Chapter I
Sacrifice
Two pegasus ponies lay in the grass of the park, Celestia's sun just beginning to set as Luna's moon peaked on the opposite side of the horizon. The mare laying on the grass was the deep blue color, much like the moon princess herself was. However her mane was instead a bright white, and her eyes were a brilliant color of violet. The cutie mark adorning her flank was of a flower blowing in the wind... on top of all of it, her belly was swollen and she seemed to be almost asleep. The stallion beside her was bright blue, with a black mane. His eyes shimmered in the moon with their deep crimson while his crossed tornado cutie mark did the same.
The mare spoke softly " Hurricane... you're quiet. What's wrong? "
The stallion, Hurricane looked down at the mare and smiled. " Nothing, Meadowsong... I was just thinking of names, that's all... " he chuckled " ... hopefully the foal isn't going to be effected by your constant worrying. "
With a smile Meadowsong lay her head against Hurricane's hooves. She ruffled her wings beside her to get comfortable as they peered at the rising moon, a cool gust of wind caught the ponies in it's embrace and Meadowsong gave a shiver. Without a word, Hurricane wrapped his wing around her body.
" We should head back home, Meadow... "
The mare nodded her head and with the stallion's assistance stood on her own legs before they both began to walk toward the main of Ponyville, along it's edge there were many houses but one was smaller than the rest and faced the park instead of the main road behind it. The couple walked up to the fence and Hurricane nudged the gate open with his free wing, Meadowsong following his steps and remaining curled inside the stallion's wing. As they stepped through the small flourishing garden they passed a potted plant that was half dried and dead, one petal clung desperately to the small flower. The mare frowned at it and stopped her stride, kicking at Hurricane's rear heel as he continued to walk only for a moment before stopping himself to keep his wing around her.
" Hurricane... that was a gift from Fluttershy! " she frowned at the bright blue stallion.
" Honey... you know I'm not the gardener here!... " he sighed and looked back at the plant. " ... I'm not really sure why you wanted me to take care of it in the first place. "
" Because I thought since I'd joined in your acrobatic stunts and helped in your cleaning duties, you might be able to return the favor. " she held her head up and stomped her hoof against the cobble stone path.
Hurricane stood there with his mouth open as she spoke, one brow lifted with a distasteful look of anger... or confusion... or both! " But... but... We're both pegasi, Meadowsong! That sort of thing comes natural... " he shook her head " ... gardening, that's just not something I'll ever be good at. "
Meadowsong sighed and stuck her wing up to kick Hurricane's wing from around her. " I suppose you have do have a point there, I am sorry I assumed you'd just-- " the mare's legs fell from under her and her wings slammed straight to her side as her ears shot back on her head. Her eyes went wide as she began to fall, but Hurricane was more than fast enough to catch her on his back. " -- Hurricane... hospital, NOW!! "
" You got it! " the stallion stretched his wings out and noticed that there was blood pooling down from the mare. He frowned and his eyes filled with terror... this was no time to panic. " ... hold on, Meadowsong! " he flapped his wings and sent both him and the mare holding to his back into the air and toward the hospital at record speeds.
Wind blasted through Hurricane's mane as blood dripped down from Meadowsong, who cried in pain on the stallions back. His wings beat against the air with complete disregard for their own pain, all he knew was that he had to get her to the hospital and fast. Tunneling through clouds, resisting the cold air on his face, Hurricane landed on the ground already moving his hooves as he slammed through the door of the large white hospital building.
" Somepony come out here, she needs help!.. " Hurricane shouted as two nurse ponies stuck jumped hastily over the counter they sat behind. " ... she'd bleeding, that's not normal!!! " the panic in the Stallion's voice could even be heard over Meadowsong's cries of pain.
Quickly the nurse ponies had put Meadowsong into a wheelchair and raced her down a hall, leaving Hurricane there with one other nurse tending to the records. Hurricane gazed down as the mare he loved was raced into a room with large double doors and no windows. He snapped out of his panic and nodded at the muffled words of the nurse and stepped toward the counter, beginning to fill out forms. The frown of worry never leaving his face.
