Chapters *Two years AGS(After the Great Stoning) I keep record of these notes from the works of pony Building Block which I transcribe into these notes*
My wife was positively glowing. No really. Her tummy was literally glowing! It had been like this for a long six months now.
Doctors crowded over her like busy bees near their queen, yet it was my queen that they mulled over and over again trying to ease her pain.
But it was no use, something was happening with the baby. I figured as much as soon as it began glowing five months ago.
“Block!” She said back then, “My belly is glowing!”
“I know, you're pregnant Mrs. Blueprint Brisk,” I replied smiling, “I’m proud that we finally get to raise a child! Heck, many ponies never even thought you would even marry!”
“No, I mean my tummy is glowing, and it's starting to hurt!” She tripped over herself and proceeded to knock a vase over, then landed on top of it.
“You can't be having contractions this early? We are only one month in!” I said, turning to see what the commotion was about.
I took a look at my Ditsy Doo very closely. Her tummy WAS glowing. Not nearly as much as it would later, but a faint luminescence came from her furry underside.
“Uh… oh…” I stuttered actually seeing the sight. “Well, that’s normal right? RIGHT?” I asked, staring at her greyish belly and starting to panic. “What do we do?”
“I don’t know, I never read this in the book Twilight gave us. OW!” She then said grimacing in pain. “It hurts Block!
“Ye-yeah I suppose you're right. Help me up please?”
“Oh sorry!” I exclaimed as I remembered she fell belly up from her tripping.
The light from within her womb was a dull orange color. It shifted when I got Brisk back on all hoofs.
“OW,” she said.
“Gosh, does it hurt that bad?” I said.
“Well maybe not, but it feels like the worst tummy ache I ever had.” She said.
“This is why we let Twilight help us prepare! C’mon, I'll lead you to the wheelchair and rush you over there right now.”
“Block!, I'm worried, is our baby in danger? The book said a miscarriage is possible if my tummy hurts. ” She said that last word in pain as I helped her up and guided her to the wheelchair.
“Happy thoughts, dearie! Happy thoughts…” I said, attempting to get her mind off of it.
I led her to the wheelchair across the smoothed wooden floor, still scattered with moving boxes. As I guided her around these obstacles she kept mouthing the word “ow”. The wheelchair was next to the piano and was aimed in such a way in case we had to exit quickly.
Twilight was very knowledgeable about things, even things that had not yet happened to her. I wonder why Twilight has not even married yet? I thought Maybe she is not in any rush. She is an alicorn now, and she has the power to live as long as Celestia did… huh… Celestia… I wonder where Celestia is now. Is she still living?
I set my wife on the chair and opened the dark green aluminum door. I listen closely while doing this, thankfully not hearing any pain in her voice anymore.
That is good, right? I thought to myself, It must be when she is only moving or pressure is being touched. Maybe it is just a stomach ache after all…
I started to move the wheelchair gingerly over the door frame. Some pained sounds from my wife later, and she was out in the world breathing the fresh Ponytown air.
Walking from the sidewalk to the main road were other houses, in most of those houses lived a pony with a different life. Unfortunately, we didn’t know their names. We had only moved to this house two days ago. Behind the rows of homes facing away from our house was a green pine forest that looked very much like Everfree from back home. This name escaped me as well as again we just moved here not long ago. It had already been a long two days.
I did know it was a very pretty day out, the kind of day that you didn’t feel the heat. Despite wanting to enjoy the day, I had more precious things to think about.
I closed and locked the door behind me, then continued to briskly walk with the wheelchair three miles away. The walk to the hospital there could be described in detail, but I forgot most of them as I was more concentrated on getting my wife to her location.
I do remember passing many houses while en route. A purple one, in particular, caught my eye at one point and I laughed to see such a sight. We passed a park with abstract tree art. I heard many fillies screaming in delight, playing with each other on a playground, with the squeals of equipment that went along with them.
We were a mile out now. The road opened up a little. The houses were spaced further than the last mile. Hills surrounded us, with birch trees that stood like rib bones of a fantastic creature and told a story of the land statements now and then. But a particular cute yellow house caught my wife's eye.
