My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Friends from Unexpected Places

Chapter 34

Starlight

The bell rang and school let out. The teenage colts and fillies happily yelled as they ran from the school.

Bonbon and Octavia walked out, having a conversation with each other as they left. The gray mare noticed the dragon sitting on a bench, writing something onto a piece of paper. He also did that every time he had free time. Curious, both she and Bonbon walked over to him to find out.

“hmm… maybe… no no, that won’t work.” eTu`nes flipped his pencil and erased a sentence.

“What’cha doing?” Bonbon asked as she and Octavia poked their heads in from behind.

eTu`nes yelped and quickly closed the paper. “Nothing! what are you two doing here?!”

“asking you what you’re doing.” Octavia said. “now, what is it?”

“it’s a private thing, Tavi.” eTu`nes closed it and put it away in his backpack. “and I thought you two were gonna help out with the dance tonight.”

“We are. We just need to head home and change clothes.” Bonbon explained.

“well, go ahead. Leave me to my privacy.” eTu`nes unfurled his wings and took to the air. As they were earth ponies, they couldn’t fly after him.

“what’s eating him?” Bonbon asked. Octavia just shrugged in confusion. “oh, by the way, Lyra got the most cutest little outfit.”

Octavia playfully chuckled. “that’s nothing. I got a outfit that will make Vinyl’s mouth drop to the floor.”

Derpy and Time Turner walked to the train station, T.T. eager to show Derpy his cousin.

“I trust you, Clockwerk is one of the best ponies you’ll meet. He’s smart, kind, sensitive, and great with kids.”

Derpy wasn‘t so sure about this. “I don’t know, T.T. the last time I went on a blind date, he turned out to be a total douche bag.” she groaned and held her stomach.

“You okay?” T.T. asked.

“yeah. Just got one hell of a stomachache. I think I ate something bad last night while we were camping.”

“oh. Well, all we had were fruit and something eTu`nes called Hot Dogs. He said he got those direct from the Gryphon Kingdom.”

“ugh. No wonder my stomach feels bad. I could never stand Gryphon Kingdom food.” the two reached the station just as the train pulled in. “I honestly hope that this Clockwerk fella is what your cracking him up to be.”

The train screeched to a halt. “he is. Trust me.” the train doors opened and the passengers departed. One of them was a Unicorn Stallion with a orange body and the same Cutie Mark as Time Turner and, in pony terms, is quite handsome. “there he is. Over Here, Clockwerk.”

Clockwerk looked to his left, saw his cousin, and used his magic to grab his bags. “hey, T.T.” he walked up to him. “can’t believe that my parents sent me here for a couple weeks.”

“you were hanging out with the wrong crowd, Werk.” T.T. lightly chuckled as Werk rolled his eyes.

He noticed the grey mare who was blushing bright red. “Who’s this?”

“oh. Werk, this is Derpy Hooves. Derpy, this is my cousin Clockwerk.”

Derpy gulped nervously as she looked at him with dreamy eyes. “(he’s so……. Handsome…)” she dreamily thought.

“un… you okay?” both Time Turner and Clockwerk asked.

Derpy continued to dreamily looked at Clockwerk. “What?” she realized what she was doing and shook her head. “yeah, yeah. I’m okay.” she looked up at him, trying not to look like a idiot again. “so… you’re Clockwerk? T.T. never told me you were so… un… handsome.”

Clockwerk looked at T.T. with a peeved look then bonked him on the head. “not surprising. T.T. was always jealous.”

“you want to come to my place for a bit?” Derpy asked.

“un… sure. If that’s okay with Time Turner.”

“go right ahead.” he said with a smile. Derpy and Clockwerk walked off with Derpy talking about Ponyville. Time Turner watched them walk away with a smile. “those two look so cute together.”

The door downstairs opened and closed, getting the drakes attention. He hit the letter on his person and headed downstairs. He saw Derpy and that was all he needed. “Hey, Derpy. What are you…” he noticed Clockwerk and got nervous. “un… Derpy… who is he?”

