I am stronger than one might think. In some cases, I am even cleverer than one might think. Often, I am sympathized, looked down upon, or even pitied. I am the pony that everyone else tries to be careful around, for fear of hurting my feelings. I am the timid one of the bunch, and am often unable to make a solid point without being interrupted. I am also the quiet one, which gives me the ability to avoid direct attention in almost any given situation.
So, when mixed, how did my timidity and cleverness keep me away from questioning? How did they keep my invisibility cloak powered when the toughest of times came around? How about when my physical stature began to draw unwanted attention to me?
Hello. My name is Fluttershy. I am a shy young pegasus mare, and also the bearer of the Element of Kindness. And, unknown to others, I am a fairly good writer. My shyness does not show on paper, as you can probably see.
I am sitting here right now with my new foals, Butterscotch and Rosebud. They are nursing right now, but that is beside the point. I’m here to tell you the story about how they came into the world. An awkward, yet comedic story about the time when my deception could go no further in a time of panic and desperation.
Sit down, because if you’re still reading this, you’re going to want to read through to the very end. Here is my story, starting on the afternoon of Easter Sunday, just hours before we were to head to Canterlot for a formal dinner.
…………………………………………………
That afternoon, shortly before we were ready to leave for Canterlot, I was scurrying around in frenzy, trying to get ready a bit late. Twilight Sparkle had mentioned earlier that morning to everyone that we were to meet at the train station at precisely four PM. It was three-thirty, and I wasn’t even dressed yet.
“Oh Angel, do you remember where I put my new dress?” I asked hastily.
…
Rarity had made new dresses for all of us to wear to the formal event. They were also to be used for the upcoming Gala, if they still fit by then. I was not worried at all about mine, since it had been fit to match my rather round abdomen.
That may sound strange, but it has a good explanation. Right around that time, I was estimated to be about eight months pregnant. Long before my belly started to expand, I received the news in quite a bit of shock. It’s amazing what one loving night can do to a mare!
Anyway, the announcement came to me at a rather bad time. Twilight had recently become an alicorn, and we were all starting to go through some major changes. Additionally, the father of my unborn foals had left me just weeks prior, so I really didn’t want to discuss it with anypony.
I didn’t want my friends to worry about me or anything, so I kept the whole thing a secret. That, however, started to become a major problem as my symptoms started to show. I was sick a lot at that time, and was also getting hostile toward some of my friends. When asked what was wrong, I would just shrug it off and suggest that it was a bad day.
By four months or so, I started to gain a bit of…girth. Surely my friends were beginning to wonder about me at that point. Unfortunately, with nopony having noticed for so long, it was a little too late for me to suddenly spill the beans to them. So…I improvised, saying that it was just excessive weight gain from a bit of depression.
It was actually really difficult to keep that act going. Luckily, they began to get used to it by five or six months. Though they would still give me a few stares at times. I always remembered getting hounded by Rainbow Dash for “slacking off”, when I should’ve been out there and flying around to burn off some of the extra weight.
…
Oh my…it seems I’m getting off track again. Where was I? Oh yeah, I was talking about my procrastination to getting ready for the dinner. Like I was saying, I was running around in a frazzled state, trying to find my attire. This was obviously a difficult task, since my large waist was making my movements awkward. Carrying twins can really take a lot out of a small pegasus.
Anyway, I had found my dress sitting in the washing room on top of the dryer. I hastily picked it up, and rushed over to the bathroom to change into it. I remember seeing Angel rolling his eyes as I sprinted by.
In the bathroom, I proceeded to wrestle my dress on as fast as I could. I had an increasingly hard time getting my shoes on, as well as wrapping the dress around myself. The bulge that was my belly was constantly getting in the way. At that moment, I smiled lightly as I thought about how frustrated my little foals probably were in there. It was most likely pretty uncomfortable with all the shuffling and struggling.
By the time I was done, my dress looked all messed up, and my mane was in shambles. I didn’t even bother to apply the little butterfly clips to the ragged strands. I picked them off the counter, and stuffed them in a side pocket.
Exiting the bathroom, I stopped for a moment to recall if I forgot anything. After a rushed decision against it, I jogged to the front door.
“Alright, Angel, I’ll be back late tonight, so I need you to look after the house!” I ordered. Angel Bunny nodded lazily in response.
I stepped outside into the cool outdoors, and closed the door behind me. Taking a deep breath, I started on my way to the train station to meet up with my friends.
…
The walk was demanding on my legs. By the time I had reached the station, my relief was unlike that of any other pony at any other time. Predictably, all of my friends were waiting impatiently for me. Once I came into view, they all gasped in surprise.
“Fluttershy, there you are! We were all getting worried that you wouldn’t show up!” Twilight exclaimed.
I was panting heavily. “Yeah…well…I wouldn’t want to miss Easter dinner with you guys!”
I glanced over, and caught Rainbow Dash staring at my belly again. She sighed disappointedly, and turned off in a different direction. I assumed she was still annoyed about my “weight gain”.
My thoughts were interrupted when Rarity gasped. I turned suddenly, and found her staring at me in shock. I tensed up, and prepared for the worst.
“Fluttershy, darling, what happened to the dress I made you?! It looks like it was put on by a grizzly bear!” She stated in horror.
“I, uh…”
“And where are the adorable little butterfly hairclips I gave to you? Did you leave them at home?”
“Um…no. They’re, uh…in my pocket…” I stuttered quietly.
“Well, let good old Rarity fix them for you. I simply can’t let you arrive in Canterlot of all places looking like that.” She insisted.
Rarity trotted over to me, and gestured her hoof. I reluctantly pulled the butterfly clips out of my pocket, and handed them to her. She took them, and began to position them in my mane. While doing so, she proceeded to straighten my hair out with both of her hooves. Then, she tried to straighten my dress up so that I looked better.
Once she was done, she patted me on the shoulder. “There you go Flutters, now you look absolutely divine!”
She leaned in toward my ear, and whispered, “Don’t you worry, Fluttershy. I think your extra weight makes you look simply adorable!”
I remember my face becoming extremely hot right at that moment. “Y…you do?”
“Of course! And if you ever want to cut down on any of it, I can help you with that as well!” She offered.
To my surprise, my friends still didn’t suspect that I was expecting. To be honest, I really would’ve thought they’d have figured it out by then. I just smiled, and nodded in thanks.
“Hey y’all, here comes the train! I can hear it whistlin’!” Applejack pointed out just then. We all stepped back, and waited patiently for the locomotive to arrive. As I glanced over, I noticed Rainbow Dash staring at me again.
I was in a cold sweat by the time the train had arrived. Once the doors opened, the six of us stepped in, with me last. We all spread out to find our respective seats upon entering the car. I found a nice cozy spot right next to the front window, and sat myself down. Rainbow Dash willingly walked up to my booth, and sat down next to me.
I kicked my back hooves up, and positioned my front hooves on top of my belly to get comfortable. Rainbow Dash stared at me suspiciously.
“Hello, Dashie. Enjoying the spring weather?” I asked politely.
Rainbow Dash took a second to respond. I began to get nervous as she stared me down, head-to-hoof.
“Fluttershy, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something for the last couple of months.” She mentioned.
I swallowed heavily, and tried everything in my power to stay cool. “…Ask me anything, Rainbow Dash. You know I don’t mind.”
Just as Rainbow Dash was preparing to respond, the train started up slowly. Our heads were jerked backwards as the vehicle began on its way to Canterlot. The whistle of steam filled our ears as we began on our journey to the fanciest city in Equestria.
