//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: TCB: The Ones You Love // by AegisExemplar //------------------------------// Fireball leaned her ever-increasing bulk against Aegis. “I sure hope Nimbus finds what she’s looking for when she talks to her dad...” “Yeah, me too, Fireball, me too. Sure wish we had that same opportunity.” Aegis nuzzled Fireball gently. They had seen Flare and Nimbus off at the Beacon Stone and decided to go right back home, eager to spend some time relatively alone. “You do, Aegis. Remember?” Fireball flicked Aegis with her tail, chiding him. He’d known Cloudhammer was his natural father for almost a year, but the relationship was still unsteady. Aegis had lost his mother over twenty-five years previous, and the stallion whom he considered his father seventeen years before. The discovery of Cloudhammer had shaken Aegis, and lead to several awkward dinners. The relationship would come, but it was going to take time. “You know I meant Rock Quarry, Fireball. And Mom, of course.” Chrysanthemum had enjoyed a short relationship with Cloudhammer that had ended three years before meeting Rock Quarry, but had felt that claiming Aegis -and herself- would have placed a stumbling block on Cloudhammer’s career. She had never told Cloudhammer nor Aegis of either’s existence, save for a pair of letters Aegis had discovered hidden in his attic just before the move to Hawaii. Aegis sighed. “Your parents, too. I regret I didn’t get to know Sky Stitcher and Vapor Trail better. I hope they approve of me getting to know their daughter so well.” Aegis had only met the two casually, and hadn’t met Fireball before plucking her out of a tree in the Everfree. He hadn’t asked what happened to them. One did not ask such questions in Snaffleton. Aegis led the way outside, back to their cart. In her condition, and his overprotectiveness, he wouldn’t let her go anywhere on her own four hooves. Being too swollen with foal to fly safely certainly had its drawbacks. She good-naturedly put up with it, since it did get her off her sore hooves. Climbing up the steps into the wagon, Fireball felt what she could only describe as a twinge inside. It hadn’t felt like a kick, and didn’t happen again, so she chose to ignore it. The ride home was pleasant, but uneventful. Aegis had been filled with an unusual energy, excited to be home for a while, and carried most of the conversation himself with only the occasional input from Fireball. She still couldn’t believe how lucky she’d been that it was him they’d sent after her so many years ago now. After a short trot back, by Aegis’ long-legged standards, they’d arrived home. Aegis helped the love of his life out of the wagon. “Skipper, Dusty, ya’ll in?” called Aegis as he opened the door. He was answered as he entered the kitchen by a note on the table: Fireball: Out to the beach, back soon, Skipjack “Well, answers that. Hey Fireball, Skipper an’ Dusty are hittin’ the beach. Wanna join ‘em?” Aegis called back towards their room. “No... No, n-not today, Aegis...” “You ok? Why not?” “Because,” Fireball gasped out, “I think we need to get to the hospi-TAAAAL!” Fireball suddenly screeched as Aegis rounded the corner, a contraction rippling across her side. She smiled sheepishly at the mess. “I’m so sorry....We’ll...we’ll have to clean this up....” “Clean it up? FIREBALL! C-c’mon!” Aegis went into panic mode. The foal wasn’t due for another month, but this was no time to worry about that. The foal was coming, ready or not! Aegis dashed outside and slipped into the wagon’s harness, dragging it to the door. Fireball, for her part, stayed as calm as could be expected, punctuated only by the occasional grunt as another contraction wracked her abdomen. Aegis was soon back inside, very nearly forcing her to lean on him for support. “Aegis, calm down, honey. I’m not the first mare to ever go into labor, you know...” “But you’re my mare, Fireball,” Aegis whimpered, “and that’s our foal in there.” Fireball couldn’t help but laugh as she clambered into the wagon, Aegis’ ‘help’ almost more of a hindrance at that point. She settled onto the cushion. “Aegis, run back in and leave Skipper and Dusty a note, would you?” “But-” “We have time enough for that, at least. Now shoo.” Aegis complied, scribbling a quick message on the back of Skipjack’s note: “It’s time, Early, Gone to Hosp. -A & F,” he said out loud as he wrote. Aegis read it once more, then nodded, tossed it on the counter, and ran out, leaving the door wide open behind him. He slipped once more into the harness, buckled it down tight and secure this time, then, as he’d heard some of the humans say, he ‘laid rubber,’ pulling the cart as fast as he could. “Clear the way, clear the way!” Aegis screamed as he pulled, Fireball nearly laughing out loud as Aegis ran pell-mell through the streets, blazing by carts and pedestrians