Hey Haruka. . .thanks for the review ~_^ Hey, it's not all Diana's fault.
She doesn't LIVE with Princess, just next door to her, hehe. And if Shane
knew, maybe he kept it a secret. . .after all he's. . .SHIFTY SHANE!
WELCOME BACK HANNI! It's about time you reviewed! ^_~ 'Dividing The Fruit' is coming along great. . .HEY EVERYONE! IF YOU LIKE MEWTWO FICS GO READ HANNIS! ^_^
And this chapter is for samicat. Why? Because she's cool like that. Go read her stuff too! ^_^
And Lauren's, as soon as I read some of her work myself. Muhahahaha.
Okay, I'm done promoting everyone. My sister is yelling at me. _
READ!
~Chapter Twenty-Two~
My mouth dropped open. "Whaaaat?!" I cried.
Nurse Joy nodded, and the Chansey's imitated her. "You say she's been eating a lot, she's been moody, refuses to be lead. . .and I did a belly scan and saw the makings of a baby Ponyta."
I was just as shocked as I had been when Princess reared.
"So that explains why she's gone crazy," I murmured. I let go of Shane's hand and cautiously walked up to Princess. She pinned her ears back, but let me pat her on the neck.
"Oh girl," I whispered. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."
She gave a low whinny, and I knew she forgave me.
"Thank you Nurse Joy," Danielle said, staring hard at me. "We appreciate you taking time from the Pokemon Center to come here."
"Oh, no problem," the redheaded nurse smiled. "Come on Chansey!"
Nurse Joy walked out of the yard and to her ambulance, while the Chanseys waddled behind.
I turned back to Shane and Danielle. "I can't believe it! There's going to be another Ponyta around here! Are we going to keep it? I'm sure we can afford to keep the baby. . .how long until it's born? I mean---"
"Diana," Danielle said softly. She and Shane glanced at each other.
My smile faded. "What?"
Shane looked back at his mother. "I should. . .because. . ."
Danielle nodded and walked into the house.
"What is it?" I asked again. I undid one of the cross ties and Princess nuzzled my shoulder.
Shane sighed. He looked out at Red Spot, who had gone back into the paddock, at Princess, and back towards me. It seemed like hours before he said anything, but finally he muttered, "Put Princess back with Red Spot. Let's go sit somewhere private."
I shrugged and undid the other cross tie. Princess snorted gratefully. As I lead her to the paddock, I gazed at her stomach. I couldn't believe there was a baby Ponyta in there.
I had learned earlier in school that some Pokemon laid eggs and the babies were born from the eggs, but others didn't lay eggs at all. I wondered if Princess was going to lay an egg.
Princess must have been reading my thoughts, because she shook her head. I smiled and gave her neck a final pat before unclipping the halter.
"You're better at telepathy than Mystical is," I laughed. My Dratini looked up in confusion, but when she realized I wasn't talking to her, she went back to the nap she was taking.
I went back to Princess's stall and put her halter on a hook. I spotted Shane sitting on the grass near the tack shed---he was staring straight ahead, not even blinking. He seemed deep in thought.
I jogged towards him and sat down beside him. "So," I started. "What's up?"
Shane gave another deep sigh, still staring ahead. What seemed like five million years later, he finally said, "You've been around horse-type Pokemon for. . .eight years?" I nodded. "And you still have no idea."
"No idea about what?" I wondered out loud. "Tell me."
Shane paused for another few minutes. I could tell this was really hard for him to talk about.
"A Rapidash is a weird Pokemon," he started slowly. "Pokemon usually don't have a single mate, but Rapidashes do. You know, when they have a mate, they mate for life. And usually whenever they have their first foal. . ."
I stared out at Princess. Red Spot was nuzzling her back, and her eyes were closed. She seemed to enjoy it.
"Usually whenever they have their first foal," he repeated. "It means they want to start a family."
"Like humans?"
"Yeah. And. . .well. . ." He sighed again and looked at me. "Maybe I should just say it," he murmured. "Diana. . ."
"Yes?" I was getting impatient.
"Once Princess and Red Spot have their foal, they're going to leave," Shane blurted out.
My mouth dropped open as my gaze went back to Princess. "Leave?"
"Yes. . .they're going to go into the wild, start a herd, teach their foal things."
"But. . ." I stammered. Why couldn't Princess have her foal here? Why did her and Red Spot have to leave?
"But why?" I finally asked.
Shane shrugged. "It's the Rapidash way. Almost no foal is raised in captivity. In fact, every single Ponyta and Rapidash here was captured in the wild."
