Smolder sat on the top row of seats, her chin resting on her palm, looking down with mild disinterest at the rest of the class down below.
Professor Sparkle's lecture was over something boring that didn't interest her, until Smolder spotted Ocellus fidgeting in her seat, seeing her hoof raised. "Professor, may I be excused; it's an emergency."
Smolder mirrored the alicorn's surprise.
"Are you not feeling well? Should we get Professor Fluttershy?" Asked Twilight.
It wasn't like Ocellus to leave in the middle of class, the Princess knew something was amiss as well.
Smolder knew Ocellus took great strides ensuring nothing got in the way of her attendance. She seemed really uncomfortable today, so maybe something really was wrong.
"Um, maybe, I don't know," Ocellus rubbed her tummy.
Smolder jumped at the opportunity to skip class. But of course she was also concerned for her friend. "I'll take her Professor, if that's okay?" At worst she just had a bad case of gas.
"Oh! If Ocellus is okay with it, then you two can go together." Twilight excused them.
Ocellus nodded in agreement, making a pained expression; but would agree to anything if it got her moving.
Their other friends looked on in concern as they got up and left, getting no assurances from either.
Silverstream reached over and grabbed Ocellus' book and notes. "I'll hang onto these and meet up with you later, hope you feel better!" Sge chirped after her.
Ocellus grunted some semblance of thanks as she unceremoniously left class at a hurried pace.
Smolder followed after Ocellus for a short while on the way to Professor Fluttershy's classroom.
"So what's wrong, do you just need to use the bathroom?" Smolder asked.
Ocellus winced in pain and half grunted her refusal. "Uh-uh..."
"Got gas?"
"Mmmm... no, I think it's happening."
Smolder was confused. "Uhm, 'what', is happening?"
Ocellus had to stop and clutch her stomach.
Smolder reached to help, now getting scared for her, and noticed Ocellus looked bloated. Her belly was definitely rounder than normal, and her translucent chitin stomach was streched like the underbelly of a dragon; she only saw scales get stretched like that on fat dragons and... pregnant ones.
When the light shone through the translucent parts of Ocellus' body, she could see dozens of small dotted shadows within her belly.
"You're laying!?" Smolder gasped louder than she meant.
"Yay, she's all caught up." Ocellus sarcssed while wincing.
"Okay, I deserved that," Smolder deadpanned. "But seriously, should we get Fluttershy for you?"
"I-" Ocellus immediately rushed into the closest bathroom.
Smolder caught sight of a blue-greenish goo leaking from Ocellus' rear; she cautiously entered after her, and tried her best to pretend to ignore the sounds of water splashing as something was dropped into the floor toilets.
Ocellus' grunts and moans of discomfort ebbed after a few minutes, with Smolder leaning against the sink, warding away any creature that entered.
Ocellus came out looking ashamed. "I knew I should've stayed in my room today, I'm sorry you had to be here for this, Smolder; I hope you don't think I'm gross." She closed her eyes and looked away.
"Hey, I know how it is, it's no problem." Smolder reassured.
"You do?" Ocellus sounded hopeful, getting a deadpan eyebrow raised look from the dragoness. "Oh right, I didn't think any creature other than me was doing... this."
"All better now though, isn't it?" Smolder asked, giving a sympathetic smile.
"Much better." Ocellus sighed in relief.
"So who's the daddy?" Smolder teased.
"Very funny, Smol," Ocellus teased back. "They aren't fertilized, and I never fed on other's love... unless, well; we don't know if new Changlings are able to reproduce through parthenogenesis." She informed.
"Partheno-what now?" Smolder repeated.
"It means we can reproduce without a mate; I guess technically we can, but not without love to help fertilize the eggs we carry; it's such a hassle that I periodically have to... well, you know." She gestured at the stall behind her.
"Yeah, it kinda sucks; so what's your count?" Smolder asked jokingly, not expecting an answer, but forgetting whom she was asking it to.
Ocellus' cheeks blushed and looked back into the stall. "About two and half dozen, I think?"
Smolder leaned over to get a look.
There were definitely about two dozen small turquoise, translucent glass-like eggs, about the size of a chickens; grouped in clusters all around the floor toilet. Some stuck to the sides, floor and up the back wall; all covered in blueish-green changling goop.
"Whoa, I think your aim was off, the janitor ponies aren't gonna be happy about this." Smolder said, sounding impressed.
Ocellus whined in embarrassment, covering her mortified face. "I didn't mean to, sometimes my oviposter has a mind of it's own!"
