep'.

Applejack grabbed the picnic blanket once Troubleshoes untied it from his back, flicking it open and rolling it out on the grass before then laying on it, with Trouble and their young filly Golden Horseshoe soon after joining them after playing around a bit more.

"So mommy, when is mah li'l' brother getting here?" Golden asked with a child's curiosity, looking down to the lightly-swollen midsection of her mother.

"Well, the doctor said Ah'm 'bout four months along now, so 'bout another seven months...an' who knows, maybe they'll be twins! Pinkie Pie did say she was pickin' up on both a colt and a filly after all, jus' like with Mrs. Cake and her twins!" Applejack replied, receiving a gentle nicker and nuzzle from Troubleshoes at that. She simply smiled as she accepted the affectionate nibble on her ear, retaliating it with a kiss on the side of his muzzle as he passed by. They hadn't been back to the hospital yet for an actual foal viewing yet, and Applejack WAS kind of big for that time of her pregnancy...so who knew!

"Eeeeew!" Golden exclaimed as she saw the 'grown-up' affectionate display, quickly sticking her tongue out in over-exaggerated disgust.

"Golden Horseshoe! Y'get yer tongue back in yer mouth li'l' lady. That's right rude!" Troubleshoes said, with Golden instantly complying with the demand, her ears splaying back as she then apologized.

"ALRIGHT!" Applejack half-shouted, quickly getting the attention of both other ponies, "Shall we eat? 'Bout time fer Golden's lunchtime, an' Ah think our other li'l' foal or foals want their share. But first, Goldie, y'messed yer tail all up. C'mere and let me re-tie it." Golden huffed, but cantered over to her mother, presenting her rump and tail, the tie indeed very loose and her tail hair amiss. Applejack had wanted to braid Golden's tail just like her mane was, to prevent this kind of mussing, but Golden had refused. She insisted the way her mother's tail looked was very pretty, and had in turn insisted her own was done in the same way. Applejack agreed wholeheartedly it looked good on her, Troubleshoes voting as third in favor.

After Golden's tail was fixed and re-tied, Troubleshoes reached for and opened the picnic basket, and Golden simply looked eagerly at the basket, knowing that inside was some double-chocolate cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner and made by 'Auntie' Pinkie Pie for dessert. Instead of the sugary delights she so desired however, Golden was given a mixed-flower sandwich and a very large apple, though despite her internal protest and as her stomach rumbled, she quickly started to chow down.

As they brought out food, Winona and Ryder came trotting up, both sniffing around and seeking tidbits. As it would seem, a few weeks ago a certain type of spring fever had overtaken them too, Winona having gone into her heat and Ryder deciding to alleviate her of that condition. Upon catching them in a mating tie after seeking them out, that position making it extremely obvious that they'd been breeding behind the barn, Applejack had taken her to the vet after a couple of weeks had passed, with her being confirmed pregnant as well.

Soon it would seem, their extended family would get even bigger with six to eight new puppies, at least for a couple of months until they could adopt some of them out. Though, they were already planning on keeping a couple of the pups themselves. Already Winona was showing, her belly protruding noticeably, and Applejack knew she'd likely deliver within a couple of months. Applejack couldn't be happier; her long-time companion and herself having children within the same year!

The family ate their meal, tossing the occasional scrap of bread or apple to the dogs, while Applejack and Troubleshoes talked about what needed doing on the farm, and Golden talked about what she'd done the past few days. When Golden soon after asked for seconds, Applejack realized how much her little gal was like her mother in so many ways, including her massive appetite!

~

After eating and watching Golden absolutely devour a double-chocolate cupcake with extra frosting then a second, Troubleshoes pulled out some horseshoes and planted a stake in the ground, then explaining and showing Golden how to throw it properly and the rules of the game. When the time came for Golden's turn, she accidentally threw too hard and sent the horseshoe flying too far, with it careen off the hill and into a nearby apple tree. As they gave her another one and she tried again after some more advise, this time they all heard the distinct clink of metal-on-metal, all looking to see she'd perfectly thrown it.

"Wow, gettin' it right-on yer second throw! G'job li'l' missy!" Applejack cooed, seeing Golden start to bounce slightly, beaming from the praise. Trouble went over and pushed the smaller Stetson that Applejack had worn as a foal down over her eyes, Applejack having given her that hat on her third birthday and with it not leaving her head from that day on save for during bathing, sleeping, and its occasional cleaning at her parent's insistence.

Golden laughed as Trouble then started to tickle her while she was blind, desperately trying to squirm away as her father targeted her ticklish belly and inner stifles, Applejack just watching on with a smirk as her stallion acted like a colt yet again.

"Ahlright you two, knock it off..." Applejack said after a few seconds of listening to her squealing filly, figuring Golden'd had enough for now; "We should finish up this game, then move on t' somethin' else. T'ain't every day yer Pa an' Ah both get a day off from work, an' Ah say we make th' most of it, yeah?"

Both filly and stallion nodded as they resumed their game, happily enjoying their time together on the beautiful summer day.

~

After quite some hours of playing, eating dinner, and generally having fun, Celestia's sun had started to get low in the sky, and her latest romp around had ended in Golden laying down to rest her head on her mother's pregnant belly like a pillow. "Ma, Ahm happy Ahm gonna have a baby brother er sister soon..." Golden said, her statement bringing a smile to both her and Trouble's muzzles.

"Well we're happy too, and we're happy you're happy." Troubleshoes said, nuzzling his daughter and earning her hooves wrapped around his large muzzle in a hug. Before much longer, those hooves had loosened before falling back to being curled against her chest, and seconds later Troubleshoes looked down to see she'd fallen asleep. Apparently the day had worn her out.

"We should be gettin' back t' the house 'fore it gets too dark," Applejack said, getting a nod from Trouble.

"Yeah, we should. Ah'll carry her. Ah can come back for th' other stuff later er tomorrow. Rain ain't scheduled fer a while yet, so they're fine unless y' wanna carry some lighter stuff." he said quietly, carefully picking Golden up and placing her straddled over his back, giving a small smile as she softly squeezed around his neck when he did.

As the sun was starting to lower on the horizon, Luna completing her daily duty alongside her sister as they saw the moon rising in tandem with Celestia lowering the sun, they'd just arrived back at the farmhouse. After putting Golden down in her bed, taking longer than expected upon getting some subconscious resistance to her leaving his back, he traveled to his and Applejack's shared bedroom. Applejack was already in bed; her mane, and presumably tail too though he couldn't see it, had been let loose of her red hair-ties and flowed freely over her shoulders, her looking just like their first night together and many nights since.

"Well, t'day was fun," Troubleshoes said, getting a nod and smile from Applejack as she looked over to him, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Mmhm, an' jus' think, y' got at least another foal t' be a daddy to comin' in 'bout seven more months...then pro'lly at least 'couple more in the future." Applejack said, feeling as he caressed her belly from behind, making her his little spoon once more.

"Ah know." he said, still rubbing the gently-sloped mound that contained his second foal, or possibly second and third foals, giving Applejack's crest an affectionate kiss as he nuzzled into it.

"It's just my luck."

Author's Note

...and that's it, my third story done! I hope y'all enjoyed it, cuz I know I liked writing it! I love this ship, and I'm glad it's a mildly popular one!

Thanks for reading!

~

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