"UuuooooWWWAAAAGGHHH!"
Shining Armor's ears pinned against his head as he bit his lip, glancing down the hallway as he hunched over to make himself as small as possible.
"Come on now, 't ain't nothing to be scared of, just her labor pains."
Looking down the other way, Shining made eye contact with Applejack. He looked away, and scratched his mane with a hoof. "I'm not scared. I'm kinda excited actually!"
"Then I'm sure your coat being more slick with sweat than a hog in July is just excitement, right?" offered Applejack.
"Eheheh, I guess maybe I'm a little nervous?" Looking, out of the corner of his eye, Shining once again looked at the mare who had helped him carry his laboring wife to the hospital. "Sorry about Cadence's water breaking that the dinner table. Guess the little tike really wanted to try it for themselves?" Shining chuckled alongside Applejack, before she ribbed him with an elbow.
"Don't you worry none about that. It'll come out with a good scrubbing, and Apple Bloom already knows where foals come from." Applejack leaned back, and let out another laugh. "Goodness, that was certainly one way to say thanks for the meal."
"OOOowwwowowoww!"
Shining Armor once again winced, looking at the door. "I wish I could be in there," he said. "Even if it's just so she can bludgeon me with a bedpan."
"Don't worry, she'll be out of their quick as you please with a bouncing foal eager to see the world." Applejack leaned over, smiling. Her brows raised as somepony two sizes too big galloped down the hallway. She turned around. "Macintosh!" she exclaimed. "You tell the others?"
"Eeyup," answered Big Mac, skidding to a halt. "How's Mrs. Cadence doing."
"Why didn't I just pass the Crystal Tower instea-ea-ead!?"
Big Mac looked to the door, adjusted the piece of grass in his mouth, then looked back to Shining Armor. "She's doing mighty fine."
"That's mighty fine?" Shining threw his hooves out to the two farmer ponies. "I know from school and the doctor there'd be pain, but... this is even worse than the Empire!" Hopping from his seat, Shining paced the hallway. "At least there I knew if things really went badly, I could go out and just rage against an enemy! But this!?"
Applejack leaned over to Big Mac. "I'm beginning to really see the family connection to Twi."
"Eeyup."
"What was that?" asked Shining.
"Nothin'," replied Applejack, shaking her head. "We were just saying that as awful as it sounds in there, it's perfectly normal for a mare to be this... vocal."
"I know how to push, that's what I'm doing! It's what I've been doing since this staaarted!"
Shining Armor pointed a hoof to the door and nodded. "That's normal?"
"Eeyup."
Applejack nodded. "Was for my sis and I when we were born. Big Mac too, if'n Granny Smith is to be believed."
"Really?" asked Shining, an ear perking up.
"Yep, I can tell ya about what happened for Apple Bloom's birth if it will set you at ease." Applejack lifted up a hoof and drew a circle in the air.
Glancing at the delivery room door, Shining bit his lip, then looked to Applejack and nodded. "Okay."
"Alrighty then," said Applejack. "Well, me and Big Mac were out in the field with our momma, bucking apples for the July harvest. She was in her eleventh month, and Apple Bloom had descended, making it hard for Mom to work. So we were there, gathering the apples, when she stood up.
"'That ain't how you do it, Mac,' she said, then walked over to a tree, turned on her front hooves, and bucked the tree. Now just as she was lowering her legs, she looked right at Big Mac, smile on her face. 'That's how you do it,' she said. Then, right as her knee hit her belly, her water broke, flowed right out and onto the tree.
"Now Apple Bloom isn't the patient sort, as you might've guessed, so the first contraction hit her by the time she looked behind her to see what had happened. She yelled at us. "Mac! Go get your pa, your next sibling wants things done naturally. Applejack! Get some hot water and towels."
Big Mac smiled, prompting Shining to hold up a hoof. "What's so amusing?"
"Oh, I'm just getting to his favorite part. Now when Dad got around, he'd set Big Mac to let Mom bite down on his hoof if she needed to, while he had me set up the towels for when Apple Bloom came. Now, it's kind of a blur, but Big Macintosh here claims that when Apple Bloom's head first appeared, I backed up, eyes wide as saucers, my mouth hanging open. All I said was, 'Oh. Sweet. Celestia.'"
At the conclusion of the statement, Big Mac's expression actually deigned to show his teeth.
"So your sister was born in the orchard?" asked Shining Armor, mouth agape and pointed at Applejack and Big Mac.
