A mix of episode 11 and my own storyline. Family Appreciation Day is up next!
It was a big day in Ponyville for Mr. and Mrs. Cake, for they recently had given birth to two little babies. Malibu and his 6 friends had gone over to the Ponyville Clinic to see the newborns. Malibu himself was excited to see a newborn baby pony, having seen infants before in the Labyrinth.
The gang all peeked inside at the line of babies, all of them whispering excitedly under their breaths.
Malibu's tail swished from his excitement. "I can't wait to see them!" He said to Twilight who nodded. AJ grinned. "Can you believe the new baby is finally here?"
Twilight was looking quite happy as Malibu. "Cup Cake and Carrot Cake must be so proud!" Rarity herself wondered what the sex of the baby would be. "I wonder if it's a filly or a colt?" Malibu grinned at her. "We won't know until they show us!" He said. Pinkie Pie seemed the most excited of them all. "I wanna see the new baby pony! I wanna see! Which one is it?!"
Mr. Cake pulled back one of the blankets; revealing their son. "Meet our son, Pound Cake." Pound Cake gave a cute little yawn, spreading his tiny pegasus wings. Malibu thought it was the most adorable thing ever. Other babies were nothing compared to seeing actual newborns.
The 7 friends all awwed when seeing Pound Cake. His dad then revealed their other kid. "And our daughter, Pumpkin Cake!" But this time, the little filly turned out to be a unicorn, which was different for Malibu since their parents were both Earth Ponies.
"Huh?" They all exclaimed in surprise after seeing Pumpkin's little horn. Pinkie Pie gasped. "Two new foals for me to play with? That's two, two, two times the fun! This is the greatest day ever!" Malibu cringed from how loud she was being, for she could wake the kids.
She suddenly appeared inside the nursery, wearing a party hat. "We need to celebrate your birthday, babies, 'cause you were just born today! Woo-hoo!" Nurse Redheart showed up, shushing Pinkie Pie. "The babies are trying to sleep," She said firmly. Pinkie's ears lowered. "But—."
"Shhh!" Redheart said again, a glare on her face. Malibu was glad he wouldn't have to hear the babies crying yet. He preferred to see a happy baby than a sad one. Pinkie was silent for a few moments before trying to sing the birthday song, resulting into getting kicked out by the nurse. Malibu had to hide the laughter that was coming, though for some reason he could feel a slight tinge of a headache in him. He ignored it for now.
Applejack herself was wondering about the two little babies. "Now how in thunderation is one of them a pegasus and the other one a unicorn?" Mr. Cake smiled. "Easy. My great-great-great-great grandfather was a unicorn. And Cup Cake's great-aunt's second cousin twice removed was a pegasus. That makes sense, right?"
Malibu smiled slightly, still a little confused about how all this worked with ponies, shrugging and nodding. Rainbow Dash looked happy that Pound was a pegasus. "Aw yeah! Heh, just you wait! Once little Pound Cake there gets his wings going, he'll be all over the place!" She zipped around quietly as a demonstration.
"And be careful around Pumpkin Cake," Twilight warned. Rarity nodded. "Baby unicorns get strange magic surges that come and go." This interested the teal alicorn quite a bit when learning about baby ponies, but suddenly the headache feeling was back, a little stronger this time, making him rub his head.
AJ noticed. "You alright, sugarcube?" Malibu groaned slightly, nodding, shaking his head again, trying to keep himself from feeling dizzy. Pinkie Pie went into the nursery again with a cake that had no candles. "Quick! Make a wish and blow out the candles! Which is easy, 'cause there are zero candles! You are zero years old after all!"
Nurse Redheart shushed Pinkie for the final time, making her grin awkwardly, right as Malibu gave a small sneeze, head feeling like it was getting warm. Nobody noticed yet as they thanked the Cakes for showing them their kids, leaving the hospital while Pinkie remained to help.