Tears stung my eyes as this sunk in, but I blinked them back. "Is she going to leave soon?"
"I don't know," Shane admitted. "They usually leave the minute they realize they're in foal, but Princess must've known for quite awhile. She likes you too much."
I smiled, but something else Shane had said was bugging me.
"What did you mean when you said 'Once Princess and Red Spot have THEIR foal'?" I asked him.
"Haven't you noticed they've been spending a lot of time together?" Shane pointed out. "They were 'dating', I guess. Getting used to each other. Plus, Red Spot is the only stallion in this whole place."
"So Red Spot's leaving too," I sighed. "I didn't even think of that."
"Well, it's an easy mistake," Shane laughed. "The stallion does all of the work, gets none of the credit."
I chuckled. Danielle suddenly came out of the house, staring at both of us intently.
"I suppose Shane told you the news?" she asked me.
I nodded. "Will I be able to ride her when she's in foal?"
Danielle nodded. "But very, very lightly. No jumping, no cantering. . .a jog at the most"
I sighed. I guess this was the price I had to pay for letting Princess stay in the paddock with a stallion. "And how long until the baby is born?"
"It usually takes around ten months, but sometimes it's eleven," Danielle replied.
I groaned. "Almost a YEAR! How am I going to survive not jumping for a year?"
"There's always Pass," Danielle smiled. I blinked.
"I was planning on keeping him," Danielle continued. "And he's got such potential I would love to show him, but I'm not exactly what I used to be. Plus, I'm busy working with all of these others.
"Diana, you're a fantastic jumper, so I was wondering if you could show Pass for me?"
I raised my eyebrows. "But what about Shane?" I asked, looking at him.
He answered for her. "You're a way better jumper," he laughed. "Plus, I can still jump on Red Spot. . .he's not pregnant." I laughed. "Anyway, I'm also hoping Mars will evolve soon."
"Alright then," I smiled. "I'll show Pass for you, Mrs. Mavens."
"Oh, how wonderful," she smiled. "Of course you don't have to compete until the foal is born; you can just practice."
I shrugged. "We'll see. I'm just glad I know what was up with Princess."
'Even if she has to leave,' I added in my thoughts.
~*~*~
Boring chapter. . .in my opinion. Muhahaha. Now I must let my sister on before she has a heart attack. REVIEW!
WELCOME BACK HANNI! It's about time you reviewed! ^_~ 'Dividing The Fruit' is coming along great. . .HEY EVERYONE! IF YOU LIKE MEWTWO FICS GO READ HANNIS! ^_^
And this chapter is for samicat. Why? Because she's cool like that. Go read her stuff too! ^_^
And Lauren's, as soon as I read some of her work myself. Muhahahaha.
Okay, I'm done promoting everyone. My sister is yelling at me. _
READ!
~Chapter Twenty-Two~
My mouth dropped open. "Whaaaat?!" I cried.
Nurse Joy nodded, and the Chansey's imitated her. "You say she's been eating a lot, she's been moody, refuses to be lead. . .and I did a belly scan and saw the makings of a baby Ponyta."
I was just as shocked as I had been when Princess reared.
"So that explains why she's gone crazy," I murmured. I let go of Shane's hand and cautiously walked up to Princess. She pinned her ears back, but let me pat her on the neck.
"Oh girl," I whispered. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."
She gave a low whinny, and I knew she forgave me.
"Thank you Nurse Joy," Danielle said, staring hard at me. "We appreciate you taking time from the Pokemon Center to come here."
"Oh, no problem," the redheaded nurse smiled. "Come on Chansey!"
Nurse Joy walked out of the yard and to her ambulance, while the Chanseys waddled behind.
I turned back to Shane and Danielle. "I can't believe it! There's going to be another Ponyta around here! Are we going to keep it? I'm sure we can afford to keep the baby. . .how long until it's born? I mean---"
"Diana," Danielle said softly. She and Shane glanced at each other.
My smile faded. "What?"
Shane looked back at his mother. "I should. . .because. . ."
Danielle nodded and walked into the house.
"What is it?" I asked again. I undid one of the cross ties and Princess nuzzled my shoulder.
Shane sighed. He looked out at Red Spot, who had gone back into the paddock, at Princess, and back towards me. It seemed like hours before he said anything, but finally he muttered, "Put Princess back with Red Spot. Let's go sit somewhere private."
