Chapters "Hey, Rarity, where are the photo's from last years Hearth's Warming Eve?" Sweetie Belle called out from the other room. I glanced around the corner to see her rummaging through my supplies in hopes of finding them.
"Sweetie, they're not down here. They're most likely upstairs in the attic." I said, walking beside of her to begin cleaning up and reorganize everything that she has misplaced. As I picked up another small book, one of my older books. A group of pictures came sliding out.
"I'll get it." Sweetie called out, bending over to pick up the pictures. She looked down at them, though her usual heart-warming smile with covered with a wave of confusion on her face. "Hey Rarity, I can tell that this is you, but who are you holding?" She asked, turning the pictures to face me, to show my younger self and a ruby coated newborn unicorn in my grasp.
"Sweetie, put those back please." I said, trying to snatch them from her. She quickly pulled them behind her back. "Not until you tell me who this is." She pouted.
"Sweetie, please, let me have those back." I begged.
"Well, fine. If you won't tell me, then mom will." She stated, taking off out the room and into the living room. "Mom! Dad! Who is this in the picture with Rarity?" She asked as I entered the room.
They both gave an awkward groan as they looked up at me and back down to Sweetie Belle. "Ehh, well, ya see Sweetie Belle." Father spouted out, trying to find something to say.
"We couldn't hide it for much longer I suppose." Mother said, her heart falling heavy in her chest. "Sweetie, you're... well"
"Sweetie, that is you in the picture. You were adopted by mother and father and you are my daughter. Not theirs." I blurted out. My head hanging heavily upon my shoulders.
I felt her eyes land on me, feeling more weight adding onto my back. Suddenly, I hear her chuckle slightly. Unsure about what she's just heard. "Nice joke Rarity, but seriously, who is this? The foal in this picture has a ruby coat, not white!" She said, turning back to mother and father. They both looked at her in silence, unsure what to say now.
"She's telling you the truth. She was a selfish mother and only thought of herself and her needs, when you were born, she begged me and your father to take you. After telling her no several times, we had to explain to her that no one would believe that me being pink and your father being white, there would be no way that we could produce a ruby colored foal. So your sist- I mean Rarity decided it would be a good idea to bleach your fur knowing good and well what would happen." Mother said, making the weight on my shoulder even more heavy.
"I-I'll just see myself out of the room." I said, stumbling out of the room, sitting down beside of the door way.
"Why would she do that?" I heard Sweetie ask. "Why would anyone want to do that to their foal?" She cried out. "Please tell me that this is just some sick joke that you're playing." Sweetie sobbed out.
Mother and father sat there in silence once more. "S-So, Rarity is my mom? A-And you are my grandparents?" She asked, trying to come to terms with everything.
"Yes Sweetie, that's all true. Though please, understand something. What happene- Wait! No! Sweetie, come back here!" Mother called out as Sweetie Belle came running out of the room and into her own. Shortly after, mother and father came out, grief on their face.
"You need to go up there and talk to her." Father said, anger deep in his voice. "After you and that Apple stallion had your fun. You brought her into this world and we made a deal. After what you did to her as a foal, your mother and I made a you a deal saying that we will take care of her as long as she never finds any photos from before." Father stated.
"You were supposed to get rid of all pictures you had before we took custody of her! If she was to find any pictures, then that's it. She's back in your custody." Mother firmly snapped at me.
"What would change, in all reality?" I asked. "Because as far as it stands, I have been the one to take care of her since she was a foal. Through every scratch. Through every accident, heartbreak, boyfriend. I have been there. I did ask you to take her into your custody, but as far as it stands, neither of you two have taken a step towards raising her. At the time, I was scared at having such a major responsibility looming over my head and I done what I thought was best for her and her future. I didn't pass her onto you two because I was selfish or thought of my own needs. I did it so she had the chance of a better future." I firmly stated, tears swelling up in my eyes.
"What have you don-"
"What have I done?!" I snapped back at father. "While you two are off on your extravagant vacations to Shirland, to Manehatten, to Las Pegasus, to anywhere on the planet, let me tell you what all I have done. I have maintained a business that I started as a young mare, while still in my apprenticeship, I made sure that she has had food, that she has had a place to call home because you two were never here. She had some one to take care of her." I snapped at him. "Now, what happened to me and Big Macintosh in the past has happened. He has agreed to not saying anything about what happened like we all agreed on." I stated, my body trembling with anger.
"Rarity, that is enough!" Mother snapped out.
"No! No it is not enough! You don't realize what you have done to me and her in the past! When she was first born, you kicked me and her out on the streets. Thankfully, the Cakes to pity and housed and fed us until you came back to make that 'deal' just to boost your image! Only reason you agreed is so you could parade around town, about a having another baby. And yes, I know that bleaching her coat was a horrid mistake, but I had to do something drastic so you would reconsider. I hate myself for doing that to her and wish I could take away her pain, but you weren't the ones who sat up after that to take care of her, the ones who held her every sleepless night to work an apprenticeship that paid little to nothing and still maintain to support her and myself one the small sum of money that you give to me to take care of her and the house for a whole month, now were you?" I said, my voice trembling with rage.
They stood there in silence as I stared them down. "You gave me 200 bits to pay for a 400 bit rent, then another 200 for groceries, and that's not including mainly her needs. Every month, I made sure she had every toy she wanted. I made sure that she had the best. I made sure that she was always in good health. Now, let me ask you what you have done. How about it?" I asked.
