Chapters Twilight Sparkle was reading a particularly fascinating book on magical theory when Rainbow Dash flew through the open window of her crystal tree castle’s library and slammed into a landing in front of her.
“Oh, hi Rainbow,” she said. “What brings you by?”
“How can I get Fluttershy pregnant?” Rainbow shouted.
Twilight blinked slowly several times before answering. “I feel like this conversation skipped a few steps,” she said. “Could you explain that question?”
Rainbow sighed. “Okay, so I was just talking with Fluttershy and she told me that she’s always wanted to be a mom. The pregnancy, the birth, the whole thing. And, well, because she’s a lesbian, it’s not like she’d sleep with a stallion, so that whole idea is kinda down the drain. She says she’d be fine with adoption, but she’s wanted to actually give birth to the foal of her special somepony since she was a filly. I’m pretty sure she didn’t picture me in that role back then, but here I am. And so I was wondering if there might be some magical way to get her pregnant with my child.”
“Wow,” said Twilight. “That…that is something…”
“Well, is it possible or not?” Rainbow asked.
“With magic, I suppose nearly anything is possible,” said Twilight hesitantly. “But I don’t think I’ve ever heard of magic like that before. When did she tell you this?”
“About ten minutes ago.”
“Uh-huh…” Twilight said. “If you really want my help, I’ll give it to you, but I have to ask: do you want to raise a child?”
Rainbow thought about this for a long minute. Finally, she said “If I were on my own, I wouldn’t consider the idea for a second. If I was with any other pony it might be a maybe. But with Fluttershy…I can picture it. So yes, I want to raise her child; to raise our child.”
“Alright, said Twilight. “But trying to find something like this could take a lot of research.”
“I’ll help in any way I can,” Rainbow said, taking a bold stance. “Where do we start?”
Twilight looked up at the many, many shelves of the library. “That’s a good question.”
There was a knock on the door of Fluttershy’s cottage. She opened the door to find Twilight Sparkle standing just outside. Her mane was disheveled, there were dark circles under her eyes, and she was smiling a disconcerting smile.
“Hello Twilight…” Fluttershy took a nervous step backward.
“I know how to knock you up!” said Twilight.
“O-okay…” Fluttershy took another step backward.
Rainbow Dash stuck her head out from the kitchen. “Who’s at the door?” Seeing Twilight, she walked out into the living room. “Oh, hey, Twi,” she said. As she got closer, she really observed her purple friend’s appearance. “You, uh…you have looked better.”
“I cast an insomnia spell on myself,” Twilight explained in a disturbingly cheerful tone as she strolled inside. “I haven’t slept in three days!”
“You don’t say…” Rainbow said cautiously.
“I’ve spent every minute of them looking for the solution! And I think I’ve found it!”
“That’s nice, Twilight,” said Fluttershy, “but maybe you’d like to take a seat and calm down a little?” She gestured toward the armchair in the living room.
Twilight flopped into the offered chair and wearily rubbed at her face with one hand. “Ugh. Maybe that insomnia spell wasn’t such a great idea.”
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sat on the couch next to her. “Now what’s this solution you’re talking about?” Rainbow asked.
Twilight yawned. “I found this book,” she telekinetically lifted an old, battered tome out of her saddlebag. “I didn’t think much of it at first, but among other things it contains an old legend from before Equestria was united about two mares who, through their love for each other, conceived a child. It’s even recorded the spell they used to do so.”
“That’s awesome!” Rainbow launched into the air, hovering over the couch. “Let’s get to it!”
“There are a couple of issues, though,” said Twilight.
“Like what?” Rainbow asked, floating down to her seat.
“First off, both of the mares in the legend were unicorns. And while I’m pretty sure that one pony can cast the spell, it couldn’t be either one of you.”
“So does that mean you can’t cast it on us?” Fluttershy asked.
“If I cast it in its original form, it would end up getting you pregnant with my child, not yours, Rainbow.” The couple looked strangely between themselves and at her. “But!” she interjected. “But I think I can take a few days and tinker with the spell’s targeting mechanics so it can be cast by an uninvolved third party, so that the child would be the offspring of the two of you but not me.”
“Okay,” Rainbow said slowly. “Are there any other problems?”
