//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Rainbow's Choice // by Metaphor //------------------------------// Rainbow awoke to the sound of numerous concerned voices and one that just sounded like it was on a constant sugar buzz. The room spun round and round but at least the nausea she had felt earlier had subsided. As she focussed her eyes the room came into view, it was almost like déjà vu but this time she knew it wasn’t a failed flying trick that had sent her to the hospital. She blinked slowly and looked around again, the faces of her five best friends staring back at her like they had been the previous time she had been here. “Rainbow!” exclaimed Twilight, “We’ve been so worried about you.” “What ya go and do this time?” asked Applejack, “Ain’t trying to fake an illness to get out of the Iron Pony next week are ya?” “Please everyone, give her a little breathing room,” interrupted Doctor Stable as he carefully used one of his forelegs to push Pinkie Pie back from the bedside, “Good to see you’ve finally woken up Rainbow Dash, how are you feeling?” “Still a little dizzy doc,” replied Rainbow as she raised a hoof and rubbed the side of her head. “That’s to be expected, according to Thunderlane you hit your head pretty hard when you collapsed,” continued the doctor. “Collapsed?” asked Rainbow. “Don’t remember, according to your work colleagues you were in an argument when you suddenly stopped, threw up and fainted.” “Is she going to be alright?” asked Fluttershy nervously from behind Twilight. “She will be fine, she just needs a little rest, nothing more than that,” replied the doctor. “Oh thank goodness,” sighed Fluttershy as she shot a smile at her friend. “Speaking of rest I think it’s best if you all leave now. She’ll be free to go in the morning.” “Yes of course doctor, come on everypony,” replied Twilight as she turned towards the door. “So super happy you’re alright Dashie!” chimed Pinkie as Applejack began to push her towards the door, “Oooooh, I’ll have to organise a get better soon party!” “Alright Pinkie, move along now,” chuckled Applejack. As the ponies left the room Doctor Stable slowly closed the door and turned back towards Rainbow Dash. For a moment he looked at her with a curious expression. “Miss Dash I have to ask you a few questions if you’re feeling up to it,” he said after a moment. “Uh...sure doc, what’s wrong? You said I’d be fine with just a little rest right?” asked Rainbow in response. “Well yes you will be alright with a little rest...but there’s something else going on here and I need you to clear up a few points for me.” The doctor slowly sat himself down next to the bed and lifted a pad of paper and a pen into the air with his magic. “Now I’m going to ask you a few questions and I want you to answer truthfully Miss Dash, this is very important.” Rainbow just nodded in response, she was curious to know what all this was about. “Now then, in the last few months have you noticed any changes in your behaviour? Any mood swings? Bouts of annoyance or sadness?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow; that was a bit of an odd question to ask. That said she sat and thought for a moment, “Well I guess I’ve been a bit easy to annoy recently. Today I got really angry at Blossomforth for being late...that’s not like me.” “Uh huh, and trouble sleeping or do you wake up tired?” “Well duh! I’m training to join the Wonderbolts, I’m always tired.” “That’s not what I mean, have you woken up and still felt tired? Has your sleep been disrupted at all?” “Hmm...well I guess I have been feeling really tired on a morning even after my rest days. But seriously doc I’ve been training really hard! I mean I’m ten times the flier I was before I went to the Wonderbolt Academy...not that I was bad before you know, I’m just EVEN better now.” “Ah hah,” replied the doctor as he made a few notes on his pad of paper, “And have you been feeling sick at all before today?” “Nope!” Again the doctor made a few notes and then lowered his pad and pencil. He looked at Rainbow for a moment, “Now then Miss Dash my next question may sound a little personal but I need you to answer truthfully. How long has it been since you last noticed you were...in season?” Rainbow could feel the blood rush to her face faster than you could say ‘what the hay?’. She stammered slightly, leaning back away from the doctor as she did. “W-What does that have to do with anything?” she asked as she pulled the bed sheets further up her body as if trying to hide. “Everything Miss Dash, now, I need an answer, how long?” Rainbow felt like curling up in a hole in the ground. How does she answer a question like that? Everypony had urges and she wasn’t an exception but it was just something that was never talked about. To be honest she’d never spoken to anypony about such things. “I...well...a couple of weeks maybe...I hadn’t really thought about it recently. I’ve been so busy training I usually just fall asleep at night...” The doctor just nodded, picking up his paper again and making more notes. He nodded a few times and then stood up. “Well Miss Dash I suppose I should congratulate you,” he said with a small smile. “Congratulate me? What for?” “Well we’ll need to book an ultrasound just to double check but your answers along with the scans and checks we did whilst you were unconscious certainly point to it, you’re pregnant my dear.” Rainbow Dash simply blinked, had she heard him right? Pregnant? No no no, that couldn’t be right. She knew for a fact that couldn’t be right, she would remember something like that happening! This had to be a mistake, a joke...that’s it! A joke! Rainbow suddenly burst out laughing, waving a hoof in front of herself as she pointed from herself to the doctor and back again. “Good one doc! You really had me going for a moment there! Pregnant! Oh man that’s one of the best pranks anypony has ever pulled on me ever! Seriously now what’s wrong with me? Indigestion? I bet its indigestion isn’t it, I knew I shouldn’t have had muffins for breakfast again! Or maybe the Feather Flu, you know that one Blossomforth and those other Pegasus had during Tornado duty. Right?” As Rainbow Dash looked back at the doctor she found him staring back with the same calm expression he had been wearing ever since her friends had left. He wasn’t laughing, there wasn’t even a hint of a smile, not even a slight grin or a chuckle. “I’m not joking Miss Dash, you’re pregnant.” Rainbow could feel the colour draining from her cheek, it wasn’t a joke? “But...but...but that’s not possible...I...” “I take it from your reaction you haven’t been trying to get pregnant,” replied the doctor. “Trying?! I haven’t even had a special somepony in years!” replied Rainbow, an element of fury in her tone as she flung her forelegs into the air, “Pregnant?! I-I-I can’t be! I haven’t even...gone that far with a stallion before.” The doctor took a deep breath, “Listen Miss Dash, I understand this is a lot to take in all of a sudden. That’s why I wanted to talk to you in private. As I said we won’t be completely sure until we perform an ultrasound scan. I’ll have Nurse Redheart come up and see you shortly. She’ll answer any further questions you might have. Until then try to get a little rest, alright?” “I...I...ok doc,” replied Rainbow as she curled up into a ball on her side.