Twilight Sparkle Visits The Family Planning Center (written by Mythril Moth)
For Want Of A Child (written by divinearcadia)
Possibilities (written by Mythril Moth)
FAP (written by Mythril Moth)
Now Hiring (written by Mythril Moth)
Sun, Star, And Leaf (written by divinearcadia)
A Cute Little Terror (written by divinearcadia and Mythril Moth)
TWILIGHT SPARKLE VISITS THE FAMILY PLANNING CENTER
My name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm a unicorn mare and the personal student of Princess Celestia. I don't have a very special somepony, and haven't even really been looking.
But I'm in heat, and...I want to have a foal.
There are a lot of single mothers in Equestria. Perhaps more than you might think. But that's the way it is when the ratio of females to males is eight to three. You look around and you see mares and fillies with special someponies, and you feel envious of them, not because they've found their soulmate, but because, well...
Every stallion who has a marefriend is one less for the rest of us. And frankly, not every stallion in Equestria is desirable. Some are too young, some are too old, some are just plain weird. Like that guy with the jelly jars.
Although I was born and raised in Canterlot, I live in Ponyville now. And until I moved to Ponyville, I didn't know there was an...arrangement...for unwed mares who want a foal. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The more I think about it, the more sure I am that every town in Equestria has a place like where I'm going now.
Calling it a shop would be a bit of a stretch. It's more of a...clinic, but that isn't quite right either.
I'm at the door now. It's a cheerful, inviting little place, and there's a little sign above the door that says "Family Planning Center". That's what it says on all the business cards, and that's what it says on the little clinic's tax forms and business license. I know because I checked. The sign even has a cute little emblem: a half-full baby bottle paired with a big pink heart.
Every mare knows the Family Planning Center is here, just off Stirrup Street. But it's something nopony talks about. It's certainly not a place you want to be seen coming and going from. Even though we all know why it's here, it's just really embarrassing for everypony to know your business.
It may be called a "Family Planning Center", but the truth is it's where mares such as me go to get mounted by a professional stud.
Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I open the door with my magic and step inside. Immediately behind the door is a large wooden divider that screens the interior of the clinic from outside view. Sensible, as it would be too embarrassing if anypony could just open the door, look inside, and immediately know who's here to get mounted today. The divider also serves a more clerical function, as there is a peg nailed to it from which hangs slips of parchment with numbers on them. There are signs posted on the divider as well: "Please Take A Number, Then Exit To The Right"; "We Do Not Service Stallions"; "We Do Not Service Mares Who Are Not In Heat"; "No Foals Allowed"; "If You Have A Preference Of Family Planning Associate, Please Let Our Receptionist Know"; "Have You Seen This Platypus?"; "We Do Not Issue Refunds Under Any Circumstances".
Ripping a number free from the peg, I walk around the right-hand edge of the divider and step into the waiting room. The receptionist, a mare with an amber coat and a long, honey-brown mane, looks up from her magazine and nods to me, motioning for me to have a seat. She looks familiar; I've seen her around town. I believe she has a colt of her own.
The waiting room is very much like that of a doctor's office. There are comfortable seats arranged along the walls, potted plants in the corners, and a magazine rack hanging from one wall. There are also flyers and posters on the walls, a rack of pamphlets on pregnancy and what to expect when your foal is born, a reminder that payment is due at the time service is rendered, and even a little plaque that says "SATISFACTION GUARANTEE: If You Are Not Properly Serviced Today, Bring A Signed, Dated Note From Your Personal Physician And You Will Be Serviced Again At No Additional Charge." That's nice to know. It's also interesting that the sign uses such vague language. I mean, if you've come this far, you know what goes on here...
I take one of the pamphlets, which are free to take home with you, and put it in my saddlebag. Then, I select a magazine from the rack and have a seat. Although I know it's rude, I can't help but look around to see who else is here. There are six mares present other than myself; four of them are familiar from around town, though I can't think of their names off the top of my head. The other two, though, I know quite well: the schoolteacher, Cheerilee, and, to my utter astonishment, Fluttershy.
She's noticed me, and she looks like she's about to freak out.
With magazine held in my magic, I trot over and take the seat next to her. "Hey Fluttershy," I whisper. "I'm a bit surprised to see you here!"
"Eep!" she squeaks. "Um, I, um, well..."
I laugh. "It's okay. You don't need to be embarrassed. I think you'll make a wonderful mother."
Fluttershy lets out an adorable little sigh, her cheeks flaming through her fur. "Please don't tell anypony you saw me here," she says.
"Fluttershy! I'd never do that!" I smirk. "Of course, it'll be obvious sooner or later..."
"Oh...yes, I suppose it will." She ducks her head, mane covering her face. The silence is awkward, but fortunately, it doesn't last long. "I'm...a little surprised to see you here, Twilight," she says.
I shrug. "Mom always said it's better if a mare has her foal young, because they'll be healthier, and because it's easier to keep up with a foal if you're still in your prime."
"Well, that's true," Fluttershy says. "I just...never figured you for the type to start a family. Ah! I don't mean you wouldn't be a great mommy! It's just..."
I laugh. "No worries, I know what you mean." I flip a page and look at a picture of a delicious-looking cake. "I didn't really start thinking about it until after Mr. and Mrs. Cake had the twins. When I haven't been busy with other things, I've been making lists of pros and cons of motherhood. I finally made the decision a while ago, and spent a few weeks writing back and forth to my mom about what it'd be like, what I can expect. And now, well..." I gesture with a hoof. "I'm in heat, so here I am."
At some point, Cheerilee had changed seats to join us. "Are you girls as nervous as I am?" she asks.
"I'm always nervous," Fluttershy replies.
"I'm pretty nervous, yeah," I admit. "Say, Cheerilee...I could've sworn you and Big Macintosh were a couple."
Cheerilee sighs. "That rumor needs to go away," she says. "I mean, we did actually think about it after that stunt the Crusaders pulled on us, but we decided we're just not the right fit. Besides, Big Macintosh isn't really...interested in a special somepony right now."
"He's not?" Fluttershy asks.
Cheerilee shakes her head. "He feels like he's got too many responsibilities to get involved with anypony."
"That's a shame," I say. "A lot of mares would love to be his marefriend." I glance at Cheerilee. "So, what made you decide to come here?"
Cheerilee smiles. "Well, I love children, of course. And spending every day teaching fillies and colts...I've wanted one of my own for some time. So I've been saving up for this, getting everything ready so that having a foal won't throw my entire life out of whack."
"It is a big life change," Fluttershy says quietly.
The receptionist calls out a number. "Whoops! I'm up! Wish me luck, girls!" Cheerilee waves.
"Good luck," I say as Cheerilee trots over to the counter and is ushered through the small door beside it.
"Hey, Fluttershy," I ask, "do you know that receptionist? I've seen her around, I know she has a colt, but I don't think I've ever met her."
"Hm? Oh, that's Fertile Plot," my timid friend says. "She actually owns this place. That baby bottle emblem on the sign outside? It's her Cutie Mark."
"Oh, I see," I reply. Fertile Plot? Seriously?!
I pass the time making small talk with Fluttershy until her number is called, at which point I wish her luck, then read my magazine in silence. I copy down the recipe for that delicious cake, as well as a few other recipes in the magazine. I find it curious that I haven't seen a single pony come back out of the clinic proper. Cheerilee and Fluttershy should've been...ahem...finished quite some time ago, shouldn't they?
When Fertile Plot finally calls my number, I walk up to the counter. She motions me through the door beside her, behind which I find a desk and a cash register. "Good afternoon," she says. "There's a form for you to fill out and sign." She looks at me and frowns. "We don't have any unicorn stallions, I'm afraid."
"Oh, that's fine," I assure her. "There's no guarantee two unicorns will produce a unicorn foal in any event." I chuckle at the memory of visiting the newborn Cake twins. "I know an Earth pony couple in town who had twins not too long ago. The foals are a pegasus and a unicorn!"
Fertile Plot laughs. "The Cake twins? I heard about that." I pass my completed form over to her, and she checks it over. "Oh, you're Twilight Sparkle? I've heard of you, but I don't recall actually meeting you." She files my form in a folder. "The fee is eighty bits, Miss Sparkle." Ouch! I knew this would probably be expensive, but...oh well, I'm good for it.
I hoof over my bits, and Fertile Plot counts them, drops them into the till, and nods. "Down the hall, room number three." She smiles. "Best of luck, and I hope you have a healthy and beautiful foal."
"Thank you," I reply primly, trotting down the hall. I pause nervously at the door to the room indicated. This is it. The big moment. I am going to open that door, and a stallion I have probably never seen before is going to mount me and impregnate me.
Taking a deep breath, I open the door to the stall and step inside. My first thought is that the inside looks like a doctor's office too. There's a low padded bench against one wall, cupboards above a lavatory, bottles of sanitizing liquid soap, latex hoof protectors, and a large box of tissues. The walls are plastered with many of the same notices as the waiting room. There are also things one would not generally find in a doctor's office, such as the shower hose hanging from a hook on the wall and the metal drain in the middle of the floor. There's also a large rack of fluffy towels on one wall, and a couple of bins in the corner ("Used Towels" and "Waste").
But the most important thing in this room is the royal purple pegasus stallion seated next to the padded bench, making notes on a clipboard. He is well-muscled, quite handsome, and has a flowing, curly blond mane. I feel my heart race with more than nervousness.
He looks up at me and smiles. "Hello. My name is Steady Stroke. I'm a Family Planning Associate, and I will be assisting you today."
"Um, hello," I say breathlessly. "My name is Twilight Sparkle."
He makes a note on his clipboard, then hangs it on a peg on the wall. "Are you nervous?" he asks.
"Y-yes," I reply. "This...I've never done this before."
He chuckles. "Quite a few of the mares that come here haven't. Don't worry, it's a perfectly simple, natural process." He gestures to the bench. "Please arrange yourself in whatever position makes you comfortable, so long as I have access to your vagina. Let me know when you're ready."
Face flaming, I position myself with my front hooves and my barrel on the bench, allowing it to support me as I raise my rump and move my tail away from my genitalia. "I—I'm ready," I say. I wonder how this is going to go. Is there going to be foreplay? Is he going to say romantic things to me? Am I going to cry out? Is it going to hurt? Was it even a good idea to put my virginity in the hooves of this complete stranger? Should I just make a run for it and forget this whole idea?
And then, with absolutely no preamble, he mounts me.
It doesn't take very long at all from the time Steady Stroke mounts me to the time it's over with. "There you go, Miss Sparkle," he says. "If you'd sign here, please..."
Wow, that was so anticlimactic.
As I sign the form, he explains the "retry policy", and assures me he will not be offended if I opt for a different stallion should I need to return or choose to have a second foal at a later date. He stays in the corner of the room as I clean myself, then wishes me good luck, and warns me that I should leave from the rear of the clinic. Minutes later, I'm outside, blinking in the late afternoon sun, feeling the breeze on my face, smelling the fragrant spring air with its sweet fragrance of flowers and grass...and, presumably, soon to be pregnant. I reflect on how clinical and sterile the entire process was, how professional and businesslike.
It's a bit painful to admit that the whole thing suits me perfectly.
I hope I have a unicorn, but a pegasus would be nice too. Maybe even an alicorn? Heh, probably not, but you never know! But I really do hope it's a filly. Spike is gross enough as it is without having a colt around to pick up his bad habits.
In any case, all I can do now is go home, tidy up the library, have dinner, and wait.
* * * * *
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today, I visited the Family Planning Center here in Ponyville. I was mounted by a very nice, very professional stallion, who I will not name. The entire experience was very interesting. Not the mounting, but the clinic visit as a whole. I'm quite looking forward to motherhood, though I'm very nervous about the whole thing.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Celestia blinked at the letter she had just read. "Well...this is...awkward."
(Special Guest Author: divinearcadia)
"Well...this is...awkward," Celestia said with no small amount of hurt confusion.
"What is it, Tia?" her sister Luna asked, peering curiously at her.
"This," Celestia replied, passing the letter to Luna. The latter quickly scanned the letter, and a smile appeared on her face.
