Heather sighed and rubbed her face. “Alright, we’re going to try this again.”
Shale, Digger, and the rest of the pack nodded, though a few nods were those about to fall asleep on their haunches.
“So I’ve explained what fleas are, and you understand that, yes?”
“Mhmm! Digger know tiny-biteys!” He smiled eagerly, tail wagging.
Shale cuffed him over the head. “Keep quiet! Shale trying to hear!”
Heather’s voice cut the budding argument short. “Both of you, knock it off. Don’t make me put the cone on you again.” She pointed at the inverted cone on her desk, the word ‘SHAME’ written on the inside of the cone.
Both dogs quailed. “Yes, Miss Heather,” they chimed in unison.
She glared at them for another few seconds, then smiled. “Okay, picking up where we left off, so we understand fleas. But they are not the cause of the diseases that come from the bites. They are caused by extremely tiny particles that cannot be seen. Those particles are called bacteria or viruses. Can you all say it with me now?”
“Bac-tera,” the dogs dutifully intoned, “Viruses.”
“Very good on viruses, but it’s ‘bacter-i-a,” Heather stressed. “Let’s try again—” She stopped as the door opened and Eclipse leaned in to point at the clock. “I’m afraid we need to cut today’s lesson short. But I have these tablets here with some basic homework I want you to try before tomorrow.” She frowned. “And I do expect these to come back without a single bite mark in them. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Miss Heather,” the dogs muttered as they plaintively glanced at the open door.
“Okay, you’re dismissed.” Heather said, instinctively raising an arm as the dogs ran pell-mell from the room, claws scraping small chips from the floor.
Eclipse calmly slid past the scramble as she trotted into the room. “If somepony told me that there’d be a class of diamond dogs learning anything, let alone biology, I’d have written them a recommendation for psych evaluation.”
“Well, they certainly make for… challenging students,” Heather replied as she gathered her notes together. “But at least they’re energetic.”
“Yes, I’ve seen their enthusiasm for naptime and snack breaks.” Eclipse chuckled. “So, are you ready for your checkup?”
Heather grunted as she put the papers in the desk drawer. “I guess, just looking forward to getting them out of the way.”
“At least you don’t have to put up with them for too much longer, right?” Eclipse trotted for the door. “Besides, at least it’s not a pony foal, you’d have two more months to look forward to.”
“That’s true,” Heather grimaced as she rubbed a paw over her swollen stomach. She followed Eclipse into the hallway, only to nearly run headlong into her hindquarters. “Eclipse?” She looked past her to see Digger standing there, a sheepish look on his muzzle. “Digger? What are you doing here? Did you have a question on the homework?”
“Umm, no.” Digger fidgeted, staring pointedly at his claws. “Digger… Digger wanted to stay by Heather for doctor pony visit. Digger knows Heather pup will come soon, so Digger thought a dog should be close by if needed. Shale said I could,” he added defensively.
Heather saw Eclipse starting to shake her head, and put a paw on the batpony’s shoulder to interrupt. “Digger, it’s very nice of you to offer, but we talked about this when you started your stay here. My checkups are private and—”
“Digger won’t peek!” Digger half-shouted, half-yelped, his cheeks red. “Digger just…”
“I know that you’re just trying to look out for me, and also trying to do what Shale told you to do, but I’m afraid I have to put my foot down on this one.” Heather knelt so that she could look Digger in the eye. “But I’ll tell you what, for tomorrow’s class, I’ll mark one question correct for you, does that sound okay?”
Digger nodded submissively “Umm… okay.” He turned to go, but hesitated. “Heather will let pack know if she in trouble, yes?”
“You’d be the first to hear,” Heather said with a smile, ruffling the fur on his head.
Digger smiled and bounded around the corner, tail wagging.
Eclipse snorted. “Dog is sweet on you, I hope you realize it.”
“What? No he’s not!... Well, I guess I could see it, but still…” Heather stammered.
