From Humble Beginnings Part 4

>The orderlies didn't really talk at all while they wheeled Lyra down the white hospital corridors.  Thankfully, it seemed like a quiet night.

>You walked right behind them, unable to actually walk next to Lyra, but she knew you were right next to her.

>After a couple of turns through the hallway, you made it to the maternity ward and Lyra's room.

>The room was not that homey.  It was white, sterile, and kind of eerie.  The table, which the orderlies were helping Lyra on, had to stirrups for her hind legs, but that was for later.

>Lyra was on the table, lying on her back.  You walked around  the left side of the table, next to her head, and pulled up a chair.

"Heya beautiful.  Come here often?"  You say to Lyra.

>Hearing that, the orderlies quickly left the room.  Their job was done, and really didn't want to hear any of that lovey-dovey talk.

>Lyra giggled a bit, but it seemed like a distant laugh.

"I'm kinda scarred, Anon."  She said while turning her head to you.

"Me too."

>"I knew this day would come, but it still...I don't know.  Scary."

"But I am here.  Right next to you."

>"Well, of course you are.  It's not like you are just a figment of my imagination.  Or...are you?"  Lyra poked at you just to make sure.

>"Ah, good.  Just making sure."  She said with a smile.

"Well, you still have your sense of humor, so all isn't lost."

"That will be the day.  Could you image that?  Me without my humor?  I couldn..."  Lyra was struck with another contraction.

>"Owwwiee."  Lyra winced.

"How bad is it?"

>"I swear to Celestia don't ask me stupid questions.  It won't make it easier.  And it freakin' hurts!"

>As if he was listening to the whole conversation and decided now was the best time, the doctor knocked on the door and walked in.

>"Well howdy folks," The doctor looks down at his chart quickly, and then resumes, "Lyra, how far apart are the contractions?"

>"Like every damn minute."

"Every minute?!  You should have let me carry you!"  You say.

>"I'm no chump."  Lyra says triumphantly.

>"Hmm.  Then the baby is surely on the way.  And I know you are not 'chump' Lyra, but I need to give you this."   The doctor said.

>Having said that, the doctor took out a syringe and injected Lyra with something.

>"The hell was that?"  Lyra said concerned.

>"A standard muscle relaxer."  The doctor said clinically.

"And you didn't ask her first about it?"  You say with a twinge of anger.

>"Have you ever seen a unicorn give birth without a muscle relaxer?  That was more for us than her."

"...what do you mean?"  You say, but even Lyra is listening in.

>"Well, birth is a stressful time.  With unicorns, sometimes it gets the best of them and they use their magic wildly.  Trust me, Anon, you will thank me later for it." The doctor said.

>"Blub blub blub."  Lyra said.  Her lips were a bit numb on account of the injection and she was just playing with them.  

"Yeah, good call Doc."  You say while looking at Lyra.

>"Well, I will leave you two be.  Hit that red button next to her bed when the contractions are 10ish seconds apart.  I will continue to check up on her, but just in case you have that."  And with that, the doctor was off.

>But right before leaving, he leaned down and whispered something to you.

>"Anon.  That relaxer will deal with some of the pain too.  But when she starts to feel the pain again, that means the child IS coming, you got me?"

>You nod.  He pats you on the shoulder while he trots off.

>Once again alone with Lyra, you look upon her in all her beauty, while she is playing with her semi-numb hoof.

>"This is so awesome, Anon!  I can't feel anything!  A little pressure.  sure, but not really anything else!"

>There must have been something else in that muscle relaxer, you surmise.

>"Punch me!"

"Hahah what?!"

>"It will be so awesome!  I won't be able to feel it, not like I could in the first place!"  Lyra said manically.

"I'm not going to punch you."

>"That is what I thought, you big softy."  Lyra said with a big grin.

>"I'm going to remember you saying that."

"You better."  Lyra said while sticking out her tongue.

>Lyra winced in pain for a moment.  Like a bat out of hell, you pressed the red button.

>"Ow!  I thought I wasn't supposed to feel any pain!  This sucks."

>The doctor opened the door.

>"I am guessing you felt some pain.  Is that correct Lyra?"  The Doctor said.

>"No I feel just dandy.  Of course I feel pain!  What the hay!"

>"It is perfectly normal Lyra.  That means you are close.  Could you put your hooves in the stirrups please, I need to check how far along you are."

>The awkwardness could be felt in the room.  Lyra looked at you and you to her, but she complied.  This time, though, she outstretched her hoof to you and you grasped it firmly.

>Taking out a small penlight and a, what seemed like a medieval torture device, the Doctor started to examine Lyra.

>Lyra closed her eyes tightly.

>"Yes, good.  Very good.  You are coming along nicely, Lyra."

>Lyra opened her eyes and sighed a sigh of relief while the doctor removed the device and backed up.

>"Does that mean it shouldn't be too much longer?"  Lyra said hopefully.

>"I don't expect it to be.  I would say by how much you are dilated, 30 minutes to an hour."

>"Thank Celestia.  This is really starting to hurt!"  Lyra said.

>You gripped her hoof a little bit harder.

>"I'll be back in 10 minutes to check up on you.  If the contracts suddenly come a lot faster, hit that button again and I'll be here as quickly as I can."

>"Thanks, Doc."  You say.

>You look back at Lyra.

>"You hear that?  Not too long and it will be all over.  Sounds good, huh?"

>"It really cannot come fast enough..."  Lyra said starring at the ceiling.

>7 hours later.

>"I hate you.  I hate you.  I hate you."  Lyra kept saying.  She was in constant pain and it didn't seem to be letting up.

