Chapter 2
Parthenogenesis
“I...I don't understand...” said Twilight, her head suddenly feeling light.
“I can, mother... just once...”
“Whoa! Please, sit down, Miss Sparkle!” the doctor said, beckoning her.
“Is there more... do? No... I'm free...”
“I... I'm sorry,” she replied. She sat down, and felt the visions fade.
“I understand how such sudden news can shake you,” he said. “Can you explain when you would place the conception?”
“Wait, what? I mean...” Twilight babbled.
“I'd tell you myself, but unfortunately, my spell doesn't work quite as well on fetuses. All I know is, you are approximately two months along, your child is healthy, and it is not affecting your overall health too severely. What I mean to ask is, do you have any ideas as to the identity of the father?”
“Just... just stop for a moment and let me think!” she burst out. This couldn't be happening, Twilight thought. It couldn't. It's not scientifically possible...
“I've never so much as, well, you know, Doctor,” she finally said.
“Now, my dear, you don't need to be reluctant to share the truth with me. I'm not going to judge you.”
“What about magic?” asked Pinkie. In the moment, Twilight had almost forgotten about her.
“What about magic?” replied Twilight.
“Could you have magically made a little baby in your tummy?”
“Miss Pie, it's not in her stomach—”
“Don't. Just, don't bother,” Twilight interrupted. “I don't think it's possible, but I don't necessarily know everything about something like this.”
“Well then, what are we waiting for? To the library!”
Along the road home back to the library, Twilight's steps began to slow down. Pinkie, blissfully unaware, continued her merry hopping. There were a thousand thoughts running through her head, some reasonable, others less so. How could I be pregnant? was the first one, followed closely by I'm too young to be a mother! Soon after were the more bizarre thoughts. Perhaps the doctor's spell was wrong. Maybe he predicted a... future child? Or... what if Jade... while I was asleep... no, that isn't like him at all! What if, while we were separated, something happened, and I've repressed it? Does that even happen?
“Twilight!” Pinkie called out, her voice a mere whisper due to distance. “I'll meet you there!”
“Of course, Pinkie! Sorry!” Twilight replied. I suppose I can't change it now, can I? she thought bitterly. She hastened her step to catch up to the bouncing pink mare ahead of her.
When she arrived at the library, the rest of her friends were waiting. “Hello, everyone! What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Well, we heard there was some drama at the hospital,” said Rarity.
“And we wanted to help ya in any way we can!” added Applejack.
Twilight turned to Pinkie, daggers shooting from her eyes. “What did you tell them?” she asked.
“Nothing really,” she said. “I didn't mention the you-know-what, and I made sure they didn't know about that thingy-thing-thing.”
“Thanks, Pinkie, that's very helpful,” said Twilight.
“What she did say,” mentioned Fluttershy, “was that you were looking for books. Which ones did you need?”
Twilight sighed. “Well, since you're here,” she said, “I need books on magical conception and parthenogenesis.”
“Partheno-what now?” asked Applejack.
“I'm not sure what that means myself, but I do get conception...” said Rarity, a strange look getting in her eyes. “You're pregnant!”
“Well, that cat's out of the bag!” cried Pinkie Pie. “Oh, but why was it in a bag in the first place? And did it still have those PJ's Applejack stole?”
“Getting back on track... yes, I am pregnant, apparently. But it's—”
“Ooh, so exciting! I'll have to plan a baby shower! Wait, how far along are you exactly?”
“About two months, but—”
“Was that...? No, it wasn't? Wasn't that when you were out and about with my uncle?! Oh, how scandalous!”
“Rarity, it's not—”
“Oh, does he know about your premarital love foal?”
“No, he doesn't—wait, it's not a love foal!”
“Oh, I shouldn't put it that way. Did you learn the gender?”
“No! Rarity, please! Just calm down for a second and let me explain!”
Rarity stopped mid-gossip. “Why of course, dear. I'm terribly sorry.”
“If you can find me those books, I'll be able to explain much better.”
“Here you go, Twi!” Pinkie chimed. The book fell snugly upon Twilight's snout.
