On a sunday afternoon, at the Golden Oaks Memorial Library in Ponyville, Spike sat on his couch, reading a book. He was reaching a very intense scene where the rebels were fleeing the evil-
"Spike!" Apple Bloom called out from their room.
Spike quickly put the book down and rushed towards her their room. "Yes?" he asked with a worried look on his face.
Apple Bloom was looking in front of the mirror. She turned to look at Spike after hearing him rush in, "Sorry. I was just gonna let ya know I'll be goin’ to mah book club in a few minutes and I'll be back in a couple hours."
“Oh. Alright,” Spike breathed a sigh of relief. “For a moment, I thought something was wrong.”
"Oh, heh, sorry." Apple Bloom rubbed the back of her neck and blushed.
“It’s alright.” Spike smiled, "Have fun at your book club. What book are you reading?"
"Uhhh.... Love and Tolerate."
"Oh...okay. Do you want me to get that for you?"
"Uh...no thanks. I'll get it on the way out."
“Okay… I'm probably gonna take a nap so..."
"Ah'll wake ya up when ah get back. Do you know-" Apple Bloom suddenly froze.
"'Bloom?"
Apple Bloom shook it off, "Huh?"
"You kinda froze up, are you sick? Should I call a doct-"
"No!" Apple Bloom shouted.
Spike gave her a funny look. "Uh...okay..."
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell.” Apple Bloom exhaled hard, “I guess I'm just a little stressed."
“Maybe you should just stay here and rest.”
"No, it's alright, I need to go."
"Don't be ridiculous, it's just a book club. It's not worth risking your health."
"Spike," Apple Bloom rubbed her head, "Please stop askin' so many questions, there's nothin' to worry about."
“Then why did you freeze up like that?”
"I'm just a little under the weather, no big deal, Spike."
"But I'm worried about you. Please just cancel it and stay here."
“Spike, I can’t cancel it. Everyone will already be there by now.”
"'Bloom-"
"Please... Just let me go."
Spike sighed, and nodded his head.
Apple Bloom gave Spike one last look before walking out their bedroom door.
Spike was about to go after her, but suddenly, Apple Bloom returned. "Spike?"
Spike stopped suddenly. He noticed how… nervous she looked, "Yeah?"
"Will you come with me?"
Spike rubbed his head; this was quite the mood swing. "Of course, but why?"
Apple Bloom kicked at the floor with her hoof, "There's something ya need to know..."
Spike bent down and put a hand on her shoulder, "What?"
"Ah'll wait till we get there. Just… promise you won't hate me?"
The dragon brushed some stray strands of mane away from her face and kissed her on the forehead. "I could never do that,” he replied warmly.
Apple Bloom partially smiled, "I hope you're right."
Spike kissed her cheek again. “We better get going.”
Apple Bloom nodded.
*****
Following an hour-long train ride to Canterlot, Spike and Apple Bloom reached their friend Comet Tail's old observatory. "What exactly are we doing here?" Spike asked Apple Bloom. He’d already begun to suspect that this wasn’t just for the book club.
"Just be patient," Apple Bloom replied.
She walked up to the door of the observatory and knocked. After a few moments, the door opened and revealed-
"Twilight?" Spike looked at his former roommate in shock.
“Spike?” Twilight was just as surprised as he was. "What are you doing here?" She looked over at Apple Bloom.
"I'm sorry, Twilight. I tried to, but I just couldn't keep it in anymore. He deserves to know."
"Know what? What's going on?" Spike asked, starting to get impatient. He felt dumb being the only one not in the know.
Twilight looked at Spike, "I'll try to explain, but you both better come inside."
*****
Twilight led Spike and Apple Bloom downstairs and into a cozy looking room. Complete with carpeting, furniture, and even a small TV set. "Please, sit down," Twilight instructed as she sat on the leather couch.
The couple sat down on the couch, and immediately Spike asked "What is going on here?"
Twilight looked at Apple Bloom, "I'll let you tell him, if you want to."
Apple Bloom nodded and took a deep breath, "Spike... It looks like I'm... Well... Uh..." She rubbed her head, "I can't do it. I don't know I don't-
Spike took Apple Bloom's hoof and lovingly stroked it, "It's okay. You can tell me anything.”
She looked into his caring green eyes. How could she tell him? It could break his heart, she didn't even know if-
"Apple Bloom," Twilight's voice said called, softly, "I can tell him if you c-"
"No... I need to do this," Applebloom pressed her forehead to Spike's, relishing the feel of his touch, the warmth of his breath on her cheek, and finally managed to tell him, "I'm pregnant."
Spike’s jaw dropped so far that it could have hit the floor. "You're WHAT?! With whose kid?”
