Equestria, Sweet Equestria...

“This is simply fantastic news, darling!”

"congratulations twilight..."

Twilight remained silent as her friends continued to congratulate her, but they weren’t helping...well... not entirely. She couldn’t help but have her thoughts start to focus on Cadence and Shining Armor along with the coming months. She turned from her friends to look at the library running all possibilities through her head at a rapid rate. The books were pushed back so they wouldn’t fall and hit…

The quills were all accounted for and they wouldn’t be lying around allowing for the opportunity for somepony to fall on…

“What’s the matter, sugarcube?”

Twilight looked back to her friends who now were sporting their concern as they had not only a few minutes ago. Even Twilight began to wonder to herself….what was the matter…

She knew she was happy for her brother and sister in law and knew she would be there for them. She could even picture the foal once it was born remembering when the Cakes had their twins. She could remember how cute they looked all snuggled in their beds.

She knew she wasn’t mad at her brother for not letting her know via a letter. She had gotten out of that nitch back when Cadence and Shining had gotten married.

Then….a thought arose….a thought she had kept tucked away and only now with the recent news had it found room to hold relevance. She felt a chill come over her as she started to breathe slowly as it began to engulf her thinking.

“Twi, come on, what’s bitin’ you?” She heard Rainbow ask as the others waited for an answer.

“…I’m just…” Twilight began before somehow shoving the thought away and letting out a sigh, “…worried. I’ve read a book about…things when it comes to this.”

Twilight recalled the day she had stumbled upon a book talking about pregnancies. It had been one of those reads she only continued with if the subject matter caught her interest. Information that usually snuck into the back part of her mind waiting for relevance... She could recall most of what she read…mood swings…nausea…fragility…

“Twilight, dear, we understand you’re concerned” Rarity chimed in breaking Twilight’s thoughts; “But you shouldn’t get too anxious about this...”

“Yeah, ya'll should be excited,” Applejack added as Twilight felt her pat her on the back.

Twilight looked at her friends and saw their small cheerful smiles as she began to think more about the situation. Being honest with herself, she knew she was still worried and the information she had read was constantly reminding her…then there was the thought….

“You're right,” Twilight said with a smile slowly forming on her face, “And I am. I am excited.”

She couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy start to overtake her as another aspect of the matter set in. She was going to be an Aunt.

...should I have found anything of interest...

“Oh! Oh! How about we go to Sugarcube Corner to celebrate?” She heard Pinkie pipe up as her mind began to fall back to her previous letter.

“Sounds like a mighty fine idea Pinkie,” Applejack said as the others began to agree as well.

“Actually…” Twilight began as a sense of dread began to come over her, “I have something to do for the Princess,”

“Come on Twilight,” She heard Rainbow Dash say while looking to see her in the air, “You even said yourself, he seemed…harmless. And besides it’s not like he’s going anywhere soon.”

Twilight hesitated in a response as she recalled her conversation with Rick and what she had told Rainbow afterwards. Nothing had really struck her as him being a threat, but…she couldn’t help in feeling there was something off. How he paused for a while before talking about his home…how he tried to eat his sandwich when she arrived…as if he…

“I’ll write a letter to the Princess and leave it at that…for now,” Twilight finally said turning and walking over to the table by the window before looking back at her friends, “You all go ahead.”

“Well...,” Applejack said as the five hesitated for a moment before heading out the door, "We’ll see you there Twi."

“Oh! I almost forgot. I have some orders to finish up for today,” Pinkie exclaimed before zipping right out of the library in a pink blur.

Once she heard the door close and the voices of her friends fade from ear shot, Twilight quickly channeled her magic and brought a quill and piece of paper to the desk. As her mind kept debating, she managed to focus on writing.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I want to thank you for the great news. I can’t fully describe how excited I am for my brother and Cadence. However, concerning what I said in my previous letter, I must report I have found nothing that would cause for any major concern towards the pony in question.

Twilight stopped writing for a moment as she felt part of her wanting to make note of the strangeness she had seen while the other argued the latter. Twilight recalled Rick’s explanations for his moments with the sandwich, but…even with them, something still felt off…particular when she asked about his home... As she lowered the quill back down to the paper, her mind was still in its furious race of decision making.

“I’m finished in there, Twilight,” Spike’s voice exclaimed drawing her attention from the letter, “Anything else?”

Twilight looked towards her assistant for a moment then around the library once more before going back to the paper. Her mind’s race began to slow down as she brought the quill down once again.

“We’re ok for now Spike,” Twilight said with a little sigh as she finished the letter, “Just need to send this."

However, I will continue to keep an eye on the matter as I feel there is still something strange about him.

Finishing it off the with her signature and feeling ok with what she had written, Twilight put the quill back before using her magic to roll the paper up and brought a small red ribbon over. She quickly tied the ribbon before floating the letter to Spike who wasted no time in sending it with a quick breath of fire.

“Come on Spike,” Twilight said as she began to walk to the door, “We’re meeting the others at Sugarcube Corner.”

“Twilight….are you going to be ok?”