“oh. eTu`nes. This is Clockwerk, Time Turner’s cousin from… where were you from again?”

“Clopdon.”

“right. This is Clockwerk from Clopdon and he’s so…… handsome.”

Etu’nes got even more worried. “h-handsome? Well, if you want to say that, I guess…”

“oh. Clockwerk, there’s a dance tonight at the school for Hearts and Hooves day. You want to go with me?”

The drakes heart sank when Derpy said that. “(please don’t say yes. Please, please be a jerk.)”

“A dance? Hmm… sure. I’d like that. Haven’t danced in months so I may be rusty.”

eTu`nes heart shattered when he agreed. Derpy… didn’t care about him at all. She likes that new stallion better. He did his best to hide the tears that began to form.

“eTu`nes? You okay?” Derpy asked.

“Um… I need to go get something for Roseluck from Canterlot. Be back soon.” he ran out, unfurled his wings, and flew up into the air.

“huh. Rose didn’t say anything about needing something from Canterlot.” Derpy said. She looked to Clockwerk and he just shrugged.

eTu`nes flew as fast as he could to the outskirts of Ponyville. Tears began falling but he wiped them away. “(why… why would Derpy play with my feelings like this? Doesn’t she care about me? Does our night together mean nothing to her?)” he reached back and pulled out the letter he was writing. “(so… then this means nothing if I finish it, will it? …… may as well finish it. Let her hear both sides of the story.)”

8 years later…

“haha! Take that, Zilver!” Spike happily exclaimed into the speaker that served as the talking point for the players of Marlo 4.

“{oh, come on!}” he yelled from the other side.

“haha. Nice one, Spike.” Dinky laughed. The two high-fived.

Tonight was the first game night the group did ever since Trixie returned to Ponyville 11 months ago. They were all scattered, thanks to a intense thunder storm the Pegasi had put into effect. Twilight, Halo, Pinkie, Marble, Rarity, Spike, Dinky, Req, Jax, Sora, Ash, Riku, Hiccup, and Toothless were at the library, getting their butts kicked by Luna’s team.

“{ugh. I hate this map. Always have, always will.}” Gilda said over the speaker.

“{or maybe you just suck.}” Octavia commented.

“{hey! I’m not skilled with the Ragnarok map. Was never good with Valhalla in Marlo 3, either. It was too confusing.}”

“{Yeah, right.}”

“{the Marlo 3 version was the better looking, though, right?}” Celestia said. That was something they could all agree on.

Req and Pinkie walked back in with the goods for their group. Dinky spotted them and acted like her mother for a moment. “mmm… muffins!”

“{muffins?}” Derpy asked over the speaker.

Rarity evilly snickered. That gave her a idea to give their team a edge. “yep. Chocolate chip, blueberry, apple fritter…” Derpy screamed in agony, making Rarity snicker again. “if there’s one thing I learned about Derpy is that she’s a big fan of muffins.”

Pinkie hummed as she passed out the sweets. She opened her eyes and spotted they were short one mare. “where’s Twilight?”

Twilight was panting heavily as she leaned in the kitchen doorway. Another pain hit her as she tried to walk out. When it passed, she panted. “damn… another one… man, I must’ve had one bad piece of pie.” she shook her head and headed on out.

A half-hour passed and the storm outside was getting worse. “{Dang! Thunderlane really went overboard.}” Dash said.

“no argument on our end.” Riku commented. “it’s raining cats and dogs out there.”

Pinkie zoomed over and looked out. “it’s not raining cats and dogs. It’s raining water.”

“it’s a expression to say how intense it is.” a crack of lightning came, scaring Dinky. “and that thunder and lightning isn’t making it any better.”

Dinky cowered behind Toothless, scared out of her skin. “You okay, Dinky?” Hiccup asked.

“y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-yeah.” she shivered. “I just hate thunder and lightning, that’s all.”

