Father, father, father...

I will be a father. That's... something. I will have a kid, maybe two... I remember reading about a woman who gave birth to, like, uh, seven children simultaneously. Or was it nine? What I remember is that none of them lived. I don't want to put Night Breeze through it. I already feel bad about impregnating her and making her go through twelve months of pain. Twelve, not even nine! An entire year of carrying a growing foal... One year is a long time.

I'm sure that I'm fertile enough to make my foals be born healthy. As for Night Breeze... she looks healthy. Unless there were more than one egg, I will only have one foal. But whom would they be? A colt or a filly? What colors would they have? What pony race would they be? Would they be an alicorn?

Father. I will be a father... Father.

I repeated this word in my head as I entered the bathroom, turned on the shower, adjusted the temperature, got into the bathtub, thoroughly cleaned myself, washed my mane with a shampoo, turned off the water, stepped out of the bathtub, dried myself off, cleaned my teeth, splashed some more water onto my face, and then stared at myself through the mirror.

Father... I will be a father. For real. These young stallion features of my face... the face of a father. The face of a someone who will raise a foal. A father...

I shook my head. I need to calm down and think. It's not the end of the world, not unless Night Breeze gives birth to Antichrist. I don't think I'm satanic enough to be given such a... gift. She will give birth to a normal foal. Well, considering how "normal" I am, probably not too normal.

I'm just not sure about whom or what my foal will be. What are my genes? Are they a mix of human and pony, however possible it may be? I do think differently than ponies... maybe it counts as, uh, some sort of a mental... disorder... thingie?

I don't know. I don't know anything right now. It's all happening so... suddenly. I'm just twenty-three and I will be a father when I become twenty-four. I know that people marry and have children at eighteen, sometimes even less, but... I don't have an experience in it whatsoever. Sex is the easiest part.

Also, Night Breeze is way too young for this. She's what, thirteen? Even by pony standards it's not okay. Ponies marry when they're at least... sixteen? I don't want her to be ostracized for this.

Even if it was Discord who fucked up, I am partly to blame. I should've known better, I should've asked Luna to, I don't know, magically scan my body. Maybe I wouldn't have impregnated Night Breeze if I just thought for a bit. Alas, I was too blinded by my seemingly positive change I didn't even think of anything going wrong.

Too late now, I must accept the consequences. I will not abandon Night Breeze, it would go against all that I'm for. People say that atheists, and especially anti-theists lack any morals but no, that's not true, at least for me it's not. I have a stronger moral foundation than any believer would ever hope to achieve. I do good for the sake of doing it, it makes me feel... good and complete. Abandoning Night Breeze would bring a ton of pain on her for something that isn't even her own fault. She doesn't deserve to suffer like that. She's done nothing wrong to me, and so I shouldn't do any to her.

I know that a lot of people, especially young people run away when they discover that they've impregnated someone. I despise those people even though I kind of understand their reaction. I'm scared, truth be told. I believe so were those people. The thing is, raising a child is no easy task. I don't think that many people actually want kids, and even if they do, they probably don't understand how hard it is.

I don't love Night Breeze. I don't think I will love her either. But I will support her all the way through, I will do whatever it takes to help her. I must accept the consequences and deal with them.

Finally, I unglued myself from the mirror and exited the bathroom. I saw Moonshine sitting on the bed, looking at the wall blankly.

"Hey, is everything alright?" I asked her. Moonshine, Night Breeze and I are going on a date tomorrow, actually. I hope all of them will feel comfortable and happy. However, something is definitely wrong with my fillyfriend. Her ears are drooped, her head slightly hung...

"I'm just..." Moonshine let out a lot sigh. "I'm not your first to bear a foal."

"I'm sorry about it..." I said, sitting down next to her. Should I hug her?

"You cast the spell, didn't you?" she turned to me slightly. "Why didn't it work?"

"It's Discord to blame." I replied. "He... did something to me that, uh, makes my bypass magic contraceptions."

"Why would he do that?" Moonshine asked with resentment in her voice. "It's unfair and... wrong!"

"I agree, but it's nothing I can do." I let my wings our and placed one of them on Moonshine's back, softly stroking it. "Trust me, I wanted to be with you and only with you. We would have foals, but only once both of us are ready. Moony, I... I'm still not ready but I must take the responsibility." I explained to the best of my ability. "I still love you and I will love you. And... you're not angry with Night Breeze, are you?"

"I... don't think I am." she shook her head. I kissed her on the cheek, hoping to make her feel better. "She's not to blame, I know. Besides... she's kind of nice. I, I don't have siblings but, uh, she could be my sister... I suppose. But, um, she already has a brother... I'm coming to terms with all of this, okay?"

I recoiled back slightly as her voice raised. Fucking hell, it hit her hard. I don't blame her at all. She must feel cheated and... dang.

Discord... you're a perverted monster. Why did you do this? Did you think that me causing pregnancy is good? Accidental, teen pregnancy? Do you even know how such things can ruin lives?

...

You are silent. But know this — what you did was wrong, chaos or not. I will become an unprepared father, Night Breeze will become a very young, unprepared mother, and Moonshine will feel bad because it all looks like life itself told her a big "fuck you"!

...