"Eeyup."
"So was Big Mac and I, we were all pretty set on not letting Mom get to her hooves once things started." Appejack smiled and inclined her head. "Easy for her, of course Big Mac and I learned a few words that we weren't ever supposed to repeat, and most certainly never direct at anypony, no matter how much we might've disliked them."
Applejack tilted her head and squinted. "Weren't you there for Twilight's birth?"
"Buh!" Shining Armor recoiled. "I was at school, when I got home, dad was there to pick me up and take me to the hospital to see her. My heart was kind of racing. When we got there, Twilight was swaddled up in the observation room, Mom staring at her."
"Ohmigoshohmigoshohmigosh!"
Interrupted from his distanced experience of new life, Shining Armor looked behind him to observe a fluorescent pink blur materialize into Pinkie Pie. "Another birth! I'm soooo nervous-cited!"
"Pinkie Pie!" Applejack exclaimed. "Where are the others?"
Gasping for air, Pinkie Pie opened her mouth wide, and granting Shining Armor an immaculate viewing of her uvula. Big Macintosh, for his part, reached a pair of hooves to his head and clamped them over his ears.
"Twilight's looking for her collection of books on foaling, Rarity is throwing together her supplies for measurements for clothing, and Rainbow Dash is trying to convince Fluttershy that being in the delivery room wouldn't be imposing!" Pinkie Pie looked around. "So how's Cadence doing?"
"Get this thing out of me!"
"Oh! Neat!" said Pinkie Pie, pressing her ears to the door, she shouted through it. "Remember to breathe!"
"Who said that? You try breathing when Cerberus is clawing its way out of your stomach!"
Pinkie pulled her head back. "Sheesh! She could give Chrysalis a run for her bits in being a big meanie pants."
Applejack scoffed. "Pinkie, I can't believe you'd say that. Don't you know what a mother goes through?"
"Nope!" Pinkie Pie shook her head. "It's painful, they've told me that, but you've got to cheer up, because it means that your foal is coming!"
"So you've never been to a birth? I know you stayed at Sugarcube Corner to look after things when Mr. and Mrs. Cake went to hospital, but nothing before that?" Applejack leaned towards Pinkie Pie.
"Well..." Pinkie Pie reached a hoof up to her chin. "I was at one before that."
"Oh?" Shining Armor straightened his posture. "What was that like?"
"Hmmm... it was dark, warm, and quiet, and then suddenly it was bright, cold, and noisy..." Pinkie looked over to the others. "What?"
Applejack smacked a hoof to her face. "Just, nevermind Pinkie, I don't want to go down that road."
A cacophony of hooves broke down the hall, and soon Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were skidding to a halt in front of Shining, Pinkie, Applejack, and Big Mac.
Rarity began untangling a knot of measuring tape and yarn. "We came as soon as we could!" she declared, pushing up her pair of red-rimmed sewing glasses as she pulled out a pincushion and sorted her needles.
Twilight walked to Shining, breathing heavily. "Is it.. really... happening?" she asked, draping a hoof over Shining's withers. Shining nodded, and Twilight smiled, extending her wings around him. "Oh! This is wonderful! You're going to be a dad! My brother, with a foal!" She backed away from Shining. "Ahem, congratulations, BBBFF."
"Thanks, Twily, but this isn't over yet," said Shining Armor.
The sound of something heavy bashing against a wall emanated from the delivery room, drawing the attention of everypony. Fluttershy backstepped from the crowd, only for Rainbow Dash to clamp her teeth down on Fluttershy's pink tail.
"Fluttershy," growled Rainbow Dash. "What is with you? You must see animals give birth all the time, probably more!"
"Oh! But this is so much different, this is a special moment, for family, and the doctors are here, so I'm not really needed. So if I could--Aye!"
Rainbow Dash tugged at Fluttershy's tail again, sending her back into the crowd of ponies spinning on her haunches, and hurtling into the mass in a combined flurry of wings, tails, and legs, with Big Mac poking out of the top. The group pulled itself apart, leaving Fluttershy cradled between Rarity and Big Mac's chests.
Big Mac looked down on Fluttershy. "Miss Fluttershy, nopony is expecting you to actually be present for the birth. We was just going over our own experiences with birth."
"Oh thank goodness!" Fluttershy sighed, then shuffled away from Big Mac. She looked around, the others stared at her. "Wait? Oh, I'm sure none of you are interested in what I have to say!"