Twilight stopped at the doorway and looked back to see Spike with a concerned look on his face. She had her mind flood with all the thoughts on the matter and began to divide on how she was going to feel…

“Don’t worry, Spike,” Twilight answered with a warm smile and a light chuckle, “Come on. We don’t want to keep the others waiting.”

Without any further reasons to give, Twilight exited the library as she felt Spike climb onto her back. Once he was on, she took off into Ponyville for some sugary treats letting the worries she had fade away…but not letting them be erased....

The next few days passed normally as most days did in Ponyville. Everypony went about their daily business as any other day. Twilight took time during one of those days to write a letter to Shining Armor and Cadence congratulating them extensively and had also eagerly made plans to visit them. She had managed to keep an eye on Rick but saw nothing…much like last time. The crater at the center of town had been taken care of for the most part, but still had a bit left to go.

It had three days since Winter Wrap Up; Twilight was walking through Ponyville with Applejack beside her. She had given Spike the day off, who had taken off into Ponyville for personal matters, and she hadn’t checked on Rick yet, but could safely guess that there was nothing new. Thought she made a mental note to make sure she saw him soon, figuring he probably would be checking out of the hospital sometime during the day.

“What exactly did Pinkie Pie need us for?” Twilight asked as they made their way.

“She didn’t say exactly,” Applejack explained before giving a light chuckle, “But you could probably guess knowing her.”

Knowing well about Pinkie, Twilight was able to quickly come up with a few possibilities and the most obvious one would be a party for a single pony. She figured if it was a party, she thought it would be a good way to spend part of the day given she had not much on her schedule besides the mandatory visit she kept reminding herself of. They soon arrived at the candy covered building of Sugarcube Corner as the scent of baked goods filled their noses. They approached and opened the front door, the scent become stronger as they walked in. It was somewhat packed with customers which wasn’t an unusual sight for the place when it was having a good day. Twilight was able to spot Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and even Spike was amongst the ones there.

“Oh. You made it.”

Twilight looked to the front counter to see an energetic Pinkie Pie hoping up and down with a big smile on her face...and a white pony right next to her.

Rick was counting himself lucky over and over rapidly in his mind. He remembered the panic that had come over him after explaining hesitantly to the nurse pony that he had no money then only to see the pink pony from his first day popping out of literally nowhere…with a cupcake. She had introduced herself as Pinkie Pie and with a slew of events; the nurse pony asked Pinkie if Sugar Cube Corner need an extra hoof. Knowing well enough he had no other option, he agreed to work while remembering what Twilight had said about the place. It was then sweets as far as the eye could see and under the supervision of the owners, the Cakes if he caught the name correctly.

“Oh, Rick, it’s good to see you again,” Twilight’s voice said bringing Rick back to reality as she approached the counter with another pony wearing a brown hat, “How’s your leg?”

Rick looked down as he moved his newly healed leg with a fluid motion. Despite Twilight telling him it wouldn’t be long, he was still amazed the day he woke up to find his leg completely healed as if nothing had happened to it.

“Great,” Rick replied with small smile returning his look to Twilight, “Now um… can I help you with anything?”

“Oh don’t worry Rick,” Pinkie Pie interjected before Twilight even spoke, “They’re here because of me. Oh. Could you go get that batch of cupcakes from the kitchen please?”

Rick immediately felt a feeling of dread come over him. Up until this point he had just handled the front counter where it hadn’t been mandatory to pick up things and only called for him to push money, or bits if he had caught the word correctly from Pinkie telling the price of an order, into a bag, his mind began flashing the memories of Rainbow somehow grabbing his shirt collar with her hooves and the nurse pony holding up a bowl with a single hoof and began to wonder how in the wide world he was going…

“Alrighty,” Rick eventually said pushing the thought away for the moment as he began to walk to the kitchen.

Passing through the swinging doors, he was greeted with the busy Cakes working throughout the kitchen with various utensils and ingredients being moved around at a quick rate. Rick made sure he was out of there way giving a ‘pardon me’ if one of them did cross his path as he walked over to a part of the counter where a tray of cupcakes laid. The memory of the sandwich in the hospital played out in his head before he looked to the busy couple, but shoved the idea of asking them for a hoof away, knowing well there was no way around it.

“Ok….” Rick said to himself as he continued to eye the tray before letting out a sigh, “…oh boy...”

Rick lifted his front legs and placed his hooves on the counter. He leaned his head forward while opening his mouth taking a part of the side of the tray in his mouth and bit down. Titling his head up slightly, he felt the tray come off the counter and his entire head wobble for a moment as he regained the balance. He turned keeping his teeth grip tight as he was greeted once again with the busy Cakes before carefully proceeding forward.

“So, Pinkie,” Twilight asked with a smile as she mentally checked off the visit in her head, “Is there a party today for somepony?”

“Mhm,” Pinkie replied her behavior becoming more and more excited, “A super doper party for someponies veerrrry special.”

Twilight quickly assumed it was a birthday party as she knew in the past, Pinkie got very excited when it came to birthdays. She began to wonder whom Pinkie was referring to and at first figured it was the twins…but quickly remembered it was nowhere near their birthday…

The ring of the bell suspended over the front door drifted into her ears as she continued to think.

