//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: Solar Child // by Bakmah Genesis //------------------------------// Solar Child Chapter One Written by Bakmah Genesis Edited by Knight of Cerberus Celestia was wheeled through the whitewashed walls of the Canterlot Castle Medical Ward. She panted for air before screaming out in pain as another contraction tore through her lower abdomen. She was finally giving birth. Cadence winced as the spasm caused the white alicorn to tighten her grip on her hoof. The pink mare kept running, ignoring the pain lancing through her hoof as she helped wheel the gurney towards its room. Another mare ran on the opposite side of the gurney. The grey unicorn kept muttering soothing words to the princess of the sun. Quick Quill was Celestia's royal advisor, and was the first to get ponies moving after Celestia's water broke. In only a matter of minutes she had been able to have Celestia hoisted up onto a gurney and out towards the room. The group finally burst through the door to the sun goddess' hospital room. The nurses then blocked off the pink alicorn and advisor before pushing them outside and rushing back in. Cadence blinked at how quickly it all seemed to happen. "Want to take a seat, Princess?" Asked Quill, looking up at her. Cadence shook her head. "No. I should see how Aurora is doing. You know the way if you need me." With that, the pink alicorn left the mare. On her way to her destination, Cadence thought over the last few months. While the death of Twilight Sparkle demoralized the castle and especially the Princess, one piece of news kept the elder alicorn going through her final months of pregnancy. Turning the corner, Cadence was greeted by a pair of sturdy doors. 'Certified Staff Only' was printed across the doors in bold lettering. To the right was a desk in which a somewhat bored looking nurse sat as she looked over a fashion magazine. Cadence giggled a little. "I only ever looked in those for the other eye candy." commented Cadence as she approached. The nurse looked up and grinned at the princess. "You and me both, sister. I'm guessing you are here to see Aurora?" Asked the nurse. "I am. Tia is finally giving birth, and the connection between alicorn sisters is a strong one, as I was told numerous times before. I just need to make sure nothing bad is happening." The nurse nodded before reaching a hoof under the desk and pressing something. After a moment a buzzing sound came from the doors. Cadence walked up and pushed them open, allowing the nurse to remove her hoof. The walls were swapped from bleached white to a more cheerful pink, despite the area holding only one patient. The doors Cadence came in from led into a single hallway, ending in another pair of double doors that held what she came for. Taking a deep breath, the princess entered. A red orb floated in the center of the room, magical hover pads placed above and below it to help it stay afloat as well as help along the magical properties of what the orb was for. The red liquid was translucent, and as a result, showed the small being that floated in its depths. A devolping foal. Aurora still didn't have any distinct features besides her stub of a horn and the beginnings of wings. She had a bluish pink coat, her mane a soft white. While doctors would call the method on which the foal was being developed a miracle, the real miracle was that the foal was alive, period. Somehow, this baby had clung to life inside the womb of her dead mother long enough to be saved by a group of field medics. Acting fast, the doctors were able to sustain the foal in a womb-like orb that was occasionally given a special type of nutrient formula that helped feed the foal. It also mimicked the environment of the uterus. "You are a impossible blessing, you know that?" Asked Cadence as she circled the filly. "You should not be alive, yet here you are. You have done wonders for Auntie Tia. You showed her there was still light in all of this." She stopped before a small clip board by the area the orb was held in. She levitated it towards herself and read it over. Aurora Sparkle. Daughter of Twilight Sparkle and Celestia Solar. A female alicorn at least four to five months old, her age when Twilight was killed is still unknown and is being judged by the foal's growth. From what was observed upon date of retrieval, the foal was around three months by the time the mother was killed, making her a six month old foal. "I'm glad you had a second chance at your life. Soon, little one, you will recieve the gift that was nearly taken from you." With that, Cadence kissed the spot on the orb just above the foal's forehead and left the room, wanting to get back to her aunt before the foal was born. The nurse from earlier lifted her head as the doors opened. She put down her magazine -- a Playcolt now -- and sat up in her seat. "I'm guessing nothing about the foal was amiss?" Asked the nurse. Cadence shook her head. "She's just fine." Cadence looked down at the magazine before looking up at the blushing nurse, then back at the magazine. "I do look good in that edition. Though ponies still think I'm a teenager." said the alicorn, examining the two pages that were held open. Each page held a picture of her in a rather...suggestive position. She was thankful her aunt refused to look at Playcolts. Celestia preferred more 'correct and real images of mares'. Cadence never got why she didn't just admit she liked watching porn on occasion. "Well, um, yes. You look gorgeous...I mean perfect!" said the mare, blushing madly. Cadence chuckled. "What's your name, miss?" Asked Cadence. The mare gulped. "True