Zap Apple Pie

The den was awash in aww’s as the ponies listened to Applejack recount the tale and vows they used for each other.  Rainbow rolled her eyes and Quill smiled, remembering it all from the front row. “I can’t believe I was that sappy,” Rainbow said.

“Ya still are, Sugarplum, ya just save it fer bed.”

“That’s why I can’t marry you two,” Quill said, “there’s no way I could ever be that sappy and mean it.”

Applejack smiled back to the pegasus mare and winked. “Ah think it’s worked out pretty good so far.”

“Yeah!” Rainbow said proudly as she flew to and then held Little Dashie, “the farm’s totally makin’ more bits than we know what to do with and that don’t count the deals ya make with Filthy Rich ta keep us intra-rational.”

“International,” Quill corrected, “but that’s another story that foals don’t care about.  It seems Sugar’s asleep,” Quill noticed.  The filly had drank her fill and was asleep on Applejack’s hind leg, again.  “I’ll take her to bed and tuck her in,” Quill flew over and picked up the filly and smiled.  She quietly flew from the room as the remaining two children sighed.

“That was so sweet, what you said to each other,” Whispy said.  “Ah hope I can meet a pony like that.”

“Whispy,” Rainbow said lying between her children, “Little Dashie.  As long as you’re happy, and they’re good ponies, Ah don’t care what ya choose.  As long ‘s yer happy.  Mama and me ’re as happy as worms in the mud after a rain, and it didn’t happen overnight, so Ah guess what I’m sayin, is that ya gotta let it take its time and let it happen.  When ya find love, real love, ya won’t know it right away,” Rainbow’s voice cracked, “but it’ll happen.  Yeah,” she looked to Applejack and gulped at the orange mare.

“Alright, Sugarcubes, what kinda story d’ya wanna hear next?” Applejack asked as she looked between the awake children.  She waited as they looked around the den in thought.

“Why am I called Little Dashie?  That’s not my real name,” He asked.  Quill stiffened slightly as Applejack looked to Rainbow.  Rainbow sighed.

“Okay, squirt, here’s the deal, I’ll tell you, but you can’t ask any more questions about your name for a while, okay?”

Little Dashie nodded and lay on his belly, tucking his legs under himself slightly. “I won’t Mom, Mama.  I promise.”

“That’s good enough fer me,” Rainbow said flying and hovering beside a photo on the wall.  A photo of Quill, Lime, herself, and Applejack at the diner Lime worked at when they’d met.  “Ah’ll tell this one, Fritter…”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Rainbow landed in central Ponyville with a slight cramp on her side.  Another cramp, another reason to rest her wings.  She pressed her hoof against her pained area and let out a pained sigh.

“Hey, Rainbow,” a stallion said in passing.

“Hey… you,” she replied through grit teeth as the pain began to ebb.  She sighed and chuckled as the pain left and she opened her wings to take flight again.  She flew a spiral around Ponyville Town hall and began to make her way to Sugarcube Corner for some sweet treats, but another cramp, bigger this time, sent a wave of pain through her right side, locking her wings.

With a shout of pain she began a steep glide and nearly crashed, but galloped when she landed and slowed to a stop, her wings still splayed open.  A pony trotted over, wearing an ever present smile. “Hi, Rainbow Dash.  What’cha doing?”  Rainbow couldn’t answer through the unbearable pain, simply grunting and pressing firmly into her side.

Rainbow yelped as the pain struck her like a jolt, making her cry out in pain and fall to her hind knees, the pressing she was doing nothing to ebb the pain this time.

“R-rainbow!  You’re not okay,” the mare shouted and was gone from Rainbow’s vision.  The mare returned with a bucket and placed it in front of Rainbow. “There ya go.”

Rainbow looked to the mare and blinked her eyes, her mind clearing from the pain slightly. “Pinkie?”

“Yuppers, I’m here to make sure ya don’t toss your cookies before you eat them!”

“Huh?”

“You’re behind Sugarcube Corner, silly filly.  Don’t you know where you are?”

“Pinkie, stop bouncing… something’s wrong,” Rainbow panted as the pain finally began to ebb.  “Ah,” she grunted and lay down, “I need a doctor… and AJ!  I think it’s time.”

Pinkie screamed and hopped into the air in joy. “Yay, yay, yay!  Finally!” she galloped away, into the business, shouting her joy as Rainbow grit her teeth and bared the pain swelling from the most intense cramps of her life.