Amber Cinnamon cried out, her face flushed with effort. “Nnnnnngh-ahhhh!” She panted for air, looking into her husband Marble Tail's eyes beside her as he held her hoof. “I'm right here, sugarcube. You're so beautiful,” he said encouragingly. She managed a smile, then grimaced at a wave of pain.
Down by Amber's tail, Hazel Bloom patted her flank. “You're almost there, Amber,” she called, smiling. “I can see the head! One more push, when I say. Get ready... now, push!”
Amber gritted her teeth, bearing down with all her strength. Moments later a baby's cry echoed through the small house, and Amber collapsed onto the birthing bed, smiling and weeping happy tears. Marble nuzzled against her, his own joyful tears mixing with hers.
Hazel moved with efficiency born of long experience, tending to the cord and cleaning the baby carefully before swaddling it in a soft blanket. “You have a beautiful little filly, Amber,” she said brightly as she cleaned, but her smile faded as she carefully wiped down the baby's tiny wings. Making sure the swaddle was tight, she brought the infant for her mother to hold, smiling once again. “She'll be pretty hungry, if you want to nurse her.”
The earth ponies cooed and beamed over the foal's cute little face, hugging her and kissing her forehead before Amber fed her.
Hazel thought over her next words carefully as she cleaned up, making sure Amber was well before bundling up the soiled towels. I hate this part of the process, she mused, packing up her tools. Putting on another warm smile, she approached the happy little family, watching as Amber half-dozed while her foal eagerly drank from her teat. Marble stroked his hoof gently over Amber's mane, torn between looking lovingly at his wife and his new daughter.
“You look so happy,” Hazel said quietly, hoping the baby would fall asleep soon. Amber and Marble both mirrored her smile, whispering, “Thank you.” Amber added, “You were such a big help.”
Hazel nodded, letting her smile fade to the no-nonsense expression she'd used in her pre-birth lessons with the pair. “There is something we need to discuss before I go.” Her tone was still warm, but both of the parents heard the change and glanced at each other before turning full attention to their midwife.
“Is everything alright?” asked Marble, taking hold of Amber's hoof once more. His eyes widened and he looked down at their sleeping foal. “Is something wrong with the baby?”
Hazel shook her head. “There's nothing wrong with her, but it is about her. You both need to see something, and then you have a decision to make.” She mentally kicked herself for being so blunt, but she knew if she drew it out any longer the couple's imaginations would make the matter far worse and send them into a panic. She gently lifted the bundled baby into her forelegs, sitting on the edge of the bed to keep her close. Seeing no point in delays, she loosened the swaddle and exposed the foal's tiny little body to her parents. The baby shifted with the cool breeze hitting her skin, stretching out the perfect little wings from her back.
The parents stared, both their mouths hanging open, eyes growing wider and wider. Hazel cut off the impending panic, continuing on to address the questions she already knew were coming. “Yes, you're seeing things right. She's a pegasus. No,” she raised a hoof to point at Marble, who was starting to turn toward Amber, “she didn't do anything improper, and neither did you. This is something that happens rarely, but does happen.”
Marble swayed in his seat, looking like he might just faint. Amber looked much more frantic, as if she might try to run right off the bed. “How?” she managed to ask, looking up into Hazel's eyes. “How is that even possible?”
Hazel sighed, carefully tucking in the baby's wings again and swaddling her tight, letting the foal sleep soundly. “We don't know exactly,” she explained as she worked. “You'll never find any mention of it in any medical journal. In fact, if you'd opted for a hospital birth you likely would have never known. They would have simply amputated the wings and told you she'd had a minor birth defect.”
“That's horrible!” Amber gasped before catching herself, glancing to see if the baby woke. Hazel smiled a little at the reaction.
“I couldn't agree more,” Hazel said before continuing. “Those of us in the business of birthing foals know that it's simply a fact that once in a rare while an earth pony will give birth to a pegasus or a unicorn. I've never attended a birth with unicorn or pegasus parents, obviously, but I have it on good authority the same happens to them, as well. The best guess we have is that at some point in the distant past there was intermarrying between the tribes, and their genetics mixed into the population.”
“You said we have a choice to make,” Marble interrupted, his shock having transformed into a deep scowl. “What choice are you talking about?”
