Six Surprises
She was equally stealthy when she impregnated Rarity. So the purple-maned little attention whore liked to be seen? Well, she'd get seen! The father was a different stallion to Fluttershy's, and one that would only be revealed a long way down the line, if ever. Sunset Shimmer smirked to herself as she felt her magical way towards Rarity's ovaries from her secluded spot in the night-time shadows behind the seamstress' parlour. A pony had to be slim to look good with white fur. It'd be such a pity when Rarity began to swell. Such a pity. xXx Twilight sat ensconced in her newly-cleaned library, searching for possible references to the on-off sickness Fluttershy was experiencing. It didn't seem to be too serious but the pattern seemed odd, and she'd found that her mind had kept wandering from her official studies to the mystery so much that in the end, studying her friend's ailment had seemed more pertinent than reading up on the finer points of Fluttershy's Element of Harmony. She hadn't found much that seemed relevant (well, except for one hypothesis that Twilight hardly knew what to do with) when somepony knocked the door.
Spike went to answer it, as fantastic an assistant as always, and she glanced up to give the purple dragon a brief, grateful smile as he walked past. "Oh! H-hey Rarity! How are you doin'? Why don't you come in?" "Thank you, my dear!" answered Rarity and sauntered in. That made Twilight smile all the more. Even his voice sounded like it was preening itself whenever he saw her. She looked up from her book and said, "Hello Rarity," even as she half-noticed Spike hurriedly grooming his dorsal spines behind her. "How can I help you?" The white unicorn took a scroll out of her saddlebag. "I just came by to ask my little Spikey-Wikey to send a letter to Princess Celestia." In his eagerness to please her, Spike was already reaching for it to take it out of Rarity's magic grasp, which she now realised that she held it just out of his reach. The unicorns glanced at each other and chuckled. Rarity lowered the scroll and Spike took it, and was just taking a deep breath to send it when Twilight said, "Whoa, hold it Spike! May I read it first, Rarity?"
"Why of course." She watched Spike unravel it and explained, "It's about my spa day with Fluttershy. She's still sick." Twilight took the letter and paced back and forth, reading it. Once she'd reached the end she rolled it up and gave it back to Spike. "It's definitely strange." "I just don't know what's happened to the poor darling." Then she noticed the book Twilight had been reading, which had a biological diagram on the page. "Have you found anything?" she asked, batting her eyelashes with curiosity. Twilight paused. How am I going to tell her what I think it is?
She thought about their companion. Especially with Spike here. The purple pony turned a charming smile on him. "Spike, do you think you can fetch us two hay sandwiches?" Both of them gave her a strange look and she caught Rarity's eye. Then Rarity cottoned on and switched on the charm too. "Why Twilight, what a fabulous idea! Yes please Spike, I'd love a hay sandwich." Spike's expression had shown a trace of protest at first, but when he saw how much a sandwich would please Rarity he jumped to it. "Of course. I'll be right back," he said. If he still thought the request strange he didn't show it, and jogged out of the door to the shops.
Their smiles dropped and the two ponies turned to each other. "So what is it, Twilight?" Twilight restricted her hesitation to biting her lip a little and then, knowing that Spike would be back all too soon, answered. "The only sickness that fitted was," she hesitated for half a second, suddenly as awkward as could be, and turned away from her friend towards the book. "Morning sickness." Rarity's jaw actually dropped. "Fluttershy?" she said in disbelief. "But surely no!" "It's all I could find, Rarity," Twilight said, flicking through the pages with her dexterous magic, although she'd already looked at all the relevant and semi-relevant pages for the symptom of nausea. "She's been sick for two weeks and it clears up sometimes, only to start up again. There isn't anything else it could be for that length of time and with that pattern." She looked helplessly - and with a certain sense of embarrassment - at Rarity. It did feel strange to suggest that Fluttershy was pregnant. Eventually Rarity filled the silence. "I... I just don't think I can believe it. Are you sure?"
Twilight clenched her jaw and nodded. Rarity gazed back at her, the conflict plain on her face. "I'm not sure how to bring this up with Spike, either. Do you think I even should?" Rarity's response was sensible and swift - she often had a common-sense way about her and that was one of the qualities Twilight most appreciated in the seamstress. "Spike'll see what's happening soon whether you tell him or not. That's if Fluttershy's pregnant," Rarity added, and Twilight doubted herself again. And then found that she couldn't doubt herself because she'd done the research and that was all that had turned up. Maybe I should look at some more exotic illnesses? Maybe it's something rare that I haven't found yet. And then the word 'exotic' made her brain click. "Zecora! We should ask Zecora!" Spike chose that moment to come back. "Here you go, ladies!" he said, proudly brandishing two paper bags. Twilight was already packing a saddlebag with her medical book. "Spike, we're going to speak to Zecora. We'll be back soon, I promise."
