Sunset Shimmer: Student of Magick

The male club was returning from the yard by the time the female club ended their hug. Both groups were chatting amiably, talking of everyday life as though the pregnancy were not a big deal. Perhaps to them it was not, being just another happy event, the payoff for which was yet to come, much like Christmas. A tiny part of Sunset wondered if her own parents had ever been similarly pleased at the thought of her birth, but she dismissed the idle curiosity as quickly as it appeared. Dwelling on it at all would sadden her, and Sweetie Belle was acutely aware of others' moods; Sunset did not want to bring down her friend yet again.

As she tuned back into the conversation, Chip was saying, "-so then I realised that it was swapping pixels. It took a while to figure out-" when Sweetie Belle gasped and exclaimed, "That's it."

Both Sunset and Love Tap winced, causing Sweetie Belle to spend two seconds looking apologetic. When she noticed that she had everyone's attention, she explained, "For the baby's name. If she's a girl, her name should be Pixel. Then she could be Pixie, too. That would be adorable."

"That sounds great, Sweetie Belle," Button replied, "But don't you think the baby should have a second name? We both do." He shuffled nervously, glancing at his father and brother. "Not that there's anything wrong with having a single name."

"Button, don't worry about offending us," Chip said, clapping each of his sons on the shoulder. "Gibson's name worked well alone, but yours just didn't feel complete. You and Sweetie Belle have plenty of time to think about it."

"Like five whole months, right?" the boy asked, glancing at Sweetie Belle.

"The baby's already at four months?" Chip started, but stopped when he caught his wife's negative hand wave. "Well, that just means we won't have to wait as long to play with the newest member of the family. Any thoughts on a good second name?"

They all thought for a moment, then Sunset had an idea. "What about Pixel Bit?"

Chip said, "I see what you're suggesting. Pixels are the smallest unit of an image and bits are the smallest units of data. You have my approval."

"I think it's up to the parents," Love Tap objected with a grin. "But I do think that would be a good name. Plus, 'Bit' would work for boy or girl."

"I like it," Button replied.

"'Pixel Bit'." Sweetie Belle repeated the name a couple times, as though testing it. "I like it, too. A girl will be Pixel Bit. We'll have to think of a boy's name." Her stomach rumbled, causing her to blush. "I think we're both getting hungry. We can talk about a boy's name later."

"With all this excitement, I'm not surprised. Come on, everyone, let's go out for dinner." Love Tap put an arm each around Sweetie Belle and Sunset Shimmer. "The whole family."

They drove separately so that Sunset and Sweetie Belle could go straight to their flat after dinner. Ruby Tuesday was their destination, at Chip's suggestion, a nice all-around family restaurant. They arrived early, avoiding the rush, and were seated immediately.

When they had ordered, Sunset excused herself to go to the restroom. Love Tap honoured the age-old tradition of going with her. Sunset had never understood the reason for women going together, but she did not mind the company. She had become accustomed to it primarily because of Rarity and Fluttershy and was expecting to have at least one private conversation. There would likely be several more in the months to come.

Love Tap did not disappoint. "Do either of Sweetie Belle's friends know about this?"

"Not yet. They're coming over tomorrow."

"I hope they'll still be her friends afterward. Even if they support her, their families may not want them to associate. It would devastate her if that happens, and that will be especially bad for her health and the baby's."

"She's been so on-edge about telling everyone that I've been getting a little worried about her stress levels. I can't blame her; I was there when she told her parents. They were going to ship her off and force her to, uh ... 'take care of it'."

Love Tap shook her head sadly. "I'm just glad she had you there for her. Now she has us on her side, too. We'll just have to go forward and make sure both Sweetie Belle and the baby have as much love and support as we can give them."

Love Tap surveyed the restroom before leaning closer to Sunset and speaking quietly.

"I don't suppose you know why this happened? I know they've been close ever since they met, but...."

"I haven't asked. With everything else, it just never seemed like the right time."

"That's perfectly understandable. It's just ... I blame myself. If I hadn't left them alone so often, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation."

Sunset felt her danger sense activate as she noted that Love Tap held anger, though it was only a small part of her. While she had forced herself to be pleased about the baby, it seemed she was showing her true colours. The fact that Love Tap had not said anything inappropriate to Sweetie Belle stayed the teen's response to allow Love Tap to explain herself.

"Don't get me wrong," she continued. "I may not have expected this, but I'm not going to cast out part of my family just because it's 'too soon.'"

