One crisp autumn morning, the moon shined in through a large window in the back of a decent-sized room with purple carpet covering the floor. Inside a queen-sized canopy bed, snug underneath a giant purple comforter lay Twilight Velvet. She woke with a jolt as she felt something kick within her. Twilight Velvet groaned a bit as she peered over the blanket to view the large bulge in the center of the bed.She grumbled, "Sounds like you're ready to get up.”
She turned to see that Night Light was still sound asleep next to her with his head lying on a soft white pillow, a content smile upon his face. Still groggy from being woken up by the foal inside of her, Twilight muttered, “Looks like your father gets to sleep in.” She yawned and stretched her front legs in the air, then gently lifted the comforter from her body, revealing the bulge itself. She was well in her third trimester with a very swollen belly. She sighed as she gently maneuvered herself out of the bed and onto the floor. Wiping her eyes with a hoof, she walked to her bathroom and closed the door behind her. She looked in the mirror to see the bags under her eyes and the wrinkles that were starting to form. She opened the medicine cabinet and took out some vitamins as she thought, “Sometimes I wonder if being a mother is worth all of this...”
She imagined what she looked like in her youth. Young and cute, with her silky purple and white mane full of energy. She then proceeded with her routine and left the restroom and silently crept through the dark room. She walked down through the hall to another bedroom. This one was smaller with a dark blue carpet, a toy chest, and a small window with a telescope right next to it. On a small bed deep beneath a blue comforter was a small colt with a white coat and a small crop of blue for a mane that fell over his stubby horn. Much to her surprise, he wasn't sleeping. As he lifted his head to look at her, she heard him whisper, “Mom, is that you?”
Twilight Velvet came over to the bed and whispered, “Yeah it’s me, why are you up?”
He whispered back, “I don't know, for some reason I can't go back to sleep.”
Twilight Velvet sat on the edge of his small bed. He clambered out and crawled over to his mother and gave her a hug. She hugged him back then lifted her son into her lap. He nuzzled into her chest then out of curiosity he touched her exposed belly and asked, “Mama? is she going to come out soon?”
Twilight Velvet nodded. ”Yes honey, hopefully she’ll be here by the end of the week.” She saw Shining frown as he glanced away, so Twilight Velvet cooed, “Are you jealous?”
“No,” the little colt promptly responded.
Twilight Velvet looked at her son’s pout, knowing he was keeping something from her. She then started to tickle his side. He began to giggle as Twilight Velvet replied, “I know you’re lying Shiny.”
She continued to tickle him, turning his giggles into full-blown laughter until he sputtered, “Mom, I’m not.” She used both of her front hooves and tickled him on the bed as he burst into fits of laughter. He gasped, “Stop! Please, I’ll tell you the t-truth!” Twilight Velvet stopped tickling him as she let her son catch his breath, and after a few moments, he murmured, “I’m just scared for my little sister. What if she's in your tummy for too long?”
Twilight Velvet sighed, realizing Shining was just worried. She reassured him, saying, “Don't worry, the doctor said that it's better that the foal comes out on time.”
Shining with a questionable look asked. “Why?”
“Because she’ll be healthy,” she responded.
This made Shining smile. “You mean the longer she stays in the more healthy she’ll be?”
Twilight Velvet said, “Of course dear, everything is going fine.” He sighed in relief as his mom said with a chuckle, “Was that why you couldn't get back to sleep?”
He nodded and said, “Yeah, I was scared that my little sister was in trouble.”
Twilight Velvet kissed him on the forehead then said, “Well, I’m glad she’ll have you protecting her.” He nuzzled her muzzle then kissed her on the cheek. Twilight Velvet wrapped her forelegs around her son as she patted him on the back. As he slid back under the covers, she asked, “You're going to sleep?”
“I'm still a bit tired,” Shining mumbled as he dug under his covers.
Twilight Velvet got up and saw that his doll Brutus Force was on the ground. She picked it up and slipped it in his hooves, then kissed him on the forehead as she whispered, “Alright, but I’m going to have to get you up soon for school, alright?”
He kissed her on the cheek one more time and whispered, “Night mom.”
Once again this time more slowly as his eyelids drooped, Twilight Velvet sighed and pondered, “I wonder how long he was up worrying?” She left the room quietly and felt another kick, making her groan again as she whispered, ”Alright, i'll get something to eat.