"Thank you sweetie," Rarity said
graciously. "We'll eat them on the way." And Twilight belatedly realised that again, she'd ignored the social niceties that the situation still required despite the urgency of their mission and thanked Celestia for her good friend Rarity. They both trotted out of the house leaving a confused baby dragon at the door. xXx The pair wound their way through the oppressive darkness of the Evertree Forest and after a certain amount of time, arrived at the zebra's house. Twilight knocked and Zecora called in reply: "The door is open, dears, unlocked. There really is no need to knock." "Hello Zecora," said Twilight, mindful that she wanted to be polite but twitchy to get on with the conversation. She cast a glance around the exotic interior of the forest-dweller's home, which never failed to fascinate her. However she spoke instantly despite her curiosity spinning in all different directions, eager for any answers Zecora might be able to offer. "We need to ask your advice." The zebra offered them both a warm smile and stepped away from her cauldron, where she'd evidently been busy. "You look like you are feeling fear. What is it that has brought you here?" She tilted her head with interest and the fire beneath the cauldron made her gold jewellery glitter.
Twilight shared an uneasy glance with Rarity and then spoke. "Our friend Fluttershy's sick. Or I think she is. Her symptoms are a lot like... well, they're like..." Time to spit it out, Twilight. "They're like morning sickness. But..." But what? she asked herself. Usually Twilight managed to be clear about what she meant. She prided herself on having developed an expansive and effective vocabulary. But faced with the awkwardness of the situation, suddenly she found that of all the words she knew, none could convey her mix of urgency and reluctance, embarrassment in case she was wrong and the imperative to help Fluttershy if she needed it, no matter what the cost. Zecora gave her a soft, understanding smile, albeit one underlined by concern. "My sweetest Twilight. What is it you fear for Fluttershy's benefit? Do you think but hesitate that maybe she has found a mate?" "She's single, Zecora," Rarity answered with heartfelt certainty. "Why, if she had a stallion she'd tell us." The two girls looked at each other then as they both felt doubt. "Wouldn't she?" they both asked each other in unison.
"Fluttershy is very coy, what makes you think she won't avoid? Maybe she has this reaction because she's getting satisfaction." Twilight tried to gather her thoughts. "I want to help her," the purple unicorn said after a moment. "If she wants help. It doesn't seem Fluttershy's style to get pregnant. Not like this. I don't know if she's ashamed and doesn't want to tell us about it." She shook her head in irritation at the tangle her
thoughts had become. "And I'm still not entirely sure I'm right about the morning sickness." Her white companion tossed her hair, indignant that Twilight was doubting herself. "You don't get this kind of thing wrong, Twilight." But then she relented and gave the witchdoctor a sideways glance. "Is there anything else it could be, Zecora?" Zecora smiled again and walked around to come side by side with Twilight, and leaned comfortingly against her. "Talk to her. Tell her your fears. And when you have, lend her your ears. She'll tell you if she feels the need. Then from your fear you will be freed. As for what is ailing her, she must talk to her doctor."
Twilight brightened a little. Yes, that was just the right thing to do! Of course! She'd got so into the idea of helping Fluttershy that she'd forgotten to trust Fluttershy to help herself. "You're right Zecora. We can talk to her when we get back." She turned to leave but Rarity stayed where she was just for a moment. Twilight paused at this and waited for the white unicorn's next move. "Zecora," Rarity said, her tone suggesting that she had her own subject to bring. "I wonder if you have a home remedy for me. I've lost my appetite lately." Zecora nodded and went to her shelves where she kept all manner of magic herbs, salves, and pots of things. She gripped a pot between her hooves and brought it to Rarity. "You must rub this on your temples. I think your symptoms might be mental. You like to work things to perfection. This will bring you relaxation." Rarity batted her eyelashes in delight. Twilight knew how much she loved an excuse to pamper herself. "Why, thank you Zecora!" And, full of optimism, the pair left.
xXx The unicorns agreed that they'd visit Fluttershy together that evening, so just before sunset they met and walked resolutely to the yellow pegasus' home. But Twilight soon noticed something unusual about Rarity: she was struggling to look her usual pristine and composed self. It wasn't immediately obvious, but once she noticed it it was hard to ignore. She was certainly trying not to show it and kept her head high and her ears perky, but during the short walk Twilight noticed something unsettling. She could smell an earthy menthol scent that she figured must be Zecora's salve. And if she pretended to look beyond Rarity at something on the opposite side of the white pony she could catch a quick glance at the other unicorn's forehead. She was sweating slightly. "How's the appetite Rarity?" she asked conversationally as Fluttershy's house came within sight. "Is the salve helping?" "Oh, I'm sure it'll start helping soon," Rarity breezed, bringing her head even higher and not quite meeting Twilight's look. How sick do you really feel, Rarity? she wondered, and they came to Fluttershy's house. She reached up with
a hoof and knocked.
Fluttershy answered, and Twilight had to resist the urge to do a double-take. They both looked the same: the sweating, the air of tiredness, and slightly glazed look in their eyes... Maybe it isn't morning sickness after all, she thought with a flash of relief. And then she began to worry again. But if it's something Rarity's caught from Fluttershy, then what is it? I couldn't find anything and Zecora didn't seem to think it could be anything else, either. Fluttershy looked from Twilight to Rarity. Her sight locked on to Rarity for a moment and Twilight got an impression that Fluttershy was thinking the same thing as Twilight had a few moments previously. We've both got the same sickness, her look said. "Rarity?" Fluttershy said uncertainly, her voice a little husky as if she'd been sick again. "You don't look so good." Rarity laughed a little, a false laugh apparently designed to deflect Fluttershy's concern. "Oh, nonsense darling. I'm fine. Would you mind if we came in?" The deflection didn't quite work with either of her companions, but nopony said anything about that. Not yet, at least.