"Then why do you seem angry?"

Love Tap frowned. "I'm hoping that you're especially perceptive, not that I'm making myself easy to read. I won't lie and say I'm not upset with those two, and I'm sure they realise that, but I don't want them to see it.

"I'm mostly just disappointed in myself. I put too much trust in them, I guess, even though this could have happened whether I was watching them all the time or not."

"So you're just going to pretend that everything is fine? Smile and hide that you're actually pissed? I agree that they probably know, and I appreciate you want to put on a good face, but I don't want someone snapping later."

"Let me explain like this: They are going to need to understand how difficult this will be, but shouting and punishment isn't going to accomplish that. If we had caught them before the baby came along, I would have had some very stern words for them. It's too late for that, and I'm one of those who believe that babies sense the world around them even before they're born, so I don't want my grandchild's perception of me to be someone who loses her temper over something that can't be changed.

"On top of that, I want to handle this carefully. I'm proud that Button wants to take responsibility, and I admire Sweetie Belle's courage. They need support, not anger, if they're going to be good parents. The last thing I want is for them to resent each other or the baby.

"I know Chip will be having several very long talks with Button, and I'd like to do the same with Sweetie Belle, if you'll let me, since her mother doesn't want to be in the picture."

Sunset nodded. She wanted to trust the woman next to her, but it was hard to do. "I just don't want her to get hurt."

Love Tap's expression softened. "Neither do I. It's going to happen, even if no one else disowns her, once the reality of having a baby sinks in, but I think I can help soften it. Will you trust me?"

"Mrs. Love Tap, I promised Sweetie Belle that I'd take care of her as best I can. I don't have any experience with this, and I don't really know anyone who does. Since I can't help her with that, I'll trust you to do it."

Love Tap hugged her, and gave her a gentle pat on the back. "Thank you, Sunset. I know what it's like to have to worry about someone else, and I'm glad you care enough to want to make sure I won't mistreat Sweetie Belle.

"And you can drop the 'Missus.' You're an adult, and you're basically my counterpart for Sweetie Belle."

They shared a chuckle, Sunset in particular amused by the idea of being Sweetie Belle's mother.

"We should get back. Button probably thinks we're plotting something."

When they returned to the table, Love Tap announced that she and Sunset had completed their plans for world domination. Though Sunset cringed internally, she was able to laugh with the others. It helped that when Button replied with "I knew it," he seemed completely serious.

Most of the dinner conversation was light-hearted talk of the baby. They joked about diaper changing and messy feedings. Chip added that he had yet to know a baby that did not produce its own body mass in drool. Gibson surprised them when he confessed that he wanted to see the baby squeezing fingers, as he remembered playing with Button's grasping reflex when his brother was a newborn. As they talked about possible names for a boy, they began sharing their thoughts on the baby's gender.

"I'd really like a girl," Sweetie Belle said. She flushed, looking guiltily at Button Mash. "But there's nothing wrong with being a boy."

"I kinda figured you'd hope for a girl," Button replied.

"I promise that I won't love the baby less if it's a boy."

Love Tap put a hand on her shoulder. "Now that the boys are old enough, I can say that I would have liked to have a girl, but they know that I don't love them any less just because neither of them was. Right, boys?"

Both of them affirmed her words.

"Don't feel guilty for hoping for a girl. I promise that we all know you're going to love it either way."

"I'm hoping for a nephew, but I'll be an awesome uncle either way."

"What are hoping for, Button?" Sunset asked. She was only passingly curious, but both of his parents also turned their attention to the boy.

He only shrugged, though he was excited as he replied, "I'm just looking forward to having another gaming buddy. Me, Sweetie Belle, and the baby will all get to play together."

Most of the table laughed. Sweetie Belle responded, "The baby won't be a baby by the time she - or he - is old enough to play."

"I know, but it feels weird to say 'me, Sweetie Belle, and the kid.'"

When the evening was done, the newly formed family made their way to their homes. A check of Sweetie Belle's emotions showed that she was doing much better, though some fear and guilt still remained.

Sunset chose not to mention it. She used her magick on both of them to put them into a deep, dreamless sleep. They woke ready for the final major confrontation.

The girls began to arrive in the late morning. Scootaloo was with Rainbow Dash, and Apple Bloom walked to the farm with her big sister. Sunset waited for them in the lawn, and observed the older girls' surprise to see one another as they each arrived.