Rainbow Dash began to ask her question as soon as we were reoriented. She turned back to me, took a quick breath, and asked, “Are you SURE you’re actually experiencing weight-gain?”
“Of course. What would cause you to be so unsure?” I asked as my response. On the inside, I was applauding myself for staying so casual.
“Well…you don’t exactly LOOK like anyone who is actually…fat. You just seem to pack it more in the waist. On top of that, you’ve been acting REALLY weird the last few months, and it’s making me a little concerned.” Rainbow Dash explained.
I nodded my head slowly, and turned around to look out the window for a moment. My thoughts ran wild as I stared out on the moving horizon for a few seconds. I could tell that Rainbow Dash was giving me a suspicious glare at that moment.
“You know, Dashie, I can’t really answer that. I don’t control how my body works, and I also know that I certainly wouldn’t lie to you. You believe me, right?” I stated, realizing later that that probably didn’t help my situation.
Rainbow Dash nodded slowly. “Sure, Flutters. Anything you say.”
“I knew you’d understand.” I finished.
…
The ride took all of about an hour. The whole time, the consoling sound of my friends chatting filled the locomotive car in which I rode. I was silent the whole time, thinking deeply about recent events while staring out the window. I felt rather uneasy with Rainbow Dash sitting right next to me.
I still remember to this day what happened about halfway through that ride. While staring at the rolling hills outside the train window, I felt one of my foals kick. I gasped slightly, and put a hoof on my belly where it had happened. Glancing over nervously, I noticed Rainbow Dash snoring away against the back of the seat cushion.
This was a relief to me, because if she had seen that, my cover would’ve been blown. It would’ve made that trip the most awkward one in all of Equestria. Unfortunately for me, that was only the tip of the iceberg for what was destined to come.
…
Once we had arrived at the station in Canterlot, Rainbow Dash was shaken awake by Pinkie Pie. I remember her looking quite annoyed after that had happened. I struggled to get up after her, and the group of us exited the train.
“So, where are we all going, sugarcube?” Applejack asked Twilight.
“I found a five-star place around here called the Riviera. I had finally saved up enough money, and got early reservations so all of us could go today. What better way to celebrate Easter Sunday?” Twilight replied.
“That sounds delightful, Twilight! What a thoughtful way to spend your money!” Applejack finished.
Small talk continued amongst our group as we walked along the streets of Canterlot. On a day like today, we were definitely not alone. Unicorns from many different backgrounds walked the roads with us in different directions. I certainly remember a large portion of them glancing over at me and smiling while we walked. I peeked at Rainbow Dash, hoping she didn’t notice the admiration of the strangers.
…
I could feel my hooves beginning to ache again. I let out a long sigh, trying to rid myself of the growing fatigue that was trying to prevent me from reaching the restaurant.
This struggle continued for about ten minutes. To my slight annoyance, Twilight and the others decided to take the scenic route to the place, and not the route that would’ve gotten us there in half the time. Once again walking in the back of the group, I noticed Pinkie Pie to my right bouncing up and down the entire way there. Celestia only knows how that mare is able to keep that hype going for so long.
Upon reaching the restaurant, the group of us walked in the front doors fashionably. Ponies that happened to be waiting around smiled as they saw us, impressed by our spectacular attire. Rainbow Dash ruined our grand entrance as she took a deep breath through her nose.
Letting it out loudly, she grinned. “Ah, this place smells awesome! I’m getting hungry already!”
“Shush, Rainbow Dash! Remember, this restaurant is one of the BEST in all of Equestria!” Rarity snapped.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. I stepped backwards timidly, trying as much as possible to remain unnoticed. All I needed was some polite pony to approach me and ask about gender, and my secret would be cooked.
From the back of the group, I could hear Twilight setting the reservation with the pony at the front desk. After only a few seconds, we were being gestured over to our seats by a gorgeous young stallion waiter. We were taken through the depths of the restaurant, getting a nice view of the divine decorations and the atmosphere. Soft orchestra music serenaded the entire place, which was very soothing for me and my friends.
The waiter led us to a table in the back near the kitchen, and prepared to distribute our menus. The six of us stood awkwardly for a moment or two, determining where each of us would sit.
“Hmm…Fluttershy, why don’t you sit on the far end here by the wall? I think I’ll sit next to you, followed by Rarity.” Twilight planned.
I reluctantly did as Twilight told me. As I stepped up to receive my menu and sit down, the waiter who gave it to me smiled. I smiled back while chuckling nervously. Apparently my condition was more obvious to strangers than I had anticipated. The fact that my friends were still oblivious confused me.
Twilight slid into the booth next to me, followed by Rarity. Rainbow Dash sat in the other booth right across from me. After her, Applejack sat in the middle across from Twilight, and then Pinkie Pie had the edge across from Rarity.
“I’ll give you ladies a moment to decide what to drink.” The waiter announced politely.
All of us picked up our menus, and began to browse through our options. Immediately, Rainbow Dash and Applejack could be heard across from me discussing what they were going to get. I could tell that those two agreed on food choices more than anyone else in Ponyville and Canterlot combined.
Small discussion arose amongst my friends as they debated what they were going to order. I sat quietly against the wall, listening absent-mindedly as they talked. Suddenly, one of my foals kicked again.
I gasped for the second time. Putting my hoof on my belly, I applied a small amount of pressure to try and keep them quiet. To my surprise, Twilight turned around to look at me.
“How about you, Fluttershy? What are you going to order?” She asked.
I broke out in a sweat again. “Um…I haven’t really decided yet…”
“Okay, that’s fine! I’m sure they wouldn’t rush us, anyway.”
My foals were kicking a lot at this point. If anypony were to turn around and look at me, I’m sure they would quickly realize my secret. I took a deep breath, and tried my absolute hardest to stay calm.
…
A few minutes later, the waiter came back around, and took our order for drinks. He started with Rainbow Dash, and went around the table to me. When he turned to me to take my beverage order, I began to stutter for a couple seconds.
“Um…just some water, p…please.” I answered softly.
The waiter smiled again, and jotted down the order on his notepad. I turned back to the table, and found Rainbow Dash staring at me for the third time. My shyness left me for a small second.
“Rainbow Dash, do you need something? Your stares are very unnerving to me.” I stated boldly.
Rainbow Dash continued to stare at me for just another second, then turned back to Applejack to resume her conversation. I sighed.
Rarity leaned forward to see me from her side of the table.
“Are you alright, darling? You seem just a bit off today.” She asked in concern.
“I’m f…fine. No need to worry about me.” I replied casually.
Reluctantly, she sat back in her booth upon hearing my response. The normal process of conversation resumed at my table.
…
After only a mere couple minutes, the waiter had arrived with our drinks. After setting them down on the table in front of us one by one, he prepared to take our dinner orders. Once again, he started at Rainbow Dash, and moved around to me.
“I’ll just have the, um…pasta primavera, if that’s alright.” I timidly requested.
The waiter jotted everyone’s order down on his notepad once again, and trotted off towards the kitchen. Once again, we were left for petty conversation.
This was when it happened. This was the moment that I will never forget as long as I live. It was the moment that tested my abilities to their worst, and caused a trauma amongst us all for as long as we will know each other. It was a moment that still affects me today, and always will.
Shortly after the waiter left, I shifted myself around in my seat to get comfortable. As I did so, I noticed that my seat had become rather wet and slippery. Confused, I looked down at the cushion to see that it was literally shining with moisture. Likewise, the back of my dress was drenched with the same substance.
I looked up at the table to see if my glass of water had spilled. The glass sat perfectly atop the placemat, undisturbed by anypony’s movement. Right as I realized what had happened, a powerful contraction racked my body.
