As Blaze sat on the couch in dread, he felt worse than he did when he was sick. After he let slip that he knew about what went on in a…hot moment of romance, his mother wanted to have a little chat with him once he recovered from his illness. Now that the moment finally arrived, he nervously waited to see what kind of scolding she had in mind for him.
Sunset stood in front of him, her face carrying a soft trace of displeasure, and said, "Blaze, I'm not going to punish you, but I would like to know how you found out about…" She looked aside and blushed as she cleared her throat, "Ahem! What ponies…do when they're madly in love."
Blaze tittered nervously, "Heh-heh. I may have sneaked into the adult section at the library at Canterlot Castle on our last trip."
Sunset groaned as she face-hoofed, "Blaze…"
Timber came into the room and said, "Hey, colt's gotta know this stuff before he grows up."
His wife sighed, "Yes, I know. But I wish Blaze didn't find out the way he did."
He gave a playful smile, "You mean, you wish Blaze was still a little foal."
Sunset stood in silence for a few moments before she sighed and said with a small smile, "You're a mind reader, Timber."
Timber said, "I say we take a trip down memory lane, back to when Blaze was a little colt."
When he left the room, Sunset and Blaze looked at each other in confusion.
A minute later, Timber came back with a scrapbook in his hoof. He sat on the couch with it as he asked his son, "Do you know why you were named 'Blaze'?"
Blaze shook his head, "Not really, but it'd be so cool if I was named after something awesome that happened!"
Timber chuckled as he opened the pages, "Believe me, you were."
His son's eyes widened in amazement, "Wow! Really?!"
Sunset sat next to her husband and smiled, "Yep. And it all began right here." She pointed to a picture of herself when she was heavily pregnant. "Your dad, godparents, and I were preparing for your arrival one day…"
Sunset sat on the bed in the room that had once been Starlight's. The room was now the master bedroom she shared with her husband. Timber rummaged through the trunk full of baby stuff that Starlight had kept from Sunset's foalhood.
The stallion said as he pulled out a tattered blue costume dress, "Hey, Sunset! Do you remember this?"
When he showed it to her, her eyes widened and she gasped happily, "Yes, I do!" She took the dress from Timber and giggled, "I used to wear it when I'd play 'Pony in Wonderland'. That is, until I was 12."
Timber suggested, "Well, if it's a girl, we can use this dress for her once Rarity restores it."
"But what if it's a boy?"
"Then maybe we can give it to one of our friends when they have kids."
She sighed contently as she rubbed her swollen stomach, "Any day, Timber. Any day."
Timber smiled as he put his hoof on her belly, "Yeah. I can't wait for our little one to get here already."
She chuckled, "You're so impatient, Timber." When her baby gave her a kick, she cried, "Oh!" She then giggled, "And so is the baby."
He joked, "I hope that he – or she – doesn't decide to arrive at the worst possible time."
Just then, Night Glider opened the door and said, "You guys might want to come downstairs."
When she and the couple reached the first floor, they saw a cerulean macaw with shimmering wings perched on a chair.
Sunset breathed in amazement, "Oh, it's so beautiful."
Sugar Belle magically took a rolled-up mini scroll from its claw and said, "I think it came here to deliver us a message."
As Sunset took the scroll and unrolled it, Timber said, "I read about this bird. It usually resides in the Forbidden Jungle."
Sunset added as her eyes widened from reading the scroll, "And I think that's where Daring Do and Quibble Pants are. This is a message from the Rainbow-Eyes saying that Daring and Quibble have been captured and need our help!"
Double Diamond asked, "But how did the macaw know where to find us?"
Timber smirked, "Remember how the Rainbow-Eyes managed to know where we were when Daring was going to get married to Ahuizotl?" When nopony gave an answer, he said, "They work in mysterious ways."
Party Favor asked Sunset, "So do they give any directions so we could find Quibble and Daring Do?"
Sunset answered, "It just says, 'Follow the macaw. He'll take you there.'" She then said to the bird, "Well, buddy, it looks like you'll be our guide."
Timber questioned, "Our guide? I'm sorry, Sunset, but for the welfare of you and the baby, you're staying here."
Sunset playfully scoffed, "If you think I'm just going to sit in this manor like a good pony, you're way off-base. You know I'm the hooves-on type." She then smirked, "Besides, you don't want a cranky pregnant wife when you get back, do you?"
He stood in silence for a few moments before he groaned, "All right, you win. But don't overexert yourself or do anything dangerous, okay?"
Sunset promised, "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
So there we were, in the jungle. We followed the macaw through the vines and underbrush until we neared an old temple.
Night Glider remarked, "Another temple? Yeesh, how many temples are there in the jungle?"
Sunset said, "I asked Twilight about that and she said that many kinds of civilizations dwelled here. Only a few are still existing, if not also secret."