They both stood there in silence, their only expression being anger. "Well, how about this then, Little Miss Rarity. We'll leave and never return. You or your bastard daughter will never hear or speak to us again." Mother snapped.
They both glarred at me, anger apparent in their face. "That works fine." I said, returning the same glare. "Now, if you two would please, leave my home and never return, that would be greatly appreciated." I stated, walking over to the door to open it, my eyes stained with tears "It's not like we needed you two here." I said to them after they left, slamming the door behind them.
I look up the stairs to see Spike walking down them, his own heart heavy with grief. "Damn, Rare, kind of a nut shell to bring down all of a sudden." He said, wrapping his arms around my shoulders to bring me close to him.
I turned around to look up at him and rest my head against his chest. "I'm sorry, this is kind of a bomb shell to drop on you too, isn't it?" I asked, my heart still heavy.
He shrugged and smiled. "It is, but regardless as I've said before, I'm here to stay." He said, leaning down to kiss the top of my head. I smiled softly and nuzzled into him. "Though you may want to go and talk to her before she finishes getting packing." He said.
I quickly lifted up his arms, darting past him and up the stairs. "For Celestia's Sake! Couldn't you have not told me this a second ago!" I said, running up to her room to hear her sobbing.
I reached up and knocked on the door softly. "Go away!" I hear her yell out at me in anger. "Just please, leave me alone." She sobbed out.
I slowly opened the door, and stepped in. "S-Sweetie, please listen to me." I begged.
"Why should I? Only thing you've done is lied to me my whole life." She snapped at me.
I withdrew a bit, but reached out to place my hand on her shoulder. "Yes, I may have lied about something extreme like that and done something like that. Just please know that I've always loved you. You were and always will be my baby girl. I was just scared when you were born because I had no ability to take care of you at tbe time and what I done was to ensure that at least you would have a roof over your head. I didn't care if I had a home, I just wanted to make sure that you had a home. I'm a horrible mother for what I did and I don't blame you if you were to hate me." I said, hanging my head.
She jerked her shoulder away as she went back to packing. "I'm going to stay with Apple Bloom for a few nights and then move in with Button." She growled out.
I nodded softly and hung my head low as I walked out of her room. "Aren't you going to stop her?" Spike asked.
I shook my head. "No amount of begging can convince her to stay. She has every right to. She doesn't need to live with a mother who is psychotic enough to give her chemical burns." I said, turning to head into my own room.
"I guess so." he said, walking into her room as she opened the door. "What's on your mind?" He asked, as I opened my own door.
"I-I don't want to leave. I understand, or at least think I understand why she done that to me. She just wanted to do what was best for me, right?" She asked, trying to come up with an excuse for my actions.
"When me and Rarity first started dating and I came to move in, I noticed that every night before bed, she would be a little bit late for bed. So one night I became curious at what she was doing. I looked out the door way to see her go into your room after you go to sleep and tuck you in and kiss the top of your head and wish you sweet dreams. At first I was kind of confused by this, but looking back, when you were sick, she was at your bedside every night to nurse you back to health." Spike said, shuffling around her room to pull out a desk chair for him to sit in.
I heard him chuckle softly. "I remember one night, she came out covered in vomit from you because you had the stomach flu. She was extremely grossed out, but showered and went back in there to take care of you." He said. I felt a bit of warmth fill me as a smile formed along my lips. "Sweetie, she loves you unconditionally. As for why I couldn't piece this together sooner is beyond me." He stated.
"W-Would you have told me if you would have knew." She asked him, her voice a bit more calm than it was before.
I heard him groan out and gave a defeated sigh. "No, unless Rarity wanted me to, though I would have felt it would be better for her to tell you." He said.
"S-So, does this really mean that Rarity is my mom?" She asked.
"Yes, though you two need to talk this out. Isn't that right, Rarity?" He called out from Sweetie's room.
I jumped slightly and turned the corner to automatically see Sweetie look down and away from me as she sat down on her bed. I walked over and got on my knees and knelt down in front of her. "S-Sweetie, please let me make this up to you." I begged. "I don't care if you don't ever consider me as a mother, I just want my bond back with you, Sweetie." I pleaded.
I felt her lean down and wrap her arms around my neck to hold me close. "Just shut up." She asked, sobbing into my neck. I smile and wrapped my arms around her and held her.
A few minutes passed before she calmed down slightly and pulled away. "Everything's alright?" I asked. She nodded softly as I wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Do you still want to move?" I asked as she immediately shook her head. I smile and nodded softly. "You're more than welcome to stay here as long as you want to, Sweetie." I said, holding her close.
"S-so does this mean that Apple Bloom is my aunt?" She asked.
"Sweetie, that is a subject for another day. She's not, but just leave it at that." I said.
"Wait, Rarity, what else are you not telling me?" She asked.
"Ehhh, well, let's just say your father is a stallion of sorts." I said, blushing a bit.
"B-But Big Mac and Applejack are brother and sister!"
I gave a defeated sigh as I look up to Spike. "Hey, don't look at me, she's the one who asked." He said, heading out of the room.
"A lot of help you are." I said, pouting slightly. I looked back down at Sweetie and gave a faint smile. "Can we please talk about this another time." I begged.
"Is it something that could possibly scar me even more?" She asked.
"Yes! Exactly." I blurted out.
She nodded softly and turned towards her packed clothes. "I probably need to get all this unpacked." She said. Now looking at the mess she has created.
I stood up and helped her up. "I'll help you out. Besides, it might be good for some mother daughter time." I joked.
She looked up and smiled. "Yeah, that'd be nice." She said, before hugging me tight once more.