"Oh, Tia! This is wonderful news!" Luna said happily. "We should hold a baby shower for her!"
"Maybe..." Celestia hedged, disheartened. Luna picked up on her sister's mood immediately and went into prying sibling mode.
"Tia..." Luna said, with that long-suffering sternness that only family members can produce.
"What?" Celestia asked defensively, turning slightly away to avoid making eye contact with her sister. Luna shifted around to get a good look at her sister, and immediately wished she hadn't. Celestia's face showed open pain and sorrow that Luna never could have imagined. Luna's heart immediately went out to her sister; she closed the gap between them and hugged her tightly.
"What's the matter, Tia?" Luna asked softly, gently rocking her sister back and forth in a soothing manner. "You can tell me anything. You know I'll do anything to help you, dear sister."
Celestia didn't cry; it seemed as though she was withdrawing into herself. Only the faintest trace of stiffness in her frame revealed her inner turmoil. They remained like that for a few minutes before Celestia finally relaxed a bit and gently pushed her sister away with a hoof.
"Thank you, dear sister," she said softly.
"Now, will you tell me what has you so upset?" Luna asked before her sister could armor herself with a peytral of silence.
"It's not something I would have you shoulder," Celestia replied with a distant expression and a small shrug.
"Tia," Luna said, leaning forward to poke her sister sharply in the chest. "You will tell me. Not because I want to know, but because I want to help you. You can't shoulder your own burdens and those of a kingdom all the time. Not with your sister by your side."
"As you wish, Luna," Celestia replied with a tired sigh. "I have been a part of Twilight Sparkle's life since she was a very young filly. I have watched her grow, sharing in her triumphs and comforting her in her defeats. Before I knew it, Twilight had become like a daughter to me. One I could have by my side instead of watching her from afar, only knowing of me as an aunt. She is all I could hope for and more. However, it appears as though despite all my hopes, she has never seen me as more than a teacher and mentor. I knew nothing of her intentions to become a mother until I received this letter. This damnably cordial, perfunctory letter!" Celestia looked down, every year of her life showing in her weary, pain-filled eyes. "I guess I still see her as the little filly who would tell me anything and even sneak into my chambers at night when she had a bad dream."
"Oh...Tia..." Luna said softly, pulling her into another tight embrace. "It's alright, dearest sister. But you must be happy for her. After all, your little Twilight has grown into a fine mare and will make a wonderful mother. You sent her out into the world, and she has proven herself to be everything you could hope for and more."
"I guess that's why I'm so upset. I miss her, Sister. I knew sending her to Ponyville was what would be best for her, but..." She hugged Luna just a little tighter as she trailed off.
"It'll be okay, Tia," Luna said soothingly. Unbeknownst to Celestia, the complex gears of Luna's mind began to turn with surprising speed, a plan so devious in its simplicity that it required little more than to point out something embarrassingly obvious. That, and a trip to the Ponyville branch of the Family Planning Center.
* * * * *
Luna and Celestia's estrus cycles were attuned to the Winter and Summer Solstices, respectively. Fortunately, Luna was away often enough to avoid all the pomp and circumstance of her "special day", but now, she had to complete phase one of her plan as quickly as possible, because the Summer Solstice was but a week away. Phase one? To show Celestia that all was not entirely as it seemed.
It was just after sundown as Luna made her way to her sister's chambers, a spring in her step and a giddy smile gracing her face. After only the barest of knocks, she opened the doors to see Celestia looking out at the moon through the tall windows. Her good mood not diminished by the forlorn sight, knowing that she would be the catalyst for her sister's happiness, Luna sidled up to her sister and bumped her shoulder, with a quick nuzzle for comfort.
"Ti~a~" Luna lilted softly. "I know how to make you feel bet~ter~~"
"I'm okay, Luna." Celestia replied softly. "It's no harder than when I had to give Blueblood up to one of the great noble houses."
"If it hurt you so much, why did you do it in the first place?" Luna countered.
"Because he deserved to live as a normal pony, though he was spoiled incessantly by his adoptive family as they tried to garner ever more favor from me. It pains me to say it, but I think I made a mistake. I should have kept him and raised him myself despite the dangers, both social and literal," Celestia said sadly.
"Why don't you try again, Tia?" Luna said boldly. "You have the opportunity to become a mother again in less than a week."
"What are you talking about, Luna?" Celestia chided gently. "I couldn't."
"Why not?" Luna asked. Celestia was silent for a long time, but spoke before Luna could say anything else.
"Because I couldn't bear to give my foal up again," Celestia whispered. "Not to some family who would raise my child in the same manner as Blueblood, caring more for the mother than the foal bequeathed to them."
"Twilight Sparkle is going to be a mother soon. If you become pregnant upon the Solstice, the foals would be days apart in age," Luna pointed out, drawing her sister's gaze. "You wouldn't have to give your child to some overly-entitled family trying to entice royal favor. You could share the responsibilities of motherhood with Twilight Sparkle, her own mother, and even myself. Your foals would grow up together, side by side. The children would be extraordinarily blessed, sister. They would not be starved for attention, nor would you have to bear the burden alone. They would have the four of us. To each a mother, to both a host of adoring aunts. They would be like siblings."
Celestia sat there, her expression seemingly frozen. At length, a single tear rolled from her eye, tracing a silvery path in the moonlight. She lowered her head, and Luna immediately embraced her tightly, nuzzling and supporting her sister.
"You really think...this could work?" Celestia said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Could it truly be so simple...?"
"I believe it with all my heart, sister. I'm right here with you, and I know they will be as well." Celestia said nothing else for the rest of the night as gentle sobs wracked her frame, a welter of powerful emotions riding her, scouring her heart clean of all sadness, replacing it with hope and pure joy. Celestia eventually fell asleep in Luna's embrace, the gentle rise and fall of her chest telling the toll that was extracted from her heart and soul. *That went better than I could have possibly hoped,* Luna thought with a smile as she wrapped her sister in the gentle embrace of her magic, taking her to her bed and making sure that she was comfortable. *Oh, Tia. If anypony deserves such happiness, it's you most of all.*
* * * * *
Luna sat in the solarium, waiting for Celestia to arrive for breakfast. She hadn't started eating yet, much to her rumbling stomach's annoyance, but that was the way of things. Eventually, Celestia walked in, to Luna's evident delight. However, noticing her sister's mood, Luna sighed and leaned back a bit to favor her sister with a stern look. "Tia... What troubles you this morning?" she asked patiently.
"I thought I would write to Twilight Sparkle this morning, but I couldn't." Celestia replied dejectedly. "I sat there for half an hour with nothing to show for it."
"It will be fine, Tia. I think I can work something out for you within the next two days," Luna said with a sly smile. "Plus, I think it will be better for the two of you in the long run."
"You're not thinking of having her come here, are you?" Celestia asked, looking at Luna askance. Luna just stared calmly back with a small, secretive smile. "Luna! Honestly...how could you even consider that?"
"Because it's something that needs to be handled in person, Tia," Luna replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "Wouldn't you rather speak with her face-to-face? Such special news shouldn't be delivered from a distance to those you hold dear. Besides, I was going to invite Twilight Velvet as well, since she would be the godmother of your child. Do you not think this joyous news should be shared with all the parties involved at once?"
"You're right," Celestia said with a rueful sigh. "How is it you can get to the heart of the matter at hoof and achieve an answer that is so elegant?"
"Simple, Tia." Luna said with a smile. "I follow my heart and listen to what it tells me to do."
"Dearest sister, you have no idea how much I love you," Celestia said, trotting over to nuzzle her sibling. "I can always trust in you, can't I?"
"Of course, Tia. What kind of sister would I be if I couldn't help you and those important to you?" Luna replies warmly.
* * * * *
Two days later, the alicorn sisters sat in Celestia's private rooms, awaiting the arrival of their guests for a very important brunch. Luna watched Celestia pace restlessly back and forth, as she had done for the past two hours. It was as though she wished to wear a channel into the solid marble floor. Luna sighed at her sister's nervousness, knowing that nothing could be done to assuage it. Fifteen minutes before the appointed time, Luna herded her anxious sister out the door. They soon discovered that Twilight Sparkle and her mother had arrived ahead of schedule as well; the royal sisters encountered them almost immediately upon leaving Celestia's suite.
"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! It's so good to see you two again," Twilight Sparkle said brightly, though her expression became somewhat inquisitive as she picked up on Celestia's nervous state. "Is everything alright, Your Highness?"
"Yes, Twilight Sparkle," Luna replied in her stead. "Everything is fine, and will continue to be fine as long as Our sister goes willingly through that door." Twilight looked between the two alicorns with a confused expression before turning to walk through the door alongside her mother. "Tia, this is no time to get cold hooves. You need this, Sister."
Celestia sighed, tension visibly draining from her body, before walking through to join their guests, Luna trailing behind her with a proud smile. They sat around the table, making pleasant conversation, though quite subdued on the part of the Sun Princess. The food arrived, and they ate the modest meal in companionable silence. As they sat around the table enjoying a brief lull in the conversation, the atmosphere began to grow somewhat heavier, mostly because of Celestia's palpable anxiety.
"So, Twilight Sparkle, Our sister tells Us thou hast chosen to bear a foal," Luna began, causing Twilight Sparkle to brighten visibly and smile broadly.
"Yes," Twilight Sparkle said happily. "After talking with my mother about it for some time, I felt that this is something I truly want."
"A very heartfelt sentiment, felt by many a mother," Luna said warmly. "Congratulations are in order, but first, Our sister has something very important to tell thee." She nudged Celestia's shoulder perhaps a bit more sharply than strictly necessary.
"Oh! Yes...yes I do..." Celestia began lamely. Luna rolled her eyes, but remained silent, trusting her sister to see her task through. Celestia cleared her throat slightly before continuing, her gaze focused not on her audience, but on something inside herself, allowing her to speak from her heart. "Twilight Velvet, you have a truly special daughter. When she came under my wing for instruction, I felt as though something in my life that was missing had been found. It took some time for her to truly open up to me, but when that day finally came, words do not exist to describe my joy. It was as though Twilight Sparkle had become the daughter I could never have. When she sent me a letter a couple of days ago to tell me of her impending motherhood, I was torn and heartbroken, though I knew not why until my sister helped me truly see. It was as though my daughter didn't see me as I saw her.
"However, my clever sister came up with a wonderful idea that depends upon the two of you as much as it does the two of us. I wish to have a child as well, my faithful student. One that I can raise as a true mother should, though that will be a difficult task due to my station. That's where the two of you come in. I wish for my child to be raised by all four of us. The two of us," she said with a pointed look at Twilight Sparkle, "sharing in the responsibilities of motherhood, caring for two wonderful foals and watching them grow together. I brought you here as well, Twilight Velvet, because you are my beloved student's true mother, and I would have you and your husband involved as well in the life of my child. Of course, Cadance and Shining Armor would wish to be a part as well, and I would gladly welcome their assistance. I've shared so much of your life with you, Twilight Sparkle, and I wish to be a part of this as well...if you will have me." Celestia finally finished speaking, seeming to deflate as the weighty words left her breast. Luna rubbed her sister's shoulder affectionately as she looked over to their guests, whose cheeks were wet with tears. Twilight Sparkle appeared thunderstruck by the revelation of how important she truly was to her mentor, and horrified at the realization that she had never picked up on Celestia's secret feelings.
"Princess Celestia..." Twilight began, but her voice gave out, trailing into a choked sob. Unable to speak, she walked slowly around the table to embrace Celestia as tightly as possible. A few muffled sobs escaped her, but her muffled voice carried through for all to hear. "C-Celestia, I w-would want n-nothing less. Of c-course I would sh-share this with...with you. Why d-didn't you s-say anyth-thing before n-now?"
"Because I didn't want you to think I wished to take your mother's place," Celestia replied, her voice strained by raw, unrestrained emotion. "Because you were the daughter I could never have...I would never dare try to take the place of your mother."