They said little as the Crusaders rushed into the flat to see their friend, both of them displaying some nervousness over Sweetie Belle's recent behaviour. When the younger girls were gone, Sunset gathered her friends. They sat on the grass away from the house.

"Okay, first off, I have to apologise for lying to each of you to get you here. I had to make sure you wouldn't mention it to anyone else."

"So you mean we're not going to be naming a new calf?"

Pinkie smiled. "Maybe we're having a surprise 'Newborn Calf Naming Party' instead? Sunset always has super fun ideas for parties."

"Sunset, ya better have a good reason fer lyin'. If ya didn't want us ta say somethin', ya coulda asked us ta keep it secret. What's goin' on?"

Sunset could have kicked herself as she tried to remember why she had felt it was necessary to use excuses to gather the others. It was becoming a habit again, born from the necessity of hiding her other life, but she had promised herself that such behaviour was only to be used in regards to her Awakening. Now, she had five friends all looking at her with expressions ranging from disappointment to anger.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I shouldn't have lied to you. Even after all these months, it was the first thing that came to mind. I should have treated you better."

Most of them nodded, Fluttershy vocally forgiving her even without knowing the reason for it. Applejack's expression had softened, but Sunset could feel that she was still upset.

"Where's Rarity, and why is Sweetie Belle here? Ah know yer her tutor, but Ah don't get why we're all here instead of at Rarity's house."

Sunset could only sigh. It was time for the announcement, and she could feel her own fear rising within her. Five friends sat together to face her, but it could soon be a smaller number retaining that title.

"You might not believe all of this, but it's what happened. Sweetie Belle is pregnant, and her family kicked her out of the house when she didn't want to get an abortion. Rarity was completely with their parents on it. I'm her legal guardian now, since none of them want anything to do with her. Thankfully, the father and his family are going to be supportive, so that is one bit of good news."

Stunned silence met her. There were hardly any emotions at play yet.

The others were processing what she had told them when Pinkie Pie responded, "I'm sorry Rarity and their parents couldn't be happy about the baby, but you know what would cheer up Sweetie Belle? A baby shower! Do you think she'll let me throw her one?"

Sunset giggled. It was not entirely forced.

"I think so, but you can ask her later. She's telling her friends about it now."

Fluttershy murmured something quietly. She looked down, face creased by worry. "Rarity?" she asked no one in particular. "I can't believe it. Why would she treat her sister that way? Maybe there's more dark magic around?"

"That would be convenient, but this is completely mundane, Fluttershy. She made her own choices without any outside influence. Former friend or not, I'm not going to speculate why that family behaved like this. All I know is that they talked about their 'image' like Abacus Cinch did. You'll need to talk to her if you want to know more."

Despite mention of and comparison to her old headmaster, Twilight did not bat an eye. She was already staring intently at her mobile, her eyes reflecting the soft glow of light from the screen.

"I'll research pregnancy facts and see about getting together a comprehensive guide with as many outliers as I can," she said. "I should have it done in a couple days, but I can rush it. What if she needs it tomorrow, but it's not ready yet?"

"Twilight, it'll be fine. She'll be seeing a doctor next week. If you'd like to help research everything, I'm sure she'd appreciate it, but I think this is one time we shouldn't and let the doctor tell us. Okay?"

"But what if she doesn't have a good doctor?"

"She's going to see the doctor that delivered the baby's father. I already looked him up, and he's got a great track record. If we go looking up every possibility and present them at once, she might start worrying over the worst of the rarest cases, especially with the state she's in right now. Please, Twilight, I want to do the same thing, but I really think we should leave it to the doctor."

With a sigh, Twilight replied, "You're right. Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away."

"It'll happen. I'm glad you care. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure Sweetie Belle will feel the same way."

Sunset waited for more reactions. She noted that Applejack was not meeting her eyes. "Applejack? Rainbow Dash?"

Dash had an unreadable expression, her emotions oddly quiet. Sunset could not read her friend at all. She and the others waited for one or both to say something.

"Why'd you take her?" Dash finally asked as a response. "What's she to you?"

"Sweetie Belle is my friend, and she didn't have any other safe place. I didn't want her to be in the streets or a shelter."

"So you just up and took her home with you, and her whole family just agreed to it because they don't want her anymore."

Sunset nodded. "That's about it. Like I said, talk to Rarity if you want her side of it."

Applejack's eyes were unsettlingly still, her gaze hard. "We're gonna have a talk, me 'n her. Ah believe ya, no matter how outlandish this seems. Ain't the sort of story ya'd make up, but Ah wanna know both sides before Ah go judgin' anybody."

