North Star's hooves clacked against the floor as he dashed towards the mess hall.
Dawning sped up, chasing North eagerly. She reached out for him as she got close enough. They almost crashed together into the food dispenser.
He burst into giggles, hugging his friend briefly before pointing up at it. "Food machine." He bounced on his hooves. "What sounds good? There's all kinds of foods humans and ponies can eat. Dragons eat meat though, right?"
Dawning sniffed lightly as she checked the options. "Yeah, usually." She scanned over the presented options. "But, richer dragons eat gems." She rubbed her belly. "Always wanted to try one of those."
North's eyes lit up at that idea. "Ooh! I haven't tried gems yet." He trotted up next to Dawning to consider the dispenser together. "Twilight's programmed up tons of human stuff though. Dad likes their beef, mom loves the leafy things, and apples." He reached up to press a button. "Wanna try? They're good!"
Dawning tapped North's hoof away from the buttons. "Gems first, pipsqueak." She select through menus deftly before picking something sparkling to eat. "A dragon's gotta have her pride." She licked over her lips. "Also, you have gems, so how am I not gonna try some? Seriously, how do you have gems?!"
North leaned against Dawning gently. "Mom says the computer program has tons of recipes and instructions stored up, so we can ask for lots of things and it'll make it."
Dawning regarded North with some confusion, but that faded as a gem fell onto the tray on the replicator. She snatched it eagerly and sniffed it. "Mmm. I can't say it smells like a ruby. I never actually held one before."
North snickered gently. "Rubies are rocks. Ponies don't eat those, um, except salt I guess." He bumped Dawning gently. "Mom eats carrots too, you should try them later."
Dawning Star slowly turned the gem in her hands. "Well, trying this now." She tossed it into her eager snout. Crunch! Chew! "Oh wow." Her scales colored sharply as she savored the gem in her mouth. "North, North! Humans have awesome computers."
North Star rocked left and right on his hooves with a giggle. "Humans and ponies made these." He sat on his haunches just to clap his hooves. "They're teamwork. Maybe, some day, I'll help make even better computers. Ones that can make even better gems!"
Dawning gulped down her treat with a gasp of air. "North, those are already amazing." She considered her young pony friend with some clear confusion. "Man, humans and ponies are complicated, aren't they?" She ruffled the top of his head, sure that he seemed to enjoy that. "Okay, I got something. You want something to eat too, right? Lemme order something up for you too."
North brightened up at that offer. "Sure thing!" He trotted closer to the dispenser again. "Something human, and ponies like."
"Yeah yeah, no gems." She rolled her eyes. "Got it." She swiped her fingers across the touch panel, revealing a dizzying variety of dietary options. "Let's keep this simple. Some veggies and stuff you can chew on. Hmm, apples?" She selected that, then pressed her snout to North's nose. "Ready?"
"Ready!" North closed his eyes, tongue lolling out. He felt the apples land on his tongue. "Mmm!" He closed his maw to chomp eagerly on the tasty snacks.
Dawning Star fed him, one bit at a time. She cut the apple easily with her sharp claws, placing little slices where he could chew on them. "It's kind of funny. We're both stars."
North chomped and crunched on the offered bits of apple with a giggle. "Stars are cool! Dawning Star is the name of a star, it says so." He swallowed down the latest slice. "What's a Dawning Star? I bet it's pretty."
Dawning colored at that. "You are a flatterer!" She punched his shoulder before offering a few leafy greens. "The Dawn Star is the star. It's the big star that makes it dawn. The sun." She huffed softly as she served North Star more veggies. "I couldn't pick a cooler name if I tried." She winked. "And I did try, trust me."
North snapped up the last veggie, vanishing into his eager maw before he stood up. "Wow! Dawning Star, like the big sun, and North Star." He pranced in place with a chuckle. "We sound like explorers together!" He spread his forehooves with a giggle.
"Yeah, explorers." She ruffled his head even as she directed him out of the dining room. "That is what we are, North. Two stars braving the big black of space." She huffed gently. "Kinda poetic if you're into that."
North swayed left and right as they wandered the ship. "Poetry is neat, but exploring is even neater!" He cantered in place. "Oh! Since you're a junior crew, like me, you can come with me to class! Teacher would love another student!"
Dawning stumbled where she walked, tail dragging against the floor. "Class? North, uh, I'm not a pony, and dragons don't have school." She hunched her shoulders with some hesitation. "I've never been to class before."
North rubbed sidelong against her. "Then I'll show you. The teacher's really nice. Her name is Sunset Shimmer, and she knows a lot about every little thing. And she wants to share with us!"
