//------------------------------// // Nightshade // Story: TiM: Heart Warming Heartbeat // by Harmony Split //------------------------------// Chapter One: Nightshade Hearth's Warming Eve “I can’t be late! I can’t be late!” Taz shouted as he ran through Canterlot. “Out of my way everypony!” Taz tried to maintain his speed, but it was a hard task as he ran through the winter market that was crowded with ponies. They slowed him down, much to his chagrin. Only barely an hour ago, he had gotten the message to come to the castle, quickly. Nightshade was on her way. He would curse himself to no end if he came just a second too late for this. Given his size, it was a challenge to get everypony out of his way. Even at the age of fourteen going on fifteen, he had far outgrown the size of most stallions, and right now, the only pony that could claim to be taller than him was his sister, Shimmering Night, the alicorn. So while ponies could see him coming, making accommodations for his bulk proved to be another challenge altogether. More than once, the stallion would flat out push or shove ponies out of his way, ‘Sorrys’ left in his wake as he moved onto the next obstacle to overcome. He told himself he should feel bad about it. He just couldn’t bring himself to feel that way though. It had been months since Nightshade should have been born. Indeed, Nighttide had been carrying Nightshade for almost thirteen months now, two months longer than a normal mare’s gestation cycle. Twilight had scanned her up down left and right. All the tests came back saying the same thing. Nightshade just wasn’t ready to be born. And regardless of how ready Nighttide or Taz were for her to come out, she’d come out when she was ready and not a second before. Taz had been as accommodating as it was possible to be for his pregnant wife. Every need she had, he took it as a personal mission to fulfill. And it was for that very reason, on Hearth's Warming Day, in the snow, he was out looking for a very specific blueberry pie that she wanted only found at one local bakery in ponyville. Needless to say, it was difficult to get back to Canterlot in time. Something he had to thank his personal guard, but due their fatigue, he had to leave them behind shortly after the chariot crossed the border to Canterlot. I could’ve asked them to continue to the castle, but that would be outright slavery, he thought while running, hoping he hadn’t miss anything yet. He pushed himself as hard as he could, feeling the cold wind like daggers piercing his lungs as he took each labored breath. Taz was an earth pony and a blank, someone that magic simply couldn’t effect, that couldn’t be targeted by magic unless he wanted it, and even then, it took his full concentration to maintain that. That condition had it’s obvious drawbacks and, as much as he was loath to admit it at times, benefits. He was enjoying one such benefit at this moment. Taz was more than in shape. He had to be to keep up with his family, as well as his wife's… urges. Quickly, he caught sight of Celestia's Palace right around the next bend. Taz lept over a stack of boxes, nearly braining a pony that was in his way as well, but he didn’t stop to think about it. He simply kept continuing, accepting the ‘almost hit’ as nothing more than a learning experience. Even if that ponies curses were right behind him. He rounded the bend to the palace itself. The royal guards on duty stood at attention, clicking their spears to the ground as he ran past and into the main hallway, not even sparing them the ‘at ease’ that was customary for a member of Equestria’s royalty.   He slid through the hallways and up the stairs to Nighttide and his personal room. The room Nighttide insisted on staying in, much to the complaints of the doctors. She didn’t care at all, and it went without saying that Taz would always take the side of his wife. Taz was more than out of breath as he stopped in front of the door to the personal quarters he shared with Nighttide. He could hear voices from inside, and Nighttide screaming. She screamed loud, loud enough for him to worry and kick the door open. Right into the muzzle of one of the doctors. “Sorry!” Taz cried out as he leapt over the doctor and right to Nighttide’s side. “Hey, somepony finally made it!” His brother, Dayspring Gleam called out from Nighttide’s other side. Taz just blew him a raspberry as he took a second to gather his breath and look around the room. Nighttide, the dark-blue pegasus with the sky-blue mane, his very pregnant wife, was in the bed in the center of the room. She looked more exhausted than he had ever seen her in his life, but, with the sight of him, she couldn’t help but smile and reach out a hoof. Taz took it without a second’s hesitation. Dayspring Gleam, Taz’s older brother/mentor, was on the other side. As Nighttide’s stepfather, he had been holding her other hoof, not wanting to let his step-daughter go through this alone. The light purple unicorn with the rainbow mane couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his younger brother. He was more proud than he had ever been in his entire life. Dayspring Gleam’s wife, Princess Luna--and Nighttide’s mom--had made room for Taz as soon as he had arrived. She stepped to the side, her own belly telling just how far along she was with Nighttide’s soon-to-be younger sister. Taz’s mom, Twilight Sparkle was standing side by side with his cousin, Princess Starlight. Even though she was only fourteen, Starlight had proven to be an expert with many forms of healing magic, magic that not even Dayspring Gleam could hope to match. And while Twilight was the end all be all when it came to magic, not even she could hope to catch every little thing. It was always good to have a backup, especially in such an… unusual birth such as this. There were at least four doctors all around the now super crowded room, each dressed in white labcoats. Taz didn’t pay them any real attention. “It should be time now,” one of the doctors spoke up as Nighttide cried out again, this time much louder. By the wincing sounds of Dayspring and Taz, she nearly crushed their hooves while the contraction held on. Taz’s muzzle stayed focused on Nighttide’s. He looked deep into her sky-blue eyes, his magenta ones trying to will the pain away from her. He knew he couldn’t, he logically knew that anyway, but logic wasn’t really at play here. Nighttide looked pleadingly at him. Her large stomach heaving with each breath she