Twilight's ears perked, then looked to the others. "Actually, I'm kinda curious. What about you guys?" There was some nodding and Rarity bit her lip. "So what's it like for most of your animals, Fluttershy?" asked Twilight.
Fluttershy's ears wilted. "Well, to be honest, most of the animals are surprisingly quiet, they tend to go to some little corner of the house while I'm not looking, and later, when I'm cleaning around the cottage, I find a little mouse or bunny rabbit curled up in a corner." She smiled. "That's how I found Angel Bunny." Reaching her forehooves around herself, Fluttershy twisted in place, hugging an imaginary animal. "Ooooh! They're always just so cute, looking up at you with their beady little eyes! Though their mommy tends to get angry if you spend too much time holding them. Watching everything going through their entire lives, it's just wonderful to witness!"
"Wow, Fluttershy." Twilight raised a hoof in the air. "That really sounds wonderful, so they don't normally make much noise?"
"Ah-ah-aaaahahahh! Please! I promise never to sleep with a stallion again! Just make it stop!"
The group looked at Shining, who simply backstepped until his rump hit the wall.
"Uhm... they certainly don't make any noises like that," said Fluttershy. She crossed her hooves and looked to the side. "So um... if it's okay I'd just want to drop this like right now..."
Twilight shrugged. "What about you Rarity? Do you have any insights?"
"Well..." Rarity fanned herself with a hoof. "As a lady, one must know certain things about the role, though I've never witnessed the event itself, I have heard several descriptions."
"Ooh!" Pinkie Pie pushed her way towards Rarity. "What do other ponies say about it? Come on, I'm curious!"
"Eheheh..." Rarity grinned, discomfort plain in her eyes as she looked about. "They mostly end up talking about the pain, what it's like. One mare, a Carrot Burnit, described labor pain like this: 'Imagine taking your bottom lip, and stretching it to the back of your head."
Something in Shining's gut dropped at the description.
"Hmm, wouldn't that be worse if you were a unicorn?" asked Pinkie Pie.
"Well, you must understand, Carrot Burnit was a unicorn." Rarity looked about.
The something in Shining's gut bottomed out, and the rest of his organs worked eagerly to pull it back up from wherever it had come to rest. Most likely Tartarus. He sat down and clutched his head in his hooves. "What have I done?" he shook his head. "We wanted foals, but to put her through this..."
"Your Highness! Let go of Doctor Stable's bottom lip right now!"
Shining Armor sagged in his seat. "Ohhhh..."
Rarity walked over to Shining and put a hoof on his withers. "Now now, don't act like this isn't the most joyous occasion in a mare's life. The moment she sets eyes on that little bundle, if she ever--and I sincerely doubt the thought crossed her mind--ever felt any ill will to you for the pains, she's going to forget them in that instant..." Rarity pulled her hoof away and glanced to the floor. "Ahem, that's also from what I've read."
Shining Armor looked up, taking in the faces of those surrounding him. "Thanks, but even if she doesn't hold it against me, I still have to remember the pain I put her through."
"Waah! Waah! Waaaaaaggh!"
Looking to the door, Shining Armor blinked. "Is that?" He scrambled to his hooves. Horn glowing, he threw the door open.
Doctor Stable stood in the doorway, and Shining attempted to pass through. "Just one minute, Mr. Armor, Sir."
Shining backed up a few steps, and stared at the doctor. "Do you have foals, Doctor?"
Doctor Stable nodded.
"Then you know you're not going to stop me now," said Shining.
Rolling his eyes, Doctor Stable stood to the side, and Shining Armor entered the delivery room. Laying on the bed, strewn across the soaking, bloody sheets only a foot off the ground, Cadence had her head bent towards her belly, bobbing up and down slightly.
"Honey?" asked Shining. She kept bobbing her head up and down, though her ears twitched in his direction.
He walked around the bed, and saw a little pink foal with its head tucked next to Cadence's teats, suckling its first meal. Cadence was alternately licking its mane, or using a hoof to stroke down its side or back. She pulled her head away from the foal and smiled. "Filly," she said.
The foal pulled her head away from its mother, and turned around. She looked up at Shining, and some gurgling noise escaped her throat. It stomped its hooves, and Shining tilted his head. Filly, no wings, no horn. An earth filly.
