Apple Bloom climbed on top of a bale of hay. A stall in the barn had been cleared out for this, and she wanted to get a better view as Winona gave birth. With Fluttershy and Applejack assisting, she couldn’t tell what was really going. There were loud yelps, and hushed whispers.

When she finally got in a good position, Apple Bloom saw four pink puppies that appeared to not have much hair. They were still wet, laying in a patch of hay next to their mother, each one twitching and crawling to be closer to the warmth of Winona's belly.

With a soft yelp, a fifth puppy began to come out. Apple Bloom could see Fluttershy help it along and gently cradle it. The pegasus had a towel in her hooves and set the puppy next to the others once it was clean.

“She’s done, right?” Applejack whispered.

“Yeah, but I’ll need to rub her belly to help the bleeding stop,” Fluttershy answered.

“Wait, what’s that?” Apple Bloom asked. She saw what looked like another puppy coming out.

“Oh, looks like she’s having six. No wonder her pregnancy was so hard, older dogs with larger litters can get sick easier,” Fluttershy explained.

Applejack nodded. “Would explain her behavior.”

“Why’s he so small?” Apple Bloom inquired.

“Ain’t ya still got chores to do? We’ll let you see ‘em when we’re done.”

Apple Bloom huffed and sat down so she could cross her forelegs. Winona seemed to have fallen asleep from the effort of childbirth. In truth, she hadn’t done her chores and had no plans to; she found the endless farm work stupid, and didn’t see why she had to work on a farm just because her name had the word ‘apple’ in it. As long as her cutie mark was something other than a red fruit she ought to be fine.

“This runt doesn’t look too healthy,” Fluttershy said. “I’m not sure. . . um, Apple Bloom, can you leave me and Applejack to talk about something?”

“Why? I want to see them now.”

Applejack shot her sister a glance and lifted up her Stetson to lock eyes with her. “Ah want ya to go practice yer speech and writin’ homework.”

“But I—”

“No buts, now get.”

Apple Bloom turned around and jumped off the hay bale, walking around the corner of the small stable. She remained close enough to eavesdrop, having already copied the homework from Sweetie Belle.

“Applejack, I can take the runt home and make sure he passes painlessly. I doubt he’ll live a week,” Fluttershy said.

“Ah can’t ask ya to do that, Fluttershy. And what about Winona? Ya told me this’d be her last litter,” Applejack replied.

“I’m so sorry, she’s eighteen. I didn’t think she could even get pregnant at that age, I’ve never seen it before—she hasn’t stopped bleeding and the tear is pretty bad.”

“Ya head on home now and tell Pinkie we got five puppies for anypony that’d like one. I’ll take care of these two.”

Fluttershy sighed. “I—thank you, Applejack. I’ve never enjoyed euthanizing a sick animal. Do you need any of my herbs?”

“No, I’ll put ‘em down and bury them like my father taught me—”

Apple Bloom burst out from behind the corner. “What!? You’re gonna kill Winona and a baby puppy!”

“Dammit! Ah told ya to go in the house, sis. This ain’t for young eyes to see!” Applejack towered over her sister and frowned.

“It isn’t fair!”

“Life isn’t fair, and if ya want to talk about it we will. This is the way of things; all animals have a time when their life is just too painful to go on.”

Apple Bloom took a step forward, now an inch from her sister’s nose. “So you’re gonna kill Winona!”

“Look at her!” she snapped.

Applejack stepped aside and her sister walked forward. Winona was laying on her side, her back side slick with fluid from the birth. Her chest barely rose with her breathes and her muzzle and belly seemed far too pale.

“B-but, maybe she won’t die,” Apple Bloom whimpered.

“I’m so sorry.” Fluttershy walked over and put a wing over her. “She tore her perineum, and I think she also broke her hip. Between infection and trying to set a bone. . . I know it’s hard to say goodbye. We can’t let her last memories be of suffering for a month. She had eighteen years of joy with you two. I’m sure if she could talk, she’d thank us.”

“Why, Fluttershy?” Apple Bloom started crying and had to sit down to ease her quaking legs.

“If I could save her, I would.”

“Then let’s get Twilight to save her!”