Applejack and Apple Bloom
"SIs! C'mon, wake up! We gotta start gettin' everything ready for dinner tonight!" I heard Apple Bloom call out from my door.
I rolled over in my bed and yawned softly, doing my best to wipe the sleep from my eyes. "Apple Bloom, the sun ain't even came up yet. We haven't even had breakfast. Besides, I don't think Granny is even up right now." I yawned out.
"She's the one who woke me up. Sweetie Belle, Button, Rarity, and Spike supposed to be coming up later tonight for dinner." She said, making sure that I was sitting up in the bed before heading off to Big Mac's room.
I let out an annoyed groan as I flopped back down on the bed. "Coulda given me a bit of a heads up, couldn't ya Rare?" I asked myself before finally sitting back up and getting up for the day.
As I made my way around the corner, I see Apple Bloom burst into Big Mac's room. "Big Mac! Time to get up!" I hear her call out, only to get an immediate "Nope!" from Big Mac. "Aww, c'mon. We're gonna be having guest over for dinner tonight." She whined out.
I heard a grunt come from his room before I hear Apple Bloom fussing out. "Wait! Put me down!" I heard her call out. I stepped around the corner to see him walk out of his room with her over his shoulder and sat her down on the other side of the hallway before turning back around to his room and shutting the door behind him. I couldn't help but to laugh a bit.
I walked over to Apple Bloom and smiled. "C'mon Sugar Cube. Today is one of his few days off so let him get some rest. He needs it." I said as I helped her back to her feet.
She immediately crossed her arms and began to pout. "But, we're gonna need all the help we can get." She cried out.
I scratched my head, trying to figure out a solution. "Well, how about this. Go ahead and invite them on up here and they can help us get everything prepared. Besides, I'm pretty sure it might do both Rarity and Sweetie Belle some good to learn some good country cooking." I joked.
A small smile formed on Apple Bloom's face as she let out a small laugh. "Yeah, alright then. I'll go ahead and head back to Ponyville to talk to them and get them up here." She said before taking off down the stairs and out the door.
As I began to head down the stairs, I glanced over at Big Mac's room and knocked on the door. "Apple Bloom, let me sleep!" I heard him call out.
"Wrong pony Sugar Cube." I said, opening the door to see him with his back turn towards me. He peered over his shoulder and groaned. "You're gonna be trying to get me up now?" He asked. I shook my head and walked over to his bed. "She's a lot like you at that age." I teased.
I heard him let out a small chuckle as he began to sit up. "Yeah, a bit, though when someone told me that they're trying to sleep, I usually took the message." He yawned out.
I rose a brow at him and shook my head. "Oh yeah, lemme tell ya. When you first moved in, I remember Granny throwing you out in the barn because you kept her up an hour past bed time." I said with a smirk.
He laughed and nodded. "Yeah, Granny wasn't to pleased." He said, running his hands through his messy mane. "Is all of them actually coming up here or is she gonna bail out like last time?" He yawned out once more, trying to not pass back out.
I sat down on the bed beside of him, resting my head on his shoulder. "Yeah, I'm not ready at all to host any guest." I said in a tired tone.
"Hey! Yall better be comin' down her t' help me!" We both hear Granny call out from downstairs.
"Yeah, yeah. We'll be down there in a minute." I called out, getting up from Mac's bed. "We'll ya heard her. C'mon." I said, beginning to head on out the door.
"Hey, AJ. Do you think we should tell Apple Bloom?" Big Mac asked in a serious tone.
I froze on the spot and hung my head a bit. "Mac, it'd kinda tear her world to shreds. I mean, she's a full grown mare now. To hear that we're her parents wouldn't end well." I stated, the thought now lingering heavily on my chest.
"Apple Jack, your parents are gone. My parents are gone. As far as she knows her parents are gone, but in all reality, we've been here all along. I've been watching her grow up and every passing day it seems like that's all she wants is a mom and dad." He said, hanging his head as well.
I stood there in silence for a minute before Granny came around the corner, breaking apart the awkward silence. "It's like Apple Jack said, it could possibly tear her world apart. Though Big Mac has some good points. You two young'ns knew your parents. It was sad to say that you two lost your parents, but that poor baby never knew her mom and dad when in all honesty they've been right in front of her this whole time. Now, I ain't tellin' y'all what to do, but do what y'all think is best for Apple Bloom." Granny said.
We both nodded softly and looked up at her. "Granny, do you think we're bad folk for keeping her in the dark for so long?" I asked.
She shook her head. "Not at all. You two were still really young and couldn't handle the responsibility. On top of that, Big Mac was abandoned at that age. If it wasn't for your maw and paw, he would have probably wasted away on the streets. Though after your parents passed away, I should have kept a better eye on you two." She said before heading back down stairs.
I gave a defeated sigh and looked back at Big Mac. "Well, you're her father, I'll let you make the call on this Sugar Cube." I said before turning around to head downstairs as well.
An hour passed as Apple Bloom came back to the house with a very exhausted Button and Sweetie. "I didn't even know that pony's woke up this early." I heard Button say as he came in. I walked into the living room and looked to see Sweetie with her head resting on Button's shoulder, both of them extremely tired.
"Well, there's two of y'all, but not the other two." I said, handing the both of them a cup of tea.
They both grabbed their cups and began to sip on them. "Well, mom and Spike should be on their way soon enough. You know how mom can get." Sweetie Belle said.
I froze and looked at her, slightly confused at what she had just said. "Wait, I didn't know your mom and dad was coming as well." I said in panic.
