//------------------------------// // The Delivery // Story: Daughter of Discord // by DisneyFanatic23 //------------------------------// Soarin and Rainbow's wedding was held at the Wonderbolts Academy on the runway. Twilight was performing the ceremony while the rest of the five were bridesmaids. Spike was the ring bearer again while Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were flower girls for the third time in a row. Discord had to sit in the back row because he was so tall, which meant he had to be next to Celestia and Luna and far from his wife. Why do I have to be here anyway? Discord thought. I don't even know the groom, and Dashie doesn't even like me! He glanced at Fluttershy as she stood with her friends at the altar. She was three months pregnant now and starting to show. He worried that something was going to happen to her whenever they were apart, even if it was only by a few feet. She met his gaze and gave him an assuring smile, calming him down a little. Then the music started up and every pony turned to see the three fillies hop down the runway, followed by Rainbow Dash. She wore a flowing, translucent multi-colored gown with a short train, a veil of the same colors hanging from a wreath of sparkling red wax grapes. Soarin's eyes widened as she drew closer. Spitfire stood at his side as his best mare, along with a couple other members of the Wonderbolts. They each wore their Wonderbolts jackets and ties. Once Rainbow and Soarin had said their vows and their marriage was sealed with a kiss, every pony stomped their hooves and cheered. Discord rolled his eyes and clapped his hands with indifference. He was just excited that he could get back to his wife now. At the reception, Discord and Fluttershy were met with Derpy, who appeared to have gained weight. "I heard you two are having a baby!" she exclaimed. "That is so weird! I'm having a baby too!" Fluttershy gasped. "Oh, how wonderful! But...who's...?" "Wouldn't it be even weirder if our babies came at the same time? When are you due?" "Eight months." "Aw, mine's due in six. Bummer. Oh well, promise we'll get a play date?" "That would be lovely." "Great! I gotta go. I've got a muffin craving!" As the gray pegasus left, Fluttershy looked up at Discord. "Speaking of cravings, I could really go for some cotton candy." The draconequus zapped up a cone for her. She licked it contently. "Funny how most of your cravings include chocolate milk and cotton candy." "I guess it has to do with you being the father," Fluttershy giggled. "By the way, what do you think it will be? A boy or a girl?" "It's too early for the doctor to tell. Hey, can't you find out? After all, you were able to tell that Cadence's baby was going to be a girl." "Oh yeah." He used his x-ray vision to try and get a look, but something seemed to be preventing him from doing so. "Ow!" he cried, his hands flying up to his eyes. "What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked. Once his vision had readjusted, he shook his head. "I guess the kid doesn't want me peeking." "Can it have magical abilities even before it's born?" "Don't look at me. I didn't have parents to teach me these things." "Oh well," she shrugged. "Looks like we'll just have to be surprised." As the newlyweds stepped into the pegasus drawn chariot, Rainbow Dash tossed her bouquet over her shoulder. All the single mares scrambled for it, but it landed in Spike's claws. Applejack was standing beside him at that moment. They both glanced away awkwardly. "We're almost there!" Pinkie Pie chimed as she led Fluttershy and Discord towards Sugar Cube Corner. Fluttershy was having trouble walking as she was now nine months pregnant and her belly was more swollen than it was supposed to be. She nearly fell forward to have her husband catch her. "You sure you don't want me to carry you?" She shook her head as she steadied herself. "No, I can handle it. Pinkie, what's this all about, anyway?" "You'll see!" Pinkie snorted as she bounced up the bakery steps. Fluttershy was about to follow her when Discord scooped her into his arms. "Discord, I said..." "But you can't walk up the steps! You might trip and hurt yourself and the baby!" She sighed in surrender and let him carry her. As soon as they were inside, every pony jumped out of hiding and shouted: "SURPRISE!" Fluttershy gasped at the decorated room before her. Her five best friends as well as Spike and her three favorite fillies were there. On the wall was a banner reading: 'Congratulations!' "What is...?" "We threw you a baby shower!" Pinkie Pie squealed. "But she showered this morning," Discord said confusingly. The mares laughed. "A baby shower is a party for expecting mothers," Twilight explained. "Her female friends organize it and bring gifts for the new baby." Tears filled Fluttershy's eyes. "Girls, this is wonderful! Thank you so much!" "Don't thank us yet!" Pinkie insisted. "You haven't opened your presents yet!" She led her friend to the stack of presents and handed her one wrapped in pink. "Open mine first!" Fluttershy was about to sit down when Discord summoned a comfortable armchair beneath her. Pinkie placed the gift