alike. Once they’d entered the more packed areas nearer the hospital, Fireball insisted that Aegis slow down a little, if only to keep from crashing into some poor, innocent vegetable vendor. “Dangit, Flare, ya’ll had to go scootin’ off to the mainland now, of all times...” “We’re nearly the-ERE!” Fireball winced, gasping as another contraction hit. “You can afford to go a little slower now. We have plenty of time.” “Yeah...yeah, you’re right, I...dunno what came ov-” Aegis started to say, but at hearing another inarticulate yell of pain from his mate, sped right back up again. Fortunately, Fireball had been correct in noting they were very near the hospital; Aegis pulled into the emergency lane once used for ambulances; those had been replaced with pegasus-drawn chariots in the now-familiar red-and-white pattern. Aegis unbuckled and dashed in, very nearly bowling over a pegasus/unicorn EMS team. “My mate... foal...soon...” Aegis managed to gasp out. It had been a very long run, and he’d already hauled the cart from home and back once already that day. Thankfully, emergency reception was used to this sort of thing, and had already dispatched a pair of nurses to escort Fireball inside with a wheelchair. Aegis trotted over and joined in with the impromptu herd and gazed lovingly at his wife. “I’m gonna be a mom, Aegis,” Fireball grinned up at him. “And I’m gonna be a dad,” Aegis returned as they passed through the doors to the maternity ward. “Ah, hello, Miss...?” a blue-green unicorn asked. “F-IRE-ball....oh, excuse me...I’m, he he, under a little pr-ESS-ure...” Fireball responded, sweat beading across her entirety. “Ah, I see, and the contractions are quite close together already, good, good... I’m Doctor Sedgeby, and yes, I’m a newfoal, but I’ve delivered several dozen foals now. You have nothing to worry about dear...” Sedgeby smiled, then looked towards Aegis. “Though I might worry about this big chap who followed you in.” Fireball and Doctor Sedgeby shared a laugh, while Aegis just rolled his eyes, but the joke had its intended effect in breaking the tension. “There we go. I'm surprised you made it in. Most foalings are over too fast to get in at all, and become check ups instead. Now, Miss Fireball, Mister-?” “Aegis.” “Mister Aegis. Do you have anypony you need to notify of the birth? We’re trying out a fast-message system, with some fast-flying volunteers.” “Um, not really... wait, no. My... father, Cloudhammer, in Canterlot. He’ll be at the palace, probably. It’s his first grandfoal... and see if he’ll notify my sisters, if possible.” Aegis looked sadly to Fireball. “That’s it. The foal is a month or so early, as well.” "That shouldn't be an issue, though the foal will be a little undersized." An earth pony nurse finished jotting down the message, then sped off through the door and down the corridor. Fireball punctured the room’s silence with another grunt of pain, just as she was being placed on the birthing table, causing Aegis to practically leap out of his skin. He was at her side in a flash, nuzzling her fiercely. “Ok, Miss Fireball, now, don’t fight the contractions. You’re safe and secure here...just breathe in time with them, and let nature take its course. Now, the timing of the contractions is just right, you’re doing fine...” Doctor Sedgeby kept up his calming litany. One of the beauties of foaling he’d found was the utter lack of need- or time- for the administration of an epidural. Fireball was about ready to drop her foal before they’d gotten into the birthing room, even as quickly as her mate had driven- or, rather, pulled- her to the hospital. Sedgeby smiled. Fireball followed his instructions, hardly needed as they were, and soon everything grew silent. A piercing wail resonated about the sparse chamber and Doctor Sedgeby was levitating in his telekinetic grasp a beautiful, tiny filly pegasus. A white coat graced with a bright yellow-streaked orange mane and tail decorated the foal, with bright violet eyes pleading for her mother’s touch. He gently placed the foal beside her mother on the bed after using a sharp burst of magic to sever the umbilical cord. Nature took its course once more as the foal began to nurse, the nurse in attendance cleaning her gently. Nearly an entire month early or not, the little one was eager to begin her life. Aegis leaned his neck over Fireball’s and simply wept. “How... How is she, Aegis, how is she?” Fireball asked desperately. “Oh, Fireball... she’s gorgeous, the... the most perfect little... just beautiful!” Aegis wiped at his face, though he couldn’t stop crying. “That’s... won... wonder... ful...” Fireball’s eyelids fluttered closed, her body going limp. “Fireball? Fireball!?” Aegis shook Fireball gently. The nurse, now attending to the necessary cleanup of the birthing mess, suddenly spoke up. “Doctor... Doctor, we have a problem here!”