Malibu walked out, grateful for the fresh air, but his senses had gone fuzzy again, making him stumble. Voices from his friends were disoriented. Applejack noticed again, raising her brow. "Malibu, are you sure you're ok? You look a little pale," She said to her friend. Malibu gulped a little, stomach feeling queasy, like he wanted to throw up.
Twilight quickly went to check him, feeling his forehead. "I-I'm fine, Tw-Twilight I… I…" The mulberry unicorn had gasped in horror when feeling how hot he was. "You're burning up!" Just hearing that made Malibu really want to let loose all his breakfast from before, running to a bush, hurling it out. "Malibu!" Rainbow Dash cried in worry for her colt friend, Fluttershy whimpering, standing out of reach but was worried for him.
After finishing throwing up, Malibu looked to them, his stomach weak, and his eyes scared. "W-what's wrong with me?" He croaked, suddenly collapsing, unable to get up. Twilight rubbed his mane. "You're definitely developing some kind of stomach bug, but to me this looks more serious than that."
Applejack tried to nudge Malibu to his feet, making him moan from his sickness. "Let's get you to bed, Sugarcube. I can't let you roam around town sick like this." Malibu didn't complain, not that he had the strength to anyway, as he allowed Applejack to guide him back to the barn, whimpering softly.
They soon arrived back, Applejack finally having Malibu rest on his bed. Nothing bad had happened so far, until Malibu suddenly let loose a great big sneeze, and magic shot from his horn, turning one of the potted plants on the windowsill into a Smarty-Pants doll, looking at what he did with red eyes, rubbing them.
Applejack looked over her guest with concerned eyes, knowing she needed the nurse and doctor in here scat. First she went to get an ice pack for Malibu's fever. Malibu felt like he couldn't move under his blankets, groaning, feeling quite lousy, wanting this sickness to go away. AJ came back with the ice pack, putting it on his forehead.
Malibu sniffled from his irritated congestion system. "Y-you know… g-gargoyles… stone sleep can get rid of… flus…" He said in his scratchy throat. Applejack nodded. "Uh huh. But ya a pony, so you gotta rest like one. And no messin' around to make yourself worse, ya hear?" The teal alicorn sniffled again. He certainly didn't feel like moving anytime soon, sticky tears in his eyes, as the rest of the family came.
Granny Smith saw how deprived Malibu was. "Oh, dear, I hope you'll feel well," the elder pony said gently, a smile on her face. Macintosh nodded. "Eyup!" Applebloom looked devastated at the idea of her best friend and fellow CMC being sick this way. "W-will he get better?" She asked Applejack, who shrugged. Malibu had let loose again. "AAh-Choo!" He gasped, magic shooting out, hitting Applebloom, and causing her to start floating.
"Whoa! Hey, I'm flying!" She cheered, liking this. Malibu felt like he wanted to laugh, but didn't feel like he had the energy, as Big Mac handed him a handkerchief. "Thanks," Malibu mumbled, sneezing again, hitting Big Mac, who's voice began to sound squeaky. "Eyup! Eyup!" Squeaked the big stallion, backing away.
The others did too, not wanting to get hit. Malibu moaned, vision spinning, lying down again. "For the moment, just let him be. I'll bring ya some tea and soup soon, Sugarcube."
Malibu agreed to that. "Ugh, would be nice… ah… ah!" Everypony else in the room quickly ducked out of the way of the coming blast, Malibu sneezing big again, right as Applejack opened a window. It wound up hitting a bird and turning it into an apple, squawking furiously before flying off.
Granny Smith was somewhat stunned. "Never thought I'd live to see apples fly," She said, glancing at Malibu who flushed red from both fever and embarrassment. "Sorry." He whined, wiping his eyes. Applack shook her head. "Not at all. Now let me get you that soup and tea. C'mon, everypony," She said, Applebloom trying to control her floating while Big Mac went to do something that didn't involve him talking in his squeaky tone.
