Bang! Bang! Bang!
Spike knocked as hard as he could on the Ponyville castle doors, begging and pleading for anypony to answer. The stars were still holding their place in the sky, but the sun was due to come out any second. However, it was still way too early for Twilight and Starlight to be up and around.
“Twilight, please wake up!” Spike called out to the wooden obstacle in front of him. “It’s an emergency!”
Fluttershy, who was standing just a bit behind him, gently tapped his arm. “Spike, maybe we should just come back later. It’s early… and I’m still kind of sore.”
Spike turned around to face her. “But Shy, this is like… the most insane thing I’ve ever seen happen. I don’t even know if you’re alright or not! We need answers, and Twilight’s the only one that’ll have them… if she has them, that is.”
“You’re right,” Fluttershy responded, looking into the saddlebag she was gently carrying with a soft smile. “We should probably learn what we can.” She punctuated the thought with a quick nuzzle into Spike’s side.
The dragon smiled and was about to resume his knocking fit when he finally saw the door gently crack open. Once it fully opened, a most unfortunate sight greeted him.
“Spike… do you have any idea what time it is?” Starlight Glimmer was standing in the doorway, donned in a bathrobe and moose slippers. Her mane was a train wreck, and her face was an unfortunate passenger.
“I know, I know, but Starlight, please let us come in. It’s important.” Spike gave her the biggest puppy dog eyes he could muster.
“Us?” Starlight rubbed some of the sleep from her eyes and the figure of Fluttershy suddenly appeared standing behind him. She let out a deep sigh and stepped aside, allowing them entry.
“You know, guys, it’s not that we don’t love you, or anything, but most ponies don’t consider five-thirty AM a prime time slot for friendly visits.” Starlight swung the door shut..
“Oh, thank you so much, Starlight,” Fluttershy interjected. “We are very sorry for intruding on such short notice. It is something serious, though. If it weren’t, I promise we wouldn’t be bothering you like this…”
Spike sighed heavily. It was still hard for him to get used to the fact he didn’t live at the castle anymore. It had been three months since he was married and moved in with Fluttershy, but old habits die hard, or so they say. And now, with this latest… development with their marriage, things were only going to get even more different.
But admittedly, he was a bit excited, too.
“Serious?” Starlight replied. “Well, is it anything I can help with? Twilight had a long day yesterday and was rather intent on sleeping in. I’ll do my best to help if I can.”
“Oh, well, you see…” Fluttershy’s gaze fell to the floor for a minute before she was able to stand upright and look Starlight in the eyes. “Spike and I are having a baby and— “
Starlight levitated over a glass of water, took a sip and immediately spat it out. “What?”
Spike rubbed the back of his head. “Yep, that’s right.”
“Oh my gosh!” Starlight couldn’t resist hopping in the air a bit. “I can’t believe… I didn’t even know that was physically possible. But hey, life finds a way and all that jazz, right?”
Fluttershy chuckled a bit and smiled brightly. “Mhm, thank you. We’re both really excited.” She ever so carefully stroked the bag she was holding. “But, that’s not why we’re here this early. The real reason is because— “
“Just, wow!” Starlight was still in a state of shock. She darted over to Spike and elbowed him in the side. “Good job, bro. You didn’t waste any time, did you?”
“You know it,” Spike said with a chuckle, giving Starlight a quick hoof-to-claw bump. “But, like Fluttershy was trying to say, that’s not the real reason we’re here. We need Twilight’s help with something a bit stranger.”
“Pfft, strange?” Starlight waved a hoof in the air. “What could be stranger than some dragon-pony hybrid baby?”
Fluttershy reached a wing into the bag and took out a purple egg with bright yellow speckles on it. She cradled it in her wing and held it forward toward Starlight whose jaw was now on the floor.
“Umm… w-what is that?”
Spike rolled his eyes. “Popular science would call this an egg, but I may need to double-check ‘Obvious Things Monthly’ to be on the safe side.”
Starlight couldn’t even come up with a smart remark back to him. “No, I mean yeah, it’s an egg. But...” Her eyes turned to Fluttershy. “Did… Did you? The egg? You?”