Dawning shrank a little, tail tucking close as she followed North Star. "Dragons learn stuff on their own." She crossed her arms tightly. "Sunset's a hologram though, huh?"
North Star gasped. "How'd you know? Yes. Like my mom! Sunset's a hologram, but she teaches things, and does lots of work too."
Dawning let out a soft hum, following along with North. "If you say so. Dragons learn things on their own, or with family and stuff." She hunched her shoulders lightly as they wandered together. "North, how often do you have class?"
"Every day! Sunset said learning never stops, so we keep on going." He twirled about to face Dawning, going backwards. "She gives us things to do when we're not at class, and they're so fun! I get to do science with my own hooves." He bounced in place eagerly. "Science is my favorite, but Sunset likes teaching lots of stuff. History, math, so much stuff!"
Dawning gulped lightly as they walked. "North, are you sure she wants a dragon in her class?"
"A dragon, nope. But you're not just any dragon. I know you, and you're great." He pounced forward to hug her tightly a moment. "She'll love you." He bounced ahead a few steps before turning around. "Promise."
Dawning grumbled at North Star as he hugged her. "Fine, fine." She chased after North, easily keeping up with him as he pranced on ahead. "Sunset Shimmer sounds smart, at least."
"So smart!" North lead Dawning along the ship towards the library. Other young foals were gathering there. One was a human girl that waved gently as North and Dawning came in.
Sunset appeared near them with a warm smile. "North Star! Who's your new friend?"
Dawning shrank where she stood as all eyes went to her. "Dawning Star, dragon."
Sunset pointed with both hands. "I can see that. Look at you, all scaley and what not. Welcome! Did you want to join the class?"
North whinnied eagerly. "Dawning's super cool! She's brave, and can climb good." He bounced left and right as he stood by Dawning. "Isn't she the best?"
Sunset ruffled North's mane much as Dawning had several times before. "You're a growing pony, tone it down a little. Still, yes, I can see she's a very special dragon. But it's up to her. Dawning, do you want to join us? We aren't forcing you."
Dawning sniffed lightly, her scales coloring sharply. "North invited me." She hunched her shoulders gently. "Sure. Dragons are the best at learning on their own, so this should be good practice."
Sunset flashed a smile at that. "Hey, you even know your learning style, great. Some learn better on their own, and others in groups. Neither is wrong, we're just wired different." She tapped at her head as she moved to the front of the class. "I'll keep that in mind for activities I suggest your way. For now though, I'll show you all something neat to start."
North trotted to his seat, his desk morphing slightly to suit his pony body. Dawning sat nearby, a chair and desk simply appearing for her.
Sunset clapped her hands together, holographic information appearing on the screen behind her. "Now, since we have a dragon with us." She started into a lesson on minerology, gems, rocks, soil, and all manner of things one might find on a planet if they looked down.
North charged Dawning enthusiastically as the day came to an end. "Class was fun! Sunset knew so much." He cantered in place with a giggle. "Dragons dig for gems right?
Dawning huffed at that. "In the old days, that was the only way to get any." She looked past North to the young woman standing next to him. "Uh, hey?"
"Hi!" North's human friend offered a hand for Dawning to shake. "I'm Harriet Shimmer, it's nice to meet you."
Dawning Star sniffed her over suspiciously. "Who are you? Besides the name that is."
Harriet grinned warmly. "North invited me to hang out. Since we both joined the ship at the same time, I think we could be friends." She ran her fingers through her hair, shoulder length locks shifting gently. "I'm Sunset's kid. Don't worry, she doesn't give me any special treatment." She rolled her eyes at the thought. "I think she's extra mean to be just to be sure."
North bounced left and right eagerly. "Harriet's super cool! We do science together, and, and, and stuff." He cantered in place. "Since Dawning's joining class now, you two can be science friends."
Harriet held up a hand. "Our new friend just said she learns better on her own." She took her hand back, seeing it wasn't being taken. "If you want, I'd be delighted to do an experiment together, but no pressure."
Dawning grabbed Harriet's hand just as it was withdrawing. She shook it a bit overly-energetically. "I'm not used to this, okay? Sorry."
North hugged Dawning tightly. "Harriet's a science buddy! You'll love it, promise."
Harriet embraced Dawning Star as well, completing the group hug. "North's enthusiasm is hard to say no to."
Dawning felt the urge to flee the hug, but both other partners were, surprisingly to her, actually kind of nice to be next to. Neither made her nervous, and they were soft and warm. "Yeah." She wriggled free of them gently. "Science buddies, huh?"