"Your Highness?" Twilight Velvet chimed in with a gentle smile, causing Celestia to look to her with a worried expression. "I think I know where you're coming from. I thank you for these past years of helping my daughter, and I would love to be a part of your foal's life." Twilight Sparkle calmed down a little and looked up to Celestia, a fragile smile on her face.
"So would I, and I would love for you to be a part of my foal's life too, Princess," she said in a trembling voice.
"See, Tia?" Luna chimed in warmly as she pulled her sister into a gentle embrace. "I told you everything would be fine."
They spent the next two hours talking, their strained and choked voices returning to something approaching normal. The tears and emotions that hung heavy like fog in the room did nothing to dampen the joy the four mares felt. It was not unlike the warmth and comfort of the golden sunlight after an unexpected summer storm.
* * * * *
Being an associate of the Family Planning Center was not exactly a job the unicorn known as Rock Solid would have ever expected to have, but it was a job that not only paid well, but gave others happiness. His special talent was to make customers as happy as possible, which he discovered while working part time in Vanhoover. After graduating from high school, he moved to Ponyville shortly before the Summer Solstice, hoping to find fulfilling work in a quiet town. It was hard getting used to a new town, but Pinkie Pie had thrown him a welcome party and helped make the transition a little smoother. After working a few different jobs that never quite suited him, he'd applied for a position at the Family Planning Center a week after he arrived. He wasn't really sure why he'd done it in the first place, and he had almost chickened out, knowing what working at the Family Planning Center entailed from his friends in Vanhoover. His face was a furnace of heat and his voice came out in choking syllables from how tense he was as he submitted his application, but he'd done it anyway because he couldn't afford not to.
Much to his surprise, he received a letter in the mail the next day for an interview. To say he was nervous would be an understatement. He walked in and was greeted by the same honey-brown maned mare that had taken his application. She smiled at him, leading him to a well-lit office behind the counter. She asked him the same questions most of his previous employers had asked, which he answered to her satisfaction. She then asked him some questions about his personality: how adept he was meeting with new mares, questions about past relationships, and so forth. She seemed satisfied with his responses as she jotted down notes on his application.
"Now, if you would follow me, we will move on to the performance aspect of your interview," she said as she got to her hooves, motioning for him to follow. She lead him into a quiet, sterile room.
"Performance?" He asked blankly. Her words finally sank in as he walked through the door.
"Of course," she replied. "I must be satisfied that you can maintain a properly clinical attitude in this very personal profession. I will go through the steps from greeting a client to the form and the service itself. If I am properly satisfied, your employment will begin immediately."
"Um...okay," he said with an audible gulp.
Fifteen minutes later, he walked out of the room with a slightly dazed expression on his face.
"Welcome to the Family Planning Center, Rock Solid." the interviewer said with a smile. "My name is Fertile Plot, and I will be your employer from now on." Shaking his head slightly, he cleared his throat before he replied.
"Th-thank you, glad to be here."
"Now, about some of the health care benefits you'll be receiving here..."
* * * * *
The day of the Summer Sun Celebration arrived. After watching the ceremonies at the Town Hall, Rock Solid hurried back to the Center. Associates were allowed to have the day off if they had put in overtime ahead of the festival, seeing as the Solstice was not a terribly busy day for the Center, but being new, he had to work at least a half day. The past few days had passed with little incident, with only a few clients assigned to him in order to ease him into his new job. He signed in on his duty sheet, then returned to his assigned service room for the day and pulled out a book to occupy his time until a client arrived. He found himself lost in the story, but jolted back to awareness at the sounds coming from the waiting area. Only three Associates were on duty, so he was almost guaranteed to receive a client. He took a steadying breath and put on a pleasant smile, waiting for his first client of the day to walk in. The smile quickly fell from his face when the door opened.
*Sweet Celestia, why me?!* was the ironic thought that ran through his mind at seeing Princess Celestia herself walk through the door. Glancing at some frantic movement behind Celestia, he noticed Fertile Plot encouraging him wordlessly before the door closed. He couldn't help but notice that she looked almost half as flustered as he felt. Then the door clicked shut with a cold finality, and the only thing he could look at was the radiant princess in front of him.
"Good morning, my little pony," Celestia said with a chuckle and a warm smile. "I won't make any pretenses as to why I am here, as I am sure you are well aware of the reason, but I won't force you to assist me in this if you feel you're not...able."
"P-princess Celestia!" Rock Solid said shrilly, moving off of his seat and into a bow. "W-welcome to the F-f-family P-planning Center!"
"Why thank you," she said pleasantly. "Now, please, there is no need for you to be so nervous. Right now, I'm not the Princess of Equestria." At her words he looked up with confusion plainly on his face. "Here, in this room, I am simply a mare desiring to become a mother, much the same as any other." Her words cut through the panic and nervousness eating away at his very essence, replacing them with a warmth that made him smile pleasantly at the princess.
"Umm...p-pardon me, m-ma'am, but there's this paper that needs to be signed before we can...continue," he said with slight chagrin. She just smiled and signed the line he indicated before arranging herself on the padded bench. Once he completed his task and bid the Sun Princess good day, he settled back into his seat. As with most of his clients, he found the look they wore upon leaving, that radiant expression of looming motherhood, to be the most fulfilling part of his job. That was the look Princess Celestia wore as she cantered out of the impregnation room: pure happiness that could be seen on any mare who knew she was going to become a mother.
*The Princess is going to be a mother,* he thought with a sense of deep fulfillment stirring in his breast. Not because he had just sired the Royal Heir, but because he had made yet another mare happy.
Precisely ten seconds later, he fainted.
Pony genetics are a fascinating and complicated area of study. Most ponies don't realize just how diverse and frankly chaotic the entire process of conception, maturation, and birth of a new foal is from a purely scientific standpoint. I've only studied the basics of pony genetics in the past, because it's never seemed particularly relevant to my own studies...for me, it's always been just a bit of idle reading on the side.
Now, though, it may very well be the most important subject I've ever studied, and I'm studying everything I can get my hooves on about it.
There's an extremely high probability that the foal now growing inside my body will be female. I mean, that's obvious. That's kind of the whole reason the Family Planning Center exists in the first place, and why I went there to get pregnant. Of course, I could also have a colt, but...I'm sort of hoping for a filly. I'm not really sure why, I just feel like I'd relate better to a filly.
But I'm not nearly as worried about that as I am about what my foal will be.
Here are some interesting statistics about pony genetics:
When two earth ponies have a foal, there's a 90% chance the foal will be an earth pony, and an even 5% chance each of a unicorn or a pegasus foal. The Cakes sort of won the lottery with their twins. The statistical improbability of two non-earth pony foals, and each being a different race...it's simply astronomical!
With the other pony races, things are a little more complicated. Two pegasi have an 85% chance of foaling a pegasus, a 10% chance of foaling a unicorn, and a 5% chance of foaling an earth pony. It's the same when two unicorns reproduce, except the 85% chance is for a unicorn and the 15% is for a pegasus.
Then you get into interracial reproduction, and the probabilities get all screwy.
An earth pony reproducing with either a pegasus or a unicorn has a 60% chance of foaling whichever race they mated with, a 30% chance of foaling an earth pony, and a 10% chance of foaling the third pony race.
And then you have my situation. I'm a unicorn, and I mated with a pegasus. There's a 45% chance my foal will be a unicorn, a 45% chance it'll be a pegasus, a 9.5% chance it'll be an earth pony...
...and a 0.5% chance I'll be the first pony in recorded history to give birth to an alicorn. It's possible, but it's never actually happened. I don't even know if Princess Celestia or her sister were born alicorns, or became alicorns later like Cadance did. I've heard that she was born a pegasus...
Oh, it would be so exciting to be the first ever pony to give birth to an alicorn!
But I'm not getting my hopes up. It's just ridiculous to assume...
Oh! I completely forgot! I haven't done any research into what happens when an alicorn mates with a non-alicorn! Or when an alicorn mates at all, for that matter. Princess Luna took me aside and confided in me that Princess Celestia has had a child before now, but it's sort of a state secret. A bit like her current pregnancy is...the princess has decided to keep her impending motherhood quiet for as long as possible. Which...won't be that long, really, now that I think about it.
Anyway, there's just no telling what her foal will be. But that's exciting too! Even though I'd really love to be able to construct a mathematical model about...
Focus, Twilight. Stay focused. Right now, I need to concentrate on my foal, and what I need to be prepared for.
If I have an earth pony foal, well...I guess there's not really much to worry about there. She'll certainly have plenty of playmates, and lots of room to run around and be all...earthy...?
Um...well...at least I live in the best place for an earth pony to grow up?
A pegasus foal could be fun, but I've heard from Pinkie Pie that Pound Cake can be a real handful. I didn't even know pegasi could fly when they're that young! I'd have to pegasus-proof the library, and...hmm. I'll have to ask Rainbow Dash about what it's like for pegasi growing up. Maybe she'll have some useful tips about pegasus foals.
I really want a unicorn, of course. A daughter who's just like me, who I can teach everything I know about magic...oh, what if her special talent is magic, just like mine? Being able to teach her all the spells I've learned, enroll her in the School For Gifted Unicorns...fun! Of course, unicorn foals can be an even bigger handful. Baby magic is wild, unpredictable, and usually gives parents headaches and nightmares. I'll never forget Mom telling me about the time when Shining Armor was a foal, and he spent an entire week teleporting everything in his diaper to really awkward places... like Dad's saddlebags...or Dad's breakfast...or right onto Dad's head...
...oh, I need to make a note to ask Pinkie Pie to place a big order of umbrella hats for me. Just in case.
Actually that'd be a real problem with a pegasus foal too. Especially if they figure out how to get the diaper off. It'd be like having a really big pigeon flying around in your house, and your nice freshly-washed mane is a great big target for...
Oh, ponyfeathers...I don't think I could deal with having a flying poo machine on the loose!
Okay, so basically I need to poo-proof and pee-proof and unicorn-proof and pegasus-proof every single thing in the library, myself and Spike included, so I'll need about...five or six hundred rolls of bubble wrap...about twenty gross of umbrella hats...
Oh boy.
* * * * *
Spike found Twilight huddled in a quivering ball in the corner of the main reading room, eyes twitching and mane splayed out in every direction. Scratching his head, he picked up the piece of parchment which had drifted to the floor near where she sat. As he scanned the shakily-scrawled checklist, he raised an eyebrow. In a flat, weary voice that spoke of long experience with his best friend's neuroses, he said, "You know, it'd be a lot cheaper just to buy leakproof diapers and safety pins. 'Cuz, you know, that's what you buy when you have a foal." With that, he padded off to scrounge for a snack.
A day without Twilight having a neurotic fit of some kind was like a day without sapphires.
Fertile Plot pushed open the door and trotted into her house.
Button Mash looked up from where he sat on the sofa, hooves twitching over his Joy Boy. "Hey Mom," he said.
"Good afternoon, dear," Fertie said. "How was school?"
"It was okay," Button said. "Hey Mom? You gotta come to school tomorrow for FAP."
Fertie blinked. "Uhhh...say again?"
"FAP," Button replied. "You know, Family Appreciation Day?"
"Oh!" Fertie frowned. "That's...well, nevermind. So it's tomorrow?"
"Yeah-huh," Button said absently.
"And you're only just now telling me?"
"I didn't know it was tomorrow," Button said. "I guess Miss Cheerilee announced it before and I just missed it."
"Uh-huh," Fertie said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, alright. So...what is Family Appreciation Day?"
"Eh, you gotta come to school and talk to the kids. You know, about what you do for a living and stuff."
Fertie twitched. "Uhh..." She coughed. "I'm...not so sure about that..."
"Oh, it'll be fine, Mom!" Button said. "After all, you're the best mom in Equestria! What's more awesome than that?"
Fertie smiled. "A-alright...I'll be there."
* * * * *
Cheerilee looked up from her desk as Fertile Plot trotted into the schoolhouse. "Oh, good morning, Fertie!" she said.
"Good morning, Cheerilee," Fertie said. "How's pregnancy treating you?" Cheerilee had needed to make three return trips to the Family Planning Center before successfully conceiving.