Fluttershy pulled her wing back and sheltered the egg against her chest. “Mhm, last night.”
Starlight cocked an eyebrow in the air. “No way. I just can’t… How are you even walking right now?”
Her cheeks flushed a soft red tint. “Well, I am a little sore. But I wanted to get help as quickly as possible; we both did.” She wrapped her free wing around Spike the best she could, given his height, and pulled him closer to her.
Starlight shook her head. “You know what; weirder things have happened around here and at least, for once, this is a happy mystery. Congratulations, you two. I’m not afraid to admit I’m completely unqualified to answer your questions, though, so I’m going to get Twilight. Given her experience in life so far, I imagine she’ll be way better equipped to deal with this than me.”
Five Minutes Later…
“WHAT?!”
All Twilight could do was stare at the egg Fluttershy was holding. Her eyes were wider than saucers; they were full dinner plates at this point, completely fixated on the object. It took a full minute of blatant shock and confusion before Twilight was officially able to start using intelligent language again.
“Guys?” she asked, clearing her throat and taking a few deep breaths. “I apologize for my reaction, but I do believe this is first known case of a pony laying an egg. Do you have any idea of how this possibly happened?”
Both Spike and Fluttershy blushed, but the dragon was the first to speak.
“Well, you see Twi, it was our wedding night, and the hotel room had this awesome shower and— “
“No, not that!” Twilight violently shook her hooves back and forth. “I know that part. I mean, did you guys have any idea this was going to happen, any magic you may have gotten blasted with while you were asleep… maybe somepony snuck the egg in your bed to pull a prank on you, and it’s just a fake?”
“Huh!” Fluttershy gasped and clutched the egg against her chest. “Never! Don’t talk like that. This egg is ours. I know that for a fact.”
“Okay then,” Twilight replied. “I’m sorry.Just ruling out the obvious. I’ve honestly never heard of this before… ever!”
“Well,” Spike began, “how many times in history have a dragon and pony gotten together and had children? This is unexplored territory we’re dealing with here.”
Twilight gently rubbed her chin. “You’re definitely right about that.”
“And that’s why we came here,” Fluttershy said, speaking softly. “We need your help and we’d be grateful for any advice you’d have. We’re not sure what to do.”
“Of course, I’ll tell you whatever I can,” she replied with a confident smile. “But, to be honest, I haven’t exactly experienced anything like this before.”
“It’s okay, Twi,” Spike said with a wink. “We knew we weren’t exactly dealing with the patron saint of relationships and parenting. If we wanted that we would’ve asked Cadance.”
“Gee, thanks,” she said, deadpanning. “Anywho, Fluttershy, why don’t you tell me what I can help with?”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m just not sure how I’m supposed to be a good mother to an egg. How am I supposed to take care of our baby?” She carried it delicately in her hooves before setting it on the ground.
Twilight placed a hoof to her chin. “I’m honestly not quite sure. Is there anything specific about caring for it that you’re worried about? Maybe we can figure it out with basic logic.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Well, I know how birds take care of their eggs, but not dragons. Am... Am I supposed to lay on it to keep it warm?” She attempted to lower herself on the egg but she struggled to maintain her balance and awkwardly flopped onto her side. Her hopeful smile was quickly replaced with a large frown. “I don’t think I can do it right.”
Spike helped her to her hooves, and she quickly picked the egg back up.
“Fluttershy, don’t feel bad. We’ll figure it out.” Spike placed a reassuring kiss on her cheek, which she reciprocated with a nuzzle on his.
“I know…” She let her gaze fall to the floor once again. “I just want to know what to do. Should I build a nest for it? I don’t know. I read almost every book on pregnancy and raising foals when I was growing up, but they never talked about how to care for an egg.”
Twilight sighed and walked over to her friend’s side, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Fluttershy, it’s okay. Everything will be alright. You and Spike are two of the best friends I’ve ever known, and there’s no way you’ll be bad parents. I just don’t think I’m the right pony to ask.” Twilight contorted her face as the gears in her head began to move. “Actually, I’m not sure any pony at all will be able to help.”
