Art of a Sun's Love Volume 1

It had been a couple of weeks since Flame Barrier had disappeared. Lullaby Strings found herself an emotional wreck. The only thing keeping her out of depression was little Flash Sentry, and she wanted to embrace every minute she spent with him as much as she could.

"Don't you worry, sweetheart," she'd tell him every night, "I promise things will be okay for you and your unborn sibling."

Early one June morning, Lullaby looked out of the window.

"It's such a fine day today," she said, "they even said the weather would be sunny today. I think I might go for a walk to clear my head."

Flash yawned and rubbed an eye.

"Oh, Flash," said Lullaby, stroking his hair, "you're still sleepy, aren't you?" Flash nodded sleepily.

"I can't leave you in here alone," said Lullaby, "someone could break in and hurt you. Would it be alright if I drop you off at Twilight Velvet's place?"

Once she got Flash in his stroller, Lullaby set off for the Sparkle family's home. On the way, they passed the park, when they noticed Icy Heart sitting on the bench, an obvious scowl on her face. Lullaby looked down at the blue haired woman's stomach - nine months into pregnancy.

"Good day, Icy Heart," said Lullaby.

"It isn't if you're me," Icy Heart grumped.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Lullaby.

"Take a guess," said Icy Heart, "I've been carrying this thing around for nine months and my mobility is limited!"

"Oh, your pregnancy," said Lullaby.

"I swear this stomach just keeps getting bigger every day," said Icy Heart, rubbing her stomach, "I'm gonna eventually explode if it keeps up."

"It's not gonna happen," said Lullaby, "your baby will come out soon enough - he or she, I'm not sure - and I should know."

"We're having a girl," said Icy Heart simply.

"Well, I hope you enjoy raising a daughter," said Lullaby.

"Oh!" said Icy Heart, putting a hand on her stomach, "It's kicking up a storm in there." She then spoke to her stomach. "Hey! Settle it down, will you? You'll damage something in there."

Lullaby giggled. "That's what happens if you're pregnant; if the baby's kicking, it means that he or she - the latter, in your case - can't wait to come out."

"Glad I'm not the only one," Icy Heart chuckled.

"Well, I'll be going now," said Lullaby, "nice talking to you."

"Hmph. Yeah, sure."

Lullaby was just ready to leave when...

"Oh!" Icy Heart cried out, clutching her stomach as a slash was heard. Flash let out a noise of confusion; Lullaby knew what Icy Heart's scream meant.

"Where's Noble Shield?" she cried.

"He's at work!" said Icy Heart through the pain, "I'm going to burst!"

"I better call him then!" exclaimed Lullaby. Why is she even outside in the first place, and why did he choose today to be at work rather than be with his wife? she thought. However, she didn't have time to think about those questions in her head as Icy Heart was about to become a mother. Lullaby quickly got out her cellphone and called Noble Shield.

"Noble Shield, this is Lullaby Strings!" she said, "I'm at the park with Icy Heart. She's having the baby right now!"

"What, *now?!***" he cried over the phone.

"Yes!" said Lullaby, "Why didn't you ask for the day off to be with her?"

"One of my co-workers was sick and I was the only one available to cover for him," said Noble Shield.

So that co-worker had to catch a cold around the same time Noble Shield became a father? Lullaby thought with annoyance. "If you get out of work, we'll meet you at the hospital," she said.

"Alright," said Noble Shield, "I'll try and get done as fast as I possibly can."

"Don't worry, Icy Heart," said Lullaby Strings, "we'll get you to the hospital."

"Well, hurry it up!" cried Icy Heart in pain, "I swear, if my husband isn't there when the baby comes out, I will kill him!" Perhaps it was lucky for Flash that he didn't hear Icy Heart's threat as Lullaby had covered his little ears.

Lullaby took out her phone and made another call.

"Hey Twilight; it's me, Lullaby."

"Something wrong, Lullaby?" asked Twilight Velvet.

"Icy Heart's water broke," explained Lullaby, "her baby's coming right now! Can you give us a lift to the hospital?"

"Where are you?"

"At the park."

"Night Light will be driving by there. I'll call him and have him pick you up."

"Thanks, Twi; you and your husband are lifesavers."

"Think nothing of it, my friend."

Within a few minutes, Night Light drove up and honked the horn to alert the two women of his presence.

"Quickly, get in!" he called.

Icy Heart was carefully loaded into the car. Once she was strapped in, Night Light drove off. As Lullaby had Flash in a stroller and there wasn't any time to put both in, they stayed behind and waved goodbye and good luck until the car was out of sight.

"Oh, I do hope they make it in time," said Lullaby to herself.

Icy Heart was quite hard to tame on the way to the hospital.

"Can't this stupid heap of junk go any faster?" she asked.

