Chapter Eight “Month Eight: Insomnia”
Peter trotted into the room. “Hey! Twilight!” No response was received as the stallion entered his room. Ursa had just been fed and cared for. Peter glanced at the clock, letting out a relieved sigh upon realizing that he had made good time. The last thing he wanted was an early morning scolding. Peter’s ears twitched at the sound of rummaging, and he directed his gaze to the backroom. The stallion peeked his head inside, arching a brow at the alicorn sitting in front of her desk. “What are you doing? We have to go to your appointment.”
Twilight nodded, never diverting her gaze away from the closed book on the desk. “Okay. Just hang on for a second.” The alicorn’s horn glowed, causing magical energy to envelope the quill nearby. She started to write something across the cover, pausing to purse her lips in deep thought before finishing. The cover read ‘Humanity: A Documentary presented by Twilight Sparkle’. The alicorn laughed triumphantly. “It’s finished! I finally finished it!”
Peter’s eyes widened at the mare’s declaration. He took hold of the book, his mouth falling agape at how thick it was. The cover of the hardbound tome was beautifully crafted, bearing a crimson exterior with golden decorations on the edges.
“Whoa! Seriously? How many pages does this thing have?” he questioned, tilting his head to the side.
“Five-hundred and seventy-two pages,” Twilight replied, the number having been implanted in her memory. Peter blinked, staring with a bewildered expression, and the princess giggled in response. “I’ve been working on this over eight months straight! It’s really hard to believe that I managed to finish!”
The stallion scratched the back of his head. “I’m surprised, too. I didn’t think you had much to go on.”
Twilight scoffed. “Peter, listen to reason. I’m marrying an alien from another planet, whose culture is vastly different from my own. I got to visit that planet, and I wanted to write about the entire experience. It’s a lot to go on.”
Peter chuckled sheepishly, shrugging. “Well, since you put it that way, it makes sense.” The stallion pointed his hoof at the clock on the other side of the room. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this, but we’re going to be late for your ultrasound appointment.”
Taken aback, Twilight squeaked before trotting past the stallion. “Why didn’t you say anything?!”
Peter groaned under his breath. “I did. Man, you’re so scatter-brained.” The latter was barely inaudible. A roll of tape soared across the room, striking the back of Peter’s head. He grinned. “That was a joke, honey.”
Twilight dropped the book in a box, using her magic to seal it properly. “I know. I’m laughing on the inside,” she deadpanned, managing a smile. The mare’s gaze softened as she slid the sealed box to the side. “Can we drop this off on the way? I know I can just mail it, but… I’d rather see it to the publisher personally. This was a lot of work after all.”
Peter placed his hoof over Twilight’s shoulder, patting it reassuringly before sliding the box into his knapsack. “Sure. No problem. I love Derpy, but the other day at the Post Office, I gave her a word of thanks. She dropped it.” The stallion nudged the mare as they exited the Treebrary, chuckling. “Did you hear the one about the unstamped letter? You wouldn't get it.” His smile widened. “Get it?”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Oh stop it. That’s two puns already. I’m warning you. Don’t start.”
Peter nodded, yielding to the mare’s wish before kissing her cheek softly. “Okay. Since you asked nicely, I’ll stop.” The pair walked through Ponyville, sharing welcomes with local villagers until they eventually reached the book store. The stallion retrieved the box from his knapsack and extended it to the clerk. However, he bit down on his lip and glanced at Twilight from the corner of his eye. Sadly, her previous warning was moot. The stallion grinned mischievously, holding the sealed box inches from the princess. “Lick it, stick it, and kiss it goodbye!”
Twilight stared blankly at the stallion for a duration. Her response was simple, a swift strike to the back of the cranium. She groaned. “Why do I bother?”
“Because you love me,” Peter chirped, earning a defeated sigh from the princess.
He was right. She did love him, more than he realized. Twilight only hoped Mayday wouldn’t annoy her as much.
-u-
Twilight’s eyes scrolled through the walls of text in her book before she slammed it shut, the mare having completed yet another. She glanced off to the side, staring deeply at the milky orb perched skyward in the dark blanket of stars behind her window. Twilight always lost track of time whenever she read or wrote, and as a librarian, it was a developed habit that never really bothered her. However, this was different. Her mind was lost in a frenzy, recalling the specifics of the ultrasound appointment.
