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Description
Resolutions

Duster stared at the stone sculpted fountain in the Ponyville square. No water ran from it, which seemed to be by designed. The only noticeable damage to the statue of a pony on the pedestal in the center was a broken ear. It now lay in the drained basin below. Duster mused that it was not that unlike his own shortened ear, though, his had been a victim of friendly-fire.

The stallion admired the craftsmanship. He allowed his mind to become lost in thought as he took in each curve, each tool mark that would be invisible to the untrained eye. The simple beauty of the work resonated in his soul. In truth, his own skills were not honed just yet, but he still felt the calling of his cutie mark.

His mother was having new shoes made for the little ones, and he’d opted to stay here and wait for them. Rediscovering true boredom was a glorious thing for Duster. He had forgotten the joy of simply becoming lost in a moment.

His thoughts quickly turned to more recent events. The training he had endured, the battles he had fought, the entire last year was mixed up inside as moments played through his mind in no particular order. The weight of sadness for Sissy and his lost friends was even stronger than the pain from the wound in his neck. The physical injury seemed to be healing at a much faster rate. The stallion almost could not remember what it had been like to be happy.

“Howdy, there, Duster!” Mayor Applejack approached at a slow waddle.

He nodded to her and spoke, his voice a pained whisper, “Hi, how are you?”

“Pretty miserable. My legs have been hurting something awful, but I don’t expect you’ll want to hear none of that.”

He smiled at her candor, “Thank you.”

She returned a grin and stood beside him, her gaze moving to the statue that commanded his attention. They stayed in silence for a while before Applejack spoke again.

“I’ve given it some thought about what your ma said the other day, about moving out to the barn. I just can’t let you do that. It just wouldn’t seem right to me. But, if y’all are up for it, we can get together and build you a farmhouse in the south field when we have a chance.”

The suggestion to move to the barn was a purely practical one. The Apples’ house was fairly crowded with so many having been taken in by the Apples, and with Applejack’s foal due any day, it was only going to be more so.

“Thanks,” Duster whispered. “I’ll definitely talk to my mom about it. I don’t think we’d need that much space. Our family is only likely to get smaller for the foreseeable future.”

The mayor grinned, “You never know. I do have a sister that’s about your age, and she ain’t got no special somepony. It’s not a bad place to settle down and raise some young ‘uns.”

Duster snorted a laugh, sending a spasm of pain from his throat, “Does Apple Bloom know you’re trying to marry her off?”

Applejack simply winked in reply. Duster let the thought enter his mind, but it was completely farcical to him. She was a farm pony, through and through. He was going to be an artist. They’d never be able to share their destinies effectively. Besides that, he certainly didn’t feel any strong attraction to her. She was nice enough, but they hardly knew each other well enough to even be friends.

He continued his raspy whisper, “I don’t think I’m her type. Really, I just meant that if I leave to study art as I had planned, there’ll be one fewer, and I don’t know that Thunderfly or Shimmerpuff will take to farming like Glitterdust. I also doubt my mom is looking to rear any more foals of her own.”

“I can’t say I blame her,” Applejack winced and took a deep breath, “Just doing this once has been a doozy. I can’t imagine doing five in a row.”

“Six.” 
“How’s that, now?”

Duster’s stomach knotted as he realized that he had spoken out of turn. He had little choice but to explain himself.

“After Thunderfly… They had tried again before Shimmerpuff. The colt was stillborn.”

Applejack didn’t respond, but bowed her head. Duster realized the error of mentioning something like that to an expecting mother. His face flushed.

“Oh, my, Applejack, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have-“

“No,” she cut him off. “It’s not you… It’s…” she took a deep breath.

She seemed to be in pain. She exhaled slowly.

“Oh my, I think… Duster, I think it’s time.”

Duster’s heart stopped, “Time? Time for what?”

“The foal is… It… Ow!”

Applejack took another deep breath, crouching down until the contraction passed.

“It’s coming…” She looked up at him, sweat beading up on her face. “I’d be much obliged if you’d walk me to the hospital.”

Duster felt as if he were going to panic. This was one situation for which he was not prepared. He began looking frantically about. He’d become disoriented and he couldn’t remember the location of the hospital.

Applejack chuckled, “Simmer down there. I know the way, just come with me.”

The foal was coming. The stallion, far out of his depth, obeyed the request as though it had been an order. Mixed feelings of excitement and terror flooded through him as the pair made their way onward. The foal was coming.