“Block, we did check that house right?” She said.
“Dearie, why are you thinking about this now?” I asked. “I already told you some pony else lives there.”
“Such a shame, I would love to live there,” she exclaimed in pain as she turned her head to look at it once more.
“Stop moving and it won’t hurt,” I said
The third mile was a more densely packed commerce center, full of restaurants and billboards. I finally saw in the distance the hospital sign. It seemed like it was right there, but those last few steps felt longer than the three miles that came before them.
The door opened for us from ponies that were there as a courtesy. Imagine that! I thought to myself, Getting minimum wage just by being a lookout. Any pony could do a job like that right?
One of the doctors took a look at my wife's stomach when I got her inside and she nearly lost her jaw muscles.
“Get the Emergency Mare Service on this right away!” she said.
They carted my wife away with me tailing right behind.
“It's ok, we are here now. Everything is going to be ok,” I said.
I meant it now, but I was not prepared for the long six-month journey that lay ahead of us, and my positive truth back then eventually turned into an awful lie.
I followed her in with the doctor's staff flowing around her getting the necessary instruments on her.
Everything they pressed upon her made her yell a bit in pain. I held her hand, hoping that it was just her midsection that was hurting. Thankfully it was and I stroked her arm trying to comfort her.
“It's ok we are here now in a company where they know what they are doing. Now as planned, I'm going to write to Twilight ok? Then we can get to the bottom of this.”
I left the hospital to find a royal parchment. Finding these were a bit rare to find in small places, but luckily I happened to be next to a post office that hosted royal parchments.
Upon entering and asking the post mare reminded me that royal parchments were only meant for cases of emergencies and that they should be used as such, if the letter was not found to be in these terms a fifteen thousand bit fine would be applied and I could face jail time.
I knew of these risks and stopped to think for a while
The only thing that probably is worth that amount would be another changeling attack, or queen chrysalis got out of her stony prison.
It would probably be best to write a normal letter to her instead . I decided
I wrote to her explaining what was happening and i lettered it to the castle as first class.
“I bet a lot of ponies give letters to princess Twilight,” said the mail Mare
It was true, Brisk told me all about the mail system when we were dating and how she always took mail to princess Celestia back in the day.
But yesterday didn’t matter to me. Only the future. The future of my wife, my baby, and myself!
I reaffirmed myself by thinking the same thought I told my wife.
Everything would be fine
Boy was I wrong.
Author's Note
Chapter editors:Ronaldo Fink Mullen J. Malcolm Grey
Author's Note
critical feedback is appreciated!
for the context of some story details please read "As The Clock Turns" As The Clock Turns - Fimfiction
chapter editors: J. Malcolm Grey
2 The Meeting
Three weeks.
Three long weeks.
With the ever-growing moans of my wife, I looked at her belly to see it illuminated a little more with her birthing process. It pained me to see her in such a state as different doctors tended to her throughout.
“Are you paying attention Block?” asked the doctor, who apparently talking to me. To be honest I usually don’t pay attention the first time when I get called. A trait that I hope my future son would never have.
“I’m sorry could you repeat that?” I asked
Dr. Everhoof pushed up his glasses. “I said, the pony who just came to the front desk said she came straight from Canterlot, after receiving a first-class letter about you, Block. She even asked for you by name.”
“Twilight? Finally!” I breathed “Finally, she came!”
“Twilight Sparkle you mean?” The doctor asked. “She… was not the one who asked for you by name.”
“What do you mean? If she didn't come herself, does that mean she sent somepony else??”
“Sir, please understand,” began the Doctor “Twilight is the princess of all Equestria now. Last I heard she had a scheduled meeting with Applejack.”
“What in Equus for?”
“I do not know. It is not my job to know what the princess is doing every day. Perhaps if you ask a pony whose job it is to know what her movements are… say one of her royal guards… Why don’t you ask one of them? Better yet, why not go to Canterlot instead of hindering my work!”
