To Be a Mother

Red was torn, not knowing what to do. Twilight used her magic to teleport them ALL back to Ponyville, and in front of the hospital too, where the doctors were just transporting a few empty beds.

"Doctor! We have an emergency! I'm using the remnants of my magic and Rarity as well, just to keep her blood flowing, as well as keeping her body rich with oxygen, but her heart has stopped. She's pregnant, has been stabbed in the stomach, and if we don't get help soon she will die!", Twilight announced to the doctors outside.

Immediately, they were alive, taking her, and twilight and Rarity into the building. It left the rest, Spike, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Red, and Rigget outside.

"Red.", Applejack spoke.

But he didn't register it.

"Red Feathers!", she said again. But he was still unable to speak. The sound of his own thundering heart boomed loud enough in his ears that he could not hear.

Applejack slapped Red, "Listen to me! Whah did you come back?"

"Cause I changed my mind! About everything! I'm sorry ok? Now if you'd excuse me, I've got a few final words for her. I don't want her to die just yet."

And with that, he galloped through the doors out of sight.

"Applejack, that was kinda harsh.", Pinkie Pie frowned.

A sight which you never see of Pinkie Pie. A frown.

"It's just. Gah. That happened so quick. I panicked."

"You didn't watch as a heartless pony drove a knife into Rainbow Dash's belly..."

"Ah guess so. But. It just happened so fast. The faht, the blood, then here."

"I see what you mean. But...Now that we have to wait, it feels like we were too late.", Pinkie began tearing up.

All others began tearing up except for Rigget, who dashed through the front doors, "It's my fault, I shall fix it!"

The others tried to stop him but he was already beyond their sights.

The doors swung open wide and Rigget dashed through the halls, following the thin trail of blood drops to the room where they were performing CPR on Rainbow Dash, trying to get her back up without killing the baby. The doctors forced her chest down with powerful presses, but none got her heart back up.

Finally, when Rigget saw enough, he activated the spell he had in mind and step over to her, pushing the doctors out of the way. He touched it to her body and every cut healed, her heart started again, and she began breathing. Rigget fell over, having contracted the exact same condition she was just in, but even worse.

He was rushed out as Rainbow Dash slept. Though, the slightly larger belly she had was a puzzle to Red. Her mane looked like it hadn't been trimmed in months, and her coat looked in horrible need of care.It was like she skipped almost a full year.

But, she breathed. Slowly, but surely. And her body, it was alive. Red shed a few tears of fear. Having almost lost his Mate. Then another thought struck his mind. His cousin, Rigget. He hurried to his hooves and dashed out the door, going towards where they brought him. But, all doctors were no longer performing CPR. They just stood with their heads hung, the heart monitor flat lined, and Red's cousin lifeless for good.

Then he wept. He wept for Rigget. Rigget who gave his own life for Rainbow Dash to live. Then, Red's mind went blank, darkness falling after. the thought was too much to bare. First, he nearly lost Rainbow Dash, then, he loses his own cousin. He saw nothing, not the guard as hew as dragged out, or The doctors as they pulled the covers over Rigget's head. It wasn't till Rainbow Dash, in all her mess of unkempt hair and ragged, untreated hooves, did he awake from the mental slumber. He was outside the room, sitting in the center of the waiting room to be exact. His eyes were wet with blood drawn tears, a horrible feeling. He wiped them clean with the tissue from the nearby table and looked up at Rainbow Dash. Though, her mane and tail created a long, flowing mess, he thought it was the most beautiful sight yet.

Red leaped up, looking at the wheelchair she was in as well as her overly rounded belly.

"Doctor.", he spoke to the stallion pushing the wheelchair, "What just happened?"

"Depends on what you are asking about.", the brown, bearded stallion replied.

"In the room, when the alicorn stepped in. What happened?"

The stallion gave the ground a long look, then took up the courage needed, huffing once before speaking.

"I can't say, but that I am ashamed to have let a patient like he slip from life. It hurts me more than it does to see a pregnant mother go. And we called an extremely close one on that as well. Everyone gave up. And your friend..."