Heart, ma'am." "True Heart? Well, Miss True Heart, would you like a date sometime?" Asked Cadence, giving her a half-lidded gaze. She smiled as True Heart turned a very deep crimson and nodded. "Great! Does seven tomorrow evening at the castle sound good to you?" Another nod. "Alright. I will see you then." To seal the deal, Cadence pecked the mare on the cheek before continuing on her way back down towards Celestia's room, adding a sway in her hips for extra affect. She had to surpress a giggle as she heard the sound of the mare fainting behind her. Quick Quill looked up from playing with her hooves to see Cadence walking back into the waiting area. The pink alicorn winced as another loud scream came out of Celestia's room as she was passing it. Cadence took a seat next to the scribe and groaned at the stiff furniture. "Nothing was wrong, then?" Asked Quill. Cadence nodded as she shifted into a better sitting position. "A little twitch here and there, but that's about it. No thrashing or constant shifting. She should be fine for the rest of the labor." said Cadence, resting her head on the wall. "She is a miracle, Quill." "I'm sure it was the love of her late mother that saved her." Cadence smiled back at the unicorn. "You know, Quill, sometimes I think you know more about magic than I do, and it's my talent." The mare gave a hearty laugh. "You need to be in love to know what it truly feels like, Princess. Your aunt and I can try to explain it to you to our heart's desire, but you will never know the true feeling until you fall in love. Just like I will never know loss like Celestia's until my husband dies.l" said Quill, looking back towards where Celestia was giving birth. "No thought or word can replace the experience of actually living." said Cadence softly. Quill hummed and nodded in approval. "Exactly. That is what ponies like Celestia were made to do. That is why we live. To to gain insight, feel, love and die. It is our natural process that we all go through. Even alicorns at one point or another." Cadence smiled softly at Quill. Cadence found it amazing how she was still learning from Quill while being the age that she was, which is certainly older than the middle aged scribe was. "You never cease to amaze me with your knowledge, Quill." said Cadence with a warm smile. The unicorn scribe chuckled, shaking her head. "I'm old, Princess. I might as well have a few tricks saved up by now." responded the mare. Cadence prepared a retort when another powerful scream shook the walls, making the two cringe. "You would think the child would have been born by now." said Cadence, massaging her temples. "With a scream like that, I wouldn't be surprised if the foal is popping out right now." answered Quill, covering her still ringing ears. Another scream tore out of the room, louder and longer than the others that night. As it faded, a quieter, foalish screaming could be heard. "You were saying?" Asked Cadence with a grin as she heard the foal. Quill gave a soft smile just as the door to the room opened, a nurse poking her head out. She searched for a second before spotting the two mares, waving them inside. Inside the room, Celestia had her head resting on the headboard of the hospital bed, a small pink blanket in her hooves. A small smile sat on her face as she gazed down upon it, tears staining her cheeks. "What is it?" Asked Cadence quietly as she walked up to Celestia. The goddess blinked and looked over to see the two mares approaching her. She smiled softly before lowering the blanket from around the foal, giving them a full view. The foal was a small alicorn, wings and horn included. Her coat was a soft lavender, her mane a dark blue with purple streaks down the middle, the same mane layout as her mother. The filly yawned slightly and opened her eyes, showing off two bright purple orbs. "She's beautiful, Tia." Cadence cooed as she examined the small filly. The small alicorn turned her head towards the sound of Cadence's voice and giggled at her. She extended a small hoof and bopped the larger alicorn on the nose, causing a round of giggles. "Got a name for her?" Asked Cadence, looking at her aunt through the corner of her eye. The age old goddess hummed in thought as she watched her daughter babble at Cadence. She casted her gaze to the darkening sky above, the stars twinkling brightly. "Twilight. Twilight Solar." said Celestia with a small smile. Cadence chuckled lightly, gaining a giggle from Twilight. "A Twilight Jr., then?" Asked the pink mare. Celestia nodded with a chuckle of her own. "Kinda." She yawned, her mouth stretching wide. "I think it's about time for me to get some sleep." said the goddess. As if agreeing, little Twilight yawned herself as she settled to sleep on Cadence's muzzle, slipping off onto the sheeting only to be caught by a magical aura and set on her mother's chest. "We will leave you two alone, then." said Cadence, already backing towards the door with Quill. Celestia nodded absentmindedly as she laid her head on the pillow, a small smile on her face. A figure removed her head from the orb-like sphere she had floating in the air. Around her were similar orbs of a sort, but not quite. While they showed dreams, the own she used showed the present. The figure smiled softly at the image of a mother and her newborn sleeping soundly after the hardships of labor. The figure sighed as she casted her magic, creating an identical orb and placed it by one that showed a foal inside of an red orb. "You have done well, Tia. If only I could be there to help you through it all." The figure sighed and trotted off to other reaches of her realm.