North galloped out of the classroom eagerly. "Harriet likes the sciences. Sunset says that means a lot of things." He dashed down the hallway eagerly. "Follow me!"
Dawning and Harriet jogged after North eagerly.
North Star led them towards the holodeck eagerly. He pointed inside one of its several doors. "This one's open. Wanna do the experiment?"
Harriet gently bopped North on the end of his nose. "I just told you that Dawning needs her space. I know you're eager." She leaned in towards Harriet to whisper, "He's like this. He means well, promise."
Dawning sniffed North gently. "Yeah, North Star is an excitable pony." She bumped sidelong against him gently. "Science buddy or not, I can handle it." She strutted into the holodeck with Harriet and North following along.
Harriet let North play with the controls, instead opting to be by Dawning. "Now, feel free to tell me to take a hike, but it seems to me." She pointed at herself, then Dawning and North. "You two are very friendly. Not a bad thing! Just a thing."
Dawning hunched where she stood with a grumble. "North invited me hiking, we cuddled." She colored sharply. "Humans are friendly enough too." She crossed her arms tightly with her scales coloring sharply.
"Dragons can be so cute." She reached to gently rub some of those blushing scales. "If you like him, that's great. We're both kids of different creatures, so no flack out of us. I have two moms, of different creatures. How crazy's that?!"
Dawning sniffed Harriet gently. "Crazy is one word for it. Dragons aren't big on romance, North's a pony, I'm a dragon." She crossed her arms tightly. "And he doesn't want to have a wyrmling anyway."
Harrier rolled her eyes at that. "He doesn't know what having a 'wyrmling' is." She whistled sharply, getting his attention. "North, get over here."
North cantered over eagerly. "Science buddies ready?" He pounced Harriet in a warm hug. "Experiments are super neat.""
Harriet pushed him back gently. "Not science time, social time. North, when you and I were born, what were we?"
North bobbed his head left and right. "Human, pony. Dawning was hatched a dragon." He swayed gently. "Duh?"
Harriet's hands found their way to North's shoulders. "Besides that. We were small little kids. I was a human child, you were a pony foal. She was a cute dragon wyrmling. With me?"
North swayed in Harriet's grip with a giggle. "Sure thing!" He cantered in place gently. "Small and helpless babies. Why do you ask?"
Harriet motioned Dawning closer. "North and I have a mom each. Sunset, Wind Whistler. Both are computer programs, so they will be there for our entire life. Our fathers are Susan, for me, and Dex for North."
North Star snickered warmly. "Da is great!" He cantered in place on his hooves. "Both Susan and Wind taught us stuff, raised us, um, still raising us." He rubbed at his cheek gently. "Not all grown up yet. Why are you asking about that?"
Harriet pointed at Dawning even as she cringed away. "Dawning wants to have wyrmlings of her own. She's a bit young though. You really should wait until you're an adult before you—"
But, it was a bit late for that. That seemed like a fine idea to North Star, understanding what Dawn wanted. With his consent eagerly given, the two shimmered as the program executed, casually examining them both. Dawning gasped in surprise as her scales colored sharply. "North!"
Harriet rubbed her temples gently. "Great, the spell executed." She checked them both over as a panel of holographic data appeared for her. "It's going and I don't think I can stop it." She put a hand behind her head. "Let's just hope this doesn't explode."
What did explode was a suddenly appearing egg that dropped into Dawning Star's startled arms, large enough to house a wyrmling easily. Dawning cradled the egg nervously as North pranced in place eagerly. "Science buddy Harriet! Dawning has an egg now!"
Dawning was aghast as she hugged her newly created egg. "Why'd it work?! How'd it work?!" She squeaked as the egg bumped lightly in her grasp. "It's already quickened! What do we do?!"
Harriet checked over the holographic panel gently. "Sunset says congratulations? North, Dawning, you two just conceived a wyrmling apparently." She considered Dawning's egg with a sigh. "We should get to medical, now. When North and I were born, we were, um, already hatched. Dragons are different."
North whinnied in a rush. "Science buddies, medical bay now! Follow me!" He cantered ahead eagerly, Dawning and Harriet chasing after him as best they could. He lead the way eagerly towards medical.
Roger happened to be on his way there when North Star rushed by with a dragon girl and human girl in tow. "Oh no." He couldn't help but see the dragon girl was carrying an egg that seemed too large to have come from her. "Twilight! Keep an eye on Dawning and her new, uh, passenger. Tell me if anything goes wrong."