Four hours, and Hurricane still stood stagnant in his own worry. A tan earth pony mare with the cutie mark of a small horseshoe inside of a larger one, her golden mane was held back out of her face by a blue ribbon. Apathy filled her emerald eyes as she stepped from the windowless double doors. The apathy quickly faded as she stopped her steps right in front of Hurricane.
" I'm doctor Autumn Heart, I- I'm in charge of Meadowsong right now... she's on painkillers and she wants you to talk to her for something very important. " the mare stood there with a discontent grimace.
" What is it? " Hurricane stood quickly and gazed longingly for an answer from the doctor. " Is the foal okay? "
" You're foal is fine... " Autumn heart nodded reassuringly, but the grimace remained. " ... I think she should tell you herself, mister Hurricane. "
Hurricane nodded and followed the doctor into the large windowless double doors, where Meadowsong lay in a white bed which was stained crimson from her blood. Tubes of blood and fluids stuck into her forelegs. Her blue coat was pale and her eyes were dead of emotion until they met Hurricane's gaze. They filled with tears. Hurricane's face turned to a frown as he stepped to the side of the bed and set his hooves up beside her, nuzzling his muzzle into the side of her neck.
" Hurricane... they- they can't save us both... " the despair in Meadowsong's voice was audible, tears flowed from her eyes.
" Wh- what?! No, that can't be true!.. " Hurricane smiled and and his ears turned back against his head. " ... They have to! They'll find a way, I know they will!.. " the Stallion slammed his hoof against the frame of the bed as his own tears began to well up in his eyes. " ... you'll be okay, Meadowsong and so will the foal! "
" Mister Hurricane, I am sorry... but she won't survive labor. But if the foal isn't removed, she will die. Doing so would end the foal's life. " with a heavy sigh Autumn Heart held her head up, resisting the urge to join the hopeless feeling that plagued the pegasi. " ... either we save Meadowsong, or we save her foal. "
The pegasi looked at the doctor mare as she stated the facts in a very objective manor. " I will leave you two for now. " the doctor spoke before stepping out of the door and and down the hall as the heavy doors slowly shut.
Hurricane brought his hooves up to rest against the bed beside Meadowsong. He peered into her eyes as they flowed with tears. The stallion brushed his wing against her cheek to dry some of the tears, he smiled bravely at her. But she returned with a frown and pulled her hoof gently up to Hurricane's face. She shook her head at Hurricane and gently placed her hooves at her side.
" Hurricane... " Meadowsong gave a song solemn gaze into his crimson eyes. " ... I won't kill the foal inside of me. "
Hurricane's smile twisted down and his eyes widened. " M- Meadowsong... no, don't do this! They can save YOU! " Hurricane pressed her head down into Meadowsong's chest. " ... I don't want to lose you! " his tears moistened the mare's dark blue coat.
" No Hurricane... I've lived. I cannot take life away from the foal that I have carried inside of me, and if I must give my life so that my foal can have it's own. Than that is what I will do! " Meadowsong spoke strongly, patting Hurricane's mane as she did. " ... show our foal the love you gave to me. "
Hurricane sobbed into Meadowsong's chest, the mare pressed a small button on the side of her bed and Autumn Heart stepped inside a few moments later. Two nurse ponies pulled Hurricane from the room, his wings dragging against the ground as they pulled against him. Hurricane turned and ran to the side of the bed and placing one final kiss on his love's lips. " I'll always love you, Meadowsong... " as the nurses pulled at hurricane, Meadowsong looked at him.
" ... and I'll always love you, Hurricane... Goodbye... "
The windowless doors, swung shut...
Hours passed, and finally Autumn Heart stepped from the windowless doors. Without a silent gaze down the hall at Hurricane, she stepped away and down another hall. Two nurse ponies finally walked from the same doors and toward Hurricane, with solemn silence they led Hurricane inside the room. The machines that once beeped at the beating of Meadowsong's heart had been turned off, and the mare lay motionless and on the bed as if sleeping peacefully.
Hurricane stood silently, staring at the deep blue mare with tears flowing from his eyes. His wings lay limp against his side. Sobs and curses could be heard throughout the hospital as he let his anguish flow from him like a damned up river breaking free. After almost half an hour, all went silent and Hurricane turned toward the opening doors at the other end of the dismal room. A nurse held in a light blue glow from her horn, a bundled up filly in a bright pink blanket... fast asleep.
