Chapter 7: Pregnant Again
Erik found he enjoyed spending time with the little babbehs. They were developing nicely. He also brought Sleet out often and had her watch him play with them. He still took care of her. She was a soon mummah again. Though her songs lacked the conviction they did in the first pregnancy. Whether it was depression from the pillowing, or due to worrying about her babbehs being ugly, Erik wasn’t sure. He checked her for bed sores, making sure to lightly massage her belly…and rubbed her stumps.
“Nu…pwease nu touwch soon-mummah dere!” Sleet whined, wiggling around.
Erik stopped…but only because of the future babbehs Sleet would have. One thing he found that was easier was bath time. He didn’t need the immobilization board…at least not for now. He just needed the muzzle. It kept her from screaming and biting. She still went wild in the baths, even if she was pillowed. Maybe it was her snout being so much closer to the water. Well, was it really that much closer with her stumpy legs? He at least washed her with no problems now. He just had to keep her snout above water.
Currently he was playing again with the babbehs. There wasn’t much they could do except wiggle around blindly. He pet them, letting them get used to his scent. Soon enough he heard more than peeping! He looked towards the alicorns. Sure enough, their development was ahead. The alicorn colt was starting to open his eyes! Erik nearly gasped when he did. Those eyes were a beautiful amber color. It peeped once. “D-daddeh?” It asked.
Erik beamed. He’d hoped playing ‘daddeh songs’ instead of ‘mummah songs’ would make them look for a daddeh instead. “That’s right, little guy. I’m your daddeh.” He said, sounding a little choked up. He pet the alicorn with a finger, who cooed. The other alicorn was close behind. The jet black one opened her eyes, which were an intense blue color. “Daddeh?” It asked then chirped.
“I am your daddeh.” He said. They were beautiful little creatures. He knew he ought to name them. It was generally best to name the fluffy when they showed a personality, or when they opened their eyes. “How would you fluffies like names?” He asked. He saw in the corner that Sleet was wiggling, muffling away into her gag. The young fluffies were more focused on their daddeh and the prospect of names. Their little tails were wagging. They were still little nubs, but they’d grown a bit.
Erin gave scritches under the chin to the gold colt, and smiled. “I’ll call you Goldenrod.” He said. it began to peep and chirp.
“Wuv nyu name!” It claimed.
Erik knew the fluffy would love any name as long as it wasn’t derogatory, but it touched his heart anyway. Next was the black filly with the white tail. It was wagging in anticipation. “You will be Midnight.” He said to her. She peeped with joy.
“Nyu name! Wuv!” It exclaimed. She rocked back and forth, and wiggled her weggies. “Am dancie babbeh!” She claimed.
Erik clapped gently. “That’s very good, Midnight. You’re such a good dancer!” He told her. He made sure to give attention to the other two siblings who were still blind. He’d thought of names for them. He would be calling the tripod filly Brownie. The dark brown with white spots would be called Spotty. The green fluffy he was thinking of calling Camo. A bit uncreative, but it did the job. He’d wait until they opened their eyes to name them. It was likely to be soon. Anywhere within today or the next day. He didn’t expect it for a few more hours. Right now he was thrilled to have two with their eyes open. The alicorns wandered, bumping into each other several times, which made them giggle and hug each other. They were trying to be ‘splorin’ babbehs’. How cute. He made sure they didn’t go too far.
As he was helping Goldenrod after he bopped his nose trying to get up, he heard a light squeak from Midnight.
“Wha dat?” She asked, pointing a hoof at Sleet.
Sleet looked angry, wiggling her little pillow body. It looked like the alicorns developing made her angrier. And that they were testing out their little legs.
“That’s just a bad fluffy. She was so bad, she lost her leggies.” Erik said. He took Browine out of the fluff pile of three to show them. “See how your sissy lost a leg? It was because that bad fluffy over there stepped on it. Her leggies got so angry at her that they left.” He saw the alicorns looked suitably horrified. He set Brownie back with her brother. “Luckily she’ll be able to walk and run, but I think the bad fluffy was going to do worse. But don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” He said to them. The alicorns gave little cheers.
“Now that you two are talkie babbehs, you’ll get to live in the safe room. Your brother and sister will join you when they open their eyes.” He said. He picked up the two. He felt okay to leave Sleet where she was. She couldn’t get to the other babbehs. Even if she was determined to roll over, they were still safe in the container. Erik cuddled the two alicorns, and brought them to the safe room. What had once been for Sleet was now a foal paradise. There were even a few little foal playplaces. There were foal sized foam blocks and balls. There were ‘woah’ and ‘wuv safe woom!’ From the little fluffies. The foals toddled together, sniffing and lightly padding things.
Erik watched from the doorway, just inside the baby gate. It was heartwarming, to watch some pets explore their new space. He made sure they knew about the auto feeder since they still needed milk. Of course it wasn’t called an auto feeder. He called it a milkie place. He also introduced them to the litter box. He knew it would likely take a little longer to teach them, but it couldn’t hurt to introduce it early on, especially if they could walk now.