Twilight shifted uneasily and blushed a little. “Well, the spell has to be cast during the, ahem, act of love.”
“Oh my…” Fluttershy’s face turned bright red and she shrunk in on herself.
“Are you saying that Fluttershy and I have to have sex in order for this spell to work?” Rainbow asked.
“Yes.”
“And I’m guessing from the way you’re telling us this that you can’t just cast the spell on us and then leave us to it, or cast it while in another room or something?”
“I would have to be there for the whole thing,” Twilight said, her blush rising.
“And you can’t alter that part of the spell?”
“It’s ritual magic,” Twilight explained. “…things…have to happen for the spell to work.”
Rainbow thought for a moment. “Well, this doesn’t mean this is our only option. I’ll come back to the library. There must be lots of stuff we haven’t read yet—”
“I’ll do it.” Twilight and Rainbow both looked at Fluttershy. “I’ll do it,” she repeated.
“Really?” Rainbow asked.
“Yes, really,” Fluttershy stated.
“Are you sure you’d be comfortable with that?” Twilight asked.
“No, but,” the blonde pegasus looked up with eyes verging on tears. “You have both done so much for me. More than I ever could have asked. If this can really work, then I’m willing to try.”
“Well, if you want…” said Twilight.
“But do you think you can give me a few days to…work up to it?” Fluttershy asked.
“Of course. Just call on me when you’re ready and we can set a time for it.”
“Thank you, Twilight,” Fluttershy hugged her purple friend as they both got up from their seats. “Thank you so much.”
“It’s no problem, Fluttershy,” Twilight hugged back.
“Now you go home and get some sleep. Dr. Fluttershy’s orders.”
Twilight chuckled. “Whatever you say, Doctor.” She lazily took off outside and flapped her way off toward her castle.
After she had shut the door, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash shared a giddy hug.
The knock at the door was answered by Rainbow Dash. Twilight stood outside, looking remarkably better after a week of regular sleep. “So…I’m here,” she said awkwardly.
“Come on in Twi.”
Twilight walked in and Rainbow shut the door behind her. “Uh, how have things been?” Twilight asked.
“Great,” Rainbow responded enthusiastically. “We got back from dinner a little while ago, and you really should have seen it. I pulled out all the stops; candlelit dinner, roses, champagne, everything! In fact, I was just reading her some love poetry before you got here.” She turned back and said “Thanks for that book, by the way.”
“Happy to help,” Twilight smiled.
Climbing the stairs, they found Fluttershy staring at the wall and taking deep, slow breaths. “Hey Flutters,” Rainbow said in gentle tones. “Are you ready?”
Fluttershy released a breath and said “As ready as I’ll ever be. Hello Twilight.” She would have preferred to pretend that Twilight wasn’t there, but there was no need to be rude.
“Hi Fluttershy,” Twilight responded uneasily.
Rainbow Dash joined Fluttershy on the bed while Twilight remained on the other side of the room. “Hey,” she said, turning Fluttershy’s head toward her. “Just focus on me okay?” She kissed Fluttershy passionately for nearly a full minute before they separated “Just lie back,” Rainbow whispered. “Let me take care of you.”
Because this is not a clopfic, the camera shall now pan over to Twilight Sparkle, alicorn Princess of Friendship. She has no voyeuristic inclinations, and in the current circumstances is feeling very awkward and incredibly embarrassed. The blush on her face could have lit the room.
As things progressed on the bed, she pushed these thoughts aside and focused her mind on the spell. Ribbons of light snaked out of her horn, dancing lazily in front of her. She concentrated hard and the pink and purple ribbons flew across the room, swarming around the bed, obscuring the figures of the lovers. The swirling energies made a buzzing, crackling sound that slowly got louder and louder. Suddenly, the ribbons of magical energy warped and funneled down in a swirl into Fluttershy’s stomach. There was a sound like a soap bubble popping and then a silence that drowned out all sound that persisted for several seconds afterwards.
When it was over, the two pegasi lay on the bed, holding each other closely, motionless save for their heaving chests. Rainbow lazily nuzzled Fluttershy’s neck, who smiled in the afterglow, her brain in a warm and fuzzy place.
Twilight smiled at her friends, quietly descended the stairs, and left the cottage.
