Heart of Stone: Recovery Light

by TheCrimsonDM

Chapter Eight: Big Family

Three weeks and four bowls of pickle enhanced chocolate pudding later, Trixie sat on the front porch listening to the ruckus going on inside. She felt full after all that pudding, and yet she knew she could eat another bowl if it was placed down in front of her. When the door opened and Maud stepped out Trixie padded a spot next to her.

“The others are all enjoying themselves. Do you want to come in?” Maud asked.

The stars twinkled up above and Trixie couldn’t help but to think back to how everything had slowly gotten better. Maud and Trixie were under constant siege of visits, hugs, and congratulations from everypony. Twilight had healed nicely and was once again studying friendship, and Valiant Heart was helping her, despite Valiant’s constant mockery of the idea.

“After everything we’ve been through, do you think things will ever be the same again?” Trixie asked.

Maud took a seat. “Probably not. We’ve all grown and changed so much.”

Trixie frowned. “For the better?”

“I think so.”

“Yeah… me too.”

Trixie looked up at her. “How’s everypony doing inside? Spike and Rarity haven’t run off to f-“

“Lulu, no swearing. I don’t want the baby to hear.”

That made Trixie smile. “I’m pretty sure that our little filly won’t mind.”

“They say that babies can hear every single sound that the mother does. So swearing is a no-no.”

This time Trixie laughed. “Okay, okay. I won’t swear… have they though?”

“Not yet.”

Trixie pushed herself up. “Let’s go meet and greet.”

Maud kissed Trixie gently on the cheek. “Okay.”

Once inside Trixie saw Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy sitting at the kitchen table talking quietly, Spike was holding the dragon egg in a pouch over his chest, every now and then he would snort a quick breath of flames over it. Rarity stood next to him, smiling and talking louder than anypony else. Applejack and family were talking to a very plump Rainbow Dash. Finally Celestia and Luna were quietly sitting on a couch and trying their best not to take up the entire house.

There was seriously not enough room in this little house at the edge of Equestria for all these ponies and it felt very crowded. Even so, Trixie didn’t mind the extra company, in fact she relished in having so many ponies she cared about so close. Trixie was sure her mom and Doctor Timequill would have been here too if the this party hadn’t come at a bad time for them.

“Look everypony it’s Trixie!” Pinkie Pie called out excitedly.

Everypony raised whatever they were holding, drink, plate of food, in Twilight’s case a book, and all together they shouted, “TO TRIXIE!”

She stood there in silence for a moment, blinked and then shook her head. “I didn’t do a darn thing.”

“You’re preggers,” Pinkie Pie said. “You don’t need to do anything.”

Trixie took a few steps in and couldn’t stop grinning. Maud shut the door behind them. “Everypony… thank you.”

Twilight smiled at her, she was still covered in bandages and her mane was styled in a way that looked very similar to Inkie’s, meaning that half of her face was covered up by her mane; the bandaged half of course. She went back to reading her book while the others started up their previous conversations.

Trixie decided that sitting next to Twilight was a good idea, so she did and saw Valiant hiding in the corner with pair of earplugs in, while reading a book. She was hiding between the wall and the couch with her whiteboard lying next to her with a message scrawled on it.

“She’s rather sweet isn’t she?” Twilight asked.

Trixie nodded. “Of course she is, she’s my daughter after all.”

“I talked to Luna about that, she has a pair of eyes watching the filly’s parents making sure they don’t try and do something stupid again,” Twilight said.

“Thanks… how’s your pain?”

“It’s not as bad as it used to be. My alicorn regeneration has kicked in ever since I woke up and the wounds are almost completely healed.” She paused and looked at Luna. “I’m still wearing the bandages because of the scars… the only pony here other than you four that have seen them is Luna.” A warm smile grew over her lips. “You know what she did when she saw them?”

“What?”

“She kissed me, in a really, really good way.”

Trixie grinned. “I guess that shows where her loyalties really lay.”

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie came over next. Fluttershy’s eyes were blue again, and her features far less batty. Of course when she flashed a smile, her fangs were as sharp as ever before, but she looked more or less friendly now. “Maud, Trixie,” Fluttershy said politely. “This is such a wonderful party, thank you for inviting us.”

Maud smiled at her. “You can drop the act, me and Trixie both know how badly your friends scolded you after what you did. We can be friends now.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Oh that would be wonderful. Thank you.”

“After all, I impregnated her,” Maud said. “That means I won.”

Fluttershy blinked, and then looked down at the space between her hooves. “Uh, y-yes.”

“And you’re in love with my sister.”

Pinkie Pie kissed Fluttershy on the cheek. “Everypony else is getting married so we have something to ask you, don’t we Flutterpoo?”

Fluttershy gulped. “I, um, that is, i-if it’s okay with you, if it’s not I’ll understand, but um, I… I. C-can I marry your sister?”

Maud didn’t even blink. “Yes.”

Fluttershy sat down, hard. “R-really?”

“You two love each other right?”

Fluttershy and Pinkie both nodded.

