A Shiny New Apple. Chapter 2 of Comet's story.

Early the next morning before Celestia raised the sun the Apple family got to work getting their house ready for their new arrival. There was broken glass to sweep up picture frames that would need replacing and plenty of repairs made to the foundation and that was on top of the cleaning up the mess in the orchard and getting the baby things out of the attic.  

"Easy now Mac that cradle's been in the Apple family since A'h was a foal." Granny Smith said.

Carefully Big Macintosh balancing a wooden rocking cradle in his teeth walked down the steps from the attic.

"You got a hold on it?"

"Eeyup." He gently set the cradle down on the floor. "Where do you want it?"

"In the old playroom just down the hall", She replied.  

"Hey Granny A'h found that box of baby toys you wanted me to look fe'r!" "Applebloom called out from the attic  

"Well leave it by the stairs Applebloom Ah'll send Mac up to get it as soon he's done with the cradle."

Applebloom smiled as she pushed the box over to the stairs.

"Ah've always wondered what it would be like to have little brother or sister." Applebloom's grin spread from cheek to cheek as she imagined all the fun things she would do with her new baby brother.  "A'h can't wait to tell everypony at school about him."

"Alright now let's make sure we've got everything we need here." Applejack said as she looked over a clipboard with a checklist.

"Crib?"

"Eyup"

"Changing Table?"

"Eeyup"

"Dresser?"

"Eeyup."

"Bath?"

"Eeyup."

"Toy Chest?"

"Eeyup."

"Baby clothes, Mobile, Blankets, Pillows, Bibs, Highchair, Stroller, Wagon seat?    

"Eeyup yup yup yup yup yup yup."

"Okay that looks like just about everything all we need now is for Applebloom to bring the toys down."

Suddenly there was a loud tumbling sound followed by a crash, Applejack and Big Mac ran down the hall to find a sheepish Applebloom sitting in the middle of a pile of baby toys and Granny Smith holding her chest like she was about to have a heart attack.

"Are y'all alright lil sis?" Applejack asked.

"A'hm fine." The yellow filly replied

"You really need to watch where your going alright?"

"Yeah yeah Ah know."

"Good heavens it's much too early in the morning fe'r me to be dealing with this much excitement!" Granny Smith exclaimed.  

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

The excitement was broken up by the sound of Comet crying. Applejack sighed and went over to her room to comfort him.

By the time the sun rose the house had been cleaned up and Comet's playroom was set up.

"Well that settles that A'h finally got the little rascal to go sleep." Applejack took off her stenson and wiped her brow as she and her brother stepped into the kitchen.  

"Well A'h whipped up some hay, eggs and toast fe'r your breakfast.  No'thin fancy but it should get you two thru the day." Granny told her as she a some plates on the table.    

"Thanks Granny Ah'm gonna need it we've got a hot date with a crashed spaceship in the orchard this morning and after that Ah gotta run into town with Mac fe'r some baby supplies." She looked around the kitchen. "Where's Applebloom?"  

"She left fe'r school just a few minutes ago." Granny replied. "She was so excited she wanted to get there early. Ah think she can't wait to tell all her classmates about her new baby brother."

Applejack spat her breakfast out in surprise into Big Mac's face.

"She what?"

"Now now calm down Applejack" Her Grandmother reassured her. "Me and Applebloom, well we got to talking it over and decided that for now it was best just to tell every pony that he was dropped off on our porch in a basket."

Applejack looked down at her plate while Big Mac wiped his sisters breakfast off his face with his napkin and folded it up.

"Well A'h guess that makes sense A'h mean who'd believe we found him in a crashed spaceship in the middle o' the orchard?"  

That day at school.....

"Alright class before we get started our classmate Applebloom has some exciting news to share with us.", Mrs Cheerilee said as she handed the floor over to Applebloom."

"Thank you Mrs Cheerilee"  She said as she turned to face the class. "Everypony last night something wonderful happened, My family and Ah adopted a newborn foal.

The class erupted into a roar of cheering that was followed by many many questions.

"What's his name?" Asked Button Mash.

"What color is his coat?" Rumble asked.

"When can we see him?" Scootaloo wanted to know.

"What do you think his Cutie Mark will be?" Sweetie said.

"Isn't night a strange time to adopt a foal?" Peppermint Twist asked.

The Questions came one after another but Applebloom did her best to respond to them.

"His name is Comet, Comet Apple."

"His coat is white with a smokey gray mane."

"Right now he's with Applejack and Big Mac at the market but maybe she'll let me bring him to school tomorrow."

"I don't know what his cutie mark will be yet."

"Well it wasn't kinda planned for someone just dropped him in a basket on our front porch last night rang the bell and left."

"So you got a new baby brother so what? Diamond Tiara said smugly.  

"Oh he sounds so adorable do you think Applebloom will let us see him Diamond?" Silver Spoon asked causing Diamond to hoof palm her face.

"Alright that's enough class it's time to begin our lessons for the day.", Mrs Cheerilee said before writing the day's lesson on the chalkboard while The Cutie Mark Crusaders huddled together."

"So Applebloom when can we see your new baby brother?" Sweetie asked.

"Applejack said she was gonna drop by Sugarcube Corner later today maybe we could stop and see him." Applebloom replied.

"This is gonna be so cool! Do you think your sister would let us watch him?" Scootaloo asked.

"A'h don't know Scoot's A'h heard foalsitting a lot of hard work. Remember what a handful Pinkie said Pound and Pumpkin Cake were the first time she foalsat them?"

"Yeah but there's like three of us and only one of him we can watch each others backs."

