Regrets
By NocturneD
Note: Maybe I should have done the previous chapter a bit different?
ooo
Twilight Sparkle had her evaluation from the doctor and simply told her that she had a case of anxiety that could greatly effect her self-esteem let alone the baby if gone on unchecked. The doctor would have liked to prescribe some medication but due to being pregnant it was not possible. The doctor recommended Twilight do some exercises and take up more hobbies, if she had to do more work around the library she should limit herself more and more as the months go along. Any physical stress could result in an early birth according to the doctor as well as giving a list of dos and do nots. She had a lot of reading to do, not that she did not enjoy it.
Twilight got to leave the hospital later that day and caught a cab to take her, Spike and Watt back to the library. Upon entering the library again, Twilight looked the incomplete mess which she could barely even recognize anymore. She wanted to bawl over it but it would not do any good. Promises were made then they were broken, the money that was meant for the library just stopped coming as the mayor said so. The reason she gave was pretty simple as they ran into a budget cut problem. But some ponies have been shifty eyed lately particularly Rainbow Dash though Twilight has not seen much of the rainbow haired pegasus much.
"So what's going to happen to the library now?" Spike asked while picking up a couple of books that were knocked over on the floor from the previous night.
Twilight replied, "I have no clue." She looked around sadly, "All that effort just had to stop. I mean..." She sighed again, "What good is this place now? What pony is going to want to come in here?"
Watt spoke up, "Well what kind of ponies would come in here back then?"
Twilight turned her head to look at him straight in the eye, "Well... my friends... And maybe the kids who might need help looking something up. And..." She turned her head, "Oh... no pony really comes in here. There are times when I would let meetings go on here but that's it."
Watt raised an eyebrow, "You would think that a quiet town like this that really doesn't have a lot of technology would embrace the old ways of entertainment."
Twilight sat her plot onto the hardwood floor, "Is this place really that boring?"
"I wouldn't say boring." Spike picked up another book, "Just every pony here got what they need and never really questioned it." The little dragon handed the books back onto the free shelves then walked back over to one of the night stands to bring up a flier. "Now this is something to get excited for."
Watt peered over Spike's shoulder, "Planet Cupcakes?" Nodding slowly, "Yeah I heard about this place. It's supposed to be Ponyville's new hot spot."
"I know it sounds so cool." Spike giggled with excitement. "Rarity told me that it's going to have a lot of neat stuff in there besides a club! A candy store. An internet cafe. A store to buy donuts and coffee."
"Sounds awfully like a miniature mall." Watt remarked.
"You know how cool that would be?" Spike smiled with hope.
"Depends if Ponyville wants that kind of publicity." Watt replied. "I mean with ponies coming from neighboring towns just to check out Planet Cupcakes they might be curious and wander into Ponyville to check it out."
"Doesn't seem so bad." Twilight added.
"Yeah. Not bad but depending on how well Planet Cupcakes does, Ponyville might become a well-known town." Watt threw in, "Or if Cupcakes falls flat then nothing happens. But if the former happens then this library might have a chance to rake in some ponies curious to visit."
"I'm all for it then." Twilight smiled then brought up another point, "Incase Cupcakes does get the publicity to have ponies come in then this place is still a mess unless I get the money I need to complete."
"Oh yeah." Watt formed a sweat bead over his head. A sudden vibration came from his inside pocket, he fetched inside to pull out his cell phone. "A text from sis..." He pressed the text button, "Dear little brother, I got your message about Twilight. Is she okay? Dad also wants to know. Love Verdandi."
Watt had a pretty decent relationship with his sister and father. Would call each other every week or so. Family is family. He centered his focus on the purple unicorn again, "So are you feeling alright to keep walking around? You want to lay down or something? Are you hungry?"
Twilight felt alright. She took the doctor's advice seriously not to try to over exert herself. "I'm quite alright." She noticed him checking his phone, "Some pony calling?
Watt smiled, "Just my sister and dad. They want to know what's up and if you're okay."
Twilight let out a giggle, "Tell them I'm fine and thanks for asking. Also the baby is alright if you haven't told them yet."
Watt froze, "Oh that..."
"Hmmm?" Twilight tilted her head in question. "What's wrong?"
"I didn't tell them about us yet." Watt formed another sweat bead.
"Oh right." Twilight giggled. "Well you can tell them the good news."
"Okay then." He chuckled, "Watch this though." He typed in the message of Twilight being alright along with her carrying Watt's child. He sent the message and put down the phone on a table top.
"What's suppose to happen?" Twilight blinked.
"Just watch." Watt chuckled.
"You have two new voice mail. Message one." The phone announced. "Now playing voice mail."
