Our Inner Ponies 4: The Final Chapter

Chapters

Life isn't Fair
Close Bonding
They're Back
Stubbornness and Promises
Hard Advice for a Hard Battle
Enough's Enough
The "Baby's" Coming
Not Just Nightmares?

Life isn't Fair

Life can be really sneaky sometimes. So many predicaments can be sprouted if you're not careful. Why am I saying this? Let's stroll through Memory Lane for a second:

• I have to cope with the fact that my family, other friends, and school will never see me again. While I'm not too concerned with the no school ever again problem, thinking how my Mom and Dad will always live in grief gives me heartache

• I've been partially scarred with the fact that I've had to assist my friend in battling two loathsome villains who put a great hurt on my hometown and (possibly) scarred the residents as well

• I'll be forever stuck in this Pegasus body, and there probably won't be any turn backs

Yet I shouldn't bellyache too much. I may have lost some valuable things, but I've earned some valuable things as well. Like, despite what I said about being stuck as a Pegasus, turning over a new leaf in a new body in a new town slowly but surely; getting to experience endless flight adventures with Rainbow Dash; and, there's my most treasurable memory: marrying trustworthy, humorous, and handsome LuckyBlitz. Speaking of Lucky, the alicorn was trying (and failing) to get me off the sofa in the makeshift living room of our new cottage near the outskirts of Town Square.

"Zaria, please," he begged, putting a hoof on my shoulder, "you can't stay on the sofa forever."

"Watch me," I mumbled, curling into a little ball only to cringe as the uncomfortableness kicked in. Lucky rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Do I really have to 'force' you up?"

I looked over my shoulder and made a face. "I dare you."

Lucky rolled his head around, kicking away the cricks suddenly in his neck, and charged up his horn. A light red aura surrounded me but immediately faded out. I heard Lucky grunt in frustration as he tried to lift me again...and again...and again! All of his tries ended in utter failure. I don't see why he wouldn't just leave me be. Apparently this guy needed a lesson in body language.

"Alright, fine," Lucky gave in, massaging his sore horn after his seventh failure of picking me up. "You're one stubborn Pegasus. How am I supposed to console you if I have to put up with this?" Lucky headed for the front door.

"Where the heck are you going?" I demanded, a little too harshly.

"For a walk," he answered, as if it were obvious. He used his magic to open the door, but before he could step outside, I stopped him by calling his name. Once I got his full attention, I rolled over to my side. Lucky's ice blue eyes widened in shock when he noticed my partially oversized stomach.

"Zaria...a-are you...? But how...?"

"You don't need to make this situation weirder than it already is," I snapped, rolling back to my right as the self-consciousness took over.

"But I'm not trying to." I heard Lucky fly over to me, and I looked over my shoulder when he settled his hoof of my shoulder. "True, I am shocked about this, but in a good way," he continued, a smile growing on his lips. His sunniness made me the tiniest bit thrilled about my condition. "Just think: we'd be the first ever hero family in Ponyville!" My happiness dropped as fast as it had come. I turned my head away from Lucky, frowning.

"Aw geeze, I said somethin' wrong, didn't I?"

"Oh, you don't say." My sarcasm could melt someone's head off. (Don't ask.) I felt Lucky's other hoof on the back of my head. It ran soothing circles around my nappy mane until its little hypnotic movements lulled me to sleep. When I awoke, Lucky was out of sight. I checked the kitchen, the bedroom we shared, even a few blocks away from the cottage. No LuckyBlitz.

"Must've visited someone," I muttered to myself, fluttering back to the house only to stop halfway there due to my sudden weight. Once I was back inside the comforts of the living room, something shiny caught my eye. I followed the sparkle until a group picture filled my vision. It was the most memorable day of my life: the wedding.

I could remember every little detail like a good movie; cutting the cake, exchanging vows, slow dancing with Lucky (which I kinda wanted to forget since I have two left feet, er, hooves). And then there was the group picture. The oh-so-complicated group picture.

"Is everypony ready?" Rarity had asked, checking to make sure her dress didn't have a crease in it for the billionth time.

"We wouldn't we standing here in front of the camera if we weren't," Rainbow had wisecracked.

"We're gonna be all old wrinkly if we don't get this over with," Applejack had pointed out, aggravation in her voice.

"Applejack, you know how Rarity feels about that word," Fluttershy whispered.

"Yeah, and ever since she swore she saw one under her eyes that one morning, she's been totally paranoid about skin care," Pinkie agreed merrily. "Oh! I remember how last week she was so paranoid about me rolling around in—"

"Pinkie, please don't bring up that memory again!" Rarity shrieked, shuddering a bit. It made me wonder that night what Pinkie had rolled around in, even though I had a pretty good idea what it was. Everyone adjusted into suitable poses, and before the photographer could snap the picture, I'd quickly leaned in and gave Lucky a kiss on the cheek.

Now, smiling at the picture of me, my friends, and my new partner, it made me think to myself if starting a new family would be okay. But every time I thought of the word "family," my brain would direct me towards my own. I sighed sadly, gazing down at the picture.

"Life isn't fair," I whispered. Then my eyes unconsciously shifted to the left of the picture, where a brown unicorn in the most beautiful red dress stood smiling widely at the camera. I smiled myself. Time for a quick visit.

Close Bonding

"Thank you, and come again!" Was what I heard the minute I stepped through the double doors of Sugarcube Corner. I sidestepped the customer who was exiting the small bakery and took a big breath of frosting, cinnamon, and dough. A second later, I heard a delighted shriek and was suddenly squished into a bear hug. The corner of my eye told me that the pony hugging me was Maya. I laughed once I was released.

"Hey, how are ya?" I asked, as if I hadn't just been attacked with a hug.

"Fine, fine!" Maya replied cheerfully. "Business has been pretty great these past few days, I'm mastering the art of being a unicorn, and now that you're here, my day just got better!" I tried to smile at my friend's eagerness, but something didn't seem right. My face must've looked weird, because Maya titled her head to one side.

"Z, you feeling alright?" she asked carefully. She stepped forward, and I stepped back. One: I didn't like people standing too, too close to me. Two: I didn't want her to notice my stomach. I gave Maya a grin.