"Well, I found out something earlier this month. Apparently, Rarity is my mom and after constantly asking her I found out that Big Mac is my dad!" She blurted out.
I froze for a second before turning on my hill to head up the steps, stormed into his room. "Big Macintosh, we need to talk! Get to the barn! Now!" I demanded.
"Why, what's going on?" He asked before I reached up, grabbing him by the ear and pulling him downstairs pass everyone else.
As we arrived to the barn he pulled away, rubbing his ear and glaring at me. "What the hay was that for?!" He snapped at me.
"Since when did you and Rarity have a fling?!" I asked, my body trembling with anger.
He froze for a second before hanging his head. "Gah, damnit. You remember all those years ago when we were all young and magically all y'all came into heat at once?" He stated, the memory coming back as I blushed deeply.
"O-Oh yeah." I said, pulling down my hat to cover my face.
"Now if you think about it..." He then froze and brought his hands to his face, groaning out. "I should have seen this sooner. I need to go check something." He said, walking past me and out of the barn, heading down the road in a quick run.
I watched him, then shrugged and walked back in the house. "So, if that means my brother is your dad, that means I'm your aunt?" Apple Bloom asked.
Sweetie scratched the back of her head. "Well, not exactly, you see your par-" "Sweetie Belle! Step outside with me for a minute, please." I yelled out, dragging her outside.
Sweetie looked up at me slightly confused. "So, I take it she doesn't know yet?" Sweetie asked, immediately getting a response as I shook my head.
"No, not yet. We're still trying to find the right time and day to tell her." I said in a frustrated tone. "It's kinda hard to say 'Hey Apple Bloom, your mom and dad are still alive and well. In fact, we've been here this whole time. Just to scared to say anything outta fear of you hating us." I stated, my tone slowly filling with worry.
Sweetie scratched her chin for a second, pondering something. "Well, that might be the best approach at it. Kind of like a bandage." She said bluntly.
"Yoohoo!" I hear Rarity call out from the road. "Sorry about being late. I didn't know we were starting this early." She said, already bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Spike, on the other hand, was dragging along, almost dead to the world. "Hey AJ." Hey yawned out, waving to me.
"Howdy y'all. Sorry about bringing y'all here so early. Though it might be for the best." I stated, looking into the window to see Button and Apple Bloom talking in the living room. "Hey Rare, can I talk to ya for a moment?" I asked.
"Of course. Is everything alright?" She asked in a worried tone.
I shook my head and gave a heavy sigh. "Not really. I'm kinda struggling a bit right now and need to figure something out." I said with a heavy heart.
"Whatever could it be that is dragging you down, darling?" She asked.
"You know the situation because you had to do it with Sweetie the other week. I just can't figure out a way to tell Apple Bloom that I'm her mom." I said with a heavy heart. "Big Mac was right. It is time that she has her mom and dad back in her life as her parent.s, but for the life of me, I can't figure out a way to tell her." I said, racking my brain for ideas.
Rarity came up to me and placed her hand on my shoulder. "Darling, this needs to be done soon. Granted, I was in the same place as you are now when it came time for me to tell Sweetie Belle, but ever since I told her, we've been so much closer." She said, doing her best to bring up my mood.
I gave a faint smile and nodded softly. "Alright, thanks Rarity." I said before turning to walk back into the house. I looked at Apple Bloom and then up at Granny. "H-Hey Granny, I'm gonna barrow Apple Bloom for a bit." I said, my own voice cracking from how nervous I was.
Apple Bloom looked up at me slightly confused, but nodded. "Alright sis, what do ya need?" She asked.
I gave another faint smile before grabbing her hand. "Come with me, I need to talk to you about something." I said, walking back up the steps and into my room, shutting the door behind us.
She looked up at me with anticipation. "What is it sis?" She asked, a smile on her face. I let out a audible gulp before a wrapped my arms around her and held her close. "Is everything ok, Applejack?" She asked.
"Apple Bloom, this is kind of difficult to say, but..." I paused to figure out how I'm going to word this. "Let's, uh, play a quick game of what if!" I blurted out.
She looked up at me and gave a soft smile. :Well, alright then." She said before sitting down on my bed.
I walked over and sat down beside of her. "What if, say for example, me and Big Mac were your mom and dad?" I said, hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.
She sat there for a moment, trying to process what I had just asked and began to laugh. "That's a good one sis. Really, what's going on here?" She asked, a slight bit of worry in her voice.
I sat there in silence for a moment and shook my head. "Nothing's going on sugar cube. I'm being serious on this. Me and Big Mac are your mom and dad." I said to immediately see the look in her eyes change drastically.
We sat there in silence for a bit as she processed what I just told her. "W-Wait, so you're my mom and not my sister?" She asked in a cracked voice, tears immediately swelling up in her eyes. I nodded softly to reply to her question.
We both sat there in silence for a long while before we heard a knock on the door. "Be down there in a bit!" I called out before looking back at Apple Bloom. "A-Are you gonna be ok, Sugar Cube?" I asked, wrapping an arm around her, though to get an reaction I was expecting.
She wrapped her arms around me and held me close, sobbing into my chest. "W-Why didn't you ever tell me? Why keep this lie up for so long?" She asked. "I-I'm a full grown mare and you're just now telling me this. Why?" She asked, still sobbing into me.