The stallion looked down at the dark coated filly, her fur was black in the dimly lit corner of the room that Hurricane now carried her into, supported by his right wing. He held her close, tears still falling down from his bold crimson eyes. The light's behind him reflected off of the foal's coat to show that it was actually a dark blue color. Her mane was as black as the night sky.
" Mister Hurricane... " Autumn Heart approached and asked. " ... I'll need a name for her. "
Hurricane looked back, and back to the filly in his wing. " Ravenwing... little, Ravenwing. "
Hurricane stood at the desk in the hospital, his eyes dark and his mane frazzled through the sleepless night. The nurse pony behind the desk sat in her chair writing something on a piece of paper that lay on the desk in front of her. The light above flickered for a moment and snapped Hurricane out of his daze and back to watching the nurse pony for a moment.
" Mister Hurricane, you can go for now... I'll come get you when we need you for anything. " she smiled meekly at the stallion. " Oh, H-Hurricane... I'm sorry about what happened, if you ever need help with Ravenwing than just come back here. I'll be sure you don't get charged for her care. " the white mare smiled.
" Thank you... " Hurricane nodded and simply walked down the hall to a large window with foals behind it of all shapes and sized... the smallest of them was his filly, Ravenwing. " ... what do I do? "
Soft steps approached behind the stallion, a pale yellow pegasus mare with bright blue eyes, and a long flowing pink mane stopped a few feet from the gazing Hurricane. Her cutie mark of three cyan and pink butterflies was barely visible under her saddlebags. " Um... Hurricane? "
The stallion turned to see the timid mare behind him, hiding half of her face inside of her pink mane. " Fluttershy? What are you doing here? " Hurricane rubbed his eyes, trying to hide the tears that had dried up many hours ago. He put on a smile that was barely noticeable through the state of the rest of him.
" Well, I um... I heard about what happened. You know, last night... " Fluttershy stepped forward and put her hoof on Hurricane's shoulder. " I- I'm so sorry, Hurricane. " the timid mare's eyes began to well up with tears.
Hurricane peered back and reached his wing up to brush the tears from the mare's cheek. He nodded solemnly and turned his gaze to the window, staring back toward the small dark blue that lay sleeping in her very small bed. The filly turned onto her belly and fluttered her wings slightly in her sleep. Hurricane's frown turned to a weak smile as he saw it. Fluttershy smiled along side him at the little blue filly.
" Hurricane... if you ever need somebody to watch her, just bring her to my cottage. " Fluttershy spoke gently, smiling at the stallion.
" Are you sure? " Hurricane blinked at Fluttershy's offer. " ... you'd do that, for me even when you barely know me? "
" Of course, you were Meadowsong's very special somepony! She always talked about you! " Fluttershy stepped away from Hurricane's wing to talk more face to face. " ... even if she didn't, I can only imagine how sad you must feel. I can't just let you go on by yourself! NOPONY Likes being alone! "
Hurricane nodded at the shy mare and turned back to the glass. The nurse pony turned down the hallway and cleared her throat, catching Hurricane's attention. She motioned for him to follow her, Hurricane turned and smiled at Fluttershy. " Watch her for me a bit. " Fluttershy nodded and sat down beside the window, looking inside.
Hurricane was led back down the desk where the Nurse slid a small pencil across the desk, Hurricane bit down onto the pencil and signed his name across a dotted line. The nurse pony quickly nodded and headed through a door behind her. The pegasus stallion sighed heavily and sat in front of the desk. Shortly after the nurse had left, she returned with Fluttershy beside her, a small light pink blanket wrapped around the small night sky blue filly resting inside the yellow mare's wing. Hurricane nodded and took his filly inside his own wing, turning to head outside. He stopped short and Fluttershy ran into him from behind, he looked back and helped her up with his strong rear hoof.
" Thank you, Fluttershy. " He smiled at her before heading into the rising sun outside and back to his small home, with his new family.
NOTE: This is my first published MLP fanfic, criticism is welcome as long as it is constructive!
