Smokey awoke the next day feeling tired, and very, very sore. There had been some unexpected side effects to the potion that, while pleasant, he hadn't quite counted on. He would have to make sure to document his experience, once he could find the strength to get up, that is.

He rolled over and reached for Powder, sure she must feel at least half as sore as he did. However, when he felt nothing but an empty bed, his eyes instantly shot open.

She wasn't there. Normally this wouldn't be a cause for concern, but after the events of the day before, he couldn't help but worry.

Ignoring the protests of his body, the earth pony forced himself out of bed. He had to see that his mate was all right.

Exiting their bedroom, Smokey breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that her flower basket was missing as well. That's right, he silently reminded himself, the midnight blooms would've been out last night. Powder never missed a chance to pick them during the full moon. She was probably still busy laying them out to dry. Normally, she didn't like to be disturbed while she was doing that, but Smokey still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

That feeling didn't get any better when he found the drying room bare. No Powder, no basket, and no flowers hanging up to dry.

Without any further hesitation, Smokey bolted from the house. Something had happened to Powder, he was sure of it. She could be hurt, or worse... He shook the intrusive thoughts from his head, he just needed to focus on finding her first.

She had to be all right.

She had to...

He barely made it a dozen steps before he was stopped by one of the villagers. They were out of breath, like they had been running the whole way, and the look of dread they carried confirmed his fears before they even spoke.

"It's Powder," they said, "she's been hurt."

He found her in Daisy's home. A number of ponies had gathered outside, their looks of concern and idle gossip coming to a halt when they saw him. They didn't say anything to him, they just quietly got out of his way and let him pass unmolested.

As for Powder, she was a mess. Despite it being a warm summer morning, Daisy had laid her shivering form by an open fire. Her coat was soaked, her cloak and basket were nowhere to be seen, and when she turned her head to look at him, her face had taken on a sunken expression. A glimmer of recognition sparked in her eyes when she saw him, but it only lasted for the briefest of moments before she burst into tears.

He held onto her as tight as he dared without hurting her further, his eyes going wide as he took in her muddled scent. She had a bittersweet smell on her, a smell he immediately recognized as nightshade, along with the musky scent of another stallion, something that definitely shouldn't be there.

"What happened? Who did this?" He asked darkly. He really didn't want to have to pressure her in her current state, but if what he suspected had actually happened, there was a criminal among them of the worst sort.

"It was that unicorn," she said, tears flowing from her eyes. "Him and his flying cart... he found me while I was picking blooms... and he... he..."

Smokey held the fragile mare tightly in his grasp. He was trying to remain calm, but inside was a fury that would not be quelled until Powder's assailant was brought to justice.

Earth ponies were fairly laid back about most things, including their laws, but there was one thing no one ever did. It was considered by most to be the worst thing anyone could do. So terrible, in fact, that everyone refused to call it by name. Star Bright would need to face justice. And as Powder's mate, it was his responsibility to see it carried out.

Sorrowfully, Smokey forced himself to pull away from Powder before standing back up. He didn't want to leave her side, but he needed to. This wasn't something that could wait. Powder reached out to him for only a moment before pulling her hoof back. She saw the look in his eyes, and immediately knew what he planned to do.

It wouldn't be easy, Smokey knew that. That unicorn's strong magic would undoubtedly prove a difficult challenge to overcome, especially if he was taking refuge in the nearby fort. It wasn't impossible, though. He'd need a few things for it to happen, things he had back at home, namely, he'd need his pipe.

He didn't even make it out of the building before the door swung open on its own, leaving the wizened old unicorn to block his path.

"Get out of my way, Sunspot," Smokey growled as he tried to force his way around the older pony. However, Sunspot refused to move even an inch.

"And what do you plan to do if I stand aside? Hmm?" Sunspot asked firmly. "Are you going to march right up to the fortress? Demand that pony's head? Do you really think things will go that smoothly?"

"I'm not foolish enough to waltz in the front door looking for a fight!" Smokey practically shouted. What was going on with the old pony? He wasn't usually so confrontational. "But I'm not going to just sit here while that beast goes free."

"And what do you suppose will happen if you carry out your revenge?" Sunspot retorted. "What do you think the Star family will do when they find out some earth pony hurt one of their scions? Do you really think they'll choose to see your side? That they'll let you go? That they won't come after you and your family in retribution?"

"Then we won't stay here," Smokey said without missing a beat. "We'll leave. Go somewhere they'll never find us. I'll take Powder all the way to Pandemonium if that's what it takes."