“Ah, thank you,” Twilight said. She levitated the book to an actual reading position. “Let's see here... 'Parthenogenesis: the development of an egg cell without fertilization.' Okay, that's good, but can it occur in equinoids?”
“Birth without fertilization? You mean, without a stallion?”
“That's the gist of it.”
“Impossible! A child being born without a father... how could that be?” said Rarity.
Something Rarity said seemed to stand out. Twilight looked from her book and asked, “What did you just say?”
“Nothing. I was just wondering how something like that could be possible.”
“Well, this book says that some scientists think that, with some genetic finagling, two egg cells could fuse together, one 'fertilizing' the other, so to speak.”
“Ah, I see!” said Rarity. She clearly had little to no idea what Twilight was saying, but she let her continue.
“However, there is one snag.” Twilight turned her head unhappily. “Egg cells can only contain an X chromosome. A child born through parthenogenesis would always be a girl.”
“My dear, I simply don't see how that's a snag,” said Rarity. “If what you say is true, that you never... shall we say... were fertilized, then your child is truly a miracle of science and magic! No matter what gender, you must surely be so proud!”
As Rarity spoke, Twilight suddenly felt extremely light-headed. “Please take the book,” she mumbled, before finally falling over.
“Such a young foal... can it be...”
“Your choice... else can...”
“Quickly... too late... don't...”
“You never... chance...”
“I shouldn't be alive!”
Twilight woke to the sudden stench of smelling salts pressed against her snout. “You all right, sugarcube?” asked AJ, who was currently pressing the noxious mixture to Twilight's nose. “You gave us quite a shock.”
“Yeah, I guess,” she muttered. “I'm fine now.”
“What happened?” asked Fluttershy. “It isn't like you to faint like that.”
“I think it might have something to do with the dreams I've been having recently.”
“Dreams? What kind of dreams?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“...Strange ones,” said Twilight. “Possibly prophetic. I've been in communication with Luna recently, and she says that it might be due to a hormonal imbalance.”
“Which, if you're preggers, makes a heap 'o sense,” Applejack remarked.
Hearing such a straightforward sentence sent Twilight spiraling into self-doubt once more. “Oh, girls, I don't know if I can do this!” she cried out. “I didn't even want to consider this for a few more years! I'm not ready! I don't know anything about raising a foal! I just wanted to run the library, do my experiments, and send my letters to the Princess. This is just too much!”
She fell to the ground sobbing. Rarity fell to her knees and held Twilight tight. “My dear, you don't have to worry. So long as we're here, we'll do our best to help you.”
The rest of the group voiced their assent. Twilight stood up once more, wiping away the tears in her eyes. “Thank you, everypony,” she said. “I'm so glad you're willing to help.”
“Hey, no worries. That's what friends are for!” said Rainbow Dash.
Their happy reunion was suddenly interrupted by a series of swift knocks on the door. “Who is it?” Twilight asked.
“Jade. Open up.”
She swiftly released the door's lock with her magic. Professor Jade nearly broke the door down as he entered. “What's wrong, Twilight? I got your letter and came here as soon as I could.”
“Hello, Uncle. Just fine, thank you,” said Rarity sardonically.
“She's pregnant!” exclaimed Pinkie.
Jade's face instantly cleared itself of all emotion, save for what Twilight recognized as anger boiling deep beneath the surface. “Everyone, out. Now.”
“But--”
“NOW.”
The five ponies left the library, complaining all the while. As soon as the last person had left, he shoved the door closed with his own magic and locked it tightly. “This is bad, Twilight,” he said.
“Bad? I mean, it's not what I wanted right now, but--”
“I can't believe they did this to you!”
“What are you talking about? No one did this to me!”
“Yes, they did! Oh, the nerve!” He began to pace back and forth, his mane sizzling with rage. “I can't believe this. Anyone else to be sacrificed, I could understand. But you? They love you. They value you. I thought they respected your decision to wait.”
“Jade, you're not making any sense. Who is 'they'?”
“The Princesses! Celestia and Luna!”