Unborn

"So how was it?" asked Scootaloo, taking a sip of her sports drink. "You know, being up there?"

Apple Bloom shook her small head and took another swig of Zecora's potion. "Real weird. It was like I was bein' hugged all the time."

"That doesn't sound so bad," commented Sweetie Belle.

Apple Bloom furrowed her brow. "Do you know those hugs that family members give that are way too tight and go on for far too long?"

"I love those!" squeaked Sweetie.

"Never had one like that," snorted Scoots.

"Well, imagine not being able to move your legs at all, ever. Ya can't hug back, ya can't breathe for multiple reasons, and the only way you can eat is through a tube in your mouth that only grows bigger as you shrink."

"Oof," groaned Sweetie. "Sounds really unpleasant, when you put it like that."

"And it was like this for three weeks, apparently," continued Apple Bloom. "Ah couldn't tell ya how long it was, personally, but with you an' Applejack tellin' me it was three weeks, Ah have no choice but to assume that's right. Unless there's some conspiracy goin' on, but that's harder to believe."

"It's been three weeks," confirmed Scootaloo. "I have your homework compiled, and Cheerilee says you can still make it up if you work hard. She says you have a week with us helping you to approach, and if that fails, two weeks with her. She's totally willing to work with you."

"Glad ta have some good news, at least," huffed Apple Bloom. "Ah don't want her seein' me like this."

"But you're so cute like this!" squealed Sweetie Belle. As soon as she scooted closer, the size difference between them was obvious. Apple Bloom had originally been ever so slightly bigger than Sweetie, who had been a hair larger than Scoots. Now Apple Bloom was a third their size. It had been a quarter yesterday, but Zecora had brought the potion, and Apple Bloom wasn't going to stop drinking every thirty minutes until she was at least the same size as Scootaloo, preferably a little bigger.

She'd like to be Applejack's size, but Zecora would be very disapproving. She could hear the condemnation now. "I had helped to restore your size, but it seems that you were telling lies, for a massive bulk has been your lust. Now you have betrayed my trust." She shivered at the thought. Zecora had always been nice to her, even when she messed up. If there was somepony she really didn't want to disappoint, it was the zebra that lived in the Everfree Forest.

"So when do you think you'll be your normal size again?" asked Scootaloo. "We can't go out crusading while you're still so small. All of the discrimination we were facing when you were normal size would be tripled if we tried to take you ziplining. Too irresponsible, they'd say."

"Believe me," snorted Apple Bloom, "the faster Ah return ta my normal size, the better. Ah can barely do anything like this!"

"At least it excludes you from chores," smiled Sweetie. "That's something."

"It's like being sick," replied Apple Bloom. "Sure, you don't have to do chores or go to school, but you'd rather be stuck with the extra because you have the freedom to leave when it's done, an' it don't feel like bein' punched in the gut."

"Is that what it feels like?" asked Scootaloo.

"Metaphorically," answered Apple Bloom. "At least Ah'm allowed to have you two over for a few minutes. It's somethin' good, at least." She curled up on the floor and pouted.

Sweetie Belle gently brushed her mane with her hoof. "Ooh! Your mane is, like, super soft now! Rarity would kill for a conditioner this effective!"

"She can have it," snorted Apple Bloom. "It made my scalp super sensitive, too. It hurts ta brush my own mane."

"Time to go, Squirt," called Rainbow through the window. "You too, Sweetie. Rarity'll have a fit if you don't come home on time."

Scootaloo picked up Apple Bloom's backpack and shoved it through the window. "This is Apple Bloom's homework. Can you take it up to the house for her? It's kind of heavy. I'll meet you at the gate."

Rainbow saluted, grabbed the bag, and dashed away.

"Thanks, said Apple Bloom. "Even if it was just a normal bag, Ah'd have trouble carryin' it back, but with three weeks a' homework, Ah'd never make it. Ah was just gonna leave it in here, honestly."

"Well, this way, Applejack and Granny Smith can help you," offered Sweetie Belle.

"Ah don't know if Ah wanna ask Applejack," admitted Apple Bloom. "Ah'm still a little bitter."

"So's Granny Smith," added Scootaloo. "Butter her up and add some cinnamon, and she'll be pleased as pie to help you with your schoolwork."

Apple Bloom cocked her head to the side. "Why cinnamon?"

Scootaloo shrugged. "It just popped into my head."

"We'll come back tomorrow," said Sweetie. "You're really smart, so it won't surprise me at all if you've already finished three days' worth of work."

They walked down the steps and hopped into the wagon, with Scootaloo propelling them back toward the house with her scooter. Apple Bloom's helmet was too big, but Scootaloo went slowly and Sweetie held on tight. After all, with Apple Bloom being more fragile, they couldn't risk a crash.

They arrived presently and dropped Apple Bloom off with Big Macintosh before speeding off back into town. Big Mac picked her up and carried her inside. While she could go in herself, being stuck in the fetal position and unable to move for three weeks had stiffened her muscles, and it was still a pain to walk sometimes. Even so, she was being dropped off at the couch, so it wasn't worth arguing over.

As Scootaloo had predicted, Granny was more than happy to help Apple Bloom with her homework, even without the spices. She managed to finish a whole day's assignments before dinner, and one more after. For once, she was happy to go to bed early.

But something woke her up about an hour after she went to bed. She wasn't sure what it was, but it sounded like a ghost, moaning and wailing in the hallway, knocking on the floors and clapping its hooves. She dropped out of her bed and ran across the hall to Applejack's room, only to find that it was empty. Applejack wasn't there.

The ghost wailed louder as Apple Bloom went to Big Mac's room. That's where the ghost must have been. She raised her hoof to knock, and the sounds stopped. She waited a moment, then went back to bed. Only a moment later, she saw Applejack leaving Big Mac's room. They must have caught the ghost together. She rolled over and went back to bed.