"He's my cousin. The last of my blood kin."

"Well, I guess this news will be even worse for you then. He used a magic spell which switches the bodies of the user, and the target. By a touch of the horn, all body ailments are switched. If he had a cold, she would have a cold and he would be healthy. But in this case, there was a jab to the abdominal area. For Rainbow Dash here, she would have suffered only minor organ damage, but it did graze the pericardium, the sac the heart sits in, leaving the heart dangling freely. Should she not have been pregnant, it would have opened her heart. When your friend did it, he was dead instantly. There was no way we could have even helped him stay alive even a few seconds longer."

"I...I understand. But, I also don't get the condition Rainbow Dash is in now. Her mane is a lot longer, a mess too. Her belly is a lot larger than I remember."

"It's a side effect of the spell. Your friend could not perform the magic without giving a few years out of his life, but he was to be rendered dead. He took a few months from Rainbow Dash. She aged quickly, but it didn't kill her, which is good. She will be weak for a few days as per the results of rapid aging, but aside from that, she is fine. And even more good news, the children should be do at any time."

"Wait...you said children."

"Yes I did. After a few scans, the other doctors confirmed it. The ultrasound done by doctor Len showed three fully developed children, waiting to be born. I'd say you have a few days at most. Why, I'd not be surprised if her water broke now."

"Lets hope it doesn't, I've had enough for one day. Atleast attending the funeral would be nice to do. I don't think it'll ever be the same from now on though."

"I know that feel bro. Lost my own brother to the feather flu."

"Sorry to hear that. I guess I'll be on my way then."

"Go ahead, she can walk too, she'll just be weak for a while."

Red nodded and the doctor left. Red looked again at Rainbow Dash as she looked at her own, largely rounded belly, rubbing it lightly.

"Rainbow Dash."

"It's...Astonishing. How long was I out? And further more, dead."

"I didn't count time. It's still the same day when we met up after...a month of running."

"So, what happened?"

"You didn't hear the doctor?"

"I only heard part of it, too mesmerized by, well, I guess my own belly.", she chuckled.

Red, forcing a smile, chuckled himself. But it was still a heart wrenching time.

"We lost Rigget.", he finally said after a monet of silence.

"...W-what? But...but how?", Rainbow Dash's smile disappeared.

"He saved your life. More than I ever could. The doctors were just about to give up everything on you. There was probably one still trying, but the way that the knife cut, you wouldn't make it. Rigget stepped in, used some strong magic. Though, it killed him instantly."

"A magic spell with a price for death...And he saved me."

"Yes. The side effect is that you will be weak for a few days. But thats because he used a few months of your life to finish the spell."

"He, made my life shorter."

"I'm not saying it isn't a big deal, but I'm also going to tell you to think that you are very lucky, and that the price will be worth it."

"Three children of our...my own..."

"No. Children of our own."

Rainbow Dash stared at him, then finally held her arms out to hug him. Red leaned in, embracing her as well.

"I'm glad you'll stay."

"I had a month to think it through."

"You sure took your sweet time."

"Yeah.", he smiled, "Time I could have spent with you. My mate. My mare."

Rainbow Dash smiled.

"I'd love to be your mare."

"It's been a month since any actual reaction. But we've had enough time to think it through."

"So what now?"

"First, we arrange Rigget's funeral. I will not let him be tossed aside like another dead body. After, I dunno. Live, I guess."

"Well then let's get me cleaned up first. I look a mess."

Rainbow Dash slowly pushed out of the chair, landing on her wobbly legs. The extra weight didn't help much either. She flapped her wings to help keep up and once she was stable, she took a step, her leg buckling beneath. Red caught her and held her up using both a wing and a hoof. Once she was up, she put a wing over him.

"Thank you. Now lets go to Rarity's boutique. She knows just what to do with my hair."

Red chuckled, "You say that like she'd fix a hedge if it were to be a stone's hair."

"Oh, she does do that. But only to hair for anything."

"Well, lets get going."