"Well, it hasn't been the easiest time," Cheerilee said with a grimace. "My doctor has concerns. This foal may not even..." She swallowed. "In any case, no matter how this turns out, I won't be able to try again, ever. Doctor's orders."
Fertie's ears drooped. "I'm...sorry to hear that," she said.
"So, is that what brought you here today?" Cheerilee asked. "Checking up on me?"
Fertie blinked. "Umm...actually, I'm here for Family Appreciation Day."
Cheerilee gasped. "Oh. I...I see." She shook her head. "Sorry, it took me a minute to remember you're Button Mash's mother." She chuckled. Then, her muzzle furrowed. "Umm...well..."
"I don't want to disappoint Button by not being here," Fertie said. "But...I'll be the first to admit that talking to a classroom full of young ponies about what I do for a living is, well...not the best idea." She frowned. "That's why I made sure I got here ahead of—"
"Button!" Cheerilee said loudly and brightly. "Your mother and I were just talking about how wonderful it is she could make it!"
Fertie whirled around to see Button standing in the doorway. "Mooooom!" he whined. "You didn't wait for me! I wanted us to come in together!"
"I'm sorry, Button," Fertie said. "I...guess I just got a little...overexcited?"
Button looked from her to Cheerilee, taking in their overly large, toothy grins, and shrugged. "Eh." He trotted over to his desk and sat down. A moment later, the classroom began to fill with students. The well-known fashionista Rarity accompanied Button's friend Sweetie Belle, and a pegasus Fertie recognized as Rainbow Dash accompanied an orange pegasus filly.
"Alright class, settle down!" Cheerilee said. "As you know, today is Family Appreciation Day. We have three very special guests today, so please behave and pay attention!"
Fertie stood nervously by and watched as Rainbow Dash awed the class with stories about cloudbusting, pegasus races, and awesome adventures. After Rainbow Dash, Rarity gave a presentation on haute couture, and bragged about all the important ponies she designed outfits for.
"Thank you, Rarity!" Cheerilee said. "And lastly, we have Button Mash's mother..." Cheerilee fought a pained grimace. "...Fertile Plot."
Several ponies, including Rainbow Dash, snickered. Rarity gave a dramatic gasp.
Fertie stepped forward and cleared her throat. "Ahem. Hello, everypony." She smiled. "Ah, yes, well...I own and manage the Family Planning Center. It's...oh dear...how do I explain..."
"Mom makes babies!" Button Mash exclaimed. Several giggles burst out from the class.
Fertie's eye twitched. "That's...not quite it," she said. "The Family Planning Center...assists mares who wish to become mothers."
"Like, givin' them advice on motherin' an' stuff?" asked a yellow filly with a large hair bow.
"Well...we do offer informational pamphlets, but..." Fertie's eyes darted around the room. "Oh dear," she said, ears wilting. "Umm...our business is more results-oriented," she said. "You see, some mares who want to become mothers don't, well...don't have a husband, so..."
"Oh, so you help ponies find their special someponies?" the orange pegasus filly asked.
"We could've used your help that one time—" Sweetie Belle started.
"No, we're not...well..."
A pink earth pony filly with a tiny tiara perched on her head spoke up, in a shrill, condescending voice. "I know what goes on at that so-called 'Family Planning' place." She gave Fertie an evil smirk. "You're a pimp!"
Rarity fainted.
Cheerilee frowned. "Diamond Dazzle Tiara! That's detention for you, young lady!"
Diamond Tiara shrugged. "It's true, though."
"Well, yes, it's true, but that was rude and uncalled for! And how do you even know what that word means, young lady?"
Diamond Tiara blushed. "Umm...nevermind."
"I am not a pimp!" Fertie declared hotly. "I run a licensed impregnation clinic! My staff are thoroughly screened! We only service clients who are in heat and want to bear a foal!"
Rainbow Dash tilted her head. "So...you're a pimp."
"Rainbow Dash! Detention!"
"I'm not even one of your students!"
"I don't care!"
With that, any semblance of control and order was lost, as the class dissolved into a chaotic maelstrom of laughter, confused questions, and embarrassed keening from Button Mash. Rarity fainted three more times. Her composure completely lost, Fertie bounded over to Button's desk, picked him up, tossed him onto her back, and charged out of the schoolhouse as fast as her hooves could carry her.
* * * * *
"I'm sorry for everything that happened today, Button," Fertie said. She had headed straight for Sugar Cube Corner, and they now each had large ice cream sundaes sitting in front of them. "I should have just talked to Cheerilee and gotten out of this whole thing. There was no way this was ever going to end well."
"Why...why were they picking on you, Mom?" Button asked.
Fertie sighed. "Because Mommy's job is a little embarrassing, sweetie, and some of those ponies in that classroom know about things they really shouldn't know about at that age."
"But...I still don't get it," Button said, sniffling.
With another sigh, Fertie ate a spoonful of ice cream. She then explained, patiently and completely, exactly what the Family Planning Center was.
Button's eyes grew wider and wider as she spoke. When she was finished, he blinked once. "Soooo....you rent out daddies?"
"Something like that," Fertie said. "Now, eat your ice cream."
As Rock Solid took his mid-morning coffee break, he noticed that his boss looked distinctly unhappy. "You okay, Boss?" he asked.
Fertile Plot sighed. "Faithful Steed and Barn Stormer are retiring next week. Which means...I've got to process two new hires."
Rock Solid frowned. "Why is that a problem? I thought things went pretty well when I applied. Err..."
Fertile Plot smiled. "Yeah, your application was okay, but you were a one-off hire. One-off hires aren't usually a big deal." She sighed again. "Open hires are a completely different matter."
Rock Solid thought about his own application and interview, then realized what an 'open hire' would likely entail. "Oh."
Fertile Plot shook her head. "That isn't the part that's the problem," she said. "I always take precautions during applicant interviews, and my own special talent means being mounted never wears me out. I can be mounted ten, twenty times a day and—"
"Uhh...moving along?" Rock Solid interrupted with a cough, blushing through his coat.
His boss laughed. "The problem with open hire days is...I get some of the weirdest ponies looking for work..."
* * * * *
Fertile Plot stared at the stallion seated across from her. He had hideously crooked teeth, his eyes were lopsided, and he had a bulging, sloping forehead that was shaped like buttocks.
"And your name is...?" she asked as she pulled out a quill to fill out the interview form.
"Butt Ugly," the stallion said.
"Right," she said. "I'm sorry, the position has been filled."
* * * * *
"So, Mister...Snowflake..."
"YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
"....right. Next!"
* * * * *
A donkey trotted into the office. "Hullo," he said. "M'name's Ass Ugly, 'n' I'd like work."
Fertile Plot frowned at him. If possible, he was even uglier than Butt Ugly. "Sir, I'm afraid I only hire ponies. My clients prefer their children to be able to actually, you know, give them grandchildren one day."
* * * * *
"YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHH?"
"No."
* * * * *
The most perverted-looking pony Fertile Plot had ever seen trotted into her office, dripping jelly all over the nice clean floor.
"You're...that guy with the giant jelly jars, aren't you?"
The stallion nodded and smiled creepily at her.
"NEXT!"
* * * * *
"YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHH?"
"No."
* * * * *
The day was almost over, and Fertile Plot was in a truly foul mood. Open Hire Day had, predictably, turned into a parade of freaks and losers.
The door opened, and a colt walked in. He was quite young and small, barely old enough to actually mount a mare. She blinked. "Um..."
"Hi, I'm here for the stud job?" he said in a cracking voice.
"You're a little...young," Fertile Plot said.
"I know," the colt replied, shuffling his front hooves. "But...I've gotta get this job. It's, well..." Shyly, he turned his flank to her.
His Cutie Mark was a trio of sperm.
Fertile Plot blinked at him. "Um...what's your name, kid?" she asked.
"Little Magic."
"Do your parents know you're here, Little Magic?" she asked gently.
"Sure, they sent me," the colt said. "Umm...maybe I should just show you why I need to work here..."
He trotted around the desk to stand beside her, and unsheathed himself. Fertile Plot's eyes bugged out.
"You're hired!" she exclaimed feverishly.
(Special Guest Author: divinearcadia)
Two weeks had passed since Twilight Sparkle's visit to the Family Planning Center, and her doctor had confirmed her pregnancy. Her mother contacted Shining Armor and Princess Cadance immediately, and they wasted no time in making the trip to Ponyville. Twilight's initial happiness at seeing them didn't last long, for they were constantly gushing and fussing over her. Unending questions from Shining, with suggestions and advice from Cadance that she couldn't use or remember for the long months ahead, were the only things they wanted to talk about. After three days of this, Twilight pleaded for her mother to rescue her from this nightmare, only to be ignored save for a sarcastic and unhelpful reply. So to save herself from further torment, she threw her mentor under the unstoppable love train.
Spike, for his part, took everything in stride. Twilight had expected him to be jealous and upset, but instead he seemed exceptionally receptive of the whole affair. When asked his opinion, he said, "Just because I'm a baby dragon doesn't mean I have to be a baby. I think it's great you want to be a mother, and I'll be like an uncle to the foal, which is pretty cool. Plus, I can show Rarity how mature I am by helping you out." Touched by his selflessness (well, sort of) and maturity, Twilight began renovating the storeroom so that he could have his own room. When he asked her why she was doing it, she said that it was time he had a room of his own, and it would keep the foal's crying from waking him up at night.
* * * * *
The palace staff was having a field day with Celestia's pregnancy. She had tried to keep it a secret for as long as possible to prevent anypony from making a fuss, but the young couple barreling into the throne room with an odd gleam in their eyes ended any hope of keeping her pregnancy quiet for another week or two. She thought, amidst the shocked gasps of nobles and the excited tittering of the staff, that it was probably better to get this over with sooner rather than later. As a day full of ceaseless attention dragged on for Celestia, the only consolation was that the pony who visited this torment upon her couldn't fake royal duties to attend to for an hour or two of peace.
What both expectant mothers loathed in equal measure was the food they found on their plates from that day on. Cold bran and flaxseed cereal with goat's milk and a small side of timothy hay for breakfast. Hot oatmeal with only a small dollop of honey and a light smattering of raisins for lunch, with goat's milk on the side. Timothy hay with a bran muffin for supper...and of course, goat's milk. By the end of that first horrible week, they had come to loathe goat's milk. They normally would've enjoyed a bit of goat's milk, but ever since the palace staff and Twilight's friends began reading certain pregnancy books, that was all the two expectant mares would be served. If they ever got testy, they would be given "tea" that was essentially just colored hot water, much to their mutual displeasure. Twilight made it a point to find every copy of those books and "lose" them in the mustiest corner of her basement, lest somepony else be subjected to this unique form of torture. Celestia idly thought about writing a royal decree banning their further sale on the same grounds. Later on, they would learn that Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were treating Fluttershy to the same torment, though she accepted it with far more grace and poise.
That first month was easily the hardest, just getting used to the restricted diet and the excess of attention they found thrust upon them. Twilight made sure to read any books her mother happened across that had even one iota of sound advice as their foals steadily grew within their bodies, with weekly visits to Canterlot during the first four months, then regular visits from her mother once she progressed into the second trimester to limit travel for the sake of the foal. Twilight felt more ungainly than she would ever let on as the seventh month rolled around. One thing Twilight had taken to heart was the need to maintain a light walking regimen in order to remain in shape to have a healthy delivery, so she and Fluttershy made sure to walk around town every morning and afternoon. A noticeable lack of a heavy, bloated feeling gave Twilight the distinct impression that she was going to have a pegasus foal. She hadn't asked the doctor what gender or type it would be as she wanted to love the foal for who it was, not come to love a built-up idea, so she had to remind herself not to become overly attached to any particular mental image of her child, just in case her intuition was wrong.