Applejack gestured for Fluttershy to step back, so she could hug her sister. “Listen, old age ain’t somethin’ you can magic away and fix. It didn’t work to save Pa, or Ma after she gave birth, and it won’t work for Winona.”

“Then I. . . I want to keep the runt. I want to make him grow up healthy,” Apple Bloom explained.

“He’s called a runt ‘cuz he ain’t fully developed. Ya can’t save everypony,” Applejack replied.

“What about me?” Apple Bloom stood back up defiantly, moving to stand over the runt. “Would you have killed me too for being a runt? When Ma gave birth to me and died—”

“Don’t you dare go there,” Applejack said. Tears began welling up in the corners of her eyes. “Ah’d never fer a second thought of lettin’ anypony hurt my little sis. Ain’t yer f-fault one bit what happened to Ma.”

The two sisters embraced and sat there. Applejack ran a hoof along her sister’s back, calming her. Fluttershy waited for a few minutes while Apple Bloom cried in her sister’s mane. “I can get formula or another dog to nurse her. I’ll help Apple Bloom with the runt.”

“Please, Applejack. I-if you have to do t-that to Winona, let me try and s-save her puppy.” Apple Bloom looked up into her sister's eyes which had become puffy, waiting until she nodded.

“Take her to the house, sis,” Applejack said.

She got up and took a clean towel, wrapping the runt up to keep it warm. Apple Bloom carried it in her mouth and walked out of the barn towards their home. She could feel it squirming in the blanket, and even a small paw pushing against her muzzle.

Apple Bloom flinched as she heard a yelp and something snap. She took off running to the safety of her bedroom, with her own little sis to take care of now.

Apple Bloom picked the stick up in her mouth and flung it across the orchard. Lucky ran through the grass to fetch it.

It had been nearly six months since she took the runt under her wing—so to speak. With a dedication she hadn’t shown her school work or chores, she cared night and day for her. Applejack would often scold Apple Bloom for her irresponsibility, and encourage her to quit telling lies and excuses for why she only did the things she wanted to do.

Yet none of it mattered, because Apple Bloom had done one thing right: she had saved Lucky. She may be a blank flank, and she might ignore her chores, but she had impressed Fluttershy with how well she raised her puppy. Lucky had reached a healthy weight, and her fur coat even shimmered a lovely golden-brown that put Winona’s to shame.

Lucky ran back with the stick in her mouth. Apple Bloom rolled over in the grass and let her jump on her belly, then held Lucky down and nuzzled her. The two played and horsed around as if they were truly sisters. Many of the ponies in town suspected Apple Bloom would get a cutie mark related to dogs; they had become so inseparable.

Once the puppy was done licking at her muzzle, it jumped down. Apple Bloom got up and picked up the stick. Lucky ran out into the grass and turned back, waiting for her to throw it. She decided to really put her back into it, taking a couple steps back and getting ready to let it fly.

She spun as she threw, flicking the stick into the air where it got caught in the breeze and sailed across the orchard. It fell just short of the nearest apple trees next to the well. Apple Bloom watched as Lucky chased it, then jumped up onto the old well.

“Lucky, no!” Apple Bloom screamed. Lucky turned to look at her and a paw slipped, sending her falling down the well.

She sprinted there as fast as her hooves could carry her. Already she could hear yelping from the bottom of the dry well. “Lucky!” she screamed.

Apple Bloom looked around in a panic. There were no ropes or buckets—only a few rotting boards that were supposed to be covering the top of the well. She had to find a way to help Lucky, and she had to find it now.

Her salvation flew across the sky until lazily settling down on a cloud. Apple Bloom ran below it and shouted. “Rainbow! Come down, I need your help!”

Dash peaked a head over the cloud. “What’s up?”

“It’s Lucky! She fell down a well!” Apple Bloom kept fidgeting, having run just far enough away from the well that she couldn’t hear her puppy. “Come on!”

Hopping off the cloud, Dash flew down and landed next to Apple Bloom. “Quick, show me where she’s at. I’ll save her for you!”

They ran towards the well together and could hear the dog barking, crying out for help. Rainbow flung the rotting boards off the top of the well and peered inside. “How deep is this?”

