The next morning, the couple gathered their friends at the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom Castle and told them the news.
“What??” exclaimed Rainbow Dash. “You’re… pregnant?!”
“Serious???” asked Applejack.
“Oh, darling,” envied Rarity. “You’re making me feel jealous!”
“WOOHOO! Let’s have a party!!!” shouted Pinkie.
“Not that soon, Pinkie,” said Twilight. “Anyway I just remembered something.”
“What is it?” asked Fluttershy. “About Melody Aurora?”
“You’ve got the point, Fluttershy.”
“Why? What happened?” asked Niku.
“A few years ago, my daughter came from the future and helped to warn us about an upcoming catastrophe! Now one thing I’m concerned now is that I’m expecting her!” She said, placing her hoof around her tummy.
“Wow… I never heard about that before…” commented Soarin.
“That’s because you’ve never seen her before!” said Rainbow. “And we’re trying to keep her matter as private as possible!”
“But now you’ve told us everything,” said Cheese Sandwich, feeling rather worried. “What can we do?”
“Don’t worry,” began Twilight. “This matter is between only all of us and we can’t let our children know about this!”
“Too true,” agreed Discord.
“If we tell them all about that, I hate to think what would happen. That would be unimaginable!” said Niku.
“Don’t worry about everything,” assured Flash. “Let’s try not to talk about my daughter to the kids. And even if Melody is born,” he paused, turning to Twilight. “We aren’t going to tell her either.”
“What about the evil Queen Myra?” asked Twilight, recalling the great nemesis. “If Melody is born she’ll surely target us!”
“We are now safe for the time being,” responded Flash. “If her invasion begins we can call for the backups at any time!”
Rarity walked up to Twilight. “Rest assured, Twilight. At least, as friends together, even with our future children, Myra is no longer our enemy.”
“She’s right, Sugarcube,” continued Applejack.
“Twilight, you’re the Princess of Friendship!” added Niku. “You can lead Applejack and your friends in facing them and we’ll be giving support. That way she can’t stand this powerful magic!”
“Especially that powerful magic when you tried to defeat Lord Tirek,” elaborated Discord.
“We’re always with you, Twilight,” said Fluttershy.
Twilight looked at her friends. “Thank you… thank you so much, everypony!”
Meanwhile at school, Orion Galaxy was telling his friends about the big news.
“Wow…” praised Honey Drops. “Congrats to you!”
“Good for you,” said Fiji. “Hope it doesn’t give you trouble.”
“I’m not thinking into that matter, Fiji,” replied Orion. “I was praying if it could be a boy or a girl!”
“That was sweet!” said Honey.
*~*~*~*
Time was flying by, and Twilight’s pregnancy progressed fair and well, with her tummy swelling due to her growing foal despite a few more morning sicknesses at the start. Occasionally she had mood swings, but she gradually learned how to get through them quick.
And it wasn’t only Twilight who was progressing. Pinkie Pie had begun to expect another foal, and so did Rarity, Rainbow Dash and then Fluttershy. To them, it was a dream come true, but their worst fears were imagining their condition on childbirth, especially Rarity, who was feeling nervous about giving birth for the first time.
But they had more reason to celebrate when both Cheese Sandwich and Pinkie Pie hosted a baby shower for Twilight, and she received lots of presents. Rarity gave her the finest baby clothes made, Applejack presented her good drinks.
It was not until the tenth month of Twilight’s pregnancy. Everything went well to prepare for the birth.
Orion was very eager to see his newborn sibling that he talked endlessly about his mother’s condition to his friends every day. Fiji and Honey would be pleased to listen.
One day, Orion was talking about his mom’s condition again when some colts went up to the group.
“Talking about your mom, again, huh?” The red one asked.
“Yeah, uh… what’s wrong?”
“Think it’s good to have a brother or sister?” The orange one continued. “They’re nothing but bluffs!”
“What do you mean?” asked Fiji.
“Simple. Parents love children, but when a new kid comes, they won’t love him anymore!” The gray one replied.
“Yeah, that’s what happened to me!” said the orange one.
“Is that so?” asked Orion.
“Hey, you can’t say that to our friend!” argued Honey. “A parent’s love to their children is the same, and there’s no way they focus on only one.”
“Oh, are you sure, bat-winged girl?” replied the red one. “Trust us, his parents won’t love him anymore when he’s got his brother or sister.”
“Don’t you dare call Honey like that just because she’s a half-pony!” insisted Orion, defending Honey.
“Oh, yeah?” asked the gray one, not scared. “Then mark my words! You’ll soon come to know it.” And they trotted away, laughing.
“It’s okay Orion,” said Fiji to him. “They just got nothing to do.”
Now Orion was feeling bad. “What if… mom and dad don’t love me anymore?”
“Orion! What happened to you?” asked a shocked Honey. “Have you fallen into their trap?”
“Sorry girls, I have to go home first,” and he galloped away.
“Has he really believed their words?” asked Honey to Fiji.
“Nah, don’t bother about him!” answered Fiji. “He’ll realize that we’re right later after all!”
At the castle, Orion was still moody. He couldn’t eat his favorite meal well and he didn’t even bother responding to his parents or even Spike.
“Is there anything wrong about him?” asked Flash.
“I don’t know,” said Spike. “He’s already like that when he came home and he didn’t even spoke a few words to me.”
“Don’t worry,” said Twilight. “I can go and find him.”
Later, Twilight went into Orion’s room and she found him lying on his bed, looking glum.
“Orion,” called Twilight gently. “Anything wrong happened to you today?”
Orion got up. “Mom,” he asked. “Do you love me?”
“Of course I do!”
“Then if my brother or sister is born,” he continued. “Will you still love me?”
“Of course I will! I don’t care how many children I have, my love to you all will be the same!”
Orion paused for a moment, then he wept into his mother’s tummy.
“I… I thought you won’t love me anymore!” he sobbed. “Some big brothers told me about that!”
“Why shouldn’t I stop loving you?” comforted Twilight. “You’re my dearest son, and also my new child. I would love you both.”
Amidst his tears, he suddenly felt a kick from his mother’s tummy. “Mom,” said Orion suddenly. “The baby… moved!”
“Oh, it loves you!” said Twilight. “So you’ve got to love it back.”
Instantly he felt an aura of warmth all around him.
“Mom,” continued Orion. “Will it be a colt or a filly? And how would you name it?”
“Oh, we’ll just wait. I don’t know how to name my next son, but if I were to name my daughter, I would call her Melody Aurora!”
“Wow…” cried Orion as he laid on the tummy to feel the baby moving and kicking. Soon he was fast asleep.
As Twilight left the room, she patted at her tummy, saying. “Melody, you’re going to have a great big brother!”