Suddenly, they heard quick hoofsteps along the jungle floor. Everyone held their breaths and prepared to defend themselves.
Party Favor asked in growing fright, "Do you think that's one of the natives now?"
Troubleshoes grumbled, "That'd be just our luck."
When the figures emerged from the brush, everyone gave a shout until they realized who they were looking at.
Timber cried in surprise, "Quibble?! Daring?!"
Sunset said, "We thought you were in danger!"
Daring Do said confidently, "We were, until a brave and smart pony got us out of that mess." She made goo-goo eyes at Quibble.
He blushed and replied, "Well, it was nothing big. Just had to solve an old puzzle to escape the pit of venomous snakes." He then muttered with a furrowed brow and wide eyes looking to the side, "Nothing like being in danger to get the brain going."
Sugar Belle sighed in relief, "It's a good thing you're safe, then. Now let's get back home before anything happens."
Just then, Sunset gave a small groan and clutched her pregnant stomach. She grunted, "Oh, no. Something's happening."
Timber held his wife and asked in concern, "Is it the baby?"
"I think it's coming. We might still have a few hours before I have to deliver the foal."
He remarked as he threw his arm in the air, "Wonderful. I told the baby not to come at the worst possible time, and it's coming at the worst possible time."
Troubleshoes sighed, "Yep. Just our luck."
Double Diamond gestured to the macaw, "Maybe this little guy can take us straight to the nearest hospital."
Night Glider said, "What hospital? There isn't one for miles."
Sunset spoke up, "The least we can do is try." She asked the macaw, "How about it? Can you guide us to a hospital?"
As if a reply to her request, the macaw flew up and hovered over them.
Timber smiled, "I think that's a 'yes'."
The macaw led the group through the jungle while Troubleshoes carried Sunset on his back. Every several minutes, she would groan and writhe in labor pains. Timber hated seeing his wife like this and held her hoof to comfort her. About an hour later, the macaw suddenly flew away.
Before anyone could react to this unexpected departure, Sugar Belle pointed to a wafting tower of smoke in the air and cried, "Look! Smoke! That must be the town."
Timber sighed in relief, "Oh, that's great. We're nearly there."
Daring Do – who was just flying above them – descended as she said, "Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the hospital is just around that mountain."
Sunset asked in concern, "And the bad news?"
"The mountain…is a volcano." The group stopped to look at the smoking giant looming over the lush landscape. "They call it Volcán Turrialtai."
Quibble waved his hoof in dismissal and scoffed, "Pfft! Don't worry! Volcanoes smoke all the time. I'm sure that's all it can do."
Suddenly, a tower of lava burst from within the volcano and shot up into the air. The earth and trees shook violently with the powerful eruption. Daring glared at her husband for jinxing the peacefulness of the jungle.
Timber fretted, "Oh, great! We get here right when it's erupting!"
Sunset bellowed in pain, "So am I!"
He frowned in worry, "Oh, this isn't good."
At that moment, lava began pouring down the volcano's rim.
Timber elucidated, "The volcano started spitting out fire and smoke like crazy. It was both beautiful and terrifying at the same time."
Sunset rolled her eyes playfully as she chuckled, "Must you always make your stories melodramatic?"
He shrugged with a smile, "Hey, gotta keep the audience captivated."
Blaze asked in urgency, "Then what happened? Then what happened?"
Timber chuckled, "Okay, okay."
The earth heaved and shook. The air thundered with the shrieks of jungle animals, and two bright rivers of molten lava came pouring down from every direction, cutting off our escape!
Daring Do and Night Glider couldn't fly on account of fireballs shooting down from the sky, so they ran with the others and tried to evade the flaming projectiles. While Sunset heaved and moaned with every contraction, the rest of the group tried to find shelter from the volcanic eruption. Suddenly, two rivers of burning lava converged in front of the group, cutting off their path. At that moment, Sunset let out a pained shout. The group turned around and headed for a small mound to avoid the approaching lava.
Sunset grunted, "I can't move. I have to lie down right now!"
We had no choice but to lay your mom right down on the trail. She was not very happy.
Sunset – finding no relief lying down on the ground – emphasized, "I…am…not…very…HAPPY!"
As her last word echoed through the frantic jungle, the volcano shook and more lava burst into the air. The monkeys shrieked in response and ran for cover.
Sunset told her husband, "Timber, it's time!"
Timber said with a voice laden with anxiety, "Okay, then we'll just have to deliver the baby right here in this –"
Quibble looked back and shouted in fright, "Hey, guys, look!"
When the group turned to see lava cascading down the cliff several feet behind them, Timber screamed while the others gasped. Just then, Sunset's head shot forward and her eyes clenched shut as another anguished yell tore from her throat.
