The entire dinner table froze as the nurse stood in the doorway, and Felicity giggled awkwardly. "Oh, the test results! Yes, that old thing..."
"Is this a bad time?" The nurse shuffled.
"I mean..." Amber wrinkled her nose. "We are kinda in the middle of eating. So use your judgement, girl. It wouldn't be the best time to hear a bunch of queasy details, you know, but only you know the details."
The nurse took a breath and nodded, looking slightly winded, as if she had ran the distance. "Oh. Well... in that case, let me take this off all your minds: there's nothing wrong with her blood, which given her symptoms rules out about seventy-five percent of what could be wrong with her, including most of the worse cases."
That broke the ice. "You mean I... really?" Felicity asked, falling slack in her chair. "This isn't a joke, right? Because that could just as easily lead to 'and you're cured tomorrow' as it could 'but you're still terminally ill and will die in a week'. Stop keeping us in the dark, darling!"
Maple swallowed, set down her food and nodded. "Alright. Let's hear it."
Amber reluctantly agreed.
"Well then..." The nurse straightened up, clearing her throat a little. "You're suffering from low energy, extreme fatigue and shortness of breath, that have gotten notably worse during your pregnancy, which points to issues either with your respiratory or cardiovascular systems... Your lungs or heart. We'd like you to come in as soon as possible to take some breathing tests for us, because if we could say for sure it was a problem with your lungs, then we could move on to treating it and seeing what is necessary for optimal health of you and your foal."
"My lungs?" Felicity frowned at herself. "Well, I can't deny I get winded from time to time..."
Amber gave her a look. "You start panting after a light walk."
"That's another sign," the nurse agreed. "The most likely case is that since you were in your teens when you say this poisoning happened, it somehow impaired the development of your lungs and left them smaller or less-functional than they need to be. So now that you have a foal taking up part of your body cavity, things are more squeezed and it's harder for your lungs to do their job." She brushed her mane out of her eyes. "This is the most likely case, though. We can't say for sure until we've done a few more tests, but those could be tonight if you're willing."
"...Huh." Felicity stared blankly, everyone else watching her. "Well, that's both a whole lot smaller than absolutely everything being wrong at once, and... How do you even treat that, darling?"
The nurse nodded. "This isn't yet a guaranteed diagnosis, but there are a few things you can do. For now, try sitting or standing as often as you can to reduce your internal pressure, and when you do lie down, make sure not to curl up or tuck your hind legs against your chin. If you've been noticing problems specifically in the mornings, that could mean your sleeping position needs to improve. Aside from that, practice breathing as deeply as you can, and make sure to get proper air. Stay in well-ventilated, low-altitude places, especially if you're feeling more fatigued than usual. I'll leave you to your dinner now, but if at all possible, the princess urges you to return to the hospital tonight. It's a very quick test to measure the capacity and oxygen absorption of your lungs, and we could know for sure quite soon."
"We... will, then. Thank you." Felicity stared as she disappeared.
"Well..." Amber shook out her mane, looking down at her forgotten dinner, then up again at Felicity and around at everyone else. "How do you think that went, I guess? I don't really know what to ask, here..."
Felicity held up her forehooves and looked them over. "Well, it's the first time anyone with a qualified opinion has said anything about what's wrong with me other than everything, I suppose. Small or malformed lungs... It is true that I hadn't nearly finished growing when it happened. It feels so trivial, and yet I'm still completely... you know." She shrugged. "I'm not really sure what to answer."
"We could finish eating," Gerardo suggested. "Call it a celebration that you avoided all the worse fates. And then head up to the hospital to get some firmer details?"
"Let's do that," Maple agreed. "I spent a while on this. We shouldn't let it get cold."
"Right." Shinespark nodded, returning to her plate.
Valey had never even stopped eating, listening to the whole exchange with her mouth full. "Who said anything about letting things get cold?"
"Breathe into this tube, hmm?" Felicity stared at the device she was offered, sitting in a room near the entrance of the hospital with Valey and Amber nearby.