“{it’s been like that ever since she was a baby.}” Derpy explained. “{there was a thunder storm the night she was born in Clopdon. The Pegasi there went overboard as well.}”

“{think one of them is related to Thunderlane?}” Applebloom joked.

“without a doubt.” Spike chuckled. He grabbed his cup and took a sip, a very noisy sip. He looked in and saw that he was out. “oh, man. I’m out of sprite.”

“No prob.” Pinkie said. “I’ll get you a refill.” she hopped on over to the kitchen, as cheerful as can be. She landed on a puddle of water and slipped. “Yeep!” she fell on her back, causing the cup to fall onto her snout. She pulled it off and looked at the floor. She looked up at the ceiling. “huh. There’re no leaks. So where…” she heard heavy panting in the direction of the stairs. She looked to see Twilight panting heavily, holding her stomach. Pinkie instantly got worried. “Twilight?” she got up and walked over to her. “Are you okay?”

“no. no no, I’m not.” she grunted in pain as another shot of pain hit. Pinkie got worried as her hyper brain pieced together what was going on. Once it passed, Twilight panted.

“I think the baby is coming.”

*CAR BRAKE SCREEEEEECH*

Nothing but silence fell over them for a moment as everyone just stood still.

*tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick.

DING*

“THE BABY IS COMING!?!?!”

“{THE BABY IS COMING!?!?!}”

Twilight grunted in pain as another contraction hit. That was the answer.

“Oh my god, she’s having the baby!” Riku whined.

Dinky and Rarity said “What do we do? What do we do? What do we do?” over and over and over as Halo ran over to her.

“you okay, Twi?”

“I’m about to push a living being out of my body. What does that tell you?!”

Halo kept silent. “Un…” he turned to the group present. “anybody know anything about Childbirth?” everyone shook their heads ‘no’. “Hiccup?”

“no dragon on Berk had eggs yet. Well, Cupid did but nobody was around when that happened.”

“Ash?”

“I may have grown up in a small town but I didn’t work with animals.”

Everyone looked to Req. she lived in a small town and she worked with animals. She didn’t look but she could sense everyone looking at her. “Un… I delivered a few calves but nothing horse related.”

Twi yelped as another contraction hit. “Good enough.”

Req nervously bit her finger as she thought about what to do first. “okay… okay… just breath… just breath…”

“I am breathing!” Twi snapped.

“I’m talking about me.” Req took a deep breath but was still pretty nervous. “okay… umm… un… someone go warm up some water.”

“on it.” Pinkie said as she zoomed into the kitchen.

“I’ll go clean up whatever mess she’ll make.” Rarity sighed as she walked after her.

“Halo, helped her up into her bedroom. I’m assuming she wants privacy, right?”

“oh, you know me all too well.” a desperate Twi said. Halo got up underneath her right legs and helped her up to her bedroom as another contraction hit.

Spike was freaking out. His ‘sister’ was having Starlight. “oh, boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy.” Marble slapped Spike across the face, knocking him out of that. “thank you.” Req walked by and to the bookcases. “what are you looking for?”

“any books about childbirth. I only have experience with cows and it’s different then from horses, right?” everyone blinked and then shrugged. Req rolled her eyes. “thanks a lot.” she sarcastically said. She grabbed a couple and walked to the speaker. “Celestia. Cadence. You two have experience with this, right?”

“{every painful detail.}” they both said.

“is there… anything I should look out for? So I know when to duck or when to leave or something?”

“{……………… hope you brought earplugs.}”

Req groaned as she hit the books against her head. “gee, thanks a lot.”

“can’t you guys just teleport over here or something?” Sora asked.

“{Dis forgot how to teleport when he came back to our side, same with Erys and Cosmos. And when was the last time you saw me or Tia teleport?}”

“Good point.”

Twilight yelled in her bed as another contraction hit. “OH, MY FAUST!” it passed and she panted. “oh, god I’m gonna kill the stallion who knocked me up.”

“And you’re gonna kill my hoof.” Halo pulled his hoof away, which Twilight had been holding, and swung it like a fan. “I think you cracked a few bones.”