I shrugged and undid the other cross tie. Princess snorted gratefully. As I lead her to the paddock, I gazed at her stomach. I couldn't believe there was a baby Ponyta in there.
I had learned earlier in school that some Pokemon laid eggs and the babies were born from the eggs, but others didn't lay eggs at all. I wondered if Princess was going to lay an egg.
Princess must have been reading my thoughts, because she shook her head. I smiled and gave her neck a final pat before unclipping the halter.
"You're better at telepathy than Mystical is," I laughed. My Dratini looked up in confusion, but when she realized I wasn't talking to her, she went back to the nap she was taking.
I went back to Princess's stall and put her halter on a hook. I spotted Shane sitting on the grass near the tack shed---he was staring straight ahead, not even blinking. He seemed deep in thought.
I jogged towards him and sat down beside him. "So," I started. "What's up?"
Shane gave another deep sigh, still staring ahead. What seemed like five million years later, he finally said, "You've been around horse-type Pokemon for. . .eight years?" I nodded. "And you still have no idea."
"No idea about what?" I wondered out loud. "Tell me."
Shane paused for another few minutes. I could tell this was really hard for him to talk about.
"A Rapidash is a weird Pokemon," he started slowly. "Pokemon usually don't have a single mate, but Rapidashes do. You know, when they have a mate, they mate for life. And usually whenever they have their first foal. . ."
I stared out at Princess. Red Spot was nuzzling her back, and her eyes were closed. She seemed to enjoy it.
"Usually whenever they have their first foal," he repeated. "It means they want to start a family."
"Like humans?"
"Yeah. And. . .well. . ." He sighed again and looked at me. "Maybe I should just say it," he murmured. "Diana. . ."
"Yes?" I was getting impatient.
"Once Princess and Red Spot have their foal, they're going to leave," Shane blurted out.
My mouth dropped open as my gaze went back to Princess. "Leave?"
"Yes. . .they're going to go into the wild, start a herd, teach their foal things."
"But. . ." I stammered. Why couldn't Princess have her foal here? Why did her and Red Spot have to leave?
"But why?" I finally asked.
Shane shrugged. "It's the Rapidash way. Almost no foal is raised in captivity. In fact, every single Ponyta and Rapidash here was captured in the wild."
Tears stung my eyes as this sunk in, but I blinked them back. "Is she going to leave soon?"
"I don't know," Shane admitted. "They usually leave the minute they realize they're in foal, but Princess must've known for quite awhile. She likes you too much."
I smiled, but something else Shane had said was bugging me.
"What did you mean when you said 'Once Princess and Red Spot have THEIR foal'?" I asked him.
"Haven't you noticed they've been spending a lot of time together?" Shane pointed out. "They were 'dating', I guess. Getting used to each other. Plus, Red Spot is the only stallion in this whole place."
"So Red Spot's leaving too," I sighed. "I didn't even think of that."
"Well, it's an easy mistake," Shane laughed. "The stallion does all of the work, gets none of the credit."
I chuckled. Danielle suddenly came out of the house, staring at both of us intently.
"I suppose Shane told you the news?" she asked me.
I nodded. "Will I be able to ride her when she's in foal?"
Danielle nodded. "But very, very lightly. No jumping, no cantering. . .a jog at the most"
I sighed. I guess this was the price I had to pay for letting Princess stay in the paddock with a stallion. "And how long until the baby is born?"
"It usually takes around ten months, but sometimes it's eleven," Danielle replied.
I groaned. "Almost a YEAR! How am I going to survive not jumping for a year?"
"There's always Pass," Danielle smiled. I blinked.
"I was planning on keeping him," Danielle continued. "And he's got such potential I would love to show him, but I'm not exactly what I used to be. Plus, I'm busy working with all of these others.
"Diana, you're a fantastic jumper, so I was wondering if you could show Pass for me?"
I raised my eyebrows. "But what about Shane?" I asked, looking at him.
He answered for her. "You're a way better jumper," he laughed. "Plus, I can still jump on Red Spot. . .he's not pregnant." I laughed. "Anyway, I'm also hoping Mars will evolve soon."
"Alright then," I smiled. "I'll show Pass for you, Mrs. Mavens."
"Oh, how wonderful," she smiled. "Of course you don't have to compete until the foal is born; you can just practice."
I shrugged. "We'll see. I'm just glad I know what was up with Princess."
'Even if she has to leave,' I added in my thoughts.
~*~*~
Boring chapter. . .in my opinion. Muhahaha. Now I must let my sister on before she has a heart attack. REVIEW!