Airedale woke up a little while later. He let the news sink in.
"I need air," he said, and he flew away. Medley stayed right where she was. She felt too heavy and sore to do anything else but sit.
During lunch, the baby ponies had heard what happened to Medley, and they were excited. Every last pony in Ponyland knew about it.
"Oh darling! How wonderful!" Heart Throb shouted.
"Not so wonderful," Medley said. "I'm having twins, and I'm doing it the hard way."
"How did babies get in Medley's tummy?" Baby Heart Throb asked.
"You'll find out soon enough," Tex said.
Score laughed. Tex was a champion at dodging questions. In any case, Score poured himself a bowl of Corn Flakes and poured orange juice over them. Baby Heart Throb, Baby Lickety Split, and Baby Gusty looked at him as if he were crazy. Then they glanced at Medley who was eating a liverwurst sandwich with sardines, pickles, onions, and a scoop of Neapolitan ice cream, because she couldn't decide if she wanted chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla on her sandwich, so she went with all three.
"Weird lunches!" Baby Gusty shouted.
"No kidding," Lickety Split said as she dove head first into a huge banana split topped with hot fudge, whip cream, nuts, and a cherry on top.
Baby Gusty, Baby Lickety Split, and Baby Heart Throb looked around at some of the other lunches. By far, Medley's was the weirdest, followed by Score.
"Corn Flakes not lunch!" Baby Lickety Split shouted. "Corn Flakes breakfast!"
"I know, but I had a craving for Corn Flakes," Score shrugged.
"How come Score's milk orange?" Baby Heart Throb asked.
"It's not milk," Score explained. "It's orange juice. I had a craving for Corn Flakes and orange juice."
"Corn Flakes and orange juice?" Baby Gusty asked, slightly confused. The three baby ponies left the kitchen then.
"Maybe Score gonna have baby like Medley," Baby Lickety Split whispered.
"But Score a boy!" Baby Heart Throb shouted. "Boys no have babies!"
"Stranger things have happened," Baby Lickety Split said.
"What we do if Score have baby?" Baby Gusty asked.
"Mama say she gonna throw Medley baby shower," Baby Heart Throb said. "We throw Score baby shower, too!"
"What baby shower?" Baby Lickety Split said.
"Don't know," Baby Heart Throb said. "We go to Medley's. We find out, and do same for Score."
"Let's tell other baby ponies!" Baby Gusty shouted, and the three of them were off to tell the other baby ponies their idea.
A few days later, Medley's tummy had gotten bigger, and she wasn't about to move from her spot in her room. Julie didn't want to move either. She was content sitting next to Medley, instead of outside playing with Molly and the Baby Ponies.
"Don't you want to go outside and play?" Medley asked.
"No," Julie said. "I want to stay with you. I stayed with my mom when my little brother was born. I know about babies."
Medley smiled, and nuzzled Julie. The two of them settled down for a little nap. Heart Throb was a little disappointed Medley didn't want to move from her room. It threw her plans for the baby shower a little off.
"How am I going to throw it now?" Heart Throb said. "Medley doesn't want to leave her room!"
"I have an idea," Gingerbread replied. "If we can't bring Medley to the baby shower, we bring the baby shower to Medley!"
"You mean hold it in her room?" Masquerade asked.
"Yes!"
"Gingerbread," Masquerade sighed, "you know I like you and your perkiness, but how are we gonna all fit a big party into Medley's room?"
"Shifts!"
"Huh?"
"Shifts?" Heart Throb asked.
"Exactly!" Gingerbread shouted. "We'll all go in a few at a time, and give Medley some food and her presents, and then we'll play some games with her!"
Heart Throb and Masquerade looked at Gingerbread as if she were nuts. But there was no other way around it. Heart Throb was determined to throw Medley a baby shower. She began planning it. Baby Heart Throb, Baby Lickety Split, and Baby Gusty were watching intently, so they could do the same thing.
"You sure Score gonna have baby?" Baby Heart Throb asked. "He no big and fat like Medley!"
"Medley have twins," Baby Lickety Split said. "That why she big and fat. Score probably only have one baby."
"But you sure?" Baby Gusty asked. "Medley eat all day."
"So does Score," Baby Lickety Split said.
"Score always eat!" Baby Heart Throb shouted.
"Medley also sore," Baby Gusty said. "Back and hooves hurt. Also Medley get sick. Mama say she keep tossing her pickle juice. Whatever that means!"
"Score no sore," Baby Heart Throb said. "And Score no toss pickle juice."