"It would appear that your daughter has taken from your wife's earth-pony third." Shining glanced away to see Doctor Stable adjusting his glasses. "Alicorn after all... Regardless." He looked up from the foal to Shining's eyes. "Your daughter is perfectly healthy."
Shining looked down at the pink filly as it huddled against her mother's belly, three inches of umbilical cord flopping on the raised platform.
Filly, earth pony, it didn't matter, she was their daughter. The pain had been worth it, and he would keep working to make sure it was always worth every pain and discomfort in life.
Bonus Chapter: Shoring Up The Dams
10 Years Ago:
“Come on, Rares,” Cross Stitch nagged. “This is taking forever. The party’s this evening and I don’t want somepony else claiming all the hot stallions before we get there.”
“I just want to get this last dress finished,” Rarity sighed. “I just need a little more time.”
“Finals are over,” Cross Stitch whined. “Everypony knows you got top marks. And what is that for, anyways?”
“If you must know, Stitchy,” said Rarity, deliberately using a nickname she knew Cross Stitch hated. “It’s for Professor Corduroy. I’m making a matching pair for my Formalwear course. Finals might be over for you, but I still have this last design to turn in today and I need to get it done.”
And you’d get top marks too, if you didn’t use your magic as an excuse to slack off, thought Rarity, not inaccurately. You’re not stupid, either; you just choose not to take these things seriously. You don’t see the Pegasi or Earth Ponies slacking off in fields that take advantage of their talent; they can’t afford to like you or I could.
“Fine,” said Cross Stitch. “But if you’re not there when I leave, I’m going without you.” Rarity waved her off and the mare left in a huff.
Rarity was finishing her first year at the University of Canterlot: Art and Design in their fashion program. While UC:AD wasn’t as prestigious as Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, it had programs more suited to Rarity’s special talent. Rarity was already good at design, but a formal education and the degree that came with it would help boost her legitimacy as a fashion designer.
Rarity finished with an hour to spare and took her designs to her professor, meeting her in a classroom filled with projects. “I must apologize for being the last student to turn in the assignment, Professor,” Rarity said as her professor looked over the outfits, “but I did want it to be perfect. You have such an excellent reputation here at UC:AD and I wanted to live up to your expectations.” Rarity was babbling, but had a hard time stopping herself.
“You’ve done an excellent job, Miss Rarity,” said the professor. “I can see how you tested into the more advanced classes. When I submit your grade, I could send you some comments, if you’d like.”
“I would be most grateful, Professor,” said Rarity, relieved. She had been genuinely worried for a while. She thanked the professor as she took her leave. As undignified as these college parties were, she supposed she would have to attend the party with her roommate after all.
“About time you got here, Rares,” said Cross Stitch. She was carrying a mug full of something that both looked and smelled like hard cider.
“Have you been drinking?” Rarity asked. Her roommate giggled, both confirming Rarity’s accusation and implying that she wasn’t on her first for the night, either. “You aren’t legal yet. I don’t think half the ponies here are of legal age yet.”
“Stop being such a stick in the mud, Rares,” moaned Cross Stitch, trying to shove the half full glass into Rarity’s hooves. Rarity took it, more to try and cut Cross Stitch off than any other reason. Not like that will stop her from simply grabbing another, Rarity thought. “Nopony cares if we’ve been drinking. They probably would have broken this up if they cared. I bet our professors did the same thing when they were at university.”
Cross Stitch kept talking, but Rarity wasn’t listening anymore. She had seen Him. The stallion she had been crushing on since she had come to university. He was a Unicorn with an off-white coat and platinum blonde mane. She knew almost nothing about him, except that he was a senior in the Fashion Department. He was in his final semester. If she was going to meet with him, she had to do it tonight. The party had suddenly become worthwhile.
“And I told him that the blocking wasn’t showing off my costumes’ best side,” said the stallion. “But, of course, he wouldn’t listen. After all, he was the director, so he clearly knew best.”
Rarity laughed. Her stallion was a costume designer with hopes of making it in theater. She absently sipped from her drink. She had finished off the drink she had taken from Cross Stitch and was working her way through her second full glass, barely paying attention to how much alcohol she was consuming. A pleasant haze had descended over her judgment, clouded both by emotion and her lack of experience with alcohol. She had lost track of Cross Stitch some time ago and, frankly, had a hard time caring where she was.
“Would you like to come back to my dorm room?” the stallion asked. “It’s much quieter there than it is here.”