Timber fretted, "Oh, geez, you guys. Now what?"
Suddenly, the macaw flew over them. Their eyes followed him until their gaze fell upon beams of rainbow light shining from the treetops.
Party Favor gasped, "The Rainbow-Eyes!"
Quibble told his wife, "Dare, you and Night Glider take Sunset to the beacon. We'll catch up."
After Daring grabbed Sunset's front hooves and Night Glider held her back hooves, they flapped their wings and took off. They flew over the lava swiftly yet cautiously of any stray fireballs that may swoop in from the sky. When they reached the source of the lights, they found that the rays were beaming from the top of an old temple.
Before Night Glider could speak, Sunset wearily remarked, "Yes, I know what you're going to say."
As the remaining group reached the temple, the Pegasi took Sunset to the open entrance. They saw that inside the temple were a cot and two smoking bowls situated at the side nearest to the ponies. Night Glider and Daring Do carefully set Sunset onto the floor so Timber and Double Diamond could help her to the cot. Just moments after Sunset lied down on her back, another pained holler escaped her mouth. At the same time, the earth shook and dark clouds hovered over the skylight of the temple.
Timber soaked a cloth into a bowl of water and dabbed Sunset's forehead with it. He urged as he did this, "Remember, breathe. Breathe, just like in class. Hoo-hoo-hoo…"
Sunset growled and then hissed at her husband, "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
As the unicorn gave out a painful scream, Daring decided to go out the entrance.
Quibble abruptly tackled her as he cried, "Watch out!"
Daring then saw a fireball hit the spot where she could've been. As Sunset's screams of agony filled the temple, Party Favor, Double Diamond, Night Glider, and Troubleshoes stepped outside to observe the lava surrounding the building. They could see the lava burning away the vines on the sides of the platform and revealing ancient carvings. Mere moments later, the volcano gave one more blast as the ponies heard Sunset give out a tremendous scream. Suddenly, the volcano puffed as if it had no more lava to spare. As the frenzied activity in the jungle began to calm down and the dark clouds to part, the sound of a baby crying resonated from inside the temple and spread throughout the jungle.
The ponies outside the building came back inside and gazed upon the newborn baby cradled in Sunset's arms. The unicorn's mane was all frazzled and she had bags under her eyes, but a glad smile now replaced the grimace of pain.
Troubleshoes remarked in awe, "I don't believe it. He silenced all of nature."
Timber looked at his baby proudly as he marveled, "Our little baby."
Sunset agreed, "A miracle baby."
Double Diamond suggested, "You know, after the adventure we just had, we should give him a really cool name."
Timber's eyes lit up, "I got it! We'll call him Wildfire!"
Sunset shook her head and smiled, "No."
He whined, "Aw, come on! It's a cool name!"
Sugar Belle suggested, "How about something close to 'Wildfire'?"
Sunset grinned, "Yeah, like…Blaze!"
Timber shrugged as he smiled, "Eh. Not 'Wildfire', but still cool." He then gasped, "Oh, hey! Maybe we should give him a middle name, like…Lupinus!"
The group questioned with confused looks, "Lupinus?"
Sunset explained, "That's the genus bluebonnet flowers are from. I saw bluebonnets the day I met Timber."
Timber noted, "We would've named the baby Bluebonnet if it was a girl, but since he's a boy…"
"Lupinus is close enough."
Her husband took Blaze in his arms and remarked, "He is a good-looking kid, isn't he?" He focused on his son and booped his nose, "Hey. Hi. Hey, Blaze. Hi, baby boy." When Blaze gurgled, Timber smiled, "I'm your dad. And this is your lovely mom. You're so lucky."
Blaze cooed in response.
Timber walked out of the temple and amidst the jungle. Even though the air still carried a trace of smoke and fire, the lush yet charred surroundings were very peaceful.
The Earth pony continued as he held his son, "And so are we. We have a miracle baby named Blaze."
A whispery voice echoed as its hooves let go of the fronds they had parted, "Blaze…"
Blaze marveled, "Wow, Dad. What an incredible story! I can't believe it!"
Timber remarked, "Neither can I. It's amazing. I can't believe we didn't stick with 'Wildfire'!"
Sunset chuckled before she spoke up, "And I can't believe how hard it was to raise Blaze the moment we brought him home."
Timber grinned, "Oh, yeah. Diapering him…"
"Bathing him…"
"Feeding him…"
"But most of all…"
The couple said together, "Trying to get him to sleep!" They laughed at that.
Blaze rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, yeah. I get it. It was hard to raise me. I do have one question, though."
His parents both asked, "What?"
"If we were all in a stone temple surrounded by hot, boiling lava, then where did you go to the bathroom?"
Sunset and Timber looked at each other for a moment before they burst into laughter once more.