A doctor, different from the one who had done the house call, nodded. "Inhale and exhale on my counts of three, deep as you can. This tests your capacity, as well as how much oxygen you absorb from the air you do get down. It'll tell us for sure whether your lungs are an issue."
"Well... here goes..." Felicity stared dubiously at the device, but took a breath, and the doctor began to count.
Valey sat with her shoulder touching Amber's, watching as Felicity tried her best and the machine constantly read low. The doctor stopped her after three repetitions, watching the meters go back to normal. "Can't get more conclusive than that," he said, taking back the machine. "Your breaths are much shallower than they should be for a mare of your size. I suppose there could also be something else, but this explains about all the symptoms we've heard you have."
Felicity shifted where she sat, still panting a little. "So where does that leave me, then? What are my options?"
The doctor scratched his head. "Well, there's room for experimenting. We could try a respirator or inhaler you can use if you're having a particular bad spell. And there might be some lifestyle changes that could do you good... Certainly some things to avoid." He glanced down at her belly. "If things started getting worse with this foal of yours and have deteriorated quickly recently, it might be just because they got big enough and something shifted around in the wrong way. We could always do some imaging tests to try for a better look at what you look like inside, but I doubt they'd tell us anything we don't already know... The nurse ran you through steps to reduce internal pressure, right?"
"She did." Felicity stared at herself, running a hoof across the curve of her abdomen. "Mostly in terms of sleeping habits, unfortunately. Which I've apparently been doing all wrong."
The doctor nodded. "Perhaps we can get you some equipment that would make that easier. And don't forget that even just standing may help more than you think. Gravity pulling that foal away from you rather than into you could make a world of difference."
"Even once they get bigger?" Amber hesitantly asked. "If she's having trouble now..."
"You're right." Felicity's face shadowed. "This is hardly my last month, you know."
"That's when we may have to pursue more intensive options, like the respirator." The doctor nodded. "The good news, though, is that once you have your foal, depending on the exact condition of your lungs, it may not be impossible to do some sort of surgery to make your condition permanently improve. I can't make promises, and it wouldn't be possible to do this now, but I don't want to guarantee you'll be living with this for the rest of your life."
"Really...?" Felicity's ears folded.
Valey cleared her throat. "There's one thing here that's more important than all the others, though. You said she needs good air quality? As in, thin air at high altitudes would probably be a no-no?"
The doctor nodded. "Closer to sea level is definitely better. I can't say for sure how much, but you don't want to be stacking thin air on top of this."
"...Well." Felicity blinked at Valey and Amber. "I guess that's that, then. Official doctor's orders I'm... not fit to travel, haha?"
"Yeah, I'll have a talk with the princess." Valey flexed, then sat back down. "Any other words of wisdom, doctor dude? Stuff we can do to make her life better here and now?"
The doctor shrugged. "Your situation doesn't seem to be bad enough yet that you or your foal are in immediate danger if nothing changes. I can't say how long that will last, especially if you've recently gotten worse, but experiment with what makes you feel better in the morning. We'll look into things and come up with better options and a treatment plan, but in the meantime be conscious of your breathing. Always try not to hyperventilate and to breathe as deeply as you can, especially when exerting yourself. And if you ever feel dizzy, light-headed or in danger of fainting, or you feel like your condition is getting worse, come back here quickly. We'll be ready if you need it."
"I... see. Thank you, then." Felicity stood carefully on her own, breathing deeply as instructed, and nodded at Valey and Amber. "Do you think we should get going?"
"Yeah." Valey got the door with her tail, propping it open. "Let's walk and talk."
Valey, Amber and Felicity didn't return directly to Generosity Two, instead walking south around the edge of the eastern field. Felicity wanted to take the long way. If things were going to get slower and harder, she wanted to make the most of her time while she could.
"So." Valey strolled slowly at her side, matching Felicity's sluggish pace. "No longer fit for travel. Guess we're gonna have to see what Celestia has to say about that. She can't very well keep up her ultimatum if you would both need a writ to stay behind and not be able to catch up with us later at the border."
