Bookends Part 2: Or Making Dreams Come True

Twilight and Cheerilee’s guests had a wonderful dinner. There were Shining Armor, Cadence, Applejack and Rarity. They’d moved into the main part of the library where the hostesses has set the sofas and chairs in a circle with a coffee table in the middle. On the table were wine glasses and some of Celestia’s best wine.

Everypony was suspicious of being buttered up for something.

“Okay Twily,” said Shining , “you said it was important. And I don’t think that the dinner, as good as it was, was what you were talking about.”

“You’re right,” said Twilight, “Cheeri and I need to ask a huge favor of all of you.”

“How big of a favor?” asked Cadence.

“We want help having foals,” said Cheerilee.

The silence was deafening.

“I’m ‘fraid to ask,” said Applejack, “but what help are you needin’?”

“It’s like this,” started Twilight, “there’re two procedures. The first is tried before the second, which can be more invasive for us.

They’re called Artificial Insemination and In Vitro Fertilization, or AI and IVF.

We could do this and use anonymous sperm donors, which gives us very little knowledge or control of what the foal could be. Or we can use volunteer donors.”

“Twilight and I talked, and please know that anything said here will stay here.” Said Cheerilee, “we thought long and hard about what ponies would be a good choice.

Shining Armor, you were my first choice. I know you and Cadence have decided to wait for children. And I want to have Twilight’s foal, but that’s impossible. So we thought we’d ask you. You’re a Sparkle and as close as we could come to being a substitute for Twilight. That is, if Cadence doesn’t mind us having your foal first.”

“So incase you ain’t noticed, Rarity and I are in the same predicament as you. Ain’t got the equipment.”

“We know that,” said Twilight and the others chuckling as well, “but as we talked, Cheeri and I came to the conclusion the father for my foal should be an Earth Pony, like her. And the best Earth Ponies I know are the Apple Family. I would’ve asked Big Mac, but it’s too soon after his and Rainbow’s wedding. And it’d be unfair to have his foal before Rainbow. Shining and Cadence are family and have decided to wait on foals. But even though Rainbow and Big Mac are close friends, this is different. So we wanted to know if you’d have a suggestion of which of the Apple’s might want to help.”

“Twi and I will leave the room and let you talk,” said Cheerilee, “if you feel the need to say no, please do so. Know we’ll not be hurt or upset at you. We know this is a lot to ask of you, even if you’re family and close friends.”

Twilight and Cheerilee got up and went up the stairs. Cheerilee saw that Twilight was quite nervous.

“It’ll be okay Sweetheart,” said Cheerilee nuzzling Twilight. “If they don’t want to help, well there’re plenty of other ponies out there.”

“I know Darling,” said Twilight. “It’s just I’m getting so excited about this and I don’t want anything to go wrong.”

After several minutes there was a voice calling up the stair;

“Twily, Cheeri,” called Shining, “will you come down here.”

The two mares kissed for luck and went back down.

Cheerilee and Twilight sat back down and held hooves.

“We’ve some questions,” said Shining, “what, if any, would be our responsibilities after the foal is born? Would this be a secret, would there be any legal issues?”

“What my husband is saying is, will we be able to see the foal, will it know it’s true father, and would you expect any support?

I want you to know I’m all for it. That way I can see what to expect before I get myself ‘knocked-up’ by the big lug!” Said Cadence giving Shining Armor a playful nudge.

“We’ve looked into all of this and a contract was suggested,” said Twilight, “everything would be spelled out. Unless the biological father requests it, the foal will know who the father is. There would be reasonable visitation allowed and encouraged. The cost of the procedure and the cost of bring up the children would be ours alone. As for my foal, the foal will be a Sparkle, not Apple. There’s one proviso, should both of us die, we’d like the fathers or their family to step in and finish raising the foal or foals.

“Cheeri, Twily, we’d be happy to help,” said Shining. “Just be careful, the first time Cadence or mom holds either foal, you might not get it back.”

All the ponies laughed.

“Twilight Darling,” said Rarity, “Applejack and I agree Big Mac would be perfect, but too soon. But there’s a cousin we think would be a good choice. And we’re pretty sure he’d agree.”