Applebloom backed away and frowned at Spike. "Yours! Who else could it be ya goofball?”
"How's that possible? I'm a dragon for Celestia's sake! Dragons don't get ponies pregnant!"
“Guys?" Twilight tried to interrupt.
"Well the one in the room got me pregnant. Why on earth would you think I would cheat on you?!"
"Guys?"
"You do all this sneaking around and stuff, beating around the bush to tell me you're pregnant, what am I supposed to-"
"It is possible for a dragon to get a pony pregnant!" Twilight shouted.
Spike’s jaws hung open at the news. “Are you serious?”
“Well, apparently.”
“Told ya so.”
"But… How?"
Twilight gave Spike a look, "I'm not going to-"
"Duh! But how's it even possible?!"
Twilight cleared her throat, "Both ponies and dragons reproduce the same way. All animals do. Ponies are unique in the fact that, under rare circumstances, can crossbreed with another creature, like a dragon. But the mother HAS to be a pony, or else it can't happen. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the offspring because they’re born sterile due to the crossbreed.”
“So, basically, they… won’t be able to have kids?”
"Not naturally, no. In fact, there's only been one case in recorded equestrian history of a successful crossbreed. About seventy years ago a Pegasus mare was assaulted by a dragon, and became pregnant."
"So what happened?" Spike asked.
"After about five months, the foal had developed its dragon side, and it's young mind decided it was time to hatch out of it's 'egg.’ However the 'egg' in this case was actually the mother's womb and..." Twilight took a breath, "The mother died, and the pony side hadn't fully developed...so it died, as well."
"So...'Bloom could DIE from it-" Spike shivered at the thought.
"Not necessarily." Twilight grinned, "Have you ever wondered why Mrs. Cake wasn't mauled by Pumpkin's horn?"
"Not really… does seem kinda weird, though."
"Well, there're some pills that can help with it. Unicorn mares are naturally born with a stronger womb, to accommodate the poking horns. About sixty years ago, they developed these pills to strengthen earth pony and Pegasi wombs to accommodate horns. In theory, these should keep Apple Bloom and the foal safe."
“...I guess,” Spike agreed after a moment. He looked at Apple Bloom, who had stayed quiet almost the entire time. "Are you sure you want to do this? It seems pretty rough."
“If we don’t then what will happen to the baby?” Apple Bloom responded, determination in her voice. “Ah need to do this for me, for the baby, and for you.”
"But it isn't worth it if you AND the foal die."
"Spike," Twilight said softly, coming over to the couple, "Except for taking some medicine, this will be a perfectly natural pregnancy.”
“I know, but…” He stared at Apple Bloom incredulously. “I don’t think I’m ready to be a father yet.”
“I know this will be hard for both of you to adapt to,” Twilight told the two, understanding in her tone. “You guys still have more than nine months to get used to the idea. But, if you will stick together, everything will be okay.”
“Of course I’m sticking with Apple Bloom,” Spike said firmly, putting his arm around the yellow mare’s back.
“Thanks, Spike,” Apple Bloom responded warmly before kissing his cheek.
"So… nine months, huh?"
"That's my best guess. I want to talk to Nurse Redheart in Ponyville to see if she'd see you... I'm a little unsure how anyone would take to the news of a half dragon/half pony foal."
"You're sayin’ ponies might not like our foal?" Applebloom asked, her voice cracking.
"It's sad... I know parts of your family made a big deal about-"
"Don't call 'em that," Apple Bloom snapped, "They might be related to me by blood, but they don't care about me. Ah know who my family is."
"Still, you'll want to be careful. There are some ponies who are a little… extreme with their opinions.”
"Like that Unicorn what's-it group?" Spike asked.
Twilight rolled her eyes. The USG, or Unicorn Supremacy Group, had given her family a hard time during her lifetime. "Perhaps. Just be careful with who your child’s around.”
"We will. Thanks for helping Apple Bloom with all this... And I'm sorry you felt like you had to hide this from me." Spike apologized.
"And I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I just didn’t want to disappoint you again.”
Spike frowned, "Again?"
“Two false positives and that miscarriage.”
"Oh... Yeah… back when we were trying so hard..." Spike sighed, "Guess after that, I told myself we could never have kids."
"Yeah... That's why..."
"Yeah..." Spike shook his head, "But let's not think about that. We should be happy that we're finally having a foal."
"Sure should be." Twilight smiled, "You know that, if you ever have problems, you can come to me or Comet, right?”
Both of the newfound parents nodded. “Right,” they said in unison.
Twilight giggled, "I'm very happy for you two. And I can't wait to see your foal."
"Neither can we," Spike smiled, staring into Apple Bloom’s eyes. Tears of joy flecked both the dragon and the pony’s eyes. “Neither can we…”