Hazel sighed, the stallion pushing her to get to the point before she could fully gauge their attitude on the matter. “It should be obvious, Marble. You have a very healthy, beautiful little foal here, who happens to be a pegasus.” She paused and looked both of them in the eyes. “You know what we are all taught about the pegasi and the unicorns. How do you think your neighbors will react to your child when they see her wings? How will your family react?”
The couple glanced at each other, then down at the adorable face of the sleeping foal. Amber sniffed back a tear. “They'll be terrified,” she admitted, her voice breaking. Looking up sharply, her eyes wide with the thought that struck her mind, she gasped and started to ask, “You're not suggesting we-”
Hazel held up a hoof to cut her off, knowing full well what she was about to ask. “Never would I suggest anything of the sort. She is beautiful and deserves every chance at a long and happy life. I know you two are ready to do everything in your power to give her that chance, no matter what it takes.” She looked between them, trying to read their expressions. “Am I wrong in that assumption?”
Amber shook her head quickly, tears flowing over her cheeks. Marble took a few moments longer, but after a long look at their daughter he shook his head as well. “No,” he said, looking to Amber. “I'd do anything for our baby.” He turned to Hazel again. “What exactly are you suggesting, then?”
“I know this is asking a lot of you, but if you trust me, I happen to know a way I can guarantee she will get a chance at a happy life,” she paused, looking them in the eyes again, “with other pegasi.”
“What?” gasped Amber, sitting up further, reaching for her foal. Hazel didn't hesitate to pass the sleeping infant back to her, letting her cradle the little one close. “You want me to send away my baby?”
Marble came to her defense, chiming in his own question. “How would you even do that? Nopony goes looking for the pegasi!”
Hazel let them get through their initial rush of familiar questions. “As I said, you would have to trust me. I can't say more than that I do know a way, a safe way, to get your foal to Zephyr Heights. Once there, I can guarantee she will live with a couple who will love her and do everything in their power to ensure she has a long and happy life, as if she were their own daughter.” She reached out and rested her hooves on theirs, wanting them to feel her empathy for their situation.
“I know this seems like an impossible choice. I truly do. If you choose to keep her here I'll do all I can to aid you, but you know what her life will be like outside your home. You must decide what will give her the best chance for happiness.” She checked her watch, standing up. “There is a matter of timing involved, so I do need your decision before nightfall. I'll wait outside and let you two talk.” With that, she gave the little sleeping filly a gentle caress on her cheek, then trotted out the door.
In the end, it took Amber and Marble about two hours to decide. With many tears and long embraces, they reluctantly turned their foal over to the midwife shortly before sunset. Hazel reassured them as much as she could, letting them have every moment they needed.
“Stay at home for a few days,” she advised, loading her cart with the soiled bundles, carefully leaving an empty place close to her. “Don't call any friends or family, and if they come around tell them it's a very long labor. I'll return to help keep up appearances until I know what to tell them.”
With a final round of kisses for the dozing foal, Hazel tucked her away in a well-padded basket, placed it among the bundles, and struck out along the road toward the edge of town. While the seafront and downtown areas of Maretime Bay were packed with ponies enjoying themselves after work, the outer streets were nearly deserted as ponies were still making their way home. Hazel guided her cart steadily outward, older and older buildings surrounding her as she got further from the popular parts of the town.
It wasn't long before she reached the old laundry building. The business had a proper name, of course, the sign over the front door still proclaiming “Clover’s Modern Cleaners” in the fading light of sunset. Nopony used the name, though, as they all grew up calling it the old laundry. Most ponies sent any cleaning to the newer laundromat and dry cleaners downtown, but the old laundry remained operating despite how few customers went there now. Hazel smiled on seeing it, thinking of how all the midwives in town used it exclusively. The lights in the storefront were out and the sign in the door read “Sorry, we're closed” above the business hours, but she wasn't deterred.
She approached the night drop door, pulling the cart right to it. Taking a slip, she quickly wrote down Amber and Marble's names, marked 1 bundle delivered, and a “P” in the notes. She attached the slip to the basket with the stirring infant.
“Good journey, little one,” she whispered, then slid the basket to the back of the turntable. She piled in her bundles of soiled towels, marking them with her own info, before blowing a kiss to the bundled babe in the basket, and turning the receptacle to the fully-closed position. Instead of pressing the button next to the opening, she reached up to the ivy-covered trim around the turnstile.
She found the worn stone hatch almost by feel. There was clearly once a design carved in the stone, but it was long since worn to a mere hint of two curves meeting in a point at the bottom and nothing else. Opening it after a glance around to make sure nopony was watching, Hazel reached inside and pulled a lever. Deep in the building a bell sounded, and the lever snapped back into place. Closing the hatch, she smiled and turned toward home.