in her lap and Fluttershy began unwrapping it. She opened the box to reveal a yellow and orange hat with a green propeller. She took it out and looked at it questioningly. "I saw it in the hat shop the other day and thought it would look cutesy wootsy on your baby!" Pinkie said excitedly. Discord twirled the propeller. "It is kind of cute." "Thank you, Pinkie," Fluttershy smiled. "I'm sure our child will love it." "Now for my gift," Rarity said, handing her a box in purple wrapping. Inside were six sets of foal-sized foot pajamas in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. "I didn't know whether it was going to be a boy or a girl," the unicorn explained, "so I made one in each color of the rainbow! Well, I hope it's going to be pony shaped." She darted her eyes at Discord. "What?" the draconequus shrugged. "When the baby arrives, I can make a whole new set with proper measurements." "They're beautiful, Rarity," Fluttershy said. She opened Twilight's present next: an illustrated book on fairytales to read to the child. Then Rainbow Dash gave her a rainbow colored rattle, which she explained had been hers as a foal. "But don't you want to keep this for your baby?" Fluttershy inquired. They had received the news last week that Rainbow was expecting as well. "Discord didn't tell you? I'm having twins! I can't have them fighting over one rattle." "Wait!" Pinkie cried. "You're having two foals?! Which one's going to be my godchild?" Rainbow laughed. "We'll figure that out later." Next was Applejack's present: a baby bonnet with apples embroidered along the edge. "It was mine," she explained, "and Apple Bloom's. I figured you should have it." "Ooh!" Apple Bloom cried. "Can I go next?" Her wish was granted and the filly gave her a small quilt. It was checkered in brown and yellow. Each yellow square was decorated with a pink butterfly matching Fluttershy's cutie mark and each brown square had a black and white spiral in the center. "I made it myself!" Apple Bloom said proudly. "I incorporated both the parents' personalities into it, so that your baby may always be reminded how special she is!" "Apple Bloom," Fluttershy uttered, "this is beautiful!" She slid out of her seat and gave the filly a hug. The dragon then stepped forth with his gift. "I had to ask Twilight's permission for this first," he said. In the box was an old stuffed green dragon. "This is Sir Fangs-a-lot," Spike explained. "Twilight gave him to me after she took me home, but I've kind of grown out of it. I'm sure Discord Junior will like it!" "I have a toy for the baby too!" Scootaloo announced. She brought out a tiny red scooter with a yellow bow on it. "This was my first scooter, but I've gotten too big for it now." "And I have a record of my favorite lullabies!" Sweetie Belle said, holding up said record. "Oh, thank you, everyone!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "These are all such wonderful presents!" "We're not done," Applejack declared. "We all pitched in on this one." Pinkie Pie bounced upstairs, followed by the cowgirl. The returned with a wooden crib painted blue and decorated with pink roses on the side. The cushion was feathered and the laced pillow was made of silk. Fluttershy was about to cry. "You are all such wonderful friends and I know our baby is going to have the best aunts, and uncle, in the world!" They all moved into a group hug when suddenly, Fluttershy felt a sharp pain in her belly. She let out a cry and clutched her stomach. Her friends backed away as Discord flew to her side. "Honey, what's wrong?!" he pleaded. "The baby," she wheezed. "I think it's coming!" "Now?! But it's too early!" "Tell that to the baby!" "But it's only been nine months!" Rarity exclaimed. "Doesn't matter," Twilight said. "We need to get her to the hospital." Discord did not waste a second to teleport her out of there, leaving the eight ponies and dragon alone. "Guess we're walking," Spike said with a shrug. The hospital staff was caught by surprise when Discord came barging into the emergency room, pushing Fluttershy on a stretcher. "The baby's coming, the baby's coming!" he screamed frantically. "What?" Dr. Stable uttered. "The baby's not due for another two months!" "Well, it's impatient! It is my kid, after all!" The doctor was still skeptical, but it was clear that something was wrong with the mother and led the couple to the maternity ward. On the way, they passed by Derpy. "Fluttershy!" she exclaimed. "I thought you weren't due for another two months!" Fluttershy's breathing staggered. "So did I, but the baby had other plans!" "Sweet! Our kids are going to have the same birthday!" Derpy's stretcher steered away while Fluttershy's entered another room. "I'll need to get an x-ray..." Dr. Stable said. Discord summoned up the device and hung it over his wife's stomach. The doctor examined it with wide eyes. "It's impossible, but the baby looks like it's ready to come out." "Then what are you waiting for?" the draconequus demanded. "You're the doctor! Help my wife!" Dr. Stable called for Nurses Sweetheart and Coldheart. They put on their scrubs and masks and got the patient into position. Discord