//------------------------------//
// Chapter 9  
// Story: Might Be For Us 
// by Fat1thatyoulove 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 31 – Laboring

The streets of the crystal empire have there own unique glow, each crystally building showers the path in front of Violet, Sparky and Spike with a different warming light as they continue to swing their heads around the strange new city. However their admiring of the crystal made buildings is only half of their eyes search as they start to look over the few crystally ponies that trot past them going about their day to day lives.

Unlike Canterlot the ponies here seem to have an almost relaxed feel, sure there's still a lot of ponies troting here and there like Canterlot but there's a vibrant joyous feel coming over the residents both from the color and the smiles they all have.

"Ah good we're almost there." Spike's voice turns Sparky's and Violet's heads as they now set their eyes to the large bluish pure crystally building that stands a little above the ground almost like a floating stalagmite.

(Lay your eyes upon my castle pegasus, for right now your eyes are set on the soon to be New Capital of Equestria...The rightful capital Equestria.)

The magic that's been building in the stallion sends an almost flame like bust of heat through the stallion's body as he now takes his first step under the crystal castle that floated over head. There's a few crystal armored ponies that trot around the castle but unlike the guard ponies in Canterlot they don't even turn an eye to where Violet's little group trots.

Spike turns his head towards Violet as he takes on a more proper stance, "The castle here is allowed to be visited all the time, so we should have no problem finding Shining." The small purple dragon starts up the whitish blue stares that steam from beneath the castle as the two young ponies follow after him.

With each step to the stairs Sombra's voice begins to ring around Sparky's head a little more, (Pegasus, do take me to my throne room...It's been too long since I have seen it, and I long to see what pathetic pony the White one has placed over this empire.)

"Hello...Can I help you?" As the three of them make their way into the entrance hallway there stopped as they pin their eyes to a green shaded crystal pony wearing a red and gold cloak trotting towards him.

Spike's boyish voice comes up as he takes a step forward, "Ya, we're here to see Shining Armor."

The crystal pony pauses for a moment as he looks over the group in front of him, however his voice is cut from Sparky's ears as Sombra's echo comes up, (AH! I see that the white one has not removed every pony from the past...Pegasus, this stallion is named Nimby. Speak up for the babbling scales.)

Sparky's voice comes up from the command as Sombra's voice ends, "Nimby, this is Violet Sparkles she is her for Celestia-..."

The crystal stallion's slightly shocked stare comes to an end as he repeated the same thing he said when Sombra's echo cuts Sparky from the world, "T-the king is not available at this moment..But I suppose if what you say is true you would be allowed to see Celestia."

As the stallion's voice comes to an end he turns back down the hall, "Follow me please."

Violet, Sparky and Spike follow after the crystal stallion as they bring to move deeper into the bright blueish white crystal colored hallway. But their tort only holds for a few hooves as they come to a large closed double door room.

"I ask that you are quite unless spoken to." The stallion's hoof comes up to the door as he opens it and starts to trot inside, "My king, you have visitors."

The sound of the door and the ponies voice turns the head of the two ponies in the crystal throne room, but their eyes do not rest on the crystal unicorn that has a few papers floating next to the other pony. Instead Violet's eyes much like Spike have a happy smile pinned to the white coated and multicolored blue maned stallion, there sits no crown atop his head and no regal cloak in fact the stallion stands from the empty elegant crystal throne.

Shining's eyes turn from the papers as he turns the same happy smile to the light purple mare as he brings his trot to meet Violet's halfway, "Violet!"

From the stallion's closer spot Violet notices the stressed out stallion's expression, but a quick embrace brought on by Shining ends her sigh over his face. The hug comes to an end as a little chuckle and breaks the hug, "How did you guys get here so fast? I just sent the letter?"

Violet blinks to the words as she turns her head to Spike, Shining maybe family but the young mare knows theres no way he would really know hoofing so well.

However Spike doesn't speak up for the moment as he puts his claw up to his mouth almost like he's about to throw up...But he quickly removes his claw as a loud belching sound comes resonating through the little dragon's figure, as the green flame of his magic ends he picks up the letter as he speaks up a little embarassed to the on looking ponies, "Um...sorry."

Shining stares to the bluish letter as he turns his tired eyes to Violet, "Did you not come here with Twilight?"

