In the castle foyer, Starlight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Spike, and Discord stood in a line at attention. Ahead of them, the doors to the throne room opened wide, Boltsinger walking towards the group with a fiercely stern expression. “Ladies…” he started, his attention turning to the mares. He looked over at Spike. “... Dragons…” Finally, he looked at Discord, who quirked his eyebrows playfully. “... Discord.” He stood tall, addressing them all. “It is officially crunch time.”
“Crunch time? What do you mean, crunch time?” Fluttershy asked.
Pinkie Pie giggled. “Crunch time? Silly Bolt! You can’t actually eat time!” She brought her hoof up, thinking more on the idea. “Though, if you could, I bet it’d be more chewy than crunchy!”
A loud crunch was heard from above them. The ponies looked to the source to find that Discord was happily munching on a clock. He tossed the remaining half into the air, flapping his ears to float his head up and consume the rest of the device. As he got his head on straight again, he looked at all of the eyes boring into them as if there was something strange going on. “What? He said it was ‘crunch time’, and it made me hungry! Why? Were you using that clock?”
Boltsinger let out a frustrated groan, slamming his hoof into his forehead. “No… just… just no. That’s not what I mean by ‘crunch time’...” He slapped his muzzle with his wings, facing the entire group once more. “Twilight has been having… contractions.”
The entire group, save for Spike, audibly gasped. “You mean the baby’s comin’ right now?!” Applejack inquired.
“Oh, Celestia, I hope not!” the stallion told her, clutching his head with his hooves. The mares all breathed a sigh of relief while their friend worked to regain his cool. “No, no, the doctor says it’s a different kind of contraction, but we still need to prepare, ‘cause the baby could be here any day now. And that leads me to why I’ve invited you all here.” His composure fell, nearly as fast as his rump did, as his head drooped. “We can’t handle this by ourselves! Help!”
“What do you mean, can’t handle it yourselves?” Starlight asked, approaching the blue-maned pony. “You’ve got a nursery, you and Twilight have gone through all the steps, you’ve decided to go to a hospital… What’s the problem?”
“You clearly haven’t seen her contractions…” he retorted with a nervous laugh.
“Well, they can’t possibly be as bad as you think.” Rarity reasoned, stepping up to Boltsinger and putting her hoof on his nose. “Are you sure you aren’t letting your fears get the--" Before the glamorous mare could finish, the loudest cry of pain any of them had ever heard resonated through the castle, originating from the expecting mother in the master bedroom. Boltsinger and Spike immediately tensed up, taking off into the castle and leaving their guests standing in a stupor.
“That sounded pretty bad…” Rainbow Dash stated. The other ponies nodded in agreement, breaking into a gallop down the hall as Discord vanished in his telltale flash.
Spike and Boltsinger stood on the side of the bed, a hoof and a claw extended. “Don’t worry, Twilight, we’re here!” Spike informed her, clutching her extended wing. “And all of our friends are here, too! You’re gonna be fine!”
“He’s right.” Boltsinger affirmed. “Besides, the doctor told us this would happen! We can totally--" Twilight let out another loud cry of pain, forcing a cringe out of her husband. “... handle this… Although I don’t think it’s supposed to be this painful…” He added his other foreleg to his hold on her hoof, then looked over at Spike. “Can you send a letter to Celestia and Luna? I feel like they should be here.”
Spike nodded. “I’ll get right on that!” he agreed, turning and running to the library.
No sooner had the dragon left and the Princess’ pain subside did their friends arrive. “Is everything okay?” Applejack queried as they surrounded the bed. “Ya sounded like you were in some serious pain, there!”
Twilight sat up, hyperventilating, and smiled at her friends. “I’m okay, really.” she said, putting her free hoof on Boltsinger’s trembling ones. “These contractions definitely hurt, but it’s nothing we haven’t expected.”
Boltsinger sighed, trying to calm himself. “The doctor said there would be pain, I know… but…”
“But nuthin’, sugarcube.” the farm mare interjected, putting a hoof on his shoulder. “That’s the whole reason ya called us over, ain’t it?”