Eclipse rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, furball. Regardless, we need to get going, you know how Silverheart gets when you’re late.”
“Oh, he’s not that bad,” Heather objected as they walked down the corridors toward the east gate.
“Heather, even we trot lightly around him,” Eclipse replied with a snort.
Heather grunted, though she privately agreed with Eclipse’s remark.
The rest of the walk passed quickly, the castle halls empty save for the occasional staff member who would smile and wave, or a guard who would salute Eclipse. The expected carriage was waiting, with two entire squads of pegasi as escort. The earth pony guards hitched to the front were equally stone-faced, heads turned and ears on a swivel to maintain as much awareness as possible
“Eclipse, isn’t this a bit much?” Heather asked as she climbed inside.
Eclipse looked the assemblage over. “Well, I would prefer more unicorns, but I suppose we should be alright for the route to the hospital with what we have.” She hopped up onto the opposite seat, ruffling her wings to get comfortable.
Heather scowled. “How many ponies can I not see?”
“I know it bothers you Heather, but after last month, I’m honestly surprised that we’ve relaxed your protection this much. It could be a lot worse, too. There was brief discussion about confining you to your room and bringing all the medical personnel here.”
“And which side did you argue?” Heather looked out the window as the carriage lurched into motion.
Eclipse rolled her eyes. “I reminded them what happened the last time you were confined to quarters. But, I did argue for increased security as well, given that we’re entertaining guests who would gladly have abducted you if the EFE hadn’t beaten them to it.”
Heather winced as the carriage bounced across a pothole, the baby kicking in protest at the motion. “I guess your argument makes sense…”
“Of course it does,” Eclipse replied modestly, preening all the same. “Now, I hope you have a good explanation for Doctor Silverheart about why you’re late.”
Heather shook her head. “I’m telling you, he’s not that bad. I’ll just explain that class ran late, and that’ll be it.”
Heather felt her tail doing its best to tuck further in as Doctor Silverheart scowled at her. “Doctor, I—”
“I don’t care if the dog’s god itself came from the sky to ask you for help with it’s homework, when you have appointments with me, you will be in my office, on time, and that’s final. Do I make myself clear?”
She fought down the building whine in her throat and straightened her tail. “Yes, Doctor.” She kept wanting to look down at the floor, thinking for some reason of the times when her mother had scolded her.
“Good, then if you don’t mind, get onto the bed and let’s begin.” He lit his horn expectantly as Heather settled back, the silvery aura extending around her midsection. His eyes drifted out of focus as the field shifted. “Hmmmm… Everything still seems healthy…”
Heather grimaced and tried not to squirm as the magic tickled along her nerves. “Well, he’s been more and more active since the incident.” She frowned as the magic concentrated for a moment, a familiar fluttering starting up as the baby responded to the magic. “So, do you still think he’s going to be born on the normal timeframe for a human baby?”
He narrowed his eyes, sweeping one final pulse of magic across her abdomen. “If what I’m sensing is accurate, then I’d say so. More than likely any day now for initial contractions to begin, though it’s hard to say if your physiology is going to be more like a dog’s or a human’s.” A clipboard floated over along with a pen, and he jotted down some notes. “To be honest, there’s still no concrete medical information on diamond dog reproductive behavior, only secondhoof information from the few who’ve spoken with the western packs.”
Heather sighed. “Well, we’ll have the answer before long, at least.” She frowned as the flutter worsened into a full-gut twinge. “Umm, Doc?”
He looked up from the chart. “What?” He saw the expression on her face, and his eyes widened briefly as they tracked to her belly. “You… can’t be serious…”
She grunted as another twinge rippled through her. “Looks like you’ll get to fill that blank a lot sooner.”
“Okay, um, right.” He practically flung the clipboard to the side as he half-galloped for the door. “Steady Hoof, I need some assistance please! And get Doctor Needle in here as soon as possible.”