The doctor studied the projection, rubbing a hoof along the image. “All right, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Let’s see how your baby is.” The fetus had grown exceptionally, filling the womb. The doctor furrowed her brow. “It’s amazing how fast she is growing.”
Peter extended his hoof to Twilight, helping the mare to a standing position before returning his gaze to the doctor. “Is everything okay?”
The doctor nodded, managing a smile. “There’s nothing to worry about, Sir Parker. The baby is perfectly healthy. It’s just unusual how fast she is growing. May is almost the size of a normal baby, but there aren’t any complications that I can spot.” She closed the projection, giving the couple a supportive wink. “You can expect a happy normal baby in two to three months.”
Two to three months was almost nothing, a blink in the flash of time. Yet, Twilight smiled contently. She wanted to see her baby, but it had become a joyous experience to carry Mayday around for this time, inside. The day would come when she would hold the baby in her hooves. For now, the alicorn could only bide her time and enjoy the pregnancy while it lasted. That was not saying she enjoyed the drawbacks, at least in particular. Sure, Twilight’s energy came and went, leaving the mare to sleep during the day while remaining awake at night. The princess sighed. A part of her wanted to say it was her excitement keeping her awake this time.
However, she was merely suffering a case of insomnia again, something that was quite common for a pregnant mare. Twilight exhaled, wishing to be one of the few exceptions so that she could enjoy a normal night’s sleep like everypony else, particularly with her future husband. Her sleeping pattern had been discombobulated over the past couple of months, and it was frustrating, not knowing how to counter the side effects of her pregnancy. Twilight chided herself. There was nothing to counteract.
The pregnancy was progressing smoothly, and Twilight was experiencing all of the normal symptoms: unusual cravings, fatigue, nausea, occasional migraines, and insomnia. The princess closed her eyes and sighed. Twilight may have been blessed to become an alicorn, but she was still a mare, a very pregnant one at that. In spite of the small things that annoyed her, Twilight loved the journey and would do it all over again if she had the chance. For now, all she could do was force herself to find sleep.
Peter’s light breathing reached her ears. She turned to the side, smiling at the sight of her stallion sleeping soundly. Peter’s messy mane shielded a majority of his face, but his mouth was agape, allowing a soft sound to escape. For as powerful as the great Spider-Mane was, Twilight knew him as the sweetest pony on the planet. He had stayed home for the past number of weeks thanks to a lack of emergencies, and Twilight reveled in his company, grateful that her stallion promised to stay with her throughout the rest of the pregnancy.
However, it didn’t help her sleep. Nothing brought her sleep when she really wanted it. It was beyond anypony’s control. Mayday was lively, staying awake from dusk to dawn only when Twilight really wanted to sleep. It was annoying, especially when it felt deliberate on her daughter’s behalf. Twilight rolled her eyes, managing a sweet smile despite her mild exasperation. Mayday was already shaping up to be just like Peter. Twilight shrugged before closing her eyes and settling into the plush comforts on her bed, snuggling her face against Peter’s chest.
His warmth started to envelope her, and sleep steadily began to take hold. Unfortunately, that came to a screeching halt once somepony started kicking. Twilight’s eyes shot open. There Mayday was again. The princess closed her eyes, determined to ignore the baby’s grasp for attention, but it was for naught, as she started to kick a touch harder. Twilight recalled the first time Mayday threw her first kick. It was cute at first, if not beautiful, but the novelty had long worn off… two months ago.
“Go to sleep,” Twilight growled through a whisper, directing her voice toward her bump. At times Mayday responded to her mother’s voice, but for the most part she didn’t. It seemed she was around her mother too much, and Twilight’s effect had dwindled away. Mayday preferred Peter’s voice, practically jumping whenever he spoke to her. It led Twilight to believe that her daughter would become a daddy’s girl, seeing as Peter always managed to calm the baby down before she was even born. Defeated, Twilight poked the stallion. “Hey… wake up.”
Peter mumbled a response, slurring before slipping back into slumber. Twilight smirked as she poked the stallion a second time. This was usually his response to the mare’s attempts to wake him up whenever he overslept. That was either met with a cup of cold water to the face or a magical shove out of the bed, but Twilight refrained from using those techniques this time, seeing as the stallion had a right to sleep at two o’clock in the morning in contrast to noon. Peter eventually woke from his slumber and let out a low yawn after brushing traces of sleep from his eyes.