Malibu lay there in his blankets for the next few minutes while waiting, sneezing up a storm and his fever growing hotter. He even kicked off his blankets to cool down, shaking badly. But in the back of his head he wondered how Pinkie Pie was handling the little Cake twins, for she had offered to babysit them. They had tried to ask Applejack but she refused on account of his sickness and that there were worms swarming over Sweet Apple Acres.
Soon he heard Applejack return with the food and tea, making him smile weakly at her, but she gasped at his lack of bed covers. "What in Equestria do ya think ya are doin'? You're supposed to be covered up!" She said in a scolding manner, making Malibu look ashamed. "Sorry, just… h-hot… aaah choo!" Another sneeze let loose from his irritated nose, Applejack ducking from the magic bursts again, thankfully still going outside.
She went to cover him up, Malibu whimpering from it being too hot. "I know you think you are hot but it isn't. Your body is freezing. And your mom should be here by tomorrow sugarcube."
Malibu felt relieved for that since he desperately wanted his mom around during his ailments, snuggling more into his pillow, while Applejack encouraged him to drink his soup. "Don't… wanna throw up…" Mumbled Malibu in a delirious tone, feeling so very sick, stomach rumbling from being hungry. Applejack nodded in understanding. "Ah know, but you need your strength. Now come on," She said softly, holding out the soup bowl. Weakly, Malibu was able to use his magic without it going haywire to take up the spoon with it, tasting tomato and carrot soup.
"It-it's good," He said softly, also drinking the tea Applejack made which was chamomile. Applejack smiled. "It was my mom Buttercup's soup she used to make me whenever I had the flu," She explained. Malibu though had a question. "Applejack… what happened… to your parents?" He asked woozily, drinking more of the soup and tea. Applejack's ears lowered. "Uh, it's just something I can't talk about. They… they died when our barn burned up once. Big Mac got me, Granny and AB out but, they didn't make it."
The gargoyle clone's tired eyes widened a little. That would be a horrible way to lose your parents, which was a reason why he never saw them around. "I'm… sor… sorry… achoo!" He sneezed, feeling the irritation getting worse. Applejack shrugged. "No big whoop, sugarcube. We've been don' alright. But I'm glad you can have a family with us since well…" Malibu winced, not wanting to think about Thailog. He hoped he would never find his way to Equestria if he learned one of his creations had gone missing.
He suffered for quite a while the next couple days, wondering when his mom would come. She wouldn't forget about him, right? Malibu shook his head. Redheart had looked him over after the first day, saying that alicorn flus were something beyond her knowledge, having never treated a sick alicorn before.
Applejack was mortified at that, not wanting to lose her friend. "B-but there's gotta be somethin'!" She persisted. Nurse Redheart gave her a look of pity after taking the thermometer out of Malibu's mouth which read at 102 degrees. "Perhaps the Princess can know where this came from, and help him, since she's his mother after all," She suggested. Applejack agreed to that.
"That'll make more sense. Malibu, where's your journal?" The earth pony questioned. Malibu weakly pointed to his book on his nightstand, winding up sneezing once more, accidentally hitting Redheart and having her glow red, and make her skin itchy.
Malibu blushed again, hating that his horn was making everything crazy. "Can't… help… what my horn does." He said in his shy voice, Redheart itching her skin greatly, having her smile awkwardly. "Suppose it is a part of this alicorn flu, which I'm probably going to stay away from," She said through her itching, making him smile slightly. Applejack had taken the quill and began to write urgently to Celestia about what was going on with Malibu.
Back at Canterlot, Celestia had received the message and she had been feeling devastated for her sickly adopted colt, instantly teleporting to Ponyville instead of taking the carriage. She flew right over to the barn door, knocking on it. While sleeping, coughing, Malibu's ears perked up at the sound of the door knocking, Applejack having stayed with him through the night. Maybe that was finally his mom coming to help him! Applejack stroked his shoulder. "Just hold tight, hun. Going to see who's here." Malibu shivered under his sheets, burying his head into his pillow, afraid of what would become of him. He could hear distressed voices from downstairs, turning his head towards the door.