"I'm just teasin', we should go tell Professor Fluttershy, before some creature thinks there's been an alien invasion." Smolder smirked.
Ocellus looked worried. "I'm not ready to face her yet; is it really that bad?"
"Again, just teasing; I'm amazed you layed so many, respect." Smolder complimented, bumping her chest with a closed fist.
Ocellus shrugged. "That's about what I usually lay. Why?" She asked.
Smolder leaned against the bathroom wall, while Ocellus washed up. "Dragons lay bigger clutches the older we get, survival of the fittest and all that, it needs to be that way because loads of hatchlings get eaten up during their molt."
"Oh... so how many do you lay now?" Ocellus asked.
Smolder blushed "Just 4 so far; but it might be 6 this next time; mine are bigger than yours though."
Ocellus dried off her hooves. "Are you about to lay as well?"
Smolder looked away in embarrassment. "Y-yeah, maybe in a week... Spike's been looking pretty good lately; know what I mean?" She hinted.
Ocellus smiled and tittered. "Yes, I think I do... do you have a nesting instict, does it feel good when they come out, how often do you lay?" She asked curiously in succession.
Smolder's blush grew deeper. "Those are really personal questions!" She shouted louder than she meant.
Ocellus looked disappointed. "Oh... sorry, it's just that there aren't many creatures that go to school that understand what it's like being an oviparous creature."
Smolder took a breath and steeled herself before making herself vulnerable. "No, I know... it happens about every three months; but the older a dragon gets, it'll come in longer spans too; eventually I'll be laying more than a hundred once a century or so."
She answered.
Ocellus brightened, and waited to hear more.
"It does feel kinda good, not usually, but I uh, I think... I kind of orgasmed the last time I layed my clutch." Smolder mumbled, but wanted to share, curious to hear if Ocellus experienced the same feeling.
"Ooh, I love when that happens, and the next one slides out, mmhm!" Ocellus replied, closing her eyes. "It happened this time too, about half way done, you know, once the pressure and cramps weren't so bad."
Smolder smirked and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but the tummy aches and mood swings leading up to it really suck; for me, it's more about the relief after it's all done. And sometimes..." Smolder fidgeted, looking unsure, before covering her mouth whispering like telling a secret.
"Sometimes I like to take a bunch of the school towels and make a nest out of them in my closet, lay my clutch, and... cuddle with my eggs." Smolder looked away, preparing for the teasing to come.
Ocellus reassured her. "Ooh, do you feel like they need protecting?"
Smolder hugged herself. "No, more like... they're my babies, you know? I just want to love them for a little while, and sometimes I get really sad after I have to... get rid of them; I know it's stupid, because I know they aren't real, they aren't fertilized, they aren't alive in the way that matters." She explained, while feeling vulnerable.
Ocellus reassured her. "I don't think that's stupid at all. You made something that's yours. You're allowed to love what's yours, even if they won't hatch; I feel that way about mine right now; like, I need to stay here until they hatch, protect them, and part of my mind is wondering if the spot I chose is dark and damp enough for them."
Smolder gave a grateful smile, but still tried to play it cool. "I know, but I'd appreciate it, if you didn't tell anyone."
Ocellus sounded genuine "Your secret is safe with me. Thank you for sharing, Smolder; I feel a lot better having a friend that understands what it's like going through..." She gestured at the clutch of gooey eggs left in the stall. "Something like this."
Smolder gave a non commital shrug. "Hey, what are friends for?"
Ocellus teased. "Also, that's a really cute mental image of you curled up in a nest of towels with your egg-babies."
Smolder rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yeah, yeah; ready to go see Nurse Fluttershy now?"
"Yes, let's go, if we're quick, maybe the janitor ponies won't have to use a jackhammer to scrape off my eggs; Changling secretion hardens like concrete after it cures."
The pair left and interrupted Professor Fluttershy's class.
Fluttershy was attentive to their needs immediately. "Oh dear, are you feeling alright?"
Ocellus explained what happened outside of her class, and went with the nurse-proffessor to show her the stall where the incident occurred.
"Oh my." Fluttershy said in the same tone she used when one of her animals made a mess.
Fluttershy spoke gently as she usually did. "Ocellus, I want you to wait in Counselor Starlight's office for me, okay?"
"Am I in trouble?" Ocellus sounded worried.
"Oh no, you aren't in any trouble at all, but this does bring to our attention a few things we weren't prepared for when accommodating students needs; I'm sure Counselor Starlight, and Headpony Twilight will want to talk with you about what happened."
"Does she have to?" Smolder sounded miffed for her friend. And by extension this was a problem for herself too. It was just a few eggs, what's the big deal?