“What’s going on?” Peter slurred, his senses slow to steady.
Twilight giggled sheepishly. “Your daughter’s awake… again.” She trailed off, a small sense of guilt having developed once her mind realized how ridiculous and selfish she was being. Twilight allowed her head to fall back and sink into her pillow. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep.”
Peter gave the princess a sleepy smile. “It’s okay. I can always fall back asleep later.”
Twilight lost herself in a sea of bliss, evident by her glossy smile. That was such a simple-minded answer, yet it was nothing short of perfect coming from Peter in the mare’s eyes. She wanted to kiss him so badly, her mouth yearning for his taste. Peter’s hazel gaze found Twilight’s violet irises. No words were needed, as the stallion could read the mare’s expression vividly. His mouth pressed against hers, holding fast before deepening. The pair hesitantly parted, succumbing to their need for oxygen, but they tightened their embrace as well as the pink blanket wrapped around their bodies.
Placing a hoof over the mare’s bump, Peter rested his head alongside it and chuckled. Twilight shivered involuntarily once the stallion’s hot breath tickled her fur, and she couldn’t contain her smile as Mayday happily kicked a response.
“Hey, May. Why are you up so late?” Peter whispered, his voice soothing and filled with love. “I know it’s soon, but we might have to give you a curfew. Mommy needs to sleep.”
Mayday’s wiggling continued, with more excitement in her movements. Twilight let out a defeated sigh before smiling. “I guess she’s too excited to listen tonight. I’m sorry, honey. It looks like I woke you up for nothing.”
Peter shook his head. “I wouldn’t say that. The night’s young. Let’s talk.”
Twilight’s eyes widened at the suggestion, and her lips curled in interest. “Huh? I mean, sure! About what, exactly?”
Peter grinned. “Whatever comes to mind. Ask me anything.”
“Anything, huh?” the princess murmured, pursing her lips.
Twilight rolled onto her side, prompting the stallion to mirror her action, and the couple shared a gaze, their faces inches apart. Many questions spiraled through the confines of her mind. She was marrying Peter, yet there was still quite a bit the mare didn’t know about her future husband. Although, the reverse could also be said, with Peter not knowing some things about the mare. Twilight knew about the important things: the type of individual he was, what made him tick, and the depth of his personality.
However, Peter never really talked about himself, for he was one that never put himself at the forefront of attention. Twilight was no different, telling others about herself only when they asked for such information. There were small things she longed to know, and this seemed like the opportune time to learn some truths. Twilight’s smile widened as a sense of giddiness hovered in her chest. She felt silly, but so much pleasure came from simple talks, especially when they were shared with Peter.
The princess giggled once something came into mind. “What’s your most embarrassing moment before we met?”
Peter snorted involuntarily. “You’re not pulling any punches. It’s actually hard for me to pick an embarrassing moment. I’m a walking embarrassment. You’ve seen what I wear in my spare time.” The stallion blinked, glancing off to the side before chuckling at a realization. “Okay. You know what? I remember one incident in particular. It’s pretty stupid now that I’m really thinking about it.”
“What is it?” Twilight innocently asked, leaning on the stallion’s words.
“Two words: Bombastic Bag-Man,” Peter muttered, earning a befuddled expression from the mare. “It happened when I was at the Baxter Building, home of the Fantastic Four. An emergency broke out, but I didn’t have my costume. That was when I first found out that the black suit was actually an alien parasite, and Mister Fantastic had it removed. I needed a way to protect my identity. You know how I always improvise, but you call it bumbling?”
Twilight smirked. “Yeah. What happened?”
He chuckled sheepishly. “I borrowed a Fantastic Four uniform from the Human Torch, but they don’t wear masks for their costumes. So I threw a paper bag over my head, cut a pair of eye-holes in it, and called myself the Bombastic Bag-Man.”
Twilight threw a hoof over her mouth, failing to suppress her urge to laugh. “That actually worked.”
