Firefly calmly walks towards the local cafe in Azura, Cloudsdale, doing her best to resist the strong urge to fly instead of walking along the cloudwalks. She’s nearly eleven months pregnant, and as much as her wings tell her to lift off into the air, her heart, her doctor, and more specifically, her husband, tell her not to. The pink pegasus mare exhales and walks into the sweet shop to be greeted with the smell of sugar and chocolate and a group of mares calling her over.
"Hey, Firefly! Over here!" calls Magnolia, an ivory pegasus mare, from a table by the window. With her are four other mares, all also pegasi - Sundaze, a crystal-blue mare with a gift for skydancing, Rose Valley, a rosey-pink mare with a loving heart, Jet Storm, a stormy-gray mare with a headstrong attitude, and Amethyst, an amethyst-purple mare with a knack for jewelry. The five mares have been Firefly’s best friends since their first year of flight camp when they were fillies, and growing up together made their bond more like a sisterhood than a friendship. Words can never express how thankful she is for them to still have each other after all those years as they start the next chapter of their lives. The mare smiles and walks towards them, taking a seat next to Amethyst.
"Hey guys!” she greets them before spotting the plate in the center of the table. “Ooh, chocolate cupcakes." She helps herself to three cupcakes and works at peeling the wrapper off of one to take a bite.
"You excited, Fire?" Sundaze asks, referring to the pegasus' unborn foal.
"Oh yeah, totally," she replies, swallowing her treat before continuing, "I’ll admit, though, it’s daunting. I don't think I can think of another time when I was really anticipating going through drastic pain for something I really wanted. Gives a new meaning to the phrase ‘no pain, no gain’," she chuckles.
"That's how I felt before I had my son," the blue mare says. Sundaze already has a little colt who’s about to turn a year old.
“I remember that day,” Jet Storm chuckles lightly. “That was a rollercoaster.”
“Oh, you have no idea,” Sundaze shakes her head with a light smile.
"I have yet to have a child, but I don't doubt it will," Amethyst states. “I can only imagine how nerve-wracking the wait must be.”
"It can get really bad sometimes,” Magnolia says with a small laugh. “It’s a lot to prepare for, but it’s certainly was worth every ounce of it," she states, referring to her own little filly.
"I'll admit, I'd probably be very nervous if I was carrying a child, but I'm sure I would feel the same way," Rose Valley said.
"I doubt I’m ever gonna get to that point, seeing how often bad luck always strikes my love-life,” Jet scoffs lightly as she reaches for another cupcake for herself, “but I’ll take your word for it.” Firefly smiles sheepishly with a slight eye-roll.
"You guys are starting to make me feel awkward. I still vividly remember in high school how I kept saying that I wouldn't have a kid for a long time," she chuckles.
"We weren't very surprised, sweetheart. Your rambunctious nature never struck most ponies as the type to ‘settle down’," Amethyst comments with a small laugh, taking a sip from her smoothie. “Aside from Jet Storm, of course. She might have you beat on that aspect.”
“See, I can’t say anything because you’re not wrong,” the stormy-gray mare huffs, feigning annoyance as she takes a large bite of her cupcake and prompting a wave of laughter to pass through the friend group. But Firefly’s laughter trails off, her face slightly stiffening into a cringe of discomfort.
"You alright?" Magnolia asks her. The pegasus takes a small breath before nodding her head and looking back up.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little twinge. I'm good," Firefly says, giving a reassuring smile to her friends.
"Are you sure?" Rose asks.
"I've been having them for a while now. It's nothing," the mare says.
"If you’re sure..." Rose trails off.
"So when are you due, again?" Sundaze asks as she picks up a cupcake.
"A week from now, if I’m remembering correcting," Firefly replies, taking another bite from her cupcake.
"Wow, okay then. You and Spectrum got the nursery set up already, right?" Sun asks.
"Yeah, we set it up a few weeks ago. Thanks again for putting up that crib and rocker for us, Dazey," Firefly says, trying her best to not let her discomfort show as another slight contraction hits her.
"Oh, don’t mention it," the mare says with a small wave of her hoof.
"Oh! I almost forgot! Firefly, dear, I have some baby clothes for you. I left them in my shop in my hurry to meet you all, though," Amethyst says while putting down her smoothie.
"That's fine, Amy. We can go get them after I'm done with this last cupcake," Firefly says before she takes a final bite out of her last cupcake. She swallows and wipes her mouth before standing up slowly and letting out a small breath.
"Alright, I think we’re good,” she says with a smile, her friends standing to follow her out.
"Thank you again, Olive!" Magnolia calls to the teenage mare behind the counter.
"No problem, Mrs. Magnolia! Enjoy your day!" the waitress replies with a smile and a wave.
Back at Amethyst’s jewelry shop, Skylark Jewelers, Amethyst brings her friends up to her nice apartment above the store and workshop. She briefly goes through her things before taking out a white bag.
"Since we have yet to see the little foal's colors, I went ahead and bought some each color of the rainbow, though it's mostly reds and blues. I'm sure you'll make them work," Amethyst explains while handing the bag over to her pregnant friend. Firefly looks through them and smiles graciously at the mare.
"Thanks a bunch, Amy. These'll definitely come in hand--" Firefly is cut off by a sudden, sharp gasp. Her friends rush over to her side as she leans forward, a hoof right under her large belly.
"Oh, my goodness. Are you alright?" Sundaze asks as she and Rose Valley help to support her. The pregnant mare silently gasps as another wave of pain rushes through her and presses her lips together as she lets out a long breath through her nose. Firefly lets out a shaky breath and rubs her face.