“Right away, Doctor. Doctor Needle had been alerted when Ms. Douglas came in, and should be here momentarily.” The nurse wheeled in a cart laden with supplies, already pulling on his mask. “Okay, Heather, I just need you to focus on breathing for me, and we’ll have your baby delivered in no time. Did the contractions just start?”
Heather nodded, taking a deep breath that hissed out of her as another twinge hit, this one much stronger than the others. “Y-yeah. Um, I don’t want to be too demanding, but is there any chance that you have an epidural needle in that cart?”
The nurse took a nervous step backward, while Silverheart trotted back from the doorway, followed by another pony in a lab coat. “Well, we typically rely on pain-relief spells, but given your… situation, we had some supplies that were flown in from the United States, though…”
“Though?” Heather asked, a low growl undercutting the question.
Silverheart controlled the nervous shudder and answered for the nurse. “Equestrian Customs is dragging their hooves on releasing it, due to it being an unknown chemical compound. I spoke to them earlier this morning, and expected to have it released by tomorrow, but…”
Heather opened her mouth to speak, but whatever she was going to say was interrupted by the first real contraction striking. Eclipse recognized the signs a half-second early and clapped her hooves over her ears. Heather’s resulting howl nearly caused three ponies to embarrass themselves on the spot, and caused several mares in nearby rooms to go into early labor.
Rubbing her ears, Eclipse trotted to the door. “I think I’m going to send a few guards to Customs and… explain the urgency of the situation. Heather, please try not to maul the staff or frighten any pregnant mares to death, okay?”
Heather nodded, a harsh whine the only verbal response as she gripped the bed railings hard enough to bend the metal.
Digger’s ear twitched toward the window. “Digger hear something!”
Shale growled irritably, engaged with the slate in front of him. “Digger making things up to not do work.” He squinted, another growl working its way through his chest. “If bactera or virus so small, why Shale need to be afraid of it?” He tossed the half-finished slate on the dresser and lay back on the bed, quickly snoring to put a sawmill to shame.
Digger made sure Shale was actually asleep before he rolled his eyes. He glanced back out the window, before he made up his mind. “Digger know he heard something, so Digger will just prove it.” He glanced at the other dogs, making sure they weren’t looking, before crawling under the bed. He squirmed into the tunnel he’d dug to hide his growing collection of treasure, sliding his own, finished slate carefully into its nook. He shifted a slab of rock, revealing a second tunnel leading further into the darkness. “Digger coming.”
The tunnel was cramped, but he’d managed to break into another of the sewer pipes. He dropped to the bottom with a quiet splash, nose wrinkling at the smell. He shook himself thoroughly and dug his claws into the side, awkwardly crouch-hopping down the pipe. He stopped at one of the junctions, a scowl on his muzzle as he fought to separate the scents. “Digger swear he heard Heather howl. But howl sound far away. Digger knows Heather lives in pony castle, why howl come from far away?”
He paced back and forth, trying to gather his thoughts. “Okay, Digger know Heather with pups, pups not far from being born... “ He tapped a claw on his chin, the feeling he was on to something growing. “So, if Heather not in room, then… then…” His eyes widened in sudden realization. “Pups on way! Pups on way!” He barked eagerly, the sound echoing through the pipes as he blundered his way toward the closest ladder. Uncaring of the sludge coating his fur, he clambered up and shoved the cover aside.
“Digger will help!”
The throne room’s normal din almost drowned it out, but Celestia’s ear twitched as the echo of the howl floated over the clamour of Day Court. She sighed and rose to her hooves, “I suppose these things always happen when we least will them.”
“Your Highness?” The noble, who’d been industriously outlining his plan to save the city uncounted bits by spending an equally uncounted amount to overhaul infrastructure, asked at the unexpected motion.
“I apologize, but there is a matter which requires my attention. I am afraid that I must end Day Court early, and will resume it on the morrow. If you will please excuse me.” She descended from her throne swiftly, the gathered ponies scattered in her wake. The guards spread their wings and bounded into a short glide, startled by her haste.