"C'mon.  Where is that Lyra I know who laughs at pain?"  You say trying to lighten the mood.

>"She left 3 fricken hours ago."  Lyra said with contempt.

"Turn that frown upside down!"  You say.  It wasn't helping the situation, but nothing really was.  It was better for her to be mad at you than focus on the pain.

>Hearing that, Lyra looked directly at you, as if trying to kill you with her thoughts.  Thank the gods that the doctor gave her that shot, and that it lasted this long.

>The doctor, who was still in the room, looked at you and gave you a single nod and smile.

>"If I live through this, I swear you wo..."  Lyra was gripped by a large contraction.

>"This is it folks.  Lyra, you are as dilated as much as you are going to get."

>Lyra, for a second, had a look of relief, which was replaced by anger and pain the next second.

>"Anon...come closer...give me your hand."  Lyra said so quietly it you almost didn't hear it.

>You leaned in closer, presenting your hand, but it had been a trick!  Lyra took her hoof and slapped you across the face.

>"Ha!  That's what you get for DOING THIS TO ME!"  Lyra said.  She almost looked happy as if forgetting the pain by giving you some.  And that made it alright.

>You smiled while taking the offending hoof in hand.

>You look at Lyra and mouth 'I love you'.

>You thought Lyra would mouth back something quite explicit, but instead she mouthed something else back.  'I love you too'.

>"I am going to need you to push now, Lyra."  The Doctor said.

>"And what do you think I have been doing?!"  Lyra shouted.

>"Just push some more!  I can see it's.....head?"

>That last part scared you and Lyra.  What was it?  What was wrong?

"What's wrong?!"  You yelled.

>"N...nothing.  Keep pushing Lyra."

>"AHHH!"  Lyra was not covered in sweat.  Her forehead, her hooves, everywhere.  This was taxing her system to the brink of destruction, but she still found the strength to push.

>You wanted to look at your daughter.  More so because of how the Doc said 'head', but it was more important for you to be next to her.

>"The shoulders and arms are out!  Just a little more.  Push!"  The doctor said.

>...arms?  Doesn't he mean hooves?  Or legs?

>"You are doing great, Lyra.  I can see the....hind legs now."  

>'Okay,' You thought to yourself.  He started using pony terminology again, which brought ease to the room.  Why did he not in the beginning?  Maybe he was new?

>With one last push, and a scream from Lyra, the baby was out.  And the room was filled not with the screams of Lyra, but the wailing of your new daughter.

>Once again, both Lyra and you looked at each other.  This time, though, with the brightness of two parents, both with smiles and a glow.

>"It's a beautiful, healthy baby girl."  The doctor said.

>As with protocol, the baby was taken to be cleaned up before given to Lyra.  But not before a major fatherly duty was performed.

>"Anon, would you like to do the honors and cut the cord?"  The doctor said as a nurse brought you a pair of scissors

>Lyra nods, and you let go of her sweaty hoof while standing up and walking around the table.

>Taking the scissors, you gaze upon your daughter for the first time.

>"Is she as beautiful as I imagined?" A weakened Lyra said.

"More."  You say.

>There was no denying that was your kid.  None at all.  And now it is clear as to why the doctor used some human terms.

>Your child, Hope, was not pure pony nor was she pure human.  She was mixed with a human top and a pony bottom.  And she was beautiful.

>And then fear stuck your heart.  What would Lyra think of this child.  Equestria didn't have any ultrasounds or anything like that.  You both thought the baby would be a pony, though you both joked it would be a human.  But both?

>...What would she think?  Fear.  Dread.  All the like filled your mind as your stomach dropped.

>You ceremoniously cut the cord and the nurse quickly takes Hope for a wash.

>"What color is her mane?  Her eyes?  Her coat?"  Lyra was quick to say.

"It is hard to describe."  You say slowly.

>"Wait, is Hope a human?!"

"Not quite."

>At that moment, the nurse brought a bundled Hope up to Lyra, placing Hope in her arms.

>Lyra gazed at Hope for a moment.  Opening the bundle, and then closing it.

>This was the moment you dreaded.  Your were scared.  Truly scared.

>Lyra looked at you with teary eyes.

>"She's....beautiful."  And with that, Lyra started to cry.  You didn't last long either as you joined her.

>Hope's crying stopped immediately when she was held by Lyra as if she knew the embrace of her mother already.

>She was so small.  So fragile.  The most important thing in the world.

>Coming around the table, you crouched down next to Lyra and Hope, wrapping an arm around Lyra's neck.

"The most beautiful child in all of Equestria."  You said.

>"And she is ours."

>Lyra turned to you and gave you a small kiss.  She was still smiling the whole way through.

>Lyra looked back at the child for a long time.  It was like she was positively glowing.  

>After a while, the doctor chimed in.

>"Lyra, you need some rest after all of that and we need to put Hope in the observation room."

>Lyra nodded and gave Hope back to the nurse.  She was tired after her ordeal and desperately needed rest.  And you did too.  That stool at the far side of the room liked like a comfy enough place to get some sleep.

>Before you knew it, Lyra was fast asleep.

>You were going to talk to the doctor, but couldn't right now.  That could wait for later.  You needed some shut eye.  Questions could wait until tomorrow.

>Leaning over to a sleeping Lyra, you planted a kiss on her forehead and made your way to the comfy stool to sleep.

>So many thoughts raced through your head.  About the future.  About Lyra.  About your daughter.  What was to come?  It was all too much and kind of a scary thought, but you pushed it aside because you knew you had one thing and that was all that mattered.

>You had Hope.