Thirty-Minute Pony Stories

by Silvernis

314: The Longest Night

314: THE LONGEST NIGHT

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Twilight paced briskly around the waiting room. Rarity slumped in one of the uncomfortable chairs, fretting and looking close to swooning again. Rainbow Dash hovered overhead, not really going anywhere but clearly unable to stay put. Applejack was trying to play old maid with Applebloom on one of the end tables, but the little filly was more asleep than awake, and neither of them were paying much attention to the cards. Pinkie Pie, to nopony’s great surprise, was bouncing in place while cheerfully expounding her plans for the party to the nurse at the desk.

Rainbow suddenly groaned again and did a barrel roll. “Is she ever going to finish?” she wailed. “We’ve been here for hours! It’s almost morning!”

“Simmer down, Sally,” snapped Applejack. “They don’t just pop out like peanuts, ya know. She’ll be done when she’s done.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think it would take this long!” Abruptly, the pegasus dropped into a chair and fidgeted with her hooves. “It shouldn’t take this long,” she said, her rough voice quiet, almost scared. “I’m getting worried.”

Applejack’s face softened. “Now let’s not have any of that, sugar cube. She’ll be fine.”

“I do hope you’re right, dear,” put in Rarity. “Fluttershy is so very fragile, and with twins . . . ” She shuddered. “Twilight, are you quite sure there’s nothing you can do?”

The pacing unicorn shook her head as she continued her circuit. “I offered, but she doesn’t want me to use magic to help. She told me she’s going to do it herself no matter what.”

“What about Big Macintosh? Perhaps he can persuade her to let you ease things along a bit.”

“I tried that, too. He didn’t want me doing anything if she didn’t ask for it—or at least, I think that’s what he said. He was pretty, um . . . agitated.”

Applejack chuckled weakly. “Poor Big Mac. He’s been in a right state since her water broke.”

“Yeah,” said Rainbow, snickering, “you should’ve seen him pull that cart down the road. I thought Fluttershy was gonna fall out. If the Wonderbolts ever start accepting earth ponies, I know where they can look for their first recruit.”

Rarity tutted. “Now, girls, be nice. The father-to-be is supposed to be anxious. This is a new and rather frightening experience for him, after all.”

They chuckled at that, nopony wanting to point out that it was new and rather frightening for all of them.

Their nervous laugher instantly died as a muffled scream sounded from beyond the big double doors that separated the waiting room from the ward proper. Another scream followed a moment later, then another, then one long, keening wail that went on for far too long before abruptly cutting off.

“FLUTTERSHY!” cried five mares and one young filly as they smashed through the doors and galloped down the hall.

They nearly bowled over the smocked unicorn stallion emerging from the delivery room.

“Doctor, is she all right?”

“I wanna see my new cousins—uh, nieces!”

“Let us in! We gotta see her!”

“Can we use confetti in there? Maybe balloons?”

“How ’bout the foals? They out yet?

“Good sir, we beseech you—”

The unicorn sighed and held up a hoof, as if trying to hold back the wave of questions. “Ladies, please. Calm yourselves.” He coughed politely. “It was a difficult delivery, but she’s perfectly fine now. The foals are also perfectly healthy.”

“Pegasi?” said Rainbow Dash hopefully.

“No,” said the doctor. “Earth ponies. A boy and a girl.”

“Ha!” crowed Applejack. “Looks like ya owe me ten bits, RD.”

Twilight stepped forward. “Can we see her now? Please?”

The doctor considered for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Very well, but do keep your voices down. She’s had a very long night—”

“The best night ever!” cheered Pinkie.

“—and she’s very tired. Oh, and do watch your step. Her husband seems to have passed out next to the bed, and frankly, we can’t move him.”

Author's Note:

Random Fluttermac because I can, I guess? Really, I just needed a semi-plausible hetero pairing so I could have the rest of the girls waiting anxiously.