Ascended

by BlackWing

Worth (26)

One month passes, while the four pregnant ponies continue to develop, With Nightshade picking up the slack, helping at the bakery in place of Pinkie, and on the farm in place of AJ. Twilight was still able to perform her tasks at the library, although, now knowing what was causing her behavioural changes, she kept them in control, and Fluttershy still able to care for the animals. Rainbow and Nightshade frequently attempted to get pregnant over the course of the month, as well as all of them preparing for the showdown with Discord in a month.

"Hey, I'm home!" Nightshade called out as he went inside, finding Fluttershy, happily cleaning the house.

"Hi handsome." She said, flying up to him and snuggling into his feathers.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Just peachy, but Dash is acting weird. I tried asking her, but she won't say anything. I'm worried." She replied.

"I'll go talk to her, where is she?"

"She's in the cottage with the bunnies."

"Please come with, just wait outside though right yet. I have a feeling I'll need you there, but she might not open up unless it's just me.

"Oh, you're a cutie wooty snuggy wuggy bunny aren't you? Yes you are! Oh, and so are you, and you, and you!" Rainbow was cuddling Angel and Valentine's four children, acting very strangely.

"Hey, Rainbow? Can I talk to you about something?" Shade asked warily.

"Yeah, sure." She said in a tone that said 'I don't care', very different from the loving tone she used with the rabbits.

"What is this all about? I mean, you seemed almost upset when Fluttershy told me she was pregnant, then you went crazy trying to get pregnant yourself, then you suddenly just gave up trying, and now you're playing mommy to a bunch of bunnies. I'm worried about you. Don't lie, I know something is bothering you. Remember? We promised to share everything between us, no secrets. Please tell me." He said in as soft and caring of a voice as possible. She looked up at him with her magenta eyes quivering, tears forming in their lower lids.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash jumped into Nightshade's arms, putting her head into his chest, crying. they just sat there for a moment, her bawling, and him running his fingers through her mane.

"I can't." She finally said.

"You can tell me anything." He replied.

"No, what I'm telling you is I can't."

"Can't what?" He was confused.

"I, I went to the doctor a month ago. I was so happy, all my friends, except Rarity, are with foal. I thought for sure I would be too, and....." She stammered, trailing off.

"It's alright, tell me." She closed her eyes, the red of her crying making a stark contrast against the blue.

"I'm infertile." She choked. He couldn't quite hear her. He could hear Fluttershy when she whispered, and he couldn't hear Dash.

"I couldn't hear you. It's okay, you can say it. I'm here. It'll be alright." He said patting her head. She simply fell into his lap.

"My first sonic rainboom, I was only 8 years old. I was so proud, because of it, me and all my future friends got their cutie marks. It gave us an unbreakable bond, letting us wield the elements of harmony together to save the world, but, I was too young. Flying that fast, having that many g-forces, did a number on me. I had microfractures and tiny muscle tears. I didn't need medical treatment, just a week off my hooves to recover. It doesn't cause damage anymore, because I'm full grown, but back then, back then......" She stopped to take several deep breaths, she no longer cried, because she had already gotten rid of all her tears.

"I was too young, my bones and muscles were under developed, and they healed, but my organs took damage too. They all repaired, even my brain is fine since it was still growing, but, the doc said the eggs are shredded. There's a chance one or two of them are okay, but even if we do it every day, It's pretty much hopeless. I can never have a foal. I'm worthless!" She cried.

"Whoa, hey now. Someone's worth goes way beyond if they can have kids or not. You're the fastest flier in Equestria, a national hero, a good friend and a wonderful wife. You have so many who care about you. How can you say you're worthless?" He cooed soothingly.

"I will never have a child. I will never make new life. I want to be a mother! I want to have a baby grow, I want to raise them and give them a good life! I want them to look up and say, 'My mom is so cool!' And it'll never happen." She just put her head down, laying there, moping. Angel, Valentine, and their four kids hopped up and snuggled next to the depressed pegasus pony, trying to make her feel better, as Shade stroked her mane. Fluttershy, having heard the whole thing, came in.

"You know Rainbow, just because you can't be a mother, doesn't mean you can't be a mom." She said. When Dash looked up, she saw her yellow friend pointing at her own stomach.

"I know, but, it just wouldn't be the same. How can I take being a mom away from you so I can be one? That's just selfish."

"Well, nothing is for sure. There's still a chance for a miracle you know. Miracles happen you know. You think Twilight knows a spell for fertility? Or Zecora a potion?" Shade asked.

"You're just grasping at straws now." Rainbow deadpanned.

"Well, I mean, It's upsetting you. I want to see you happy" He replied.

"Maybe you could use your powers to fix it?" Fluttershy suggested.

"I already thought of that. If the cells got shredded that long ago, they'd have been reabsorbed by her body already. I can only repair damaged ones, and speed up the creation of new ones. With this, there's a certain number at the start, and that's all you get. There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry." He explained.

"It, it's okay. I mean, I'm still awesome, even if I can't get pregnant." She tried puffing up her ego.

"That's right, and don't you DARE forget it Rainbow Dash! Besides, you already WERE a mom. You raised Scoots for two years remember? She saw you as her mother as much as anyone."

Bringing up Scootaloo, thinking back on all the fun times they had together, the sky writing business, getting in the Wonderbolts, it brought a smile to her face.