Boltsinger took a calming breath, returning to his hooves. “Yup… That’s right!” he confirmed. “And I have jobs for each of you.”
“You name it, we’ll do it!” Rainbow chimed in, hovering above them.
Boltsinger nodded, flaring his wings. “Okay then… Ladies, come with me, and I’ll delegate your duties.”
Twilight reached for her spouse, putting her hoof on his flank. “Hey, are you sure you can handle this?”
Boltsinger looked back with a shaky smile. “Yeah! I’ve got this. You… You just feel better, okay?” He swished his tail, brushing the end against her muzzle as he walked forward.
“Wait a minute, you said ‘ladies’! What do you want me to do?” Discord wondered, speaking from no particular place.
“You, my mismatched friend, are entertainment!” Boltsinger declared. “As long as you don’t use any magic that directly targets her, you can do pretty much anything to keep her entertained.”
Discord appeared in a flash in front of the stallion, a devilish smirk forming above his singular fang. “Anything, you say?”
“Just… don’t go too crazy.” the orange Pegasus advised, turning his face stern. “And if I learn that any complications in this already-going-to-be-complicated birth come from you using chaos magic on Twilight and the foal, I will drop kick you in your squeedily spooch!”
Discord blinked a few times, not quite sure what the pony was talking about. “My squeedily what, now?” he wondered, scratching his head. “I’m not sure I even have one of those…”
Boltsinger reached his wing forward, grabbing the Draconequus by the beard and pulling him in close. “You will…” His face returned to normal as he let go, waving a farewell wing to Twilight as he turned to leave. “Okay, I’ll see you later!”
A full day had passed, and Twilight’s contractions hadn’t calmed down in the slightest. Boltsinger had given each of the mares fitting duties for this period, ensuring that everything was running as smoothly as his organizational skills could get it. Pinkie Pie had been put in charge of food. Anything Twilight might want to eat, Pinkie was to make, regardless of how weird it was. Applejack was working cleaning and maintenance. Her hard working skills were keeping everything in the castle working properly. She also made sure to have a wagon parked outside, just in case of an emergency. Rainbow Dash was to keep the skies as clear as possible. Boltsinger had reasoned, and Rainbow had agreed, that having the best possible weather was going to make the trip to the hospital that much faster, so she busted a great many clouds.
Rarity, Starlight, and Fluttershy sat with Twilight in her room, ensuring that she remain comfortable, and providing whatever support the could while the pain of contractions took hold, while Discord used his skills to yank the yuks from the purple pony Princess. In preparation, Starlight had looked up a great many spells to try and ease discomfort and stabilize her whenever her balance decided to leave her. Rarity did her best to beautify the room while she went about the general duties of caring for an ailing friend. Fluttershy’s tasks were mostly the same as Rarity’s, providing general care with a brilliant smile on her face. Boltsinger, with Spike in tow, rapidly ran between the other ponies, making sure everything was being handled. Once he finally did find himself idle, the nerves set in.
Boltsinger paced around the foyer, wracking his brain. “Let’s see… let’s see… She’s got all the food she could want, Discord is keeping her occupied… What am I missing? I know I’m missing something!” He walked over to a nearby pillar, banging his head against it. “Think! Think! Think! What are you missing?!”
“I think you might be missing a calmer second opinion.” A warm, maternal voice suggested. Boltsinger felt the assurance of an unusually large wing being placed on his back and shoulder. He raised his head from the pillar and looked at the source to see Princess Celestia smiling down at him. “Although, I understand why you’d be nervous.”
The stallion’s face brightened up considerably at the sight of the Princess. “Celestia!” He reached up, giving her the best hug he could, which she happily reciprocated. “Thank… uh… you… you’re here!”
Celestia softly squeezed him, feeling a trembling in him that put any nervous behavior he had before to shame. “With what’s coming up, there’s no place I’d rather be.” She loosened her grip, letting the Pegasus fall back to the floor. “How has Twilight been?”
The Sun Princess’ question was answered immediately by the pained screams of the mare in question. Boltsinger tensed up again, his wings flaring straight up as he spun around. “About as peachy as a pregnant pony with permeating pangs of perpetual pain can possibly be!” He pointed his wing toward the hall. “If you’ll excuse me…” He flapped his wings, leaving a faint discharge on the floor where he stood as he vanished into the castle.