Fluttershy offered a gentle, sympathetic smile. "No, we won't force you to do anything you don't want to do; but we also need an opportunity to talk about what happened, so we all understand how to accommodate your needs while you're attending school here."
"I'll catch up with you at lunch Smolder, save me a plate?" Ocellus asked, getting a nod from Smolder.
They separated and got back together again later during lunch; passing by the bathroom Ocellus used, was now cordoned off with an Out of Order sign on the door.
Which miffed Smolder again. She didn't want anything out in the open that would make her friend feel embarrassed by something she couldn't control.
Ocellus found Smolder sitting alone with two plates; their other friends were still in lines waiting for food.
"Hey, so what'd they say?" Smolder mumbled around her mouthful of broccoli-cheese and emerald gem, rice casserole.
Lunch time was the only time Smolder could really appreciate the benefits of Spike being raised as a pony. He made sure the food suited dragon needs too.
Ocellus took her plate and stuffed a few bites down her gullet. "Sorry, I'm starving after all that 'labor'." She snorted a nerdy laugh.
Smolder smirked. "You're such dork, but seriously; tell me what they did."
Ocellus explained. "Counselor Starlight gave me a security blanket and empathy cocoa and wanted to know if I was going through post-partum depression. I feel kinda protective of my eggs, but I don't get that attached to them, so I told her I'm fine.
"Then Headmare Twilight wanted to know if there was some way to accommodate my needs whenever I have to lay a clutch."
Smolder nodded along. "So what'd you say?"
"I told her that I usually find a private place off campus, but having a laying space in school would be more convenient. I didn't know what to do or where to go this time, since they came a few days early.
"I didn't specify any creature, but I told them there were other creatures that have the same needs as me; I hope that was okay." Ocellus paused to see if she overstepped.
Smolder shifted uncomfortably. "That's okay, it'd be nice if there was a warm volcanic crater I could use; what else?"
"Then we got to the discussion of what to do after..." Ocellus trailed and took a bite of lunch.
"After we make 'eggy in the basket'; don't start getting embarrassed now." Smolder teased.
"I'm not embarrassed, I'm... self-conscious; I told them it'd help if there was a way we could... I don't know, 'separate' ourselves from our eggs, after we're done; but that's why I need to talk to you about it, because this can't be just about me."
Smolder nodded and groaned. "I hate throwing mine away, ugh, makes me feel like I'm the worst mom ever; what do you do with yours?"
Ocellus shrugged. "I usually throw them in the ponds and canals around school, the fish sure love them; speaking of..." Ocellus saw the rest of their friend group was headed to their table and sat with them.
Silverstream sat down their books and notes. "Here's your notes, Smolder, Ocellus, are you feeling better, is it serious, are you dying, how much time do you have, why didn't you tell us!"
Gallus reigned her in. "Too far babe, too far; let's back it up, that's it, just back it up." He pulled the Hippogriff away from nose booping her friend.
Sandbar spoke in a chill voice. "Guys, give them some space to explain; what's all this undeserved pressure."
Yona plopped down to sit, shaking the table. "When Yona feel pressure, Yona like to smash something until she feel better; or somepony, zing!" She nudged Sandbar, pushing the teen colt over, and gave Silverstream a highfive, which the Hippogriff was glad to reward. The duo were true dudettes together.
Smolder groused. "Guys, it's not a big deal; it's just girl stuff."
Ocellus turned to Smolder. "We really should include Silverstream in what's happening."
Silverstream looked between them. "Include me in what?"
"Girl stuff." Smolder repeated more firmly.
"Yona is girl, and Yona has stuff, Yona will be included too!" She stated brightly
Ocellus tittered. "I'm okay with that, what about you Smol?" She asked, getting a non-committal shrug from the dragoness as she chewed with detached interest.
"Eh, what stuff?" Silverstream asked in confusion.
Ocellus offered. "We should all meet in my room tonight, and talk about it."
"Including us?" Gallus smirked while he and Sandbar leaned closer, a bright smile on their faces.
Smolder puffed out a black smoke of annoyance. "Ugh, what part of girls stuff doesn't any creature understand!"
Smolder got up and threw away her plate. "I'll see you girls later." She emphasised and stormed off.
"Boy, she sure was 'huffy'," Sandbar set up.
"Huffy the magic dragon," Gallus followed up and hoove-bumped his bro.
"I dont know what we're talking about, but I am okay with it!" Silverstream said while looking airheaded.
Ocellus shook her head in disapproval at the boys.
Later that night Ocellus and her friends met in her room.