The remaining months passed smoothly, their pregnancies progressing without incident. As the first week of April rolled around, Twilight and Fluttershy checked into the hospital in preparation for the day their foals would be welcomed into the world. Celestia's royal physician took the same precautions and prohibited her from leaving her quarters for the same reason, leaving Luna to shoulder the brunt of her duties for a time. The three expectant mothers received a constant stream of visitors with well-wishes and promises of gifts for their babies. Cadance and Shining Armor honestly didn't know where to be at any given point in time, and seriously considered interrogating Pinkie Pie about the location of that magic pond that would let them make clones of themselves so that they wouldn't have to miss out on a minute of either pregnancy. It was finally decided that Shining would stay with Twilight and their parents, and Cadance would be with Celestia.
Early in the evening on the eleventh day of April, Twilight went into labor. It was a calm night like many which had come before, with a warm breeze, bearing only a hint of coolness, blowing through the window. She was about to turn in for the night when the first contraction shocked her out of her half awake state. The contraction was shortly followed by the eerie sensation of a large volume of liquid dampening her legs and sheets as her water broke. Her heart began racing, but a strange calm settled over her as she recalled she had gone over this moment a thousand times in her head. She simply lit up her horn and pulled the tasseled rope beside her bed, ringing a bell in the nurse's station down the hall. Almost immediately, Nurse Redheart opened the door with a tired smile, which Twilight returned in kind.
"Is there anything you need, Miss Sparkle?" the nurse asked with her usual professionalism.
"The doctor would be wonderful right about now? Also, don't tell my family if they're sleeping. I don't want to disturb them." Twilight replied a little breathlessly.
"The doctor...?" She trailed off, noticing the light sheen of sweat on Twilight's brow and the unmistakable patch of dark fluid that weighed down the blanket. "The doctor! Yes! Yes, I'll be back in no time!" She disappeared in a flash and returned within a minute with the doctor on call.
Time lost meaning to Twilight after the doctor arrived and set about his work with the casual efficiency gained by years of experience. The delivery took only a few minutes, though it felt like an hour at the least. Before she knew it, the doctor was telling her that her foal was a healthy little filly. Twilight found herself in a sleepless daze once her foal was born, gazing down at the tiny new life as she lay propped up on some pillows. Twilight's foal had a dark, royal purple mane and tail, each with a lustrous gold streak not unlike the rose streak in her mother's, while her coat was a deep shade of navy blue. Blinking blearily, the foal shifted her wings and peered up at her mother with bright, golden eyes with what might be called a look of awe. She slowly reached up a foreleg to bump softly against Twilight's chin, which Twilight gently kissed on the soft underside, causing the little foal to squirm with a delighted giggle.
*She has wings... My little girl is a pegasus.* Twilight brought her face down to nuzzle the crown of the filly's head and licked her ear affectionately. At hearing a noise from the door, she looked up to see her mother quietly entering the room alone. Smiling, Twilight Velvet trotted over to her daughter and granddaughter.
"She's beautiful. So what will you name her?" Velvet asked softly.
"I was thinking Star Sweeper." The little filly wiggled deeper into the crook of her foreleg with a look of contentment. "I think it suits her."
"She certainly seems to like it," Velvet replied. "You did the same thing when I named you when you were born."
"I don't mean to be rude, but I think I'm about ready to sleep," Twilight said with a sharp yawn. "Tell Dad and Shining not to worry and that I'll see them tomorrow. How did you know I went into labor tonight, anyway? I asked the nurse not to tell you three in case you were sleeping."
"Mother's intuition. I told the boys I was going out for a walk. I just didn't tell them where," Velvet said with a smile and a little laugh, before turning to leave as silently as she entered. With that, Twilight settled down into her bed, which had had its sheets and covers replaced without her noticing. She yawned again, pulling her daughter close, her little head filling the curve of her neck. *My daughter is a beautiful little pegasus,* was her last thought before sleep took her.
* * * * *
The next morning, all of Twilight's friends and family were in her room, with the exception of Fluttershy, who didn't want to risk getting out of bed since she was almost due. Star Sweeper stared in awe at the large amount of ponies who had somehow managed to work their way into the small room. Strangely enough, it was Rainbow Dash who had the strongest immediate attachment to the little foal, wanting to twiddle her little hooves and blow little bursts of air in her face that would cause her to giggle cutely. Twilight didn't mind in the least because her daughter seemed to enjoy it so much, though she did ask Rainbow about the air blowing.
"Oh! That's right, you wouldn't know since it's a pegasus thing," Dash said. "We blow little puffs of air to simulate wind for our foals. It's one of the things we do so they get used to the wind as soon as possible. You should try it, Twi."
Twilight did just that, blowing a little puff of air that ruffled Star Sweeper's silky mane. The foal looked up at her mother and giggled louder than before, waving her hooves with glee. Everypony squeed at the adorable sight. Twilight puffed air into Star Sweeper's face once again, getting more giggles out of her, and smiled gratefully at Dash.
"I hope you guys know I really appreciate your company and all, but I think Fluttershy might be a little lonely," Twilight said to her friends, who looked a little guilty for giving Twilight all the attention when their other friend was nervously awaiting her own fateful hour. "Why don't you go visit with her for a while? We won't be going anywhere." With a general murmur of consent, they bade Twilight and her daughter farewell, slowly filing out to spend time with Fluttershy.
"That was very considerate of you, dear," Twilight Velvet said, walking over to sit down beside her daughter. "So how are you feeling? Any emotional ups or downs since you've woken up?"
"Not really," Twilight said cheerfully. "To be honest, I'm just a little tired still. Would you like to hold her for a bit? I fed her shortly before you guys came, so she shouldn't be too fussy for a while."
"I would love to, Twilight," Velvet said, lighting her horn to gently lift the baby foal into her arms. "She's so light and warm!"
"Yeah, I've looked into the differences between the types of foals and found that pegasus foals tend to weigh less and have a higher body temperature than unicorns," Twilight said, her eyes drooping slightly, a big yawn stretching her mouth wide. "If Dad or Shiny want to hold her, it's perfectly fine."
"Don't worry, dear," Velvet said with a smile, "she's in good hooves." With that, Twilight drifted off to sleep.
* * * * *
Twilight woke up a little after lunch to find her room empty, Star Sweeper nestled comfortably in the crook of her foreleg. *I wonder where everypony went?* Still drowsy, she pulled the call rope, and Nurse Redheart arrived a moment later.
"Hello," Twilight said softly. "Do you know where my parents went?"
"They went out to get some lunch a little while ago, but they're with your friends right now," Redheart replied just as softly as she noticed the sleeping foal. "Your friend Fluttershy just gave birth a short while ago. Your friends and family are in with her and the foal right now."
"Did everything go okay?" Twilight asked.
"Everything went without a hitch. She had a lovely little unicorn colt," Redheart said with a warm smile. "I believe she named him Drifting Leaf."
"I'll have to visit her in a little bit," Twilight mused. "But do you think I could get some lunch first, if it's not too much trouble?"
"Of course," the nurse said. "I'll be right back."
Lunch was a short affair, and Twilight was thankful to be back on her hooves, especially since Star Sweeper had become a little rambunctious after waking up during lunch. Getting out of bed, Twilight pulled out a cloth diaper and some rag padding, quickly dressing her squirming daughter. With that task complete, she gently lifted the foal in her magic, setting her on her back, keeping a gentle magical hold on her to keep her steady. *I'm glad I have a carrier for her at home. I should have Mom go get it for me before I check out. I'm just glad I thought to bring some diapers.* Twilight looked behind her to see Star Sweeper looking around with wide eyes at this new and exciting perspective. Smiling, she left her room and followed the sound of a quiet riot two rooms over. Peeking in, Twilight just barely caught a glimpse of Fluttershy's pink mane.
"Excuse me, everypony," Twilight said, trying to work her way into the room. Arriving at Fluttershy's bedside, she asked, "How're you feeling, Fluttershy?"
"Oh...not too bad," Fluttershy replied drowsily. "Just tired. But let me introduce you to my son, Drifting Leaf." Fluttershy shifted a little to reveal a tiny carrot-orange coated unicorn with slightly canted sapphire blue eyes, a messy straw-colored mane, and a straw-colored tail with a rebellious emerald green shock running through it. "Oh! Who's that adorable little critter on your back?" Fluttershy asked, smiling up at the curious little pegasus.
"This is my daughter, Star Sweeper," Twilight said, beaming over her shoulder. "Do you want to say hi to Fluttershy and Drifting Leaf?" At the foal's emphatic wiggling, Twilight lowered her to the freshly cleaned bed with gentle magic. Star took a few cautious steps forward, staring with wide eyes at the equally curious Leaf, and reached out to bop his hoof. As if in retaliation, Leaf quickly poked out with his own hoof to bump her on the end of her snout, causing her to sit down suddenly and sneeze. Star giggled a bit and began hopping about excitedly at meeting a potential playmate.
"Oh dear!" Twilight said as everypony giggled at the foals' antics. "It's not playtime right now. Right now it's time for littles ones and their mommies to rest. You'll get to play soon enough, so just be patient." Twilight picked Star Sweeper back up gently, the foal's little legs and wings flailing as she came to rest grumpily on her mother's back once again. Even as she pouted cutely, she made sure to keep the pair on the bed in sight.
"She's a feisty one, Twi," Dash said, laughing at the display. "You'd better keep an eye on her or she'll pull a fast one on ya."
"You might be right," Twilight said with a giggle. "If Fluttershy's feeling anything like I did last night, I think maybe we should all leave her alone for now to recuperate."
"Oh! Of course we've overstayed our welcome, dear Fluttershy!" Rarity said apologetically. "We should have been more considerate of your needs!"
"It's okay," Fluttershy said as she fought back a tremendous yawn. "I'm just glad you all could be here to give me support and welcome Drifting Leaf on his birthday."
"Aw shucks, sugar cube," Applejack said with a grin. "What kinda friends would we be if we weren't here for ya?"
"Yeah!" Rainbow said enthusiastically. "If you need any help at all, just let me know."
"Oh! Oh!" Pinkie Pie cried, hopping excitedly. "If either of you need a foalsitter, Auntie Pinkie'll be there in a jiffy to help out!"
"Okay, girls," Twilight said, smiling at their enthusiasm. "Let's let Fluttershy get some rest. Maybe we can visit again after supper if she's up for it." Fluttershy gave Twilight a grateful smile, punctuated by an adorably quiet jaw-cracking yawn. "Let me drop by my room first, and then I'll meet you all in the cafeteria." The herd swiftly filtered out of the room, with Twilight and Star the last to leave. "Congratulations, Fluttershy." Twilight said warmly. "He's just precious."
"Thank you, Twilight," Fluttershy answered meekly. "Congratulations on your feisty little filly."
"Thanks. I'll talk with you later, okay?"
* * * * *
Six days had passed since news of the two births had reached Canterlot, and Celestia was exhausted. It was not from lack of rest, for she had spent recent weeks doing little else. No, her exhaustion took the form of a feathery pink blur that hovered anxiously around her seemingly round the clock.
Cadance had become a constant presence, trying to anticipate her aunt's discomforts and eliminate them before they could become a problem. It would have been welcome if Celestia were ever really in discomfort to begin with, but there was such a thing as being too comfortable, and Cadance had long since pushed her across that line.
"Cadance," Celestia said patiently for what felt like the thousandth time as her niece fluffed a pillow that had been fluffed too many times to count already.
"Yes, Auntie Celestia?" Cadance asked. "Is there anything I can get you?"
"Yes, actually, there is," Celestia said with a sigh. "I'd like for you to take an hour for yourself. I'm tired and would like some time alone."
"I couldn't possibly leave you alone in your condition, Auntie!" Cadance said in a tone that was equal parts horrified and sycophantic. "I couldn't stand it if you needed something and I wasn't here!"
"Cadance," Celestia growled, shooting her niece a warning look. "Consider this a favor not only to me, but to yourself. When the time comes for you to have a foal of your own, I would respect your wishes to be left alone if you so asked, instead of constantly hovering around despite your wishes."
Cadance pulled a foreleg back as though stung, her eyes tearing a little. "I'm sorry, Auntie," she said sadly. "It's just that I'm so excited I can't help myself. I'll give you some space now." She turned and trudged toward the door.
