//------------------------------// // Family // Story: Midwife Crisis // by starshine_dash //------------------------------// Fluttershy slowly shook off the cobwebs of a long night of sleep filled with dreams. Seeing Rainbow Dash again had brought back memories of that night. Something had soothed her restless mind at some point and she dreamed of happier times. Realizing that she was wrapped in somepony's limbs, the pegasus looked around for a clue as to who her assailant was. Spotting the grey coat of her house guest, she relaxed and sighed, realizing the maternal mare had probably snuggled up to her protectively to help clear her mind of bad dreams. Snuggling in a little more, it was tempting to simply remain there all day, but they had chores to do. "Derpy? Are you awake?" she asked timidly. "I've been awake for a little while. I didn't want the bad dreams to come back, so I stayed with you." "Th-thank you, but, um, we need to get moving..." The mare doing the snuggling just nuzzled into her hostess' neck and started trying to untangle her limbs. Being who she was, this act caused more trouble than it fixed and the poor pegasus ended up on her face on the opposite side of the bed from she started. Fluttershy giggled softly and moved to help her friend up. Once she made sure that Derpy had all four hooves under her, they made their way down for a quick breakfast. Just as they were finishing up, there came a knock at the door. Fluttershy stood and began to make her way over to open it, only to have her guest fly past her at top speed and slam open the door. Another set of hinges to replace. She'd have to ask Applejack for help putting them in. The door swung for a moment before collapsing to the ground, revealing the scene before her. Derpy was snuggling two fillies close to her as a rather effeminate colt stood nearby with a smile, "Muffin! Sparkles! You're here! Mommy's so happy to see you both!" The two fillies laughed and gave their mom and a big hug as they said their hellos. The mystery colt took a few steps forward and spoke toward Fluttershy, who stood with a look that combined shock and happiness perfectly, "Sorry about the door, Miss. I've got a few bits if you would like me to buy the replacement. It's the least I can do for the pony helping Derpy out." Fluttershy shook her mane a little and stole her attention away from remodeling plans and nervously hid a little behind it as the pink strands settled back into place, "Oh, no, it's alright, really. I just will, er," her words stumbled off into a soft mumbling as she tried to find words, and the volume to say them. The unicorn laughed and his grin grew a little wider, "Well, Ditzy was definitely right about you when she said you were shy. It's great to meet you, Fluttershy, right? I'm Showy Prism, Derpy's ex." "O-oh! The, uh, good one. That uh..." "Yep. My coltfriend is still back in Las Pegasus, but I wanted to bring Dinky and Sparkler to their mom. Given what's happened, it'll be good for her to have her fillies around." "Oh, I definitely agree. Having family around is always good. I mean, my day just gets so much better when my mother comes by to visit," Fluttershy said with a smile. They stood there while listening to the other three chatter about school, their summer break, and how the trip back was. "Oh, girls, I'm so happy to see you both. It's always too long when you go see your dad." Dinky nuzzled her mom and turned to Fluttershy, "Have you been taking good care of our Mommy, Miss Fluttershy?" she asked with an almost convincing glare. The yellow pegasus giggled, "Of course I have, Dinky. She's been taking care of me too." "Well, good! I'd have to let the chickens loose if you weren't being nice." "Dinky!" Sparkler said, looking at her younger sister, "You know that wouldn't work. You'd have to get Miss Pinkie to remodel her house to do any real damage." "O-oh my, no, please. I'm a nice pony, I really am!" Fluttershy said nervously, shifting from hoof to hoof. Derpy stood and came over to give Showy a hug, then hugged Fluttershy too. The poor mare was shaking like a leaf. "Shy, they're just being silly fillies. They know they'd have to deal with Mom if they misbehaved," she said with a grin. "Well, Derpy, it was good to see you again. I hope everything goes well, but I have a show opening tomorrow and I need to get back for dress rehearsal." "Thanks again for dropping them off, Show. I really appreciate it." "It was no problem. I'll see you next spring then. Write me with a picture of the foal, eh?" "I will! Definitely!" Showy smiled, bowed to the two mares and gave his fillies each a hug and a kiss on the nose before trotting back towards town. Derpy smiled wider than she had been able to since, well, no sense thinking about that now. The group trudged back inside, the two unicorn fillies levitating their luggage in after them. Fluttershy led them to the room that Derpy had claimed as her own and helped them put everything away. It seemed they were okay sleeping next to mom for a little while until they got another bed. The adults assured them it wouldn't be long. The rest of the day passed as those things usually did, save for the addition of an extra set of hooves. Fluttershy got to know the two fillies better, other than the one time she had almost spoken at school about animal husbandry. The Cutie Mark Crusaders eventually showed up to abscond with Dinky for a welcome back picnic, but they promised to have her home for dinner. Dinner was a noisy affair, Derpy showing her silly