I thought about this while the doctor scurries to aid another pony. On the one hoof, going to Canterlot and delivering that letter would have probably gone faster if I delivered it personally, I thought. But I suppose the royal guard would not just tell me where a princess would be for security reasons. I went to see the replacement pony who would be the answer to all my questions. As I reentered the waiting room, I found it filled with various ponies waiting their turns to see the doctor
Am I really all that different? I asked myself, gazing over the room. How is thinking about my wife's glowing stomach any different from the viewpoint of the headaches or sprains these other ponies'? What gives me the right to be more concerned than some poor pony with some condition bad enough to end up here? ” my thoughts were interrupted by a tap on the shoulder.
“Hey, Block,” a female voice said, “you're doing that thing again.”
I turned around to see who it is. Before me was Starlight Glimmer wearing an alicorn pin on a royal cape. While Twilight would have been the better Pony to see, a familiar face that Twilight trusted as her personal student was still quite welcome.
“I heard Twilight is busy,” I said, sharing my thoughts.“And she may be busy but thankfully not stupid.” I put my hoof over my mouth as I said this and gasped. “Not to say that I think Twilight is stupid most of the time…” I blurted, still not salvaging this situation “I mean! I don’t think she is stupid at all!”
“Block, calm down,” said Starlight, putting her hoof over my mane in reassurance. “You are obviously redder than you normally are. Why not take a few deep breaths while I tell you what's been happening these last few weeks? Give you something else for you to think about for a while?”
“But my wife! She's in pain! Would you be so heartless?” I put my hoof over my mouth again. Why am I being so hostile? Maybe I do need a few breaths , I thought and proceeded to do so. Spotting a nearby water cooler, I darted over to it for a drink.
“There you go… just breathe,” she said. “Twilight is currently meeting with her friends along with Celestia and Luna.They’re having a very important discussion about two very old ponies.”
“If thats a joke to imply about Celestia's age, thats not funny,” I said taking a sip of water.
“I think it's more about the parents of Applejack.”
“They are dead though,” I said, drinking the last of the water
“You…. would think…” started Starlight
I spit out the water in shock. “Sweet Celestia! You don’t mean to imply that they are alive?
“I saw a pear and an apple Cutie Mark on their flanks as they came in with that other Purple pony .”
I shake my head, “And your sure they’re not changelings?”
“As soon as I left they were talking about space or celestial asteroids or something. Twilight did read your letter, but she wanted me to tell you that she had a bigger mystery to solve. So she sent me in her stead. So I still don’t know if they are legit or not.”
“Well, I'm glad that she actually reads the letters. I thought it would get filtered in the mail for spam”
“Oh, are you kidding? She loves spam mail!”
“Excuse me?”
“Well for her it's an excuse to get out of her daily princess duties and be clever. There have been a few which she shared with me if you want to hear them?”
“Sure why not?” I said
Starlight giggled a bit. “She got one the other day which declared, ‘The new radical radio from Idenhoof now picks up over 100 channels!’”
“ Did she reply?”
“She sure did! She wrote back and said ‘Name them. ’ “
I laughed at this. To send a letter from a princess to some ad revenue company like that was hilarious.
Starlight continued, “‘New vacuum cleaner from Hoofer Sweeper company!’ ”
“ What did she reply to that?” I ask.
“‘Your vacuum cleaners suck’, ” she replied.
I also laughed at this. “That’s not just clever, that’s downright amusing!”
“‘Hot mares in your area …’ Oh no… maybe not that one,” she said, blushing.
“Allright fair enough…”I said giggling imagining the response she could have given.
“Feel better?” she asked, still blushing.
“A little bit yeah. I'm glad you are here to calm me down”
“Technically it's Twilight’s humor that is calming you down.”
“And, she knows what she doing,” I said, motioning with my hoof downward “I shouldn’t at all doubt her for sending you. I bet you are knowledgeable about the birthing process. Is a glowing tummy normal?”
“Well to be honest… no, I have never seen a pony with a glowing belly the way you described,” she said. “May I come into where your wife is, so I may look?”
“Well, I wouldn’t expect you to not! Follow me!” I led her to my wife's room, away from the many noises from other patients. When we reached her room and opened the door, I heard my wife moaning still with her underside still glowing.