I wrapped my arms around her to hold her close to me. "Apple Bloom, when I had you, I was still really young. I was terrified of what to do. I didn't know what to do. Though please understand..." I said, reaching up to place my hands on her cheeks. "I have and always will love you. I've always wanted what was best for you and will always see to it that you have the best anypony could ever ask for." I said, reaching up with my thumb to wipe a stray tear from her eye. "I just hope that you won't be mad at me and your dad." I said, looking down at her.
She reached up with her hand and a big smile on her face. "I-I couldn't be mad at y'all." She said, wrapping her arms around me once more, a mixture of laughs and crying coming from the both of us.
We pulled away, the both of us having smiles from ear to ear. "You gonna be ok Sugar Cube?" I asked, resting a hand on her shoulder.
She nodded and then froze, giving me an awkward look. "Wait, you two are brother and sister, right?" She asked with a rose brow.
I laughed and shook my head. "No, Mac's folk ended up kicking him out and mom and dad brought him in since he was always eager and ready to work at the barn. Though as we grew up, we became closer and closer until I went into my cycle and was about as wild as a whole heap of rabbits. Though, when I went into cycle, so did Rarity and seeing as how Big Mac was one of the few stallions in Ponyville at the time, he was being chased after left and right." I said with a slight blush. "Though when I found out I was pregnant with you, granny chased Big Mac down with the buck shot." I said before bursting out in laughter.
She looked up at me and cocked her head to the side. "What's so funny?" She asked, slightly concern about hearing that.
I shook my head and smiled. "Granny held him at point blank, hauling him all the way back to the house saying "You done got her pregnant! You ain't going anywhere!". Though, when we talked it over, we all agreed to raise you as our little sister. Granny said that she'd help with you as long as we don't say anything until you were ready." I said, looking back up at her. "And we believe that it was time to find out that you still have your parents with you." I said, pulling her back into a close embrace.
She nodded and smiled once more. "So, where is Big Ma-, I mean dad?" She asked.
I shrugged softly and stood up, helping her up. "He said that he had to check something out and took off down the road." I said, helping her up as we left the room and began to head downstairs.
As we walked down the steps, Rarity quickly pulled me aside. "There may be a third sister." She whispered into my ear.
I froze and looked at her. "Wait, who?" I asked.
"Scootaloo." She stated.
As I walked up to Shy's cottage, I felt my heart getting heavier with each step. 'What am I gonna say? Or do?' I thought to myself, scratching the back of my head. "Hey Shy, you remember that fling we had a few years ago? By chance were you pregnant after that?" I said to myself sarcastically.
I looked back up at the front of it and gave a heavy sigh. "Well, here goes nothing." I said to myself before walking up to the door and giving it a couple of knocks.
A minute passed before I heard footsteps heading towards the door. "H-Hello?" I heard Shy call out through a crack in the door.
"H-Hey Shy, it's Big Mac. Gotta minute? I need to talk to ya." I called out before hearing the door open.
She stumbled out, slightly intoxicated and looked up at me, a giddy smile on her face. "Well, hey there Big Mac." She said, walking her fingers up my chest.
I rolled my eyes and looked at her. "Shy, there is something we need to talk about. Mainly Scootaloo." I stated.
Her expression went from happy to heart broken. "O-oh, what's there you need to talk about?" She asked, crossing her arms and done her best to avoid eye contact.
I paused and looked her over. "She is our daughter, ain't she?" I said after I looked her over. She stood there, almost as if she was frozen. I looked up into her eyes to see tears freely running down her cheeks. I reached up to her cheek to immediately see her jerk away.
"I-I think you should leave." She snapped at me, turning to step back into her cottage.
"Fluttershy, talk to me. Please." I begged, reaching up to grab her shoulder.
She jerked away and stormed up to me. "Why?! Why did you run?! When I was pregnant with her, you ran away! Because I didn't get any help, I had to give her up for adoption. She is still living as a mare who doesn't know her own mother! I had to watch her grow up and not be able to help her when she was struggling. You try watching that! You try..." She said before breaking down into tears.
"If you would have told me, I would have helped, but you left me in the dark." I said, looking down at her. "I just found out that I had another daughter by another mare and you know her too." I said, my heart getting heavier by the second. "I've only been there for one of my daughters because I only knew about one of them. Though, they've all been there in front of me this whole time." I said, letting out a held in breath. "I've watched the three grow up their whole lives not even knowing two of them were my own." I stated, guilt weighing heavily over my heart.
"Did you say that you had another daughter?" She asked, slightly confused.
I nodded softly. "It was when all yall were in heat. It was you, Rarity, and AJ." I said, looking at her to see a look of extreme confusion on her face. "AJ ain't really my sister. My parents kicked me out at a young age and granny took me in." I said in hopes to clear out that confusion. She nodded softly and gave a sigh of relief. "But, when Granny found out that AJ was pregnant, she had me held at gun point, daring me to try and leave or go to another mare." I said with a chuckle. "But I should have known that if she was pregnant, then the rest of yall were too." I said.
She nodded softly and then looked up at me. "How are we going to tell Scootaloo?" She asked.
I shook my head and shrugged softly. "I really don't know. I guess we can do what me and AJ done with Apple Bloom and be straight forward with her." I said, looking up the path.
"Where is she?" Shy asked before spreading out her wings.
"She's probably at the house with Apple Bloom and Sweetie. Usually where you find one, you find the other two." I said, feeling a gust of wind as she took of towards Sweet Apple Acres. "And a drunk Fluttershy is heading to the farm... Dammit..." I said to myself before taking off back towards the farm.
As I arrived back at the farm, I saw everypony outside and looking up to the top of the barn. As I walked up, I saw Fluttershy passed out on the top of the barn. "Is she gonna be alright?" I asked, walking up to AJ.
