Chop. Deep breath. Chop again. Deeper breath. Now onto the lettuce. Gotta be careful with the knife. More chops. Breathe deep around the knife. Gotta keep chopping.
Finished.
Fluttershy smiled, putting away her cooking utensils. She dumped the salad into a good-sized bowl and placed the meal on her back. Her trip to the kitchen table was slower and more labored than normal as a result of her swelling barrel, and she had to be extra careful where she placed her legs with each step. But she still made it to the table without hassle. Angel Bunny had a knife, fork and bib at the ready, and licked his lips in savory anticipation when Fluttershy set his dinner in front of him.
“Eat up,” she said, sweetly.
As Angel proceeded to dig into his meal like a starving timberwolf, Fluttershy made her way into the living room, intending to spend some time reading foal’s stories to her unborn child. After all, an early start to enrichment couldn’t hurt.
On the way toward her bookshelf, Fluttershy stole a glance out the nearest window, and stopped. In the bright moonlight shining down on the earth, she spotted a lone figure walking up the path to her cottage. She couldn’t make out any details, but the silhouette was clearly that of a pony. Wearing a hat, too, from the looks of it.
Fluttershy pursed her lips, and silently debated whether to alert Harry for standby protection. Her fears melted ever so slightly as the figure came closer and more details came into view. It was a mare judging from the shape of the face. Green coat. Brown eyes. A long, darker green mane that looked unkempt. She was wearing a trenchcoat along with her hat, and underneath the fabric Fluttershy spotted a couple of lumps where a pair of wings would be, indicating her to be a pegasus.
She was still nervous, but seeing that it was a pony was enough for her to answer the stranger’s knocking. She made her way to the front door and opened it slightly, just enough for her to peek out. “He-Hello?” she stuttered. “Can I help you, Miss?”
The stranger only stared in response. Fluttershy could feel her stare boring into her. Judging her. Whether it was out of predatory instinct or paranoia she couldn’t tell, but it didn’t help Fluttershy’s already shaken nerves. She was about to retreat back inside when the stranger finally spoke.
“I apologize for coming without prior notice.” She breathed a sigh and tipped her hat. “Could I trouble you for a moment of your time to talk?”
Fluttershy took a step away from the door. “About what?”
The stranger’s lips fell into a disgruntled frown. A low hiss emanated from her mouth, prompting Fluttershy to take another step back out of reflex. The stranger seemed to realize her mistake, as she took in a deep, relaxing breath before exhaling. “I’m sorry for that.” Her lips pulled up into a small, kindly smile and she touched a hoof to her chest. “My name is Maganda.”
Fluttershy blinked. “Maganda…?”
“I’m from the Fillyppines,” ‘Maganda’ clarified, to which Fluttershy made an ‘o’ shape in understanding. “And I’m here to talk about your unborn child.”
“...How did you know I’m pregnant?”
Maganda chuckled. “This town is quite gossipy.”
Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle a little herself. “It is, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Maganda smiled. “So, may I come in?”
This was a good pony, Fluttershy decided. She might’ve been a little strange, but she couldn’t sense any hostility from her. “Sure,’ Fluttershy replied, and opened the door all the way before beckoning her inside. “Come on in.’
“Thank you very much,” Maganda said as she entered Fluttershy’s cottage. “This is a nice place you’ve got here,” she continued as she observed all the cubbyholes and birdhouses all around the living room. “You’re a veterinarian?”
“Yep,” Fluttershy answered. “Can I get you some tea or something?”
Maganda shook her head. “I’m good.”
Fluttershy took a seat in an armchair, while Maganda claimed one opposite her. “So, what about my foal did you want to know?” Fluttershy asked. Weirdness aside, having a pony being interested in her unborn child was kind of exciting for her.
Maganda frowned while scuffing a hoof across the seat cushion. “...I’m starving.”
Fluttershy blinked. “...What?”
Maganda sighed, then fixed Fluttershy with a pointed gaze. “I’m about to do something that will probably shock you to your core.” She furrowed her brows. “Can I trust you to not scream or run away?”
