He really should have seen it coming.
"I'm pregnant!"
Cloud Tumble paced around their house in Ponyville, months after he married the beautiful Trixie Lulamoon. How could it happen so soon? He hadn't prepared himself for the eventual news, of being a father. Even though they had tests done and confirmed that he was the father of the unborn foal, the brown pegasus rubbed his teal mane in stress.
"How could this...no, it's too early." Cloud muttered in between mane-rubbings. "I know every couple would go through this. But I'm not ready!"
He had to keep up his smiles whenever he spent time with Trixie and her slowly-swelling belly, within was a physical reminder that whatever's inside may limit the peace and freedom he still had.
"No...just...not ready..."
Cloud was wide awake several weeks later after the announcement. Peering over at the clock on the wall, the hands displayed 3:24 AM. Why couldn't he sleep? Why couldn't being a father be the best thing for him? The news of her pregnancy should have made him happy, not scared!
The pegasus slowly crept out of bed, careful not to wake his unicorn wife, and walked over to the bathroom. Setting his dark-red glasses aside on the counter, he turned on the sink's warm water, splashing it on his face.
"Just...worrying too much, yeah. Shouldn't be a big deal." He muttered as he put his fears aside. He walked back and crawled back into bed, sleep slowly taking him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cloud looked around in the streets of Manehattan. Young couples were shunning him, almost like he was a Changeling with no magic or wings. "Why are they ignoring me? Was it something I said?" Suddenly, an article from a newspaper flew into his face. In big bold letters read:
"CLOUD TUMBLE: WORST FATHER IN EQUESTRIA!"
Beneath was a full-color photograph of Cloud looking horrified at what appeared to be shadowy ponies descended down on him in anger. Taking the paper off, the ponies that shunned him began charging at him!
"No! Please! I'm not the worst! I'm trying! Really!"
But the ponies only picked up the pace, some unicorns had sharpened their horns for this. Cloud made a mad dash, then a quick flight into the sky, finally safe from the insane ground-dwelling ponies below. Before he wondered why none of them were pegasi, he suddenly came across a door. Opening, he found himself back home, with a furious Trixie holding a hysterical foal in her hooves.
"D-dear?" Cloud asked, now more worried.
"To say I'm disappointed in you would be an understatement, Cloud Tumble. But it's all I can say, because I no longer need you around me or my child! You are a failure as a father! You shirked your responsibilities!"
"B-but...I didn't...I mean...I..." Cloud stammered.
"I should have thought better than to marry YOU, of all stallions. Well, you won't need to worry about how we'll fare, because as of tonight I'm keeping our child, and you are not welcome in my house!" Trixie summoned two Canterlot guards, who began pushing the confused pegasus out the door, and edging him towards a fiery pit of angry mothers and fathers. As he fell to his doom, Cloud closed his eyes and let out a scream.
"N-NO! PLEASE! I'M A GOOD FATHER! I'M A GOOD FATHEEEEEEEER...!"
Suddenly, a bright flash of light came to the ground, and magic enveloped him. He was set gently onto the empty street. His nerves were still shot from that experience, but a soothing, gentle voice beckoned him.
"Be not afraid, young Tumble."
As he opened his eyes, he saw a bright shining moon in the sky, and a winged figure emerged. His eyes adjusted enough to recognize the figure and the voice.
"P-Princess Luna?"
The dark blue Alicorn descended before him, her mane flowing gently in the night air. "Tis I, yes. I have been doing my duty of comforting disturbed souls in the night. Tell me, what sort of event has brought all this onto you?"
Cloud took a moment to gather his thoughts, mostly because he was standing before one of the two Royal Sisters of Equestria. Once he figured that he was also dreaming thanks to her presence, he gathered his courage and spoke.
"W-well, Princess Luna, Trixie...my wife, you see." Luna nodded, having heard of Celestia's former student. "...she found out a while ago that she was pregnant, and it's my child. But I'm just...not ready."
"Not ready?" the princess raised an eyebrow.
"To be a father."
"Oh."
"Yeah, and I'm just worried that I might even screw up our child's future, that I'll be an utter failure." Cloud began to shed some tears at the thought, until Luna's slipper-covered hoof gently took his chin, and facing her gentle eyes.
"Young Cloud, I find that nearly every father has gone through this at least once in their life. But that fear soon turns into rejoicing, and I am very happy for them, for being immortal like my sister Celestia, I will never find my special somepony. You must embrace that new role you will play, for all the love you hold will raise the foal into a beautiful and healthy pony."
Cloud felt his tears drying as he realized the other side of the coin. While others would rather have adventures and excitement, he had heard how others were excited at raising the new generation of their family tree.
"I just...hadn't realized that I'm the lucky one." Cloud mused.
Suddenly, a faint squawking began to rumble over the night sky, and Luna took flight.
"Remember what I told you, Tumble. And tell Trixie I wish her a pleasant future!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cloud slowly awoke with the sound of the cuckoo clock's chirping. Trixie groaned and sat up, stretching her forearms.
"Mmm...morning, sweetie," she said, rubbing her husband's shoulder, "You feeling all right?
You were a little antsy before bed."
The stallion's memory of Luna, still fresh in his mind, had stayed long enough for him to sit up and put his glasses on.
"Yeah, I just...dreamt a pleasant dream, for us, and our little one," he patted her tummy.
Trixie giggled. "You know, come to think of it, we still haven't thought of a name for our little baby. The doctor said that it'll be a unicorn colt."
Cloud thought this for a moment. "How about...Shining Star?"
"Why?"
"Well...let's say a visitor of the night sort of helped inspired me," Cloud grinned, "and besides, I got a feeling he may end up becoming the greatest unicorn in the world."
Trixie smiled and rubbed her warm tummy. "Shining Star it is."