Fluttershy looked ashamed (at not inviting them in first? Or at being indiscrete about Rarity's illness? Twilight didn't know) and stepped back. "Of course. Come on in." "Fluttershy," Twilight said as they walked in, hoping that she could keep the conversation on the right track. "You've been looking sick lately and we both wanted to know if you have any idea what it is? Or if there's any way we can help you at all?" The yellow pegasus' eyes bulged a little and then she put her head down. The three mares found themselves in uncomfortable silence as Fluttershy hid behind her pink locks, scuffed at the floor with her hoof and battled with something that she dared not name. "I... I don't know exactly what it is," she almost-whispered. "I'm sure it'll go away soon." But Twilight had worried about this for too long, and felt too sure that pregnancy was the answer, to be deflected by this. "I was-" she started, hesitated, and tried again. "I tried to figure out what it was myself. And there was only one thing I could see that it could be." Which must be wrong because Rarity's caught it too. Why didn't I just turn Rarity and me back and go home and look through some more books? It's so obviously not pregnancy.
But then, it's not impossible for it to be pregnancy for both of them. It would be an unlikely coincidence, but unlikely coincidences have happened before. And where else can I go with this? Fluttershy looked up at her, tired but curious. "What could it be, Twilight?" The purple unicorn held her breath, and then said with an expellation of air, "Pregnancy." Fluttershy's eyes widened and she held her own breath. She looked afraid. Twilight picked up on her fear.
"Fluttershy? What is it?" The pegasus looked awkward for a moment and then walked over to her kitchenette. "My period's late. But I don't think I can be pregnant b-because I haven't-" She mumbled the rest as she poured herself a glass of water and Twilight didn't hear her properly. "So you... don't have a stallion friend?" she asked, just to check with Fluttershy. Fluttershy shook her head as firmly as the timid mare ever did. "No. Not like that." Twilight looked at Rarity, who'd dropped out of the conversation. She looked a little lost in her own world, but then turned to Twilight. "Listen darlings, I might as well be honest. I've been feeling just like Fluttershy. But I haven't been on any dates lately. I couldn't be pregnant either, the timings are all wrong."
Fluttershy sat down not-quite-as-delicately as she normally would. "What do you think it is?" she asked the white unicorn. "My darling, I just have no idea." She sighed and sat down also. "I really have no idea." The two looked at each other, both at a loss. "May I have a glass of water too?" "Of course." Fluttershy stood up to fetch another glass, less ill-at-ease than she had been. The two unicorns left soon after, because there didn't seem to be anything more to say. xXx Pinkie brushed her teeth with a special frosting-flavoured toothpaste to make her morning routine more, well, like party time. She gazed at the mirror without seeing her own reflection that morning because she was already busy thinking about when to throw her next party. It was going to be another one for her closest friends. Maybe if she could cheer Fluttershy up then she'd get better. Then a fertile zygote attached itself to her womb and her Pinkie-sense went off. "I'm going to have a foal!" She came to, and stood still in shock of what she'd just said. After a moment of looking at her horrified expression she spat out her toothpaste. "But that's impossible! I can't be pregnant," she ranted at her reflection. "I've never mated before."
But that wasn't good enough. Her Pinkie-sense was never wrong. "I'm going to get checked out." She went to get her Pinkie-sense looked at. xXx "No dearie," Nurse Redheart said firmly but gently, pushing the pregnancy test to one side. "You're definitely pregnant." "But. I. Can't. Be," Pinkie grated, her ears tilted back, facing off against the other earth pony. The nurse clearly wasn't understanding the situation. Redheart responded to her with an expression half-way between resignation and sympathy. "Pinkie Pie, the test is very rarely wrong. If your Pinkie-sense says you're pregnant and the test says you're pregnant, then the chances are... you're pregnant." "But..." Pinkie said, her eyes welling up with tears.
"B-b-but..." Nurse Redheart said nothing, but held Pinkie's gaze for as long as the pink pony could stand it. When Pinkie couldn't stand it any more she dipped her muzzle and hid her face in her hooves. The nurse remained quiet a short while longer and eventually said, "It's been a shock. Just take your time, look after yourself, and think about what you want to do."
But I don't want to think about what to do. I want it not to be true. With a waiting room full of ailing ponies, that was as much as Nurse Redheart could say and do. So Pinkie Pie walked home, trembling slightly and thinking about how everypony would expect her to be excited about being pregnant (she could throw all kinds of parties for her own foal! She'd be such a fun mom!) but how terrified she actually felt. She'd have to take ultimate responsibility for the foal. She couldn't hand it over to somepony else. If anything went wrong then she'd have to find a way to put it right. She'd have to learn how to be responsible. She wasn't sure if she was capable of doing that. TO BE CONTINUED...