Wondering where his wife had gone to late at night, Night Light strode into the kitchen with bleary eyes. The morning sun streamed in through the windows as his vision began to clear. The table was covered with pancakes, scrambled eggs, hash browns, cereal boxes, a couple mugs of tea and coffee, and a jug of orange juice. Twilight Velvet was busy setting the table as a bewildered Night Light asked, “Wow honey, what’s all this for?”
“I don’t know, I just felt like having a big breakfast this morning.”
Night Light sat at the table as Twilight Velvet brought him a plate of food. Then she sat down and began to dive in. Night Light just smiled, watching his wife eat in a frenzy, then asked, “So I’m guessing the cravings are to blame?”
She nodded and swallowed her food then said, “You have no idea. I feel like I've been starving for weeks.”
Twilight Velvet then paused and rubbed her belly, letting the food she ate digest. Night Light then whispered, “Any contractions?” in a worried tone.
“Yeah I had a few last night.” She gargled her tea.
Night Light continued in the same worried tone, “ Are you still taking the vitamins?” As Twilight Velvet rolled her eyes and responded with a annoyed sigh, “Of course dear.”
“How about those calcium pills? The doctor-” Night Light pestered.
“Honey! The foal and I are perfectly fine,” Twilight Velvet retorted sternly.
Night Light bowed his head with his ears drooping, then whispered, “I’m sorry, I didn't mean to be irritable. I'm just worried for you and the foal. “
Twilight Velvet feeling a bit apologetic replied, “Honey, I’m not angry. But you have to understand I'm not fragile.”
“Isn't my job to worry?” Night Light joked with a sly grin.
Twilight Velvet eyes drooped and she looked at the ground as she sighed. “Sometimes I feel all we do is worry.”
Night Light gave his wife an apologetic smile as he said, “How are you feeling this morning?”
Twilight Velvet looked up lovingly at her husband and said, “I’m doing fine. But something has been bothering me.” She took a deep breath, drank the rest of her tea, and continued, “Look, I’m not complaining but have you ever thought about how our lives would be easier without foals?”
Night Light paused. “What do you mean?”
Twilight Velvet continued, “Remember when Shining was a foal? We got barely any sleep, you had to take days off work and I had to stop writing for six whole months before I could get him into foal care. Not only that, we spent a quarter of our budget on foal supplies and day care. Now we're going to do that all over again and I’m just thinking about all the stress and just hoping she wi...will...”
Then all of a sudden Twilight Velvet burst into tears. Night Light went around the table and hugged her as he cooed, “I get it.”
“No, you don't,” Twilight Velvet choked.
Night Light bowed his head and asked, “Do you think I wanted to go to work when we had Shining? It killed me every day when I had to go and then come home only to find that he was already asleep.”
She let go of her husband and wiped her tears as she responded,“ I'm sorry I'm being selfish.”
Night Light kissed his wife and held the embrace for a good few minutes as he whispered, “Nah, you're just tired and stressed.” Night Light then lightly kissed her on the cheek as he went back to his seat. Twilight Velvet continued to eat, then Night Light asked, “She’s going to adore you and she’ll be proud that she has such a strong and lovely mother.”
Twilight Velvet blushed. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll have some love for you.”
“Thanks alot!” Night Light said with a snicker. Then the two laughed for a good few minutes.
Twilight Velvet sipped her milk again as she added, “Shining's been under a lot of stress as well.”
Night Light paused, “What do you mean?”
Twilight Velvet met her husband’s gaze and with a chuckle cooed, “He was up all night thinking that his sister was in trouble because she was in my tummy for so long.” Night Light gave a dawww as Twilight Velvet giggled again. Then she continued, “Yeah it was cute. It reminded me when he asked if he could protect Cadence at the Grand Galloping Gala.”
“Cadence... you mean Celestia's niece?” Night Light responded with wide eyes.
Twilight Velvet gasped as she looked back at her husband, “Wait, he never told you?”
Night Light shook his head and asked, “No, what happened?”
Twilight Velvet blushed as she said, “Well you know we were at the Gala two weeks ago and Cadence was there in a small ball dress looking adorable as ever. Shining with all of his courage went to her and talked with her for some time.”
Night Light’s mouth dropped. “Our son talked to a princess?”