"But Score eat funny food!" Baby Lickety Split said. "He have baby! Me sure of it!"
Baby Heart Throb and Baby Gusty shrugged, and began to put up decorations. Medley's baby shower was that afternoon. Medley, Airedale, Heart Throb, and Julie staid with her and helped her open presents, which were mostly baby things.
"Oh, how adorable!" Heart Throb gushed every time a new present was opened.
"Please stop that," Airedale said. "It's getting on my nerves."
Julie giggled. Once Medley's baby shower was over, Baby Lickety Split ran to the Estate and grabbed the front of Score's bandanna.
"Score come with us!" she shouted. "To Nursery!"
"Somethin' wrong?" Tex asked.
"Want to show Score something," Baby Lickety Split said. "Tex come too, if you want."
The Big Brother Ponies shrugged, and they followed Baby Lickety Split to the nursery. Once they got there, every last baby pony shouted,
"SURPRISE!"
"Huh?" Score flatly asked.
"What's goin' on here?" Tex asked. He and Score looked around the nursery and saw pink and blue streamers hanging at weird angles. Not to mention there were a lot of old baby things laying around.
"We give Score baby shower," Baby Lickety Split said. "Okay! Let it go!"
Baby Surprise and Baby Heart Throb then dropped a bunch of the Baby Ponies baby dolls (baby pony dolls, that is) on Score and Tex's heads. It didn't hurt (too much), but it left the Big Brothers slightly confused.
"Baby Lickety Split say baby showers like April showers," Baby Tiddlywinks explained.
"We give Score baby shower cause Score have baby like Medley," Baby Lickety Split said. "He eat orange juice on Corn Flakes, which is funny, and Medley eat funny food, too!"
That was all it took for Tex to burst out laughing. Score's face had turned crimson. He was so embarrassed!
"Score eats orange juice on his Corn Flakes because he doesn't like milk!" Tex shouted, still laughing. "He's not gonna have a baby!"
"He no have baby?" Baby Lickety Split asked.
"No!" Score shouted, still highly embarrassed. "I'm a stallion! Stallions can't have babies!"
"They help make babies, but only mares can give birth to them," Tex said.
"How?" Baby Lickety Split asked.
Before Tex could dodge the question, Julie came bursting into the Lullaby Nursery, and she was in tears.
"What's the matter, Julie?" Score asked.
"Medley's tummy hurts!" Julie shouted. "She said it was time!"
"Time?!" Tex shouted. "Oh good gravy Marie!"
Tex and Score dashed for the Estate then and there. Julie ran after them. The Baby Ponies just looked at each other, confused.
"Time for what?" Baby Lofty asked.
"Time for Medley to have her babies!" Ember shouted, excitedly.
All the Baby Ponies cheered. This was the biggest thing that ever happened in Ponyland.
Tex and Score practically ran into Medley's room. Megan, Firefly, Heart Throb, Lickety Split, and Gusty were already there, and they were all wearing smocks, papery slippers, and masks. Megan also had plastic gloves on her hands.
"What did we miss?!" Tex shouted.
"Nothing," Gusty said. "We just got started."
"Grab some protective gear if you're going to hang around," Firefly said.
"Uhh, no thanks," Score said. "I'll go help Airedale worry."
"Chicken," Tex said, while putting a green smock over his head.
Score shrugged and left. Megan shook her head, and got right down to business.
"Okay, Medley, just breathe in and out like this," Megan said, and she demonstrated the breathing technique her mother used when she was pregnant with Danny and Molly. Medley repeated it.
"I don't think I can take it!" she shouted.
"Come on, Med, these kids want to see the world," Gusty said.
"Yeah, and we want to see these kids," Firefly commented.
Medley took a deep breath, and continued to do the breathing technique. She did that for an hour. Tex and Lickety Split left the room. They needed a break. Glory walked in to help. Most of the ponies who were mothers were going to go in and help. Megan was helping because she knew the drill. She had seen it done twice (when Molly and Julie's brother, Tommy, were born). Firefly was just in there offering her support, since Medley was her best friend.
"Did anything happen yet?" North Star asked.
"Well . . . . ." Tex said, looking towards the room.
"AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" the two ponies heard Medley let out an ear piercing shriek.
"Does that answer your question?!" Tex shouted.
"More eloquently than words," North Star replied, after cringing in pain.
"I'm gonna go get some coffee."
Tex walked out of the room and let out a low whistle. Medley was in a lot of pain. She couldn't take much more of this.