Sparky struggles to hold to the conversation as Sombra’s echo continues to rage in his head, (This is the stallion that has replaced me?!...)

Violet shakes her head as Spike takes a step forward, "Twilight told us that Celestia moved the school here to study the Crystal Heart?"

The white stallion pauses for a moment before he turns to the two crystal ponies in the room, "Could you give me few moments, I would like to catch up with my Niece."

Without hesitation the two crystal ponies nod their head as they trot out of the room.

Shining’s eyes turn to the light orange pegasus for a moment as he speaks up towards Spike and Violet, "I sent a letter asking Twilight to come by...Celestia has been here for a few days now and Luna just arrived today. They told me that they closed the Unicorn school while they were away."

To the word Spike and Violet both share a look, as Spike speaks up for their confusion, "But Twilight said she would meet us here for the duration of Violet's stay?"

Shining nods his head as he speaks up, "Of course you can stay, according to Celestia the Unicorn school is on hold..." He gives a sweet smile to the light purple mare as he speaks up, "I'm sure Celestia can help sort this out...Maybe Twilight knows something I don't but she and Luna are both out right now."
As his words come to an end he turns his gaze to Sparky, "Um...I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met yet."

(HA! Now the white one's puppet notices the other stallion in the room...He will regret ever allowing himself to be controlled by the Princess...) Sparky pushes through the echo of his head as he defaults to a simple sentence, "My name is Sparky."

Shining nods to the comment as Violet brings her hooves up in an attempt to speak up, however her lapse in mind actually pays off as Shining nods, "Oh assistant huh?" He turns an eye to the stallion as he continues, "I assume Twilight knows about this then..." A smile crosses Shining’s face as he looks over Violet's expression, "Presiding over the Crystal Empire has some benefits Violet." He pauses his voice as his hoof comes up to playfully point to the young mare, "So don't think I won't know what you're saying about your uncle-..."

The sound of a door behind the large throne opening and closing, the pony that opened it comes into view with in a moment as Violet and Spike both give a slight double take.

The tall pink alicorn that has always adorns a smile that could brighten a room now has an almost sickly expression to her, her mane also that use to be shades of cream and pink now look to have dulled slightly.

However the silence to Sparky's mouth comes undone as his eyes spark up in a green and his normal slightly stuffy nosed tone turns a little more low and deep, "Apatite?!"

Cadence's ear flicks to the name but she blinks her tired eyes to the ponies in the room, "W-what?"

To the mare's tired voice Sparky blinks his eyes around the room as everypony starts to turn their attention to the light orange pegasus that still stands by the door, "I-I think I lost my appetite, you know from uh...Walking." A nervous smile comes over him as his voice ends, but the warmth to his coat has been cooled for the moment.

Shining's questioning eyes to the stallion that came  with Violet hold their stare but his mind doesn't get to ask the stallion's name as he turns his attention back to the pink mare as he brings his hoof up in a low voice, "Honey, don't you think you should be resting like Celestia said?"

Cadence's mind finally starts to place the ponies around her as she speaks up and trots towards the light purple mare, "Violet, oh you've gotten so big..." The mare's voice has taken on some of it's normal cheerfulness but it's not the same.

Before Cadence can embrace the young mare in a hug Shining's voice and hoof come up to the mare, "Cadence?"

Her eyes turn to Shining's words as she stops her hooves from coming up, "Oh yes..." A faint giggle comes up as she speaks out, "I should be resting." Cadence turns an eye to Violet as she holds a smile, "Your brother or sister won't be the youngest pony in our little family you know."

Violet gives a friendly smile to the mare's words as she drifts her eyes to the mare's sides, there's no sign of what she's said but Violet hold the acknowledgement all the same.

"Here I'll help you back to the room..." A faint smile comes over Shining as he puts his hoof to the mare's side as he starts to guide her out of the room, but he stops as he turns back to Violet and Spike, "Nimby should still be outside of the room, he will show you three to your rooms...Celestia and Luna should be back soon, and hopefully Twilight will stop by like she said. We'll have to catch up later."

Violet and Spike both nod to the comment as Shining moves from sight in the room, with the absent stallion they turn towards the doors they came in from as they start to trot out of them.