Rarity paused. Being alone with a stallion under such conditions? He seemed nice, but one couldn’t always tell. Finally she made her decision. Cross Stitch had always told her to live a little, take a few chances. “I would be delighted,” she finally said.
They made their way back to his dorm. Rarity was unsteady on her feet, unused to alcohol of any sort, much less two and a half rather sizeable glasses of hard cider. Her stallion sat next to her, giggling at her stories of her parents’ horrific fashion sense. He began to get more intimate, nuzzling her tenderly; telling her how good looking she was. Part of Rarity, the part that was telling her to be a lady and put a stop to it, had been quieted by the alcohol she had been consumed and the fact that the stallion she liked seemed to like her back.
She would have memories of him mounting her and her asking him to be gentle. It’s my first time, she thought, the two of them enjoying the act of passion and finally falling asleep in each other’s forelegs. When she woke up the next morning, she was alone. There was a note from her stallion saying he had to leave early and that he was sorry not to have seen her off properly. She looked for him over the next few days, but couldn’t find him. She finally got her grades back. She had passed her classes, as she had anticipated. She had even gotten an offer for a summer internship from Professor Corduroy, who had been particularly impressed with her work. It would keep her away from her parents for the summer, but it would allow her to graduate faster. Her parents would understand.
As she started her internship, she thought back to her stallion. She still hadn’t seen him. He had probably graduated and gone on with his life. She didn’t think his intention had been malicious. It was just a one night stand with a cute freshman who shared his interests. It had been harmless, but meaningless, fun, right? Nopony will ever know, she thought. It was only one time. What harm could a little fun do?
It was only afterward that she realized that she hadn’t even learned his name.
“I’m what!?” Rarity yelled.
“That’s what the tests say, Rares,” said Cross Stitch. “They both agree. You’re preggers, Rares.”
“Can you please not use the word ‘preggers,’ Cross?” said Rarity. "I feel bad enough as it is. How am I supposed to explain to my parents that their baby is having a baby?”
“You’re going to have to tell them the truth, eventually,” said Cross Stitch. “I mean, they’ll find out eventually.”
That settled it. At the next opportunity, Rarity notified her parents that she would be coming home to visit.
Rarity couldn’t stop worrying. Should she call this off? No, she thought. She was an adult; she would face this like an adult. And it wasn’t like she could hide this forever, anyways. It would be noticeable in a few months anyways. She knocked on the door. Her mother opened the door. As usual, she was wearing one of her usual cringeworthy ensembles. Father wasn’t much better, but at least he didn’t pretend to understand fashion.
“Oh, RARITY,” she exclaimed. “We weren’t expecting you home until this evening. Your father’s still at work.”
“I caught an early train, Mother,” said Rarity. “It’s just that I have something really important to tell you and Father tonight.”
“Is it that internship you told us about?” asked her mother. “Your father and I were so happy to hear that you got it.”
“No, it’s not that, Mother,” Rarity said. “It’s something else and I need both of you here before I tell you.”
It wasn’t long before Rarity’s father got home. He wore his usual ridiculous straw hat and Hoofwiaan shirt. His job as a sports columnist kept him busy in a job that he enjoyed. “Rarity,” he said. “It’s good to have you back. How’s your internship going?”
“Its fine, Father,” said Rarity. “But that’s not the reason I came back this weekend. I have something I need to tell you both and I’m afraid you’re not going to be happy with me.”
“What is it, dear,” said her mother. “I’m sure that nothing you could say would make us angry enough to stop loving you.”
Rarity sighed. It was now or never. “Mother, Father. I’m pregnant.”
“You’re… pregnant?” asked her father, his voice flat and unbelieving.
“When?” asked her mother. “It must have been fairly recent; you’re not showing yet.”
“It was at a party,” Rarity explained. “I hadn’t wanted to go, but I couldn’t find a reason to say no, once my finals were done. I met a stallion there; one that I’d had my eye on for some time. I had been drinking and he suggested that we go back to his dorm room to talk and… we did.”
“You were drinking?” said her father. “At your college campus, no less? You’re eighteen, Rarity. You could have gotten into legal trouble just for that.”