"Cadance?" Celestia called after she had taken a few steps. Cadance stopped to look over her shoulder, her downtrodden face letting Celestia know that her words had gotten through. "It's not as though I don't appreciate your presence, but sometimes it's nice to have a moment alone. Especially since I so rarely get them in the course of my duties. You have been a welcome presence since I've been restricted to my room, so don't think otherwise. I'll see you in an hour and we can talk some. Just talk."
"Okay, Auntie," Cadance said, a smile working its way back onto her face. "Sorry for fretting over you so much. I'll be back soon."
"See you soon, Cadance," Celestia said with a smile. *I hope she and Shining Armor have a foal of their own soon. With all the love those two have to give...* Celestia let her head sink into the soft, cloud-stuffed pillow. *I don't even know what she was doing, fluffing a cloud-stuffed pillow. There's nothing anypony could do to make them more comfortable.*
* * * * *
Celestia was in the middle of raising the sun on the seventh day after Twilight's delivery when the first contraction happened. Her royal physician was waiting just outside the doors to her chambers for her daily examination, so the timing couldn't have been better. Once the sun was just peeking over the horizon, she released the spell and opened the doors to allow her physician to trot sprightly in.
"Good morning, Your Majesty," she said in her clipped, professional manner. "How are we feeling today?"
"I would have to say that I feel it's time," Celestia replied, another contraction causing her voice to become hoarse. A moment later, another contraction struck, accompanied by her water breaking.
"So it would seem," the doctor replied, walking over at a stately pace. "We need towels soaked in hot water in here!" she called out to her nurse, who looked in, only to widen her eyes before darting into the en-suite royal bathroom to comply. "Don't worry Princess, you're in good hooves."
By this point, Celestia was chiefly focused on her labor pains and paying little attention to the doctor's words. The birth proceeded smoothly, and Celestia soon found herself with a newborn foal resting in her forelegs, nuzzling her chin: a snow-white unicorn colt whose pale mane and tail had a powdery silver-blue sheen, and whose stubby horn curiously glinted golden in the early morning sun.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty," the physician said, walking around the bed after wiping her hooves off with an extra towel. "A healthy little colt. What will you name him?"
After a moment of consideration, Celestia replied in a firm, soft voice, "Helios. My son's name is Helios." As though her words were a signal, Helios opened his pale indigo eyes and raised a forehoof to gently touch the base of her horn. Celestia's face broke out in a joyous smile and she licked his chin, startling him. She chuckled a bit and nuzzled him gently. "If you would have visitors gently and kindly turned away for the time being, I do believe I would like to sleep for an hour or so, but I would love for Princess Cadance to be the first through my doors."
"Of course, Your Majesty," the doctor said. "I'll pass on your wishes to the guards after we change your sheets."
"Thank you." Once the bed had been changed, Celestia settled down with a soft yawn. "Now, if you would excuse me, I could use a little rest." With that, she hugged Helios a little closer and drowsily closed her eyes to enjoy her well deserved rest.
* * * * *
Once Celestia awoke from her nap, she magicked open the doors to her suite. "Cadance?" she called. As the younger alicorn trotted in, Celestia smiled at her. "Meet my son, Helios."
"Oh my gosh!" Cadance squealed as she laid eyes on Helios for the first time. "He's so beautiful!"
"He certainly has a presence about him," Celestia chuckled. Helios, for his part, was studying this newcomer with restrained curiosity and a slight tilt to his head.
"His horn's...golden?" Cadance asked as she noticed the strange sheen of the colt's horn.
Celestia made a thoughtful noise. "Curious, isn't it? I've never seen anything like it." She chuckled. "It's quite attractive, though."
"It certainly is," Cadance said with a smile. After a moment, she shifted on her hooves. "Can I...Can I lay down next to you two?" Cadance asked a little nervously.
"Of course, Cadance," Celestia said, smiling. "So, when do you think you'll be ready to have a foal of your own?"
"I'm not sure, Auntie..." Cadance said softly, laying down gently on the bed so as to not jostle its occupants. "With all of our duties and responsibilities in the Crystal Empire, there would hardly be any time to devote to raising a child."
"All in good time," Celestia said. "It is a big step in anypony's life, and I am pleased to hear that you are serious about it. Though you would have some time to wait in any case, as Hearts and Hooves Day is some distance away. Who knows how much will change in the time between now and then?"
"Of course," Cadance said wistfully, imagining one day holding a foal of her own in her hooves. "But I can hope and try my hardest to make that time come all the sooner."
"Just remember that if you ever need help or assistance when the time comes, you have many a shoulder you can lean on," Celestia said with a warm smile.
"Thank you, Auntie." As the two mares fell silent, Helios wriggled around a bit and got his hooves under him. He took a couple of tentative steps over to Cadance, sniffing her a moment before hooking a leg over her wing joint and hoisting himself onto the middle of her back. "Oh? What's this?" she asked, laughing at his actions. Helios looked around a bit before becoming bored and curling up with his tail covering his muzzle, settling in for a nap. Celestia held a hoof to her mouth and chuckled at his odd behavior.
"It appears as though he found a comfortable place to sleep!" Celestia said mirthfully. "I hope you don't mind staying for a while."
"Not at all!" Cadance replied, laughing quietly. With a sleeping foal on Cadance's back, they talked about Twilight's little filly and Fluttershy's colt, as well as their excitement about their plans to bring all the foals together in a month's time. They made small talk well until lunchtime, when Helios awoke for a feeding, and their own stomachs growled for food. After lunch, they each wrote a letter to Twilight about the healthy delivery, telling her all about Helios and their eagerness to see her and Star Sweeper in a month's time, with admonishments in Cadance's letter for Shining Armor, who was most likely trying to pamper Twilight as Cadance had Celestia. They only had to wait a few minutes for a reply, in which Twilight assured them that Shining Armor was well in hoof and that all of her friends were incredibly excited to see Helios.
They spent the rest of the day entertaining the senior staff before allowing the nobility to visit. Helios warmed up to the staff quickly, yet treated most of the nobility with hilarious disdain. What came as a bit of a shock was how Helios and Blueblood immediately warmed to one another. *It's as though they can tell they're half-brothers,* Celestia thought warmly upon seeing her sons together. *Maybe Helios can work some sibling magic and help change him for the better. I would love to have a closer relationship with my estranged son.* By the end of the day, all three of them were quite tired despite a few cat naps caught between visitors. Instead of Cadance leaving once Celestia lowered the sun, she lingered a bit, blushing and scuffing her hoof.
"Is something the matter, Cadance?" Celestia asked curiously.
"Well...being around the two of you made me remember my foalhood, and maybe I'm getting overly nostalgic..." She trailed off, her blush intensifying. "Do you think...would it be okay...can I sleep with you two tonight? Like I did all those years ago?"
"Of course, Cadance," Celestia said fondly. "I always have room for my favorite niece." Cadance gave her aunt a bashful smile before climbing back into bed, Helios wiggling snugly between the two mares. Once he found a comfortable position, Cadance draped a wing over his body, and Celestia draped her wing over Cadance. "Good night, Helios. Good night, Cadance."
"Good night, Auntie Celestia." Cadance replied drowsily. "Good night, Helios." With gentle smiles and an overabundance of contentedness, the three drifted into happy dreams, two of them dreaming of the day another little foal would be sleeping by their side.
* * * * *
*Oh, where in the world IS that silly filly?!* Twilight thought frantically as she rushed about, looking for her wayward daughter. The time for their get together with the Princess and Helios was close at hoof, so naturally, Star Sweeper had wandered out of sight. As she trotted past the kitchen, she heard the faintest sound—a certain stoneware jar in the hooves of a certain little filly. Stopping, she poked her head into the kitchen, seeing exactly what she expected to see: Star Sweeper standing on the kitchen counter with a foreleg straining deeply into the depths of the cookie jar, one eye shut and her pink tongue poking out in concentration as she struggled to purloin a cookie. Fighting back a laugh, Twilight donned her most no-nonsense expression and entered the kitchen. "Just what do you think you're doing, young lady?"
Having been caught in the act, Star Sweeper quickly extracted her hoof from the jar. She stood on the counter and knocked a hoof against the side of the cookie jar as though that were all the explanation needed. "Oh? Checking to make sure we're not critically low on cookies, were you?" Twilight asked, one eyebrow raised. Star Sweeper quickly nodded her head in the affirmative with a big smile of her own. "That's very thoughtful of you, but I don't think that's all you had in mind, now is it?" Her only response was the most innocent look of confusion one could ever hope to see on the face of another living creature. Twilight rolled her eyes, losing the battle to keep the smile off her face at the filly's antics.
"Now, I distinctly remember telling you that we're having lunch with my friends and the Princess today, so you should worry less about our cookies here and more about the cookies your Auntie Pinkie is bringing. It's almost time to go, so hop on my back and let's get going. Drifting Leaf will be looking for you, and today's the day you finally get to meet Helios. Your Uncle Spike is already there, and we don't want to keep them all waiting, now do we?" Surprisingly, Star looked down at her hooves and scuffed them a bit instead of hopping excitedly, urging her Mom to hurry her pace. "What's the matter, sweetie? Nervous about meeting Helios?" A quick nod, followed by Star's lower lip sticking out in a pout. *I wish she wouldn't pick up Rarity's habits like that.* Twilight shuddered at the thought of her friend's potent pouting skills combined with such an adorable and devious little filly.
"Don't worry," Twilight said, closing the gap a little more and nuzzling her daughter's neck. "I'm sure you two will get along just fine. Don't forget I'll be right there with you." Star perked up a bit, a little of her usual confidence reasserting itself. "Are you ready to go now? I'm sure we can get there in time if we hurry." A solid nod and a leap over her head ended with a familiar weight settling on Twilight's withers. With a big smile, Twilight cantered out of the library and across the bridge to the large meadow by the White Tail Woods. It was a pleasantly warm May day; they walked down the familiar path with a gentle breeze blowing against them, Star standing with her eyes closed and wings spread out in enjoyment. After mere minutes of walking, Twilight spotted the large checkered cloth that covered a good patch of ground in the distance, along with her friends talking and unpacking picnic baskets laden with food.
"Hey, Twi!" Dash called as she broke away from the group to meet them partway. "It looks like your little troublemaker's enjoying herself."
"Yeah," Twilight said with a chuckle. "I found her 'checking the levels of the cookie jar' just before we left."
"Ha! That definitely sounds like her," Dash laughed. "So, are you ready to make another friend today, Star?"
"She's actually a little nervous about that," Twilight said. As if in affirmation, Star Sweeper peeked warily from behind her mother's neck. "But I told her not to worry and that I'll be right there."
"That's right, Star," Dash said confidently. "You can always rely on your Mom when it counts. She'll never let you down if she can help it."
"I hope we're going to have enough food since my parents, Cadance and Shining Armor are coming as well," Twilight said as they made their way over to their friends.
"I don't think you have to worry about that," Dash chuckled. "With Pinkie Pie and Applejack in charge of food, I'd be surprised if we get through half of what they brought!"
"Darn tootin', sugar cube!" Applejack said as she picked up on the conversation. "Since today's th' day we finally get t' meet the li'l fella, Ah wanted t' make sure we make this shindig go off without a hitch!"
"Oh yeah!" Pinkie chimed in excitedly. "And me, Rarity, Applejack and Dashie all brought gifts for each of the foals, since this is such an extra splendiferous day for everypony!"
"You didn't tell me about that!" Twilight said, a faint note of panic in her voice. "Did you know about this, Fluttershy?"
"Only for a little bit," Fluttershy replied happily. "It was actually Rainbow's idea, and Rarity gave them all suggestions about what to get and how much to spend."
Rarity trotted up to Twilight and ruffled Star Sweeper's mane. "I know the three of you wouldn't want us to spoil your darling little ones, so I made sure to keep our spending limit modest."
"And what's your definition of modest?" Twilight asked flatly.
"Just trust me on this, Twilight darling," Rarity said reassuringly. "Consider this a bit of a delayed baby shower from us to the three of you! Speaking of which, I do believe I see the Princess and the remainder of our guests coming now!"