- - -
(Speeding down the southbound rails of Equestria)

The out rolling hills that you passed when you left Ponyville have now started to run past the window outside as the train continues to howl down it's tracks. But the small town still hasn't come into sight out of the window, and Twilight's initial thoughts have started to come true as  the mare's contractions have started to become a little more prominent. However the worst part for you is not knowing how much longer you two really have, your mind has locked and you can't remember if pony's break their water and if so how long would you even have till then.

Your voice comes up with the same sentence you've shelled out for the last leg of your ride, "How are you feeling?"

Twilight doesn't answer you as she just glares her eyes to you, her front hooves have come to rest almost cradling her stomach and you can tell from her position in her seat that being on these seats have really started to take its toll on her.

You swing your eyes out of the train's window again as you start to notice the outskirts of Ponyville starting to come into view, "Ok, were almost there."

"G-great.." The lavender mare tries to give a smile as you notice her horn starting to flicker a dim purple.

However as Twilight notices your stare she speaks up, "D-don't worry about the magic, it's nothing."

"What do you mean it's nothing?" You squint your eyes to her words as you continue in a slightly rushed tone, "Are you-..."

"YES!" Twilight's voice raises over yours as she groan a little, "I'm fine..."

You shake your head as you try to keep your mouth shut.

The moment of silence to your words now runs your mind as you nervously start to watch the small outline of Ponyville coming into view.

You rub your hoof to your head as you speak just take a deep breath, but you're forced relaxed motion only holds for a few seconds as a voice comes up to the train, "Ponyville station."

Your eyes burst open as you turn to the slowing world outside of the window, before the train even comes to a slow crawl you stand up as you wobble a little still weak from what today has thrown at you so far.

Twilight notices your stance as she turns her head towards the window, the glow to her horn has started to get a little brighter and Twilight's expression has turned to a more pained look as the train finally comes to a halt.

No pony around the train's car stands as they just watch you and the heavy mare slowly moving towards the exit as you help Twilight to her hooves, but as her strength has withered as she pants hard. Within a few moments you have helped Twilight to the wood platform of Ponyville station, you start your hooves up fast as you start to rush your voice again, "Alright we need to get to the hospital right??"

Twilight's voice comes back as the shivering mare just holds her eyes to you with a more painful expression, "I-I don't think I can...I don't remember feeling like this with Violet."

You swallow hard to her comment as you look  her over, but you strengthen your stance as you take a deep breath and start to build your magic to your coat.

To your stance Twilight speaks up, "You can't teleport there?! It's too far!"

You ignore the words as you try to picture the hospital around you, you don't want to use magic on Twilight but right now theres just no other option.

The burn under your coat rings to your head as you push through the spell.

- - -

The loud pop of magic from your spell rings hard to your ears as you feel a warmth running from your nose, you suck your nose back as you turn to Twilight.

However to the new ponies in the room a mare's voice comes up, "Mrs.Sparkle's?"

To the mare's voice you quickly swing your head back as you look over the white coated and pink maned mare that has a nurse cap atop her head, you bring your voice up as you clear your throat, "Twilight's going into labor."

The white mare nods her head as she trots over towards Twilight and speaks up, "A-Alright, follow me Mrs.Sparkles."

Twilight nods her head as she takes a step forward, to the lavender mare's motions the nurse pony starts to lead the way towards   one of the rooms in the hallway. However as you follow after Twilight she speaks up, "No, you need to get Violet."

Your eyes widen to the words as you shake your head, "Wha- Twilight, I can't leave you here."

She shakes her head as she holds her voice down to you, "We have to warn Celestia...A-and I can't do this if Violet doesn't have us."

"No, Twilight-..."

"I'll be fine..." A hard cramp rolls over her as she clenches her eyes for a moment, but she quickly comes back to her voice as she continues, "Just make sure she’s safe.."

You quiver your lips for a moment but you nod your head as you stare to her hard, "I'll be back...Now promise me you'll be safe."

Twilight nods her head as she starts to bring her trot up, "We both will." She nods her eyes to her stomach as she turns away from you.

You hold your eyes to the lavender  mare for a moment as your body shakes, but your thoughts are pushed aside as you just focus your mind to one thing...Violet.

End of chapter 31