“Y’all know Hayseed Turnip Truck right?” said Applejack, trying not to laugh.

All the gathered ponies looked at AJ shocked.

“Ouch!” exclaimed Applejack.

“Darling, this is serious,” said Rarity, who’d just delivered a respectable love tap. “Forgive what my partner claims is a sense of humor.

You remember Braeburn Apple, don’t you?”

“I know Braeburn, he’d be a perfect choice, if he agrees. Should I approach him or would you?” asked Twilight.

“I’ll talk to him and his marefriend,” said Applejack, still rubbing her shoulder where Rarity had whacked her.

“Good,” said Twilight. “We have pamphlets explaining the procedures, about the collection process and what to do or not do before the collection process. Applejack please give one to Braeburn if he agrees. Then let us know what he says so we can make an appointment.”

Braeburn was happy to help, he remembered Twilight from when they helped the Appleloosens and the Buffalo settle their differences. He considered it’d be an honor to give a child to so important of a pony. His marefriend was more than happy to help with the collection process.

Basically either stallion would collect the sample by ‘manual manipulation’, or with a natural collection process with use of a special condom without lubricant or spermicide.

Meanwhile, Cheerilee and Twilight had to take medications to make them more fertile. As it happened, both mares’ cycles were almost exactly the same, within days. So they were able to go through the procedure at the same time.

It was a couple of weeks until the procedure. Both Cheerilee and Twilight thought they’d burst. It was most of their talk when they were together and on their minds when they were apart.

The weeks passed and Twilight and Cheerilee did survive the anticipation.

On the day of the procedure, Braeburn and his marefriend, Cactus Flower, and Shining and Cadence were taken back to private rooms for the collection process. When they were finished, they came out and wished the couple luck. They departed to let Twilight and Cheerilee to go through the procedure.

“Twilight and Cheerilee Sparkle?” said a voice.

“Yes,” replied both mares.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes!”

“Follow me, I’ll be your doctor for this procedure. Just a quick question, are you wanting to do this in private or with each other?”

“My wife and I’d like to do this together.” Said Twilight.

“Wife?” said the doctor, “I’m sorry, I assumed you to be sisters or sister-in-laws. But that’ll be no problem. We have a room ready.”

There was a clean clinical room with a procedure bed in the middle. The doctor explained the procedure how the sample would be delivered and it wouldn’t take long.

“We have some concerns,” said Twilight, “first, we need to be assured that I get the correct donation. My wife’s is from my brother and it’d be awkward in the future to explain how I had my brother’s foal. I love my brother, but the thought is creepy.”

“I can understand that,” chuckled the doctor.

“Second, can we have this done at the same time.

And third, can we apply the donation so it’s we who impregnates the other.”

“We’d have it no other way.” Said the doctor with a smile.

A second bed was brought in and placed in the opposite direction. Twilight and Cheerilee were instructed to get on the bed and put their hind legs in the stirrups. Then there were moved so that their hips were across from each other, then the doctor took the loaded the delivery devices after checking with Twilight to make sure they were using the correct samples.

The doctor inserted a tube into their marehoods, they could feel them manipulating the tube to go through the cervix. When both were in place, the doctor handed the end with the syringe, which would blow the sample into their wombs to the other mare.

“Whenever you’re ready,” said the doctor, “I’ll be right outside the door.”

The doctor left the room, Twilight and Cheerilee looked into each other’s eyes.

“Now’s the time to back out, if you’re not sure.” Said Cheerilee.

“I want this more than almost anything,” said Twilight. “Let’s do it at the same time. On three?”

“No Darling,” said Cheerilee with a smile, “on ‘I love you’.”

Twilight smiled.

“Ready?” asked Twilight

“Ready,” said Cheerilee.

“I - Love – You,” they said together.

They pushed in the plunger. It was almost anti-climatic, they really didn’t feel anything.

But they could see in each other’s eyes an excitement of promise.

“Doctor,” called Cheerilee.

The doctor came in the room.

“All done?” asked the doctor, the two mares nodded.

