An ear-peircing scream echoed throughout the halls of Canterlot General Hospital, lasting for almost a full minute before falling into silence once more. It was not an especially big place, so the sound was heard pretty much everywhere within their walls. Sunset, standing outside one door in particular, bore a look of great concern as she peered through the tiny window of that opening. Her friends were with her, with several pacing up and down in a clear display of worry. Fluttershy especially was rocking back and forth while sitting on the ground, while Applejack was doing her best to comfort her. As for Twilight, formerly of Crystal Prep, she was taking many nervous breaths, before, at last, breaking the silence.
"How...how is she?"
Turning from the window, Sunset sighed before looking to her friend.
"About as well as can be expected, given the circumstances. That is one stubborn baby."
Hesitantly, Twilight turned to the window herself, cautiously taking a step towards it before silently peering within. Sure enough, there she was. Derpy, one of her fellow students from Canterlot high. Right now, she was clad in the simple green medical dress reserved for hospital patients. Beside her were several nurses, including one nurse Redheart, who was directing many of the others. But, they were not the only ones helping her right now. On the other side of Derpy's bed, holding tightly onto her hand, was Flash, who never once took his eyes off her. Time and again, the poor girl strained, her face going a bright red as a result, and every time, Flash kept his hand to hers.
"Is he okay in there?" Twilight asked.
Looking to her, Sunset smiled, placing a hand upon her shoulder.
"Derpy needed a friendly face with her in there. And Flash, well...I guess she's just always felt safe around him."
Turning to the former unicorn, Rainbow, who had been one of those pacing, stopped, narrowing her eyes somewhat before adding her own voice to things.
"He's doing a better job than the kid's Dad, I'll say that much! Were is he, anyway?!"
Sunset sighed, shrugging her shoulders.
"I don't know. Derpy said he was on his way, but...he was an exchange student, remember? Chances are, he's having a hard time with air travel and stuff."
Frowning further, Rainbow slammed a single fist into her other hand.
"Oh yeah? Well, he's put Derpy through enough! If he can't even be here for this, then..."
But, she was halted, when Applejack then started speaking up herself.
"Calm down, sugarcube! Ah'm sure everything'll be fine!"
But the rainbow-haired teen turned to her friend with a scowl.
"Yeah? Tell that to Derpy!"
The debate could have gone on for hours at that point, but, thankfully, it was interrupted altogether. For the girls all turned in unison to the distinct sounds of frantic footsteps. There, emerging from around the corner at the end of the hall, was a boy. He was their age, dressed in a lot of brown, and had the overall appearance of a traditional student, with the tie and everything. Atop his head was a mop of messy brown hair, and as he started walking closer to them, he was panting furiously.
"I'm...I'm...sorry...I'm late."
Folding her arms, Rainbow kept her angry look.
"Yeah...you are."
Her words were tinted with barely-repressed rage, as the boy could tell, judging from the very nervous look he bore when gazing upon her. Thankfully, Sunset was on hand, giving her companion a calming look, before turning to the boy herself.
"Turner, I'm sure she'll be happy you're here."
The boy looked from her, to the nearby door, before looking back to Sunset.
"Is...is the baby...?"
He didn't finish, but he didn't need to, as Sunset already knew what it was he intended to ask.
"No, not yet. But, from what we've heard, it'll be soon."
Panic now crossed the boy's face, as he once more stared at the door beside him. Another scream of pain emerged from behind it, catching him off-guard. But, soon afterwards, he looked back to Sunset, his face making it clear that he was asking silent permission. Smiling, Sunset nodded, and after nodding back, Turner opened the door. When it closed behind him, Sunset once more peered through that small window. His arrival already had an effect, as Derpy's face lit up, a smile now growing upon it. Turner too was smiling, and he walked over to be by her side. As for Flash, he finally let go of the girl, with Derpy giving him an appreciative look, which he gratefully returned. Now, it was Turner's turn to hold her hand, giving Flash the opportunity to leave, but not before giving Derpy one final, encouraging glance.
Sunset stepped to one side, allowing Flash to leave the ward, and once out, he closed the door before leaning against it, letting out a deep sigh. Slowly, Sunset walked up to him before speaking up.
"How is she?"
Flash considered that for a moment before looking to her, raising his hand and flexing his fingers slightly as he did so.
"Well, I can't feel my right hand anymore, so she's still got some strength in her."
A chuckled escaped Sunset at that, and she gave the boy a pat on the shoulder, which he smiled to.
"In all seriousness...she's doing alright. She's been in there for hours but...yeah, she's doing okay."
Sunset breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's good to hear. And...thank you for being there with her."
Flash nodded.
"I'm not the kid's Father, but...she shouldn't be in there without somebody beside her."
Sunset's smile widened, as did Flash's. But, both of them vanished when, all of a sudden, another scream came to remind them exactly what it was going on in there. It died down soon afterwards, thankfully, but, it was far from being the last. And so, the waiting began. Hour after hour passed, and everybody outside those doors felt nothing but concern and stress. They knew the girl on the other side was having a much worse time of it, but even so, that did little to make them feel any better. Quite the reverse, if anything. But, wait they did, and they counted the minutes as they passed them by. Pacing and heaving breathing and looks of uncertainty were abound in this long stretch, but, in the end, it all came to an end when, at last, Nurse Redheart emerged from the door, with eager eyes upon her from the youths gathered nearby.
"The delivery was a success," she said calmly with a smile.
The girls and Flash all looked to one another, clearly relieved to hear such news. Sunset, who's smile was perhaps wider than the others, took a step forward.
"How's Derpy? And the baby?"
Redheart bowed her head slightly, maintaining her smile.
"They're both fine, dear."
Sunset breathed a sigh of relief. Flash placed a hand upon her shoulder, and together, the two smiled to one another. Fluttershy, who, as one would expect, had been silent this whole time, now spoke up at long last.
"The baby, is...is it...what is it?"
Chuckling slightly at that rather nervous remark, Redheart glanced over her shoulder, to the delivery room, before looking back to them.
"It's a beautiful baby girl."
If anything, that news made the girls even more excited, as Pinkie-level grins were shared by pretty much all of them. Then, in a move similar to Turner not so long ago, Sunset glanced at the door behind Redheart, before then looking the latter in the eye. The nurse understood the message, and smiled sweetly, giving her a nod. Standing to one side, Redheart gestured to the door, and Sunset, looking to her friends, gave them all a nod before starting to move together. Slowly, they opened that door, peering inside. Derpy was there, looking very much exhausted from her ordeal. Her blonde hair even more unkempt than usual, and she was breathing heavily throughout. Turner was beside her, looking down at her with concern and joy in equal measure. But, it was what Derpy held that caught the girls' interest; a small pink bundle.
Carefully, the girls and Flash all moved into the room together, encircling the bed Derpy laid upon. Each of them peered over their nearest friend, hoping to get a look at the child, and Derpy, seeing this, let out as much of a giggle as her level of tiredness could allow. Slowly, she lifted the bundle, moving a particular flap of fabric aside, and here, all of them smiled sweetly at the face that greeted them. It was indeed a girl, even more tiny than they had been expecting. Like her Mother, she too bore blonde hair, by way of a small tuft atop her head. Right now, the child was sleeping soundly, so nobody dared make a noise, lest they wake her. But Derpy, looking to each and every one of those around her, broke the silence, speaking softly.
"Dinky. Her...her name is Dinky."