In the living quarters attached to the old laundry, Ocean Sand stood by the kitchen counter, chopping carrots into a soup pot as the kettle slowly warmed toward a boil. The tan stallion brushed his blonde mane out of his eyes with the back of a hoof before reaching for the onions. From the bathroom he heard the shower shut off, and a few minutes later Star Lilly trotted in from the bathroom door, wrapped in a pale blue robe that matched her coat and drying her sapphire mane with a towel. “Dinner's starting to smell good, Sandy,” she said with a smile. “How long before we're eating?”
“Oh, it shouldn't take long. Just have to get the carrots tender and-”
Bong! Bong! Bong! The bell next to the inner door to the business side of the building sounded.
Both ponies stopped, looking at each other. “Special delivery,” Star Lilly said softly. “Finish up dinner. I'll go get the package.”
She tossed the towel over a chair and trotted through the inner door, turning quickly to head into the receiving area. Just a few minutes later she returned with a basket hanging from her teeth, a little bundle inside it squirming slowly. Setting the basket on the chair, she quickly read the tag. “Oh, look, Amber had her baby, and she's just the cutest little pegasus you've ever seen!” She scooped up the swaddled foal, cradling her gently. “Sandy can you-”
“Pull out some mare's milk from the freezer? I got it while you were getting the package. Kettle’s about to sing, so we should have a warm bottle ready in a couple of minutes.”
She nodded, bouncing the newborn lightly in her forelegs. The squirming grew more insistent, and Star suddenly sniffed. She looked around the room, asking, “Do you know where-”
“The diapers got put away? There’s a few in the end table with a tube of cream.” Ocean Sand finished, stirring the soup.
Star grinned. “You are good.” Gently laying down the infant, she set about changing the soiled diaper. “One of these days we're going to have to put these skills to a more full-time use. You're going to make a great father someday.”
Ocean Sand blushed a little, turning back to the meal prep he'd nearly finished. “We just get a lot of practice. Anyway, good thing it's a meeting night. We won't have to hide her for long.”
Star sighed and nodded. “I really don't mind when we have to wait a little while,” she admitted. “But you're right, it's better for the little one here if she moves along quickly.” She finished up the diaper change, her smile returning as she looked over the foal. “Oooh, these little wings are just so adorable,” she gushed, giving a little tickle along the baby’s sides, eliciting a gurgle and a wiggle.
Ocean watched her as the soup bubbled, smiling warmly at the sight of her with the baby. He absently mixed in the herbs he’d chopped. Star glanced up after playing for a few minutes, catching his stare. It was her turn to blush from the feelings she saw in his eyes. She broke eye contact when the foal gurgled again, waving its little hooves. “Let’s get you wrapped up, little one,” she murmured. “You’ve had a busy day.”
Cradling the swaddled child again, Star gazed into the filly’s eyes. She sighed. “Amber must be hurting so much right now,” she mused.
Ocean looked up again, her tone catching his ear. “I know, Star. I can only imagine what she’s feeling.” He stepped closer, leaning in to nuzzle against her cheek. “But you know as well as I do this is what’s best for her baby. This little filly deserves a chance to find happiness.”
She nodded, wiping a tear away. “I know, I know,” she answered, taking a slow breath to regain her composure. “I’m the one who taught that speech to you, remember? It’s just that I’ve known Amber since we were fillies, and we always talked about how much we wanted children. It must have crushed her to give up such a perfect little foal.”
Ocean nodded. “But she chose what was right for that perfect foal, Star. That shows what a wonderful pony she really is.” He kissed her cheek. “We’ll keep her at the top of the list for the next return package. With that much love, she’ll be a great mother.”
The baby drifted off to sleep again, and Star laid her down in the basket. She turned to Ocean and pulled him into a hug. “I know it’s the best thing for her,” she said into his neck, not willing to pull away. “I just hate that we have to do it.” With a sigh she released him, smiling softly. “I’ll be OK. However it plays out, we’ll need to spend some time with Amber and Marble. Think you can make them your famous lasagna?”
Ocean chuckled, nodding, and returned to check on the soup. “Consider it done.”
The kettle whistled. Minutes later dinner was served for both the baby and the couple.
“Are you sure you don't want me to come along?” Ocean asked as he helped secure the saddlebag baby carrier along Star's flank.