My face suddenly tensed up, and I grunted into my teeth. The sudden pain was enough to drive anyone crazy. Immediately, I stole the attention of all of my friends and a few strangers sitting across the aisle.
“My my, darling, are you alright?” Rarity asked.
I nodded hastily. My teeth were still clenched, and my hooves were curled up in tight fists. I breathed quickly through my nose.
This was impossible. My foals were not supposed to be due for at least another three weeks. All of these thoughts were pushed from my mind, however. They were replaced by sheer panic as I went into labor in the middle of a fancy restaurant, miles away from home.
Rarity sat back again, but kept her eyes trained on me just in case something else happened. By looking at Rainbow Dash, I could tell she knew exactly what was happening. It took all of my strength not to scream at her for not doing anything to help me.
This thought was interrupted, though, as another contraction struck me like an F5 tornado. I could feel myself beginning to dilate as I leaked all over the floor beneath the table.
My face tensed up again. I screeched lightly, unable to congest my reaction from the pain I was receiving. I gripped the table with both of my hooves, crying out as I pushed through a third contraction. Tears began forming in my eyes.
At this point, a third of the restaurant was looking at our table. All of my friends looked at me with frightened concern.
Twilight put a hoof on my shoulder. “Fluttershy, are you alright? Do you need to use the bathroom?”
“Something tells me that’s not the problem, sugarcube.” Applejack added with wide eyes.
Sweat poured down my face. My heart was racing as fast as it ever could. I took short, rapid breaths as the pain filled my body. I put my hooves over my belly, and gripped it tightly as more contractions ripped through my muscles.
“Sweet Celestia, Twilight, look at her! What do you THINK is happening to her right now?!” Rainbow Dash snarled.
“Omigosh, is Fluttershy having a foal?” Pinkie Pie asked in her usual peppy voice.
I grunted and groaned a few more seconds before replying through clenched teeth, “Y…yes, okay?! I need you to help me, n…now!”
Everyone who was watching us in the restaurant gasped in surprise. Shocked murmurs could be heard left and right from ponies who observed with fright. Everyone at my table spoke in a rapid mist, obviously lost in what was going on and unable to think clearly.
I screamed again, loudly enough to get the entire restaurant’s attention. Everyone who sat in the place had gotten up, and wandered over to our table to see what the heck was going on. Some of the waiters and chefs from the kitchen even stepped out to assess the situation.
At certain times, my body jerked in a manner similar to that of a seizure. More contractions struck frequently through my figure, seemingly tearing it to pieces. The pain in my lower body was absolutely immeasurable.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack both looked under the table simultaneously. Frightened gasps could be heard.
“What in tarnation? It looks like a swamp down here!” Applejack mentioned.
“Oh my loving Celestia…” Rainbow Dash stuttered.
Upon looking back up from under the table, Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked totally horrified.
“What is it?!” Rarity asked loudly.
“It’s ridiculous, Rarity! The head’s already showing!” Rainbow Dash reported.
“Well, why are we just sitting here? We need to get Fluttershy to a hospital!” Twilight demanded.
Without question, the group began to slide out from their booths. As Twilight was exiting her seat, she grabbed me by my shoulders, and pulled me out with her. On our way out of the restaurant, we were earning the concerned stares of every last soul in the building. I held a hoof on my belly as I staggered out of the restaurant in great pain.
…
And so began the agonizing trip to Canterlot Mercy Hospital. The entire way there, we earned stares and gasps from every pony that passed by us within thirty feet. As we walked, I was practically dripping with sweat. At this point, instead of pushing, I was trying to the best of my ability to hold the foals in. The last thing I needed was for them to be born out in the middle of the street.
Rainbow Dash was getting impatient. “Damn it, Fluttershy, if you had just told us about this before, we wouldn’t have taken you to dinner with us when you were this far into pregnancy!”
Twilight snapped back at Rainbow Dash. “Hey, don’t talk to her like that! You have no idea what she’s going through right now, and I’m sure you would not like to find out!”
Arguing broke out between the two of them. Our pace quickened after Applejack and Rarity stepped in to shut them up. All I really remember at this point was that the pain in my body was giving me a hard time walking.
…
Eventually, after fifteen minutes in hell (pardon me for the language), we made it to the hospital. There really was no need for us to speak to the front desk, because at this point, Butterscotch was pretty much crowning.
We were hastily directed to one of the delivery rooms, where doctors stepped in to help me give birth. My friends all stayed outside so they wouldn’t have to see anything disturbing.
Almost immediately after laying me down on the bed, the doctors administered an IV. They hooked various needles and tubes up into my left arm, which were supposed to help me in some way I didn't understand. I was screaming a lot at that point, but the doctors and nurses didn't seem to pay any mind to it.
...
Due to the heat of the moment, as well as the unbearable pain that was in my body, I can't recall much of what happened during my labor. I remember being told by the doctors that I was in labor for about an hour, added to the time I was in the restaurant. They told me it was a relatively quick birth, considering my strength and my stature.
When the pain finally subsided, I slowly opened my eyes. Breathing quickly and heavily, I glanced up curiously. There, standing between my splayed legs at the foot of the bed, was the lead doctor, holding my two newborn foals. The damp, frightened little angels were crying up a storm when I first laid eyes on them. I smiled widely, overcome by joy at the sight of my son and daughter. The doctor smiled back.
"Congratulations, Ms. Fluttershy. These are the healthiest foals I've seen in my entire career. You did a remarkable job."
I laugh nowadays at the thought of what I did then. After the doctor had given his little statement, I craned forward, and held my arms out as a gesture. I wanted more than anything to hold my precious foals for the first time.
………………………………………………
And thus, Butterscotch and Rosebud were born. Their birth date was April 20, 2014. I suppose it was the generous will of Celestia to give me the gift of motherhood on Easter Sunday. Although it wasn’t the prettiest birth known to pony, it was still pretty touching when they entered the world. I remember tears falling from the faces of Rarity and Twilight once they were allowed to enter the room.
Well, that’s my story. For someone like me, it took a lot of courage to write such an embarrassing experience down. But, hopefully, these pages will make it into the hooves of somepony special so that they may learn of how miraculous the Circle of Life can be in even the silliest of situations.
My foals have fallen asleep now, so I shall now go to lay them down for a rest. It’s getting kind of late, so I’d best be heading to bed myself. I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow.
Author's Note
Felt like writing a one-shot, and here it is! This story was mixture of both my and Finn_128's ideas. We're pretty messed up bronies, if you catch my drift. ;)
Anyways, I'm feeling a little bit guilty about taking the time to write this one when I have two other stories waiting to be updated. This idea was just really bugging me.
Hope you enjoyed!
EDIT: A couple paragraphs emphasizing the birth of the foals were added near the end of the story to improve the pacing of the plot. I sure hope it was a worthy change.
BONUS: Fluttershy's Motherhood
Oh my…
It really has been a very long time since I was last able to sit back, relax, and write in my journal. Once I lay back on my sofa and picked up my quill, the realization suddenly hit me. I have become one busy mare.
Butterscotch and Rosebud, my two precious foals, are busily playing on the floor in front of my sofa with some toys that I picked out for them a few months ago. Seeing their happy faces, hearing their blissful babbles, and noticing my journal on the nearby desk gave me the idea to wind down and write a little.
Grasping the front cover, when I first opened the notebook, I couldn’t help but to notice the things I wrote on the first few pages. It’s a nice little retelling of the time I gave birth to Butterscotch and Rosebud. I guess, somehow, that’s how I was drawn to my journal when watching them fool around with their playthings on the floor in front of me.