"We could be in for a long wait," Surprise stated. "I hear a mare can be in labor for days."
"WHAT DID YOU GO AND SAY THAT FOR?!" Medley bellowed. "I DIDN'T NEED TO HEAR THAT RIGHT NOW!"
Surprise backed off. She had never heard Medley blow her top. In fact, nobody had. She was probably one of the most patient ponies in Ponyland. It would take a lot for her to start screaming like that.
"Maybe the twins can't decide which one wants to come out first," Shady suggested.
"I DON'T CARE WHICH ONE COMES OUT FIRST!" Medley shrieked. "I JUST WANT THEM TO COME OUT!"
"Somebody shoot her with a tranquilzer," Gusty sighed.
Airedale wasn't faring too well, either. He was pacing back and forth in the living room, nervously. He was chewing on some beef jerky Danny had lying around. All the rest of the Big Brother Ponies were watching him.
"Settle down there," Steamer said.
"You'll wear a hole in the floor!" Salty exclaimed.
"I can fly out of it," Airedale said. "I have wings, remember?!"
"You don't have to bite anyone's head off," Lofty said, flying into the room.
"Anything happen yet?"
"Not yet, but we're trying. I think we're getting closer."
"How can you be so sure?"
"AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!" Medley shrieked from down the hall.
"Call it a hunch," Lofty replied.
Airedale nodded, and continued pacing. They weren't going to allow him inside the room until they got the baby ponies out of Medley's stomach. Medley was sweating and grunting.
"NOW I KNOW WHY YOU GO TO THAT DARN MIRROR!" Medley yelled. "THIS IS PAAAAIIIIIINNNNNFUUUULLLLL!"
"Just keep at it, Medley," Megan encouraged. "You can do it!"
"Push Medley, push!" Firefly said. "I think I see one coming!"
Medley pushed with all her might. This was killing her. She wanted to kick herself for eating those fermented berries, which seemed to cause this whole thing. She gave the biggest push of her life, and there was a little green baby pony with white mane and a white tail. He had a teeny, tiny jet on his teeny, tiny hindquarters.
"Okay, Medley, one more, darling!" Heart Throb encouraged. "You can do it, darling! I know you can!"
Medley gave another huge push, and her second twin came out. This one was yellow with green hair and she had teeny, tiny music notes on her teeny, tiny hindquarters. Medley breathed of relief, and looked at her twins. She pushed any thought she had about kicking herself for eating the fermented berries out of her head, and began nuzzling the little girl baby pony. Then she nuzzled the little boy baby pony.
"Can I come in now?" Airedale asked.
"You sure can, Dad," Firefly said, smiling.
Airedale walked in, followed by some of the others. They all saw the two teeny, tiny baby ponies, and were awe struck.
"Aaaaawwwwwww," they all said (what did I tell you?)
"Look how little they are!" Molly shouted.
"Oh, aren't they darling?" Heart Throb asked.
"They so small," Baby Lofty said.
"They smaller than Newborn Twins!" Baby Cuddles exclaimed.
These two baby ponies were the teeniest, tiniest baby ponies in Ponyland, but they were really cute. The little boy pony gave a huge yawn just then, and everyone went "aaawwww" again.
North Star couldn't resist. She began tickling the little girl pony under her chin. "Cootchie, cootchie, cootchie . . . . ." until she felt the newborn foal bite the tip of her hoof. CHOMP! "YEEEEOOOOWWWW!"
"Careful, North Star, they bite," Lofty said, teasing.
"So I've noticed," the pink pegasus cringed.
"So what are their names?" Locket asked.
"Baby Airedale and Baby Medley of course!" Firefly shouted.
"No," Medley shook her head. "They don't look a thing like either of us. I mean, Baby Surprise is an exact duplicate of her mother, and so are most of the other baby ponies."
"I think we should each pick a name," Airedale said. "And I pick Jet for the boy."
"Right," Medley said. "And I pick Melody for the girl."
"Jet and Melody," Fizzy nodded. "Cute."
"Nice names," Baby Heart Throb said.
"Thank you," Medley said, and she nuzzled Jet while Airedale nuzzled Melody.
"They talk like us?" Baby Sundance asked.
In response, Jet and Melody began crying. Like Milkweed, Tumbleweed, Sniffles, and Snookums, they couldn't talk like the other baby ponies. Megan got two baby bottles she had handy and gave them to the two new baby ponies. They began sucking happily on them. Airedale and Medley began to nuzzle each other. They knew they were going to have their hands full with their new twins. But they knew it would all be worth it.
The End