took. Her eyes telling the tale of just how much pain she was in. “I tried easing her pain for an hour, but something,” Twilight looked at Starlight, then over to Taz and shook her head. “Something isn’t quite right. I feel the foal, but it is somehow different.” “What do you mean?” Taz asked, fear in his voice. “It’s not a pegasus, earth pony, or unicorn,” Twilight replied. “An alicorn?” Dayspring asked. “No,” Starlight answered sadly. “But we’ll see it soon.” “Whatever she is,” Taz said as he looked back down to the worried face of his wife, “she’ll be perfect. After all, just look at her mother.” Nighttide actually managed a smile. “Still flattering, as always.” “For you, my love? Alway—” “AHHHHH!!!!!” Nighttide shouted up into the sky for all her might as the biggest, worst contraction yet hit her, cutting off Taz’s sentence. “She’s crowing!” One of the doctors yelled out as he made to move into position to help with the delivery. Twilight and Starlight both moved up, they channeled magic to their horns, ready to do whatever they could for their two patients: the foal being born, and the daughter of a possessed alicorn and god. Taz felt like his hoof was about to shatter with the amount of pressure that Nighttide was placing on it. Buck it, break my hoof if it helps. “Push, Nighttide, push!” the doctor yelled out. “I’m… trying…” she replied, gasping for whatever strength she could find. “C’mon hon, almost there. You can do it, you can do it for me, for us,” Taz said as he held her tighter, trying to do whatever he could for the pony he so loved. “Oh my,” Dayspring said with batted breath. “What is it‽” Taz shouted, “What?” “Taz, she’s… beautiful.” “Her head’s free, her wings are coming, about there, just two more pushes!” Twilight said. Tears were falling down Taz’s face as he spoke, “C’mon honey, just two more pushes and we get to hold our daughter. Just two more. You can do that for me.” “We can switch if you think this is easy!” Nighttide screamed as she pushed as hard as she could. While her head was raised, Taz wrapped a hoof under her and squeezed with all his might. “If I could I would in a heartbeat, I love you so much right now. C’mon, you can do this.” Nighttide cried out again as another contraction hit. She squeezed his hoof as hard as she could as she pushed down with all her remaining strength, and the strength she got from Taz. “And, she’s out!” The doctor yelled as he pulled the small bundle away from the table, not letting either of the parents get a good look just yet. Nighttide collapsed onto the bed, her strength all but spent as she simply cried. “You did so wonderful, I love you so much,” Taz said. “I love you to—” “Waaaaahhhhhhhh!” The cry echoed around the room. Everypony that heard it, even the doctors couldn’t help but smile as Nightshade cried out for the first time in her life. Taz and Nighttide giggled. Even though they were both exhausted by the day's events, they couldn’t stop smiling. They both looked down to see Twilight, Starlight, Luna, and Dayspring crowding around the doctors, all wanting to get a look at the newest member of the family. “Hey guys, how about the parents get to see too?” Taz asked, his voice choking up with tears. The four ponies each looked at each other. And, in the end, they relented to Princess Luna. The happy grandmother wrapped the swathed, baby filly in her magic and carried her delicately over to her proud parents. Gingerly laying the little bundle of joy in Nighttide’s hooves. The proud parents finally got their first real look at Nightshade. Her coat was mint-green, the mane sparkling like stars at night would in five different shades of blue that merged into purple. Her eyes were of clear, golden color. But that wasn't the only thing marking her special. Nightshade had small, fluffy ears and leathery wings. She was a bat-pony. Taz’s heart broke at the sight of her and his tears increased ten fold, as did Nighttide’s. Both of the proud, happy parents couldn’t stop crying at that moment if the gods themselves came in the room and demanded it. When Nightshade opened her wide, golden eyes, she stared directly into Taz’s. her face full of wonder at what she saw. “Nightshade, my lovely daughter. Welcome to the family,” Taz said through his sobs of joy. “My lovely daughter, I swear to you we’ll show you a world you’ve never known, one of laughter and joy, the world I’ve come to know,” Nighttide said as she nuzzled the little filly with her muzzle. Nightshade cooed and latched onto the muzzle with her hooves, playing with her first friend ever: her mother. “How does it feel being a grandma again?” Dayspring asked Princess Luna as he kissed her on the side of the muzzle. “I may be old, but it still feels wonderful,” Luna smiled. “And don't forget that Nightshade will need a friend to play with later.” “I think that's already being taken care off,” Dayspring grinned and the others smiled. “How long until little Lunar Light is born?” Starlight asked with a kind smile. “I’d say about two more months, give or take,” Luna said with a grin as she held a hoof to her full belly. Everypony in the room was smiling, but on pony in particular caught Taz’s eye. For the few seconds he could tear his gaze away from his wife and daughter, he saw what he could only describe as a twinkle in Starlight’s eye. The pony had been smitten by one look at Nightshade. He wrote that off for now and went back to gushing over his beautiful daughter and gorgeous wife. Both of whom had fallen asleep. After all, it had been a Hearth's Warming Day that neither of them would ever forget. “Well, I think you won the prize for who got the best present,” Twilight said as she walked over and rubbed coats with her youngest son. “You know mom, I think you’re right,” Taz replied back, cooing at her touch. “I’m so proud of you, and I’m more than grateful that you fought against me. Happy Hearth's Warming Day, Taz.” “Look! It's even snowing!” Starlight cried out in joy, pointing to the window. Taz looked outside to see that it was indeed snowing. While he was running through Canterlot, there was no sign of any fresh snowfall. But now, with Nightshade in this world, it seemed like the elements wanted to celebrate as well. To Taz, Nighttide, and the rest of their family, it truly was a perfect Hearth's Warming Day. “Happy Hearth’s Warming Day, Mom,” Taz said back with a loving smile as he watched his daughter coo ever so slightly in her sleep. He took that to mean she agreed.