There it was, that incessant pounding again.
Maybe it was the wind Twilight tried to reason herself back into sleep. The wind could certainly sound like a furious knocking against a door made of crystal.
Twilight groaned, trying to go back to sleep, she glanced at her bedside clock which illuminated the numbers 1:24.
The pounding grew more desperate, and Twilight couldn't convince herself it was just the wind any longer.
Twilight threw off her covers and sighed in anger.
Lighting a candle, she stomped down the stairs heavily, grumbling the whole way down.
"What?!" She shouted as she opened the door, only to be assaulted by a screaming foal.
Twilight looked down in shock, and saw the tiny gray foal, screaming and crying, her scream had obviously terrified the poor thing.
"Oh! Ohoh! I'm so sorry little one!" She soothed, gripping the foal in her magic and rocking them back and fourth.
Eventually the foals cries became little hiccups and Twilight pulled them closer. "Where's your mama little one?"
She looked around for any trace of a mare, but saw none. She hadn't truly expected to anyway, ponies don't leave foals on doorsteps when they want to be identified. She rummaged through the basket, holding the tiny foal on her back, he began to gum on one of her wings.
"Just don't eat it please, I need both to fly." Twilight smiled.
All Twilight found in the foal's basket was a sheet of paper, a small tattered Wonderbolt teddy, and an old patchwork quilt that was falling apart.
When Twilight was sure there was nothing she'd missed, she looked closer at the paper.
His name is Star Chaser, please, find him a better home.
Star Chaser was an accident I wish I could have kept, but I have no home of my own, no family to aid me, and I know he would only suffer and maybe die under my care.
He was born two days ago in -
Twilight could not read the rest, by the end the mare's writing was a mess, and tears stained the paper. Twilight thought maybe she had written it hastily before knocking on her door. The poor mare was trusting Twilight to insure Star Chaser got the life she couldn't give him.
Twilight rubbed her eyes, wiping away the tears that were forming, she knew she mustn't get too attached, no matter how cute the little guy was.
Twilight looked out into the emerging dawn, she knew the mare would probably be long gone now, probably teleported or flew away, but she felt eyes on her still.
"Spike. Emergency. I need help, stat." Twilight whispered poking the sleeping dragon.
She heard the little dragon's grumbling as he began to awaken.
"What could be so important that you need to wake me before sunrise Twili- is that a foal?" Spike asked, staring at the tiny sleeping colt nestled between Twilight's wings.
"It is." She answered.
"Awwww." Spike smiled when the foal tried to grab at Twilight's wings in his sleep.
"He is awfully cute isn't he?" She smiled bringing him close again and letting the tiny foal sleepily tug on her hoof. "The letter said his name is Star Chaser."
The foal began to pout as he looked up at Twilight.
"What's wrong little guy?" Twilight asked and began to nuzzle him, only for her ears to be assaulted by a foal screaming inches from them.
"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." Twilight repeated as her ears were assaulted by the foals cries.
"I'm just gonna... go out and get us breakfast, that okay?" Spike said as he backed out of the room.
"Traitor!" Twilight called after him as the foal continued to scream.
"Alright, foals, what do I know about foals." Twilight muttered to herself. "Right! Rocking!"
She held the little colt in her magic and began to steadily rock him back and fourth in the air. It had no effect, besides maybe making the crying increase in volume.
"Are you hungry maybe?" Twilight asked. "And I have no food for a foal, okay Sparkle, improvise!"
Cupboards were open everywhere several fresh vegetables and some oats were laid on the counter.
Twilight opened her fridge, and sighed as all she found was apple juice.
"Maybe I can mash it together? Foals eat mashed food when they're weaned. Well little Star Chaser, time to eat real pony food months too early!" Twilight exclaimed as she stuck several vegetables, some juice, and several cups of oats into the blender.
Twilight flipped the blender on and reveled in the noise drowning out the foals insistent screaming.
She glanced at it after a few minutes and shuddered at the goopy paste concoction she'd created.
"I cannot believe I used to eat shiiiii-stuff like this." Twilight muttered. "No more cursing Twilight, you have a foal in the room."
"Hey little Star Chaser, you hungry?" Twilight asked and scooped some of the puree onto a spoon. She held it in front of the colt's muzzle, and he sniffed suspiciously, and then grunted in disapproval.
"Oh but it's so yummy Star Chaser!" Twilight smiled widely. "Here, I'll show you!"
Twilight took a small scoop of the food for herself and ate it with a grimace, then forced a smile. She realized suddenly, it didn't actually taste all that bad. The texture was certainly off, but it wasn't terrible.
"See? Yummy!" Twilight cheered, and tried again to get the foal to eat.
This time the foal opened his mouth wide to accept the offered spoon.
"Yeah, that's right little Star, it's tasty and you need food. It's nice and nutritious!" Twilight smiled as she continued to feed the little foal. "You're smart! Not eating until someone else eats the same food! Do you think you're going to be poisoned? Who would poison a little colt as cute as you?"
The foal suddenly slammed his foreleg down on the spoon, sending it careening out of Twilight's magic and straight onto her head.
"Okay maybe they'd have justification." Twilight sighed. "Oh you're lucky you're so cute."
Twilight nuzzled the foal gently and then continued to feed him until the goopy mixture was finished.
"There, see it's not so bad!" Twilight cheered. "You ate it all up even! Such a good little Star Chaser."
The foal simply watched Twilight with a pout forming on his muzzle.
"Oh, no, no no please don't cry again!" Twilight exclaimed and scooped him into her hooves. "Everything'll be alright little guy."
Despite Twilight's instructions, the colt did indeed begin to cry again.
"I fed you, you don't smell like dirty diper, what do you need?" Twilight asked, wishing the foal could actually answer her.
His tiny face screwed up in pain and he began wailing again.
"Oh, jeez, right, I just fed you." Twilight sighed and sat on her haunches, putting the foal over her shoulder and firmly patting his back until she heard a loud but tiny burp, and shuddered as she felt a warm gooey substance slide down her back.
"Ewwww. Did you have to have bits of food in it still?" Twilight sighed, and found herself a rag to clean up with. "Come to think of it, I should have put this under you in the first place, so it's my fault."
The foal squirmed, and then nuzzled gently into Twilight's chest as she held him close.
"Oh, Faust no, don't do this to me." Twilight exclaimed, feeling her heart practically melt, and nuzzled the colt. "You're too cute."
The foal let out a tiny squeaky yawn and buried his muzzle into Twilight's chest fur.
Twilight gently laid down and stretched her forelegs out, resting the foal between them and against her again, then laid down and rested her cheek against the foals back.
"I'm doomed." She whispered.