I did, in fact, pause for a moment to read back on that time before pressing my quill to the paper again. All I could do was laugh. I was at the Riviera in Canterlot that day with my friends to celebrate Easter. I was so pregnant at that time that walking down the street felt like running an Olympic marathon. Turns out, with my luck, I went into labor that evening while sitting at a booth in the restaurant. The embarrassment of those couple hours was just…unable to be put into words.
…
Ah, yes. Glancing down again at young Butter and Rose, I can only grin sheepishly when remembering the situation that spawned them into the world. Nowadays, since I’m no longer the center of attention in a world of searing hot abdominal pain, the thought only sparks amusement. How silly can I get?
While I’m in a state of remembrance, perhaps I should continue the story a bit. After all, I finally have a bit of time to do so.
Well, immediately after leaving the hospital, we unanimously agreed to cancel our dinner reservation and just head home. I suddenly had two newborn foals on my agenda, so sitting down for a slow feast just didn’t seem like a good idea. I also, at that time, wasn’t very prepared for the addition of two new guests to our party. So, as a result, I had to enlist the help of Twilight and Rarity to carry my foals for me. I was already suffering from physical fatigue as it was.
The first voice I explicitly remember hearing from that time was Pinkie Pie’s.
“So, Flutters, what are you going to name your new cutesy little fillies?” She beamed.
In response to her question, I smiled weakly. “One of them is a colt, Pinkie.”
…………………
As I write, more memories from the time are starting to revisit my head. It was definitely a joyful time for me. I never really got engaged with the spirit on Easter, but at that time, bliss was all that filled my soul. I also felt a good deal of satisfaction from my hard work. I believe I was still wearing my dress on the walk back from the hospital, which looked, well, um…a bit used.
…………………
Pinkie Pie promptly gasped. “Really? So you have a little guy and gal to play with now? I’d say this calls for a serious party!!!”
I cringed a little bit at her loud voice. My other friends, hearing my quiet, meek voice and seeing my worn-out, exhausted face, proceeded to quiet her down.
“Pinkie Pie, I don’t think now’s a good time for a celebration. I mean, sure, we can all be happy about this, but Fluttershy’s been through an awful lot the last few hours, and I think we should all give her some time to rest.” Twilight explained to her.
Pinkie Pie frowned slightly. “Well…alright. For now, I suppose.”
…
Applejack spoke up from near the front of our group. “So, uh, what exactly did you decide to name your foals, Fluttershy?”
I simply smiled again. I had already come up with names for my foals soon after finding out I was pregnant. I came up with the names myself. I just, sort of…admired the sound of them.
“The colt’s name is Butterscotch. Rarity has him over there.” I announced, pointing at Rarity. “As for the filly, her name is Rosebud.”
Predictably, all of my friends excluding Rainbow Dash moaned a long “Awwww……” upon hearing my new foals’ names. I just had to grin again.
“Well, they look mighty fine to me. You must’ve taken good care of yourself over the last few months.” Applejack finished. I thanked her quietly.
…
Conversation like this persisted for the rest of the walk. It also continued while we stood waiting at the train station for the locomotive to arrive. Needless to say, since we had just arrived on a locomotive a few hours before, we had to wait a very long time for the next one to arrive. My legs were becoming tingly and numb after a few minutes, so I had to sit down on the platform ledge for the remainder of the wait.
When the next train finally arrived, we wasted no time in hopping on and finding our seats. Just like I had done earlier that day, I sat myself down near the front of the car. My damp, red-soaked dress released a bit of fluid onto the seat once my weight pressed onto it, which hopefully didn’t take too long to clean up. Upon sitting back in the seat, I could finally feel comfort returning to my tired body.
I positioned my fore-hooves upwards to rest them on top of my belly, but I was suddenly surprised when they fell right through and landed on my lap. Shocked, I leaned my head up to see what was wrong.
Well, it turned out that I had forgotten. Normally, when sitting down, I’d place my hooves on top of my belly to obtain a secure, comfortable position. However, for the first time all season, I no longer had a large, round, bulbous belly. My chest gave way to a completely flat stomach that led through to my thighs. Remembering this, I sighed disappointedly.
Shortly after this had happened, Twilight and Rarity approached my seat. With my hooves sitting sadly on my lap, I looked up at them wearily.
“Hey there, Fluttershy. Feeling alright?” Rarity asked.
I shrugged. “I guess. I’m really tired, though.”
Twilight and Rarity both chuckled for a second. Twilight then stepped forward, picked Rosebud up from her back, and handed her to me gently. My filly’s eyes were closed, and her breathing was slow and rhythmical. She was asleep.
Rarity proceeded to do the same with Butterscotch. Once he entered my grasp alongside Rosebud, I could easily see his sleeping face as well. I nestled them both against my body so that they could be warm on the train ride.
…
Twilight spoke up. “Fluttershy, I just wanted to comment on how amazing this trip was.”
“A…Amazing? But…we didn’t even get to eat dinner.” I stuttered softly.
“Yes, but that doesn’t really matter. I never would’ve guessed in a million years that this would happen to you on such an unexpected occasion. You brought new life into Equestria on Easter Sunday, right here in Canterlot! Aren’t you proud of yourself at all?” She asked.
I grew silent. I opened my mouth several times to start a response, but never audibly gave one. I wanted to say a lot of things, but couldn’t really conjure up the mental power to do so.
Rarity cut in rather suddenly before I could actually reply to Twilight’s question.
“So who’s the father, dear? I’m afraid we haven’t ever seen him before.”
…………………
Even to this day, I can’t bring myself to openly discuss this answer. I don’t even like to consider him a father nowadays. He was just more of like a…mistake that I made a while back. I guess I thought I had something permanent, but, well……life bites, sometimes.
I just know that when my foals grow up, they’ll be asking me constantly who their daddy is. They’ll go on and on about how their other friends all have mommies and daddies, and they’re going to want to know why they don’t have a father. And, just…what will I say? I think giving The Talk would be easier than explaining that.
Oh, I must apologize to myself. I’m getting off track again. Like I said; how silly can I get?
…………………
“Oh…the father?” I stammered.
“Why yes, darling, who fathered your foals? They don’t appear by themselves, you know.” Rarity repeated.
I was quite aware about that second part, so I didn’t exactly need her telling me again. But of course, being me, I just kept my mouth shut about it.
“Um…well…I…don’t know.” I slurred.
Rarity and Twilight both cocked their heads. “You don’t know?” They said simultaneously.
…
Rainbow Dash, overhearing our conversation, zipped up from her spot a few rows back. “Fluttershy, how could you not know? Were you, like…buzzed or something?”
Twilight, for the umpteenth time that evening, had to shush Rainbow Dash. “When will you learn any tact, Rainbow? Think before you speak!”
Ignoring the ensuing argument that they proceeded to pitch at each other, I thought deeply to myself while cradling my twins in both hooves. It was a monumental lie. I knew exactly who the father of my foals was, but I absolutely did not want to remember. Some things are better left forgotten for the good of the mare.
…
They didn’t really get the chance to escalate their quarrel, because the train suddenly started to move. Those who were standing up were shoved backwards a bit as they struggled to keep up with the acceleration. Rarity fell over completely, but Twilight and Rainbow Dash barely managed to keep their balance. I simply sat in my seat and let it happen.
…………………
That was about the end of my Easter. After that, we simply rode the train back to Ponyville, where we all went our separate ways for the night. My friends congratulated me one more time that night, right before we split up to head to our respective homes. From downtown, I had another long walk to cover to get back to my cottage.