“Good,” said the doctor, “I’ll remove the equipment and I’d like to have you two just lay there for an hour, to make it easier on the sperm.”

The doctor removed the tubes and then pushed Twilight’s bed around to be side by side with Cheerilee, then he left.

“It’s done My Love,” said Cheerilee

“I hope, we won’t know for a few weeks.” Said Twilight.

“Let’s have faith,” said Cheerilee.

“In your dream, do you remember what the foals were?” asked Twilight.

“They were two fillies,” said Cheerilee, “I don’t think I remember if they were Earth, Unicorn or Pegasus Ponies.”

“That’s right,” said Twilight, “your parents are Pegasi.”

“Do you think it’ll hurt the ‘samples’ if we were to kiss?” asked Cheerilee.

“I think we can risk it,” said Twilight.

They kissed and just lay there holding hooves. They talked about what they were going to have to do to the library to make up a nursery.

The doctor came back in and told them it was okay to do normal things. They didn’t have to be too worried yet. He did tell them however, if everything went well, it was a good bet they were now pregnant.

Twilight and Cheerilee both got a shiver of thrill at the word.

The following weeks went by too slow. Cheerilee had school to distract her most of the time and Twilight tried to bury herself in her work. But at night they lay in bed just talking about foals.

One morning about six weeks after the procedure, Twilight had gotten up early to make breakfast. It was a light breakfast because she and Cheerilee weren’t too hungry in the mornings lately.

Cheerilee was finishing up in the bathroom brushing her teeth and was going back into the bed room when her stomach told her to turn around. She made a beeline to the toilet and heaved her guts.

Twilight heard a noise and called up to her love to see what’s wrong. She heard Cheerilee throwing up, the sound set off something. Twilight never had a queasy stomach and even took the time when both the cake’s foals spit up in her face without incident.

But this set off something, Twilight ran to the downstairs bathroom and found herself throwing up as well.

The realization hit both mares about the same time. As soon as their stomach would allow they sought out the other.

“Did you just get sick?” asked Cheerilee.

“Yes, I heard you too!” said Twilight.

“I’ll go get Blueberry to substitute for me today and meet you at the doctor’s office.”

Cheerilee took off to find the substitute while Twilight got Spike up and told him to gather their friends and to wait at the library.

The two mares had given urine samples and now they sat in the doctor’s waiting room. They were holding hooves, afraid to say anything about their suspicions. Twilight and Cheerilee were too intelligent to be superstitious, but on something this important, they didn’t want to jinx it.

A nurse stuck her head out of a door.

“Mrs. Sparkle?”

“Yes,” both mares answered.

The nurse looked at the paperwork, lifted a page and saw another name.

“Okay, both of you come back, the doctor will see you now.”

Cheerilee and Twilight sat on the exam bed, hind legs dangling over the side, they were holding hooves and could feel the other tremble.

The doctor came in and looked at the two and smiled.

“So how are you two this morning?” she asked.

“That depends on what you have to say,” said Cheerilee.

“I can understand that,” said the Doctor with a chuckle, “so I’ll just cut to the chase.

Cheerilee Sparkle, congratulations, you’re with foal!”

Cheerilee and Twilight gave a squeal of glee and grabbed each other and hugged.

“However, I’m sorry to tell you, but the test was negative for you Storm Cloud.”

Twilight’s heart dropped but then it hit her.

“Wait a minute. My name’s Twilight Sparkle.”

“Oh! In that case, congratulations Twilight Sparkle, you’re with foal as well.

I love pulling that joke,” said the doctor.

Cheerilee and Twilight walked to the door, Cheerilee said to Twilight;

“Let the doctor down gently Honey, I’m sure she has better things to do than be stuck to the ceiling all day.”

Cheerilee and Twilight walked home in shock. The two entered the library.

All their friends looked as nervous as they’d been.

Every eye was on them.

“Well?” asked Rainbow Apple.

“WE’RE PREGNANT!” they shouted together.

There were cheers and hugs all around along with Rainbow kidding they had to upstage her, but they reminded her they got married before her.