Celestia quickly ran up the stairs, finding Malibu lying weakly in the bed, shaking from his sickness, having sneezed again.
"M-mom?" Malibu mumbled in his sickly voice, Celestia's eyes filling with tears for Malibu, quickly going over, giving him a small hug, making Malibu cry.
"Oh, son, when I heard you had fallen ill I came over as quick as I could," She replied in a soft tone, nuzzling him. Malibu coughed again. "Will I… get better?" Malibu asked weakly, holding his mother's hoof. Celestia stroked his mane. "I'm sure you will. Perhaps maybe even Zecora could have a remedy for you too. Luna got sick with this once. Just something all young alicorns get. Applejack, could you go to her house and check with her?"
The orange earth pony nodded in determination, willing to put herself at risk to help her sick friend and fellow Element. Malibu couldn't die, he still had a lot to learn about friendship. "Please hang on for me and ya mom. I'll be back," Applejack pleaded, quickly running out. She knew Malibu's life depended on her managing to get a proper cure from the zebra.
Malibu was shaking again, scared if he was in danger of dying, since his fever was going up again. Celestia went to get him another ice pack to put on his forehead, stroking his shoulder. "It'll be ok, dear son. Just please try to at least sleep until Applejack comes back," She pleaded. He looked at his mom. "Want… drink…" He begged in his wheezy tone. Celestia heeded his request, taking the tea with her magic and holding it up for him to drink. He missed getting this kind of attention from his mom, wishing to live in Canterlot again. But he lived in Ponyville, which was his new home now.
"I can't tell you how much I miss you every day in Canterlot son," murmured the white alicorn, a hoof under his chin. Malibu smiled weakly, limbs tired, eyes fluttering. Soon they began to close in sleep, Celestia knowing he needed it. "Watch over him, my sister," she whispered, sensing he would soon have fever dreams.
….
Malibu saw he was dreaming again, seeing strange glowing green cocoons around him. His body trembled slightly, wondering where he was in his dream, hearing weird hissing noises again, seeing that it was a maze.
"Where am I? I gotta get out!" He cried in fear, running through the maze that kept on changing and shifting all around, making him even more lost.
He wound up tripping and stumbling into a huge cathedral like room, a huge throne there. Malibu's ears fell down at the sight, for it looked wicked and evil, devil blue eyes hissing in holes, buzzing wings sounding. Malibu cowered down, when hearing a deep voice chuckling sinisterly sounding really familiar, and felt something sticky holding his hooves in place.
"Ah! Let me go! Mom!" Wailed Malibu, tugging and tugging. He spotted red eyes in the dark, revealing the one he never wanted to see ever again, wanting to run and hide.
"Hello, my little creation…" Purred Thailog in a sick voice, along with another female's devil laugh making him cower more. "No! Go away!" He shrieked, trying again to break free from his bonds, until another soft female's voice echoed inside him. "Don't be frightened, dear nephew. It is all a sickness dream."
Malibu's ears perked at the voice, gazing up and seeing that his nightmare had disappeared, and he found himself in the Dream Realm. It was rather blissful and serene in this place. He didn't even feel sick anymore. A tiny smile showed on his face when seeing his aunt, going to hug her.
Luna nuzzled him as gently as her sister, having heard about Malibu getting the alicorn flu which was the worst sickness you could get, and vowed to help him during his sickness hallucinations. Malibu was happy to have Luna be in his dreams.
"Auntie, how… how does it feel to go into other's dreams? You think I would have to be in charge of it after I am appointed the next ruler?" He asked in curiosity. Luna had a hoof under his chin, nodding. "Yes, dear Nephew. It is the law of Equestria that I step down from raising the moon and to enter dreams when the next ruler is appointed. But soon, I shall teach you the ways of the Dream Realm, and to protect ponies."