Right as we had exited the train previously, my foals had woken up from their short nap. I could tell pretty easily, since they immediately began crying once I started on my trek home. Now, I’ve dealt kindly with upset outbursts from my animal friends in the past, but none of them could compare to the sound that my newborn children were emitting. By the time I finally reached my front door, the bags under my eyes fell nearly to my muzzle.
Walking in the front door, I was greeted with total quietness, not counting the screaming foals on my back. I just assumed that my animals were asleep in their burrows, or off in another room. I never really gave it much thought, though, since the crying in my ears was making me just the teensiest bit impatient. I had to make them happy somehow.
…
I reviewed all the things in my head that infant foals could want or need. They were too young to want to play. They had just slept, so a nap probably wasn’t necessary. They didn’t need a diaper change, since they weren’t really wearing any diapers yet. Plus, in order to have a diaper issue, they would’ve needed to eat first.
That was when I realized. They were most likely hungry. I started contemplating. Having no teeth, they weren’t ready for solid foods yet. Milk, the obvious choice, was not available in my cottage at that time, since I hadn’t prepared yet for my foals to be born. I learned a very long time ago that newborns were intolerant to cow’s milk, so I couldn’t use any of that either.
Putting two and two together, I closed my eyes, and sighed sharply. I would have to feed them myself. Looking back, if I remember correctly, I had to breastfeed them for the next six months or so before they were able to bite down on solid foods. Not a single drop of formula milk ever touched my foals’ mouths.
…
Well, anyways, it took me a while to find a comfortable position with Butter and Rose on the sofa so that they could, um……feed. Similarly, it took them a while to catch on to what I was doing so that they could follow along. The whole procedure was a little embarrassing for me, but once they actually got started, it was a wonderful experience.
…………………
A minute or so after my foals started feeding, I got the idea that night to write in my journal for the first time. After all, it was just sitting untouched on the adjacent desk, so I figured I’d take the time to record how my day had been. That was when the story on the preceding pages was composed.
Butter and Rose were asleep pretty quickly after they were done, which was before I got to finish writing. Without any cribs or anything to lay them in, I simply left them on the couch for the night while I went upstairs to my room to sleep myself.
I will always remember that Easter Sunday. It was quite confusing, but nonetheless, it was the most heartwarming day of my life. Thinking back on how it all played out will always make me laugh. I guess that’s why it intrigues me enough even to write about it today.
I’m looking down at the floor from my sofa again, and I’m seeing that Butterscotch and Rosebud haven’t gotten tired out at all quite yet. Their fussing and fooling around is still what’s giving me a consoling sound to write to. I kind of like the atmosphere it brings.
That’s also another reason I like living in a cottage full of animals. It’s almost never silent in here, which I really enjoy. Complete and total silence tends to drive me a little insane sometimes, but none of my friends really know that. It’s just a little quirk of mine.
…
Oh my; am I getting off track again? I believe I should work on focusing my thoughts. Well, on that matter, I suppose there is more I can say about my past experiences. After all, having two foals isn’t any trivial business, so there was always more to happen along the road ahead.
So anyway, the following morning was pretty normal for me. After waking up, having breakfast, and feeding the foals again, I took the initiative of running to the store to at least grab some diapers. Like I said, it wasn’t for a few months that I stopped breastfeeding Butter and Rose. Self-feeding could go on as long as I needed it to, but diapers were definitely a first priority. I really didn’t have enough paper towels in my cottage to try dealing with foals that didn’t wear any diapers.
Ironically, though, while I was trotting down the foal-care isle with my foals, Butterscotch decided right then and there that he had to pee——immediately. I stopped suddenly while looking at the different product brands when I felt something warm and runny flowing down my back. Rosebud, of course, had the brilliant idea to follow her brother’s actions a few seconds later. I found myself that morning standing completely still inside a public shopping center, damp and dripping with foal urine while other ponies witnessed it on their way by. What fun that was.
Anyways, since that memory suddenly popped into my head, I felt the need to quickly write it down so that I wouldn’t forget it. Moments like that still entertain me today when I’m alone with my thoughts. I think now I’ll skip to later that afternoon, since nothing else happened that morning that is worth writing down.
…………………
Soon after getting home, cleaning off Butter and Rose, and taking a long, thorough shower, there was an unexpected knock at my front door. Intrigued, I trotted over to the door to see who the visitor was and what they wanted. When I turned the latch and pulled the door open, I expected to find some kind of official or staff member from the market, billing me for the cleanup of their foal-care isle.
Instead, it was Twilight. I found that to be a great relief. We greeted each other kindly, and then she went on telling me about her business at my isolated cottage. I leaned casually against my doorframe, and listened intently.
“So, Fluttershy, are you feeling alright? Did your day go well so far?” She asked caringly.
I thought back in my head about how that morning had gone. “Um…yeah, I think it went fine. I’m feeling pretty strong, too, I suppose.”
Twilight grinned cheekily. “Pinkie Pie told me about your foals’ little incident at the market earlier.”
“Pinkie Pie? How’d she know about that?”
Twilight rolled her eyes, and laughed. “Who even knows? It’s Pinkie Pie! She was probably there to buy streamers or something before she passed by the foal-care isle.”
…
My eyes fell off of Twilight, and looked at the ground. I stared blankly at the wooden planks on my porch for a good deal of time, thinking about nothing. Eventually, Twilight finally broke the silence.
“So, where are your foals? I kind of want to see their little faces again.” She requested, smiling.
I snapped out of my trance. “Oh, uh…I think they’re on the sofa. They’ve been fussy since we got home from the market.”
I stepped out of the way of the door, and gestured for Twilight to enter. Delightedly walking in, Twilight navigated over to the sofa in my living room where Butter and Rose sat.
…
When getting a closer look, Twilight practically purred like a baby kitten. I laughed a bit.
“Aww, you even got diapers on them now!” She commented.
I blushed. “Yeah, that’s kind of what we went to the market for in the first place. Their timing could not have been worse.”
She giggled. “Say, which one is which again? I have them a bit mixed up.”
“Yeah, I suppose it’s a little harder to tell now that they’re wearing diapers.” I mentioned, chuckling softly at my slightly lewd joke. “The one on the left with the golden coat is Butterscotch. The pink-coated one on the right is Rosebud.”
Twilight audibly displayed her admiration again after studying Rosebud. “Oh, she has your eyes, Fluttershy! That’s so cute!”
Rosebud’s eyes matched my turquoise exactly. And, now that it was mentioned, I did seem to notice how Rosebud’s eyelashes seemed to gyrate back and around in a flowing motion sort of like mine do. I smiled, and nodded gently.
…
Butterscotch, however, didn’t inherit quite as much from me as Rosebud did. When Twilight studied him, her face displayed the same sort of admiration, but with a hint of confusion.
“I don’t recognize a lot of Butter’s features. Who did you say was the father again?” She asked.
My smile disappeared. “I, um…never told anyone who he was.”
Twilight turned away from the foals, and looked at me. “Well, who is he?”
I began to shuffle uneasily under Twilight’s glare. I don’t remember if I was sweating or not, but was definitely heating up. I stuttered repeatedly.
…
“So…uh…what brought you here today anyway?” I asked, desperately trying to change the subject.
“Oh, yeah, I almost forgot! I got a message a couple hours ago from the staff at the Riviera restaurant in Canterlot. Having understood what happened yesterday evening, they said we could still eat there today on yesterday’s reservations! I talked to the girls, and they’re all fine with heading out back there again tonight to make up for before. Do you want to go?”