“Oh great,” Spike said with a shrug. “What other creatures do we know that lay eggs?” It took him approximately five seconds to realize how stupid that question was. “Hey Fluttershy, let’s take a train out to the dragonlands, shall we?”
He gently took her hoof, and they walked out the castle doors.
“By the way,” Twilight called out before they fully disappeared. “Congratulations! I’m so happy for both of you!”
“Thanks, Twi!”
“Wait, wait, wait, hold on a minute…” Ember leaned toward Fluttershy, inspecting the egg intently. “You, a pony, managed to lay a dragon egg?”
Fluttershy bobbed her head. “Mhm, that’s right. But, I’m not sure it counts as a dragon egg since I’m a pony.”
It had taken much of the morning, but Fluttershy and Spike were eventually able to make their way to the outskirts of the dragon lands. They were currently at the base of a small mountain where Ember was able to meet them. The dragons were getting friendlier, but Fluttershy wasn’t entirely comfortable bringing her newfound offspring into the heart of dragon civilization.
“Well, who would’ve thought,” Ember replied, scratching her head. “I didn’t think you had it in you, Spike.” She jabbed him playfully with an elbow.
“Heh, I didn’t think this could happen, either,” Spike said. “But, here we are, and now we have no idea what to do. You’ve gotta know a bit about dragon eggs and caring for them, right?”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened to their full extent as she looked up at the dragon ruler. “Please, tell us anything you know. Anything would be appreciated.”
Ember smiled. “I’ve never had any eggs myself, but I know a thing or two. I’ve had to deal with enough whiny parents over the past few years, after all. What do you wanna know?”
Fluttershy’s look of concern immediately flipped into a smile. “Well, how do I take care of it? Am I supposed to lay on it or read it bedtime stories or— “
“Hah!” Ember clutched her sides. “Hahaha, no. Dragons can keep enough warmth on their own so you only need to make sure the egg doesn’t get picked off by other monsters.”
Her eyes shot open. “M-Monsters? P-Picking off?”
“Yep!” Ember grinned. “You’ve got garudas, rocs, sea serpents, other territorial dragons… the list of things that like to eat dragon eggs goes on forever. Point is, it’s your guys’ job to keep that from happening.”
Spike shook his head. “Well, we’ll be raising it in Ponyville, so that should keep most monsters from harming it, right?”
“That is true…” Ember shrugged. “Well, then it really shouldn’t be that hard. Of course, there is always the risk of accidentally stepping on it or something. So, you know, be careful about that.”
Fluttershy squeaked, holding the egg against her fur and blocking it with both wings. “We’d never do that.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” she replied. “Nobody would. But it still happens. And of course, this all means nothing if your offspring can’t past the ancient draconian test of strength.”
“Test of strength?” Spike asked, already completely aware whatever it was would probably scar Fluttershy for life. “What’s that?”
“Well,” Ember began, “it’s not always practiced these days, but it is a tradition. When the baby is ready to hatch, instead of letting it struggle to get out on its own, you take the egg and toss it into the biggest pool of lava you can find! If it makes it out of the egg and survives, then it’s fit to be a dragon. If not? Well, try again next year.”
“Ah!” Fluttershy didn’t need to hear any more as she turned tail and darted off in the direction of the train station as fast as she could.
…And Spike was right again.
“Uh, Ember?” Spike said, walking up to the genuinely confused dragon.
“I didn’t scare her, did I?” she responded. “I was just trying to share some of our customs for friendship stuff and to help you guys.”
“I appreciate that, I really do,” Spike replied, placing a claw on her shoulder. “But, you know, pony society isn’t quite ready for infant sacrifice and death. You should probably give it another generation or two.”
Ember gave him a thumbs up. “Oh, I gotcha. Sorry about that.”
“Not a problem.” Spike unfurled his wings and spread them out. “Well, I’ve got a terrified wife to track down. Have a good one!”
With that, Spike flapped his wings a few times and flew off in search of his loved one… or loved ones, as it stood now.