It only took two more days for the other babbehs to open their eyes. Erik had let the other two sleep in the fluffy pile with their older siblings. They didn’t want to be apart from them yet. Erik thought it was fine. They were gentle, and had a nightlight. It was far enough away from Sleet. He left the closet door open, but didn’t bother to get her out today. Instead, he was fawning over the newly seeing seeing foals. The soon to be named Brownie had green eyes. Soon to be Spot had light brown eyes. Soon to be Camo had black eyes. The alicorns were watching happily. They’d been the one to call daddeh because their siblings were opening their eyes.
“You three are talkie babbehs now!” He exclaimed after confirming he was their daddeh. “Would you little ones like names?” He asked. Of course they did. They peeped and chirped in their excitement. “Alright.” He said. He picked up Camo first. She was a cute little unicorn. “You will be called Camo.” He said, lightly touching her horn.
“Peep! Wuv namesie!” She wiggled her little legs. Erik set her down to see her alicorn brother and sister.
Erik picked up the dark brown fluffy with spots. Pegusus colt. “Your name is Spot.” He said. The little fluffy peeped, and his wings buzzed. “Wuv nyu name!” The little one said.
Finally he picked up the brown tripod fluffy. “Your name is Brownie.” He told the earthie filly.
“Wuv namsie! Wuv-“ Brownie had been wiggling her legs, but stopped. She looked at the little stump, and seemed to notice the missing appendage. “Wha…wha happen to weggie?” She asked, tearing up.
Erik winced. He held Brownie gently. “You lost that leggie very young. A bad fluffy stepped on it.” He said. Brownie began to cry, and Erik stroked her back. “You can still walk and play like other fluffies. You just won’t be quite as fast.” He told her. He let her siblings give her hugs, and all did without hesitation. They loved their sister. Erik was glad they were loved by each other. Regardless of type or color.
He let them play and explore their safe room before he took photos of them. Part of it was the rite of taking cute photos of a pet. The other part was to put up photos on the website. However, Goldenrod was not for sale. He was keeping him. If nobody took Brownie, he’d keep her too. Midnight was reserved for the breeder. Spot, Camo, and Brownie were put on the site. A bit of their personality was starting to show through. Spot was fast, but he needed to be watched. He was quite adventurous. He could get into sticky situations otherwise. Camo was a sweetheart. It was recommended she was bought with another fluffy, since she was always cuddling with one of her siblings or a huggy toy. So much that he had to get another so she wasn’t the only one who used it. Brownie liked to splore a lot. She liked to go on the playplace and play pretend. Erik had been showing them FluffTV and other kids show. He’d played Dora the Explorer once. He was pretty sure that was what Brownie’s inspiration came from.
Even if the babbehs were amazing, Erik had another responsibility. Sleet. She was pregnant, so he couldn’t just ignore her. He spent time with her, petting and brushing her. He watched TV with her when the foals napped. He didn’t ever let her see the foals. Not now that they knew she was a mean fluffy. He did tell them that she was a soon mummah, and he was going to make sure the babbehs were raised nicely. He hadn’t told them that she was their mummah. What would be the point? They had no connection. It would hurt Brownie even more to know her own mummah made her lose her leggie. She still cried over it sometimes when she couldn’t do something like stack blocks. Her siblings tried to make it better, letting her knock over the tower. She could also play ball and splore.
Currently he was brushing her after another bath. He’d been pissed off about Sleet trying to get attention for sorry poopies, so he took some suggestions. The plastic on the floor and walls? He angled it so any poop and pee would end up pooling where she was. It only took three times of being alone in her own filth for her to stop acting out like that. He wasn’t always cold to her. She was already miserable as a pillow fluff. Erik tried to teach her what she did wrong. Nothing got through. Though he’d looked through forums on how to keep pillow fluffies happy. He came across a disturbing site that said ‘Pillow fluffs are happy fluffs’. He was pretty hugbox, but even he saw how messed up it was! He pillowed Sleet for the safety of five little foals. These people pillowed fluffies immediately when they got them under the assumption they’d be happier without legs. Nuts. But there were things to keep pillow fluffy occupied and…well, he couldn’t say happy. More like not completely depressed. A sensory sheet worked great. All sorts of textures Sleet could nuzzle with different scents. He made sure she was still fed and given water. She was still clean and brushed. But she always asked for her leggies back. Each time her heart broke as Erik had to remind her they weren’t coming back because she hurt her babbeh. Because she didn’t love any of them. It seemed she still didn’t understand it. She didn’t understand why it was so wrong to not love not pretty babbehs. Whenever she was particularly unruly, Erik decided to rub her stumps, which usually sent her into crying fits.
This pregnancy was far less stressful for Erik. Sleet couldn’t demand much, and knew now demanding got her nothing. It may even get her less. Erik hung up the sorry stick on the wall, and the sorry box was in the corner. All in sight for her if she misbehaved. If Erik saw cheeks puffed up he merely had to look in the direction of the box or sorry stick for them to deflate like popped balloons. He found his care for Sleet rapidly decreasing. In fact…he may just have to get rid of her after this litter. No use in tormenting her. He could use this space for the babbehs that were too young to walk or talk.
Erik worried about himself a bit. Before all this, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had to use a sorry box or sorry stick. He couldn’t remember even having to threaten it. Now he made references to them each time. How was he turning into one of those abusers? How was he wanting to hurt Sleet? What was happening to them both?