"Yeah, I'm just tired, that's all," I replied. "You know, being married has a toll on life. Considering the fact that if this marriage were back home, I probably wouldn't be legible for it."

"Dude, it's been a few weeks and you're already missing it," Maya said.

"Missing what?"

"This new opportunity," Maya explained. "Look, call me crazy, but ever since we took that quiz, we didn't really take advantage of the fact that something new and unexpected happened to us that day."

"Yeah, but it could've happened to anyone else, Maya," I pointed out. "And they'd be just as freaked out."

"But it didn't happen to anyone else! It happened to us and only us," Maya argued gently. "And now that life has handed us these lemons, we've gotta make the lemonade its expecting us to make."

I rolled my eyes. "How'd I know you'd use that corny expression on me?" But did my friend have a point about the whole "taking advantage of something new and unexpected" speech?

"Just trying to stay optimistic," Maya said flatly. "Are you hungry, by any chance?"

"Do you miss your Mom?" The question flew out of my mouth so fast I couldn't stop it. I realized that that was why Maya noticed my being uncomfortable near her eagerness. She was acting so nonchalant about our new pony life that it gave me a headache. I mean, I get the whole "forgive and forget" statement, but this was ridiculous! Maya slowly frowned as she headed to the back of the counter.

"Yeah," she said slowly. "I miss her like heck. But if she knew where I was and that I've turned over a new leaf and that I was happy about it, she'd be happy for me." Sometimes I wish I could be as positive as my friend. In any situation, Maya could flip any negative vibe into a good one. "So, are you hungry?" she asked again.

"Depends," I said, grinning. "Do I get a discount if I know the owners?"

I spent the rest of my time with Maya feasting on cupcakes and pies while catching up on our whereabouts, asking questions like how have you been and what've you been up to. At some point Pinkie joined us—but not before giving me the tightest hug in history and asking the same questions Maya and I asked each other. I was just glad her hyperactive energy prevented her from noticing my sudden weight gain. I kept praying that everyone would keep being vague about my condition, but my luck ran out when Maya decided to take a break and walk with me into town. While we'd been walking, I kept noticing she was constantly looking past my wings, her eyes trying to look at my stomach, and no matter how hard I tried to distract her, we both ended up stopping in the middle of Town Square, ponies passing us by as I began to explain.

"So...can I be the godmother?" Maya half asked, half joked once I finished explaining.

"Not until I'm confirmed about this," I stated. I didn't want everyone getting all excited for nothing. That'd be jacked up.

"Well if you're really pregnant," Maya whispered, and I slightly winced at the word, "I think you should tell Lucky about it—"

"He already knows," I interrupted. "I technically told him this morning before he left. The only thing that confuses me is how this happened."

"Well, when did you find out? I mean, it's not like you found out this morning, right?" Silence. "Zaria?" More silence. "You found out just this morning, didn't you?" I nodded. Maya groaned and slapped her hoof against her forehead.

It's not like I was Nancy Drew! However, as we continued our walk in silence, the wheels in my mind began turning slowly but surely. I steered my brain toward the wedding. I remember it being a comfortable and warm night after the guests had gone home. The party continued at Pinkie Pie's—the pink pony claiming that we needed an after wedding party, even though I kept telling her that's what honeymoons were for—and I remembered distancing myself from Lucky a bit since I was still thinking about my new life. I remember stepping outside for some fresh air, not knowing that Lucky had followed me to ask if I was okay. And that's really what I remember. Lucky and I hadn't stuck super close to each other, but we didn't distance ourselves like I had during the early hours of the after party.

"I'm just as confused as you are," I said suddenly, making Maya jump slightly. Guess she wasn't used to me being quiet. "I wish I knew how this happened."

"Maybe we should ask a doctor?" Maya suggested. "Or maybe Twilight? She's the kind of pony who'd know some answers to your little predicament. Or maybe we should flat out ask Lucky." I shook my head at the last suggestion.

"He'll be just as confused. Besides, we don't know for sure if I'm—" I chewed on my lip before mumbling the word "pregnant." Maya and I kept walking until I could see the faint structures of cottages in the distance. We were nearing my neighborhood, which made me both sad and happy. Sad because I didn't want Maya to leave, and happy that I could get some rest from all the walking.

"So you're sure you'll be fine until Lucky gets back?" Maya asked as we made our way down the cobblestoned path.

"I guess," I said reluctantly. "I mean, I'm sure he didn't go too far, and I'm gonna end up taking a nap once I get inside. So by the time I wake up, he'll probably be back."

"Alright. Well, if you need me—" Maya gave me a soft hug—"you know where to find me." I watched as Maya made her way back to Sugarcube Corner, and immediately wished she could stay longer. As I walked the remaining steps back to the cottage, I realized that me and my BFFL have really bonded in the past half hour.

I mean, sure, back when we were humans we'd talk via the internet, arrange sleepovers, and chat in the lunchroom at school, but ever since the marriage, I feel like Maya and I have been seeing each other less and less. In her defense, she has to get up early in the mornings to help with the service at Sugarcube Corners so she can keep a roof over her head, but I'd appreciate it if she and I could spend more best-friend-together time. Why couldn't I take advantage of that?

They're Back

I was both suspicious and worried when Twilight didn't finish her sentence. But I was positively petrified when she called over the others for an Emergency Meeting and dimmed the lights in the room once everyone was settled in the center of the library.

"I'm glad everypony could make it," Twilight said as she turned to face us all. "I don't want to alarm anypony, but..." The way the unicorn's voice trailed off again gave me goosebumps. All I wanted to do was scream—

"Come on, Twilight, spit it out already!" I guess Rainbow Dash beat me to the punch. Twilight sighed and lowered her voice to nearly a whisper.

"I think...they're back." Everyone was silent, yet confused more than ever.

"...So, are ya gonna continue or do you expect us to be mind readers?" AJ asked.

"Ooh, ooh! I can be a mind reader!" Pinkie exclaimed, putting her hooves to her temples seconds later and making a focused face. I rolled my eyes.