had summoned up a mask as well and tightly held his wife's hoof. "It's okay, honey!" he assured her. "I've got you!" "Just breathe, ma'am," Nurse Coldheart said. "You're doing great." "Oh, I see it!" Nurse Sweetheart declared. "Keep pushing!" Fluttershy let out a cry that could be heard all the way from Canterlot. The five ponies, three fillies and dragon paced around the waiting room. They stiffened when they heard Fluttershy's scream. "What are they doing to her?!" Pinkie Pie squealed. "If it hurts that much for one baby," Rainbow Dash clutched her stomach, "I can't imagine what it's going to be like for me!" "I'm sure she's fine," Twilight said calmly. When Dr. Stable entered the room, the alicorn jumped out of her seat. "Is she still alive?!" she asked frantically. The doctor laughed. "Fluttershy has successfully given birth to a healthy baby girl and is going to be fine." Every pony gasped. "A girl?" Pinkie repeated. "This is fantastic!" "Wait," Rarity said. "What does it look like?" Fluttershy gazed down lovingly at the foal as she cradled it in her hooves. "Isn't she beautiful?" Discord scratched his head. "It looks so...normal." The infant was an earth pony with a pink coat, a curl of purple and white hair on her head. "Isn't that what you wanted?" Fluttershy asked. "You said you didn't want our child to be judged by her looks like you were." "Yeah, but...how do I know it's my baby?" The pegasus was appalled. "Discord!" "I didn't mean it like that! Maybe they gave us the wrong one? I mean look at it: no snake tail, no antlers, it doesn't even have wings! We both have wings, so shouldn't she have wings? It doesn't make sense!" "I thought with you, nothing made sense." "Well, yes, but there's nothing unusual about her!" The baby's eyes then fluttered open, revealing them to have purple spirals for pupils. "I'd say it's yours," Fluttershy said, cuddling her daughter. "Welcome to the world, little one." "Maybe it's that Derpy's," Discord insisted. "Discord, stop it! This is your daughter and she did not get switched!" "I'm sorry, but it doesn't look like you or me!" "My mother had a purple mane and my grandfather was an earth pony." "Still, I need some proof that this is my..." He trailed off as the baby started crying. "Now look what you've done!" Fluttershy snapped. She looked sympathetically at the foal. "Aw, I think she's hungry." She gasped as a bottle of chocolate milk appeared between them. The baby giggled in delight as it floated down to her. She took it in her hooves and sucked contently on the nipple. "Discord, she shouldn't be drinking that stuff," Fluttershy said, trying to tug the bottle away, only for the foal to get a tight grip on it. "I didn't give her that," the draconequus said, holding out his hands. "I swear." "Then...how?" She glanced down at the baby as the bottle slowly disappeared from her hooves. She then threw the chocolate milk away, creating a small explosion. A wide smile spread across Discord's face. "It's mine alright!" He bent down and tickled the infant. "Cootchie-cootchie-coo!" The baby let out a laugh as she attempted to squirm away from the delightful torture. "Aw, look at her! Isn't she just an adorable little screwball?" His face lit up. "That's it! We'll call her Screwball!" Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. "Screwball? Wouldn't that be labeling our baby as...crazy?" "Need I remind you of my name?" "Point taken." She smiled at the laughing foal. "Screwball, it is." "Which one is it?!" Pinkie demanded, eagerly pressing her face against the window of the nursery. "The one in the middle," Nurse Sweetheart said, pointing. The ponies turned their attention to the pink foal sucking on her hoof. "It's..." Rainbow speculated, "...normal." It then opened its swirly eyes. "Never mind." Every pony jumped as Discord appeared behind them. "I know, isn't she precious? We named her Screwball!" "How lovely," Rarity grumbled. "Aw, she's so cute!" Pinkie squeaked. "We had another arrival within the hour," Nurse Sweetheart explained, "from a Miss Ditzy Doo. Maybe you know her?" "You mean Derpy?" Rainbow asked. "Where's hers?" The nurse pointed to the cradle beside Screwball's. Lying inside was a gray unicorn with blonde hair. Her eyes were looking in opposite directions. "That's Derpy's alright," the pegasus confirmed. "What's its name?" "She called her Dinky," the nurse replied. "Dinky Doo." Screwball stared in wonder at the large ponies looking at her. She thought they were quite funny, especially the pink one. She then imagined what it would be like to tug on that poofy hair. She turned her head as the baby in the crib next to her started crying. She could tell this pony was different from the others because of her eyes, and immediately liked her because of it. She wanted her to stop crying and a pacifier suddenly appeared in the unicorn's mouth. The ponies saw this and gasped. "Did I mention that she has my powers?" Discord said in awe. "Oh, she's going to be such a troublemaker one day!" He clasped his hands together. "She's gonna make her daddy proud!" "A baby with Discord's powers?" Spike uttered. "Oh boy," Twilight mumbled.