Future
"That was so beautiful! I'm glad you brought me." Fluttershy said after she, Shade, and Dash got back from the other side of the world.
"I'm glad, we thought you'd like it." Dash replied.
"Well, we've been gone for a week, we probably have a lot to catch up on. I hope Pinkie, Aj, and Twilight are back to normal.
Making his rounds, Nightshade found Applejack was back at the farm, red faced, bucking trees so hard they creaked.
"Umm, AJ? You okay?" He asked warily.
"Sure as sugar I'm okay. I been slacking off and I gotta make up for it! First apple harvest is up, and I got lots a work to do!" The orange earth pony replied.
"Well, it's just, you're bucking those apple trees awfully hard, I think you broke a couple of them. Let me help."
"NO! I mean, I can take care of it all on mah own thank you."
'First she's narcoleptic, and now she's got more energy than Pinkie Pie, what the heck? Speaking of Pinkie.'
"Oh hello Nightshade, care for some tea?" The pink mare asked when he arrived at her house.
"Um, Pinkie? Since when do you drink tea? And, is that non sugar coated food you're eating?" The human asked.
"Of course. I remember you said I should really start taking care of myself, and well, I was feeling a bit off, and I noticed I was gaining weight, so I decided to start eating healthy. And this herbal tea is just so relaxing. It makes me all giggly. Thank you so much for suggesting a lifestyle change. They say too much of a good thing is bad, and I've been eating far too much cake." She replied.
"Well, okay. Just checking up on you. I'm glad you're eating healthy. I heard about a while ago you tried eating dirt, but I guess Braeburn sorted that out of ya."
"Oh, my shnuckems has been so helpful. Thanks for checking in, but I'm fine."
'Okay, that is definitely NOT Pinkie Pie. Since when has she ever been calm? At least she's not got mood swings anymore, and she's still happy and bubbly, just a calmer version.'
After checking on Rarity, who was still fine, and Twilight, who had gone crazy with organization and cleanliness, wearing herself out as she shuffled the books in her library once a day, as well as taking on as many projects as possible, it seemed like everyone had more or less gone back to normal, except a little more extreme version of normal.
"Alright, I know we just got married, but Discord gave us a 3 month timeline. There's no guarantee he'll keep it. I need to go to Canterlot and come up with something with the princesses. I'll be back in a week, I need to help prepare the defenses. Just, promise me you'll take care of yourselves and each other okay?" Shade instructed. The six ponies, as well as Trixie, and Derpy, who was also listening in for some reason, gave a salute. Spike would of course serve as the information system between the Capitol and Ponyville, relaying messages if something came up.
"Celestia, Luna, you saw the element bearers at my wedding. What's your take on their behaviour. They've gone back to normal, mostly, but they're still different than before, with the exception of Rarity and Rainbow Dash, who were fine. Rainbow's personality has changed, but it's been a stable change, which was going on ever since I showed up in this world. What do you think is happening with them?" Shade asked.
"Well, we cannot be certain, mostly because we've had very little experience with such a thing, but it is highly likely that the element bearers are pregnant."
"PREGNANT?!"
"Yes, the tiredness, mood swings, sudden personality changes which come and go, Pinkie Pie, who eats nothing but cake and pies suddenly begins gaining weight, when she never used to? It is very likely that they are with foal. I thought it was a possibility, but with Discord's disclaim of interference, and your own report, I believe it is most likely the case."
"Wait, Fluttershy as well? Then that means, if she's pregnant, Discord was telling the truth, and, I'll be a father. But wait, shouldn't Dash be pregnant too? I guess I'll just find out when I find out. until then, we've got to prepare."
"Oh my oh my, I want to fly! Ooh, I'm so excited. Why can't I calm down?" Fluttershy was running around her cottage without direction. Angel proceeded to toss his carrot at her, in order to get her attention. He pointed at the calender, two weeks after the wedding, then at her, then a medical kit on the table.
"Oh, alright. I'll go to the doctor to see what's wrong with me." She conceded, heading to Ponyville hospital. Angel then looked to Valentine, raising his eyebrows seductively. The baby bunnies had grown up to be able to take care of themselves, and the pair were empty nesters. Angel had been trying to get Fluttershy out of the house for a reason.
"Well miss Fluttershy, from the tests, we can only conclude that you and your foal are perfectly healthy, I don't see anything wrong." Nurse Redheart said.
"Wait, me AND my FOAL?!?!?!?!?" Her eyes went as wide as dinner platters and her pupils pinpricks.
"Ah, so you didn't know you were pregnant. Well, that explains why you're feeling different."
"Oh no oh no oh no oh no." She started getting nervous.
"It's alright Fluttershy, this is perfectly natural. Its a wonderful, beautiful thing. You're going to be a mother. I can understand why you're nervous. We need to get you started on prenatal vitamins right away, to give your baby the best start it can get."
"But, I CAN'T be! I don't understand! I need to go. I, um, thank you nurse Redheart, I'll, um, come back later. I need some air." She said as she flew away, as fast as she could, back to the house.
"Rainbow! Rainbow! Please, where are you! I need you!" She cried into the house, hoping her cyan friend would be home.
"Fluttershy, what is it? Are you okay?" The loyal pegasus asked.
"No, I'm NOT! I was feeling weird, so I went to the doctor, and it's impossible!"
"Whoa, the doctor? What's wrong?"
"The doctor is wrong! They have to be! They said I was pregnant!" She cried, scared.
"What? that's great news! You're going to be a mom! Have you thought of a name? Oh, do you know filly or colt?"
"NO! Why does everypony think this is a good thing? I can't be pregnant!" Fluttershy screamed.
"Why not?" Dash asked, genuinely confused.