Peter waved his hoof dismissively. “It was a onetime thing. Trust me. It’s why I’m really appreciative for Rarity nowadays. She’s got three extra costumes stashed in her home in case something happens. As we know, something always happens.” The stallion arched a brow. “How about you? What’s your most embarrassing moment? Besides your purple lipstick?”
Twilight flicked her hoof over the tip of the stallion’s nose, exhaling. “That was an experiment. I thought you might have liked it.”
Peter smiled warmly, pausing before placing a kiss at the center of his fiance’s forehead. “Lipstick’s not your thing, and I’m not a fan of it.” The stallion placed a hoof over Twilight’s hip and caressed her fur, earning a content moan for his efforts. Peter took the moment to capture her lips in his own, grinning upon parting. “Besides, I love the taste of your lips, not Macy’s.”
Twilight’s face burned. After so long, Peter’s words never failed to charm her. “You really have a way with words.” She sighed, sobering as her mind recollected the previously asked question. Twilight’s complexion paled. Sadly, there was a plethora of embarrassing situations to sort through. The alicorn shook her head, dismayed. “This is embarrassing.” Her lips managed to curl into a smile. “I’m realizing how much I’ve changed because of you, and I mean this is in the best possible way.”
Peter stood himself up into a sitting position, tilting his head to the side. “Huh? What do you mean?”
Twilight’s cheeks flushed to a shade of pink. “Well, there was the time I accidentally caused a panic in the village, and it was over nothing.” The princess moaned. She had to be more specific. That happened a few times. “When I first came to Ponyville, Princess Celestia told me to update her weekly on what I’ve learned about friendship. For a while, something always happened, it was always solved, and I would tell the princess what I learned. Then, one week, nothing happened.”
Peter furrowed his brow. “That’s a good thing, right?”
Twilight shook her head. “At that time, I thought it was a horrible thing. I panicked. When I couldn’t find a friendship problem, I decided to make one. So, I found the Crusaders and offered them my Smarty Pants doll. What they didn’t know was that I had cast the Want-It-Need-It spell on it. They started fighting, and I finally found my problem. However…” The princess trailed off, facehoofing. “Almost the entire town started fighting over the doll. Luckily, Princess Celestia was there to cancel out the spell.”
What started as small snickering morphed into hysterical laughter. Peter clutched at his sides, guffawing. “So, that’s what happened to your old doll! You actually--!” Coherent speech was impossible to maintain once his laughter resurfaced. Twilight stared blankly at the stallion, groaning as it lasted for well over a minute. Recollecting his breath through low chuckling, Peter wiped the tears from his eyes. “Wow. I was not expecting that.”
Her exasperation diminished, allowing the mare to smile. “That’s why I’m glad that you’ve changed me. I’m not quite as erratic as I used to be, and I’ve learned that it’s a good idea to listen to my heart instead of my head. Sometimes.” The couple shared an intimate moment of laughter before playing their game further. Twilight clapped her hooves together happily. “Let’s keep going! This is fun.”
Peter nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Ask me anything.”
“Who was your best friend on Earth?” Twilight asked playfully, giggling. No response was given, the stallion glancing off to the side. Oblivious, Twilight rested her head on Peter’s lap and tapped his chest lightly. “Come on! Who was it?”
Peter scratched the back of his head. “Oh, boy. This is going to be awkward.” The stallion brushed his hooves against each other, murmuring under his breath. It was something he suppressed, hoping to never speak of again, but in this case, there was no alternative. Peter inhaled deeply before exhaling. “His name was Harry…” he trailed off before finding the courage to continue. “Harry Osborn.”
Twilight’s mouth fell agape. “What?! No.” She shook her head. “Is he related to…?”
“Yeah. Harry is Norman Osborn’s son,” Peter whispered, nodding.
Like lightning would strike a rod, the truth hit Twilight with the utmost force. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. “I don’t believe it. That monster actually had a son?”
Peter chuckled, understanding his fiance’s confusion and shock. “Norman Osborn wasn’t always the Green Goblin. He used to be a normal businessman. A genius, even. Granted, he had a chip on his shoulder, but the Goblin transformation happened through an accident.” The stallion cleared his throat, desperate to leave the topic of his old nemesis. “Anyways. Harry. He was a great guy. I was always bullied in school. Harry… always backed me up. He was rich but aloof. It’s sort of why we got along so well. I was too shy to talk to anybody, and Harry was so indifferent that no one ever really got to him.”