Celestia let her composure go for a moment, looking back at the sister she had arrived with. “You don’t think she…?”
Luna stepped up to her elder sister, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “Go, sister. Your student needs you.”
“Thank you, Luna.” Celestia replied, placing her hoof on her sister’s. With that, her horn flared to life, and a bright yellow flash took her place. She appeared once more in the master bedroom, where, surprisingly, Boltsinger was already knelt on the floor beside the bed, holding one of the writhing Princess’ forehooves in both of his.
“You’re okay, right?” he asked, the tremble from before now evident in his voice. “This isn’t the big one, is it? Just… pain, right?”
Twilight’s squirming calmed down as Rarity and Starlight placed their hooves on her, their horns emitting their blue glow. The straining Alicorn opened her eyes, catching the ponies in the room in her gaze. She raised her hoof up to her husband’s cheek, showing him a weak smile. “I’m fine, honey… Really, I am.”
“Okay…” he replied with a weak smile of his own. “Okay… Just… keep me informed, all right?”
Fluttershy placed a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. “You’ll be the first to know.” she told him. She held a smile on her face as he directed his gaze at her, desperately trying to hide the quivering of his lower lip.
Boltsinger flapped his wings, pushing himself up and landing on his hooves. “Okay, then. I’m gonna… go… check on Rainbow Dash! See how she’s doing!” he announced, turning to the exit. “I’ll see you ladies later, okay?”
The mares all waved as the stallion took leave. Once he was gone and the door was shut, Twilight’s head fell back to the pillow. “He’s really not handling this well…”
“Actually, considering the circumstances, I think he’s doing pretty good.” Starlight argued. “Delegating tasks, checking on you whenever you might need… I mean, it’s obvious that he’s nervous, but he’s not breaking!”
Twilight, Fluttershy, and Celestia let out a simultaneous sigh. “You didn’t look into his eyes…” the Princess of Friendship reasoned.
“Or touch him.” Fluttershy added.
“Or see him take off once he heard his beloved cry out.” Celestia concluded. She approached the bed, placing her hoof on her former student. “How are you feeling, Twilight?”
Twilight sat up, resting on her elbows. “In pain… but I’ll manage. How are you?”
The white Alicorn raised a hoof to her mouth, hiding a small chortle. “I’m fine. Just worried about a dear friend.”
“I’m glad you’re here, Princess.” the lilac Alicorn stated. “I just wish you didn’t have to see me like this…”
Celestia brought her hooves forward, guiding her fellow Princess back to a laying position. “It’s better than not seeing you at all. Now, get some rest. Luna and I are going to be here for as long as we’re needed, so don’t worry about anything.”
Twilight gave a sleepy nod, yawning a little. “Okay… Thanks, Princess… I think I’ll do that.”
Evening had come, and Celestia returned from the balcony, her literal day’s work complete. She walked through the castle halls, admiring the brilliance of the castle while she thought upon the ponies that dwelled within. As she travelled through, she found herself trotting beside a freshly-landed Rainbow Dash. She smiled down at the Wonderbolt. “Hello, Rainbow Dash. Are you done with the weather for the day?”
Rainbow’s ears turned in the Princess’ direction, the rest of her head quickly following suit. “Oh, hey, Princess. Yeah, I was just gonna turn in for the night. Got another busy day, tomorrow!”
“Indeed.” she affirmed. “So, how was Boltsinger? Was he doing better this afternoon?”
Rainbow tilted her confused head. “Bolt? Haven’t seen him since this morning.”
Celestia’s head recoiled from the statement, not having expected such an answer. “That’s odd. He said he was going to check on you when I saw him last.”
The cyan mare shrugged. “Well, I guess he never made it. I’m sure he’s fine, though. He’s a tough pony when it counts.”
“I suppose that’s true…” she replied, looking back. “Well, good night, Rainbow Dash.” She stopped and waved her hoof, letting the Pegasus round the corner before she cantered back the way she came.
“Princess?” Fluttershy called out from above her. “What are you doing?”