AJ nodded softly, letting out a small laugh. "Not like her to go around drunk." AJ said before propping up a ladder on the side of the barn.
"I can get her down if you guys would like." Scootaloo's voice rang out from over head as she flew down to the top of the barn.
Fluttershy began to stir and opened up her eyes and gave a big smile. "Scootaloo! What are you doing here?" She said with a drunken smile.
Scootaloo picked up Fluttershy on her back, gliding down to the ground, the both of them going to their feet. "Hey Big Mac, How are you doing?" She asked with a big smile on her face.
I smiled and helped Fluttershy in the house. "I'm doing good. How's things at the academy?" I asked, sitting Fluttershy down in the living room.
She gave a bright and hearty smile instantly. "It's actually going well. Dash has been helping me out as much as she can. I should be graduating in a month if everything goes well." She said, sitting across from Shy.
I smiled and nodded softly. "Well, hey, when you get a minute me and Shy needs to talk to you." I said, then looked back over at Shy, giving an annoyed sigh. "Maybe when she sobers up." I said as Scootaloo nodded.
A couple of hours passed as Fluttershy sat there, holding her head. "You gonna make it Fluttershy?" Scootaloo asked.
She jumped at Scootaloo's voice and nodded softly. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine." She said with a faint smile.
Scootaloo gave Fluttershy a suspicious look before looking at me. "Big Mac, is there something that you two were needing to talk to me about?" She asked, growing slightly annoyed.
"Yeah, c'mon Shy. We need to go ahead and tell her." I said, getting up from my seat. I looked over at Shy to see her reaching up. "What, you can't walk?" I asked.
She shook her head, blushing a bit. "I'm sober enough to talk about this, but I can't walk." She said bashfully.
I chuckled softly and knelled down to pick her up, carrying her out to the barn with Scootaloo following behind. As we walked in, I sat Shy down on a hay bail and then turned to Scootaloo.
She stood there with her arms crossed, slowly starting to grow more and more annoyed. "Ok, what is it?" She asked.
I leaned against another bail of hay and gave a heavy sigh. "So, Scootaloo. You don't know your mom or dad, do you?" I asked bluntly.
She froze for a second before shaking her head. "N-No, my mom and dad gave me up for adoption when I was a foal. I only know that my mom is a pegasus and that's it." She said, looking down at the ground.
I looked at Shy to see that her eyes were already stained with tears. "Well, what would you do if you found them?" I asked.
"You know where they are?!" She asked, cheer and hope in her voice.
I paused and shook my head, though had a wave of relief hit me knowing that she was excited to meet them. "Well, no." I said, but gave a faint smile.. "We're your parents." I said, pointing to me and Fluttershy.
Her smile quickly faded into an angry stare. 'Oh shit.' I thought to myself. "You're joking, right?" She asked as bluntly as possibly, slightly annoyed.
"Well, no. Why else would we ask to talk to you in private?" I asked.
"So, what you are telling me is that you two stood around, my whole life and didn't say anything?!" She asked, slowly becoming angrier by the second. "Though once I was old enough to be on my own, then you two decide to tell me this?" She asked, storming up to both of us.
"Scootaloo, please listen." Shy begged.
"No! Why should I? So you two can lie to me even more?!" She snapped. "You two saw me struggle without you two! You two saw and knew how much pain it caused me to go year after year without knowing my family!" She cried out. "And now... Now you want to tell me this." She said in a sarcastic tone.
I stood there, slightly annoyed. "Now listen, what happened was my fault. Not hers. It was my fault. You can be mad at me all you want to, but year after year, I watched her bring two different presents for your birthday. One big present from an unknown pony and then the one with her name on it. She made sure that you had everything you wanted and needed." I said, pointing at Fluttershy. "I was a horrible excuse for a father. I didn't even know you were mine until today. So if you're going to be mad at anyone, it's going to be me." I said in a firm tone. "Though, if you're willing and would like. I'd like to take part in your life. Fluttershy has done her part. Allow me to do my part." I said, regret in my voice.
She looked at me with narrow eyes, but turned to Shy with softer eyes. "If you are my mom, then why didn't you tell me?" She asked.
Fluttershy looked at her and sighed heavily. "When I gave you up for adoption, the agency made me sign a very clear statement saying that if I was to say anything until you got older then the adoption agency wouldn't allow me to even see you." She said with regret in her voice.
She then looked at me, her eyes narrowing at me once more. "Anything else you want to tell me?" She said, crossing her arms once again.
I shook my head. "Nope, that's about it." I said, looking down at her.
She nodded softly and walked up to Fluttershy and helped her down. "Well, then how about this. We put all this behind us and go eat. Act like this never happened." She said, walking Fluttershy out of the barn.
Fluttershy paused and shook her head. "No. Scootaloo, listen. We do care f-"
"Wait, please. Just wait for now. I need a minute to take all this in." She said with a faint smile.
We both nodded and returned to smile. "C'mon yall, let's get back inside where it's warm." I said, walking behind them and back into the house.
An hour passed. I walked outside as the sun was reaching the horizon. My ears perk up to hear a set of wings flap. I turned to see Scootaloo sitting on the banister of the porch, looking up at the sky. "So, I also have two sister as well?" She asked.
I walked up to my chair and sat down, kicking my feet out and up on the banister beside of her and nodded. "Eeyup." I said, bringing a bottle of cider to my lips.
