With The First Breath Ever Drawn Also Comes The First Step In The World.
Screams filled the room as Angel lay on her back in the bed with two mares with here, one at her left holding her hoof, the other at the end of the bed. "You're doing wonderfully, child." The mare at the end of the bed said. Angel was in the final stages of labor and giving birth to another child. She took deep yet shallow breaths in between pushes while looking down over her swollen belly to the mare at her belly. If only her husband Zuro could be here to see this was her only wish right now.
Zuro was forced to flee from home due to rising suspicions of changeling activity, so he took their first child and left to where not even Angel knows. She was alone with the only friends she could possibly trust at this point in time. She knew this child would be another changeling hybrid like her last child, so she could not take the chance of having her family discovered in a hospital. She too would have to stay in hiding until her new child could transform at will before she could go back.
The cover story they could best come up with is Zuro left for a long business trip nearly across the world, which was a bit odd since he was merely a volunteer weather pony, but it paid off. Her cover story was to leave for a vacation where the baby could be born in a healthy environment, but she'd have to explain why she never came back until the child was much older. She would think of something later, For now, all she could think about was giving birth and the amount of energy she was losing through this process.
"One more push!" The mare stated. Angel scream out as she pushed again. Soon enough, she took deep breaths of relief as the pain began to subside. The mare at the end of the bed immediately gets to work cleaning a newborn, cutting the umbilical cord, physically separating the child from the mother. She stood with a bundle in her arms and a smile on her muzzle. "It's a boy" She smiled at Angel, earning a smile from Angel. She wished Zuro were here now more than ever.
The bundle was quiet and still for a long time, gradually increasing the concern in the three mares. Angel already had enough horrors in her life since she met her husband, a stillborn in these hard times would only cause more heartbreak than ever before. "Give him here." Angel said. The mare brought him over and passed him into her arms. She looked him over as he lay in her hold, eyes closed and body still. "Come to me, my child." She pleaded. The foal twitched. A spark of hope flooded her heart. "Come on, child." The foal gasp and began to cry, Angel's heart exploded with joy as she held her new son against her chest. The two mares smile at the two. They all look at the foal.
The first distinguishing feature about her son was his blue color. His scaly body was the exact shade of blue Zuro used as his original ponysona back when her first lived in Ponyville many years ago. His legs had no holes, which helped to feed the elusion he was more of a deformed foal at this stage instead of a changeling. His eyes were golden instead of the traditional changeling blue bug-eyes. His fangs were barely visible at all, almost non existent.
He looked up to her and cooed while reaching for her face. She leaned in with a tear-filled smile. "Hi, baby." She sobbed joyfully. He felt her muzzle curiously. After a couple seconds he cooed with what she could tell was a smile.
"What will you call him, darling?" The mare at her side asked. Angel looked him over a few times as she thought about the answer. She could call him Zuro Jr. after his father. She liked the idea, but somehow it didn't ring true for the foal in her arms. She thought about it for a few minutes as she held him up against her. He found what he was guiding him to and he latched on vigorously. She smiled at him as he started feeding.
"Perhaps we can call him, Fortem." Angel said. The mares smiled.
"Perfect." The first said.
"Very." The second agreed. All three of them smiled at Brave as he fed from Angel's teat.
Angel's only wish was for Zuro and their first child to be here to witness this. She knew and understood why it was not meant to be, but that did not change the fact.
~~)oOo(~~
Meanwhile in the mountains, where Zuro was with his family while they thought of ways to end this currently cold war against the ponies, and hopefully though peaceful means, Zuro looked out the window in the distance. The moon was full and bright, filling the horizon with Luna's beautiful work of art. But, surveying the scene was not the reason he tore his eyes from his planning with his parents and sister. It was at this moment he suddenly felt a warmth. Something that put a smile on his face. The first thing to come to mind was his wife, Angel, and at that moment he knew what had just happened.
He turned to the others. "Guys." He called. They all turn to face him curiously. He can't help but smile. "It's happened!" He said. At first they look confused. "She's given birth!" He clarifies. They smile before they cheer and embrace each other in a hug.
Angel had just given birth.
Before Gaining Wisdom One Must First Experience Ignorance.
Angel managed to move back into Ponyville with her two sons, Bluejoy and Fortem and her sister-in-law, Dili. Zuro was officially declared Missing In Action while covertly working for Princesses Celestia and Luna. The situation between ponies and changelings had been growing steadily worse over the years. Angel was upset she would not be able to see the one she loved for who knows how long and Fortem having the lack of a father to look up to did not fare any better.