"Seriously Pinkie?" I deadpanned, though I decided to leave her be. She was just being Pinkie Pie, and I didn't need her babbling on and on about what everyone in the room was thinking about. I didn't want to be creeped out more than I was right now.

"Anyways, as I was saying, the ponies—if you want to call them that—I'm talking about shouldn't even be alive, but..." Twilight bit her lip, and my patience meter bubbled over the brink.

"Oh my GOD, Twilight! Just say it!" I screamed, my voice cracking as it bounced off the walls of the library.

"I think Discord and Kayleigh are back!" Silence followed after the unicorn had spoken. Coldness teased me as it snaked its way around me until it felt like my whole body was barren of organs, muscles...every body structure that they teach you in Health was practically vacuumed out of me.

There was no way Kayleigh and Discord could still be alive! Twilight had just taken lessons on cruel—very cruel—jokes from Pinkie Pie and was just testing them out on us. Yet the rueful and strict look on Twilight's face notified me that the "cruel joke theory" was not the case. I shakily rose to my feet, and flinched when something brushed against my right hoof. Looking down at my side, I saw that it was Lucky, who was giving me one of his infamous concerned looks ever since I told him of my recurring nightmares.

"Z, you okay?" I heard Maya faintly ask. The expression on Lucky's face looked like he was about to second Maya's question with a sympathetic one of his own, but the last thing I needed was a roomful of ponies making my ears bleed with ignorant questions of concern that had obvious answers to them.

Ignoring my friend and husband completely, I spread my wings and immediately blushed when I realized they would strain under the weight of my stomach, so I tucked them back to my side and bolted out the front door. I wasn't even a block away from the library when some kind of force made my feet stop all together. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the ground to meet my face, and I was lucky when the collision never came. Oh, and speaking of lucky...

"Don't you know its rude to stalk someone?" I asked without quite looking him in the eye.

"It's not stalking if you're trying to help someone out," Lucky replied, releasing me from his magical grip. "Plus, I had to follow you."

"No, you didn't," I snapped. "I was perfectly fine on my own."

"Oh, so I guess continuous, intimidating dreams of the same people who put a hurt on you and Maya's home is A-okay with you now," Lucky snapped back. "You could've told me that after I saved you from three heart attacks in a row." My throat went dry, but I quickly returned some moist to it with a hard, scratchy swallow.

"I never asked for these nightmares to happen," I said, "and I never really asked for your help." I turned to leave but was stopped by the same magical force that nearly made me trip earlier.

I gritted my teeth and resisted the urge to strangle a certain alicorn. I'm too young for America's Most Wanted. Er, Equestria's Most Want. "Lucky..."

"Even if you didn't ask for help, you're getting it nevertheless!" I opened my eyes and craned my neck to look behind me. A faint patch of brown was all that my eyes allowed me to see. I looked down—just to be sure—and saw the familiar sparkly brown force field coating my hooves.

Maya released me and circled to my side. She put a hoof on my left shoulder and continued. "I don't care if you refuse the help given to you. All that matters is at least some help is being directed in your path." I swatted her hoof off with my wing and stared at the ground.

"But..." I cleared my throat, which was dry again, and willed my voice to stop being so inaudible. That wasn't going to be in my favor. I could already feel hot tears clumping together in my eyes, and it stung to hold them from slipping down my face. The last thing I needed was to be seen crying by my husband and best friend.

Another magical force lifted my head, and I was soon eye-to-eye with Lucky. Just seeing his face made the group of tears finally skydive from my eyes and slide down my cheekbones. I couldn't help letting out a pathetic sniffle as Lucky angled my face with his so he could see me properly.

"You know we'll get through this," he whispered. I gave a meek little nod in reply, too upset to say anything. "We will," Lucky repeated, giving me a soothing peck on my forehead. It was almost as if my tears were controlled with a Universal remote; they stopped completely.

"We will," Maya echoed, giving me a comforting hug. I returned it gratefully and didn't want to let go.

"We will," I mumbled.

"There they are!" I had to blink several times to let my tears let me see who was trying to find us, and was none too surprised when I saw the Mane Six sprinting over to us. I was given light hugs, pats on the back, and assuring words that really didn't need to be said because, frankly, the girls (and Lucky) could tell I didn't believe a single sympathetic word.

"You had us worried when you ran out like that!" Rarity commented.

"Yeah, don't ever scare us like that again, sugar cube," AJ added, giving me another light hug. Now I felt guilt-stricken that I was putting my friends through all of this grief, even though I didn't want their help in the first place. The concept of my sentence gave me a slight headache, and I didn't know what to feel at that moment. Grateful? Embarrassed? Guilty? What?!

Twilight stepped forward and put her hoof on my shoulder. What is it with ponies putting hooves on shoulders? Really! "I don't want to alarm you, so I think I should tell you beforehand." My throat tightened and my stomach dropped.

"What?" I croaked.

"It's about what I said with Discord and Kayleigh returning," Twilight said carefully. "The thing is...I know officially that they've returned...inside you."

Author's Note

Did you see that coming? Comment on it! :)

Stubbornness and Promises

How fast can a "pregnant" Pegasus fly and maintain her balance in the sky? That sort of question ran through my mind as soon as I was airborne. The wind stung my face, my wings felt like they were going to fall off, and my heart thundered in my chest. But I didn't let these minor step backs affect me; I kept flying. I climbed higher and higher into the pink sky, and I fairly made out the blue markings that would promise another new day.

More like another new nightmare, I thought as my wings begin to slow down. I urged them to keep at it, to not let me fall, to allow me to keep flying until I felt the need to stop. Unfortunately, I was forced to land on a cloud, and since I am part human, I had a little trouble adjusting on the fluffy thing and had to adapt to the "I feel like I'm about to slip through this thing" feeling.