“Sandy, you know that's against protocol. One pony from each station per meeting, no more.” She smiled and caressed his muzzle with a hoof. “It wouldn't be a secret meeting for long if everypony saw a bunch of ponies trotting over to it. I'll be fine.”
“I know,” he said, filling the saddlebag on her other flank with diapers, a bottle of mare's milk, and a few kelp chips and carrots for Star. “It's not that far, but I want you to be safe.”
“We will be, Sandy. I promise.” With a quick kiss on his cheek, she turned and collected the sleeping foal from the basket, getting her loaded into the carrier. She pulled a dark cloak over her back, concealing the precious package, and stepped to the rear door. “I'll be back by morning. Love you, Sandy.”
“Love you, too, Star,” he answered, kissing her softly before opening the door.
Leaving town was simple from where they were, with the surrounding meadows just one street over from the laundry. Even so, Star Lilly took her time to make sure she wasn't seen leaving town. The last thing she needed was Sheriff Hitch or Deputy Sprout spotting her, not that they often patrolled outside the seafront or downtown. Soon she was trotting steadily across the meadows, well out of sight of the town, following a familiar path through the moonlight.
A few hours (and a brief feeding and changing stop for the sleepy pegasus filly) later and she approached a large pink-leaved tree in the middle of a hilly field of daisies. She turned away before reaching the tree, instead circling a large rock sticking out from a hill. She smoothed a hoof over the surface until she found a hidden indentation, pressing and turning a lever within. The rock swung easily out from the hill, revealing a shallow tunnel angling below the massive tree. She slipped inside, closing it behind her, and ran a hoof along the wall as she descended into the darkness.
The tunnel opened up quickly, a warm glow of a lit lantern showing a thick wooden door. A brief noise rose from her pack and she reached back, patting the filly lightly to let her know she was there. Pushing the door open she entered into a large chamber, brightly lit and welcoming. Benches and stools circled a fire pit near the middle of the room, currently unlit, and further out tables, chairs, and cabinets formed discreet areas for different functions. In one section a row of tiny cradles and a changing table marked a nursery.
“Star!” called a loud and happy voice from the other side of the room near a lectern. A bright-yellow pegasus mare jumped up from the couch where she'd sat waiting, purple mane flowing over her shoulders as she trotted quickly toward the earth pony. “I'm so glad it's you tonight. I haven't seen you in moons!”
Star pulled her hoof up to her muzzle, shushing quietly, then pulled off her cloak. The pegasus gasped and clapped a hoof over her mouth, wincing a little. “Sorry,” she whispered, closing the last few steps and gently hugging her friend.
“I didn't know you had a package tonight.” She stepped around and grinned widely. “I don't see a horn,” she practically sang as she lifted the baby free of the carrier. “Oh, this is the cutest little pegasus foal I've ever seen!” she squeaked, struggling to keep her voice from rising with her excitement as she cuddled the baby up against her cheek.
Star grinned and set her packs aside. “I have to agree, Aurora. And she was born to a friend of mine, it turns out. If she's anything like her mother, she'll be absolutely delightful as she gets older.” She circled around the nursery area, glancing into the cribs. “I don't suppose you had an earth pony package tonight, did you?”
Aurora Dawn shook her head as she carried the foal to a crib, laying her out for a little more rest. “I'm sorry, Star, no package tonight from Zephyr Heights.” She saw Star's expression darken and closed in for another, warmer hug. “You really want to place a foal with your friend, huh?”
Star accepted the hug, nodding. “She really is the sweetest pony, and I know she'll make a great mother. I can only imagine how much it hurt her to send her baby away.”
“I guess it's a good thing, then,” called a deeper, masculine voice from the doorway, “that we have a brand new earth pony package here direct from Bridlewood!” A tall, green unicorn stepped into the chamber, holding up another swaddled infant who cooed and squirmed in the tight bundle. His short black mane let most of his horn show its twisting pattern.
“Fizzy!” both mares called out together, rushing over to hug the new arrival. Star relieved him of the package, smiling as she looked into the foal's brilliant blue eyes. “Oh, she's adorable!” she gushed, nuzzling the baby's cheek. “I know someone who is going to be so very happy to meet you, little filly.” She paused, looking back to the unicorn. “Ah, is she a she?”
Fizzy Nectar chuckled and nodded, stacking his things on a table. “She is indeed, and she should be tired since she drank near a full bottle of mare's milk along the way here. Sorry I was late.”