“oh, I’m so sorry. I’m just about to push another pony out of my body!”

Halo stayed silent. “no comment.”

Req arrived with the water. “Okay… here we go.” she said as she walked up the steps leading up to Twilight’s bed.

“What’s the water for?” Halo asked.

Req looked down at it. “I have no clue why. They always asked for it in the movies.” Twilight painfully laughed as she slunk her head back. “b-b-but I think it’s to help the baby come out. Either that, or you put it on her forehead.”

“oh, come on!”

“I’m sorry! I only have experience with cows!”

“Ah! So you don’t know how to deliver a baby?” Twi asked with one eye open.

“I know the end part; you push, I catch.”

“Oh, come on!”

“But I’m certain a few things are universal, like timing contractions and such. Speaking of which, how far apart are they?”

“Un…” Halo looked for the neatest clock and waited for another contraction to hit Twi before counting. When another one hit, he had his answer. “about 1 and a half minutes.”

Req just stood there, counting the numbers in a monotone murmur.. “…and cows… carry the 1...”

“Requiem!” both Halo and Twilight yelled.

“What!? I’m dealing with everyone’s least favorite subject here.” she went back to her math, ending with freaked-out eyes and ‘eep’.

“what? What‘s wrong?” Twilight panted.

Req nervously laughed. “you might want to spread your legs.”

Everyone who isn’t witness the beautiful but gross miracle of nature waited downstairs or back in their homes, anxious about all this.

“{my baby sister is having a baby…}” a disbelieving Armor said in a monotone. “{… I still can’t believe it…}”

“believe it, Armor, cause it’s happening.” Ash said as he carved a apple with a knife. “you ever find the bastard that knocked her up?”

“{no. except for that Pegasus who had the same voice Twili recognized, we had no leads. I expect he’s either long gone, or dead.}”

“{It’s probably better that way.}” Aura said. “{Let Starlight believe that Halo is her father rather then that perverted bastard.}” everyone murmured in agreement. Better to live with a good lie then a horrible truth.

“AAAAHHHH!” Twilight yelled loud and hard, making everyone in the library cover their ears.

“{What’s going on?}” Spyro asked.

“I think Starlight’s on the way.”

“GET! THIS! FOAL! OUT! OF! ME!” Twi painfully yelled as she pushed down.

Req comedically moved her arms from Twi to her hooch. “I think only you ca--”

“Shut up before I snap your mouth shut!?” Twi yelled.

“that’s the labor talking so I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Halo nuzzled up next to Twi’s head. “You’re doing fine, Twilight. Starlight’s gonna be here soon.”

Another contraction hit, causing Twilight to push. “NOBODY TOLD ME IT WAS GOING TO HURT THIS MUCH!!!”

Pinkie impatiently tapped her hooves on the floor. All this waiting was killing her and she was sure it was killing everyone too.

“Anybody want to play a game?”

Everyone, even those in other parts of Equestria, looked at Pinkie with ‘WTF’ expressions. “are you serious?” Sora tonelessly asked. “Twilight is going though hell right now and you want to play a game?”

“it can make the time go by faster so we don’t have to hear as many screams.”

“Exactly what game are we talking about?” she instantly replied.

Req gulped. “uh-oh.”

“Uh-oh?” a tired and worried Twilight panted. “uh-oh? I don’t like uh-ohs. What’s the uh-oh?”

Req nervously pulled at her shirt collar. “the baby’s crowing but, um… she’s stuck.”

“STUCK!?!”

“……yeah…. You’re gonna have to push harder.”

Twi groaned as she fell her head back. “oh, Faust! Why me?! Why is this happening to me now?! I should be having Starlight in the hospital with a epidural where they can cut me open if this happens!”

Halo comforted her with a nuzzle. “you’re gonna be fine, Twilight. You and Starlight. You’re one of the strongest Ponies I know. You went right into battle with Chrysalis and Discord while pregnant. Last I checked, that is a ballsy move. Granted, it was stupid beyond all measure, but still. Trust me, you’re gonna get though this.”