"It's almost been a year now. In fact, the anniversary is set for the day of Discord's return." Rainbow said, not frowning.

"It's weird. Events in Equestria just, line up for some reason. I was turned to stone on my birthday, and Discord will be back on the very day Scoots passed. It's almost like someone is setting these things up."

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BlackWing: *Shudder* Did any of you just feel that? No? Damn, I need a coffee. Let's skip ahead a month while I drink it.
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The final month before Discord's deadline, everyone was on edge. The princesses spent every moment preparing the citizens of Equestria, developing a system to deal with chaos as it occurred, while alerting the royal sisters of it, and sending communication to Ponyville. Surprisinh enough, Prince Blueblood was heading up the operation.

"Well, my special talent IS strategy." The prince said, turning to the side to show off his rose compass cutie mark.

"As soon as that old drake shows up, we'll give him the what for! I've sat on my flank my whole life, and I'm finally going to take a stand for something! I will give you my full support in handling the situation as it arises." The prince spoke with conviction, he was dead serious about making sure Discord got trounced while Equestria remained untouched.

"As will I. You changed my life, making me a better pony then I ever could have been. I'll be heading up the Trottingham defense." Trixie said.

"As will I." Nightshade heard a voice he hoped never to hear again. A voice he hadn't heard in years. A voice he hated.

"Gilda. When did you get out of prison?" He said with spite, glaring at the griffin, who wore a large black great sword across her back.

"About a year and a half ago. I, I'm sorry okay? I went through some therapy and found out why I'm so angry all the time, and how to deal with it." She said sullenly.

"We don't need your help." He spat. She just looked down.

"Now, Sir Nightshade, Gilda here is one of our connections with the Griffin nation, they have offered to help keep tabs on the situation, as Discord is just as much a threat to them as they are to us. She was released following her recovery and resocialization, and graciously offered to assist during this time." Celestia said with a scowl. She knew that there was bad blood between them, but this was a time they needed to come together, not divide themselves because of petty differences. Throwing his title at him was a way to keep him in line. After all, he had sworn to protect Equestria, and putting up with a bitchy griffin was just another part of that.

"Fine, but I still haven't forgiven you for what you pulled." He scowled.

"I know, and you probably never will."

"Don't forget about us!" Came a pair of voices from behind a griffin Shade recognized as the diplomat from his knighting.

"Switch? Scratch? Man, Am I glad to see the two of you little buggers. What's happening?"

"We're envoys! The youngest ever! Pops said we came back good since last time and decided we should spend a bit more time here, helping out during the crisis in any way we can, even if it just bringing the control room their refreshments."

"Do not forget me." A voice boomed.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met." Shade replied, looking at a massive red dragon standing on the mountainside above Canterlot. (It's the same one from dragonshy)

"Nightshade, this is Nohvak, he has agreed to help us in this endeavor as well." Luna introduced them.

"As are we." Came a gravely but high voice, belonging to a diamond dog.

"I am Rover, we will be scouting the underground. As soon as the wretched draconnequuis appears, we will evacuate the ponies through underground tunnels."

"Well, I'll be. We've got ourselves quite a large network of scouts, evac teams, and fighters. Every pony with medical experience is in on it too. You come up with all this BB?" Everyone seemed a little surprised to hear the human speaking casually with Equestrian royalty, save for the griffin kids and the princesses themselves.

"BB?" The prince asked.

"You've earned a nickname from yours truly, not something given easily. Means I count you as a friend." He explained.

"Well, yes I did." Blueblood replied smugly. "When he shows up, he's definitely going to cause some destruction. Homes can be replaced, lives cannot. I will make absolutely sure that no matter what, there are no casualties. Griffins to guard the escape, dogs to guide them through the tunnels. Since he's targeting Auntie and Luna, he'll be coming here. We've got the entire colonized half of the planet covered, watching, waiting. As soon as Discord pops up, we'll let you know where, and so you can head him off."

"Listen, Ponies, Diamond Dogs, Griffins, Dragons, everyone. I'm glad we have your help on this. Discord is tough. I gave him kicks that could crush stone, and he brushed it off. I know he has something planned. Don't fight him yourselves. Leave that to the princesses, myself, bearers of harmony, and Nohvak. Just focus on containing the devastation." Just as he finished, he heard a very familiar voice in his head.

"Don't forget about me." Everyone looked around to see where it was coming from, as they had heard it as well. Nightshade turned to find Lyra walk into the room, her eyes glowing softly.

"I'll be your personal coordinator Shade, keeping you up to date on everything, and watching over everything I can. I've made links with the leaders, so we can issue commands more effectively."

"Geez, when you said she had hidden psychic talent, you weren't kidding Celestia. Why's her cutie mark a Lyre? Shouldn't it be a brain or something?" Shade asked sarcastically.

"Just because I'm good at something, doesn't mean I like it." Lyra replied as her eyes stopped glowing. "Damn, that makes my head hurt." She said normally. "I'm finally going to make up for what I did before." Scratch brought her the pony version of a Tylenol, which she downed with haste.

"Thank's again everyone. I'm headed home now to fill the girls in. When the deadline is up in a week, we'll be ready. When Discord shows his ugly face, with whatever he has planned, he won't know what hit him."