“What is it, Princess?” Captain Dawn Breeze asked, her agitation plain.
“Just a moment, Captain,” Celestia absently replied as she reached out with her magic. ”Sister, did you hear that?”
”Of course, I’d be surprised if half the city has.” Luna’s amused reply teased along Celestia’s mind. ”I’ve checked with Eclipse, and she’s got things well in hoof for now, though I did take the liberty of ordering an extra squad to provide additional security at the hospital. I assume you are going there now?”
”Of course, and you?” Celestia asked, a knowing grin on her muzzle as the reply came back almost immediately.
”I’m already halfway there, so if you wish to be there first I would suggest haste, sister. And no teleporting.” With that, Luna broke the link, the wind sharp against her as she raced for the hospital. She reached out with her own version of Celestia’s spell, feeling the disciplined mind of her ‘daughter’ closing with her. ”Eclipse, is all well with Heather? Her howl certainly carried a degree of pain I did not expect.”
My Lady, it seems Equestrian Customs dug their hooves in somewhat on the matter of the medicine for Heather’s delivery. I have corrected their deficiency and am en route to the hospital with it now.”
”And you did not mistreat them too badly, I hope?” Luna chided as she swooped to land in front of the hospital.
”Me, my Lady? I was the very model of diplomacy.” Eclipse’s sending was threaded with a indignation and an undercurrent of laughter.
”I am sure you were. I will meet you at the hospital.”
”Of course, my Lady,” Eclipse thought, her connection to Luna fading quickly. She flapped her wings harder as she spotted a distant shape circling to land on the hospital roof, while a second set of shapes separated from the castle and started heading toward it as well.
“Looks like it’ll be a well-attended birth, at least—” she muttered to herself as she adjusted her flight path to begin approaching the hospital. The thermals rising from the stone at least made for relatively easy soaring, but as she swept over an alley she faltered at the stench that hit her nose. It somehow combined the odor of week-old decay with the rank aroma of festering food, blending it all with an aura of… dirt?
“N-no,” she coughed, banking to circle over the alley, “they’re all in the castle, being closely watched by guards who would not want to risk my temper by letting a dog out again.” She squinted at the alley, scanning for any fresh tunnels or displaced drain covers. All she could see were several dumpsters from the restaurants, one with it’s top left open. She considered landing for a closer investigation, but the sheer repulsiveness of the smell coming from the dumpster plus another howl coming from the hospital changed her mind. She made a mental note to have health services pay the restaurant a visit, and angled toward the hospital.
Below, the dumpster rocked back and forth on its wheels, garbage resettling as Digger carefully shimmied the side of his head out from underneath. He’d caught the scent of the bat-mare and briefly thought about jumping in the dumpster for extra protection, but the thought occurred to him that Heather might hit him if he showed up covered in garbage. He whined as he squirmed free of the dumpster, eyes to the sky as he watched the bat-mare disappear from view. “So that where hospital is. Digger coming, Digger help.” He broke into a run, claws cutting furrows into the stone as he exited the alley… and careened straight into a wall of grey. The dog and stallion went to the sidewalk in a tumble of limbs, startled whinnies and yelps.
Digger scrambled to his paws, shook his head to reorient his direction, and took off running again, barely acknowledging the pony he’d run into with a snarled “Pony should watch where going! He not own street!”
“Well I never!” Jet Set snorted, incredulity on his face as he tossed his mane back into place. “First it was one dog, now another! Honestly, I don’t know what the Crown is thinking, letting those filthy animals run wild through the city like this. Come on, honey, we’re going straight to Day Court to lodge a complaint!” He started down the sidewalk, only to stop when he realized his wife wasn’t with him. “Upper Crust?” He half-turned, seeing her standing where the mongrel had collided with him.
She raised a shaking hoof to point at his side, eyes wide with terror. “J-Jet…”
He turned his head more, and saw what she saw, his jaw dropping open in horror. There, imprinted proudly on his pristine, limited production Hoity Toity original jacket, formed from an unholy mixture of caked-on dirt, sewer sludge, and other, best forgotten waste, was the unmistakable shape of a diamond dog.