"Oh! Fluttershy! Where's Drifting Leaf? Shouldn't he be here?" Twilight asked, suddenly noticing the absence of a certain hyperactive little colt.
"Oh, he's never too far away," Fluttershy replied calmly. Sure enough, Twilight suddenly noticed something moving right in front of her. Somehow, Drifting Leaf had managed to hide in plain sight in short grass that barely tickled the little colt's barrel. The orange colt grinned cheekily up at her before bounding over to hide behind his mother.
"Just what are you doing, you silly little colt?" Twilight asked with laughter in her voice.
"Why Ah never..." Applejack said in confusion, scratching the back of her neck with a hoof. "Ah don't think Ah've ever seen anypony as sneaky as that little varmint."
"He must be taking lessons from Pinkie Pie!" Dash said, laughing.
"Actually, I've been picking up a few pointers from watching the little guy myself," Pinkie said, to the astonishment of her friends. Before they could ask what she meant, the other group arrived, with a regal-looking Helios riding on the withers of Shining Armor.
"Hey! Twiley! How's it been?" Shining called out, drawing their attention to him.
"Hey B.B.B.F.F.! Who's the cute little guy on your back?" Twilight asked.
"Everypony, may I introduce you all to my son, Helios," Celestia said regally, though the unmistakable pride of a new parent seeped through in both her voice and expression. "He developed a fondness for Shining Armor earlier today and decided that he would accompany him to Ponyville."
Twilight and her friends noticed the unique way that Helios carried himself immediately. The colt was not cold or aloof; rather, he seemed to possess a unique curiosity that couldn't be expressed properly, so he didn't bother to try to show it. One thing about the little colt which was immediately apparent: when he favored somepony, his delight was unmistakeable, as demonstrated by his co-opting of Shining Armor as his personal "chariot". The next thing they noticed about him was the odd metallic sheen of his mane and tail, as well as the unmistakeable golden shimmer of his horn. Unsurprisingly, Rarity was the first to close the gap to greet Helios.
"Why, look at you!" She said breathlessly. "You're such a lovely little colt, aren't you?"
Helios looked at Rarity with a curiously blank expression for a few moments, as though studying this newcomer. He tilted his head to the side a moment later, bringing his hoof up to Rarity's nose and lightly tapping it. Rarity crossed her eyes slightly to look at the tiny hoof prodding her muzzle. A second later, she chuckled and lightly kissed Helios' hoof, causing him to coo softly.
"It appears as though he likes you," Celestia said with a grin. "He's rather picky about the ponies he likes, and we've found that he's exceptionally unpleasant to ponies who shower him with empty flattery...at the expense of several nobles' dignity, I might add. You wouldn't believe some of the looks he gives the ponies he doesn't like."
"Why he sounds like he's one mighty sharp li'l fella," Applejack said with a chuckle.
"What's up with his horn?" Pinkie asked, leaning in to study Helios. "It's really really shiny!"
"You're right," Twilight said, taking a closer look herself. Helios took a cautious step back, a bit unnerved by the keen interest these two strangers had suddenly taken in him. "I've never seen a horn do that before. What's going on here, Princess?"
"I'm more than a bit curious about that myself," Celestia admitted. "I've had Luna researching it for the past month, but we're no closer to finding any reference to such a phenomenon."
"Oh, it just means he's extra-special," Fluttershy said with a smile.
"Hey everypony, how 'bout y'all come on over an' get some grub while it's nice an' hot?" Applejack suggested. "We can chit-chat while we eat. We've got some presents fer the li'l fella too, but y'all can jes' take 'em back with ya so y'all don't have ta worry 'bout losin' nothin.'"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea, and thank you all for your thoughtful presents. I think I'll follow your suggestion about the gifts, though right now I could certainly go for something to eat," Celestia said.
With that, everypony seated themselves upon the large picnic blanket. Twilight lowered Star to the ground, and the filly tottered over to a suspicious blond tail flicking from behind Fluttershy, giving it a sharp tug. A very startled Drifting Leaf jumped in place before turning around to see who had found him, and promptly pounced on the instigator. Despite the sudden attack, he quickly found himself pinned amid a storm of giggles from his tormentor. They wrestled around for a bit, a struggle of foalish proportions with playful little nips and much giggling, before finding themselves looking up at a curious Helios, who had made a beeline for the two foals as soon as Shining Armor had set him down. They quickly scrambled to their hooves to inspect this newcomer.
Star took a half step back and glanced nervously at Helios, while Drifting Leaf took a bold step forward, staring defiantly back. A sudden smile broke across Helios' face as he reached a hoof forward to thump against Drifting Leaf's chest, making him take a step back. Leaf let out a high-pitched growl before retaliating; however, Helios took a quick step back at just the right moment, causing Leaf to overbalance and fall flat on his face. Star looked on with wide eyes, a giggle escaping her lips at the sight. Drifting Leaf was less than amused, scrambling to his hooves and attempting to tackle Helios, only to miss and fly wide as the other colt ducked suddenly. As Leaf turned around, he suddenly found the tables turned as Helios pounced on him instead with a giggle of his own.
Star Sweeper stared in amazement at this new foal who was more than a match for her playmate, and laughed at their antics. Feeling suddenly left out, she bounded forth and joined the fray, the chaotic trio rolling around near a wide-eyed Fluttershy. Their antics drew the attention of the adults, who watched the little ball of mock violence with varying degrees of bemusement. The foals' wrestling match soon broke up, with panting and giggles all around. Helios trotted up to Star and tapped her on the forehead, to her great confusion. She laughed suddenly and did the same to him, just below his horn. With the introductions apparently complete, the adults quickly distributed the food, and soon everypony was eating heartily.
"It seems as though Helios approves of his new playmates," Celestia said with a warm chuckle. "Of course, I never had any doubts in the least, knowing their mothers as well as I do." Her words caused a pleased blush to rise on the complimented ponies' faces.
"Celestia, it's good to see you again," Twilight said as she sat down between the Princess and her own mother. "How is the palace adjusting to the new addition to the royal family?"
"I haven't seen the staff happier in months," Celestia said. "Helios is an absolute joy. I've found that he likes to roam the halls. I was quite surprised the first time it happened." Twilight's eyes widened suddenly as she imagined Helios deciding to suddenly sneak off on his own through the labyrinthine halls of the palace. "He didn't get far the first time, because I noticed the door ajar not long after his departure, so as soon I found him, I decided to follow him around to see what had drawn his interest. It turns out that he was simply going around, trying to find out what was in each room. He would stop in front of some of the guards and tap on their hoof plates to get their attention, only to smile up at them once he had done so. To say the least, it both pleased and confused my guards. Now we make it a daily ritual to take an hour to show him a new part of the castle. One thing that thoroughly surprised me was when he and Prince Blueblood bonded on the very day he was born. I truly hope that my son can help him to become a better pony."
"It sounds like he makes it a point to find ponies he likes and give them a little happiness," Twilight Velvet said with a chuckle. "He certainly is a very special little colt even now. I'm very honored that you've allowed me to be a part of your lives, Princess."
"Me too," Twilight said with a bright smile. "I'm so happy you asked me to share this with you. I remember the fiasco at the Grand Galloping Gala and what Rarity had told us about Blueblood. If Helios likes him, I'm sure that he'll change for the better."
"That would take a miracle," Rarity muttered. Everypony ignored her.
"It still amazes me that I have such special and loving ponies that I can involve in our lives like this," Celestia said with a smile of her own. Looking over at the foals, she pointed a forehoof with a laugh and said, "It looks like Star Sweeper and Drifting Leaf are taking Helios around to make his introductions." True to her words, the slightly older pair flanked Helios as they led him over to Applejack. They stopped a couple steps away and let Helios continue on his own to come face to face with her.
"Well howdy there, li'l guy," Applejack said with a smile. "Looks like you've made a couple new friends already. How'd y'all like some apple fritters?" Applejack selected a trio of perfect specimens and placed them on a plate before sliding it in front of the little colt. He looked at the offering before turning back to Applejack with a big smile. He stepped around the plate and nuzzled the farmer's shoulder affectionately, prompting her to twist around to nuzzle him in return. "Why, ain't you just the sweetest li'l thing? It's too bad Apple Bloom an' the rest had school today. Ah'm sure you'd love t' meet them too, but there's always next time."
Helios returned to the plate of fritters, sliding it torward his compatriots; they split the treats three ways before quickly demolishing them. Once finished, Star and Leaf began to run off, but Helios returned the used plate to Applejack, to the adults' surprise and delight. Once done, he trotted back over to his friends, leading the charge to their next flight of fancy—which happened to involve climbing Shining Armor like a small mountain, much to everypony's amusement.
"H-Hey guys!" Shining laughed, rolling onto his side a bit. "What's the big deal? Your hooves are all sticky!"
"It looks like they're scaling the Shining Mountain!" Fluttershy said, giggling.
"Just what I was going to say!" Cadance said mirthfully while leaning into her husband. "But honey, why are you so worried about sticky hooves when we've faced down both the Queen of the changelings and a dark king from a thousand years ago?"
"Because I'm helpless against something this adorable!" Shining said, laughing with everypony at the foals, who were once again roughhousing atop their living mountain.
The rest of the afternoon was spent happily talking and reminiscing, with the occasional introduction of Helios to another individual. The group made plans for future visits and play dates for their charges, while exchanging stories about their first month of raising their foals. As the day wore on to evening, they began cleaning up the area, finding that the three foals had gone over to the base of the tree they'd spread out the picnic blanket under and fallen asleep in a fuzzy little pile. Despite their reluctance to wake them up, duties and responsibilities forced their hooves. Being as gentle as possible, they gently separated the sleeping foals from one another and settled them on their respective mothers' withers. With everything taken care of, they all made their way slowly back to the center of Ponyville, where they made their farewells, with promises of seeing one another soon.
All in all, it had been a wonderful day for the three mothers and their foals. Though they knew days like this couldn't last forever, they also knew they would always cherish these precious moments for the rest of their lives. So it was with a healthy appreciation of their friends and family that they made their way home to sleep, and to await whatever challenges would come with the new day.
(Special Guest Author: divinearcadia)
Time passed for Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Star Sweeper, as it did for everypony. Twilight often wished she could slow down time, despite some of the more aggravating aspects of parenthood. Ever since she had brought Star Sweeper home from the hospital, the spunky little filly had been full of a boundless and inexplicable exuberance that defied every parenting book she owned, as well as the seasoned expertise of her own mother. Star Sweeper would awaken as soon as the sun crested the horizon, brimming with an immeasurable amount of energy that Twilight and Spike simply could not keep up with.
That left them only one option: They needed somepony, or several someponies, to help them raise a foal who could run most ponies into the ground within an hour. A foal who wasn't even two months old yet.
It was about a week after their get-together with her friends that Twilight noticed Star Sweeper's antics really begin to kick into high gear. Maybe it was the static environment of the library beginning to grate on the energetic foal, maybe it was something else Twilight's research couldn't account for, but Twilight found that if she couldn't be in a minimum of eight places at once, Sweeper was likely to cause some localized disaster in her search for entertainment. Poor Spike still had bruises in places unsuitable for polite conversation from the last time Sweeper had decided it would be a good idea to explore the topmost shelves of the library. As she half-jumped, half-flew from shelf to shelf, she sent dozens of heavy books cascading to the floor, resulting in a massive reshelving and a trip to the hospital for Spike's broken tail.
In the very same room the incident had taken place in, a group of nine mares assembled to deal with Twilight's dilemma as the foal in question slept peacefully upstairs after another monolithic feeding from a physically and mentally drained Twilight. “Everypony?” Twilight asked to draw the attention of the mares as she finally descended the stairs to meet with her task force consisting of not only her closest friends, but also Cheerilee, Octavia, Vinyl Scratch and Lyra Heartstrings. “It appears as though my daughter is Tartarus-bent on becoming an unstoppable force of chaos, and I need all your help to at least slow her down a little.”
“Come now Twilight,” Rarity scoffed, “surely your daughter cannot be such an unruly little scamp.”