Spike eventually was able to find Fluttershy and they were now sitting on a bench at the station. She held their egg closer to her chest, tears brimming in her eyes. Spike had a wing draped around her, allowing her to snuggle against him.
“Fluttershy, there’s nothing to worry about,” Spike said. “We’re not throwing our baby into lava or letting it get eaten. I’ll personally make sure of that.” He flashed his fangs for added measure but to no avail.
“Oh, Spike, it’s not just that…” She sniffled, inciting Spike to wipe a few stray tears away with his claw.
“What is it, then?”
“I’m just...really scared,” she replied. “Nopony seems to know what’s going on or how we’re supposed to take care of it. What if I hurt it or I don’t take care of it right? Taking care of animals is one thing, but our baby is another.”
Spike pulled her a bit closer and kissed the top of her head. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem. But, there is one more pony, or two more, that I want to talk to before we go home, okay?”
She nodded. “Okay. Who are they?”
“Well,” Spike said, rising to his feet and helping Fluttershy to do the same. “Out of the ponies we’ve talked to or thought about talking to, I realized we’ve never bothered to talk to an actual couple who already has their own kids. Let’s change that.”
Fluttershy took a deep breath, drying up her tears the best that she could. “That sounds like a good idea, Spike. Who do you have in mind?”
He chuckled. “A couple that had just as many questions about their baby when it was born.”
“Spike! I’m so happy for you!” Shining Armor pulled the dragon into a hug and was quickly joined by Cadance as well. “That’s amazing!”
As they released the hug, the couple gave a much softer one to Fluttershy who they could tell had a long day.
“Both of you should be so proud,” Cadance said. “I can’t begin to describe how wonderful it’s been to have Flurry Heart. She’s six now, but every day only makes us happier.”
Fluttershy smiled, looking at her own offspring. “Thank you. I’m really, really excited. I’m just…”
“Nervous?” Shining asked.
“Afraid?” Cadance followed up with.
Spike and Fluttershy both answered in unison. “Yep.”
Spike jumped in. “We’re really not sure even how to take care of it or what things are going to be like.”
“There weren’t any books, or other parents or anything that could tell us what we need to do or what to expect,” Fluttershy cut in.
“Yeah,” Spike said. “It’s like we’re just having to go in with no idea of what we’re doing, make stuff up as we go along and just hope we’re doing it right. Doesn’t that sound like we’re messing up already?”
Shining and Cadance smiled at each other before turning back to the two of them.
“Nope,” Shining spoke up.
Cadance finished the thought for him. “It sounds like you guys are brand new parents.”
They both punctuated the thought with a quick laugh, much to the confusion of Spike and Fluttershy.
“What do you mean?” Spike asked. “With Flurry, you at least knew what to expect. She’s a pony.”
“Hah, that’s a riot,” Shining said. “We didn’t know the first thing of what to do, even before we knew she was an alicorn.”
“Mhm,” Cadance chimed in. “Do we buy toys first? Should we buy a crib, or should she sleep with us at first? How many doctor’s visits should we schedule? Is she going to come into the world okay or do we have to be afraid of that, too? Her being an alicorn was the least of our problems.”
Spike and Fluttershy both blinked a few times.
“But you know how we answered all those questions?” Shining asked. “Because, eventually, we did figure them out.”
“How?” Fluttershy asked.
“We experienced all the scary, unknown stuff and found the answers out for ourselves, as a couple.” Cadance leaned toward her husband and gently kissed his cheek.
Shining chuckled before continuing. “Nothing can really prepare you for what parenthood is like, the whole process. Books can help and so can other parents, but for most of it, you have to just do your best and work together.”
“Things aren’t always easy,” Cadance said. “In fact, things can get really, really hard sometimes. But those are the times where you need to depend on each other the most and then you can get through it together. If you do that, you’ll find that it’s a lot less scary than you think.”
Fluttershy and Spike both took a moment to look at each other, warm smiles growing on their faces. Then, they both turned their attention to the egg, their baby, and the smiles only grew.
Spike let out a small laugh. “So, Shy, you ready to be afraid together?”
She responded with a quick kiss to the lips. “I can’t wait.”