//------------------------------//
// Decisions  
// Story: Surprise Pregnancy 
// by MagicalEntaty 
//------------------------------//

It had been an hour since Twilight found out that she was pregnant. The friends were now all sitting in the lounge of the castle. The walls of the lounge were red, bookshelves lined the wall on one side, and the floor was covered in a light brown carpet which was soft enough to lie on. Chairs, loveseats, and couches were placed all over the room, covered with red fabric with silver patterns on. A graceful fireplace stood against the left side of the room. The fireplace was decorated with silver wings in the middle and silver flowers on the sides that held up the wings. Sitting on the top were many pictures of Twilight and her friends together.
Right now, they were all gathered by the blazing fire in the grate. Twilight sat on a chair and stared into the fire for reassurance about the future. Pinkie was sitting on the floor, looking up at Twilight. She was mentally planning Twilight’s baby shower. Rarity was stretched out on a loveseat, saying: "It's not all bad, right?" Rainbow was flying in around the room in circles, barely stopping to breathe. Applejack was standing directly across from Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy was sitting cross-legged on a couch holding her bunny: Angel. Shadows created by the flickering flames danced around the room.
"Twi … if may I ask … who is the father?" Applejack asked, turning to look at her friend. Rainbow flew over to them, evidently wanting to know as well. Twilight just played with the hem of the jeans that she was wearing, and bit her lip.
"Well, I'm one month pregnant; and the last time, and the first," Twilight added the last part under her breath, "that ‘it happened’ was about a month ago. I know who it is. But ... I can't tell you." A second later, Pinkie’s face was directly in front of hers, grinning.
"So this man lives in that other land and you can't go back there presently, so we can go and tell him instead. So who is he?" Pinkie was bouncing up and down at the idea of going somewhere completely new, and meeting lots of unknown people.
"Girls, please don't go … I need you here," Twilight grabbed Pinkie's hands and looked around at the rest of her friends. "Please … I can't go through this without you." Her eyes prickled with tears as she realized that they were about to ask about the father. "Please don't ask about the father. I pinkie-promised someone that I wouldn't tell anyone who he was." The situation had just got a lot more complicated. It was clear from her tone she loved the mysterious man, but something big was pulling her back or keeping him away. She was on the verge of tears, which for her especially was never a good sign.
The others looked at each other, and nodded. Relief flooded Twilight's face, and everything was fine. That was until Spike asked a question.
"So...uh... What are you going to do with ... it?" Clearly, he didn't know what to think about the little surprise they got, but was still trying to be strong. Twilight, however, hadn't thought of what to do next, her mind was presently full of chaotic thoughts. In fact, she was in danger of having a nervous breakdown any minute. Rarity saw the panic return to her friend’s face full force, and quickly came up with an idea.
"Well, she just found out, you see. How would she know that?" She shot an angry glare at Spike. "But Twilight darling, you are not alone. No matter what you do or go through, we’ll be here for you. No matter what." Rarity got up and walked over to Twilight’s chair. She stopped there and gave Twilight a big hug.
"Thanks, Rarity. But first, the biggest question of all, will I keep it?" The princess looked at her friends, and their faces were blank, no ideas. "Abortion is out of the question, of course. I think that it's wrong so that leaves adoption, or keeping it. Adoption is a bit of a gamble: you will never truly know how it will turn out, and to go through ..." Twilight stopped mid-sentence, the gears in her head stopped turning.
"What am I doing?!" Her sudden outburst caused all her friends to jump. "This is a living being: my child! I can't just think this through just like that! Just go with this, this is the smartest or best, or whatever!" Twilight suddenly got up and walked over to the fire. Staring into it, she could see the flames dancing and flickering, lighting up the whole place. It filled the room with a warm and kind glow, and somehow did the same for her. A metaphorical fire burst to life in Twilight's mind, burning away the foggy mess that the ‘pregnant’ news left it in, and now she knew what path to take. This plan wasn't formed in her head, but in her heart. She turned around and faced her friends: standing in front of the fire; shadows masking her face; casting a long shadow before her. Normally, this would have made someone seem scary or dark, but not Twilight it seemed. She seemed to look stronger; the determination in her eyes glowed, as bright as her magical power. "I'm keeping it, and I want all of you guys to help me if you can." None of them gave this statement a second thought. The princess’s best friends all walked up to her with the same thing in their minds. Twilight was their best friend, the glue that keeps them together; they would never abandon her or her child! They were all going to be there for both of them, no matter what happened!
They surrounded Twilight, and then came together in a big group hug.
Once again, Twilight was thankful to have such good, kind, and loyal friends. They all could have stayed like this forever, but just then a glowing rainbow light came through the smooth, blue crystal ceiling. This was a signal that it was time to hold court: the court of friendship. Twilight looked around at her friends as something popped into her head. Something unpleasant. "Uh girls, I’m sorry that I didn't tell you sooner but... Blueblood is 'appearing' in court today." There was a sudden silence, and Rarity was the first to talk, not surprisingly.
"Excuse me, did you just say Blueblood?!" Twilight nodded. Rarity had been calm throughout Twilight’s breakdown, but now rage flooded her face. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" she clenched her fists.