“I know, Father,” said Rarity. “I knew I shouldn’t, but I wasn’t thinking properly. I’d had a couple drinks and when we talked, we had a lot of shared interests. Him with costuming; me with fashion. It was… cozy; romantic, even. We did what ponies do when they like each other. Unfortunately, we didn’t stop while it could still be considered appropriate. When he made it clear he wanted to go all the way, I chose to let him. True, I had been drinking, but the choice had still been mine. I could still have said ‘no.’ Looking back at it, I don’t think he was attempting to force me to do anything. I think he would have respected me if I had refused. We fell asleep shortly thereafter and, when I had woken up the next morning, he had already left.”
“Have you tried looking for him, Rarity?” her mother asked. “He could help you with the child. If nothing else, he deserves to know that he has a foal.”
“I tried to look for him, Mother,” said Rarity. “I couldn’t find him anywhere. He had graduated that semester and was days away from leaving UC:AD. I don’t even know his name. I never asked when we were together. None of my friends had known him, either and all the ponies who seemed to have known him graduated as well. I suppose I could ask the professors, but I don’t even know if it would matter anymore. Even if I find out his name, does anypony even know where he is now? Would he even want to be part of his foal’s life? He seemed like a caring stallion, but who knows how a baby might change things.” Rarity trailed off, unable to continue.
Rarity expected the worst from her parents, but they didn’t yell. Their disappointment, however, was palpable and that hurt more than anything else. Father was quiet; Mother looked like she was going to cry. “Well, Rarity,” her father finally said. “I can’t tell you how disappointed we are with you. We both know what it’s like to be young and attracted to another pony, but I thought we had taught you better than that. I admit to making my fair share of mistakes in college. I drank when I shouldn’t have and know from experience what kind of stupid things young ponies do. But I had hoped you had enough sense not to have sex with some strange stallion you barely knew. You never even found out his name, Rarity.”
“And a foal?” said her mother. “Do you have any concept at all how that changes your life? It’s a full time job and hard enough even when you have support. I know babies are a wonderful thing. Celestia knows you were a delight, but raising a child is as much work, if not more, than a job. Did you even consider the possibility that you might get pregnant when you did this? I know what it’s like being young, just like your father does. I also know what it’s like to be a mare in those situations and all the unique challenges that come along with it. But, you’ve always been such a mature young mare; so responsible with your studies and dressmaking. I really had hoped we’d taught you well enough to be able to resist the temptations that you’d find there.”
Rarity was sobbing, her head in her hooves. “I know, Mother. Part of me told me to stop, but I chose to ignore it. And I know that this doesn’t just affect me. There’s a foal inside me and whatever I do will affect her as well. She’ll probably never know who her father is, even if I do keep her. I’m not worried about me as much as I am worried about her. And I have thought about what’s going to happen next. I thought about this a lot since I found out that I was pregnant. Would I make the right decision? Would I wind up regretting not having chosen differently?”
“Rarity, darling,” said her father. “We’re angry. We’re upset. But, if you need us to help you make a decision, we are here for you. And whatever you decide to do in regards to the baby, we will support you.”
“I’ve… already decided,” Rarity said. “I want to give the baby up for adoption. I want her to have a loving home, but I can’t take care of her myself and I don’t want to foist her upon you.”
“And we’ll be here to help you,” said her mother. “We may be upset with you, but we still love you and want what’s best for you and your baby.”
Rarity went back to school. It wasn’t long before she was showing and then she became one of Those Mares. The mares who were of easy virtue. Mares who got themselves knocked up because they couldn’t control themselves around stallions. They looked down on her and gossiped behind her back, just as Rarity, herself, had done on occasion. Now she knew how much those accusations could hurt; which parts of the accusations were true and which parts were false.
She muddled through both her pregnancy and her classes. Fortunately, her grades didn’t suffer and she was able to keep herself and her baby healthy. As is the way of babies, Rarity went into labor at the worst possible time: during one of her classes. The embarrassment of having her water break in front of her classmates and instructor took second place to the well-being of her baby. “Professor,” she said. “I need to go to the hospital. Now!”
She had been in labor for several hours by the time her parents were able to get to the hospital. “Rarity,” her mother yelled. “Please do not strangle the doctor! Your father knows how to catch a football, not a baby! I don’t think you want him to have to take over!”
“I’LL NEVER EVEN TALK TO A STALLION AGAIN IF YOU MAKE THE PAIN GO AWAY!” Rarity yelled. “IF I EVER CATCH THE PONY WHO DID THIS TO ME, I’LL SKIN HIM ALIVE AND WEAR HIM AROUND TOWN LIKE A DRESS!”
“Oh, good,” said Rarity’s mother. “Death threats mean she’s almost done giving birth.”