She nodded softly and smiled. "Big Mac, listen. I didn't mean to snap at you two earlier." She said, her gaze still focused up on the sky. "It just kind of hurt knowing that you two were there the whole time and didn't do anything. I understand Fluttershy's situation, but I'm still confused on yours." She said, turning to face me.
I nodded softly. "Well, like I said in the barn. I didn't even know you were my daughter at the time. It all finally came together when I found out that Sweetie Belle was my daughter. I just can't believe that it took me so long to realize this." I said, looking at the road entering the farm.
She nodded softly and jumped down. "Well, can you make a promise?" She asked. I nodded softly before feeling her wrap her arms around my neck. "I-I don't want to end up being all alone again." She said, her voice beginning to crack.
I looked up at her and wrapped an arm around her. "Scootaloo, ain't anypony gonna make you go around alone anymore. We're all a family here." I said, holding her close. She nodded softly with a barrage of sneezes following shortly after. "How long have you been out here?" I asked.
She smiled innocently. "Only an hour or two." She said, her nose starting to turn red.
I sighed and stood back up. "C'mon, let's get you inside to warm up. You're gonna catch a cold out here." I said, walking with her back into the house.
Cutie Mark Crusaders Unite!
As they all sat there in the dusty remains of their old club house, Scootaloo was the first to sit down in her old seat. "It seems like forever since we've been in here, doesn't it?" She asked, breaking the silence as the both of them nodded.
"Yeah, I wasn't expecting it to stay up for this long." Sweetie Belle said to automatically get a snicker from Scootaloo. "OH GROW UP!" Sweetie yelled out.
Apple Bloom walked to the front and smiled softly. "Well it was built by dad for us, so I don't really expect her to go down any time soon." Apple Bloom said, Scootaloo busting out laughing directly after. "Can you take your mind out of the gutter for one second?" Apple Bloom asked.
Scootaloo shook her head. "Can't help it. You two are sitting me up with the jokes, I just take the chance to pounce on it." She said with a cocky grin.
Apple Bloom returned the grin, walking around the clubhouse. "So you see the chance to pounce on something and automatically take it? That explains your long line of ex's." Apple Bloom teased, getting a deep blush out of Scootaloo.
"Oh yeah, what number are we on again?" Sweetie Belle chimed in, causing Scootaloo's face to turn even more red. "I think your on number twelve for stallions and number twenty for mares." She teased.
"Ok! Ok! I'll stop." Scootaloo said, blushing deeply. The other two smiled before letting out a giggle.between the both of them. "Besides, Apple Bloom, ain't you on your tenth coltfriend?" Scootaloo said, trying to retaliate with something.
Apple Bloom nodded and smiled. "Yeah, but me and Pip have been together for a couple of years now. How long have you and Rumble been together?" She said, grinning deviously.
Scootaloo scratched her chin and smiled. "We've been together for about six months now. Which this has been my longest relationship so far. Which think about something, all my relationships have ended with me being cheated on. So, what do you have to say about that!" Scootaloo said, crossing her arms.
Apple Bloom paused and then looked at Sweetie Belle, who was roaming around the room. "Don't look at me. I don't keep count anymore." She said, going back to roaming the clubhouse.
Apple Bloom nodded softly and then looked around. "It's going to suck that this won't get anymore use." She said, guilt starting to weigh in on her heart.
"Well, it doesn't have to end with us. Besides, when we have foals, they're going to need a place to hang out at. Why not here?" Scootaloo said with a hearty smile.
The other two looked at Scootaloo and then smiled from ear to ear. "That sounds like an amazing idea!" Apple Bloom said. "Though it might be a couple of more years that we'll even have foals."
Sweetie Belle blushed slightly. "A-Actually." She objected.
The two others locked eyes with Sweetie before an outburst of giddy cheers filled the area. "Wait, you're pregnant?!" Apple Bloom asked, on the edge of jumping out of her seat.
Sweetie Belle nodded softly. "But don't tell anypony yet. I want this to be a surprise to Button. Mom and Spike knows, but they're the only two that knows other than you two." She said, rubbing her belly.
"Well, when are you going to tell Button?" Scootaloo asked, rocking back and forth in her seat.
Sweetie Belle shrugged. "He's on his last semester at the Canterlot game designing academy, so I was going to wait to tell him after he graduates in a couple of months." She said, looking up at the two.
Scootaloo chuckled to herself. "Remember when you two first started dating and he challenged you to a milkshake race?" Scootaloo said before busting out laughing.
Apple Bloom couldn't help but to let out a chuckle as well. "He got such horrible brain freeze afterwords. All to just trying to impress you." She said before looking at Sweetie with a gentle smile. "Was that when you found out he was the one?" She teased before busting out in a hysterical laughter. Scootaloo following shortly after.
"Oh, haha. He was trying to act manly for me." She stated in a sarcastic tone. "What about Scootaloo's first date with Dinky?" Sweetie Belle said, grinning deviously.
"Oh yeah, it scared you to see somepony with crossed eyes. You almost jumped outta your skin when you saw her." Apple Bloom said, causing Scootaloo blush deeply.
"W-Wait, I didn't scare me, I just wasn't expecting it." She said, getting more and more quiet with each word, shying away from the other two. "B-Besides, what about Apple Bloom's first time trying ana-"
"ACK! SHUT IT! That happened a looong time ago. That's in the past. We're never gonna bring that up again." Apple Bloom said, her face a deep, deep shade of red.
"That's gonna be a story to tell one day when we're as old as granny." Sweetie Belle said with a chuckle.
"If either of you two speak a word of that horrid accident, I will turn you to glue myself!" Apple Bloom snapped at her two friends.