“Oh wow!” said Starlight Glimmer, standing in the doorway. “That IS a glow that I can see from here!”
“And the worst part is the pain is getting worse… I think.”
”Tell me how you think so?”
“Well, three weeks ago she would only moan when you touched her belly. Now she is moaning all the time.”
Starlight smiled and rubbed her hoofs. “Ohh a mystery! Let me collect some of the data that these fine doctors have kept and see if I can find a reference back in Canterlot.” She tapped one of the doctors on the shoulder. “Excuse me, doctor, can you assist a student of her royal majesty about Mrs. Blueprint Brisk, please?”
The doctor looked at the royal sigil that Starlight carried and stood a little bit taller. “Yes, mistress, whatever her majesty wants,” and the doctor hustled to get the data her team had gathered.
“You're going back to Canterlot? But you just got here! It will take too long!”
“If you are worried about the travel, just remember I am a unicorn who that not too long ago mastered teleportation. And if you are worried about how long I will be gone, just know, I can handle mysteries just like Twilight not as good, but just as well I hope.”
“Please hurry back,” I said with a worried tone, as I watched Starlight load up with all the papers the doctors gave her of all data from the past three weeks.
My wife moaned loudly as if to agree.
Starlight gave me and my wife a confident smirk. “As sure as the sun rises, I will find the answers,” she said. Then with a blur of purplish magic, she disappeared, leaving no trace of the papers nor herself. All that was left that I was looking at was a boring wall with no tale to tell.
Did she even ask when this started? I thought to myself. The lack of such detail I know I don’t have, but shouldn’t she have at least asked? I look at my wife in worry. I hope her bragging turns into truth for my wife's sake.
"Block, wake up!" a familiar voice calls out.
I awaken from my quite needed slumber after the last four days of staying awake. Groggily I grumble "Does my wife need me?" I ask the same question I had been asking non-stop ever since then as the pain was now constant with my wife.
"It's not your wife that is the issue. it's the baby inside!"
"mhm..." I mutter relieved at first returning to my well-needed nap, I had well intended to go back to sleep when the weight of the sentence hit me... I was fully awake. "LEAVE THE BABY ALONE SLEEP DEMON, TAKE ME INSTEAD!"
"BUILDING BLOCK!" Star Glimmer yelled trying to get his hoofs off of her neck. "it's me!"
I look at her with a cloudy vision, slowly returning to see that indeed she was truly Starlight Glimmer. I promptly collapse into her arm totally exhausted.
"Woah easy there! she limped me to the water cooler
"Drink some water... unless you want to sleep some more..." Starlight says
"ngnoo..." I slur "I must... know... what is happening...." he takes a paper cup and with shaking hoofs grabs a cup of water. After taking two big gulps, I set down the cup. "ok hit me, what's wrong with our baby?"
"Well," Starlight began, "I did my best to keep an eye on everything, but something struck me when I looked at the mammogram. when I ran it through a spectrometer"
"Spectro what?" I asked confused by the word spectrometer.
"It's a device used by scientists to measure light." She explained.
"so what does it show?" I asked eagerly awaiting the answer.
"Well, the spectrum shows what kind of elements are present in the sample under test." Starlight continued. "and when I ran the image of the baby through it, a pattern appeared."
"What kind of pattern?"
"the light was more intense from your baby's flank... so there is good news and bad news from this..."
"There is?" I groan.
"The Good news is your baby is getting his cutie mark before he is born! and I find this fascinating because this is only possible in theory and i have never seen it happen... which comes to our bad news...."
"What?" I ask alarmed.
"Your baby is currently stuck in your mother's womb and cant transform his cutie mark until he is born. it basically stuck in a state of suspended mutation so the light is currently lighting up her stomach, and causing her to warm up. This process could cause complications for both parties involved and might result in either one or both of them dying."
"Oh Celestia" I groan as tears begin falling from my eyes.
"Don't cry, Block! we can fix this! There has to be a way to save this baby without killing the mother!" Starlight exclaims.
"Brisk im so sorry..."he muttered. "and how do you plan on doing that?" he asked aloud
"Currently I have no idea, but I'm sure an answer will present itself."
