Special thanks go to RegretFearandRevelry for editing this.

You make the walk of shame from Fluttershy’s downstairs toilet, holding you cup in one hand and your face in the other.

Slowly you make your way to the kitchen finding only Twilight and Fluttershy sitting around the table, they stop talking when you enter and turn to meet you with concerned faces as you look around. You notice that for the most part them kitchen is pretty much back to its rustic form, clear of any medical supply's only a folded blanket on the side of the room and the heart monitor was evidence of the state the room was in when you left .

"Wow you guys clean up quick." you announce, scanning the surroundings.

"Um, actually you've been gone for about thirty minutes, we were about to go see if you were ok." Shy finishes getting redder and redder with each word, she turns to Twilight who is trying to keep a professional demeanour... and failing miserably.

"Yeah sorry it’s not something's I can really do on order... and the baby talk doesn't exactly get me in that sort of mood, if you catch my drift." You say, awkwardly rubbing the back of your neck and weighing the pain of the embarrassing situation with the potential amount of pain created by jumping out the nearest window to escape it.

"So do you have the sample?" Twilight asks levitating a saddle bag over to you, still not quite making eye contact with you, which to be honest you are sort of thankful for.

You slip the closed container into the bag quickly before it is levitated back to Twilights side.

"So ah, where's Gilda?" You ask trying to break the awkward silence, this situation was way too uncomfortable for her not to hang around and mock.

"She fell asleep waiting for you, me and Twilight took her to my room, poor dear was so much more exhausted than she let on." Fluttershy answers offering you her seat and flying over to Twilights side.

You notice a cup of coffee next to you which you are immensely thankful as the weight of the day both emotional and physical comes crashing down on you.

"How do you think she’s fairing? I know she likes to put on a brave face about things. I’m guilty of that myself. "

"She's seemed to be taking it well all things considered, I'm sure the situation was just a little too much for her right now, it’s a big deal I know but I'm sure she's just happy to have someone around to help her." Shy replies with a gentle smile, she may be a shut in at the best of times but that mare was pretty good at reading others.

"How are you holding up for that matter, this can't be easy on you either?" Twilight asks.

"Yeah, no I'm fine it’s not that big a deal, I mean people have kids all the time right." You try and convince yourself and the mares waving your hand dismissively.

Twilight lifts up her brow in confusion. "Really I thought you'd be freaking out, I mean you have a child on the way in only four months time by my calculations, you have nowhere to keep it, most of the town probably doesn't even know your here let alone Gilda and you’re also essentially going to be looking after either an infant of your own kind or Gilda's or maybe even a hybrid of the two and that's not even considering--" Twilight stops as Fluttershy puts a hoof on her shoulders to stifle her onslaught.

"Twilight I think he understands." Fluttershy states tentatively.

Twilight looks at her then back at you and winces as she notices both your hands resting on your face burying your gaze into the table.

“I am so fucked..."

Fluttershy fly’s over towards you and places a wing around your back.

"Hey it’s going to be ok, think of all the positives. You’re going to have your own little bundle of joy that you can call your own. You get to experience all of the pleasures of being a dad. Like um..." Fluttershy finishes trying to work out the right words to say.

"Their first library card!" Twilight chimes in happily.

"That's right their first...well that's not really what I meant, but ok that works." Fluttershy replies with polite confusion.

"Does it?" you ask, still not looking up from the table.

"Hey it was a proud moment for me and my dad." Twilight huffs.

"I'm sure it was Twilight, but I was talking more about watching something you love grow and prosper." Fluttershy states diplomatically.

"We'll sure, when you put it like that, that's also pretty important I guess." Twilight states trying to backtrack from her previous sentence, something tells you she wasn't quite ready to understand parenting herself.

"Oh and also the baby's first word, and the first time they lose their primary feathers that was a big moment for my dad."

"Ok, ok Shy I see your point, and your right this is supposed to be a happy occasion and believe me I’m ecstatic, really. But goddamn if I have so much to do and no time to do it in." You say lifting my head up from the desk looking at the girls worriedly.

"Don't you worry, I'll do everything I can to help you two and your baby. Its the least I could do for all the help you've given me over the years." Fluttershy states giving you an infectious smile that you can't help raise a little smile yourself

"I'll also help in any way I can, any friend of Shy is a friend of mine, and maybe I will be the first to research a brand new life form depending on the genetic makeup, oh Celestial! I wonder if they will publish my thesis, maybe even give me a Nobel prize. I need to get started as soon as possible. Its only three hundred fifty six more days till the next convention!" Twilight rambles out, completely lost in her own delusion.

You can't help but laugh at the mare the first real laugh you've had all day.

"Thanks girls, really you don't know what this means for me and Gilda." You say with a slight whimper, you feel your eyes begin to water a bit at the sincerity of the mares, feeling slightly embarrassed you turn away for a second to whip your eye with a hand as both pony's look at you with warm smiles.

"We should really start discussing what to do first to get ready." Twilight recommends.

"Well actually now that you mention it, I think its best we try and get Gilda back into Ponyville, even just for a bit."