"I don't know where you heard of that city," said Sunspot, "but I don't think you understand how powerful this family is. You won't even make the next town, much less Pandemonium."

"Then what should I do?!" He shouted back.

"Listen," Sunspot said quietly as he drew closer, "I know you're frustrated, but there are things in this world just can't control. Focus instead of what you can still do. Escaping to Pandemonium isn't the worst idea. When do you think Powder will be well enough to travel?"

Smokey still felt like he needed to seek out vengeance on the pony who did this, but listening to the old pony forced him to take a deep breath and think things through. He took a look back at his mate, she had already fallen asleep, exhausted as she was from her recent ordeal. Her breathing, while a bit raspy, was at least more steady and measured than it had been before.

"Nightshade poisoning isn't something to mess with," he began reciting a diagnosis, almost mechanically. "It usually needs to be treated immediately. If it isn't, and the afflicted pony still lives, they'll likely find themselves severely weakened." The recitation served to further calm his nerves, giving him a sense of clarity he needed at that moment. "Proper food and rest are the only real treatment at this point, as well as avoiding any strenuous activities or further aggravating the condition."

Sunspot placed a firm hoof on his shoulder. "She's lucky to have you," he said, "and right now, she needs you more than ever. Don't worry about the unicorn. I had a little talk with Sergeant Gleam and we made sure he won't be leaving the fort any time soon. Just focus on making sure Powder gets better and then get both her and yourself as far away from here as possible."

Time passed slowly for the young alchemist, and while he still did his job caring for the townsfolk, the bulk of his time was spent caring for Powder.

It really was some kind of miracle that she still lived. While he had dealt with cases of nightshade poisoning before, he had never seen a case quite as bad as Powder's. Still... she persevered, and while it was clear her body was still very, very weak, she managed to sit up on her own after a week's time.

Despite Sunspot's reassurances, Smokey still feared that Star Bright would return to finish the job. He still didn't know, and probably didn't want to know, why someone would act as he had. How someone could so casually force themselves on another, only to discard them like so much trash once they were done.

These questions, and worse, left him with many sleepless nights. The sounds of the night he once found soothing, now all they served to do was grate on his nerves, and left him jumping at shadows. More than once he wanted to forego the wisdom offered by Sunspot, and silently remove their aggressor. He wasn't quite as sure as he had once been that he'd be able to dispose of him unnoticed, casing out the old castle during one of his sleepless nights had unfortunately affirmed that. All he could do at this point was to wait. Wait, and hope, that Powder will soon be well enough that they could leave this place far behind.

And then it happened. The best and worst possible thing that could happen amidst the chaos.

Powder had been doing much better as of late. She was standing on her own, she could take short walks without getting too tired, and she was even able to pick the midnight blooms again, albeit with Smokey close by. Despite his exhaustion, he refused to leave her side for even a moment.

Then one morning, she shot out of bed and bolted for a nearby bucket, and immediately began depositing the contents of her stomach. It gave both of them quite the scare, since it seemed she had mostly recovered from the nightshade.

Smokey wasted no time giving her a full checkup, and aside from her being slightly sweatier than normal, it seemed she was perfectly fine. However, when he noticed her slightly distended belly, his eyes grew wide with realization. He pressed an ear against her stomach, confirming what he already suspected as he made out the telltale sign of a second heartbeat.

Powder was pregnant.

Time continued to pass, granted a little faster than it had before, and Powder's belly continued to grow, along with the anticipation of the soon to be parents. Their spirits were higher than they had ever been, and even with potential threat the noble living nearby still posed, Smokey was finally able to sleep again.

That wasn't to say they didn't still have their share of problems. Powder's ordeal had left her with a limp in one of her hind legs, and while it seemed it may still recover on its own, it wouldn't be soon enough for them to make the trip to the one city that existed outside of Elysium's influence. If they were still to make the journey to Pandemonium, it would have to wait until after Powder delivered her foal.

That was a thought Smokey still hadn't quite grown accustomed to. He was going to be a father. It still didn't seem quite real. After all the years of study and research, using every method in the book, and a number outside of it, he was finally able to give Powder, his love, what it was she wanted. A foal.

It took some doing before Smokey was finally able to return to work again. The village mares offered to take turns looking after Powder just so he could get back to gathering and preparing the assortment of plants he used in his trade. As happy as everyone was for them, they needed their doctor back again. He was going to have to work twice as hard to make up for lost time, especially with winter just around the corner.