This pleasantly surprised me. Through all that happened over the last twenty-four hours, I have been pretty disappointed that I never got to have dinner at the Riviera. I’m always hearing good things about that place, and I was really eager to try it. There was a small issue, though.
“That sounds nice, Twilight. But, well, there’s a problem with my dress. First of all, the abdomen is now going to be way too big on me, since I’m not really pregnant anymore. Also, it’s uh…well…covered in my blood.” I explained, giggling awkwardly.
“Oh, that’s not going to matter. None of us plan on dressing nicely like we did last night. Today’s Monday, so we’re not really expecting them to be very packed. Plus, since it’s not a holiday anymore, it really shouldn’t be needed.” She paused. “By the way, where is your dress?”
“It’s in the closet in my room. It still has dried blood stains all over the back part of it that I never bothered to wash off. I’m probably going to keep it as a souvenir, and then show it to Butter and Rose once they’re old enough, just so they can see the clothing they were born in. I’m probably going to wash the blood off before then, though.” I answered.
Twilight gave me a weird look. “That’s sweet! …Kind of weird, I guess, but sweet!”
…
Shaking off the subject, I finally moved to answer Twilight’s original question. “Yeah, though, I’d love to go to the Riviera with you guys!”
“Great! So, are you going to get a foalsitter for the night or something?” She asked.
“No, I’m just going to take them with me. They’re still far too young to be looked after by another pony.” I replied.
“Ah, I see. Since we’re going to be eating at the restaurant, though, what are you going to do for them? They can’t eat solid foods yet, right?”
“No, they can’t. I’m probably going to have to take them into the bathroom with me during the meal at some point. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Twilight gasped. “You breastfeed them?”
I retreated into myself a little bit. “…Yes.”
“That’s so fascinating! I’ve never known of anypony in my life that ever actually does that sort of thing anymore! It’s like we’ve become too modern nowadays to take the time for bonding.”
Twilight’s interest made me a little more confident with my decisions. “Yeah, well, I’ve always been so connected with nature in the past and everything. It just seemed like a more natural and healthy idea. Articles always say you should, but nopony ever does.” I explained to her.
…
Most of that statement was true. Part of my decision also had to do with the fact that I was too stupid to buy formula the days before Easter, so I was basically stuck without a choice. I’m pretty sure that for those reasons, I would’ve done it anyway even if I did have formula available.
…
“Okay, so that should work out. When do I meet you at the train station?” I asked to move the subject over again.
“There aren’t any trains running this evening, being Monday and all. We’re getting over there in a carriage that we rented. I pooled a bit of our remaining savings with Rarity and Applejack to get a two-way trip. The stallions pulling the cart will be around two hours after we’re dropped off at the restaurant.” Twilight explained.
“You paid that much just to get back to the restaurant after it didn’t work out last time?” I asked in awe.
“Well, sure! We figured you might’ve been bummed out that we couldn’t eat at the Riviera, so we thought we should give it another go to celebrate Butterscotch and Rosebud’s birth!” She beamed.
My face became insanely hot right then. I just hoped that it wasn’t too obvious to Twilight. “Aww…you really didn’t have to……”
Twilight scoffed. “It’s what friends do, Fluttershy.”
…
Twilight and I smiled at each other. Then, in a dignified manner, she turned around, and began to exit my cottage. I watched silently as she reached the front door, opened it, and prepared to walk out. She stopped, and turned to me.
“Oh, and by the way, meet us at Rarity’s boutique at seven. We’re going later at night this time.” She informed.
“Got it.”
She nodded, walked out the door, and closed it behind her. I stood silent for another second, and then turned back toward the couch to be with Butter and Rose for the rest of the afternoon.
…………………
I’m amazed that I was able to remember so much from Twilight’s visit that day. It was one of simplicity and friendliness; one that Twilight would give any day. But, for some strange reason, I could remember that visit all the way up to now.
I did actually, now that I think back, have to keep Twilight from glancing at my journal. It was sitting right on the desk next to the sofa when she was looking at my foals, and it really looked like she wanted to read it. It had everything in it about Butter and Rose’s birth that had been written in it the day before. I quietly walked up to it, and swiped it off the counter before she could get any ideas.
Anyway, I should get off of that subject now. Nothing else really occurred that afternoon that I recall enough in order to write. So, I suppose, I’m just going to get to the subject of that evening, once we were in Canterlot again. Nothing special happened at the meet-up spot, and nothing special happened on the carriage ride there. I sat next to Pinkie Pie on the carriage, and had to shield Butterscotch and Rosebud from her dangerous spontaneity.
…………………
Quite to my surprise, we didn’t seem to attract much attention while walking the streets of Canterlot. I assumed that a fair deal of ponies would’ve been glancing at us, since we had made a huge scene the night before during my excruciating contractions. Apparently most of the ponies on the streets weren’t the same ones from the previous night.
The streets were at least familiar, though. We had been walking on them just the night before, within an hour of my foals’ birth. I figured that Butterscotch would recognize them a little bit more, since most of his head was sticking out of me as we tried walking.
…
Oh dear……I think I’ve said a bit too much. I’m beginning to freak even myself out a little bit with all of this…description. I guess I’ll try to tone down my writing a little bit from this point on.
…
Well, even though we weren’t very recognized on the streets, we were pretty popular inside the restaurant. Walking through the front doors into the inviting, fresh-smelling atmosphere, we were soon greeted by the pony running the front desk.
“Ah, it’s our guests from last night! You fine ladies are the ones with the new mother in your group, correct?” He asked politely.
Twilight nodded eagerly. She stepped aside a little bit, revealing me standing behind her. Butterscotch and Rosebud sat comfortably on my back. I looked up at the young stallion, and grinned the most awkward grin I remember to this date. He laughed.
“My, what divine foals you have there! What a charming coincidence that they were born on Easter Sunday.” He complimented. I could only stare at the ground and blush.
…
Rarity stepped forward to the stallion. “So, are we able to sit in the same booth we sat in last night?” She asked.
The stallion laughed heartily. “Oh, I’m afraid not. It’s closed off for a few days until our staff can figure out how to clean up the booth. That was one show you fellas put up last night, that’s for sure.”
At that moment, I finally reached the point where I couldn’t take any more embarrassment. I hunched down a little bit, whimpered, and crept backwards until I was safely hidden amongst my group of friends.
In another minute, we were being escorted through the building by another waiter. Even for a Monday, there seemed to be a bustling amount of activity within the restaurant. There weren’t nearly as many ponies as the night before, which was Easter Sunday, but it was still far from empty. The same kind of music from the night before was playing, but I don’t believe it was the exact same song.
We turned a few corners, passed a few tables, and began heading in the exact same direction as we had when we were there before. For some odd reason, I started getting a bit nervous.
The waiter stopped, and ushered us into a group of booths that was right across from the ones that we sat in when I had gone into labor. I glanced across the row at them, and shuddered uncomfortably. I could’ve sworn that I could even smell the tainted booths from our spot four meters away. It made me crazy.
…
“Whoa, nelly! Those booths over there really are messed up, aren’t they?” Applejack remarked.
My friends all followed her gaze, looking over at the booths that had been ruined the day before by my unexpected episode of hard strain. I sighed, and took a quick glance at them myself.
The table was fine, but the booth on my side did not even reflect light where I had been sitting the previous evening. I didn’t want to go check, but I could guess that it was probably pretty sticky as well. The floor beneath the table was still a swampy-looking cesspool of my, uh…stuff. None of it looked very pleasing.