The baby was, indeed, looking sleepy, yawning and closing her eyes, eliciting a chorus of “Awww,” from the grown ponies. In short order, they had the infants settled into cribs and sleeping soundly.
Star Lilly looked at her friends, smiling. “Alright, since we've got deliveries to make, let's call this meeting to order.” The others nodded, and they settled in. The meeting itself didn't take long, giving quick reports on their packages and recent activities in their hometowns. Much of the time they spent catching up with each other, sharing stories of their lives, and laughing. Before they knew it, much of the night had passed.
“Any potential recruits, Fizzy?” Aurora asked as they started to wind things up.
“One or two,” he answered with a nod, taking a bite of a kelp chip. “I wanted to approach one mare named Izzy Moonbow, but she's really kinda impulsive most of the time. There's no way to tell if she would keep a secret.” He nodded to Star. “How about in Maretime Bay?”
Star shook her head slowly. “It's a real hard sell back home right now. There's way too much fear getting stoked by Caterlogic's ads.” She sighed. “Ever since we lost Argyle it feels like we're losing ground.”
“What about Argyle's daughter?” asked Aurora, sipping on a juice box. “Sunny, wasn't it? She sounded like a lot of fun.”
Star nodded, “Oh, she is. It's just that ever since her dad died she's been hitting everypony full-force with her vision of all the tribes uniting again.” She grinned. “All that yelling from the rooftops doesn't really lend itself to joining a secret society.” They all chuckled, nodding.
“Still, I hope her blunt approach gets her somewhere. I have a feeling she's going to be important in all this. I just don't know how. What about you, Aurora?”
“Oh, I have a few who are sympathetic, and one stallion who might be ready for the first step. I should know by our next meeting.” The usually bouncy pegasus grew quiet, looking off at the wall above the door.
Star reached up to touch her friend's shoulder. “Are you OK, Aurora? You seem a little down.” Fizzy nodded, adding, “Yeah, anything cramping your saddle?”
Aurora sighed, nodding. “It's just, sometimes it feels like we're not making any difference out there. The tribes are still far apart, all the magic is gone, and every hoofstep toward bringing everypony back together seems to get pushed back three. You said yourself, Star, it's like we're losing ground. What does it matter in the big picture if we do this or not?”
Fizzy nodded toward the occupied cribs and the two sleeping foals waiting to go to good homes. “It makes a big difference to them. If we weren't here doing what we do, you know what their lives would be like.”
Star stood up and added, “Maybe we won't unite the tribes, but we absolutely make a difference, to these foals and to each other. What’s the main thing we do?”
Aurora looked up at Star, and couldn’t help but smile. “We help ponies. No matter what, no matter when, no matter where.”
Star nodded, her smile growing. “Every time we help another pony we send that out to the rest of ponykind. It adds up, even if we don't see the results right away. We have to have faith that the helping helps.” She looked between her friends' faces. “We'll do our part,” she started, raising a hoof between them.
“Hoof to heart,” they all finished as one, touching their hooves together, then to their hearts.
Aurora jumped up and pulled Star into a hug, laughing softly. “Thanks for setting me straight, Star.”
“Anytime, Aurora.”
Fizzy rose, looking at his watch. “As much fun as this is, we'd better get going if we're going to get back before sunrise.”
Aurora and Star both looked at Fizzy's watch and gasped. There was a flurry of activity as the three ponies rushed to gather their things. Foals were checked, diapers changed, and soon the little pegasus filly was sleeping soundly in Aurora's pack while the little earth pony dozed in Star's. The three friends hugged each other warmly, promising to see each other again soon, and soon were shutting down lamps on the way to the door.
Just before she turned out the lamp over the door, Star Lilly paused to look at the large plaque adorning the wall above. With a grin she turned to the others, looking each in the eyes. “It’s been a long time since we ended a meeting properly, you know.”
The grin spread to their lips as well. Star raised a hoof between them, much higher this time. The others didn't hesitate to join in, touching their hooves together in a high-hoof.
“Crusaders forever!” they called in unison, then laughed, completing the secret pledge of their order.
Still laughing, they walked out the door under the large plaque emblazoned with a wide shield painted in three broad vertical stripes of red, pink, and purple.
Author's Note
Many thanks to @Falkenlied (ᴾᶦᵖᵖ ᵉⁿʲᵒʸᵉʳ) for the editing help.