“I don’t know, but it’s really old. Grandpa built it.”

“Alright, if I’m not right back up, you go get Applejack immediately, understand?”

“Yes! Please hurry!”

Dash nodded and started to crawl down the well, gauging its size. She couldn’t fully spread her wings, but could still flap them if she kept her primaries tucked in. There was a gentle updraft coming from the well from the underground water source it had once been attached to.

She took the plunge, falling for several feet into the darkness and fighting her instinct to panic. Rainbow began flapping and caught the draft in her feathers, hovering down slowly. She steadied herself against the sides of the well with her hooves, growing farther and farther away from the light at the top of the well.

The yelping was getting louder, and Dash felt a hoof hit a stone. Her other hooves soon landed on damp sand and sank a few inches. The bottom of the well was too dark to see, but she could clearly hear Lucky. Dash felt out with her feathers and brushed across the puppy, then scooped it up in her forelegs.

As Dash started to fly her way out, she struggled to balance flapping her wings, holding Lucky, and riding the gentle updraft. After a few suspenseful minutes she had made it out of the well without destroying any primaries or dropping the puppy.

“Dash, are ya alright? Apple Bloom came ta me in a right fit!” Applejack said.

She looked over and smiled, before Dash set Lucky down in the grass. “Of course I am. Was I gone that long?”

Apple Bloom had tears staining her cheeks and she nodded. “I waited a couple minutes but I was so scared you got hurt too!”

Dash stepped back as Apple Bloom rushed forward to hold Lucky. “Easy there, he’s in bad shape. I’ll go get Fluttershy.”

Applejack put a hoof out to stop her. “Ah’m afraid that’s not necessary, look.”

Lucky was licking Apple Bloom’s nose, and moving her front paws. However, her back paws and tail were motionless. “What do you mean, sis? Why isn’t she moving?”

Rainbow gasped as she put two and two together, and saw Applejack moving up to comfort her sister. “Apple Bloom, look here.” She pointed down at a lump in her back. “She—ah’m so sorry, she broke her spine. There’s nothing we can do.”

“What? No, she’s just scared.” Apple Bloom nuzzled Lucky. “It’s okay, little sis. Show AJ you can move—please, be okay.” She began to cry as clear memories of Winona’s passing resurfaced. The clearest memory was that final yelp, before Winona was granted the peaceful slumber she had needed so badly.

“Dash, give us a few minutes then go get Scootaloo and Sweetie. Ah’ll have ta. . . take care of this,” Applejack said.

She nodded silently before flying off towards town.

Sweetie couldn’t believe Rarity was doing this again. “You said you’d take me to see Cats in Canterlot!” She stomped a hoof on the ground.

Rarity glanced up from her sewing machine. “I’m sorry, Sweetie. You know I can’t afford to get behind on my work. I’ve given away too many free dresses, and the yearly income tax is due soon! And that’s not to mention rent on that new Boutique I plan to open in Canterlot.”

Sweetie walked around the sewing machine and knocked over one of the mannequins with a dress on it. “They’re just stupid dresses! I’m your sister and you never spend time with me!”

“Stop that at once!” Rarity had little patience of late, preferring to ignore her sister. It was no surprise to Sweetie when a measuring stick levitated off the ground and smacked her flank. “You never behave and interfere with my work then wonder why we can’t make trips to Canterlot? Why don’t you go sleepover with Apple Bloom if you’re going to be difficult again?”

Sweetie moaned and marched towards her room. “Don’t bother, if you don’t want to spend time with me I can go get ignored by Mom and Dad instead.”

“Alright, Sweetie, have fun.” Rarity went back to sewing, not even registering what her sister had said.

She went upstairs, stopping in Rarity’s inspiration room. Sweetie found the small bolt of golden fabric that her sister had recently made. The shining gold thread took Rarity a day or two to weave into a custom fabric. Sweetie had once used it to make the Cutie Mark Crusaders new capes. Now she would use it again to make even bigger, flashier capes, as the old ones had worn out.

Sweetie was getting good with her sewing, and after a couple hours had turned two days of hard work by Rarity into four new capes. She didn’t know when, or if, she’d see Babs again. If she did, then she’d have a new cape for her anyway.