Roger had his link reply quickly. "Sunset is informing me of the details. Dawning and North just conceived a wyrmling together."
Roger jogged after Dawning and the others. "North! Slow down! Medical isn't going anywhere." He fell in behind them, able to keep up easily.
Harriet Shimmer glanced over her shoulder to spot the captain rushing after them. "Oh, hello, Captain. No time for talking right now."
As a group, they hustled into the medical area. Fluttershy was waiting for them, waving them towards a table on the side. "This is prepared for a dragon's egg. Put it there, on the cushion, please."
Dawning cradled her egg in her grasp nervously. "North, Harriet, Captain." She moved towards the prepared table gently, settling her egg down there gently. "Fluttershy?" She fell back as soon as the egg was put down. "Why are there so many people all of a sudden?"
Fluttershy examined the egg closely. "Captain, the spell worked exactly as intended, Dawning is pregnant with a wyrmling. North contributed his pony code to the process, and Dawning provided her draconic bits. Congratulations you two, you're having a child." She inclined her head. "I said that a bit awkwardly. You aren't pregnant. Dragons aren't pregnant." She laughed tensely. "But you have an egg, and it will hatch soon."
She patted the soft bedding the egg rested on. "This will keep it warm. Dragon eggs require warmth if they are to hatch. Usually dragon mothers and father curl around them to provide it." She adjusted the room temperature. "I'll raise the ambient heat, Dawning, North, feel free to cuddle it and keep it warm."
Roger sighed gently as he pinched his brow. "Twilight, are there any problems?"
Twilight appeared abruptly. "Both parents are in fine physical condition. The spell caused them no direct harm. They are experiencing sharp emotional effects, but that is to be expected."
Dawning threw her hands wide. "To be expected?! I'm. She slumped, almost falling over. "I'm a mom. Wow." She colored sharply as North hugged her gently.
Fluttershy gestured Dawning and North closer to the egg. "Physical contact with the egg is encouraged. Dragons would usually be cuddling it and sharing warmth together.
Dawning stuck her tongue out at Fluttershy. "I don't know where you're getting your dragon details from, but we don't cuddle our eggs. We just keep it hot, usually by parking it right on top of some toasty lava. That failing, our breath'll do the job. The hotter, the better!"
North trotted closer to Dawning. "Can I help? They're, um, my kid too?" They wriggled a bit, unsure how to feel about things. "I want to help."
Dawning sniffed North Star gently. "North, dragons raise wyrmlings on their own." She considered him sidelong before her scales colored sharply. "North helped anyway, guess he's at least a part of things." She bumped her hip against his gently. "Fine, cuddle it."
North let out an excited yelp as he climbed up onto the table and wrapped around the egg that would be his dragon. He wasn't putting out the heat of the lamp overhead, but he was trying his best.
Fluttershy monitored North and the egg closely. "Captain, I have an incubation lamp active. North's not providing much extra warmth, but dragons do vary greatly in their biology. Dawning, could you breath fire on the egg?"
Dawning rolled her eyes as she stood up and came closer. She shoved her hand under the lamp to feel the heat coming from it. "It's fine. North, you'll burn yourself if you hang out there too long. You're not a dragon."
North uncurled gently, dropping down off of the egg to trot next to Dawning instead. "Science buddy Harriet says breathing fire is kinda dangerous. Sunset taught us all about fire safety."
Harriet laughed at that. "I didn't say that! You can't breathe fire, goof. That's a dragon-only trick. Dawning, you alright? You looked a bit overwhelmed."
Dawning flicked her gaze up to the woman's face as she reached out to touch North. "Weird day, but I'm good. Good egg here, warm and ready to hatch soon. My wyrmling." She laughed a little tensely. "I'm gonna be a mom." The impact of that started to reach her. "Maybe I shoulda waited."
North huffed as he laid against Dawning gently. "Um, when it hatches, I'll be a dad too?" He spread his hooves wide as he looked down at himself. "Not sure if I can handle that. But neither of us have to. We have each other, and our families. We aren't alone."
Harriet patted North on the head gently. "We're all here for you two." She patted Dawning on the shoulder next. "I get to be the cool big sister for the hatchling, right?"
Dawning burst into a sharp laugh at that. "Deal. They could use a big sister at their side." She glanced aside. "But, wait. I want you to, hm. Can you be their aunt instead?"
Harriet wiggled her fingers with a smile. "Sure thing. Auntie Harriet sounds just fine." She stepped back from Dawning. "And there are plenty of people on this ship who will love the hatchling."