“Halo…” Twi managed a smile. “Thanks.”

Req smiled at the love those two had. And pretty soon, they were gonna have one more. “great. Now, Twilight, you’re gonna have to push harder.”

Twilight whimpered and did just that.

“Are you a… ground dweller?” Rarity guessed.

“Yep.” Pinkie replied.

“{are you… subterranean?}” Zel asked.

“yes. You’re so close!”

“{Are you a… mole?}” Erys asked.

“Bingo! You win, Erys.”

“{yay.}”

Another contraction hit and Twilight pushed as hard as she could. “Please tell me she’s almost out?!” she pleaded. “Please…”

“she is…”

“{are you a Pegasus?}” Edge guessed.

“no but you’re so close.” Pinkie said. “You all have one question left.”

Everyone thought long and hard for this one. “Oh. Oh!” Sora exclaimed. “Are you a owl?”

Ash face-plamed. “no…”

“nope. I wasn’t a owl. I was actually a--”

*Whaaaaa! Wha-whaaaaaa!*

The sounds of a baby crying cut their little game short and made them stop what they were doing.

“is that…?”

The door to Twilight’s room closed and Req slowly started down. She reached the bottom of the stairs and exhaled like she ran a marathon. “guess who’s here?”

Pinkie happily gasped and beamed. “you mean…” Spike started.

“Yep. Starlight’s here.”

Everyone politely cheered and hugged each other. Spike hugged Rarity around her stomach and held her close, both eager to see what creation they‘re making inside the fashionista. Sora put her arm around Ash’s and sighed, wondering if she’ll have kids someday.

“Can we see her?” Dinky asked.

“no. no.” Req sighed. “you can wait until everyone else does. Right now, Twilight needs to rest. She was pushing for 7 hours.”

“7 hours?” Riku exclaimed. “huh. Guess Pinkie’s game did make the time fly.”

“I told you.” Pinkie laughed.

Req chuckled. She turned her attention to the speaker. “I don’t know if you guys have phones or not but can someone contact Ponyville Hospital, tell them we got a new mother here who needs a room and they should get her as soon as the storm is over?”

“{we will.}” Celestia said. “{and tell Twilight congratulations from all of us. And also tell her a couple of relatives are anxious to meet the newest edition to their family.}”

“we will.” watching Twilight at work made Req think about her having kids. She’s already a great aunt to Jessica’s Adolf back home on earth and she was already good with kids; she practically raised Bahamut by herself. Though she is going to ask for drugs when she goes into labor; that’s the part she can’t stress enough.

Twilight tearfully smiled as she looked down at the sleeping form of Starlight. Her daughter. Her own daughter. 12 months ago, she never would’ve seen herself with a baby other then Cadence’s son. Now… she can’t picture her life without Starlight.

Halo rubbed Twilight’s back and smiled as he looked at the sleeping light-pink unicorn filly with a blue-fire style mane. “she’s as beautiful as her mother.” Twi tearfully chuckled at his comment. Halo glanced over to her and thought for a moment. “Twilight… I know I’m not Starlight’s real father… but I’m gonna raise her like she’s my own flesh and blood anyway.”

Twi looked to him and smiled. “thanks, Halo.” she kissed him on the lips. He kissed back. “You want to hold her?” without a response, Twi passed Starlight over to Halo. He gently took her, not sure what to do.

“un… hey, Starlight. Um… I know I’m not your father, but I promise I’m going to love you as if you were my flesh and blood regardless.”

Starlight yawned and opened her eyes up to her ‘father’. Halo got all teary-eyed. “here.” she handed Starlight back to Twilight.

“Hey, Starlight.” she kissed her new daughter on the forehead as only a mother would. “thanks for coming into my life.” Starlight yawned and went back to sleep. “welcome to the world… my wonderful Starlight…”

Elsewhere on the planet, someone opened his red eyes.

“Starlight…”