Smolder was the first to knock, followed by Silverstream flying ahead of a bounding Yak.
Ocellus opened the door to her dorm, wearing a shawl around her neck, and a flowery laurel wreath on her head. "Hey every creature, come on in, I have drinks and snacks available, if you want some." She happily lead them inside.
Smolder looked around at a makeshift sitting area, with a firefly lantern providing light in the middle of a pit of large pillows, with other laurels sitting on those. Prepackaged cookies and soda was being served, sitting on a work desk opposite the bunk bed.
Ocellus gave Smolder her laurel made of burnished copper and magically molded gems for the leaves and flowers. "Here's yours Smolder, I asked Counselor Starlight to make this one. I figured you'd might appreciate it being kind of fire proof."
The other girls wore theirs, oohing and awe-ing at how pretty they were. Silverstream's was made of seashells, and Yona's was made of genuine straw and Yak hair, the same she shed daily.
Smolder really liked hers, and smiled as she took it; but that quickly disappeared as she became self-conscious about what they were doing there.
"Uh, I was okay with talking with you girls about this, but I wasn't expecting to make a club out of this, Ocellus." Smolder folded her arms, still holding her laurel.
"Awe just give it a chance, Smol; Counselor Starlight gave me some fascinating books about 'owning our power'; to love and appreciate how our bodies work to create life." Ocellus wrapped a translucent sparkly shawl around herself, and sat in her bean bag chair, while the others did the same with other large pillows.
Smolder grimaced, then put the laurel on her head, then felt pretty with it on. Letting a happy smile escape her before hiding it to join the others.
Yona was stuffing her face with snacks already, while everyone else sipped their sodas and nibbled on a pre-packaged cookies from Barnyard Bargains.
Ocellus cleared her throat. "Thank you all for coming, I know you both must have a ton of questions for me; so I'll go ahead and explain what's going on."
Ocellus told them about her cramps, and how she periodically needed to lay eggs. She filled them in on what happened that day, and only shared what Smolder asked her to.
"Oh is that all, well that's a relief." Sighed Silverstream.
"And that's why we need to talk, Headmare Twilight wants us to report either to her, Nurse Fluttershy, or Counselor Starlight about any issues, accommodations, or improvements that could be made for Creatures that are oviparous like us in this school."
"Ovi-what now?" Yona and Silverstream said simultaneously.
"It means we lay eggs," Smolder added.
"But Yona not make egg." Commented the Yak.
"You do, just not like we can." Smolder teased. Ocellus and Silver tittered. Yona did too, only because they did.
"I'm glad your here all the same, Yona," said Ocellus. "Which brings us to our 'mane' discussion." She snorted, getting an eyeroll from Smolder and titters from Silver. Yona looked confused.
"I wanted us to get together and share our feelings when that 'special' time of ours comes around; I'll go first so no creature feels obligated to share if they don't want to."
Ocellus shared all of what she told Smolder. "The amount of eggs can vary greatly for a Changeling. It's all dependent on how much raw emotion we consume, I'm exposed to so much emotion all the time, I believe I absorb some unintentionally, which is why my clutch has been so inconsistent while I'm here."
Silverstream gasped and clapped her talons together. "Ooh wait! You throw them in the ponds and waters around school, I love your eggs!" She was bouncing on her cushion.
Smolder's head cocked in confusion. "Uh what?"
"This whole time I thought Head Mare Twilight or Professor Fluttershy knew about how much Hippocamps love to eat eggs! This whole time I thought they were leaving snacks for us to find; yours are really yummy Ocellus!" Silver bounced excitedly.
"Bahahaha, she ate your eggs!" Yona laughed.
Smolder was disturbed at the idea. But Ocellus took it in stride and spoke sagely. "Such is the circle of life. I'm glad the fruit of my womb didn't go to waste." She flourished her forelegs in a wide semicircle, then wriggled them as they rested on her lower tummy; making a vague outline of the sexual organ.
"Bleh!" Smolder scoffed. "Too much Ocellus, too much and too specific."
"What's it like for you Smolder? Do you get all territorial and angry mamma bear when you lay?" Silverstream asked curiously.
Smolder rolled her eyes and decided to get her turn over with. She told a more abridged version of what was shared with Ocellus, which she only did to help quell her friends embarrassment, but now it was evident that Ocellus didn't seem at all phased.
"Not much to explain. I get crampy and moody, I'll find a nesting spot and do my business like any other dragon." She shrugged nonchalantly.
Silver asked excited in quick succession. "But, I mean, are your eggs small and easy to push out, or are they all huge and spikey and scaly; do you accidentally crush them while pushing, or are they slimy when they come out?"
