Hidden Killer

The hospital in Manehatten was a whirl of activity. Nurses and doctors galloped urgently through the halls. It went on like this for hours. Small cuts, broken bones, chipped teeth! The list went on and on. And the only doctor on duty was Edgar Raven, PhD. Dr. Raven had finally sat down and ordered a cup of coffee, after all, he had just gotten off four straight hours of "Doctor my leg!" and "Oh, I feel funny!". He decided that if any more fluids were to hit his poor lab coat, then he would have to burn it to put it out of its misery. Suddenly the P.A. announced “Dr. Raven to the ER! Dr. Raven to the ER.” "Oh come on! Can't anypony just go and see their dentist for a feathering toothache!?" he yelled to nopony in particular. "I guess not." he grumbled, and set down his coffee. “Well, back to work, I guess…” When he arrived, he quickly appraised the situation. There was a mare laying across the seats in the advanced stages of labor, screaming "GET THIS HORSEFEATHERING PARASITE OUT OF MEEEEEEE!!!" Dr. Raven quickly called three nurses and got her on a gurney. He left a nurse to calm the husband, get him into the proper attire to attend the birth, and help him fill out the paperwork while the other two prepped the mare for delivery.

Upon entering the delivery room, the head nurse gave her partner a knowing glance, and turned to their patient. “You are too close to giving birth for us to give you any anesthetic. I’m sorry, but this is going to hurt.”

Sundance Hoofington gasped as another shooting pain ran down her spine. “What!? But I’m about to-“ Her scream was enough to rattle the windows as she bucked on the table. Just at that moment, the doors burst open.

“Honey! Are you okay?” Stormwatch asked as he charged into the room. “Oh.” He stared wide-eyed at his wife’s exposed bottom. He opened his mouth, closed it. His eyes rolled up into his head as his world went dark.

The nurse handed Dr. Raven the mare’s chart. The mare screamed and cried for a few agonizing minutes, until Dr. Raven exclaimed “I see the head, Mrs. Hoofington! Just a little more, you're doing well!”

Sundance gave one final shriek, and deposited a slimy, bloody foal into Dr. Raven’s hooves. He looked over at the unconscious Stormwatch as he rolled his eyes “Amature. Oh well, can't be helped; Can somepony please get him a chair?" It’s funny, they always say they will be their rock, and yet they always pass out... Dr. Raven handed the baby to the nurses, and went over to Sundance. “Congratulations ma’am, it’s a foal.”

Stormwatch jumped to his feet. "I'm alright!"

Dr. Raven looked at him and said “Ah! Good thing you’re awake, sir! It’s time to name your new foal! Isn't it nice to not have to do any work at all?" Dr. Raven decided to leave them in peace to decide on a name. “The nurses are right outside if you need anything. Enjoy your new foal!” As he walked out, he thought to himself Did I REALLY just say that? Two stern voices replied "YES!" Dr. Raven cringed, and a nurse fell over laughing. "Hahahahahahaha! Your face! Can't! Breathe!" Dr. Raven trotted towards the staff lounge. "I need a freaking drink!"

Sundance Hoofington was ecstatic. She had just given life to a foal! (It didn’t hurt that she was exhausted either!) Stormwatch asked “What should we name him honey?” Right at that moment, a nurse opened the door.

“Would you like to hold him?” she asked. Sundance nodded, beaming. The nurse placed him in her arms, and Sundance melted. As the nurse left, she focused on Stormwatch’s question. She tried out their top name choices, feeling how they sounded attached to the newborn cradled in her hooves, but none of them felt right.

Suddenly a feeling hit Sundance and she said “Jack! We should name him Jack.” Her husband gave her a reproachful look. “Jack? Are you sure honey? That’s not exactly a normal name. What about Cloudcrusher, or Windrunner, like we agreed on? She looked away from him, thinking hard, and then said “Yes. I’m sure. Jack feels right to me, like it was his name before he was even born.” Stormwatch just shook his head, saying “OK then, it’s settled. Jack it is!” He filled out the form the nurse handed him, and Jack Hoofington was officially named.