"AHHH!" A female screamed on the other line with excitement. "I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT OH MY STARS! OH MY STARS! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Verdandi squealed with joy then stopped, "Oh... oh sorry. The entire store is looking at me like I'm a mad pony... oh dear. Call me back later. Congratulations you two, hopefully we can have dinner sometime together. I'm so proud of you little brother. Especially you Twilight Sparkle. Oh yeah make sure to drink plenty of tomato juice you want a strong healthy baby."
"End of message." The phone announced. "Message two."
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Another scream came on again with excitement.
Twilight blinked, "I think it is trying to play the same message again."
Watt narrowed his eyes, "No that's dad over reacting again."
ooo
The trip to Sleipnir academy had its merits. Twilight got to sit in on Watt and Verdandi's classes and learn along with them. Ofcourse with Twilight she really felt like she was part of the class raising her hoof to answer questions. Though she really didn't have to because of being a guest. But going to Professor Sleigh's class was rather interesting as he wasn't like any other professor at the academy.
The classroom was quite large. Could seat about eighty students. Twilight descended the staircase and followed Watt to his spot to the front row desk that stretched long ways as with the other tables behind them. The purple unicorn looked around, left, right, then behind herself. Verdandi eventually joined them and sat on Twilight's other side.
"Wow. Is every classroom like this?" Twilight smiled.
"Most of them. Classes like cooking and art are more leveled and appropriate." Verdandi smiled, she arched her neck out to look at her brother who was just sitting like he didn't care. "You do the assignment due today?"
"Yup..." Watt mumbled.
"The full ten pages typed out?" Verdandi asked again.
"Yes..." Watt grunted.
Twilight frowned, "He is not big on homework is he?" She asked.
"No pony is but homework given out by Professor Sleigh usually is worth it." Verdandi explained. The classroom started to fill with more students also dressed in their uniforms and took their seats. Still chattering away about other things. Time passed. Still no teacher. Twilight looked up at the clock to see it was ten past two already.
"Is the professor usually this late?" Twilight asked.
"No but if he ever was there's a good reason. Probably because of the princess being here." Verdandi un-zipped her binder to look through her assignment papers.
"You mean mom being here..." Watt tapped his foot slowly and crossed his arms. From the side entrance door princess Celestia was joined by the chancelier who was an elder male earth pony along with his assistant; a much younger stallion with facial hair. Both dressed in different academy tier uniforms to represent leadership. The three of them sat down at another desk that was on the ground floor to the side area next to the teacher's desk. Celestia had her guards on each side of the table. The students watched in awe as the princess was sitting in the classroom with them.
"Wait what?" Twilight blinked. Before she could ask anymore the entrance exploded with a swift kick from a tall light grey earth pony. Twilight instantly turned around and looked up. There stood a tall pony with a spiked dark mane. He wore a black dress shirt with no tie. The grey pony took off his glasses and placed them into his shirt pocket. The students were all eyes on the pony at the top of the stairs.
"Great. This is probably where he makes his dramatic entrance." Twilight thought.
And then... The grey stallion did something shocking that the purple unicorn never thought a teacher would ever do. He jumped onto the last row's table top and started to descend the tables like as they were a staircase. The students started to cheer for their odd professor. Students slid their chairs over to make sure the professor had a clear way to descend. He set foot onto Twilight's part of the desk then did a summersault. The students clopped and cheered. The professor stood up and raised his arms in praise. Then Twilight spotted something odd about the professor.
"Told you he is weird." Watt frowned.
Twilight counted, "One... two... four... six... eight..." Her eyes widened, "He has eight limbs?"
"You never seen a Sleipnir pony before?" Verdandi asked.
Twilight shook her head, "N..no I haven't. I only read about them and they are rare."
"Well... one's standing right there Twinkle." Watt raised his arm to point.
The eight legged pony smiled as he looked at Celestia along with the chancelier and his assistant sitting in his class for the day. Then he looked back at his students and shouted happily, "Good day class it's a great day isn't it?"
The students moaned, apparently it was a rough day for most of them. Professor Sleigh grinned mischievously, "Oh come on guys the day is almost over." He waved his hoof in a circle and laughed. "Today we got a very special guest all the way from Canterlot, the princess herself. Princess Celestia! Let's all give her a warm hoof!" He rilled up his students to start clopping. They cheered. Celestia waved and took a bow. Then one student whistled. Twilight gasped at the insolence but the other students just laughed including the professor.
"Alright alright calm down guys." Sleigh chuckled, "Now I trust you all finished your ten page analysis on our previous book; The Draconequus Games. As I'll be taking them at the end of class. For our next book we'll be discussing; The Starswirl Chronicles as I actually got my hoofs on advanced copies and I think it would be a good way to discuss a historical pony."
Twilight gasped and mumbled excitedly, "That book doesn't come out until three days."