Smolder's cheeks turned red. "They're just normal eggs, gosh! Maybe a little on the large size, but they're kind of hard to break."
Ocellus felt the need to intervene. "I know we're all curious and excited to learn of our differences, but let's not pressure Smolder or any creature into sharing more than they're comfortable with, m'kay?"
Silverstream ears wilted. "You're right, I'm sorry Smolder, I really am curious about how my friends deal with that part of their anatomy. I was so embarrassed whenever my time to lay would come; but I'm so happy and relieved to know others are going through the same thing."
Smolder shrugged. "It's fine, I know it's just how your are Silver; we like that about you."
Ocellus pour herself some more soda. "This is why I wanted us to be together for tonight, to support each other and help make the school a more accommodating and inclusive place for all creatures; this is where it all starts, with all of us just talking about our problems, that's all it is."
The others murmured in agreement, before Yona broke the silence. "Silverstream confuses, Yona; Yona want to know what Silverstream does for egg time?"
The other chuckled and blushed, knowing what she really meant, but said it the wrong way. "What do you want to know?" Asked Silver.
Yona explained. "Silverstream is Hippogriff now, but can be Hippocamp if she want; what does that do to Silver's eggs; if Silver have them, do Silver have egg?"
"Yay! My turn to share!" Silver clapped excitedly.
"I'll have to second the part about confusing." Smolder raised her hand.
"Me too." Mirrored Ocellus. "I didn't want to assume, but this meeting also doubled as a chance to explain what happened yesterday."
Silver was bouncing in excitement. "First of all, yes, I do lay eggs as both a Hippogriff, and a Hippocamp; but they are both vastly different." The others listened in rapt attention.
"As a Hippogriff, we lay one huuuuge egg the size of a foal, and yeah, we call them foals since they come out of our pony-half." They nodded along. "As a Hippocamp, we lay dozens of smaller eggs just like fish-"
"Do you eat them too?" Yona interrupted, much to the alarm from Smolder and Ocellus.
"We did!" Silver started excitedly from the guess, then corrected herself to the horrified looks from the other two. "But not anymore, nope, we don't do that anymore; those were dark times after the Storm King's attack, dark times; food was pretty scarce, mamma calls me a 'survivor'." She chuckled happily at the name.
Ocellus and Smolder wordlessly locked eyes, both silently agreeing that neither will point out just how messed up it was that Silver actually believed it was an endearing title.
"Which do you prefer?" Ocellus asked. "Your avian or aquatic half?"
"Mmm, they both have ups and downs; as a Hippogriff it's one and done, but as a Seapony, it's much easier, but takes a lot longer, and the cleanup is harder because the eggs are all slimy and squishy, but at least I don't get all stretched out so Gallus doesn't take forever while we're mating." She exasperated.
The others weren't surprised by Silver's relations with Gallus. Just like with Yona and Sandbar, every creature knew who was bucking whom; besides, they were here to complain about eggs and girl problems; not boys and their penises.
Yona sighed sadly. "Yak is like Pony; they not make egg neither. Yona feel like she don't belong with you girls, Yona not make egg, Yona just get hot, wet, sticky, and itchy and smashy when mating time come."
Smolder's heart went out for the yak, she hated when her friends were made to feel bad, and without hesitation, she dropped her guarded facade and comforted her with words and a gentleness no creature ever heard her spoke before. Her voice was soft and warm, not gravely and coarse like she usually made it. "Yona just because you're different from us doesn't make your problems any less important than ours."
Yona smiled in genuine happiness. "Yona want to understand friends problems, Yona wonder if there is way Yona can lay egg so Yona know what it's like for friends?"
"I can help with that." Ocellus offered.
Silver, Smolder, and Yona looked surprised.
"You can, how?" Yona asked leaning forward.
"I'm a Changeling, I can lay my eggs in you like we used to do during Queen Chrysalis' time; as long as you don't love any creature for a couple weeks, you can push them out."
Smolder's eye narrowed. "Not sure how I should feel about how casually you're talking about laying eggs in your friends."
Ocellus shrugged. "What, as long as she's consenting, then it shouldn't be anyone's problem?"
"You do that for Yona?" She pleaded, then did a hoof pump after Ocellus nodded in confirmation.
"Can I have them, when you're done?" Silver asked Yona.
"Ugh! Let's talk about literally anything else!" Smolder exasperated, her face turned a beet red of embarrassment.
They spent the remainder of their time discussing how, and what, the school can do to make them feel more comfortable when their laying time comes.