Panting, I looked up at the sky and watch as the light pink converted into a nice, comfortable blue. A few clouds passed me, and I watched them float by with little interest. Once the sixth cloud passed me, I tucked my head in between my front hooves and lowered my eyelids. Too afraid to sleep, I started to daydream about the past few events that had happened in a matter of hours:

Me finding out I could be a mother

The nightmares that meant more than just a scare

Discovering that the same two villains I despise could possibly be inside me...RIGHT NOW

The list was fairly short, but at the same time, double the scary. A leftover thought worked its way into my brain, and I quickly shoved it back when it introduced itself:

If Discord and Kayleigh were inside me, then...did that mean—

"Zaria!" My head snapped up, and I could see two faint silhouettes hovering about six feet away. I took a guess that one of them might be Rainbow Dash—Fluttershy wouldn't be up here due to her ironic fear of heights—but I didn't have to guess who the second silhouette belonged to.

A second later, a flash of red was charging at me, followed by a bright blue. "Seriously, you've gotta stop running off like that!" Rainbow cried out, exasperated. Lucky didn't say anything.

"Just leave me alone," I mumbled, squeezing my eyes shut. I heard Lucky gently ask Rainbow if he could have a word with me privately, and when I didn't hear her reply, I assumed she'd nodded and flown away, or decided she'd stay. I slowly opened one eye and saw Rainbow was gone, but Lucky was staring straight at me. I groaned and shut my eye.

The cloud shifted slightly, and I could feel Lucky hovering over me. "I thought you told me we could get through this," he said softly.

"I didn't tell you anything," I replied angrily. "You told me to technically repeat after you: 'We can get through this. We will.'"

"And did you say it?" I opened one eye again and found myself staring at Lucky's hoof.

"Yeah, so?"

"You said it, but did you really mean it?" I opened the other eye and looked up at Lucky. His face was more than serious. Strict, maybe.

"Yeah..."

"You're lying." I jumped to my hooves and ignored the sudden pain that rippled through me.

"How would you know?!" I screamed. "How could you possibly know that?! I could be telling the truth! And even if I was lying, I'd have a good reason to do so!" My head was throbbing, and I could feel the tears coming. I had to talk fast before I started bawling.

"I never asked for nightmares to infest my mind, I didn't want to find out I was 'pregnant,' and I certainly never wanted to hear that Discord and Kayleigh were back!"

"Well...it's too late now!" Luck screamed back. "You already have knowledge of things that you never wanted to hear about in the first place, so I think it'd be great if you stopped grieving about them and focus on the present! Can you do that for me, Zaria?!"

"I don't know!" I screamed, and instantly felt stupid. That was such a dumb thing to blurt out but...it was the truth. "I...I don't know," I repeated weakly feeling angry at myself for being so pathetic.

I knew Lucky was right; I needed to steer clear of these past discoveries and point my attention to the present. I knew the others were trying their best to help a friend in need, and I knew that I was purposely pushing any chance of help aside just because I was stubborn. I also knew now that I wasn't afraid to admit my problems aloud.

"Lucky, I'm sorry," I began, my voice wobbling a bit as I tried to make it sound strong. "I truly am, but...I'm not used to so much help like this, and I know I should be taking it for granted and be thankful that I have such good friends and a reliable husband, but—" I looked down at the cloud before staring Lucky in the eye. My favorite Icicle Blue eyes.

"I'm stubborn." I no longer felt the need to cry now that I'd admitted a major flaw of mine. I readied myself to hear Lucky's gloating, or another lecture, but neither came. I looked up at Lucky, a little confused but thankful for a spare of a lecture.

His expression was still a little serious, but I knew in his eyes that he understood why I was acting so picky with help. He gave me a wordless hug and the two of us began flying down, both silent. I was starting to regret flying up in the air in the first place when Lucky startled me by grabbing my hoof. The two of us hovered in the air, every second painful for my body.

"Could you hurry it up?" I asked impatiently. "I still have this accursed weight here." Lucky hovered a little closer to me, putting my own hoof over my chest.

"Promise me something," he said softly. "When we reach Princess Celestia, you'll accept all the help you get and not complain once—or refuse it."

"We're going to see Princess Celestia?" I shrieked. "Why? Do I need help that badly?" Lucky narrowed his eyes, and I mentally slapped myself. DUH! Of course I did!

"Zaria...Promise me." I was about to comment how this wasn't a life-or-death situation, and Lucky didn't need to be whispering, but what did I know at the moment? For all I know, a grenade could launch right at us, blowing us sky high.

"I promise," I whispered back, trying not to sound too dramatic or too fake. That was all Lucky needed to hear, apparently. We flew back down to the ground and, with another wordless hug from Lucky, made our way to the train station, where everyone else was apparently waiting for us.

Hard Advice for a Hard Battle

Reaching the train station was bad enough, the girls' intent staring was even worse, but the hour-long ride to Canterlot from Ponyville had to have been torture. Not only was it silent inside the train, but it was awkward and uncomfortable as well! And I don't mean uncomfortable as in "these seats are too hard;" I mean the silence was just uncomfortable. Deafening, almost. And, let's not forget awkward! No one said a single word, nor did they produce a sound ranging from a sneeze to a clear of the throat. The only sound that was thrown my way was the arrhythmic rhythm of the train's wheels against the track. Just when I thought the silence would surely swallow me up, the tall, well built exteriors of buildings reflected on my window.

It was quite a long walk to Princess Celestia's—and, like the train, silent, uncomfortable, and awkward—but the nine of us finally stepped foot in the gleaming castle belonging to Celestia. I gazed around at the spotless purple walls, the many white columns supporting the ceiling, and finally at the maroon carpet that slightly tickled my hooves. In a matter of minutes, the princess came into view. She seemed to be sorting through a cluster of papers, but managed to make frantic movements look elegant. I will never question Princess Logic. Ever.

"Why, hello girls," Princess Celestia greeted, looking up from the mess of papers near her throne. "And Lucky," she added with a smile. Everyone bowed respectfully. "So, what brings you all here to Canterlot?"

"We came seeking for advice, Princess," Twilight began, stepping forward. "It's about Zaria." When the princess looked my way, I ducked my head and adjusted my wing to cover my stomach.

