Intro.
"I'm pregnant." Rarity whispered.
"Say WHAT?!" Twilight's jaw dropped open.
The reaction surprised Rarity and sent her into a fit of coughs. The last cough had some blood in it. Rarity thought Twilight hadn't noticed, but she had.
"Sorry..." Twilight cringed.
"It's alright Twilight, dear," Rarity wheezed, letting out another cough. Her voice was raspy, then again, it had been for the past few months. "That was actually the reaction I was expecting. But not to that, to this: If I don't live through the birth, or if I die while the baby is still young, I want you to raise her."
Twilight stared at her friend. Was she serious?
"You raised little Spikey-Wikey so well, that I thought a filly or colt would be fine." Rarity continued.
Twilight teared up a little at the mentioning of Spike. He had grown into a full dragon a few years ago. He couldn't fit in the library, and Twilight knew it was time for him to move on. Spike was resistant to leave. He had grown to love Ponyville and it citizens (especially Rarity) and didn't want to give them up. Twilight said he could come and visit whenever he wanted. He was still hesitant, but he agreed. He said his goodbyes and flew off. She hadn't seen him since.
Why would she want me to do this? Sure Spike grew up normally (more or less) but this is a pony we're talking about! Spike was my assistant, not my son. I needed him. I still do... I don't think I can live through another goodbye. Plus, this is illegal! If one parent dies, the other raises it, simple as that. Not the mother's friend.
"Why can't your husband raise it?" Twilight asked, changing the subject in her mind.
"Oh Celestia no!" Rarity gasped. "You would think I would've learned my lesson after Blueblood but no, I got married to an even bigger jerk."
"T-then why not Sweetie Belle?" Twilight stammered. "Can't she raise your child? She is your sister after all."
"That is true, but she's living in Canterlot now." Rarity explained. "Plus, you know I love her, just I don't really trust her that much...."
"Rarity, remember, she's not that clumsy filly anymore."
Rarity sighed. "Yes, I know."
"Still, why not Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie or Applejack?"
"I think Fluttershy is busy enough with those triplets she had with Big Mac, Rainbow Dash is a Wonderbolt now, I'm not sure if I trust Pinkie Pie with a baby, and Applejack.... let's just say I trust you the most with a baby than really any of our other friends."
Twilight stared at the ground, still not sure if she was cut out for it. The silence was broken by another fit of Rarity's coughing. This made Twilight even more concerned.
"Twilight...please...I need you...to do this," Rarity said in between coughs.
"I... I just..."
"It's only... if I don't survive... the birth... there's a chance... I will," Rarity's coughing had been replaced with raspy and staggered breathing. Twilight looked down to hide her tears. If there was a chance, it was the slimmest one Twilight had ever heard of.
She looked at her dear friend. Rarity had become a very successful dressmaker, but had to give it up when she got sick eight months ago. She was married to Copper Leaf two years ago. Rarity was sad Spike couldn't go, but the rest of the elements of harmony knew it would've been a bad wedding.
Twilight realized, there really was no other choice. She walked over to Rarity and put her hoof around her.
"Okay," she whispered.
Rarity smiled up at her friend. Then passed out on the floor.
* * *
Rarity wanted to give birth at the Carousel Boutique. She asked Nurse Redheart to come over and everything. And Twilight had to be there to grab the baby and run.
So, Twilight shouldn't have been surprised when Nurse Redheart was the one to open the door. She looked inside and saw Rarity laying on her usual couch. Twilight couldn't help but smile a little. It seemed perfect for Rarity to die on that thing. Then the realization came. Rarity was going to die. On that couch. After birth. Which should be IN A FEW MINUTES.
Twilight rushed pass Nurse Redheart and pat by her friend. Rarity looked at her with tear-filled eyes. Apparently the realization hit her too. And hard. Rarity let out a scream then cried for a minute.
"It hurts Twilight."
All Twilight could do was nod.
"I... I don't want to die..."
"You might not die..."
Rarity locked eyes with Twilight. "I'm not daft Twilight. I know there's no way I can..."
"Why isn't anyone else here? Like Applejack, Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, or... Sweetie Belle?" Twilight asked, wanting desperately to change the subject.
"I wish they could be. But I'm not sure they'd understand the whole 'You taking my baby after I die' thing."
"Rarity, they're your friends! Of course they'd understand!"
Rarity began weeping. "I want them here! Badly! I always thought I'd die of old age, surrounded by my friends and my loving family! But instead I'm going to die because I'm too sick to live through the birth of my first child in my run-down shop I had to close because of my condition with only one worried sick friend!"
Twilight stared, her mouth open. "I- I'm so sorry..."
Rarity was sobbing too hard to say anything. Yet hard enough to scream.
Nurse Redheart rushed over, an apologetic look on her face. "It's starting."
Twilight took a step back, not wanting to get in the professional's way.
It took a long time, but finally Twilight could see the tip of the filly, or colt's, head. It had an extremely light yellow coat and a purple mane with the comings of a light blue stripe. A while after that, Twilight could see its eyes, which they almost immediately opened. They were big, blue eyes. Rarity eyes. The eyes that soon, only this pony would have. Twilight looked away.
She did not know how long she looked away, because soon after Nurse Redheart was saying, "It's done."
Twilight turned and saw Rarity holding her baby in her arms.
"I honestly didn't think I'd even get to see her," Rarity said weakly, tears streaming down her face.
"So it's a filly?"
Rarity could only nod.
Nurse Redheart came and stood next to Rarity. "I'm so sorry but, you don't have much time."
"I know." Rarity held the filly out to Twilight.
With a shaking hoof, Twilight reached out and took the filly in her arms.
"You take good care of her. Keep your promise."
Then Rarity closed her eyes and took one last shaking breath. And the filly immediately started crying.
* * *
"Remember, the funeral is on Saturday," Sweetie Belle said.
Twilight nodded. "You know me, I won't forget."
Sweetie Belle smiled then looked over to the sleeping filly on the other side of the room. "Are you sure you don't want me to take her off your hooves?"
"Your referring to her as if she's an errand. I promised Rarity I would keep her safe and raise her and I will keep that promise to the end of my life."
Twilight almost expected Sweetie Belle to start crying or storm off, but she had matured with age and only nodded. Then the two of them simultaneously looked over to the baby.
"She'll ask questions."
"I'll think of something."
"What about her father?"
"I'll think of something."
"Just... remember, don't hold back if you need any help. You have friends."
Twilight nodded as Sweetie Belle turned to leave. But then Sweetie Belle stopped, turned her head back and whispered, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being for her in the very end. She needed someone. Right now, you're being all of the elements at once."
At that Sweetie Belle left, leaving Twilight alone with the filly. Keep your promise.
Promise.