"Unfortunately the entire shipment didn't come in and I ran out of copies until I got to four period." The professor sighed "I apologize I know some of you were itching for a new book series to read."
Twilight slammed her head onto the desk.
Professor Sleigh walked up to Twilight, "Yes I know I heard ponies who got advanced copies said the book was good but we're short." He looked down at Twilight and smiled. "Excuse me." He tapped on her head.
Twilight gasped then flushed. "Uh...uh sorry."
Professor Sleigh motioned for Twilight to stand up. "I understand you're a student of the princess. How does that feel?"
Twilight stuttered, "Uh... Oh a great opportunity!" She smiled.
Sleigh told Twilight to stand in front of the classroom, "I'm just going to borrow your student for a minute princess. Don't worry I won't break her." He looked over at the princess. She was curious on what he was going to do. The chancelier did not worry. Twilight was no in front of every pony, her stomach twist and turned. She really didn't like to stand in front of crowds in worry of embarrassing herself.
"Now introduce yourself and tell a little bit about yourself." Sleigh nodded.
"Oh... uh hello. I'm Twilight Sparkle." She twitched, "I live in Canterlot and stay at the palace with the princess. I'm her faithful student always willing to learn more magic. I... I like reading."
Sleigh smiled, "A great opportunity to have you miss Sparkle."
Twilight nodded ready to sit down but Sleigh stopped her. "Oh hey. Not just yet." He waved Twilight to come back, "I couldn't help but notice you sometimes stutter but you love reading."
"Um... yes. Yes I do." Twilight answered, eyes going left to right nervously.
"Honey you're just nervous in front of crowds. Pretty much statistics say that ponies fear giving presentations over death." Sleigh explained. "But your teacher also said you pretty much are a bit anti social and like to spend your time in the library back home by yourself. You also had a bit of a rough time fitting in thinking no pony is interested in what you have to say. You look at yourself and think you're an embarrassment?"
"Huh?" Twilight twitched. She couldn't believe her own teacher shared her faults with this pony she doesn't even know.
"It's true. But in this class I help my students get over their fear of standing in front of crowd. I actually encourage it. Some loners here actually found peace in group projects." Sleigh smiled, "And so I have a special little game for you to try in front of every pony here."
Twilight thought, "This guy can't be serious?" She looked over at Celestia who looked on in curiosity. Her teacher motioned her to continue.
"But I also think you have something inside of you worth a great deal." He walked over to the chalkboard and started writing, "I sound my barbaric yawp." He turned around, "You all know it. A yawp is a loud cry or yell. Now miss Sparkle I want you to give us a demonstration of a barbaric yawp." Twilight looked in disbelief. Sleigh waved her on in encouragement, "Come on miss Sparkle you can't yawp over there. Come here. Take a stance." He moved her into position.
"A yawp?" Twilight asked.
"No not a little yawp. A barbaric yawp." Sleigh smiled and encouraged her.
Twilight just shook her head and plainly said, "Yawp."
"Oh come on that's puny." Sleigh smirked.
"Yawp." She said abit louder but still came out short.
"Come on louder." He walked up beside her. "Come on!"
"YAWP!" She shouted, some students cheered.
"There it is. You have a barbarian in you." He smiled. Twilight flushed in embarrassment and wanted to sit down but tugged on her. "No you're not getting away there's still so much."
"I... uh." Twilight flustered.
"Now look up there." He pointed to an old portrait on the wall hanging above Celestia's head. A bearded pony who looked like he could have been a faculty member of the school from at least one hundred years ago. "What does that remind you of?"
"Uh... a bearded pony?" Twilight asked.
"No really what do you think of it?" Sleigh asked.
"A mad pony?" Twilight answered.
Sleigh slammed his hoof to the floor and smiled, "A mad pony. What kind of mad pony?" He started circling around her.
"A crazy mad pony?" Twilight anxiously answered.
"No you can do better than that." Sleigh shook his head. "Use your imagination. Free your the first thing that pops into your mind no matter how gibberish it is."
"Uh.. uh a sweaty tooth mad pony." Twilight stuttered.
Sleigh stopped and smiled, "Good Celestia there's a strong minded pony in you after all!" He stopped in front of her, "Now close your eyes." Twilight didn't understand, "Here I'll help." He put his forearm over her eyes, "Now tell me first thing that you see."
"Your arm over my eyes." Twilight answered. The students chuckled.
"No. No. What do you see." Sleigh asked as he started to twirl the purple unicorn with his arm over her eyes.
"I uh see... see.." Twilight was trying to come up with something.
"The sweaty toothed mad pony." Sleigh added.
"The sweat toothed mad pony. With a stare that pounds my brain." Twilight kept twirling.
"Excellent! Now give him action!" Sleigh encouraged her.