"Because Shady's not a pony! He's a different species! Oh no, what if he thinks I cheated on him? What if he get's upset? Oh no!" She started freaking out.
"Wait, you don't know? I thought you knew! We all thought you knew! How could you not know? Wait, were you passed out at the time? That must be it!" Dash started rambling.
"Know what?" Fluttershy asked, confused.
"Shade IS a pony."
"What?"
"It was at the drinking contest. He told us that Discord explained his origin. Human's are earth ponies that got messed up by his chaos magic. Besides, you didn't cheat on him, and he loves you. He loves US. He wouldn't get upset. You must have been passed out when he told everypony. We all thought you knew. I'm sorry." Dash explained. Fluttershy just sat on the ground in shock.
"I, I'm pregnant?" She tried to come to terms with it.
"Yes, and our husband, Nightshade, is the father. Wait, am I pregnant too? What about Pinkie? And AJ, and Twilight? We all need to go get checked! This is wonderful! Come on, we need to spread the good news!" Just as Rainbow was about to fly away, she stopped.
"Wait, better idea. I think we should keep it a secret, just for now. We'll tell our friends, but we won't tell everypony just yet. And we won't tell Shady for a while. I'd rather see the look of shock on his face!" Dash suggested.
"Um, yeah. It's not for sure, um, we should make sure first." Shy said, still unsure.
"You two can do that? Geez, remind me never to piss you off. Okay, so, we've got the plan, I'll tell the rest when I head back in a week. For now, we need to train you two is close quarters combat. That power of yours will take time to set up, and it won't work if one of you gets taken out."
Nightshade spent the rest of the week training with Celestia and Luna, helping them learn to dodge and block, getting them back into shape for the fight with Discord. He didn't bother training with Black Law, it's main trait not being sword fighting, but magic negation. He didn't like to use it, it was an object of evil, making him feel terrible even touching it. It could stay in the safe in his basement for all eternity. After all, even if someone got it, he could just get it back whenever he wanted.
"I'm sorry Miss Dash."
"No! It's not fair! Why?"
"Most likely high level stress and g-forces on your underdeveloped body. You performed the rainboom when you were, 8 was it?"
"Yeah."
"That's far too much strain for a non mature body to take, I'm sorry. At the moment you preformed your first rainboom, while still underdeveloped, you were damaged beyond repair. There's nothing that can be done. I'm sorry." With the doctor's revelation, Rainbow Dash could do nothing but cry.
"They're wrong. I know they're wrong!" She yelled. "It's not fair....."
"Well, I'm back! You miss me?" Nightshade said as he walked into town. The first one he met was Rarity.
"Hello. It's been a while, hasn't it? Oh, your weeding was so superb, all the high society. The princesses, prince Blueblood, they were all there. The dresses I made were the talk of Canterlot. Since there isn't much call for casual or party dresses, I've decided to convert Carousel Boutique into a wedding shop! I've got huge publicity from making all your clothes, as well as the attire for your wedding, now, everypony wants my dresses for their wedding!" The white unicorn cheered.
"Well, I'm glad. Any idea where the girls are at?" He asked.
"Ahh, yes, they're all at the library, you should go wait out front. They said something about having a surprise."
"I'm on my way!"
"Big Mac? Soarin? Braeburn? What are you guys doing here?" The winged human asked, spotting the three outside the library.
"Not sure, our mares just told us to meet them here, saying something about a surprise." The former Wonderbolt explained.
"Good, now that everypony is here, I'll tell them you're ready." Rarity said, heading inside the library. She lead Pinkie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Twilight out of the tree. Rainbow and Rarity flew to beside the stallions, while the rest lined up in front.
"Ready?" Rarity said softly. The four ponies all took a deep breath, shouting.
"WE'RE PREGNANT!"
Soarin and Braeburn fell over onto their backs, while Big Mac's legs popped out from under him. Nightshade just stood there.
"Well Pinkie, I can't say I'm surprised. I mean, considering how you rode Braeburn, I'd be more surprised if you weren't." Shade said, looking at the smiling pink mare.
"Twilight, I thought you said you spent the whole two weeks cuddling." He said sarcastically.
"Hey, I'm the element of magic. Applejack is the element of honesty." She shot back.
"Oh, I know you were lying, it's just more fun to make you THINK we bought it." He replied, she shrunk.
"Well, I guess that explains why you were exhausted. Doing strenuous stuff will be bad, so I'll be taking over your job on the farm NO BUTS. You take care of yourself. You are NOT allowed to go applebucking." He said sternly before the orange earth pony could object.
"Fluttershy." She had a look of horror in her eyes, shrinking under his gaze. She let out a surprised *eep* when he bent lower and hugged her.
"I'm so happy. You're going to be a mother, I'm going to be a father. WE are going to be parents." He ran his hand over her stomach, feeling the ever so faint second life hiding under her own, kissing her on the neck at the same time, making her blush.
"I thought you would be upset." She said nervously.
"Why would I be upset. I love you and Dash more than anything in the world, and now, we're going to be parents."
"No. You and Fluttershy will be parents, not me." Dash said upset. Shade let go of the yellow pegasus and grabbed the blue one.
"Hey, just because you're not pregnant doesn't mean anything, what do you say we have another try at it?" He suggested.
"Yeah, let's do that. Are you all going to be okay?"
"Yeah, we need to go get started on pregnancy stuff. Nurse Redheart is going to go over it with us, have some parenting classes." Twilight said.
"Alright you stud, let's head home and get started!" Dash said as she dragged Shade towards the house.
Oh no! Dashie was all upset. Can you guess why? I think I made it pretty obvious. I also think she's in denial. I'm releasing this chapter today, because again, it's been far too long since I've done one. Anything after will be for my birthday. Right now I've got three Griffin chapters held, and I've half written another Summoned chapter.