"Aaaand that's where the Big Macintosh side comes in." Scootaloo stated, a sly smirk on her face.
"Calm and mild mannered, but can flip the switch and be mean as hell." Sweetie Belle said.
Scootaloo smiled softly and then looked down at the ground. "Can I be honest with you two about something?" She asked.
They both looked at her and tilted their heads. "Yeah, what's wrong?" Apple Bloom asked.
Scootaloo gave a heavy sigh. "I feel bad because I was secretly hoping that Rainbow Dash was my mom. Or I'd always be up, hoping that Dash would come along and adopt me to get me out of that foster home. Though when I finally grew up and moved out of that house, I still wondered who my parents were and was still secretly wishing it was Dash, but it didn't bother me that much anymore." She said, looking down at the ground, her hands tightly grasping each other.
"Ok, then? Why should you feel bad about that?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Because, when Fluttershy told me that she was my mom, she was the one pony who I didn't want as my mother and to find out that she is. I went off on her and dad. Then for some reason, this wave of betrayal hit me like a ton of bricks, like I felt betrayed that she was waiting until now to tell me this. It would have been nice to know, I dunno, about 15 years ago?" She said, a rogue tear coming from her eye.
The other two sat there in silence for a moment before Sweetie Belle broke the silence. "Well, what did she say in regards to waiting so long?" Sweetie asked.
"She said that she wasn't ready to become a mother and that when she gave me up for adoption, that if I found out about her being my mom before I got old enough, that they'd take me away from her and made sure that she wouldn't be able to see me." She said, feeling more and more guilt by the second.
"Well, then there really ain't a reason to get mad at her. She couldn't support you and done what she thought was best. She was still in your life, wasn't she? She at least tried to be a parent from a distance." Apple Bloom said.
"But you don't understa-"
"No, you don't understand. I understand that you're mad, but she tried her best to be there for you. Just like how mom and Rarity took care of me and Sweetie Belle while trying to keep all this under wraps." Apple Bloom stated in a stern tone
Scootaloo glared at Apple Bloom. "That wasn't what I was going to say. I was going to say that I feel bad now because of the way I snapped at her. I looked at them and said, "Are you joking?" Scootaloo said, feeling the weight of the guilt laying on her back.
"Ok, that was kind of mean." Sweetie Belle said, looking at Scootaloo.
"But knowing Shy, she would quickly forgive you. Especially since you are her daughter." Apple Bloom said.
The other two nodded before silence filled the room. "So, we're really all sisters?" Scootaloo asked with the other two nodding. "And Big Mac is actually our dad?" She said to get the same response. "And me and Apple Bloom are going to be aunts." She said with a laugh.
"It's strange, ain't it?" Apple Bloom said with the other two looking up at her in confusion. "It's strange that we grew up with each other, best friends at that, living with different family's, all to just find out that we're all kin." She stated with the other two nodding in agreement.
Scootaloo looked around, scratching her chin. "It is kind of odd that we never questioned it." Scootaloo said.
"What do ya mean?"
"Well, the three of us do look somewhat alike. Not a lot, but there is a few things that we share." Scootaloo stated.
Sweetie Belle sat up, tilting her head in confusion. "I don't see it at all." She said, looking between the other two.
Scootaloo sat there and smirked. "Well, to name one thing. We do have the same smile. We do have the same attitudes. And the more that I think about it, we do have the same build with some minor differences." She said with a smile.
The other two mares looked at each other, finally starting to piece it together. "Well, darn. I guess she's right." Apple Bloom said, examining her two newly found sisters.
Sweetie Belle looked at the two and shrugged softly. "Personally, I think I have mom's attitude. Though when I was younger, I did act more like dad." She stated, stretching out in her chair.
"Stubborn and clumsy, but graceful and beautiful." Apple Bloom joked, teasing the pregnant mare.
"Seems that you missed out on the two things from Rarity." Scootaloo chimed in.
"OH SHUT IT!" Sweetie Belle whined.
Apple Bloom reached out, placing her hand on Sweetie's shoulder. "Oh, c'mon. You know we're just picking at ya." She said with a gentle smile. "Besides, you must have used that beauty to trap someone like Button."
Sweetie's face lit up a bit as she nodded. "At least someone see's things from my point of view. Mom doesn't really agree with Button's career choice, but I trust that he's doing the right thing and it's something that makes him happy doing. I have my career in singing and it's something that I love doing. He should have a career that he loves doing." She said with a gentle smile.
They both looked at her, big smiles lay upon their faces. "You really love him, don't you?" Asked Scootaloo to see Sweetie gently nod.
"Well, that settles it then! We're having the wedding at the farm!" Apple Bloom stated, snapping Sweetie Belle out of her thoughts.
"Wait, what?" She asked, looking up at Apple Bloom.
"You heard her. The wedding is at her place." Scootaloo chimed in.
Sweetie's face turned into a deep shade of red. "I DIDN'T AGREE TO THIS!" She called out.
Apple Bloom looked at her with a devious grin. "Yes you did. When you become my sister." She stated, walking out the door of the club house with the other two following. "The same goes for you too Scootaloo."
Scootaloo halted in place and looked back at Apple Bloom, raising a brow. "Wait, I already got my idea for what I want at my wedding."
"Yup, I've done planned them!"
"Like Hell!"
Sweetie Belle looked at the two and groaned slightly. "Dammit you two..." She said to herself before catching up to them.
Author's Note
By the way, this is before the events of Shattered Hearts. Though not to far apart.