"He's holding his hoofs out and wants to choke me." Twilight said out loud. "And he's mumbling."
"Excellent what is he mumbling?" Sleigh asked.
"Saying something about his blanket is too small." Twilight answered.
The students laughed. Sleigh just told her, "Don't pay any attention to them. What about the blanket being too small?"
"He tries to stretch it but it will never cover his feet! He kicks at it. Beat it! It will never cover any of us." Sleigh took his arm off Twilight's eyes then let her continue with her little saying. He knelt down and watched her. "From the moment we enter crying to the moment we enter dying. It will just cover your face as you wail and cry and scream."
The classroom was silent for what would seem minutes but really was only seconds. Twilight felt she wanted to die right there. She hated standing up in front of a large crowd and being unprepared for it. Suddenly she heard clopping. It was coming over from the direction of the princess as she was proud of her student. Other ponies joined in. Even Verdandi. Even Watt. Sleiph stood there with his six arms crossed and smiled.
"Congratulations Twilight! Now you can see things like my students do. Now you can take that energy you put out here and face whatever troubles you. Stare it right in the face! And show it you're not scared! You're not worthless. You're some pony!" Sleigh raised his voice and kept clopping.
"I AM!" Twilight cheered. She was now allowed to sit down and enjoy the rest of class.
"Did any of that make sense to you?" One student asked.
"Nope..." Another student answer.
"That unicorn has a nice butt though." Another student added.
ooo
"Can you imagine him being excited about being a grandpa?" Watt blinked.
"Hey. He really gave me some encouragement back then." Twilight frowned, "To see my problems from another perspective and not think they're so bad." He only nodded in response, "So what happened after class with the princess and the professor?"
"My mom and dad were in the closet making out." Watt frowned. Twilight just blinked.
"Memory full." The phone announced.
"Dang it dad!" Watt fumed.
There was a knock at the door.
"Oh?" Twilight distracted by the sound.
"I'll get it." Spike finished cleaning up the left over books off the floor and answered the door. It was Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.
"Apple Jack? Fluttershy? Rainbow Dash?" Twilight winced.
"Just stopping by because I didn't get a chance to see you last night. Still had work to do on the farm." Apple Jack frowned she reached behind herself to pull up a basket of apples. "We made these for you as a get well soon gift."
Twilight used her magic to lift the basket and set it on a nearby table. "Thank you guys. I really appreciate it... but..."
"But what?" Jack asked.
"If you didn't know already but I'm... pregnant." Twilight confessed.
Apple Jack blinked, then chuckled. "Well tarnation that is one heck of a surprise."
Fluttershy put on a very wide smile, "Oh my!"
Dash just chuckled, "So that's why you've been so moody lately."
Twilight frowned, "Moody?"
"Yeah moody." Dash sneered. "But non the less. I take it that my boy Watt is the daddy?"
"Guilty." Watt poked his head out from the kitchen. "Hey girls would you like something to eat? I just made daisy sandwiches."
Dash's stomach growled, "I'll take two."
"I'll have... half of one." Fluttershy meeked.
"Yeah set me up for one too." Jack smiled.
"I'll have six." Twilight replied. "And some ice cream on top!"
The three guests looked at her.
"Cravings kicking in I see." Dash snickered.
"Heck she's eating for two now." Jack laughed.
The meal was served and was to every pony's liking. Dash had extra mustard on hers. Fluttershy had hers without the crust. Apple Jack ate hers no problem. Twilight pouted that there wasn't any chocolate ice cream to go along with her sandwiches so she made Watt go out and get some. The girls stared at each other, nodded, then started at Twilight.
"Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.
"Yeah?" Twilight finished her second sandwich.
"Don't you think you put this whole apologizing to Pinkie long enough?" Apple Jack asked.
ooo
Please Review!
Note: Not really much went on with this chapter except a bunch of nonsense. Oh well. Seize the day people. That's where that little scene with Twilight and the professor came from, the Dead Poet's Society. Really good movie. Oh and yeah, the professor is supposed to be Watt's and Verdandi's dad. A fun crazy teacher who never gives up on his students. If you haven't caught on he is also a Sleipnir pony, meaning he has eight legs instead of four. Twilight sure is weird-ed out by it.
Also please note. I might make a few mistakes in grammar. I'm aware of it. I'm trying out this grammar checker online to update my past chapters but I'm not sure how accurate it is. Also, please be aware anything can be referenced in fanfics. If ponies can wear clothes else where in Equestria why not at the academy? Also Star Wars. Come on, they had that whole celebration after being Discord. So apparently in this story they know movies.
I also fixed a bit of the ending and added onto it. I had a nice reminder that it didn't seem to fit the bill so I figured to mention Pinkie again. Next few chapters will be devoted her her again. This is really developing into something else huh?