Celestia skidded to a stop, putting her composure back on. “Oh! Fluttershy! I was just… well… I was…” She breathed a defeated sigh, hanging her head. “I’m looking for Boltsinger.”
“You, too?” the yellow mare wondered, landing in front of the Princess. “I’ve been worried about him ever since Twilight’s last contraction.”
The Sun Princess lifted her head up once more. “Have you, now?” Fluttershy let out a small, squeaky yelp, quickly hiding behind her mane and nodding. Celestia giggled, using her hoof to part the mare’s mane and look directly at her. “Well, then, how about we search for him together?”
Celestia and Fluttershy stepped through the door to the music room in the hopes that they might find their missing friend. As they crossed its threshold, they heard heavy, trembling breaths from the middle of the chamber. There he sat, slapping his own face repeatedly with his wings, his back to the door.
“Boltsinger?” Fluttershy started, taking slow steps towards the stallion. “Are you okay?”
Boltsinger’s ears twitched as he tensed up. He brought his forelegs up, wiping his face without bothering to turn around. “Yeah, I’m fine… Just fine…” He bobbed his head from side to side. “Fine, fine, fine…”
“Are you sure?” she queried, reaching ahead. “I know if I was in your situation, I certainly wouldn’t be fine.” Just before making contact, she retreated her hoof with a look of uncertainty. “I’m not even fine in my situation…” Her expression grew more determined as she reached for him again, her hoof making contact with his shoulder. “But Twilight needs us to be brave, so that’s what I’m doing!”
A sad weight fell upon the stallion’s breathing. “I know… but…” He turned his head to look at Fluttershy, the fur on his face still wet from the tears he had wiped away, with more of them threatening to burst out. “She’s in pain…” The threats were realized, and the water spilled forth from his eyes as his head sank. “She’s in so much pain and it’s all my fault…!”
Fluttershy’s hoof dropped. This was a sight she had never seen before. She had heard that Boltsinger had gotten emotional before, but nothing like this. He was sobbing relentlessly, repeating to himself that his Twilight was in such horrible pain because of him. “I know… I know how horrible it is to see somepony you love in pain…” She tried to continue with her point, but her own heart finally gave way. She turned him around and pulled him into a hug, joining in his cries.
Celestia stepped forward, wrapping her wings around the Pegasi. “I know full well how you feel, Boltsinger. It brings me no end of anguish to hear Twilight in the state she’s in. But I know that I must keep going. She needs all of us to be strong, especially you.”
The stallions sobbing subsided as he sniffed some of it away. “I know… But I’m weak… I’ve always been weak… I have to put in one hay of an act to even look like I can be as strong as you are…”
“So do I.” Celestia told him. Boltsinger and Fluttershy both shot the Princess of the Sun a wide-eyed look. “I can’t be proper and regal all the time, you know. And I worry, care, and hurt just as much as anypony else.” She tightened her grip. “Besides, at the end of all of the pain will come something truly special. We can’t let ourselves fall apart when such joy is just around the corner, now can we?”
“You’re right… When all is said and done… We’re gonna have a baby…” he told himself, turning the corners of his mouth up. “We’re going to have our own little foal, and that foal is gonna learn friendship’s magic from the best possible sources in all of Equestria! And from me!”
Celestia smiled, rolling her eyes and releasing the smaller ponies from her embrace. “So, can I count on you to pull through?”
Boltsinger made a deep inhale through his nose, held it for a moment, and let it out through his now-smiling mouth. “I think so. Thank you.” He pulled Fluttershy into another hug, squeezing tightly. “Both of you.”
After a loud popping noise, Discord managed to materialize above the ponies with a mocking smirk. “Aww… what a touching moment! If only I had a camera.”
Celestia directed her attention to the Draconequus, giving him a friendly smile.“Ah, Discord. Aren’t you supposed to be with Twilight?”
Discord snaked his way to the floor, landing in the middle of the group. “Yes, about that. I just thought I’d ‘pop’ in and let you know that Twilight’s water just broke.” He raised his lion paw, waving gingerly. “Toodles!” He walked towards the door, vanishing in a flash of white.