With her door closed, Sweetie went to the mirror and looked at her reflection. “Oh, darling, I’m so sorry I missed your school play! Today was your birthday? I’ll make it up to you! Oh dear, Mom and Dad are going out of town for a month and leaving you with me?!” She slammed a hoof against the mirror, causing it to crack slightly. “I hate you Rarity!”

It took her a few minutes to calm down. She packed her saddlebags, tucking the scraps of golden cloth in it to dispose of discretely, and walked quietly to the front door of the store.

Rarity had left her sewing machine unattended to go to the restroom. Grinning mischievously, Sweetie used the levitation she had been practicing so hard with. She took hold of the thread and tangled it around the bobbin holder. When it began to sew and spun, it would tangle up and stop the machine. Sweetie threaded it back into place and made it look as if nothing was amiss. She smiled widely because it could take up to an hour to fix once it jammed.

Sweetie closed the machine and hurried to the door, nearly getting hit in the face as it opened.

A stallion stepped through the door, dressed in expensive clothing. “Oh, you must be Rarity’s daughter. I’m Hoity Toity.” The stallion smiled.

“Oh, hi.” She flashed an insincere smile.

“I have a message for Rarity, is she here?” he asked.

“No, want me to take a message?” Sweetie inquired.

He knelt down. “Sure, how could I refuse such a stunningly beautiful filly? Tell her that the deadline for my order of 30 dresses needs to be moved up by two weeks—to this Friday. It is critical for my fashion show in Canterlot, diplomats from all over the world will be in town that weekend. Let her know I’ll double the payment for the rush order.”

“Of course! I’ll go write her a note just in case, and then tell her when I see her later.” Sweetie smiled and felt herself blush slightly. Hoity Toity had taken more time to compliment her in one conversation then Rarity did in a week.

“Thank you! This will save me so much time. I must head over to talk to the local caterer Pinkie, and then see if Miss Dash can still handle the weather and finish the show with a rainboom.” Hoity Toity reached out and shook her hoof. “You have a good day, little filly.”

He left and Sweetie closed the door behind him. “Who was that?” Rarity asked.

When she turned around Sweetie saw that her sister had just walked out from the restroom. “Hi, sis, it was just Dash. She was looking for Pinkie Pie.”

“Oh, well she’s not here,” Rarity said.

“I know, I told him—her. Well, I’m off to see Apple Bloom anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Okay, darling, have fun.”

Sweetie opened the door and left. She had barely made it ten yards before Dash swooped down. “Hey, Sweetie. Thank Celestia you’re here.”

“Dash? What do you want?” she asked.

“Apple Bloom’s dog Lucky is. . . very sick, and Applejack asked me to find you and Scootaloo. If you two could come cheer her up, have a crusade or sleep over, that’d be great.”

“Of course. I was just headed there actually,” Sweetie explained. “Let’s make sure she’s okay.”

“Great, let’s find—” The front door opened and Dash looked over at it.

“Sweetie,” Rarity interrupted, “were you using my sewing machine?”

She turned around and rolled her eyes. “Of course not, I hate your frilly dresses.”

Rarity sighed. “All right then, darling. I have to get back to work. The sooner I finish this order for Photo Finish, the sooner I can start on the thirty dresses that Hoity Toity wants in two and a half weeks.”

She smiled widely at her sister. “Good luck with that.”

“Thanks.” Rarity turned around and went back inside to start working.

“Sis, she ain’t comin’ back from this.”

Apple Bloom felt Lucky’s tongue lapping up her tears, which only made her cry harder. “It’s not fair! She’s just a baby, Twilight has to fix her! She’s so young and I love her—she can’t die!”

“Ah wish magic could fix a broken spine, but it can’t. Take a few minutes and say goodbye, then ya just run along to the clubhouse and let your sis take care of Lucky.”

It took a few minutes to sink in while the two lay there. Apple Bloom poked Lucky’s flank and she didn’t respond, her legs still motionless. Lucky almost seemed to smile, and even began to pant like she normally would. She kept trying to drag herself forward to nuzzle into her owner’s mane, yet her back half was too badly mangled for her to move.