Fluttershy blinked again. “Um, I guess…?” She shifted in her seat. “I-If you’re hungry, I can make you some casserole or something.”
Maganda sighed again, and shook her head. She then slipped her hooves out of her coat and draped it across the chair’s backrest. Fluttershy’s eyes widened upon seeing that Maganda’s wings weren’t that of a typical pegasus, but instead bat-like like that of a thestral. She was about to ask Maganda if that’s what she was, but stopped when Maganda’s body began convulsing. Horrified, Fluttershy made to get up and rush over to see what the problem was, only to halt when a wet, ripping sound emanated from Maganda.
Fluttershy watched, eyes stricken with horror, as a tear formed in Maganda’s barrel. Wet, fleshy pops accompanied each rip as the tear circled around her barrel, eventually meeting itself at the point of origin. Then her thestral wings began beating at the air, and with each flap, her upper torso lifted itself from her bottom half, accompanied each time by a slick peeling sound not unlike the sound made when separating two slices of cheese. She continued this until her two halves fully separated, leaving her bottom half slumped in the chair while her upper half hovered above. Parts of her upper intestinal tract dangled from her torso, jolting with every flap she took of her wings. Her lower intestinal tract remained with her lower half, which slumped over in the armchair, and would’ve given Fluttershy a good view of her organs had she been paying attention to it.
The pegasus was still as a statue, her jaw slack and pupils like pinpricks as they locked onto Maganda. An expected response to seeing her second form, and she had to give Fluttershy credit for taking the reveal much better than ponies back home tended to. She’d probably seen a lot of unique and interesting creatures during her career as a vet, but credit all the same.
“Wha–…?” Fluttershy’s eyes returned to normal, and gained a look of understanding. “You’re an Equinanggal!”
Maganda nodded. “I am indeed.” She hovered down, closer to Fluttershy, who instinctively tried to back away only to find her path impeded by the chair. Maganda tried to offer the frightened pegasus a reassuring smile. “I also assure you that I mean no harm.”
Fluttershy pressed herself further into the chair.
“Seeing how you know what I am, I suppose you also know why I am here.” Maganda flew closer, and Fluttershy was swallowed by the couch. “May I eat your unborn foal, please?”
Fluttershy shivered. “I-I…” She finally noticed the intestines dangling from Maganda’s severed torso, to which her face turned green. “Ohhhh…”
Maganda blinked, then looked down at herself. She made an understanding ‘o’ with her mouth before retreating back to her seat. Using her hooves to keep her lower torso propped up, she reconnected it to her upper torso, making more wet, peeling sounds as her two halves reconnected. Once she was whole again, Maganda gave her entire body a good stretch, relishing in the popping joints, before turning back to Fluttershy with a soft smile. “Better?”
Fluttershy nodded.
“Good.” Maganda’s gaze turned hopeful. “So, can I?”
Fluttershy sighed. “I don’t know…” She clutched her head, attempting to soothe a rising headache, before giving Maganda a confused expression. “Why do you want my foal specifically?”
“I don’t, but you’re the first pregnant mare I’ve heard tell of since arriving in Equestria.” Maganda hid part of her face behind her mane, in an almost perfect imitation of Fluttershy at her most sheepish. “And I know the father is unknown, so I just thought, you know…”
“I understand what you’re saying, but I’m really not sure I want to give up my foal.” She rubbed her stomach, smiling tenderly as thoughts of her little bundle of joy took over her mind. She had promised herself to never again get smashed at one of Vinyl’s raves, but all the same, it was a splendid opportunity to get to raise a foal. To care for and love them. See them grow up into a splendid young pony who would eventually have children of their own, making Fluttershy a grandmother. Yes, she wanted that very, very much…
“But I’m hungry!”
Maganda had moved to within a few inches of Fluttershy during her daydreaming, and hearing her from so close caused her to jump instinctively.
“Sorry,” Maganda apologized. “But seriously, I need food sooo bad.”
Fluttershy calmed herself down, and gave Maganda a stern look. “I understand, but understand yourself that you’re asking me to give up something big to somepony I don’t know.” She crossed her hooves. “And being very pushy about it, I might add.”