Fun is fun, and it's okay to have fun from time to time, but accidental pregnancy is not funny at all! I hope you realize it, Discord. Maybe someday you'll understand it, too. Messing with lives, playing God... No. It's exactly the reason I hate the idea. No one must be in complete control of our lives, certainly not you or gods that are described in ancient books.

...

You still don't say a word. Fine. I will manage to bring a foal, and I will raise them right. I accept this challenge. It doesn't even matter if Night Breeze loves me or if I love her. I will love my foal and I will not abandon them. I will give them material and emotional support, I will support Night Breeze throughout all of this, too. It's my duty as a good person and good father.

"...I'm sorry." Moonshine said finally.

"It's alright. I understand how hard it is for you." I replied, returning to her and hugging her closely. "Don't worry, it'll all be fine, I promise."

"I trust you." my fillyfriend said, nuzzling me and then guiding me to the bed where our snuggles continued. "Let's just... rest for a while, okay?"

"Okay." I nuzzled her and kissed her on the cheek, continuing the lovely snuggles.

We continued doing it for quite some time and neither of us noticed how we drifted into sleep.

"...No, dammit!" I cursed, following my son as he flew from his room into the hall. I walked tiredly, feeling parenthood weighing me down. I've not slept in ages, my mane's an unwashed mess that I keep tied behind my head, and my beard is longer than ever before. I just wish I could get some rest... Suddenly, I heard an electric buzzing and then an explosion. Cursing under my breath, I quickened the pace.

"Is everything alright, honey?" I heard Night Breeze asking from her own room.

"Ugh, he's at it again!" I replied hastily. "Hates changing diapers..."

I rushed to the end of the hall and saw that the door to my room had a noticeable chunk missing in one of its corners, burn marks around it and splinters lying on the floor.

"Fucking hell..." I muttered, opening the door and looking inside. I will have to replace this door. Already

My son was nowhere to be found, and so I flicked on the light. I walked to a chest of drawers and looked around. I heard electric buzzing to my left, and I ducked just in time to dodge a bolt of magic. He hit the wall, burning off some wallpaper. Great, now I have to hide it somehow.

I turned to my son, preparing to chide him and finally change his diaper, only to see it and its contents flying my way. Masterfully dodging most of it, I was ready to proclaim my victory when the dirty diaper caught the tip of my horn and hanged from it, right in front of my face.

...

Great...

I recoiled, taking a few steps back, shaking my head, which only resulted in some more crap splattering the floor. Great, now I have to clean the carpet as well... Meanwhile, my son dashed past me and flew on top of the drawers.

Hearing another charge-up, I only wished that I were gay.

Suddenly, everything around me disappeared, leaving me in an infinite cosmic void. What, did my son cause it? Wouldn't be surprised if he did...

I saw Princess Luna walking towards me. Wait... this was all a dream? Phew... Can't imagine myself having to deal with an alicorn foal. Well, technically I can imagine it, but...

"Hello, dear Flame Metal." Luna said, cutting off my thoughts. "Why art thou dreaming about the hardships of parenthood?"

"Uh, why have you switched to the old language?" I asked in confusion.

"Ah, forgive me, foals like it when I speak like that, and frankly speaking, it doth sound much more majestic and royal than simplified modern speech." Luna replied.

"Alright... So, uh..." I stuttered. I don't know what Luna's reactions will be to me, well, doing what I did. "The thing is... remember when Discord changed me into, uh, adult?" after receiving a nod, I continued. "Uhm, um... Well, aging me up wasn't the only thing that he did... He made me, um, more potent in, uh..." I kept on stuttering, a bright blush on my cheeks. "In procreation. So... your contraception spell failed. I, uh... I impregnated Night Breeze." I turned away, unable to look into Luna's eyes.

Silence fell for a few seconds, and I just awkwardly stood there, waiting for the princess to say... something.

"That sleazy piece of garbage... Still playing with lives like they're his personal toys." she huffed. "Well, then... Unfortunately, neither I nor my sister can do anything about it without a chance of severely damaging Night Breeze. All we can do is offer help, be it material or otherwise."

"Well, I guess I'd need some help in the future, but for now I must do everything myself." I said. "I must become a good father, I must know how to solve different problems by myself."

"I agree, it's a pretty wise decision." Luna said, nodding. "You're a responsible person, and it is why you will be a good father."

"I... Uh, thanks." I replied, blushing slightly. Me, a good father? I... I don't know. Maybe I will be, it's just so uncertain and, uh... I literally have no idea how to raise kids in any way. How do I raise them not into assholes? "But, um... I know nothing about raising kids."

"Trust me, no one knows until they do it." the princess told me. "I'm sure you'll be just fine, Flame."

"I sure hope so." I replied with great uncertainty. "I just... well, usually I know things before I do them."

"You didn't know know how to deal with Moonshine and her love for you." Luna reminded me, which made me blush slightly brighter.

"...A fair point." I nodded, agreeing. "Well... Thanks for the help, I suppose. I will do my best!"

"I am certain you will. Sleep well."

With that being said, I drifted into a peaceful and long slumber, a smile stretching on my face as I slept, hugging Moonshine closer, feeling her warmth and giving her mine.

I will get through all of it.

Author's Notes:

What do you think about the picture? I find it quite funny, especially when I first got the idea.

By the way, it's not certain if Night Breeze gives birth to an alicorn. I actually want to hear what you think about it. That is, what foal or foals will Flame and Night have?