"Plus maybe we could earn our cutie marks for foalsitting." Sweetie added.

"Well A'h suppose If we ask Applejack nicely she might say yes."

"Then it's agreed today after school we'll head over to Sugarcube Corner."

"We'll be the best foalsitters ever!" Sweetie exclaimed.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders Foalsitters Yay!" They shouted in unison as they jumped in the air.

"Ahem Girls!" Ms Cheerilee interrupted.

"Sorry Miss Cheerilee." The trio said simultaneously as they sat back down at their desks.

Meanwhile in Ponyville Applejack had taken it upon herself to pick up some baby supplies. Her brother assured her he could handle the mess in the orchard by himself and Granny needed some well deserved rest after being up so late so Applejack had volunteered to bring Comet with her while she did her shopping.

"Alright first thing on the list is a check up at the hospital. " She looked up at the entrance to Ponyville Hospital.  

"You said you found him on your front porch last night in a basket?" Nurse Redheart asked as she filled out a clipboard.

"That is correct." Applejack answered.    

"What time would you say this was?"

"A little after ten thirty  A'h think."

"Mhm and did you see who dropped him off?"

"No  Ma'm A'h didn't."

"I see, can you think of any reason why someone would choose to drop an unwanted foal on your doorstep? Anything at all?"

"No A'h don't reckon A'h can."

"One last question are you intending to do now?"

"Well Ma'm we all talked it over and we decided we want to adopt him."

"Alright thanks for your time Applejack I'll get back to you once Doctor Horse has finished his examination. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes in the meantime you can wait outside in waiting room."  

"Thanks Nurse Redheart." Applejack shook her hoof picked up her stenson and walked out the door. She got as far as turn down the hall when she ran into Pinkie Pie of all ponies.

"Hey Applejack!" The pink mare exclaimed as she grabbed her friend in a tight hug.

"Hello Pinkie Pie." Applejack said. "What are you doing here?"

"Rainbow Dash broke her wing again and we're all here to cheer her up."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "What in tarnation did she do this time?"

"I dunno something to do with a midair collision with Derpy and both of them spiraling into a row of porta potties."  Pinkie answered.  "What are you doing here?"  

"A'h was just bringing Comet here for a quick check up."

"Who's Comet?"

"He's a foal we're adopting."

The pink mare could hardly contain her excitement. Her mouth stretched into a smile so big it seemed to split her face in two. All at once she started asking questions at a mile a minute.

"OH MY GOSH WHY DIDN'T TELL ME?  HOW SOON CAN YOU HIRE A BABYSITTER? CAN I BE THE BABYSITTER? I'VE ALREADY GOT POUND AND PUMPKIN TO WATCH BUT I GUESS I COULD SQUEEZE ONE MORE IN AND OH MY GOD POUND AND PUMPKIN ARE GONNA HAVE A NEW PLAYMATE TO PLAY WITH! HOW SOON CAN WE CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY? WHAT KIND OF CAKE SHOULD I BAKE? CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? OR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE JUST YOU WAIT APPLEJACK I'LL THROW THE BIGGEST ADOPT A PONY BASH PONYVILLE HAS EVER SEEN! OH THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO!"

"Pinkie!"

Pinkie continued to ramble lost in her own excitement.

"FIRST WE'RE GONNA NEED DECORATIONS AND BALLOONS AND MUSIC AND A CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN WAIT IS IT SAFE FOR BABIES TO DRINK FROM A CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN!"

"Pinkie."

"AW WHAT THE HAY I'LL THROW IT IN ANYWAY! OOH I KNOW STREAMERS!" She said tossing them into the air only to be pulled back by the ear by Nurse Redheart who'd just returned with an orange unicorn in a doctors coat.  "Ow Hey!"

"Shh there are patients resting on this floor." She scolded.  

"Oh whoops sorry,"  Pinkie smiled sheepishly.

"Thank you Nurse Redheart that will be all." Doctor Horse said as he walked up to Applejack carrying a file with his magic."  

"Well Doctor how is he?" Applejack asked.

"Everything seems to check out nicely he's got good reflexes, good blood pressure, no serious ailments or health problems as far as I can tell. He's a perfectly healthy foal I just can't see why someone would just abandon him like that. Anyway he's in the nursery with the other's right now. Come with me I'll show you. The Doctor turned and led Applejack to the nursery.

"Right behind you Applejack!" Pinkie cried out only to pulled back by Nurse Redheart.

"Shh not you."

Pinkie could only squee nervously at the look the nurse was giving her.

The Delivery Room.

"Well there he is number 209 second from the right."

Doctor Horse pointed Applejack to her baby brother who was squirming and twisting inside his bed. He cried as his little hooves kicked into the air.

"Hi baby brother, It's me your big sister Applejack." Applejack smiled in awe thru the window looking into the room."

"He's a quite a spirited one he nearly kicked Nurse Redheart a few times as she was taking his temperature." Doctor Hooves said.

"Ah'd believe it yep he's gonna make one heck of an apple bucker just like his big sister." Applejack smiled with admiration.    

"Well if you'll excuse me I've got other patients waiting for me." Doctor Horse said as he walked to the door. I'll have the receptionist call the orphanage and have the adoption papers sent to you sometime this afternoon.

"Of course thanks Doc A'h won't keep you from your work."

"No trouble at all Applejack." And with that Doctor Horse left the room. Applejack turned back the nursery and looked at the Comet sleeping in his crib with the other foals. She smiled softly as she watched him stretch out his forelegs and let out a big yawn before slowly closing his eyes.