“Then get married if you want. Just invite mom and dad.”

Pinkie Pie frowned. “Yeah, okay… it’s still weird you know? Going back… home and knowing what I do.”

Maud smiled. “You’re still our sister.”

Pinkie Pie smiled. “Thanks.”

Rarity smiled at Spike, and her eyes flashed gold as she kissed him on the cheek. “How’s Jade?”

“She’s still twitching inside that egg, I guess that means she’s close to hatching,” Spike replied.

“Oh our baby’s kicking again!” Rarity exclaimed. “It’s so cute.”

“Think she’ll be a strong pony like you?” Spike asked.

“Oh but of course, she will be inheriting my shop after all… there is no way in Tartarus I would leave it to Sweetie after the last time she tried to make a dress. Ponies have four legs, not six,” Rarity said.

“She could make great Halloween costumes,” Spike joked.

“She could make great horror stories you mean.”

Twilight apologized to Fluttershy, and Trixie listened to the kind mare’s response. “It’s okay, I seem to be turning back to normal by myself… when I’m not angry. I really like this though, I can fly really fast, and apples taste really good.”

“Yer not gonna be stealing apples again, are ya?” Applejack asked. The filly on her back bounced and squealed playfully.

Fluttershy’s eyes darted left and right. “N-no of course not… I’ll um… buy them?”

Applejack shook her head. “Ah’ll give ya a discount.”

“Yay,” Fluttershy said quietly.

Spike walked over to Twilight. “Hey, so I found out that Celestia is keeping a few members of staff present at your castle, permanently.”

Twilight nodded. “She thinks I can’t take care of myself.”

“Sure you can, you were doing great without me.”

“No, Spike… I was falling to pieces without you around,” Twilight’s eyes glossed over. “I didn’t even know how to cook spaghetti. So a permanent staff would be good.”

“Just don’t get snobby,” Spike joked.

“Oh, like I could ever do that.” Twilight sucked in a breath, and then buried her face into the top of his head. “I love you, you know.”

He nodded. “I love you too.”

Rarity looked away shyly. “Does anypony else find it weird that my mother in law is several years younger than me? Or is that just unfair?”

Trixie shrugged. “It sounds like it’s just bad luck for you.”

“Well,” Rarity said, she licked her lips with a forked tongue. “At least I am part dragon. Even Twilight can’t hope to top that.”

Trixie rolled her eyes.

“How is Valiant doing?” Rarity asked. “Sweetie has missed playing with her.”

“She’s hiding and reading with earplugs in,” Trixie replied.

“Val doesn’t like company as much as us,” Maud said. Trixie knew that Maud didn’t like it much more than the filly.

Rarity glanced over at the kitchen. “Pinkie must be on one again, I saw a bowl of half finished chocolate pudding with pickle slices in it. Ew.”

“That’s uh… that’s mine,” Trixie admitted. Rarity shot her a look of utter disgust. “Well the baby is hungry for pickles, lots of pickles, in everything.”

“Trixie tried to eat a peanut butter sandwich with pickles on it earlier.”

“I threw up.”

Rarity frowned. “Morning sickness already?”

“Ugh, I hope not. That wouldn’t be fair.” Trixie rubbed her belly with a hoof. “Hear that, mommy doesn’t want morning sickness, so don’t give it to her.”

Rainbow Dash took to the air and hovered about two feet off the ground while giving a mighty whistle. Everypony quieted down and gave her their attention. Luna and Twilight were smiling. Rainbow Dash clapped her hooves together and grinned like a schoolfilly.

“Everypony, listen up I have two very important things to say. First of all, the news that only Twilight Sparkle and Luna know,” Rainbow Dash said with clear excitement in her voice. “I am officially Twilight’s second knight. Last week those two got together and discussed it.”

A series of cheers broke out around the room.

“And for the even better news,” Rainbow Dash said. “I’m still able to fly even though I’m pregnant and fat.” Everypony laughed. “But no seriously, I’m Twilight’s second knight and that means I’ll be doing all kinds of important friendship stuff. I’m like, the superhero of friendship.”

Pinkie Pie chimed in, “Did you come up with a name for your filly yet?”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “I did actually. It’s Lord Rainbow!”

Everypony groaned. Rarity spoke up. “You simply cannot condone a filly or a colt to such an awful name. Please pick something with at least a modest amount of dignity.”

“Hey my babe’s name is ‘Lord’ that’s plenty of dignity. In fact that makes him a dignitary.”

Rarity buried her head into the woodwork. “I am not hearing this, I am not hearing this.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I have the feeling that she might change it before she’s done.”

Trixie leaned back in her couch, snuggled up with Maud, her warm, muscular body pressed against her own and nuzzled into Maud’s neck. “I guess life is going crazy for everypony.”

“Once Pinkie has a child, then things will get crazy,” Maud answered.

Trixie gave a sly look to the pair. “Are you two interested? I know a pony that can help you out with that.”

The pair of them blushed and looked shyly away from each other. “Uh…”