That made Malibu somewhat excited but afraid, not sure about confronting those nightmares. "I dunno if I could carry on after you. It sounds like such a hard job." Luna chuckled. "You are definitely not ready yet, but in time, you will. You must wake up soon, for I sense Zecora will soon be here," She murmured, Malibu slowly feeling his dream vanish, and his mind returning to reality.
…..
Celestia kept stroking her son's forehead, wondering when he would wake up, believing now that her sister was in his dreams. She had also fixed Applebloom, Redheart and Big Mac's situations from Malibu's spell sneezes, which they were grateful for. Soon the door of the barn house opened, hearing two ponies running up the stairs.
The sound had woken up Malibu who weakly opened his eyes, forehead feeling so warm. He wound up sneezing magic again out the window. "Aaah…choo!" Celestia ducked from his sneeze, smiling sadly at her son. "Hello. Did you sleep well?" Malibu sniffled from his infected congestion. "Guess so. Said hi to auntie in my dreams after she stopped a bad nightmare."
Celestia knew she had to thank Luna later for how she watched over him, seeing Applejack and Zecora now. Zecora saw the irritated and inflated horn on Malibu, as well as his messy mane. Malibu waved a little. "Hey, Zecora," he greeted sickly. She bowed. "A cure to I have found, which will help your sickness be well sound." Malibu tilted his head until he saw the remedy bottle.
"You'd better have this cure mah friend," Applejack said, feeling grumpy after having run a mile to the forest, sitting down to catch her breath. Zecora nodded her head in assurance, handing Celestia the bottle. She took it and held it out for Malibu to drink.
Malibu gulped a little when seeing it but saw how gentle his mom looked and felt settled. He began to drink it all down, hoping when feeling better he could visit the Cake twins again and see how well Pinkie Pie's babysitting had gone. He hiccuped after drinking. Zecora was pleased he was able to drink the cure.
"This will help cool your fever, and it will surely be a pleaser," Zecora rhymned, making Malibu roll his eyes slightly. Sometimes her rhymes can get a little corny. "Very original, Zecora," he chuckled horsley, Celestia bowing to the remedy zebra. "Thank you, Zecora. I'm grateful to you for being here to help my precious son and everypony else in Ponyville."
Zecora too bowed her head when leaving, ready to return to her tree home and to let her patient rest off his sickness. Malibu gave a little sigh, already feeling the effects as his horn hadn't gone off the last few minutes since he drank it, accepting some more soup from his mom.
"I really hope this won't ever happen to you again," Murmured Celestia in her motherly voice, stroking his cheek, Malibu's eyes fluttering as he agreed, feeling Celestia sing to him softly, a lullaby she used to sing to her little sister. It soothed Malibu, making him yawn, eventually closing his eyes in slumber. Celestia knew she had to go back to Canterlot for more royal business but would return as soon as she could to see the results of the potion working.
In the meantime Malibu continued to rest but wound up getting a surprise visit from Pinkie Pie, who had a get well cake with her and a somewhat frazzled mane but a smile on her face.
"Hi, Mal! Brought you a get well cake since you've been a little peaky!" She said in her usual high pitched tone. Malibu really didn't feel like cake but liked her kind gesture. "Sounds… fine. Still recovering but will be willing to eat it later," He mumbled. "How did it go with Pound and Pumpkin? Babysitting go well?"
Pinkie groaned after setting down the cake but still smiled. "You don't even know the half of it! I learned being a caretaker is much more than just playing with them. They wouldn't stop crying, and the only way I couldn't calm them down was to dump a bag of flour on my head!"
That caused Malibu to laugh again for the first time since being sick. "I wouldn't have enjoyed having to dump flour just to make kids laugh. But at least it worked since you're the Element of Laughter," He pointed out. Pinkie Pie shrugged. "Suppose. And it got worse when Pound started to fly, and Pumpkin began to use magic despite her very young age. It made me so very stressed from the experience but soon the babies came to like me better, even saying my name."