“I think my water just broke,” she states simply.
"Oh, well whaddya know? It has,” Jet says, trying to keep the air light and relaxed with minor humor. It seems to work, as Firefly lets out a shaky laugh and shrugs her shoulders.
“I guess this is it,” she says, the other mares joining her in nervous excitement. Magnolia proceeds to take charge of the situation like the leader she is.
"Alright, well I think we know what this means. I’ll call the midwife before we head out. Sundaze, Sheer, Amethyst, you’re with me. She shouldn’t progress very much on the trip there, but support is always nice. Rose Valley, go up to Firefly's and get her maternity bag, then go find Spectrum Streak. He should be on his last hour on weather duty. Come on, girls, time waits for no one," Magnolia instructs. They all comply quickly and their little operation is put into motion. Rose Valley quickly darts out of the open window as fast as she can towards Firefly's home. Sheer Jet and Magnolia each lay a hoof on Firefly's shoulders, guiding her towards the door as Sundaze and Amethyst bring up the rear, all the while giving soothing words of encouragement and excitement to keep the air around them light and relaxed.
Firefly is in a dizzying daze of anticipation and excitement. While it’s only uncomfortable at the moment, she has an idea of what was coming and is already dreading the actual delivery. Fear and excitement pulse through her. If things go according to plan, she'll soon be holding her own little bundle of joy in her hooves.
Rose Valley flies towards the weather team's office, Firefly's maternity bag strapped to her back. She flings the door open frantically, startling some of the members relaxing in the lounge in seeing the usually-composed mare so frazzled. She quickly glides down the halls to find Firefly's husband, Spectrum Streak, in the mess hall with a few of his teammates.
"Spectrum!" the mare calls. The stallion's ears perk up at his name and he turns his head to see one of his wife's best friends flying towards him with an anxious expression. His smile drops, knowing something is going on.
"Rose? What happened?" he asks while standing up from the table. Valley takes a few short breaths before giving him the two words he'd been waiting to hear for a while now:
"It's time."
Spectrum Streak's eyes grow to be the size of dinner plates as his ears stand straight up on his head. Without a second thought, he wolfs down the rest of his hayburger and bids his teammates goodbye, getting a few "good lucks" as he flies out of the building with Rose Valley close behind.
"When did this happen?" he asks her as they fly.
"We went to Amethyst's because she had bought Firefly some baby clothes. Right in the middle of thanking her, her water broke and we brought her out as quickly as possible," Rose explains. The Azura County Hospital suddenly comes into view, and Spectrum flies faster, braking hard as he skids across the cloudwalk. Rose lands as he comes to a stop, and both of them run into the hospital.
“I’m sorry for the sudden fly-in,” Spectrum apologizes as he regains his breath. “I’ve been told that my wife’s water broke, and I need to see her.” The receptionist smiles in understanding as she looks at her screen.
"Of course, sir, can I have a name, please?” she asks politely.
“Firefly.” The mare types up the name and looks through a file before looking up and pointing down a hallway.
"She's in room 1127 down in the delivery wing of the ER sector. From what the doctors say in the most recent update, she's progressed rather quickly, so you might wanna hurry. Make sure to stop at the desk for your hoofbands before finding her," she informs him. The stallion utters a quick thank you before hastily galloping down the hallway, Rose right on his tail. It only takes a moment for the receptionist at the next desk to print out and tie off the informative bracelet around their hooves before Rose hands him Firefly’s maternity bag and Spectrum is down the hall again to find his wife.
Rose Valley sighs in relief as she turns around. She sees her friends sitting in the corner of the waiting area, talking amongst themselves as they wait. She walks over to them, engaging in their conversation shortly after she sits down. They all did their part; now all they can do was wait.
An hour or two passes before the loud wails of a baby are heard from down the hall. The five mares in the waiting room look at each other in mild curiosity.
"Do you think it's theirs?" Sundaze asks no one in particular. To answer her question, Spectrum Streak walks into the room with a tired smile on his face.
"She did it, you guys," he says simply. The mares sigh in relief and relax a bit as Amethyst sits up a bit.
"Are we allowed to see her?" she asks him. The stallion nods and the mares quietly follow him down the hall. When they come to the door, the doctor is just walking out. He gives Spectrum Streak a smile of congrats before walking down the hall towards the lobby. Spectrum carefully opens the door and the mares file in one by one, gasping quietly at the precious sight before them.
A very tired, but proud and astonished Firefly, holds a little foal wrapped up in a red blanket in her arms. Her electric blue mane was messy and matted, but her tired smile is a smile nonetheless as she looked down at her newborn foal. She looks up and gently motions with her head for her friends to come over as Spectrum makes his way next to his wife.
"Oh, Firefly... he's beautiful," Amethyst coos as she looks down at the little colt. He has a red coat and orange mane and tail, and little red wings are folded gently against his back. The foal opens his eyes to reveal beautiful magenta-pink orbs.
"He is, isn’t he…?" Firefly says softly, still smiling down at her son.
"Have you guys picked a name for him, yet?" Sheer Jet asks, looking over at the new parents. Firefly picks up her gaze to meet her husband's, and they have a brief conversation through their eyes before smiling.
"Heat Wave," Spectrum Streak answers, placing a hoof underneath his son's head. "His name is Heat Wave."
"It's perfect," Rose Valley comments.
“It’ll suit him wonderfully,” Magnolia smiles at the little family.
The little family of three are very happy for the next year. Then, their family expands to a family of five.
Then, eight.
Then, nine...
Oh, boy.