"Why do you want her to go back I thought she wouldn't ever want to come back all things considered?" Twilight asks.

"Well its more for the child really, We don't know how pony's are going to accept this, I mean I still get problems from pony going into town the last thing I need is Gilda or the child getting ostracized on top of that."

"Pony's have been giving you problems, like who?!" Twilight asks her voice a flurry of shock and anger.

"I don't know a bunch of pony's its not too bad, most just stop and stare at me, but there was a few of them when I walk past shouting names like monkey boy, offering me bananas stuff like that." you say with a tired shrug.

"They what!?” A terrifyingly angry voice from the shyest mare in the world yells in utter furry.

"Yeah I thought you guys knew about this already?" you ask looking towards both mares.

"No of course not! Why didn’t you tell me or Fluttershy?" Twilight states in utter disbelief.

"Well you know I don't really get out much I just assumed that this place had its own racial well actually I guess its species problems, like back in my world. It was kind of common back on earth until recent times; I just assumed that it was something I had to live with." You say rubbing your neck, you didn't like it as much as anyone, but since it never went beyond name calling it didn't really affect you too much at least that what you were going to tell the girls.

"I can't believe some ponies would do that especially in Ponyville." Twilight asks you turn towards Shy who is also bright red but this time it’s not a blush and it’s scaring the heck out of you.

"Honestly I don't let it bother me to much girls and think of it as free potassium right?" You say looking at the two of them hoping your little lie and joke show might make them drop the subject.

"How can you joke about this it’s not funny, obviously it’s affecting you, oh pony feathers that's why I never see you in town. How do you even get your food?"

"I grow it myself at the back of the garden or if I have to I fish." You say, looking down in shame.

"That’s why you wanted gardening lessons!?" Fluttershy asks still in her rage her wings where extended and fluttering like crazy.

The table goes back into a tense silence for a while as both mares take in the information you turn over to Fluttershy who is still very angry, hopefully not at you.

"I just can't believe this it makes me so mad I just want to scream." Shy growls opening up her mouth and giving the quietest most adorable scream ever conceived in the known universe.

"We have to fix this." Twilight states solemnly.

"Girls really it’s fine I've lived like this for almost two years now with no major problems, you can't change people’s minds."

Yeah but there is so many nice pony's out there your missing, I just can't believe you didn't do anything about it." Fluttershy asks her ears lower in defeat.

"Well to be honest I can’t, Celestial made me promise never to harm or create any situation that could endanger a pony not that I was going to but I keep my Promise's."

"But what if this affects your child, what if ponies do that to the child too." Twilight tries to persuade.

"They won’t." You state in utter confidence.

"Yeah but."

Twilight they won't trust me, I won't let them get the chance."

"Twilight tries to argue but flinches at the determined look you give her after a moment she simple nods and sits back in her chair.

"While we’re on the subject though if it’s ok with you girls I need to know what exactly happened with Gilda and this Rainbow Dash gal. If just to know whose going to be the hardest to convince, I'd ask Gilda but she never tells me anything before she entered the forest where I found her."

Both mares look at one another with worried expressions, as they silently debate the question you asked.

"That bad huh?" You ask after a moment of silence.

"I'll go make some more coffee." Fluttershy states finally, unfolding her wing from your back and trotting over to the counter.

...and that was the last time she was in Ponyville or at least the last time we thought she was." Twilight rounded up sipping the remains of her coffee.

You sit back on your chair and massage your eyes both out of stress and overwhelming tiredness.

Yep that would explain a few things alright. You think matching the events in your head from then till the time you came here.
"Yeah that was pretty bad."

"It wasn’t pretty." Twilight agrees "Although it could have been worse the last time we had somepony around like that Ponyville was attacked by an Ursa Minor."

"Yeah I remember that, I mean I was at my house at the time which thankfully was nowhere near the attack but Jesus if that roar didn't scare the hell out of me. My whole house was shaking the tremors smashed a few of the windows." You say remembering the blood curtailing roar of the star beast.

That was only an infant, you think shivering slightly.

"At least with Gilda it was relatively tame, you think that point will hold on this Rainbow Dash and Pinkie?" You say slightly joking as you gage the other pony's reaction.

Fluttershy shakes her head solemnly "I'm afraid not Rainbow is a loyal and caring friend but she can be a bit um... stubborn about these sorts of things."

"Ah, I can see why they used to get along." You joke trying to inject a little humour into the conversation.

"Pinkie might be the best bet to start off with; she’s not the type of pony to hold a grudge. I'm sure if we can find some way for Gilda to make it up to her that would go a long way." Fluttershy chimes in trying her best to stay awake, it’s already past midnight and she's a pretty early riser.

"That's not going to be easy Shy, you weren't there when I meet her, I mean if I didn't stumble upon her when I did, who knows what would have happened? If anything I think she's expecting Pinkie to apologise. Perhaps its best if we get her used to the other pony's around Ponyville first, you know take baby steps." You say wincing at the accidental pun.

Twilight considers the notion in her head for a moment before nodding. "That's probably not a bad idea actually, and as it happens Rainbow is still at flight academy for the next few months and Pinkies going away for the week for the annual bake off so if we time it right we can plan this accordingly."