Maganda wilted. “I’m sorry for that, but I really am that hungry.” She pouted. “I seriously haven’t eaten for weeks.”
“Why can’t you just eat something else?”
“Oh, believe me, I would love to have that privilege.” She scowled. “But no, my kind is forced to eat the hearts of unborn ponies for sustenance.” She angrily poked at her stomach. “We can’t digest anything else.”
Fluttershy raised a confused brow. “But how can you survive on just that?”
Maganda’s shoulders sagged as she sighed. “Equinanggals usually aren’t keen on asking for permission before they feed. There’s a reason the Fillyppines’ birthrate is so low.” She managed to smile. “But I’m not like most Equinanggals, promise.”
Fluttershy nodded. It was true, Maganda seemed to set herself apart from everything Fluttershy knew of Equinanggals, which was enough for her to surmise that they generally weren’t very polite. A little scary, even. But, pushiness aside, Maganda had been very polite in asking for permission to consume her unborn foal. But could she really give it up for her?
“I don’t know…” She trailed off, and began subconsciously rubbing her swelling belly. “Are you really starving?”
“I just said I haven’t eaten in weeks, but you’ll just have to take my word for it.”
Fluttershy looked down, taking notice that she was rubbing her belly, and stopped. She looked down at the floor, muttering under her breath.
Maganda stepped forward and lay a comforting hoof on her withers. “Is something holding you back?” she asked.
Fluttershy returned Maganda’s gaze, finding a little comfort in her concern-stricken eyes. She hung her head again. “I did think about getting an abortion for a while, but I… I…” She shook her head. “I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel good.”
“But Fluttershy, the last thing you want is to bring a foal into the world who’s going to be teased and beat upon for being a bastard child.” Maganda lifted Fluttershy’s chin so they were once again staring into each other’s eyes. “Right?”
Fluttershy paused, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. What Maganda was saying was right. Fluttershy didn’t want to see any child of hers being harassed for any reason, much less for having no father. She remembered the bullies from back at flight school, how they picked on her for her weak flying prowess. She didn’t have control over that, having been born with subpar flying ability. Why should she be teased for something she couldn’t control...?
“...Okay.”
Maganda blinked. “Um, okay what?”
“You can eat my unborn foal.”
Maganda’s eyes widened, and she smiled. “Really!?”
Fluttershy nodded. “My friends haven’t had any luck in finding out who the father is, and it isn’t likely he’ll come forward after all these months anyway. They said the child would be an easy target for bullies, but I thought I could help him or her get through it.” She sighed. “Now I see that was just wishful thinking.”
“Oh, thank you so much!” Maganda leaned forward and wrapped her hooves around Fluttershy, giving her such a strong bear hug that the pegasus found it a struggle to breath. “You have no idea how grateful I am!”
“Can’t… breathe.”
Maganda unwrapped her hooves from Fluttershy, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright,” Fluttershy replied. She frowned. “Is it gonna hurt?”
“Is it wha– Oh! No, of course it won’t.” Maganda smiled. “It actually feels quite good, at least according to the few ponies who actually asked for it.” She gestured to Fluttershy. “Just spread your hind legs and I’ll make it as quick as I can.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Okay.” She laid back in the chair and spread her hind legs as Maganda instructed. “Like this?”
“Exactly.” Maganda leaned down so she was facing Fluttershy’s marehood. She opened her mouth and slid out a proboscis-esque tongue. “Are you ready?”
Fluttershy nodded.
Angel Bunny licked his lips as he stepped down from the chair, leaving his empty salad bowl and glass to be picked up by his mistress when she was done reading to her unborn child. Which would be right now, because he needed a slice of leftover carrot cake, and he was too short to open the fridge himself.
Angel’s ears twitched as he neared the living room. Strange, moaning sounds could be heard emanating from within. Which was quite unusual, as his mistress preferred to keep her naughty habits to herself up in her own room whenever she thought no one was looking, and was wrong.
He stepped into the living room. There was Fluttershy, leaning back in the armchair, with some weird thestral kneeling down… sticking its tongue into…
...
...
Darkness.