Twilight smiled. “He sounds nice. Nothing like his father.”
Peter scoffed, an empty smile forming on his face. “He was, but we had a falling out not too long before I was pulled into Equestria. It was days after Gwen died. I never had a chance to explain myself. He went overseas and started a company in his father’s name.” The stallion’s eyes glanced towards the ceiling. “You really don’t want to know what his last words were to me. It ended with…” Peter cleared his throat. “You can go straight to H-E-double hockey stick!’ or something along those lines.”
Twilight’s brow furrowed. “You don’t sound bothered by it.”
Peter shook his head, brushing a hoof through Twilight’s mane before caressing her cheek affectionately. “It’s ancient history. I was a wreck at that point, Twi. I was so shook up over what happened to Gwen that I cut everyone out. I pushed all of my friends away, what few ones I had. I was really at my lowest point when you brought me here. That’s why I love you so much. You gave me a reason to smile again… to hope and believe again. Even in myself.” A smile eventually surfaced on the stallion’s face. “It’s why you’re my best friend now.”
Twilight smiled sweetly. “You’re my best friend, too. You’re not my BBBFF, but I think you’re perfect as my BCBFF.” Peter arched a brow, earning a giggle from the princess. “Shining Armor is my Big Brother Best Friend Forever. You are my Best Coltfriend Best Friend Forever.”
“That’s a mouthful,” Peter murmured, clinching as Twilight’s hoof struck his stomach. The stallion arched a brow. “Speaking of Shining, when are you going to tell him that you’re engaged?”
Twilight huffed. “When I’m ready. He felt the need to surprise me at the last minute. Maybe I should do the same to him?” Her tone was harsh, masked with a growl.
Peter chuckled, rubbing the mare’s bump until a content sigh earned. “How about when Mayday is born?”
Twilight glanced off to the side, frowning. “I’ll think about it. No promises.”
Peter held his hoof under Twilight’s lip, tickling the fur on her chin. “You’re cute when you’re mad.”
They continued to exchange sets of questions and answers for hours on end, paying no mind to the time that passed. Moments like this were cherishable. Even when nothing was said, Twilight was comfortable, smiling from ear-to-ear as her fiance rested the side of his head against her bump. Peace was wonderful when shared with somepony special, and Twilight only wanted to lose herself in this blissful sensation.
It could last for days, weeks, months, years, decades, or eons. The princess smiled, not forgetting about Mayday. Their lives were about to change, yet she was ready to embrace that destiny: to become a mother and start a family. Rays of light seeped in through the closed curtains, prompting the princess to use her magic to open the curtain via magic. The couple stared at the rising sun with stunned expressions, the stallion chuckling sheepishly while the mare blinked.
Twilight facehoofed. “By the stars. We stayed up all night?”
Peter shrugged, grinning. “Looks like it.” The stallion kissed the mare’s bump. “Is Mayday still awake?”
Twilight’s eyes shot open. “I completely forgot about her. I think she stopped kicking about an hour ago.” Peter snorted involuntarily, chuckling as he slid under the bed covers and pulled Twilight into his hooves. The princess snuggled into his grasp, burying her face into the crook of his neck. “What should we do?”
“What else?” Peter asked, whispering something into the mare’s ear. Twilight smiled before using her magic to close the curtains. Darkness retook its hold throughout the room, yet the stallion only tightened his grasp on the alicorn. “We sleep in for once. I think we have an excuse to waste the day away.”
Twilight furrowed her brow. “It’ll be really… unproductive.”
“So? These days are the best,” Peter said matter-of-factly, grinning. “We can do absolutely nothing and feel like we’ve done everything. Wasting time is the best, especially when you’re here with me.”
Twilight smiled, caressing the stallion’s cheek before pressing her lips against his. “Time spent with you is never wasted, so I guess we can sleep in until noon.” Peter planted a soft kiss along the mare’s horn, earning a pleased shudder. Twilight bit down on her lip. “Until two.” Another kiss was placed on the side of her neck. The alicorn shook her head, defeated. “Fine. We’ll stay here until Mayday wakes back up.”
Peter lowered his head before kissing Twilight’s bump. “I love this kid already.”
Twilight smiled contently. “...and I love you both.”