The prediction came true. It wasn’t long before Rarity was cradling a filly with an alabaster coat and pinkish-purple mane. She loved her little baby so much. It hurt her that she would have to give her perfect little angel up for adoption, but it was the best way for her to have a good life.
Rarity’s parents came back a few days later with paperwork in their hooves. “Rarity,” her father said. “Your mother and I have been talking while you were away. If it’s acceptable with you, dear, we’d like to adopt her.”
“You?” asked Rarity. “But, but, are you sure? I couldn’t possibly burden you with another child. It’s hardly fair to you to be forced to deal with the results of my mistakes.”
“We want to do this,” said her mother. “She’s not a burden at all. She’ll have the loving home she needs and she will still be around you.”
“But what do we tell her?” Rarity said, indicating the sleeping infant in her forelegs. “Do we keep it a secret that I’m her real mother, or do we tell her?”
There was a pause. “We… don’t know, Rarity,” said her father. “We’ll be here to help you make that decision, but it’s something you’re probably going to have to make yourself.”
Rarity looked down at her daughter. She then passed the baby to her parents and said, “Please take good care of my Sweetie Belle.”
Present Day:
“Ahem, that’s also from what I’ve read.” Rarity had to put on a brave face for the others. She might not have been there for her own child, but she could be there for Cadance and Shining Armor. It was penance, in a way. Cadance was alternating between death threats and promises never to do the horizontal tushie bump ever again. Rarity remembered saying many of the same things when Sweetie Belle was born. Some of the things she had said had been worse.
There was a light smack from the room and a healthy wailing that came from the baby. A few minutes later, they were invited in to see the baby. As the others oohed and ahhed over the pink Earth Pony filly, Rarity edged out of the room. She couldn’t take it anymore. It reminded her too much of Sweetie Belle, the precious baby who would be waiting for her when she went back home.
When it was time to leave, Twilight said, “Has anypony seen Rarity? I can’t seem to find her.”
Nopony else had seen her. “Maybe she’s in the mare’s room,” Rainbow Dash suggested. “It’s going to be a long train ride and maybe she wanted to, you know, before we left.”
“I’ll go find her,” said Twilight. Asking where the nearest restroom was,Twilight entered the facility. “Rarity? Are you in here? We’re almost ready to go.”
Twilight heard a faint sobbing from one of the stalls. “Rarity?” she asked. “Is that you? What’s wrong? We’re your friends. If something’s wrong, you know you can talk to us about anything.”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” came the reply. “Not here. Not in front of everypony. Certainly not Shining Armor and Cadance. This is the happiest day of their lives; even more than getting married. I just couldn’t ruin it for them with my own problems.”
“If you can’t talk about it here,” Twilight said. “We can wait until we get back to Ponyville.”
Rarity was silent the whole way back to Ponyville. When they arrived, Rarity’s friends corralled her and practically dragged her back to her boutique. “You’ve been acting mighty strange since Cadance had her baby,” said Applejack. “And we ain’t leaving until you fess up about it.”
This elicited a crying bout from Rarity. Everypony got quiet. This was different from Rarity’s usual melodrama. She tearfully explained everything. “You know the things I said to you and Shining Armor? All those stories that I ‘heard’ from other ponies? I didn’t just hear them; I experienced them. I know firsthoof what they’re talking about.”
“Experienced them how?” asked Twilight. “Did you help your mom deliver Sweetie Belle?”
“No,” Rarity replied. “I didn’t help my mother deliver Sweetie Belle; she helped me deliver Sweetie.”
There was a pause. “Ooookaaaaay,” said Rainbow Dash. “Could you run that by me again, please? I really don’t think I understood the point you were trying to make.”
“Sweetie Belle isn’t my sister,” Rarity said, haltingly. “Well, she isn’t just my sister. I mean, she’s legally my sister, but biologically...” Rarity started crying again.
“All right,” Twilight said. “Just calm down and start at the beginning. If you need it, I can get my emergency Twilight Freak-Out Kit. That helps me calm down when I’m not freaking out so much I forget it’s there. What do you mean when you say she isn’t your sister?”
After a few moments, Rarity continued. “Sweetie Belle isn’t actually my sister. She’s my daughter.”
Jaws, meet ground. Hello, ground. How are you today?