"Now I don't want to alarm you, Princess," I heard Twilight say, "but..." I heard her sigh and slowly blushed as she began to explain to Celestia the discovery at the library. It took three to four minutes to fill the princess in on our newly discovered information, and I made the fatal mistake of peeking up at Celestia. To my surprise (and horror), she was staring right at me. I had a feeling she'd been doing that while Twilight had talked.

"And we're really not sure what to do," Twilight finished, taking a step back. "We want to make sure Zaria's safe, but we really need a prodigious plan that'll defeat Discord and Kayleigh."

There was a moment of silence before the princess said, "Zaria...come here, please." I swallowed back the nerves that had grown in my throat and fluttered up to the princess's thrown, making sure to give her a bow before I looked at her. Her stern gaze made my head hang down again, making the floor seem more interesting than her.

I felt a gentle yet strong hoof push my chin up. "Is this true?"

I swallowed again and nodded, darting my eyes back to the floor. "See for yourself," I heard myself mutter as my wing shifted from hiding my stomach to exposing it. I stole a glance at Celestia, then put my attention back to the floor.

"I see." The princess cleared her throat and spoke in a louder tone. "Thank you, Twilight, for alerting me of the possible reappearance of Ponyville's two most loathsome villains.

"You're welcome, Princess—"

"However, and this is a shock for me too, but..." The princess took in a deep breath. "I am at a loss of words for this certain predicament. Zaria mustn't be harmed, but Discord and Kayleigh have to be seized once and for all." Another wave of silence filled the room.

"We could always time travel again," Pinkie announced cheerfully. "Discord and Kayleigh could be hiding in the girls' world. Plus," she added with a laugh, "time traveling's fun!"

"No, Pinkie," Princess Celestia declared, and Pinkie's smile vanished. "Ponyville is still healing itself from the last three time warps. One more warp—even a small one—will put a hurt on Ponyville all over again."

"But, you're a princess!" Rainbow argued. "Can't you just use your magic to prevent Ponyville from getting harmed?"

"Even if I could—and believe you me, I can—it just wouldn't be enough magic to support Ponyville," the princess explained. "Or Zaria and Maya's world, for that matter. In fact, if I were to send these to back to their world right now, they would possibly travel in their pony forms. Or if they were humans, there wouldn't be enough magic to send both back."

I bit my lip on that one. I remembered the first time our time travels began, and Maya and I had to be sent back to our world together. And how my decision whether or not to have our memories erased or take on a new form would affect both of us.

"So, if they can't travel back to their world...," Applejack slowly began.

"And if they could, they'd be at risk of never returning to Equestria...," Rarity picked up.

"What are we gonna do?" Maya and I finished. Here we go with the together stuff!

"That is a question I will ponder incessantly on," the princess answered. "As for now—" Celestia's horn began to glow, and I could hear a small creak. I turned my head and saw the double doors wide open—"I think it would be wise if all of you stayed overnight at the palace. If I have not thought of a plan by then, then your stay will be indefinite."

I heard Rarity squeal happily—presumably about the indefinite stay in Canterlot—then she cleared her throat and said in some professional tone, "I think that decision is just fine, Princess." I shook my head lightly, smiling a bit. Typical Rarity.

Celestia told us which chambers we would all be staying in, and before I could join the others to leave Celestia's presence, she asked me to "stay for a moment." While I watched the others disappear from the room, I hesitantly stepped closer to the princess, curious and nervous to know the reason of why she'd asked me to stay.

Celestia placed her hoof on my shoulder (Oh my GOD) and looked at me with an expression mixed with compassion, seriousness, and...was it fear? Anxiety? "My dear," she said, "I hope you know that I will do whatever it takes to assist your dilemma, and that I will not rest until a plan has come to mind."

I nodded, smiling gratefully. Celestia smiled back and gave me a soothing hug. After that, I made my way to the hall, part of Lucky and Princess Celestia's words echoing in my ears:

We will get through this...

I will do whatever it takes...

And I had to believe them. Had to.

Enough's Enough

NOTE: The dream Zaria has in is first person, so don't bug me in the comment section about why it is in first person. Thank you! ~NYQUTIE

I stepped out into the hall with a pretty big grin on my face. Not only did I have royalty supporting the "Discord and Kayleigh Crisis," but I was also going to be staying in Canterlot—freakin' Canterlot!—indefinitely. And even though I had a couple of things to worry about, like the main reason the others and I were in Canterlot in the first place, staying in a castle with the girls and Lucky was almost virtual to a getaway vacation.

My grin must've made me look really stupid, because Maya raised an eyebrow and asked me, "What's go you so happy?"

"Zaria's smiling?" Pinkie jostled Maya out of the way and was beaming with joy when she saw my grin which, in a matter of seconds, turned into an uncomfortable frown when the pink pony was all up in my face. "Aww, it disappeared!" Pinkie cried. She suddenly turned her head upside down and gasped happily. "Oh, no, wait! There it is!"

I couldn't help but chuckle. Leave it to Pinkie to find any way to cheer someone up. "I guess I'm just relieved to have Princess Celestia help me out with this whole..." I twirled my hoof in the air, trying to think of a suitable word, but my mind went blank.

"Situation?" Pinkie offered. "Catastrophe? Crisis? Dilemma? Pr—" A light brown aura circled around Pinkie's hoof, causing it to jam straight into her mouth, preventing her from saying more.

"Thanks Maya," I said half-heartedly, rubbing my throbbing temples.

"Don't mention it," Maya replied, chuckling a bit at Pinkie's muffled speech. The nine of us dispersed to our assigned chambers, and I was a little disappointed that I didn't get Maya or even Rainbow Dash as my roommate. Instead I got Lucky. And not the adjective. Literally the noun—er, alicorn.

If I even uttered a word that was similar to a complaint, I'd receive yet another one of Lucky's lectures. So I had to phrase my words very carefully...

"So, isn't it great that we're staying here in Canterlot for a while instead of that cottage?" Shoot. I made our own home sound bad!

"I mean, not that it's bad or anything! But, uh, it was actually pretty nice for the Princess to help me out. Even though she doesn't really need to take time out of her schedule just to—" I face-hooved myself. Maybe shutting up would be beneficial to not only me, but to everyone in Ponyville.