"Either that," Amber said, taking Felicity's other side, "or we all just settle down and stay here. Take the writs. I'd feel bad for Shinespark, asking her to give up on this chance for Ironridge when she's already lost so much, but... we weren't planning on it anyway, were we? Opportunities come, and they go. We're right back where we started. Better than, actually, because we know for sure we can say we want to stay and she'll let us."
"Doesn't make being taunted with this stuff feel any more great."
Felicity walked between the two, using her wings to support herself against their backs, but they took it slow and she almost didn't need it. "You know you don't have to give up anything on my behalf, right?" She paced doggedly ahead, one hoof ahead of the other. "Though I... truly appreciate you all, what kind of responsible leader would weigh me against their entire city?"
"One with a heart," Valey instantly replied. "Sparky's always been a leader who cared."
"She's been a leader because she cared," Amber corrected.
Valey nodded. "Yeah. Girl could have just grown up and done her own thing, but she stuck her neck out there for ponies who needed it again and again. And she's not cool with sacrificing the few for the sake of the many. She'd rather be even more ambitious and find herself a third option that saves everybody. No mare left behind."
"Do you really think Celestia will change her mind, though?" Amber glanced across at Valey. "She could just go back and tell us to take the writs. Even if our situation makes one of her options unfeasible, would she really change the deal just so we still have a shot at the harder route?"
Valey shrugged. "You really wanna know what I think? Half of me thinks she was expecting this."
"Expecting her own plans to be upended, darling?" Felicity frowned in confusion.
"Nah." Valey waved a wing. "Expecting us to cheat and win her over by changing her mind instead of doing what she asked. You girls were there for that challenge thing she did. She wanted us to get past a goddess who blocked our way, or something? And thinks we've got Equestrian Harmony or whatever that can magically make things go right for us? Which I'm not that sure I believe in, given how many times we've been dumpstered, but hey. She wants us to find a way to get Sparky's dream for Ironridge without compromising on our friends or ideals, maybe this is what it looks like. Maybe it's not jumping through her hoops, but asking her to move them."
Amber sighed. "We won't know for sure until we see what she says."
"A little food for thought," Felicity pointed out. "Even if we accept the writs and all choose to stay in Equestria, we're going to be bound to Kinmari for quite some time... assuming you all stay here for my sake. Whether Shinespark fixes her ship and flies us back to the north, or to wherever else you all want to live, I'll likely be here until this foal is born."
Valey nudged her shoulder encouragingly. "Nah, we'll figure something out. Don't you worry, girl. We're good at doing the impossible. We'll find something that works for all of us."
"Thank you..." Felicity closed her eyes and breathed. "I really am lucky to have fallen in with a group like you."
"Well, you made a few decisions." Amber shrugged.
"More than a few," Valey cut in.
Amber gave her a cross look for interrupting. "But all it took in the end was one good one, to come back and see if we'd give you another chance."
Felicity quietly nodded.
"You know," Amber continued, "I was a big fan of stories when I was little. Still am, of course, but I had more time back then to just read and listen and let my imagination run wild. And in the most epic stories, the whole world is teetering in the balance, and the bad guys are constantly trying to win, and if they get their way even once it means the end of the world for everyone. And the heroes fight on, and they celebrate their victories but they still know that those victories just keep things the way they are, and evil only has to win once for it all to be over."
She took a breath. "But that's not always how it is in real life, I'm starting to see. The world isn't some perfect haven that's only endangered by Dr. Evil McDeath'n'Doom. It's got its rough edges, and some of them stay rough for a real long time, because there's no one around to fix them. Like you. You'd been trying to get revenge on the Empire royalty for nearly as long as I've been alive, Felicity. And I don't want to guess at how many different ways things could have gone, but... in the end, all it took was that one decision to put us first that made the difference between you being safe on our ship and becoming a zombie in Crystal's army. Sometimes, when the world's already messed up and bad things just keep it that way, it's good that only has to win once to make a difference."
Felicity stopped, burying her head in Amber's shoulder. "I really don't deserve this at all..."
"Yeah, well..." Valey wrapped both of them in a hug. "I dunno what I'd do without you girls either. Let's get you home, and then I'll go talk with Celestia. We're gonna work something out that doesn't involve any of us having to leave the others behind."