Maybe it was one of the customers she didn’t know….

The sound of a pair of hooves entering as everything seemed to go quiet including the chatter of all the ponies in the bakery.

Maybe it was…Fluttershy’s…no, hers had happened already….Applejack’s…no, same with her…

Rarity’s….Rainbow’s…Gummy’s…

“Twilight,” Applejack’s voice said breaking into Twilight’s wondering thoughts, “You might wanna turn around, sugarcube.”

Twilight found her thoughts fade as she slowly turned around her eyes panning the interior of Sugar Cube Corner seeing all the ponies….before falling onto the two just at the door…almost at the center of attention.

“Shining Armor! Cadence!”

Twilight rushed towards her brother and sister in law as the couple held out a hoof to embrace her. Her face brimming with happiness, she forgot momentarily other concerns and kept her gaze locked on two of the most important ponies to her as she came into their hug.

“It’s great to see you too, Twilee,” Shining Armor said with a chuckle as Twilight wrapped her forelegs around them, “Oh, mind the mother.”

Twilight retreated from the hug quickly remembering Cadence’s current condition as she finally got a good look at her. She looked the same as she ever did, but now...her stomach was swollen and more pronounced which caused Twilight to momentarily recall everything she had read. Despite this, it was still her ex-foal sitter…except...

“Sunshine, Sunshine, lady bugs awake,”

Twilight relished the blissful moment as she and Cadence preformed their little chant under the watchful eyes of everypony in Sugar Cube Corner. She didn’t ever find it embarrassing to do and enjoyed anytime she got to do it, but she took note to Cadence’s slow pace knowing well the act would not be easy sooner or later.

“How are things in the Crystal Empire? How have you two been since..?” Twilight began shooting questions as the couple kept a smile at her eagerness.

“Easy there Twilight,” Shining Armor said with another chuckle while rubbing Twilight's mane before putting a fore leg around his wife’s shoulder , “We’ll have time to catch up.”

“Alright everypony, it's time for...Cuuuupcakkkesss!” Pinkie’s voice announced with the last word drawn out as all attention fell on her.

There was a loud applause as everypony waited for the delicious treats….and waited...and waited. Twilight looked to see Pinkie do a double take towards the door leading to the kitchen as if a cue hadn’t been recognized.

“Rick…Riiiiiick…”

A few seconds after, Twilight saw Rick slowly up out of the kitchen holding a tray of cupcakes in his mouth. She quickly remembered the crater in the center of town and made a mental note not to mention the observations she had made to Shining or Cadence….at least for the time being. She kept quiet along with everypony as they all watched Rick walk up the counter with hesitation in his pace as if he was carefully planning out his steps.

“Rorre…rad ro gret round…rakes...” Rick mumbled out through his teeth before placing the tray on the counter and drawing in a breath, “Sorry everyone...”

An awkward silence settled amongst the bakery, Twilight felt a wave of nervousness come over her as she looked to the crowd of ponies not moving towards the tray and looking directly at Rick, Rainbow included … but, thankfully, soon everypony filed in to retrieve a cupcake from the tray then wait for more easing Twilight of the nervousness, but she still noticed Rainbow was still acting a bit suspicious as she retrieved her cupcake. Once the party had finally started rolling, Twilight found herself waiting patiently to talk with Shining Armor and Cadence while admiring them as they were occupied by multiple ponies giving their congrates and bombarding them with questions about the foal. Twilight continued to eat her cupcake as she couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her brother and sister-in-law being…happy. So happy..

Just as the party was in full swing, there came the sound of a rolling kart and something being pushed through the doors of the kitchen.

“It’s time for cake everypony!”

Twilight as well as everypony in the bakery turned their attention to the kart just in front of the doors to the kitchen being pushed by Mr. and Mrs. Cake. The two rolled the kart into the center of the room as everypony began to converge on it. Twilight made her way through the crowd and got alongside Shining Armor as the Cakes began to serve. During this, Twilight took notice to Pinkie zipping up the stairs towards the upper level of the building; she quickly figured she was going to check on the twins knowing that all the commotion probably woke the poor foals up from their nap…she also noticed Rick. He was there behind the counter looking around as if he was manning it on a slow day. She saw Mr. Cake walk over and start to converse with Rick and motion towards the crowd as if he was making an offer for him to have some cake but she saw Rick shake his head and say something back, which she read as a ‘but thank you’. Mr. Cake then put a hoof to his chin before taking off into the kitchen and quickly coming back with a brown bag in clenched in his mouth. She watched as Mr. Cake say something inaudible to Rick who gave a small smile and nodded his head before taking the bag in his mouth and began to head for the front door…

“Oops,”

Twilight was pulled back to the party as she felt a bit of cake now on her muzzle. She looked to Shining Armor who was holding back a laugh while Cadence let out a giggle. Twilight couldn’t help but feel a laugh rise up in her as she grin at her brother before levitating her piece of cake and smearing it on his face. The three let out a roar of laughter as Twilight momentarily forgot the concerns lurking in her mind as she pushed them away...for the time being.