You agree to the idea and begin discussing the details in depth with Twilight. Fluttershy was at this point asleep if everything went right Gilda could at least go visit some of the other elements of harmony as you now realise they were called, maybe even a few of the townsfolk.

That would also mean that you personally would have to go there from time to time, a prospect you are really not looking forward to, but if it was for the good of your child and Gilda you were just going to have to deal with it, what was the worst that could happen?

After an hour or so you move onto different topics and eventually as always when talking to Twilight the conversation progressed back to Earth or at least Earths technology.

"So let me get this straight, your people have invented a method of transporting pictures of anything in the world though the air?"

"Yep."

"And so your people then use this device you call a 'mobile phone' to take photos of their own faces or 'selfies' as you call them and send them through the airwaves onto another 'mobile phone' on the other side of the world."

"Correct."

"And then when the information has travelled all that way to your mobile phone you ignore them because and I quote 'it looks their pulling a stupid duck face and I'll have no part of it.'"

"Pretty much."

Twilight slams her head down into the table in abject defeat, which gets a chuckle out of you, every conversation about Earth seems to ends this way.

Your about to press on when you feel a soft thump against you arm, looking down you notice Fluttershy slumped over you softly snoring.
"I suppose that means we should call it a night." You say looking back at Twilight who's covering her mouth as she yawns.

"Yeah your right I should get back."

"Yeah I'm guessing Spikes probably worried about you."

"Oh, so you remember his name, but not mine?" Twilight asks with a furrowed brow.

"Well of course, I mean your cool and all, but Spikes a freaking dragon! You know how cool it is to meet a dragon even a baby one?."
You say excitedly as your inner veterinarian squeals at the memory.

Twilight simply sighs and shakes her head as she jumps down off her chair.

Standing up you gently picks up Shy with both hands trying to resist the urge to awaken her as she snuggles into you like she would a pillow. You walk up to her room and open it thanks to the help of Twilight, and place Shy on the double bed parallel to Gilda.

Tiptoeing around you try and pick her up as well but it looks like you were more comfy than you thought as the She griffon subconsciously grabs on to you with both talons, pulling you into a cute but deadly judo hold.

Jesus she's like a fluffy vice! You scream in your head as your lungs are denied its precious oxygen. Somehow you manage to turn your body around so that Gilda is leaning against your back.

"Twi a little help" you wheeze out.

She looks at you in confusion, before she nods in understanding lifting Gilda up just enough so that you could hoist her properly on your back for the second time today.

"Thanks" you whisper catching your breath.

"Don't mention it" she whispers back as you both leave the room quietly.

You said your goodbyes to Twilight promising to meet up soon and really set out a plan. As you make your way back through the path. It's dark but you've walked this path so many times it’s almost second nature to you as you take a right then left thought the winding path.

The walk back itself was largely uneventful except for fighting off the occasional loving choke hold from the slumbering griffon on your back.

However as you walk back the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention as you feel like some things watching you.
Occasionally you flick back but nothing shows except occasionally an owls or bat.

Cutting out of the forest, you take the path down to your humble abode stepping onto the porch and fishing for the key made impossibility difficult by your pseudo slumbering backpack.

Stepping over the debris you precede to your predetermined destination your second secret lover, the bed...now for the hard part.
"Gah one more come on you can do it!" You say clenching your teeth as you pry the last scaly appendage from your chest with all the strength you can muster, allowing Gilda to slip down onto the bed where she promptly slumps to the other side still deep in sleep.

You sit down on the other side to catch your breath as the mini workout takes its toll. For a few minutes you contemplate going to bed, but the carnival of thought is now kicking in to full swing and you know you won't be able to get any sleep for a while even being as tired you are.

You pull yourself back off the bed or at least you try to.

"What the?... oh come on!" You yell as you notice the scaly arms wrapped around your waist again.

Fifteen minutes later.

You sitting outside on your back porch, it's been a while since you came out and in all that time you've been staring down your small canister of tobacco, the word emergency's only still labelled across it. You want to have another, you really do but some sense of niggling guilt claws at your mind, if you were going to be a father it just didn't feel right to keep up the habit even when it wasn't really one you partake in that often.

Well I guess now I have a good reason to stop. You think and in an act of defiance you stand up and throw the canister into the back of the garden before turning back into the house.

"OUCH son of a..."

You snap your gaze back to the garden and scan around trying to pin point where the sound came from, when suddenly a large figure bolts out of the bushes and launches into the air with its page powerful wings.

As it fly's you try and make out anything you might recognise, luckily the creature flies into a ray of moonlight taking your breath from you in shock.

No but Twilight said, but it is it’s... you gulp as the creature flees into the ever black of the night the sound of its powerful feather appendages echoes through the sky. As you stare dumbfounded at the familiar creature.

"A griffon..."

Author's Note

Cliffhangers suck don't they, and now to add the Dark tag....

Anyway going to be a bit of a jump in the story timeline after this chapter for obvious reasons (nobody wants to have four months worth of chapters of Gilda being pregs. plus I'm not that inventive.)

Have a good one.