side and playing with her daughters during the meal. It was the way they had always done it. Fluttershy just smiled when talked to and tried to answer questions that she was asked, but for the most part she kept quiet. After dinner, the two fillies offered to do the dishes so the two adults could relax. Fluttershy joined Derpy on her couch, keeping one eye on the kitchen to make sure the girls weren't breaking anything. She wondered if this was how her friend's eyes had gotten this way. The discussed a few things like how well behaved the girls usually were, if they needed anything special in their diets and things like that. At last, Derpy sighed and leaned against Fluttershy, "Thanks again, Shy. I know it's a lot to ask to have the girls here too, but, I really like it here." The mare next to her tried to fight the blush that spread over her cheeks at being so close, "It's, um, I like having you here. I... That is if you don't mind you could..." the last bit was stifled by a hoof over her mouth as she hid behind her mane again. Passing one eye over to look at her, the blonde raised an eyebrow, "I could what?" "You could... um, sleep in my room.. that is, if you want. I don't mind." Derpy smiled and gave Fluttershy a little kiss on the cheek, causing the poor mare's blush to spread nearly down to her chest, "I was wondering when you'd actually ask. Last night, I had to. Tonight, I can be there cause you want me to." "I-I'd love that. And, I'm sorry about last night. Bad dreams." "About Dash? You whimpered her name at some point." "I... I still feel responsible... She came chasing after me, lost her sight because of me..." Fluttershy said, starting to cry. The two foals in the kitchen peeked out, to be waved back in by Derpy as she handled the crying pegasus. Wrapping her forelegs around Fluttershy's chest, she leaned in and nuzzled her neck, "Tell me what happened." "I... The dragons that came? I followed some of my animals into the forest. I fell. Dash saved me from a dragon. I... I don't know what else really happened, other than that Twilight, Dashie, and myself all woke up in the hospital... and... and Rainbow was blind!" Derpy sighed and took the other mare's head in her hooves, bringing her tear-stained face to her own, "I heard about what happened. Dash is a loyal friend. She would have gone after anypony who did what you did. Twilight too. Sweetie... Shy, it's not your fault." Fluttershy sobbed and closed her eyes, trying to shake out of the grip her friend had her in, "But it is my fault! If I hadn't gone out there..." "If you hadn't gone out there, the dragons would have just trashed Ponyville. You, in a way, helped save all of us." "B-but!" "No buts! It's not your fault! Just, let it all out and believe me. I may not be Applejack, but I don't lie," Derpy said and kissed a tear away, then pulled the other pegasus close, snuggling her close. The two fillies tip-hooved past and went to their room to unpack. Fluttershy just cried for a while, letting out everything she had pent up. Eventually, the sobbing stopped and turned to quiet sniffles. The two mares looked at each and Derpy just smiled, "Feel better?" "A..A little," her companion said with a hiccup, "I'm very tired, though." "Well, then, you should go wash up and I'll meet you in bed after I talk to my little muffin and sparkle about things." Fluttershy nodded and the two stood. They both went their separate ways, Derpy returning to the guest room. She entered after knocking softly and saw her two little fillies sitting in bed reading a book, "Hi Muffin, Sparkle, sorry about that." "It's okay, Mom," Sparkler said with a shrug, "Sometimes a pony just needs a cry." The pegasus sat on the bed next to the two and gave them each a hug, "Well, I'll be sleeping in Fluttershy's room so you two can have this room all to yourselves. Dinky looked slightly put out about having to share a bed with her sister without her mom there, but her mom was quick with a grin and a maneruffle, "Don't worry, Muffin, You'll have separate beds soon enough." "Good, Sparkler bucks in her sleep." "I do not!" "You do too! Why else would I end up on the floor!?" "Now, girls, calm down. This bed is big enough that you can sleep on opposite sides." The two girls glared at each other, then giggled and hugged their mom at the same time. The family said their good nights and Derpy left them to their reading. Returning to the main bedroom, she saw a lump under the blankets and a familiar pink mane peeking out of the top. They grey mare slipped under the covers and snuggled up against her friend. "Thank you for earlier, Derpy..." "You're welcome. I would do the same thing for anypony I love." "L-love?" "Why wouldn't I love you, Shy? You took me in, you're helping me make sure my foal is healthy, and you're the kindest pony anywhere. You're also almost as cute as my little muffin too," Derpy said with a nuzzle. "I... I love you too, Derpy. I have since... since flight camp... during that thunderstorm..." A smile grew on the other mare's lips as she remembered, "You were such a scaredy-filly. It was cute." Fluttershy giggled softly and rolled over, placing her nose against her friends chest, "Hold me tonight, like you did back then." "Of course, hun." The two lay cuddled up, with Derpy's wings and legs all holding Fluttershy to her protectively. After a while, the yellow pegasus dozed off. Her dreams tonight would be nothing bad. Her blonde companion waited until she was absolutely sure her charge was asleep before dozing off herself.