Malibu could see tears in Pinkie Pie's eyes from this, feeling his heart warm from the story ending. "That's sweet, Pinkie. And I'm glad you were able to take care of them." He said, snuggling more into his pillow, coughing a little when feeling sleepy again.
Pinkie agreed. "For sure. I wound up writing to your mom about my experience which to me felt like a friendship lesson I got to have. But I hope you truly feel better so we can party again!" She gave him a small hug, making him grunt a bit but nodded. "Uhuh. Just a tad tired now, only have one more day of this potion to heal me before I'm back to normal."
The party pony understood, beginning to back out. "Ok. Well, I'll see you around," She said, wishing him to be well and eventually leaving, Malibu seeing Applejack coming with his dinner, which was tomato soup with a small sandwich since he started to eat solid food again. The food really helped him settle down for the night, watching his aunt's moon rising into the sky out of his window, wondering if he could really take over watching over pony's dreams after his aunt stepped down in the future.
….
On the final day of his sickness, Malibu woke up, congestion feeling quite back to normal and no longer inflated with pain, breathing better and stomach not queasy. He stretched, yawning with no coughing included with it, happy that his head didn't feel hot anymore. Applejack had come up to see Malibu with a tray of breakfast for him.
"Hey, Mal. I see you're looking much better," She greeted, putting his tray down on his bed. Malibu nodded. "Guess so. But would soon like to get some fresh air. I've missed it," He said, sitting up to eat his eggs and fruit, Applejack knowing he could only eat that at the moment. The earth pony nodded. "You will, you just need a bit more rest before going out. And I shall let your mom know you're feeling better. Perhaps when you're back on your feet again you can see the Cake Twins."
Malibu nodded, he would like that. The rest of the family came on in and AB gave him a big hug. "So how are you doing?" She asked, her eyes anxious. The teal alicorn grinned at her. "Much better, Applebloom, thanks. I never want to get sick like that ever again," He replied in a laughing tone. Big Mac agreed with him. "Eyup."
Applebloom jumped and down. "It'll be great when you can hang with me and the CMCS once more! We still have more things to try to get our cutie marks!" Applejack shook her head. "Don't go too overboard with this, little sis. Just try your best to continue to do stuff you like to do," she advised while Malibu continued to munch on his eggs, happy to be living with a nice family like the Apples and felt terribly lucky now to be in such a friendly place like Equestria, even if he sometimes encountered unfriendly stuff most of the ponies and especially his 6 friends were the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Celestia had come to check on her son once more after he had been able to get out of bed again and the two of them had a nice flight together around the farmstead. Malibu gave his mom a hug again while in mid air, having missed flying badly and spending time with her when not sick. After they said goodbye when their flight was over, Malibu went over to Sugarcube Corner to visit the babies.
He went inside and spotted Mr. and Mrs. Cake being busy and waved to them. "Hey, guys!" Mrs. Cake glanced up and smiled. "Oh, how nice to see you feeling better dearie." Malibu grinned back. "Me too, had come to visit the twins," He said, spotting Pound and Pumpkin playing with each other. Mr. Cake guided him over to the little foals.
Pumpkin spotted him, tilting her head and making her baby noises, crawling over. She put her small hooves on his own. Malibu felt his heart feel light, gazing down into the tiny baby's cute eyes. Pound wandered over, doing little squeaks and even using his little wings to fly up into the air.
"You really have beautiful children, Mrs. Cake," Malibu complimented, laughing as Pound flew around him excitedly. She blushed. "Oh, thank you. I just know they'll grow into fine ponies." Malibu agreed with her, knowing now with these little ones here it'll be a lot more adventurous for them all, and still vowed to never get sick again for quite a long time.
Hope this new story turned out ok! No flames reviews are still welcome!