“When I was a freshman in college,” said Rarity, “there was a stallion I had rather fancied from afar. I was at a party after my semester finals and saw him there. I went over to meet him, hoping that we could be friends; maybe even more if I were lucky. We had so much in common. We were both into fashion, but for different reasons. I was studying to become the designer I am now. He was entering theater costuming. At some point during our conversation, I had started drinking. Being under aged, I had no experience with alcohol, which, combined with my overly emotional state, led me to agree to accompany him to his dorm room.
“I dismissed my better judgment. I could have said ‘no’ at any time. Nothing he did seemed malicious, even in hindsight. We continued to talk and the situation grew increasingly intimate. He wanted to go all the way; I said ‘yes.’ It was my first time. I had always imagined my first time being more… romantic… than a one night stand, but life doesn’t always work out the way we wanted. The next morning, after having fallen asleep in his bed, I woke up alone I searched for him, but I haven’t seen him since. He doesn’t even know that he has a child.”
“Wasn’t there any way to contact him?” asked Twilight. “I mean, wouldn’t you at least have a name to use?”
“Yeah,” said Pinkie. “If we let him know, we can have a big ‘We’re all a big family now and you have a daughter you didn’t know you had before’ party.”
“That’s just it,” replied Rarity. “I don’t know what his name is. I never asked while we were together. He was a senior. He had graduated that semester and I never saw him around campus again. Eventually, I just stopped looking. Even if I had found out his name, nopony knew where he had gone. It wasn’t long before I found out that I was pregnant. I told my parents about the whole thing not long afterwards. They were… upset and justifiably so. By that time, I had already made up my mind to give my baby up for adoption. When I gave birth to Sweetie Belle, my parents notified me that they planned to adopt her. They had decided it in secret. They even had the necessary legal documents drawn up. All I needed to do was give my signature and fill in a few blanks. In a few strokes of the quill, Sweetie Belle went from being my daughter to being my sister. She’s been living with my parents ever since, completely unaware that they aren’t her real parents.”
It was a relief, actually, to finally get everything off of her chest. “I’m such a horrible pony. She’s my foal and every time she’s around I treat her like she’s an unwanted burden who’s always in my way. All she wants to do is help and spend time with me. I don’t deserve to be her sister or her mother.”
Applejack grabbed Rarity. “Look at me, Rarity,” she commanded. Rarity complied. “You are not a horrible pony. You wanted what was best for Sweetie Belle, even if it wasn’t with you. She might irritate you, but what sister doesn’t? You see her when you can and you take care of her whether she’s with you or not. You’ve even made time to take care of her when it wasn’t convenient for you. You’re not a horrible pony; you’re the most loving and generous pony I’ve ever met.”
“Thank you, Applejack,” Rarity said, wiping tears from her eyes. “I will admit that I’m surprised that we were able to keep it a secret for so long. I would have thought it was obvious that they weren’t her birth parents.”
“I’m older than my sister,” said Applejack. “It’s not like large age gaps are that uncommon.”
“But you’re, what, twelve years older than Apple Bloom,” Rarity replied. “I was nineteen when I had her. I really don’t understand how ponies didn’t notice something like that and start asking questions. It’s not like we were saying she was adopted. Sweetie Belle really thinks that they’re her birth parents.”
“Does anypony else know about this?” asked Twilight.
“Just the ponies who handled the adoption paperwork,” replied Rarity. “A few relatives who would have known for a fact whether or not Mother was pregnant. I’m not even sure if the doctors know.
“I just don’t know what to do,” Rarity said. “Do I tell her? Do I keep it a secret? Sweetie Belle is happy with the way things are now and I don’t want to damage that.”
The group was silent. This had been a difficult revelation for anypony to handle. Finally, Fluttershy said, “What does your heart tell you to do?”
“The truth,” Rarity finally said. “I’ve told everypony else the truth. She deserves it, too.”
Sweetie Belle ran back from school. Rarity was back from Canterlot! Sweetie wanted to know about everything! “Did you see the baby?” Sweetie squeaked. “Was she cute? What kind of pony is she? Is she an Alicorn? When can I hold her?” She paused. Rarity and her parents seemed sad. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Sweetie Belle,” said Rarity. “There’s something important that I need to tell you and I feel that you’re old enough to handle it…”
Author's Note
And there it is, a bonus chapter developed from just one piece of dialogue, for any who wanted it. Provided by the Fimfiction user jszellmer. Go ahead and give him a big thanks if you enjoyed it, I know I did.