"I'll just shut up," I repeated my inner thoughts, blushing slightly out of stupidity and making my way to the double bed that could fit up to five ponies.

As I put my hoof on the soft comforter, I felt another hoof rest on my back. (What, not my shoulder this time?) I turned around and came face-to-face with Lucky. I couldn't identify his facial expression, but I was pretty sure it was compassion. Or relief for me to say I'd be shutting up.

"Zaria," he began softly, "you know you don't have to be so nervous when talking around me." I shrugged his hoof off and turned to face him.

"Yes, I should," I argued. "I'm nervous I'll say something stupid and offend you. I'm nervous my big fat mouth will get me into more trouble than I need. I'm ner—" My sentence was caught off by a pair of soft lips. My eyes widened, and I wanted to pull away, but I just couldn't fight the sudden affection.

Instead, I lowered my head down to Lucky's chest, my ears listening to his faint heartbeat. I felt his hooves stroke my mane which, I slowly realized, hasn't been combed in days. But that was okay. Lucky's hoof acted like a comb, and soon my mane was no longer matted, yet not silky smooth like I've always dreamed it to be. Somehow, Lucky and I made it on the bed, but thankfully nothing kooky happened there. (If ya know what I mean).

I also found myself dozing in and out of sleep, and finally admitted defeat when Lucky's soft strokes against my mane, light heartbeat, and sturdy wing wrapped around me lulled me into slumber.

I feel majorly different. Not as in I-just-woke-up-and-I'm-still-groggy different; different as in....I spring up so fast The Flash has nothing on me. (Reference to LuckyBlitz's new story, The Time Space Adventure of Lucky P. Blitz!) I let out excited and confused breaths, feeling over my familiar human form.

"Oh, my legs!" I hear myself scream, absent-mindedly patting my knees and thighs. "How I missed walking on two instead of four!" I laugh happily and run my hands—my back slightly tingling at the tough of my five fingers—through my soft hair. I start to wonder if it was because Lucky smoothed out those tangles.

I gasp out loud and slap my hand over my mouth. "Lucky?" I gaze around the bedroom. The bed is neatly made, as if he and I had never laid our bodies on it, and it was creepily silent. Not quiet, silent. It was as if the whole room was holding its breath, just waiting for me to make one fatal mistake so anything lurking ahead...waiting to scare me...could just jump out and give me a heart attack.

I shake my head to clear that horrible thought from my brain, and quickly make my way outside. The hallway is the same as the bedroom—creepily silent. I resist the urge to call out for someone, anyone really, to at least make a noise so I'll know I'm not alone. The last thing I needed was to represent those dumb girls in horror movies who scream their heads off for the least bit of help. Hesitantly, I check the other girls' room. I'm not really surprised to find each and every one of them vacant. But I am surprised to find that Princess Celestia's quarters are not only barren, but stripped down from the thrown to the carpet. The room holds a strong resemblance to a newly built house before a person/family moves in with their own belongings.

I turn around and around in circles, the ceiling blurring and refocusing until I collapse on my back from exhaustion. What is going on?! My mind screams at me. How should I know?! I scream back. I mentally smack myself. I do not want to be recognized as the insane girl who talks to herself via thoughts.

"I need some fresh air." My own voice startles me, and my feet react before my brain can even think about the words that just flew out of my mouth. It takes a while, but my brain finally registers the fact that I am indeed moving. I wish it had acted slow for a little while longer.

As soon as I push open the front doors, a massive wave of heat coats my body. It heats me to the point where I'm somehow paralyzed, and continues to torment me from then on. I feel as if my insides are being cooked to a crisp. My brain is screaming at me to move, but my feet are being stubborn. Somewhere in the distance, a faint cry of agony flows through my ear canals and targets my eardrums. How is it possible for such a faraway shout to sound like it's close to me?

Once my body is mobile again, I slowly make my way outside, taking in the environment around me warily. Subtle pieces of nature slowly warp into scarring items. A cluster of luscious orange-brown trees disintegrate into starched, decaying tree stumps. The ground beneath me shifts from concrete to rugged, almost damp cement. And the empty streets become...well, less empty and more mournful. Piled around me are the lifeless bodies of not only humans, but ponies of all races and gender. Pegasi, Earth ponies, Unicorns, fillies and colts...adult couples, children, teenagers, elders...

I sink to the ground and cover my eyes. Now I've had some real nightmares in the past few days, but nothing like this! As terrible as it sounds, there should be enslaved people instead of the deceased. It may sound despicable, but the air shouldn't be deadly silent; the infamous screams of people sure beat an eerie silence. I tell myself that if I don't want to have to endure this torture, I've gotta wake myself up somehow. Digging my fingernails into my palms until half-moon circles appear, I rise up to my feet. Just as I take a solid step forward, something lunges downward, nearly striking my skull. I screech and peer at the lump through half-closed fingers.

My lungs shut off, my stomach explodes, and my eyes widen. It's not just a lump; it's two. And they're not moving. "M-MAYA! LUCKY!

A loud scream roused me from sleep, and I quickly realized it was me who was doing it. I felt myself trashing wildly in Lucky's arms and winced when I made impact with the wooden floor. My head whipped left and right, mimicking a pinwheel out of control. Since my eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet, I felt like I was still trapped in my nightmare. I jumped when I felt something pull me into a hug, and I sighed in relief when I realized it was just Lucky.

"You-you were dead," I managed to spit out. I'm sobbing now, drowning out Lucky's soothing sshs and comforting assurances. It must've been an hour or two of me crying, because when I finally ended it, Lucky was sound asleep next to me. His arms were still wrapped in a protective grasp, as if whatever hid in the dark corners of our room would jump out and—

My throat made some sort of squeaking noise, and Lucky's eyes snapped open. He continued to console me for another half and hour, and I almost whined again when I felt his arms slide off. He turned to me with an exhausted and sympathetic expression and held his hoof out. I didn't even need to hear the words "Let's get back to bed" to deny Lucky's suggestion with a quick shake of my head. The closer Lucky got, the farther I backed away from him.

"I can't go back to sleep," I whispered from my dry throat. Lucky gave me a look.