Winter came and went without incident, and spring returned once again. Birdsong filled the air, squirrels gossiped with their neighbors, and earth ponies were already working the field after the long break.

Spring also meant the start of new life, an exciting time, and not just for those who would soon be adding to their own families. It was something to be celebrated by everyone, and everyone was more than willing to help when the time came to welcome that new life.

Even if all that needed doing was keeping a certain stallion under control.

"Get out of the way! She needs me!" Smokey shouted as he tried and failed to push his way into the back. "I'm a doctor. I should be by her side right now."

"We understand how you feel," said one of the stallions holding him back, "but you can't help anypony unless you calm down."

"No pony here doubts your skills," said another one, "but Lime's right. If you go back there now, you'll just get in the way. Trust the girls. Powder's in capable hooves."

Powder's ear-piercing screams once again broke out from the back room, causing Smokey to redouble his efforts, desperate as he was to be by her side. This same act had been repeating itself over and over ever since Powder went into labor, and would likely continue for some time to come.

Just when it seemed like the night would never end, the sound of Powder's screams cut off. It happened so abruptly that Smokey and everyone else found themselves holding their breath in anticipation. That silence, which was so still you could hear a pin drop, seemed like it would last forever.

At least, until it was broken by the muffled cries of a newborn.

Tears began welling up in Smokey's eyes at that moment and he fell to his knees. She had done it. They had done it. He was a father. He had never really thought about it much before, he had been so focused on helping Powder achieve her dream that the concept really hadn't settled in before now.

He found himself with hooves resting on his back and he looked up to see the supporting faces of his neighbors. Most of them already had families if their own, so they undoubtedly had some idea how he must be feeling at that moment. He felt good, like the worst was finally over. Everything he had gone through, his training, his studies, the risks he had taken, and the eventual rewards they had reaped, all of it had been for this moment.

Smokey was still basking in the good feelings when he looked up and saw Daisy poking her head in from the back room. The old mare's front was spattered in blood and other fluids, and he expected to see a smile on her face that matched his own, but all she carried was a somber and concerned expression.

"What..." He swallowed hard, "what's wrong?" Nothing had gone wrong, had it? Come to think of it, the crying had gone quiet again. "Is something wrong with the foal? Tell me!" He demanded. They'd come so far. It couldn't fall apart now, could it?

"Easy there, doctor," Daisy said as she did her best to calm him down. "Powder gave birth to a perfectly healthy filly, at least as far as we can tell anyway."

As far as they can tell? What was that supposed to mean? Smokey tried to look Daisy right in the eye, but she was averting her gaze. What was she hiding?

A possibility occurred to him, a terrible possibility that he didn't even want to consider. He had asked after the foal, but he hadn't asked about...

"What about Powder?" He asked the question he didn't want to voice. When Daisy not only looked away, but flinched at the question, Smokey felt his heart stop.

Smokey found himself beyond the door before he even realized he had shoved the midwife out of the way. He could hear the falling of hooves chasing after him, but unlike before, he now had a headstart and they wouldn't stop him easily. He found the room he knew Powder would be in and hesitated as he reached for the door. What was he about to find? Did his worst nightmares come to pass?

He pushed his way in before anyone could stop him. The other midwives were startled to see him there, but he wasn't there for them. He only had eyes for one mare. The one who lay sprawled out on the bed.

Powder wasn't moving. Her open eyes were staring blankly at the far wall. When Smokey moved forward and scooped her into his arms, he couldn't make out a heartbeat, or even the lightest breath. This couldn't be happening...

Smokey wailed his agony to the world. He didn't care who might be listening. This wasn't fair, none of it was. What had he done? What had Powder done to deserve this?!

His lamentations had apparently disturbed the sleeping babe, and its shrill cries broke through Smokey's own. It was a sobering reminder to the new father that even if Powder was gone, she had left something behind, something that it was now his responsibility to care for.

The thought lent him some strength, even though his tears had yet to dry. They might never dry. He placed Powder's cooling body back on the bed and turned to behold the new life that she had given her everything for. However, when he saw the little filly, his heart didn't melt and he didn't feel any sense of pride. Instead, it invoked a rage greater than anything he had felt in his entire life.

Atop the infant's head, peeking out from behind its blue mane, was a horn.

A unicorn horn.

Author's Note

Chapters like this are part of the reason it's taken me so long to finish this story.

It hurts.
It really does.