His shriek shattered every window within ten yards.
Eclipse landed on the rooftop as a gallop, barging past the guard without stopping, and hurried down the stairwell to the maternity floor. Shouldering the door open, she beelined for Heather’s room, drawing up short at the sight of Celestia and Luna waiting calmly outside the door. “You Majesties, I beg your pardon, but I have the medicine—”
“Is that the epidural medicine?” Dr. Silverheart interrupted, almost knocking the door off its hinges. Past him, Eclipse could see several of the hospitals burly interns struggling to keep Heather restrained, with the nurses mostly huddled in the corner. “Don’t just stand there, give it here, now!” Not even waiting for her to open her saddlebags, he yanked them off her back and hurried back into the room, slamming the door shut roughly. “Now Heather, put that intern down, you are not going to throw him at me—” the wall shook as something hit it.
Eclipse made to enter the room, but froze as Luna raised a hoof. “Princess, I’m her friend, I might be able to calm her down until they administer the medication…”
“I believe, Eclipse, that the doctors and nurses have this well in hoof.” Luna glanced down the hall as a stretcher was wheeled off the elevator, the nurses pushing it whispering nervously as they looked at Heather’s door. “Well, mostly. In either case, it is all in Heather’s paws now, and the best we can do it wait.”
Eclipse started to protest, but the struggle inside the room abruptly ended, and she sighed. “As you say, my Lady.”
The rest of the floor cautiously fell back into their routine as the minutes dragged on. Finally, Dr. Silverheart pushed open the door, his mane bedraggled but a tired smile on his face. “You can come in now, but please be quiet. It was… an exhausting procedure, though I can say the baby appears to be healthy.”
“Is Heather well?” Luna asked as she and Celestia got to their hooves.
“Her? Oh stars yes, she’s fine. I was asking for the sake of the interns, one of them is still passed out in the corner.” He gestured to the waiting ponies with the stretcher and they nodded, hurrying into the room and emerging with the limp form of their coworker. “He’ll pull through, just got a nasty bump from the wall.” He turned and reentered the room, holding the door open for the rest of the group. “Heather, you’ve got some very eager ponies here to see you.”
Heather nodded absently, her focus on the bundle of linen held to her chest.
Eclipse took a moment to process the rest of the scene in front of her. The warped bed frame, pawprints clearly visible. Ragged remains of improvised straps dangled, one still wrapped around her left wrist. “Are you sure that stallion’s only got a mild concussion?” she asked, walking over to examine the crater in the wall.
Heather’s ears flattened, while a low whine crawled from her throat. “I… it just hurt and he wouldn’t let go, so… I kind of made him.” Her face reddened. “Is he really going to be okay?”
Dr. Silverheart nodded. “He’ll have an alicorn-sized headache for a couple days, but he’ll be fine. Maybe learn something about listening to pregnant diamond dogs, since I’m sure we’ll see more of them in the future. Anyway, how is he?”
Heather practically transformed, a broad, tired smile on her face. “He’s perfect.” She shifted slowly, adjusting the blanket so everyone could see. His eyes opened at the motion, a gurgled protest dying as he looked at all the strange faces staring down at him. But his mother’s face was there too, so he didn’t start to cry.
Immortal rulers they might be, but Celestia and Luna both couldn’t help the cooing sigh as they leaned closer. Even Eclipse felt the smile tugging at her lips as she craned her head for a better look.
Her smile vanished as she looked the baby over. “Um, Heather?”
“What?”
“I’m certainly not an expert on human babies, but—”
“Why Heather puppy hairless?”
The room fell silent, every pair of eyes turning to look at the window. Perched on the windowsill, Digger stared back, confusion and dried sewage on his muzzle.
“Umm, Digger also confused about Heather puppy skin, why it colored like copper ore?”