The sun had nearly set, and Applejack had seen Dash bring the other crusaders over to the club house. “Apple Bloom, it’s time. Go be with yer friends and ah’ll see to it she doesn’t suffer anymore.”

Apple Bloom looked up at her sister, having dried off her tears. “No. This is my—responsibility.”

“Apple Bloom, ah ain’t gonna let—”

“No! You always tell me I have to be responsible, so let me! You’re not the one that made her fall down a well and I won’t let you lay a hoof on her!” She stood up and snorted out her nose, glaring at Applejack.

“You’re absolutely sure?” It broke her heart enough to know Lucky was going to die. Applejack worried what it could do to Apple Bloom, yet at the same time wanted her sister to have the opportunity to grieve and bury her pet as she saw fit.

“Yes, it has to be me. I have to know she isn’t in anymore pain.”

“Want me to show you how?”

Apple Bloom whimpered. “N-no. I’ll just—get a big enough rock, I. . . don’t watch. Don’t tell t-them I had to do it. I w-want to do it alone, to have one last s-special moment with her.”

Applejack nodded. “Be strong, sis.” She turned and walked back towards the house. Tears started to flow from her cheeks as she thought about Winona, who had been with her since she was a filly. It was the right thing to do for the owner, and not some stranger, to be there to ease a beloved pet’s passing.

Once Apple Bloom was done, Applejack would have a long talk with her. The rock might be messy, but learning to accept death as a part of life was a lesson her sister had to learn. They’d already lost one pet and their parents. Soon Granny would follow, and Applejack had to know Apple Bloom would be ready when one day her and Mac died too.

Lucky began to bark softly and beg for attention. Apple Bloom pet her and noticed some bruising around her ribs and stomach. She carefully cradled Lucky in one foreleg and hobbled over to the nearest tree, where she could bury her.

A suitable rock was nearby and she pried it out of the ground and carried it over to Lucky. Apple Bloom leaned in closer and kissed her on the muzzle. Lucky responded by licking at her nose.

“I love you so much, Lucky. I wish there was another way—I failed you. Sis was right, I’m just an irresponsible little filly. I’m a worthless blank flank, but at least these six months with you I felt special. You were everything I could have h-hoped for a-and m-more.” Her tears began to flow again as she reached for the stone.

Lucky was watching her and whimpering softly in pain. Whether she knew this was the end or not, the puppy put on a brave face. She continued to pant with her tongue lolling out of her mouth, licking at Apple Bloom when she’d move a leg close enough. If this was to be her end, she’d face it with dignity.

Apple Bloom lifted the rock up, her forelegs trembling. She wasn’t sure if she could actually go through with it, if she could actually let go of Lucky. As if to answer her question, Lucky gave her one last bark as if she weren’t injured at all to remember her by. Apple Bloom closed her mouth and laid her head down expectantly.

Her vision was blurred by tears and Apple Bloom tried to blink them away. She felt an impulse to do it now, to get it over, and slammed the rock down.

There was a loud yelp, and she felt a claw scratch against her foreleg. Apple Bloom wiped her tears from her face and saw the rock next to Lucky. Her blow hadn’t been hard or clean enough to kill her instantly. The soft dirt absorbed some of the impact, and she now had a gash over her ear, and was writhing about in pain.

“Sorry! I’m so sorry!” Apple Bloom tried to nuzzle her and make it better, but Lucky began to growl. When she tried to brush the dirt out of Lucky’s eyes, she bit her hoof.

She knew she had to try again, and get it right this time. Apple Bloom quickly lifted the rock, dropping it on Lucky’s chest. She swore under her breath and picked the stone back up, ignoring Lucky’s cries of pain. Apple Bloom slammed it down on her head, hard enough to cause an even louder squeal.

Her tears were blinding her vision again. Lucky was still whimpering and twitching, so she continued to blindly bring the rock down on her head. Five, six, seven. Apple Bloom pounded away as if it were a nail and hammer, and with each hit her sorrow grew tenfold. Lucky’s cries of pain finally faded.

She would never be able to replace Lucky.

Author's Notes:

v1.1
+ edited by The11thWonder