"Zaria—"

"NO! I CAN'T! I WON'T!" My brain took over my body as my wings shot out and whooshed me out the room...down the hall...and into the bone-chilling night that reminded me way too much of the nightmare I'd escaped.

Author's Note

I couldn't really think of a suitable title, so I chose the current one. Probably because it accentuates the endless torment Zaria goes through in her dreams. I mean, losing her best friend and husband? Can you spell "NOT cool"?

Anyways, hope you like it! As always, like/favorite/comment, and if you spot any grammar errors, please don't hesitate to tell me!

~NYQUTIE

The "Baby's" Coming

The brisk, night breeze that roamed throughout Canterlot transformed into a raging, bitter wind. The cold seeped through my bones, and for a split second, I thought I'd suffer from frostbite. The life-or-death thought vanished as quickly as it came, and I paid no attention to the cold, or to the fact that I could possibly wound up sick. I kept running. My wings had given out to my excessive weight gain—I refuse to name the appropriate and possible term—so my hooves had been given the job to take me as far away from the castle as possible. I was very aware that the guards were watching me intently, and the corner of my eye let me know that they were casting me bewildered looks. I heard their faint calls for me to come back or to stop, but I ignored them, too. Like the sudden drop in temperature and the possibility of catching that dreaded influenza, beckonings would be ignored until further notice.

I didn't know where my hooves were taking me, but I assumed I'd traveled a good mile and a half when I could barely feel them. What I wouldn't give for a pair of gloves or something. I paused to catch my breath beside a cluster of trees that matched my current mood: forlorn. That nightmare had dispirited me into believing that even if I had dependable friends, even they couldn't assist me to battle these...terrors that plagued my mind day and night. The thought, even if it was partially true, made me sick to my stomach. I lowered myself beside the trees and tucked my hooves under my chest. My wings came next. I guess they didn't want my hooves to go dead numb since they were really my only means of travel.

I felt my eyes close, and my heart skipped two beats. Was I falling asleep that fast?! Thankfully, that wasn't the case; I felt something wet slide down my eyes and target my cheekbone, and immediately knew that me dozing off wasn't why my heart jumped. I straightened my head up and roughly wiped away the tear. I wasn't prone to crying that often, and right now was no exception. I rested my head on the cold ground and instantly longed for that warm bed back at the castle—and Lucky. I yearned for his warm body to shield me from the cold, and for his gentle heartbeat to lull me to sleep when I found myself awake in the middle of the night.

But I knew I couldn't just waltz back into the castle and go back to bed. Not unless I wanted to either (1) Feel super awkward, or (2) Have to endure an endless lecture by Lucky, Maya, the Mane Six, and Princess Celestia herself. I definitely did not want a lecture from the princess, because what if she changed her mind about helping me? That would be cruel, yes, but that didn't mean the princess wouldn't be considering the idea.

My ears suddenly perked up when rushing footsteps echoed in the quiet night air. I felt my wings pop out from underneath me, and I scrambled behind the trees. My conscious told me the footsteps belonged to the Canterlot guards, but my mind was composing a different theory. I blended into the shadows and readied myself just in case I needed to make a run for it.

"Where is she?" I heard someone shout. Okay, unrecognizable voice. That was a guard.

"She might've gone that way," a second guard replied. "Alright, half of you search north, the other west. We'll meet back here in fifteen minutes—no more, no less. Then we'll switch the search up by going east and south. Got it?" There was no reply, so I imagined the guards either nodding or saluting their leader.

Another set of frantic hooves sounded in the night, and before I could compose a story about how that was just a late guard and he overslept or something, a familiar voice ordered, "Make sure you find her. I'm not sleeping until you bring her back." Lucky.

"No worries, sir," one of the guards assured him. "We'll do our best to bring your wife back."

"You better." Oh my God. The anger in Lucky's voice really threw me off guard. I guess that's how protective and caring he is of me. Wow. I can't believe I just ran out of the castle...And I can't believe I'm having these mixed emotions AGAIN!

I ran my hooves through my sweaty mane, trying to soothe my throbbing brain of all the emotions flooding into my skull. Confused, frightened, disoriented, peevish...these were the only emotions I could gather at the moment. I didn't want to think up any more feelings in fear that over-thinking would send my brain into overdrive and cause me to have a panic attack or something. To distract myself, I ventured deeper into the forest, not once thinking about any other emotion—or common sense. I pushed my way through stubborn tree branches, trekked through itchy bushes (hopefully they weren't poison ivy), and resisted letting out any signs of pain any time I would step on a sharp pebble and sharpened stick. When I felt my energy decreasing to the point where I could barely keep my eyes open, I settled in a small underbrush and tucked my wings under my stomach to warm them from the teeth-chattering cold.

I bit my tongue whenever I felt my head nodding forward, but sleep wound up conquering my efforts. It seemed like a miracle when I drifted off into a dreamless slumber, and the only sounds I could hear was the wind, the occasional hooting of an owl, and my own steady breathing. Yet all that changed when I felt a sudden thrashing in the pit of my stomach, and the trashing turned worse every second. I let out a pained scream; seven daggers thrust into my stomach had nothing on the pain I was currently in. I let out another Bloody Murder scream and was completely oblivious to the sound of running hooves in my directions.

"Zaria?!" a panicked shout screamed out.

"L-LUCKY!" I managed to get out, tears streaming down my face as I gritted my teeth. Please...stop! I thought the pain would last forever, but it only took several more seconds of it for my body to collapse onto the ground. I still felt a light trashing in me, but it wasn't severe.

Then, as if things couldn't get any worse, I heard that nauseating voice say, "Well, look at that. It's a boy!"

Author's Note

If it's short, I apologize. Just wanted to get something out for the ones who love the Our Inner Ponies series. School's been a butthead, so hopefully I can get a couple more chapters out for you guys. Thanks for being patient!

Luv ya'll!

~NYQUTIE

Not Just Nightmares?