Twilight Velvet laughed and had to regain her composure before she could respond. “He even asked me if he could be her knight one day.”
Night Light squirted coffee from his nose as he burst out laughing. “That’s our Shiny!” Night Light then looked around and asked, “Is Shining up yet?”
She groaned as she rubbed her forehead. “Great I almost forgot to wake him up.” She shouted, “Shining, time to get up!”
“Alright mom!” a small colt’s voice shouted back.
A few minutes later Shining trotted down the hall with bags under his eyes. He yawned as he clambered on the seat and dug into a bowl of cereal. Night Light shouted, “Shining, where are your manners?”
Shining woke with up a little bit more with a jolt, then he remembered. “Sorry, morning Dad.” He then turned to Twilight Velvet and said. “Good morning, Mom.”
Twilight Velvet gave her son a warm smile and said, “It’s fine dear now go ahead, dig in.”
Shining nodded and continued to eat. Then Night Light asked, “So Shining, you were up late last night?”
Shining paused with a spoonful of cereal in his mouth. He swallowed as he muttered in a nervous tone, “Yeah, I was scared that something was wrong with my little sister.”
Night Light sighed then said, “Shining, there's nothing to be scared about. Your sister is going to be fine.”
Shining looked at his dad and mumbled, “I know... Mom told me.” He then looked at his mom and stuttered, “I a-a-actually ha-ha-have a question. How did my sister end up in your tummy?”
Twilight Velvet blushed as Night Light choked on his food. Twilight Velvet gave Night Light a nervous grin. Then Night Light shook his head. Twilight Velvet smiled at Shining and said, “Well sweetie, that's something your father will have to talk to you about.”
Night Light groaned as Shining turned to his dad for the answer. Night light turned to his son and then as he was going to say something, Twilight Velvet felt a large contraction go through her. She moaned loudly as her body trembled and she held her stomach. Shining gasped as Night Light rushed over to his wife and asked, “Honey, are you okay!?” Then he saw the water leaking onto the floor.
Twilight Velvet could only watch as the lights overhead flew by as a nurse rushed her along on a gurney with her body heaving and pain swelling near her uterus. She knew that the foal was coming and would be here within a few hours. She was quickly placed in a sterile room and placed onto another hospital bed. Nurses flocked over her giving her advice and telling how brave she was being. But, all she wanted to do was punch one in the face and have them deliver a foal.
A nurse with a white coat, yellow eyes, and a gold and silver mane with a nurse’s cap peered over the table and asked, “Twilight Velvet you recognize me? I'm Nurse Gold Heart.” She then smeared gooey substance over her crotch. Twilight Velvet smiled and wheezed, “Yes... Gold Heart, thank you,” upon hearing the nurse’s sing-song voice. She thought back to all the visits and her help in delivering Shining into the world. The nurse quickly placed the wand on her stomach as she looked over to see that the dark shadow if the foal was facing head first on the monitor that sat next to the hospital bed. The nurse smiled at the screen and said, “Good... the foal’s ready to go.” She then quickly bent to her uterus.
Night Light walked to his wife’s side with a smile and said, ”It’s going to be okay... it’ll be just like with Shining.”
“I hope not! I was in labor for nearly twelve hours!” she screamed back.
The nurse got stern and shouted back, “Honey, I need you to concentrate!”
Twilight Velvet looked back at the nurse and nodded. She screamed as pain went through her body. As she pushed and pushed with every contraction coming back with white hot pain. She clenched her teeth and braced for the long painful experience.
After a few hours of an exhausting labor, her nurse shouted, “Honey, she’s almost out, just one more push!” Twilight Velvet screamed and pushed with everything she had, then a foal’s cry echoed throughout the room. The nurse then took the foal into her hooves as it squalled and cried. The nurse looked at her and said, “It’s a filly.”
Twilight Velvet choked up on tears as Night Light came over to the nurse’s side as she asked, “Would you like to cut the cord?”
Night Light took a pair of surgical scissors and cut through as Twilight Velvet looked at them with a expression of relief. Night Light came over to his wife’s side and kissed her and hugged her as she wept gently in his chest. The nurse took their foal to be cleaned as Twilight Velvet asked, “Was there any problems? Did she look okay?”
“She’s perfect and it looks like she took a lot from you,” Night Light chuckled back.