"That's understandable."

They were silent again for a few minutes. Applejack seemed angry, which showed clearly on her face, causing the others to remain silent. Another part of her - visible only to Sunset - was shifting into worry mixed with a different form of anger that Sunset did not recognise.

"Applejack, is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"Sorry, Ah'm just thinkin' about this whole mess. Ah'm worried about Apple Bloom gettin' ideas in her head."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah cain't help but worry Sweetie Belle's gonna be a bad influence on mah sister. Ah'm worried Apple Bloom might just go off 'n do somethin' stupid, too."

Both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie gave her horrified looks. The latter replied, "How can you say that? Sweetie Belle's family kicked her out, just rejected her, and you want to take away one of her friends? Apple Bloom's not stupid, and I'm sure Sweetie Belle wouldn't encourage her."

"Ah didn't say she would," Applejack exclaimed. "Just that Apple Bloom or Scootaloo might get the 'baby fever' from seein' Sweetie Belle with one. Girls their age don't always think things through, 'n they're thicker'n thieves. Even if they know better, they might up 'n do it just ta make her feel better."

Sunset stood. "I can't force you to let the girls hang out, but you need to think long and hard about this. Besides crushing Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom should actually be less influenced if she sees what being pregnant is like. I looked it up, Applejack. It's going to be a long process, and it's going to be painful, both before and after the birth. The birth, too, for that matter. Those girls aren't stupid; they'll see that, and they won't want to go through it themselves."

Applejack gave her a long look. Finally, she sighed, shook her head, and turned to leave. "Send Apple Bloom straight home, ya hear me?"

"When they're done talking. Not before."

Rainbow Dash followed, demanding more than asking, "Get the squirt home, would you? I can't deal with this."

When both were gone, Sunset said, "I'm going to check on the girls. If everything's settled with them, you're more than welcome to come up."

All three Crusaders were huddled together on the couch, Sweetie Belle with her shirt lifted so that her friends could feel her stomach. Scootaloo was complaining, "Aw, I can't feel anything."

"That's because she won't start moving for a few weeks yet. I promise to let you know when she does so you can feel it then."

"Ya know it's a girl already?"

"I'm really hoping for one, but I'll love the baby whether it's a girl or a boy."

The girls turned to face Sunset when she entered. Though she hated to ruin their fun, Sunset said, "Apple Bloom, Applejack wants you to go home."

The girl grimaced. "She's bein' a stick-in-the-mud, isn't she? Did she start the whole 'bad influence' thing?"

"Yes."

Apple Bloom did not act like she had overheard them, but she did know her sister. Sunset was not surprised that she knew exactly how the conversation had gone.

"Figured. Sis don't like unmarried parents. Ah guess Mum and Dad talked about it a lot." Apple Bloom hugged Sweetie Belle. "Ah'm goin' home fer now, but Ah'll see ya at school, and Ah'll be back over ta hang out. If Ah cain't get through ta mah sister, Ah'll tell Granny and Big Mac. They're a mite more open-minded, so they'll sit her down. Yer mah friend, and Ah ain't lettin' AJ stop us from bein' friends, ya hear?"

"Thanks, Apple Bloom. See you at school."

"Would you mind letting the others know they can come up?" Sunset asked.

"Sure thing, Sunset. See ya."

Both Sunset and Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo, who shrugged. "My parents will probably lecture me when I tell them, but they won't care if we're still friends. Heck, they'll probably say something like 'Now you'll know to be careful once you see Sweetie Belle waddling like a whale and listen to a baby crying.'"

"'Waddling like a whale'? What does that even mean?"

"You know, you're going to get all big and it'll be hard to move."

"But whales move really good when they're in the water. Even when they're beached, they don't waddle. They don't move at all, I think."

"I didn't come up with it, okay? Just drop it, you encyclopaedia."

She lightly elbowed Sweetie Belle's arm and chuckled. Her friend rolled her eyes in response, but giggled nonetheless.

"I thought I was a dictionary."

Scootaloo was saved from responding as they could hear more giggles from the doorway, where the other girls had been listening to their conversation. When they saw that they were caught, the giggles turned into laughter. Sunset was disappointed in Applejack and was concerned about Rainbow Dash, but Apple Bloom had been one of the important parties, and she had promised to stand by her friend. Based on the little glow of happiness that Sunset did not need magick to see, Sweetie Belle was doing better than she had in a long time.