Fluttershy was in Ponyville’s marketplace picking up groceries when she felt the air above her stirring. Looking up, she found Rainbow Dash flapping upside down just above her. Rainbow flipped in the air and kissed Fluttershy on the nose before landing next to her.
“Hey Flutters.”
“Hi Rainbow,” Fluttershy answered, feeling slightly embarrassed about kissing in such a public place.
“So how are my girls doing?” Rainbow rubbed up against Fluttershy.
Fluttershy smiled. “We’re okay,” she said. “She has been a bit more active today, though.”
“Oh, can’t wait to get out and start running around, eh?” Rainbow nuzzled up against Fluttershy’s swelled stomach. “She must take after me.”
“I just hope she isn’t too much of a hoofful.”
“Well she’s gonna have the greatest mom in the world,” said Rainbow.
“Two of them,” Fluttershy said.
Rainbow blushed slightly. “Oh, come on, you know I’m going to spoil her.”
“Yes, I know.” The couple giggled together before rounding the corner and coming face to face with Twilight Sparkle.
Fluttershy and Twilight immediately looked anywhere but at each other. “Oh hey, so, how have you two been?” Twilight asked, trying, and failing, to sound nonchalant.
“Oh good, good,” Fluttershy said lamely. Rainbow sniggered. When she received a pair of Looks from the other two, she smiled innocently, like a halo would light up over her head any second.
Twilight sighed. “Maybe we’ll be able to look each other in the eye after the foal’s born?”
“I hope so,” said Fluttershy.
After another awkward few seconds, Twilight said, sidling away while she did so “Well, I have to get going…but it was good seeing you, and…uh…bye.”
“Good bye,” Fluttershy mumbled.
After Twilight had gone, Rainbow burst out laughing.
Fluttershy started walking away indignantly. “You don’t have to laugh about it that much,”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Rainbow said, quickly catching up to her, trying to suppress her snickering. “But listen, the way I see it, yeah, we had to do something embarrassing, but look at the result. What we had to do to get here is trivial compared to what we’re getting, right?”
“Well, yes.”
“And besides,” Rainbow continued, “everypony knows what two ponies have to do to make a foal, but they just don’t think about their friends doing the deed, so why should it be any different for us?”
Fluttershy took a second to think through Rainbow’s carefree logic. “I suppose you’re right…”
Rainbow rubbed up close to Fluttershy. “Everything’s going to be fine, I know it.”
Fluttershy lay on the hospital bed, exhausted beyond measure, her coat and mane matted with sweat. Rainbow rubbed up against her and kissed her on the cheek. “You were great, babe,” the colorful pegasus said.
“There we are, all clean now,” Nurse Redheart said. “Congratulations; it’s a filly.”
Fluttershy lifted her head as the nurse pushed the tiny bundle between her forelegs, and looked at her child for the first time. Her coat was powder blue, the tuft of her mane was a tricolor of shades of pink, and she was screaming her head off in the kind of existential terror only a newborn can feel.
“Shhh, there there,” Fluttershy said soothingly, holding the child close. “No need to cry. Everything’s alright.” Under her comforting tones the foal slowly calmed. When she had finally stopped crying, she looked up at Fluttershy with dark turquoise eyes.
“She’s beautiful,” Rainbow said.
“Yes. She’s perfect,” said Fluttershy. She leaned down and rubbed her nose against the infant’s, who gurgled in response. “Welcome to the world, little one.”
Rainbow leaned in close. “Hey there, cutie,” she said rubbing her own nose against their foal’s. The tiny filly sneezed. The two proud new parents laughed.
“Now, kid, you might be wondering why you’ve got two mommies,” Rainbow said. “Well you see, when a mare loves another mare, and they happen to have an alicorn friend with an ancient magic spell…”
Fluttershy pushed a plate of acorn paste towards a group of baby squirrels. “Here you go. Eat up. It will help you grow big and strong,” she said. The baby squirrels tucked into the dish and their mother gave Fluttershy a thankful look. Fluttershy watched the squirrel family with a dreamy expression.
Suddenly, she felt a pair of lips press against her cheek. She yelped and cowered a yard away from where she had formerly been standing. Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Sorry, Fluttershy,” she said. “You were looking cute and I couldn’t help myself.”