Twilight Velvet smiled then whispered, “I bet she'll be as stubborn as you.”
Then they turn to the nurse as she came to them with a pink bundle nuzzled into her chest. She replied, “Nine pounds, eleven ounces, and perfectly healthy. Congratulations.” She then handed the bundle into Twilight Velvet’s hooves.
Twilight Velvet peered at the face of her daughter with her soft purple mane and her small lock of purple with a pink strip and a pink bow tied around the top. Twilight Velvet kissed her on the forehead as Night Light asked, “What should we name her?”
Twilight Velvet looked her daughter sleeping snugly in her legs. Twilight Velvet replied, “Sparkle.”
Night light pondered for a few seconds, then muttered, “Just Sparkle?”
Twilight Velvet looked up. “Why not? Wasn't that your mother’s name?”
Night Light blushed and asked, “How about Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight Velvet looked at her daughter whimpering and squirming cradled in her mother’s forelegs. Twilight Velvet gave her little foal a loving smile and whispered. “Twilight Sparkle’s a perfect name.”
The nurse who was standing near the edge of the bed asked, “Want me to get Shining?”
Twilight Velvet smiled. “Yes please. Also thank you for everything.”
Nurse Gold Heart with curt nod replied, “Honey, seeing a mother with a newborn foal is all the thanks I need.” She then trotted out of the room and closed the door gently behind her.
The nurse came back with little Shining trotting by her side. The young colt looked at his mother holding the pink bundle. Twilight Velvet peeked over and cooed, “Come on, Shining, come see your new sister.”
Shining gulped as he trotted up to the bed. As he peeked over the side, he looked at his new baby sister who was so small. Her tiny body wiggled in his mother’s grasp as he asked with wide eyes, “What’s her name?”
Night Light whispered, “Twilight Sparkle.”
Shining giggled, “That’s a funny name.”
Twilight Velvet cooed, “Come on Shiny, climb on the bed.”
Shining clambered on the hospital bed and went next to his mother. He just gazed at his new sister for a long while watching her whimper and wiggle within her bundle of pink cloth. He then whispered, “She’s so small and tiny.”
Twilight Sparkle whimpered as her mother cooed and bounced her she then said, “You were like this once Shiny.”
Shining Looked at his dad and asked, “I was?”
Night Light nuzzled him and said, “You were a bit bigger... ten pounds and six ounces.”
The nurse replied, “Alright Night Light, Shining, it's quite late and I’m going to need Twilight Velvet to get her rest. You’re welcome to stay in the hospital, if you like.”
Night Light nodded and said, “Yes, that would be nice.” He then kissed his wife on the forehead and whispered, “Great job honey.”
She nuzzled his neck and whispered, “I couldn't have done it without you.”
Shining then kissed his mother on the cheek as he got down, then the nurse turned and said, “Congratulations.”
Twilight Velvet nodded with tears still in her eyes. The nurse then left as Twilight Velvet looked around and saw she was alone. She took her young foal and placed her next to her right teat. Twilight Sparkle latched on and began to suckle. Twilight Velvet smiled and felt a wave of euphoria washed over her as she smiled and cooed, “This is worth all the pain. This is worth being a mother.”
Shining was with his dad in a waiting room. He was underneath a blue sleeping bag. As Night Light lay down next to him, Shining sighed, “Dad... you think we worried too much?”
Night Light laughed and replied, “Yes Shining, I think we worried too much, but your mom and Twilight are both perfectly fine.”
“Alright... I’ll stop worrying. But you never told me about how foals are made?” Shining retorted with a stern expression.
Night Light sighed and said, “Well foals are made when a mare and a stallion love each other with a powerful passion. Then they lie together and make a foal.”
Shining asked, “Is that all?”
Night Light laughed a bit and said, “I can’t get into details but that’s the basic idea.”
Shining muttered, “Fine, I was just curious.” He then tossed in his sleeping bag and then nuzzled his father and said, “I’m just glad Twilight came out okay.”
Night Light held him close as he cooed, “I know Shining you're going to be great big brother.”
Shining then asked, “You think so? Even if i'm a bit overprotective?” Night Light kissed him on the head. “Of course, now get some sleep; we got a long day tomorrow.”
Shining nodded and snuggled into his sleeping bag. Night Light then cuddled next to him and continued to stroke his son’s mane lost in thought.