"Just remain calm," said Night Light, "we'll be there soon."

"Easy for you to say!" snapped Icy Heart, "I feel like I've got a time bomb in my stomach and it's bound to blow at any moment!"

"Oh, relax," chuckled Night Light, "you're just exaggerating."

"I'll give you 'exaggerating'!"

Suddenly, Icy Heart reached over to try and grab Night Light's throat. He applied the brakes hard before he drove out of control.

"Sweet Jesus, lady! Have you lost your mind?!" he asked, "I'm not your husband!"

"I know that!" snapped Icy Heart, "But he's not here right now! Now you better get moving or else I'll break that gear stick clean off and *shove it down your throat!***" she shrieked.

Night Light winced in fright, but he continued driving before Icy Heart could break something.

At least Twilight didn't display that sort of behavior when Shining Armor was born, he thought worriedly.

Before long, they arrived at the hospital just as Noble Shield was pulling in.

"Thank goodness," gasped Night Light as he got out, "I swear, Noble, your wife was crazy the whole time!"

"Thank you for bringing her here," said Noble Shield.

"And about bloody time too!" snapped Icy Heart.

"See what I mean?"

They got Icy Heart to the help desk and got the receptionist's attention.

"My wife's about to have her child!" exclaimed Noble Shield, "She could burst at any given moment!"

"Don't worry," said the receptionist, "we'll get her ready."

"Yeah, you better!" shouted Icy Heart, "I can't take this damned pain any longer!"

They got Icy Heart in a wheelchair and wheeled her off to the maternity ward.

"I didn't know a pregnant woman could burst if she didn't give birth," said a rather ditzy nurse.

"It's an exaggeration," said Noble Shield.

Eventually, everything was ready to deliver the baby.

"You did this to me!" screamed Icy Heart in pain as she clutched her husband's hand.

"I'm really sorry I got you in this pain, honey," said Noble Shield.

"No, you're not!" snapped Icy Heart, "You're happy that I'm fat and in pain. You don't love me!" She then broke down sobbing.

After hours of labor, the work was finally done on June 12, 1996 at 8:25 PM, when the sound of a baby crying filled the room.

"Congratulations," said a doctor, "it's a healthy little girl."

"Thank goodness all of that is over!" snapped Icy Heart, "I nearly had a heart attack forcing that thing to come out!"

A nurse wrapped the baby in blankets and brought her to the new parents. Noble Shield held the baby in his arms and smiled warmly; she had soft red hair with yellow streaks in it.

"Isn't she so precious?" he asked in a calm tone.

"Guess she is rather cute," said Icy Heart, tickling the baby's nose a bit. Then, the baby began to squirm as she opened her eyes, revealing to be cyan in color.

"Hello, precious," said Noble Shield, "I'm your daddy, and this lady over here is your mother."

"What are you going to name her?" asked the doctor.

Noble Shield looked out of a window; the sun was already setting, which gave him the idea to name his newborn daughter...

"Sunset Shimmer," he said.

"Alright," said the doctor, as a nurse wrote the name on the birth certificate, "Sunset Shimmer it is."

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Noble Shield looked down at Sunset and gently stroked her cheek, making her smile and laugh. Then suddenly, Sunset began to cry. Thinking she needed some motherly comfort, Noble Shield handed her over to Icy Heart, who gently patted her on the head.

"It'll be fine dear," she said sweetly, "we're here for you."

That evening, Lullaby had just finished changing Flash's diaper when the telephone rang.

"Hello?" she called after picking up the receiver.

"Hello Lullaby," said a voice on the other line, "it's Noble Shield."

"Oh, hello, Noble," said Lullaby, "how's Icy Heart? Is your baby okay?"

"They're both fine," said Noble, "we've named our new daughter Sunset Shimmer."

"That is such a beautiful name," said Lullaby.

"Would you like to see her once we're out of the hospital?" asked Noble Shield.

"Oh, I'd love to!" smiled Lullaby, "Maybe Flash could make a new friend, as well as my second child whenever he or she comes out."

"That would be adorable," said Noble Shield.

"Well, thank you for the information," said Lullaby, "I have to get off the line now. I'll talk to you soon."

"Alright, bye."

With that, Lullaby hung up the phone.

"Did you hear that, Flash?" she said to her little one, "You might have a new friend."

Flash squealed in delight at the idea.

"Fwiend," he said.

"That's right," chuckled Lullaby as she picked up her little one. "Hard to imagine," she mused to herself, "we've been going through rough times these past two months, and now it looks as though our fortunes are finally starting to turn round."

After she put Flash in his crib, Lullaby then looked out the window and saw a mother bird in her nest feeding her babies.

"I guess good fortune eventually follows on to others," she said. She then kissed Flash goodnight and closed the bedroom door.