“Oh, it’s you, Rainbow,” Fluttershy uncurled and greeted her marefriend. “You startled me.”
“Sorry,” Rainbow said again. “But you’re just so darn kissable.”
Fluttershy blushed. “Well, thank you.” She started walking back towards her cottage at a leisurely pace. Rainbow walked alongside her.
“So, you looked like you were really thinking about something back there,” Rainbow said. “What was it?”
“Oh, just things…” Fluttershy said.
“Oh come on,” Rainbow persisted. “You can tell me. What was it?”
Fluttershy took a moment before asking “Rainbow, have you…have you ever thought about having…children?”
Rainbow Dash leapt back in panic. “Whoa whoa whoa! Let’s slow this down for a second.”
“Wait! I’m not saying I don’t want kids,” said Rainbow as she returned to Fluttershy’s side. “I just want to know where this came from.”
“Well, I’ve just always wanted to be a mother,” Fluttershy explained. “Ever since I was a little filly I’ve dreamed of the day when I could bear the child of myself and my special somepony.”
“Really? You want to go through the whole birth thing? Even with all the pain and stuff?”
“Yes,” said Fluttershy, “because afterward I would have a child. A part of me. A new life that I would care for and love.” She sighed sadly. “But when puberty hit and I realized I wasn’t interested in stallions, I had to let go of that dream. But every spring, when all the animals are having babies, I guess the idea keeps coming back to me.”
Rainbow laid a wing across her shoulders, trying to comfort her. “Well, hey, you can still be a mother. We could adopt.”
“I’ve thought about that. And I wouldn’t mind; I’d still love the child just the same, but…I guess I’m still dreaming.”
Rainbow considered all this new information. Finally, she said “Why don’t we take a few days to think about this? There’s no rush.”
“Okay,” Fluttershy sighed.
“Wish I could stay longer,” Rainbow pecked her on the cheek again. “But I’ve got some things to take care of. See you later?”
“Of course,” Fluttershy smiled.
“Love you!” Rainbow shouted as she zoomed into the sky.
“Love you, too,” said Fluttershy as she walked towards her cottage.
The gentle knock at the door, as light as it was, still set off the magic that informed Twilight Sparkle that there was a visitor. It woke her from her sleep and, after a few moments, she got up and went to the door. Fluttershy stood outside in the dead of night.
Twilight rubbed at her eyes. “Hey Fluttershy. What are you doing up at this hour?”
“Um, sorry to disturb you so late,” said Fluttershy “but Rainbow Dash didn’t come home tonight and I was just wondering if you had seen her recently?”
“Yeah, she’s here actually,” Twilight said, stretching a little. “Uh, come in, come in.”
Fluttershy entered the castle and followed Twilight down the hallways. “So…” Twilight started. “Rainbow told me about how you want to be a mother…”
Fluttershy gasped. “Sh-she told you that?”
“Yes. She’s been helping research with me for hours for a way that the two of you can have a child. Ah, there she is,” she said as they entered the library. Rainbow had fallen asleep at a desk with several books surrounding her and one under her head, which she was currently drooling on. Twilight cringed when she saw the drool and gently lifted Rainbow’s head to slide the book out from under her.
Fluttershy brushed a lock of mane out of Rainbow’s face and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Rainbow shifted slightly in her sleep. “Oh Rainbow,” Fluttershy said quietly. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
“I haven’t seen her reading this much since she re-binged on the Daring Do novels for the third time,” said Twilight.
“H-have you made any progress?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight sighed. “No. Sorry.”
“It’s alright,” Fluttershy said softly.
“But hey, there’s still maybe a thousand more books in here that we haven’t gotten through yet. And there’s more coming in from the Royal Archives in Canterlot and the Crystal Empire nearly every day. We might find something.”
“s there any way I can help?”
Twilight shrugged. “I suppose you could drop in whenever you get some free time. I know how busy you are with your animals.”
“Hmmm. I think there are a few hours tomorrow afternoon that I’m not doing anything important.”
“Well don’t worry about it too much; it’s not like we’re pressed for time or anything. Besides, I’m certain that whatever happens, you and Rainbow would be great parents.”
Fluttershy turned a misty-eyed smile upon her before rubbing up against her neck. “Thank you, Twilight.”
“Anything for a friend, Fluttershy.”