…
I sat in a state of unease at the far end of our current booth with Butterscotch and Rosebud on my lap. My hooves were secured around them to keep them from falling over or under the table. After taking a look at the disgusting table next to us, my friends turned their attention back to me and our current situation.
“Well, I suppose we should see what we’re hungry for.” Rainbow Dash suggested, lazily picking up her menu. Twilight and the others followed closely behind her, opening their menus to browse through options. I sat quietly and patiently, clutching my foals against my body.
Rarity noticed me across from her not looking at my menu. She lowered her own menu, and gave me a concerned look. “What’s the matter, darling? Aren’t you hungry at all?”
I smiled. “No, I am. I just know what I’m going to get already.”
“Really? And what is that?”
“I’m getting pasta primavera. That’s what I wanted last night, and I never got to have it. I figured my foals would love it.” I answered confidently.
She looked at me, confused. “But, Fluttershy, your foals are still only a day old! Aren’t they unable to eat solid foods?”
“No, I was talking about yesterday. I planned on getting pasta primavera because I figured that my foals would enjoy it while they were still inside of me. I guess that doesn’t really matter anymore now.” I explained.
Rarity chuckled at her little mistake, and continued to look through her menu. I, meanwhile, continued to enjoy the atmosphere of the restaurant next to my friends. The night before had been very unnerving, since I had spent nearly the entire time trying to conceal the fact that I was giving birth to a couple of foals in full public view. Now, that time, I could sit back and revel in the quality time with my friends.
…
Still looking through their menus, my friends were interrupted when our waiter came around again to pick up our drink selections. Just like he had the day before, he started across from me, and worked his way around the table to get to me last. When the waiter looked to me with his quill ready, my foals looked up at him curiously like he was some sort of alien. He grinned at them admiringly.
I remember having to think about that drink choice for a second. I had decided to get water the day before, since I didn’t want to consume anything that would hurt my developing foals in any way. When he got around the table to take my drink order, I just sat and pondered awkwardly for a few seconds.
I really wanted to get something with a bit of alcohol in it to help me let loose a bit, but I didn’t know how that would affect the milk my foals were getting. I really didn’t care for something as simple as water, though.
“Um…could I just get some apple cider?” I requested.
“Certainly, ma’am. Would that be hard or soft cider this evening?” He asked.
“Soft cider, please.” I answered, eyeing my foals. Seeming to pick up the message, the waiter smiled lightly, and wrote the request on his notepad.
Rainbow Dash gave me a weird and suspicious look.
…
We were left for conversation once the waiter walked away. We expected him to be back soon, since all he had to acquire were a few beverages. The food would obviously take longer.
Applejack smirked. “So, uh, Fluttershy! I heard that there was a little ‘incident’ at the market earlier. Got any comments about it?”
I was feeling very annoyed at Pinkie Pie at this point. I wanted this subject to have been dropped the moment I made it home that morning. Apparently she had a nagging tendency to blab to all of her friends about the things she hears.
I lowered my head. “N…No…”
Pinkie Pie almost leapt up on the table. “Oh my gosh, it was SO funny! I was just hopping by at the store today, and her foals were PEEING on her in the care isle! I wanted to laugh like crazy, but I didn’t, since, well…that would’ve been rude.”
A couple of ponies sitting at nearby tables glared curiously at our table. I tried to hide my face behind my foals. I was getting so tired of going out to a public restaurant and becoming the center of attention for something humiliating. I kept quiet, though, unwilling to disturb the mood.
Twilight snapped at Pinkie a little bit to get her to quiet down. The rest of the restaurant didn’t need to know about the things that happened to me. It was already bad enough. Rainbow Dash sat across the table next to Pinkie, giggling into her hoof.
…
About a minute later, our drinks arrived. He handed each of us our drinks one by one, starting with Rarity and going around to me. He accidentally mixed up Rainbow Dash and Applejack’s drinks, but no one paid it any mind. He, of course, got my drink right. I assumed that everyone back in the kitchen knew about me and my drink by now.
Immediately after serving us our drinks, the waiter took our dinner orders. I don’t remember what any of my friends ordered, but I do remember that Rainbow Dash and Applejack’s dinners were enough to feed every single one of my animals three times over.
“I’ll have pasta primavera, please.” I answered boldly once he got around to me. The waiter jotted it down, and then headed to the kitchen to report our selections. The chefs probably recognized “pasta primavera” from the night before.
…
Very shortly after the waiter left, Butterscotch and Rosebud started getting antsy. They weren’t really crying, but they were starting to make a bit of noise. My friends started to look at me.
I laughed awkwardly. “I, uh……may need to use the bathroom real fast. I’ll be right back.”
Twilight and Pinkie Pie stepped out into the isle to let me scooch out from the table. I clutched Butter and Rose tightly, and slid carefully out from my spot and into the isle. Once I was standing, Twilight and Pinkie sat back down. I walked off in the direction of the restrooms to handle my foals’ needs.
…
As I was trotting away from the table, I could faintly overhear some conversation coming from my friends.
“Why is she taking her foals with her?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Twilight muttered something to her that I couldn’t hear. In response, Rainbow Dash gasped audibly. A small flood of voices began to emerge from the group around the table as if Twilight had spoken a miracle. I sighed in exasperation.
…………………
I held my breath as I trotted through the door of the mare’s bathroom. Looking around, I was relieved to find that the place was empty. I really didn’t want to deal with other mares filling the room, making the experience more unnerving.
Both Butterscotch’s and Rosebud’s diapers were clean, so that was obviously not the reason that they were fussing. Like I had predicted earlier that afternoon, they were both getting hungry again. I stepped into one of the stalls, and locked the door behind me. I put the lid on the toilet down, sat on top of it, and prepared to give my foals what they needed.
…
Merely a second later, the door to the bathroom swung open, and a set of unknown hooves began to trot inside. I held my breath again, and prayed that my foals could keep quiet for the next six or seven minutes.
The door to the stall next to mine opened, and the unknown mare stepped inside. It then promptly closed, sealing the mare inside to do her business. I tried to ignore the incoming sounds.
Suddenly, the mare spoke, catching me off guard. “What are you doing, Fluttershy?”
My heart stopped. “R…Rainbow Dash? What in Equestria are you doing in here?”
“Don’t steal my question. I asked you first.” She answered. Judging by her tone, I guessed that it was some sort of playfully-defiant curiosity.
“This doesn’t concern you.” I stated, trying to sound assertive.
“Why the heck did you bring your foals into the bathroom with you? I didn’t see you bring any extra diapers with you.” She asked.
“Why does it matter so much to you? These aren’t your children. Unless you’re actually using the bathroom, could I ask you to please leave?”
“You’re feeding them, aren’t you?” She queried, almost cutting me off.
I groaned. “Yes, I am, okay? Can you please—”
“But why? That’s so…weird! Why couldn’t you have just bought bottles or something?”
…
I was trying to whisper, but it was starting to get a bit difficult. I was becoming fairly embarrassed, and fairly frustrated. “Because I didn’t have time! Plus, this is more…well…natural.”
Rainbow Dash laughed hysterically. “Oh Celestia, Fluttershy, this has been the strangest weekend with you! What in Equestria will you come up with next?”
“Just leave me alone! You don’t know what this is like…”
“You bet your flank I don’t! Here, let me see.” She demanded.
I nearly exploded at her. “Are you kidding me? No! What is wrong with you?”
“Come on! Just a quick peek! What’re they doin’ down there?” She asked playfully, poking fun at the situation.
…
She started trying to reach her head up above the stall. I held my hoof up, attempting to block her from viewing the stall I was in.