I stepped through the front door of the cottage and immediately made my way for the bedroom, suddenly exhausted. I trudged up the stairs, occasionally glancing at the approaching photos—some of me and Lucky, some of me with the Main Six and Maya—and eventually made it to the bedroom. I cannon-balled onto the double bed and curled into a slightly uncomfortable ball, my energy increasing as I began to fall asleep. After about fifteen minutes of sleep I began having a variety of weird dreams, all of which I was back in my human form. Some matched the disadvantages of me being here—like my family worrying, school curious of my location—but the rest were beyond strange.

One involved the night Maya and I fought Discord, but when our necklaces glowed, they fizzled out permanently. Then a giant Kayleigh emerged out of nowhere, smirking evilly, and Maya—along with the Main Six—disappeared from sight, leaving me to deal with two giant villains. There was another one where it was my wedding day, but before the "I do's" rolled in, everyone's faces either warped into Discord's or Kayleigh's faces. When I ran out of the room and into town, I saw that it had changed into the same chaotic environment when Kayleigh and Discord had taken over my hometown. If it weren't for Lucky opening the front door loudly, I swear I would've scared myself to death.

"Zaria?" Lucky called from downstairs.

"Up here!" A few seconds later, a flash of red was flying up the stairs and into the bedroom. I noticed that Lucky's horn was glowing red, and a medium-sized box surrounded by the same color floated by his side.

"Thought you could use a pick-me-up," he said, giving me a sweet smile. "Considering what happened this morning." I smiled as Lucky settled the box in front of me. Once opened, I was greeted with a few red velvet cupcakes, a single rose, and a stuffed...elephant.

"The store I went to was out of teddy bears," Lucky explained, shrugging sheepishly. I hugged the elephant to my chest.

"No, I like it. Really." After the cupcakes were eaten, I began to tell Lucky about the nightmares I'd had while he had been away. He didn't interrupt to say things like you're just stressed or those nightmares don't really mean anything. He listened with interest, and once I was done, he finally spoke.

"Those sound like some brutal dreams," he said. "But you shouldn't let them get to you. Most nightmares don't mean anything."

"So you're saying I should just ignore the fact that two of the worst villains plague my inner thoughts whenever I sleep?" I deadpanned.

Lucky was silent for a moment. "Well, if you put it like that..."

I interrupted Lucky on whatever he was going to say next. "Never mind, Lucky. I had a long day, I'm sweaty...maybe after a quick bath I'll be able to sleep easier."

Unfortunately, that wasn't the solution to my problem. I felt like the walking dead right after the bath, and once Lucky turned off the lights and joined me for a good night's sleep, the nightmares returned almost instantly—except it was nearly impossible to wake up on my own. Lucky had to shake me awake four times until I got to the point of just flat out staying awake until morning. Lucky, of course, denied this idea, but what choice did I have? So I lounged on the couch, glancing once or twice at the clock and window, wishing Father Time would speed things up. By the time the sky turned to a light peach color, I had to bite my wings whenever my head nodded forward. Trust me when I say that kept me up for a good four to six minutes. Just when I thought I was a goner, there was a knock at the door.

Yawning, I flew over to the door and swung it open. I gave a sleepy smile to the unicorn in front of me. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"It's only six forty nine," Maya replied, stepping inside. "I start in about eleven minutes. Plus, I couldn't sleep."

"Why not?"

"I was worried about you." I gave another sleepy smile and hugged Maya.

"And...I wanted to get this whole pregnancy thing confirmed." I released my friend as soon as the words left her mouth.

"No."

"But don't you want to figure out if you're going to be a mother or not?"

"No!"

"Oh come on. Do it for me, will you?"

"No."

"Well how about Lucky? Do it for Lucky!" I knew she'd throw that "Do it for LuckyBlitz" card at me, and I still said no. It's not that I wanted to avoid the whole "approaching mother" thing; it's just that people tending to my every need, extinguishing the flames that were indeed my worries...this isn't Medieval Times, hello!

"Fine. If you won't do it for me or Lucky—" My hooves suddenly felt like they were dipped in buckets of super glue, and when I looked down, a sparkly light brown aura were surrounding my hooves—"then do it for yourself."

* * *

My eyes were watching Twilight Sparkle like a hawk; wherever she moved, my eyes followed. Whenever she was about to talk, my ears would perk up, my hearing sharp as a tack. While my ears and eyes were on Red Alert, I managed to make a quick mental note: Kill Maya somewhere private...like a dark alley.

"Well, the readings are accurate," I heard Twilight discuss with Maya.

"And what does that mean?" I asked, making sure my death glare was visible for my friend. She stuck her tongue out in reply.

"It means that you are in fact carrying developing offspring within your body." I blinked, dumbfounded.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak geek."

"It means that you're pregnant, doofus!" Maya cried, face-palming (or face-hoofing) herself. Then her tone changed after a few seconds. "But isn't that somethin'? Just think dude: you and Lucky would be, like, the first hero family in Ponyville!"

"Yippee," I deadpanned, wondering if Lucky and Maya had somehow met up together and talked about the whole being the first ever hero family. Then I had a sudden thought. "Hey Twilight, is it normal to have nightmares when you're pregnant?"

"Of course it's normal," Twilight replied. "The fear of doing something wrong once the baby comes, stress...you'd be surprised how many things can toggle nightmares. Why do you ask?" I explained the kind of nightmares I'd had before and after Lucky was home. Twilight and Maya's faces were all the more confused.

"So, Kayleigh and Discord kept popping up nonstop in your dreams?" Maya tried to clarify when I was through.

"And whenever these two were in your dreams, it was almost always just you to face them?" Twilight added. I nodded at both the questions.

"And I don't get it. I mean, I know having nightmares once in a while is normal, but having ones about events that happened years ago..."

"Zaria, did these nightmares happen before you got pregnant or after?" Just hearing those words from Twilight made my skin crawl.

"Um...they happened just today. When I found out—"

"Yeah, yeah...that's the thing," Twilight interrupted, fumbling around with different sheets of paper and pencils. "I'm starting to think that...if half your nightmares consist of Kayleigh and Discord..." The way her voice trailed off made my heart skip a beat. Even though I hated suspense and wanted to shout for her to finish her sentence, I didn't want Twilight to continue.