//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - Introducing Sunrise Rose // Story: An unexpected father hood // by Scorch234 //------------------------------// Max POV I opened my eyes as the light of the sun began to pierce through the window. Getting up, I stretched my arms as I rubbed my eyes, to remove the sleep in them. “Mmmm...man, last night was kind of strange. That was the weirdest dream I have ever had, me becoming a father.” I say chuckling to myself, only to be silent when I hear the sound of soft low breathing coming from right next to me. I looked down to see a small white unicorn foal sleeping right next to me wrapped in blankets as everything that happened last night came back to me. “L-Last night wasn’t a dream...it was all real I...I’m actually a father now.” The realization of the problem I’m in hits me hard like a pile of rocks falling on my head. Looking down at the foal again I sigh to myself as I got up to get ready for the day. “I’m so going to need help for this, taking care of a foal is going to be hard, but who do I know that can help with this problem?” I say to myself as I thought of who can help me with trying to raise a foal while I get myself dressed. “Ah, I know Twilight and the gang can help.” As I say that, I remembered that I actually agreed to join them today at a picnic. “Oh sweet mother Celestia, the picnic! How can I forget about the picnic today? I agreed to go.” I say yelling a bit too loud causing the foal on my bed to wake up and cry. “Oh no, not again...” Sighing, I finished getting dressed and went to my bed to try and calm down the crying foal. ============================= Twilight and the gang Twilight and the rest of her friends were in an open field right outside of Ponyville, relaxing as they were all enjoying the picnic that they had planned today, but there was one problem: someone was missing from the picnic, and that someone was the town resident human Max. “What in tarnation is taking Max so long to get here?” Says Applejack looking around, noticing that Max was not at the picnic. “He’s probably running a little bit late, Applejack, don’t worry about it. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” Said Twilight. “Or more like he probably overslept again like always.” Says Rainbow Dash as she rolled her eyes. “Like, come on, when has that guy not overslept when it comes to going somewhere he agreed to go to?” “Be it as it may Rainbow, Max always keeps his word when he agrees to either helping somepony or meeting somepony somewhere.” Says Rarity looking up at Rainbow Dash. “He’s a true gentlecolt through and through when it comes to keeping his word.” “Yeah Maxy would never break his promise, even if he does oversleep.” Says Pinkie with a smile on her face as she hops up and down. “Oh, um, I agree with Rarity and Pinkie just, um, two days ago I asked if he could help me with my animals and he agreed to help and he was a bit late the next day but still came.” Says Fluttershy a bit shyly. As everyone was talking Spike who was sitting next to Twilight looked out into the distance and spotted the late human carrying a basket. “Hey guys, there’s Max!” Everyone stopped talking and looked out in the distance seeing Max running up to them carrying a basket in hand. Panting, Max put a hand on his knees trying to catch his breath.  “Sorry...for...being...late...everypony. Got caught up in something and almost lost track of time.” Says Max, slowly catching his breath as he speaks. “It’s okay Max, as long as your here, that's all that matters. Oh, and by the way, what’s with the basket?” Twilight asks looking at the basket in his hands. “Yeah, the thing is, this was the reason why I was a bit late.” Max says fully catching his breath as he looked at his friends. “Explain.” Says Applejack with a eyebrow raised. “Well you see, last night after I got home from running through the rainstorm that the Pegasi set up yesterday...” Max says shooting a glare at Rainbow who was apart of the weather team, as she just chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. “I heard somepony knocking on my door, and when I opened it, no pony was there except for this basket and, um, this.” He says opening the basket revealing a sleeping unicorn foal as everyone gasped after Max showed them the foal. “Oh my, are you saying that somepony left a foal out in the middle of the rain on your doorstep?”  Fluttershy asked, a bit shocked. “Yeah, apparently, whoever this foal's parent was left her on my doorstep because they couldn’t provide for her.” He says showing everyone the note left behind. Reading it, everyone started to feel bad for the young foal that her parent couldn’t provide for her. “If ya don’t mind me asking sugar cube, what are ya going to do with her?” Asked Applejack “Well, I was actually thinking of raising her really.” Max says looking down at the foal. “Um, are you sure about that Max? Raising a unicorn foal isn't quite easy you know.” Says Twilight as Max just rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’m sure, Twilight, and you don’t have to tell me how hard it is raising a unicorn foal like you did with Pinkie when she was taking care of the cake twins.” He says as Twilight just sighed. “So darling what is her name, since you’ll be raising her from now on?” Asked Rarity “Well I was actually going to go with Sunrise Rose since that's what whoever their parent was wrote on the note, and I, for one, actually liked the name.” Max says looking at rarity than back down at the foal smiling. “That’s a beautiful name, Max. I think it fits her nicely.” Fluttershy says. During the whole picnic everyone was talking about the foal and how they would help Max in raising Sunrise Rose.