Description
Resolutions

Duster stared at the stone sculpted fountain in the Ponyville square. No water ran from it, which seemed to be by designed. The only noticeable damage to the statue of a pony on the pedestal in the center was a broken ear. It now lay in the drained basin below. Duster mused that it was not that unlike his own shortened ear, though, his had been a victim of friendly-fire.

The stallion admired the craftsmanship. He allowed his mind to become lost in thought as he took in each curve, each tool mark that would be invisible to the untrained eye. The simple beauty of the work resonated in his soul. In truth, his own skills were not honed just yet, but he still felt the calling of his cutie mark.

His mother was having new shoes made for the little ones, and he’d opted to stay here and wait for them. Rediscovering true boredom was a glorious thing for Duster. He had forgotten the joy of simply becoming lost in a moment.

His thoughts quickly turned to more recent events. The training he had endured, the battles he had fought, the entire last year was mixed up inside as moments played through his mind in no particular order. The weight of sadness for Sissy and his lost friends was even stronger than the pain from the wound in his neck. The physical injury seemed to be healing at a much faster rate. The stallion almost could not remember what it had been like to be happy.

“Howdy, there, Duster!” Mayor Applejack approached at a slow waddle.

He nodded to her and spoke, his voice a pained whisper, “Hi, how are you?”

“Pretty miserable. My legs have been hurting something awful, but I don’t expect you’ll want to hear none of that.”

He smiled at her candor, “Thank you.”

She returned a grin and stood beside him, her gaze moving to the statue that commanded his attention. They stayed in silence for a while before Applejack spoke again.

“I’ve given it some thought about what your ma said the other day, about moving out to the barn. I just can’t let you do that. It just wouldn’t seem right to me. But, if y’all are up for it, we can get together and build you a farmhouse in the south field when we have a chance.”

The suggestion to move to the barn was a purely practical one. The Apples’ house was fairly crowded with so many having been taken in by the Apples, and with Applejack’s foal due any day, it was only going to be more so.

“Thanks,” Duster whispered. “I’ll definitely talk to my mom about it. I don’t think we’d need that much space. Our family is only likely to get smaller for the foreseeable future.”

The mayor grinned, “You never know. I do have a sister that’s about your age, and she ain’t got no special somepony. It’s not a bad place to settle down and raise some young ‘uns.”

Duster snorted a laugh, sending a spasm of pain from his throat, “Does Apple Bloom know you’re trying to marry her off?”

Applejack simply winked in reply. Duster let the thought enter his mind, but it was completely farcical to him. She was a farm pony, through and through. He was going to be an artist. They’d never be able to share their destinies effectively. Besides that, he certainly didn’t feel any strong attraction to her. She was nice enough, but they hardly knew each other well enough to even be friends.

He continued his raspy whisper, “I don’t think I’m her type. Really, I just meant that if I leave to study art as I had planned, there’ll be one fewer, and I don’t know that Thunderfly or Shimmerpuff will take to farming like Glitterdust. I also doubt my mom is looking to rear any more foals of her own.”

“I can’t say I blame her,” Applejack winced and took a deep breath, “Just doing this once has been a doozy. I can’t imagine doing five in a row.”

“Six.” 
“How’s that, now?”

Duster’s stomach knotted as he realized that he had spoken out of turn. He had little choice but to explain himself.

“After Thunderfly… They had tried again before Shimmerpuff. The colt was stillborn.”

Applejack didn’t respond, but bowed her head. Duster realized the error of mentioning something like that to an expecting mother. His face flushed.

“Oh, my, Applejack, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have-“

“No,” she cut him off. “It’s not you… It’s…” she took a deep breath.

She seemed to be in pain. She exhaled slowly.

“Oh my, I think… Duster, I think it’s time.”

Duster’s heart stopped, “Time? Time for what?”

“The foal is… It… Ow!”

Applejack took another deep breath, crouching down until the contraction passed.

“It’s coming…” She looked up at him, sweat beading up on her face. “I’d be much obliged if you’d walk me to the hospital.”

Duster felt as if he were going to panic. This was one situation for which he was not prepared. He began looking frantically about. He’d become disoriented and he couldn’t remember the location of the hospital.

Applejack chuckled, “Simmer down there. I know the way, just come with me.”

The foal was coming. The stallion, far out of his depth, obeyed the request as though it had been an order. Mixed feelings of excitement and terror flooded through him as the pair made their way onward. The foal was coming.