"You better pray that it doesn't take forever because right now Blueprint Brisk is going stir crazy due to being confined to her own body.... what should I do?" I ask scared and upset.
"we'll figure something out together, trust me. Now let's get moving before she gets any worse."
"Alright, alright, I believe you, but why haven't you told anyone else about this?"
"Because I wanted to talk to you first as you were the father."
I didn't respond as another wave of sadness washed over me.
"I'll... notify the doctors to add ice packs to put on her stomach."
"I'm not sure thats a good idea Block... the pressure could kill the baby"
"What you got a better one?"
"Your mind is in the right place, but you got to lighten the pressure somehow... like a device to hold the ice pack in place without applying pressure," said Starlight
"Like a crane device?"
"not sure how we can fit a giant crane in a hospital..."
"I meant like a small one, where it can be operated by one pony," said Joe
"ah, a model crane! an excellent idea!" exclaimed Starlight excitedly.
"Thanks, if that don't work, i guess ill just hold the ice packs myself."
Starlight giggles nervously.
"Although we are talking about making a miniaturized version of real-life construction cranes?” I say “ is that even possible?"
"yes, it's actually quite simple." Says Starlight.
"Really?"
"yes really, all you need is a few basic parts such as a long metal rod, a hook, and a pulley."
"You're kidding me right?"
"no, it works exactly the same way as a normal crane except instead of lifting heavy objects, this little guy will lift cold ones."
"Well, after we build this thing, we strap the ice packs onto Bricks stomach and then use the crane to lower the ice packs into position while keeping the baby stable."
"Sounds easy enough, you going to help me work on it right now? " asks Block
"Oh goodness, ME?! I have no skill in welding." Starlight says looking very disappointed.
"Ha Ha I have years of experience, retired building contractor and all that, wouldn't have to without this baby still need a helper though... any one you would suggest?"
Starlight giggles. "let me gram them!"
a flash of purple light and a big red pony with an apple appeared
"Uhhh" he began...
"You can't be serious! "I said in disbelief. "Big mac?"
"e-yup" replied Big Mac. "How am I here?"
Starlight cleared the confusion "short version, Building Block Needs Help building a crane to help cool her wife's tummy"
"Say no more, I'm in" he said dropping his load of apples.
Not that I had any problem with Big Mac making the crane device. he had great skill in making things using his hoofs. But still, he wasn't an engineer nor did he know anything about building devices. He also seemed to have some sort of inferiority complex when it came to working with others.
"Big Mac, please tell me you're joking right now!" I say angrily.
"N-nope..." says Big Mac arrogantly.
"But... you never finished high school!" I exclaim.
"N-nope"
"Do you have any experience?"
"E-yup."
"How much?"
"Just a tad bit more than you two combined."
"Oh, alright, but only because you've given us no other choice." I sigh.
"E-yup."
"Yeah well, lets get to work..." I said
"E-yup!" replies Big Mac and Starlight.
Author's Note
a convenient mutation
nobody was able to edit this chapter, so can I get you all to look at it and make sure it continues the narrative?
Like I said before, it was a six-month pregnancy battle, the heat was so intense it kept melting the ice we could find with the crane built. Her screams were so blood-chilling they had to give up 9 rooms just so every other patent could be comfortable. The last room was filled with various types of drugs to help ease the pain, which made her feel like she was floating through space. She didn't mind though since she knew what would happen next. All she wanted was to meet this child of hers.
Block sat down on a small folding chair beside the bed where her wife Blueprint Brisk lay, holding her hand—trying to give some comfort in the wake of her wife's ever-present screams. Building Block leaned over the bed and looked directly at Blueprint Brisk stomach. It glowed with such intensity that he felt compelled to look away out of fear that he might go blind or worse yet, explode.
"I wish I could take the pain away for you miss Blueprint Brisk , but I can't. Please believe me when I say that I love you and I understand why you need to do this, why WE need this, please survive this ordeal so our little pony can live too."Block said tears forming in his eyes again.
"Please just fight! no more talking, just focus on the baby." Block pleaded.