"I forgot … I'm sorry but this entire ‘pregnant’ thing; well let's just say it’s my top priority at the moment." Rarity was about to say something else but Twilight cut her off. "No, we are not canceling court. Firstly, we missed too many times because I was away. Secondly, he will just keep coming back until we do see him. Lastly, he will think that we’re running away from him. I do not want him to think that we’re scared of him. Is that what you want?" Rarity’s angry face then changed into a determined one. That was the last thing she wanted that pompous jerk to think of her and her friends.
With that covered, they went to the throne room. The place still made them stare in awe whenever they entered. The crystal thrones and the tall curved roof made it seem like it was from another world altogether. On the back wall were six seats: five encircled the last one, which was slightly taller than the rest. Resting upon the five smaller seats were circlets that Rarity had designed for the members of the friendship court. Applejack's was orange with red, round jewels that looked slightly like apples. Rarity's was white with four purple diamonds on the front of it. Fluttershy's was soft yellow; the main part looked slightly like green vines wrapped around each other, had green crystals which looked like leaves, and small pink butterflies on each leaf. It spoke of nature, just perfect for her. Pinkie's was pink with three balloons on the front of it: two yellow, and the center, bigger balloon was blue. It was ‘party perfect’ as Pinkie would say. People often complimented her when she was wearing it. Rainbow's was multi-colored, just like her hair, and had a lightning bolt hanging at the side of the circlet. The biggest seat, the one in the center, held Twilight's gold and purple crown.
They each put their circlets on, all except Applejack, who kept her hat on. They took their respective seats. Court started off rather simply: they said no to a stupid mining company that wished to demolish all the land under Ponyville, and said yes to the construction of a park close to the castle. Then came the person that they dreaded seeing: Prince Blueblood. "Welcome to the castle of friendship. All here are equal and welcomed. But be warned, if you belittle others, or unjustly wish harm on another person, you shall be thrown out." Normally Twilight just said the first part, but she had a feeling that the arrogant prince needed to be told how to behave here. Twilight and her friends all had emotionless faces at this point, not really wanting to speak to Blueblood at all. Spike brought around some tea and cakes, but when Blueblood tried to grab some, all he got was a burned hand. His gaze shifted to Rarity who was glaring daggers at him.
"I see that the riff-raff are still here," he said, eyeing everyone in the room. Blueblood had been trying to convince everyone to throw Twilight out of her rights as a princess ever since Twilight's coronation. All of her friends being named nobles on equal status to Celestia and Luna just pissed him off even more. Rainbow was so close to telling him that Twilight was pregnant, just to see his reaction, but she thought better of it. His comment didn’t fall on deaf ears though, as Applejack replied with anger in her voice.
"Blueblood, that was yer first chance: keep that up an’ ya'll be gone." Twilight glared at him.
"Blueblood, you are here for something. What is it?" His cold blue gaze rested on Twilight’s face.
"I want you to remove the titles that you gave to these... nothings... and give them to people more deserving of them." That remark hit Rainbow's nerves, hard.
"How dare you! I'm guessing that the 'more deserving' one is you or others like you!" Rainbow looked just like a bull who was ready to charge. Pinkie Pie had a look that could possibly kill. The party planner was almost as angry as if he’d broken a Pinkie Promise.
"You think that we didn't earn this?” the party girl yelled. “Well, you're wrong: we’ve done more than yooouuuu will ever do. When was the last time you saved Equestria, or tried to help another person, other than yourself?" She was in a full-scale rant. Fluttershy was just staring at the ‘prince’, eyes as wide as disks. Twilight's fury was almost ready to blow, but there was something that she noticed, just then.
"Pinkie, may I talk?" Pinkie replied with her usual joy.
"Ooki, doki, loki!"
"Thank you. Now Blueblood, you‘ve been out to get me even before my coronation. Now, not only are you questioning Celestia, the ruler that has led this land in happiness from before your parents were born. Now you’re questioning the Tree of Harmony; the most powerful force of good in the whole world, the thing that has always given us what we needed to thrive, that always has a reason for whatever it does. The Tree of Harmony chose my friends to hold their titles. Not me, or Celestia, or Luna: it was the Tree. My friends have all proven themselves as true embodiments of their respective elements. We’ve all proven ourselves. And you or anyone like you can't just strut up and demand that people, who’ve truly earned their titles as nobles lose everything they worked long and hard for … to someone like you. Someone who hasn't ever done anything for the better of anyone! You must truly be desperate to have us kicked out: to try and get us to be angry, just so that you could try to convince people that we’re horrible rulers by making a false record."
When those last words left Twilight's mouth, the prince’s calm face suddenly snapped and turned into a panicked one. "I ... That ... No." Her magic blazed into existence, and pulled a tape recorder from a pocket of his white jacket. Anger sizzled in the air, almost audible. Twilight turned off the recorder and everyone, except herself, broke out into angry shouts. "Well Blueblood, I think that this will be enough proof of your acts toward the crown. I will have Celestia verify it in this case." Furious, Blueblood charged at Twilight but was caught in a magical field, courtesy of the castle itself, and thrown out.