Shortly after they family agreed Fortem was quite capable of transforming, Zuro left off to carry out his mission for the royal sister while Angel took her kids back to Ponyville. Dili had already spent her time in school and now they were back in Ponyville she spent a lot of time with the now marked, Cutie Mark Crusaders while helping Angel to maintain the household. Bluejoy, old enough to work, looked for a job while simultaneously getting his hirer education in to help his mother with the house. Fortem, however, was very mischievous. Constantly playing a friendly prank on his family and friends.
One day, Fortem was out and about. He was in the form of a green Pegasus with blue main and tail. No cutie mark dawned his flank, but that didn't bother him. His wings were small and weak, so he could barely fly a foot off the ground for more than a few seconds at a time. Of course, being a changeling and filled with so much love from his mother and family and friends he could fly around any time he wanted, but to maintain his guise he could not fly as well as he could. But, he did fly around a corner in front of someone while changing a few colors. When the victim ran around to investigate Fortem would have already found a good hiding place or changed to something that would never be noticed.
School was out, so no one questioned him not angering the school bullies with pranks, which occasionally earned him a few black eyes as a result, but more often than not he would be the one who got the worst of it from the bullies playing the crybaby and throwing all the blame on him. Today was boring for Fortem, because the bullies he loved to target were out of town for the week.
He turned a corner and spotted something that somehow has missed his attention the few months he lived in Ponyville. A long, serpent-like creature with mixed animal body parts, wings and horns atop a pony head. Fortem was mystified by this creature. "Who is that?" He asked himself.
"I'm Discord, spirit of disharmony." A voice said from behind making Fortem jump. Discord laughed. "Oh, you should see your face!" Fortem looked up with a scowl at first, but soon started laughing.
"Good one, Mr. Discord!" He laughed.
"Oh, no! That will never do!" Discord cried. Fortem looked up at him curiously. "Just call me 'Discord'." He smiled. Fortem smiled back.
"I take you for a master prankster." He said with a raised eyebrow. Discord was suddenly in a gentleman's suit with a well educated poster.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, young colt. I am a well mannered spirit." He turned his nose up. Fortem smirked and snickered. Discord smiled at the young colt before appearing behind him, lips next to his ear. "I know you're half changeling." He whispered. Fortem gasped and looked up at him. "Don't worry, Fortem, I won't tell anyone." Discord smiled.
"Hey!" Fortem said. "Aren't you the guy who turned all of Ponyville into an upside-down world?" Discord raised a brow.
"I am offended!" Discord turned his nose up. "How could you make such a ridiculous accusation?!" He then smiled at the colt. "Yes, but that was the old me." A second Discord with an evil look stood next to him. "I'm reformed now."
"But you still prank everypony, right?" Fortem asked excitedly.
"Maybe every now and again." Discord smiled. The two both put equally mischievous grins on their faces before flying off. He knew he would receive a lot of lashing from his mother, brother and aunt tonight, but it would all be worth it to spend an off day pranking the town with the infamous spirit of disharmony.
They started by heading to Sugar Cube Corner. Discord as an old brown unicorn with a blue suit, grey mane and tail with Fortem as his son, a litter brown coat with white mane and tail. They stepped up to the counter and rang the little bell. Mr. Cake come up with a welcoming smile. "Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner, what can I get for you?" Mr. Cake asked. Discord cleared his throat.
"My good sir," he began with a perfectly executed gentle-colt voice, "it is my son's birthday and we need a large cake for all the ponies in town." A flash of pink zoomed from the top of the stairs right to the counter.
"A cake for the whole town?!" Pinkie Pie scream asked. "Does that mean you'll need a big party planned?!" She bounced in front of the disguised discord before bolting around Fortem. "Wait a minute!" She raised a brow as she looked them both over again. "Oh!" She started laughing. "Good one, Discord." She giggle as she walked off. Fortem stood their looking shocked while Discord groaned.
"How did she-" Fortem began to ask before he was suddenly back into his Pegasus disguise.
"Pinkie Pie has an uncanny ability of knowing things before they happen which has counter most of my attempts to prank her for the last six years." Discord explained. Fortem awed at Pinkie as she smiled at them. Before Fortem could go talk to Pinkie, Discord guided him outside. "Well, there's nothing more for us to do here. Off to the next one!" They left out the door.
"Wait!" Pinkie called as she bolted out the doors. "You never told us who your new friend is!" She looked left and right only to see the other towns ponies enjoying their day. Pinkie huffed. "Darn it!"