The doctor entered the room with a concerned expression on his face. "Mrs. Blueprint Brisk , your time has come, it's time to deliver your son."
"Doctor, it really is time?" Block asked
Blueprint Brisk screams again with boiling water pouring out of her tummy, the steam rising off from the surface of the liquid.
"Okay then, what do I do?" I ask.
"Well, as soon as he comes out, he'll need all sorts of medical attention, he has been in there in a hot belly for a long time so as soon as he comes out we will need to put the baby in the oven to slowly bring its temperature down. not the best way to cool down the baby but we don't want it to chill quickly either."
"What if it doesn't fit?"
"We will try anyway, once he is cooled down enough we will cloth it like we normally would. Then he will be normal. Now let's hope he stays alive until then."
My wife moans loudly as the doctor holds her hands above her head. He begins pushing hard against her legs, eliciting another scream from her mouth.
Block looked away, he couldn't watch anymore, he needs to concentrate on keeping himself together.
"No, I'm fine... I mean yeah, I guess..."
"Just hang on buddy, we got this."
Starlight enters the room carrying an IV bag full of fluids. "Hey Block and Brisk I'm here, sorry I'm late I got here as fast as I could!"
"Not good, I have never seen anything like this before. How am I supposed to keep myself together watching my wife suffer this much?"
She pats his back gently with a warm smile. "You're doing great Block. Just remember to breathe, and stay calm. We got this. its almost over!"
I nod and try to manage my breathing.
The doctor pushes harder and faster, my wife yelling louder than usual. Her voice carries throughout the hospital, echoing off walls and floors. The sound becomes deafening one after another.
Then a simple baby cry emerges in the place of groanings
It was happening, my wife was giving birth, but the doctor immediately took the baby out of her tummy, there was no grand entrance to the world, only survival and the glow entered the room gathering the mutation required to create a cutie mark which I only saw as it finally died down something blue.
"It's a boy!" said Starlight Glimmer shaking my hand.
"quickly to the oven!" said the doctor as he rushed over to the kitchen with it already set to 120 degrees and promptly put the baby inside. "Now let's get some blankets for your wife!"
they cover her in 21 blankets then the doctor breathes a sigh of relief
"now we wait" he says. "we just got to wait until both of them cool down slowly but surely"
I look at myself in the mirror. My face is pale, my hair messy and my eyes red and watery from crying.
Brisk had done it, my wife did all the work,
We finally had made a family.
I turn around and see Big Mac standing behind me holding my wife's hand.
Big Mac turns around and smiles at me. "You can relax now."
I nod and take a deep breath. It feels amazing to know that our son is finally safe and healthy.
"Thank you, Big Mac. I couldn't ask for a better friend" Starlight coughs at this statement. "Oh yeah, thank you too for making all this possible" I go to hug her tightly.
"If you don't mind, could you keep a journal of what your baby will go through for the next few days? I need it for research, especially the part where the baby's cutie mark formed in the womb," said Starlight.
I do not hesitate to comply. If there was a chance in the future to counteract the pain in which Brisk ensued, then they should have that chance. Especially since they would be able to help other mares who may find themselves in similar situations.
"Where should I start? I'm no writer!" I say.
"You don't have to be a good writer, you just have to tell us what happened." She answers.
So thus I am writing about what happened.
Days later, the baby foal is pulled out of the oven and my wife returns to normal temperatures. Finally looking at our baby, I describe him as having an orange coat with yellow fuzz, a white underbelly, blue eyes, and a very tiny cutie mark of a blue puzzle piece.
"He's earth pony", says Big Mac.
"Agreed" I reply.
"Are you ready? Block" asks Big Mac.
"Ready for what?" I ask
"To name him. He's your baby after all."
"well...He has a puzzle on his flank so...how about Puzzle Piece?"
" Puzzle Piece? I think that is a very fitting name" Joked Starlight as she hugs me tight.
We both smiled and pat each other's backs and hugged looking at Brisk. It was the beginning of a new adventure.
Author's Note
End part 1
Do you want to see Puzzle Piece All Grown up? CLICK HERE: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/524065/jig-saws-bizarre-adventures