“Rainbow Dash, if you don’t stop now, I’m going to scream loudly.” I said calmly and authoritatively.
She scoffed. “You wouldn’t scream.”
“Oh, you don’t think so? Please don’t test me, Rainbow.” I ordered, holding my ground.
…
“What makes you think I’m going to—”
Rainbow Dash was suddenly cut off when the bathroom door opened. I couldn’t see what was going on, since I was closed up in the stall when it happened. Startled, Rainbow Dash turned around toward the door.
Again, I didn’t know who it was, but I could bet that whatever mare just walked in the door at that moment could see a rainbow pegasus hunched over the top of the stall trying to peek into the one next to her. Rainbow Dash stared back at the mare without moving for around seven or eight seconds. The situation probably didn’t look good for her.
She chuckled. “Eh heh heh……I was just, uh…looking for something that I lost. …Guess it’s not in there!”
…
There was another second of silence before I heard the unknown mare approach another stall. Rainbow Dash quickly retreated from the top of the stall, sitting down on the toilet awkwardly.
“…Fluttershy?”
“Don’t talk to me.”
…………………
That moment was probably the biggest display of assertiveness that I ever conjured up. Of course, I’m not going to count the time when I attended Iron Will’s horrible seminars. I don’t really like to consider that as “assertiveness.”
To this day, I still don’t know why Rainbow Dash felt the need to see me feeding my foals. It passed off to me as kind of perverted, and it really changed our friendship for the next few weeks before it finally breezed over. I understand that she was probably just a bit curious, but that still couldn’t function as an excuse to go and peek at her friend’s personal life.
Like I said before, I’m just surprised that I’m still able to remember some of this stuff. It’s been quite a while.
…………………
Once my foals were done, I picked them up, cleaned their mouths off with some toilet paper from the roll, and stepped out of the stall. Rainbow Dash had already left before me, so she was probably sitting over at the table with my friends.
The mare that had walked in before was at the sinks washing her hooves when I passed by. She glanced at me.
“Are you okay, Miss? That delusional mare didn’t cause you any serious trouble, did she?” She asked politely.
I hoisted my foals onto my back, and smiled kindly. “No, she didn’t. She’s just one of my weird friends. Thank you for your concern.”
As I started to walk away, the mare stopped me again. “What are their names?”
I turned to her. “My friends?”
“No, your foals. They look adorable!”
I grinned. “The one sitting closest to my neck is Butterscotch. The one sitting behind him is Rosebud.”
The mare admired them for a few moments. “I see Rosebud inherited your eyes!”
I giggled. “Thanks; I get that occasionally.”
“Okay, well good luck to you!” She said, turning back to the sink. I turned back toward the door, and walked out.
…………………
When I got back to the table, all of my friends were still talking eagerly to each other. A plate of appetizers sat in the middle of the table, and everyone was taking part in eating some of it. I walked up, and stood in the isle.
“Oh, Fluttershy, you’re back! These appetizers showed up about two or three minutes after you left.” Twilight informed.
“Well, I hope they’re not cold.” I joked quietly. Twilight and Pinkie Pie stood up, and allowed me and my foals to enter the booth.
It took me only a second or two to catch up with the conversation. Once I did, I added to it normally until our dinners arrived. I can’t remember nowadays what we were talking about, but I suppose it doesn’t matter. Rainbow Dash did not make eye contact with me for the rest of the visit, which was to my liking.
…
None of us wasted any time in devouring what we were given. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie ate ravenously as if they were in a fast food restaurant, which was to be expected of them, I suppose. The rest of us ate at a more relaxed pace, savoring the flavors of the best restaurant in the city.
Nothing compares to the pasta primavera made at the Riviera. I don’t usually make faces when eating, but what I ate that night was the most incredible thing ever to slip down my throat. I definitely felt like it was worth all of my trouble the day before.
Even now, I can’t eat, hear about, or even think about pasta primavera without thinking about that Easter. It really was something that changed my life. Every time I look at Butterscotch and Rosebud, I remember the sacrifices I made that night. Over every animal I know, they are the most precious creatures in my life.
After six months, they finally had mature enough stomachs to eat food from other sources. It took over a week for me to get them to actually eat something new, since all they wanted was more of my milk. I suppose that’s the one problem I set up for myself. Now, they eat all sorts of things, ranging from peeled lettuce to mashed banana pulp.
Around the same time, they started being able to squirm and roll around on the ground, which made them difficult to track when they wanted to get from place to place. Nowadays, they can walk on all four hooves, but are still unable to move very fast.
Butterscotch can even fly already. If I’m ever looking for him, sometimes I’ll find him perched happily on top of a suspended bird cage or clinging to a light fixture like he’s some sort of monkey. He really makes me laugh sometimes when I’m feeling down. Rosebud is still learning to use her wings, but she already knows how to open them up and fold them at her sides. I trust that she’ll get it eventually.
As for speech, both of them can already say a couple of words. They’re extremely shy and quiet, just like me, but if I coo at them or ask them a yes-or-no question, they’ll be able to give me one-word answers. Rosebud’s first word, in fact, was “bro.” So far, she actually uses it when she’s talking about Butterscotch. I’m impressed with how much they’re learning!
…
My fate-given talent of animal care has really given me a step ahead at effective parenthood. Even without a father to step in, I feel like I have the ability to raise them right and to make them good companions with each other in the future. After all, when I’m gone, they won’t have anyone else but each other and their future friends to guide them through. I’m confident, though, that, being the offspring of an Element of Harmony, they will have oodles of friends to enrich their oncoming lives.
…………………
There is, in fact, another reason why I decided to write in my journal today. Today, April 20th, 2015, is my foals’ first birthday. Three-hundred sixty-five days ago today, Easter Sunday, was the day they were born in Canterlot. I still can’t believe the time flew so fast.
They don’t really realize it, but this day is very special for them. It’s also special for me, too. Almost everything I’ve done today was for them in some way, and it will continue to be that way in all the years to come. As soon as they’re old enough to understand, I’ll be sure to show them my journal and explain to them how and where they were born.
Obviously, though, there will be a few things that I’ll leave out. I think it’s in their best interest that they don’t know about Rainbow Dash’s actions, about my suggestive innuendoes, or about their father. I’ll try to answer their questions as best I can, but I honestly think they’ll be happier not knowing.
…
It feels weird wrapping this story up again for another time. I’ve really been shaped by this story, and so have my friends. When I put this journal down again, it’ll be for a much longer time. It could be years, or even decades, before I look at it again. It’ll always be with me though, as well as the story it contains, to serve as that same reminder of how flawless the Circle of Life is. I said that last year when I wrote it, but it still isn’t any less true.
I’m afraid I’m done here. Butterscotch and Rosebud are getting a bit bored, so I’m going to have to get them down for nap or something so that they’re not cranky when we leave later this evening. Did I say something about this earlier? No, I don’t think I have.
My friends are taking me out to celebrate my foals’ first birthday today. I continue to be astonished every day about how much they care about me and my foals. It’s as if Butter and Rose have affected them just as much as they have affected me.
Where are we going to celebrate? Well, isn’t it obvious? We’re going out to eat at the Riviera again! And this time? I’m going to order a thick margarita.
Element of Kindness and proud mother of two,
Author's Note
You know that moment when your bonus chapter is twice as long as your original story? It's kind of weird.
Also, this chapter is not only twice as long as the first chapter of this story, it's also the longest single chapter I've ever written. Hooray for productivity!
And, lastly, thank you so much for your support on "Fluttershy's Labor." I still say to this date that this one-shot was my most successful fic ever written. I'm glad it got all the support that it did.