“Tell that to Spike,” Twilight said with a look that stilled the dismissive comments of the others. “He's probably going to have a kink in his tail for the rest of his life because of the incident last week.”
“Ah'll say,” Applejack deadpanned. “Ah heard the noise all the way down at th' market.”
“Oh dear,” Rarity said fretfully, eyebrows knit and forehead creased.
“I know this is a lot to ask, but I really need all the help I can get right now,” Twilight said tiredly. “I asked you all to come here because each of you can potentially use your special talents to help bleed off some of her energy... or at least point it in a constructive direction.”
“Wouldn't you say she's a bit young to begin dabbling in some of our specialties?” Octavia asked skeptically.
“To be honest, Octavia? Not really,” Twilight said with a wry half smile. “Not when she's already started talking.”
“Really?” Cheerilee asked, eyes wide. “She's barely a month and a half old! Most foals can't talk until four or five months.”
“I guess she takes after her mother,” Rainbow said with a snicker. “Already an egghead at her age!”
“Rainbow...that's not funny.” Twilight sighed. “To be honest, I doubt even the Royal Guard could cope with what she can accomplish in an afternoon, not to mention the rate at which she learns new things.”
“Then what do you think we could possibly do to help?” Octavia asked.
“Well...I was hoping you could show her something that would catch her interest long enough to stop her adorable rampage,” Twilight replied with a blush.
“Adorable rampage?” Fluttershy asked, a barely contained smile lifting the corners of her mouth. Twilight answered with a sheepish grin and a nervous giggle.
“Well, I don't know about all that, but it sounds like the kid's alright in my book. Celestia knows I was a hellion of a foal and I settled down when I found something I loved,” Vinyl said with a chuckle. “You can count me in at least.”
“You call this 'settled down'?” Octavia asked incredulously. “I've had to nail my photos to the wall because of you!” Vinyl just laughed in response.
“You can count me in too,” Lyra chimed in with a grin. “I can't keep still for long unless I'm playing my harp, so I think I can relate to the filly. Although I must say I don't have much experience with foals.”
“I'm not sure if I can be much help,” Octavia said with a sigh, “but if Vinyl of all ponies can give it a shot, I can certainly can try.”
“Atta girl,” Vinyl said with a playful nudge and a big grin.
“I would love to teach anything I can to such a bright filly,” Cheerilee said.
“You know we're in!” Rainbow said, the rest of Twilight's friends nodding in agreement.
“Thanks, everypony,” Twilight said with a relieved sigh. “And I apologize in advance for any physical or property damage that may happen.”
“Oh come on, Twilight,” Pinkie said with a laugh. “How much trouble can she really be?”
* * * * *
It was two days later when Twilight walked up to Lyra's house, Star Sweeper and a bulky bag of foal care supplies in tow, and knocked on the door around ten in the morning.
“Twilight!” Lyra said excitedly upon opening the door. “I'm so glad you agreed to let me look after her first.”
“Well, we all talked about it and we thought somepony who could keep up with her would be a good place to start, so you, Pinkie and Vinyl were the obvious choices,” Twilight said with a chuckle as she looked over her shoulder at her suddenly shy daughter, who was trying to bury her face in Twilight's mane. “Star? This is Lyra, one of Mommy's friends. She's going to look after you for a while, so make sure you're on your best behavior, understand?” Star pulled her head back a little and gave a small nod; Twilight smiled before turning back to Lyra. “If she breaks anything, please let me know and I'll fix it. It's the least I can do.”
“Don't worry about it, Twilight,” Lyra assured the slightly anxious mother. “I've got everything under control.”
“I'll leave her in your care then,” Twilight said with a smile as she set the bag down and levitated her daughter off her back. “Everything you'll need for her is in the bag, including fresh milk under a stasis spell and her favorite fairy tale book in the unlikely event she gets tuckered out enough for a nap.”
“Alright.” Lyra turned her attention to the small filly in front of her. “Are you ready for a big day of fun, Star Sweeper?”
The filly shied away a little before Twilight nudged her forward with a smile. “I'll be back in the afternoon, honey, but be sure to be on your best behavior for Lyra,” Twilight said before kissing Star on the forehead and giving her an affectionate nuzzle. Star, reassured, turned and walked inside as Lyra made room for her to pass.
“That's really interesting,” Lyra mused aloud once the filly was inside.
“What?” Twilight asked.
“That you talk to her with so much respect and reason,” Lyra replied.
“Well, even foals deserve to be treated like ponies.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just because she's a foal doesn't mean she isn't pony,” Twilight explained. “She's entitled to respect, even if she's not even two months old.”
“Huh...” Lyra said ponderously. “I've never thought about it like that before. Tell you what though, Twilight. You'll never catch me treating a foal like a foal ever again. Like you said, they're ponies like we are. They're just a little younger is all.”
“Exactly!” Twilight beamed. “Just don't forget to keep on your hooves with her. When she gets going, she's unstoppable.”
“I got everything under control,” Lyra reassured Twilight before waving goodbye. Once she shut the door, Lyra turned around to discover that Star had wandered off into the depths of the house. “Star! Are you ready for a great day?” she called out. Silence. Something was up. She just knew it. Lyra left the foyer and began moving about the house, looking for the foal. As she made her way about her home, the familiar and welcoming suddenly felt intimidating and frightening. *There's nothing to worry about...just an adorable little foal here for half a day...*
“AH!” she cried as she finally found the foal. “Star...you scared me! What are you doing here anyway?” The foal had found her way to the kitchen and had jumped onto her back from the counter a couple feet away. Star grinned and giggled in response. “Well, now that I found you, do you want to go do something fun?”
Star hopped a couple times on Lyra's back and giggled excitedly.
“I'll take that as a yes,” Lyra said with a laugh of her own, turning around and carrying Star upstairs to her practice room. “Do you like music, Star?” she asked as she looked over her shoulder to the foal, who tilted her head in curiosity. “Well, if you hop off, I can play my lyre for you. Does that sound good?”
Music was new and unexplored territory for Star Sweeper. Whenever she would go over to Fluttershy's house to play with Drifting Leaf, the bird choir would occasionally be found practicing for some upcoming event or even just for fun, but it never really interested her as they would largely ignore the rambunctious pair. So when Lyra set her on the ground, took a seat on a small padded stool, and levitated a dark case over to herself, Star was rather excited.
Lyra popped the clasps on the hardwood case and gently removed her well-loved instrument with her magic. The lyre itself was constructed out of softly glowing cherrywood with an elegant silver inlay. One could tell at a glance that the instrument was well used, tenderly cared for and loved like a piece of Lyra's very soul. It wasn't as fancy or complex as a lot of the instruments out there, but that suited Lyra just fine. She plucked the strings, tilting her head slightly as she gently filled the air with an almost ethereal sound as she checked to see if it was in tune. A slight frown crossed her face as she plucked a pair of strings and tuned them accordingly before she nodded with a content smile.
“There we are,” Lyra said, grinning at nothing in particular. “You ready, Star?”
She nodded as Lyra settled down and closed her eyes a moment before the lyre began to play. As the first ethereal notes came from the harp, the chaotic torrent of Star's foalish thoughts slowed to a tranquil ebb and flow, and her eager expression gradually shifted to one of relaxation. This was not lost on Lyra; she knew exactly what Star was feeling, because she experienced the same thing when she was her age. Soon, she finished her song and watched as Star seemed to come out of a waking dream.
“How was that?” she asked. “Pretty cool, huh?” Star nodded enthusiastically with a copious amount of giggles to show her approval. “You think you can sit still for another song before we do something else?” Another enthusiastic nod that almost caused the filly to topple over answered her question. “Alright, Star, here we go,” Lyra answered with a chuckle of her own as she settled down to play another song for her rapt audience.
* * * * *
Several hours later, a slightly worn down Star Sweeper met her mother at the front door of Lyra's house.
“You seem to be a little tired, Star!” Twilight exclaimed happily. It was the first time she had ever seen her daughter coming back to her even slightly tired, as the foal usually exasperated not only her mother, but every other day-care mare in Ponyville with her boundless energy. “Did you have a good time with Lyra?”
Star replied with a slightly weary but bright smile. “She wasn't any trouble at all, Twilight,” Lyra said with a depreciative laugh, both at Twilight's supposed over-dramatization and her own temporary fear of the foal. “Once I took her to my practice room, she couldn't get enough of me playing my lyre.”
“Huh...” Twilight mused. *Maybe I can play some music for Star to keep her occupied for a little while at the very least...* “So she's a big fan of music, huh?”
“Definitely,” Lyra replied, grinning, “Reminds me of myself as a foal. You couldn't keep me nailed down unless there was music nearby to keep me rooted.”
“I'll definitely have to keep that in mind when I have Star for the full day,” Twilight said, a weight seemingly lifting off her withers as she leaned down to nuzzle her daughter warmly. “She gets stir crazy if she's at home all the time, so I take her to the day care or drop her off to spend some time with Fluttershy and Drifting Leaf. I really wish I had the energy to keep up with her, but...I wouldn't change her for anything.”
“I can see that motherhood really suits you, Twilight,” Lyra said as she felt a sudden onset of the warm and fuzzies. “I really wasn't sure what to think when I heard the rumors about you going to the Center to become a mother, but I think it really suits you. Keeps you grounded in the here and now instead of being lost in your studies all the time.”
“Thanks, Lyra,” Twilight said as she blushed furiously. “I still tend to get lost in thought though, but not the way I used to.”
“That's good to hear,” Lyra said, smiling mirthfully. “But she does seem to be one heck of a hoofful.”
“You can say that again,” Twilight said as she rolled her eyes. “I think it's time for us to head back home for the day. Thanks again for everything.”
“Not a problem,” Lyra said, smiling. “Feel free to ask me to look after her anytime you need me to.”
“Will do, Lyra,” Twilight said as she lifted her significantly lighter bags over her haunches and settled Star onto her withers.
“You're welcome to drop by just to hang out, too. I'd be happy to play host anytime.” Lyra said, waving as Twilight turned to leave. *Maybe it's time I thought about a foal of my own,* Lyra mused as she watched the pair and felt a sudden lack of fulfillment in her life. *Maybe in a year or two...just so I can set back enough bits to live for a while with just me and my foal.*
* * * * *
Twilight tossed fitfully in bed. Try as she might, she couldn't seem to get to sleep. She had put Star Sweeper down for her nap almost an hour ago, and yet she had the feeling something wasn't quite right.
Her ears twitched, picking up soft, haunting piano music wafting up the stairs. She smiled. "Mmm...that's nice..."
After almost a minute, her eyes shot open. "Wait a minute...there's no piano in the library!"
She bolted out of bed, racing down the stairs. She skidded to a stop as she found herself not in the familiar reading room of the Golden Oak Library, but on a smooth, polished mahogany stage in a grandiose concert hall. A spotlight illuminated the center of the stage, where the most beautiful, elegant grand piano she had ever laid eyes on stood.
Star Sweeper sat on the bench, hooves dancing over the keys.
Twilight's jaw dropped. "What...?"
She looked out over the seats. They were full of ponies, for she could see the soft reflection of the stage lights in the moistness of eyes and the slight swaying movement of silhouettes, but she couldn't see their faces.
But that didn't matter. What was important was the hall was packed, and they were listening to her precious daughter's beautiful piano recital. She sat and listened, smiling. She closed her eyes and swayed. Several minutes later, the last notes of the sonata died down, and the thunderous clapping and stomping of hooves filled the air.
Twilight opened her eyes, but the stage was pitch black. Then, a trilling note pierced the dark, followed by the thunderous pounding of kettle drums. The lights came up to full, and Twilight gasped in shock.
An entire symphony orchestra had replaced the grand piano.
Every member of the orchestra was Star Sweeper. Even the conductor was Star Sweeper.
"What the—?!" Twilight cried. She watched as what had to be dozens of Star Sweepers energetically and furiously played the stirring symphony. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her mind raced. *What is this? The mirror pool? Discord? Changelings? What the horseapple is happening here?!*
As the piece ended, to still more applause, the lights faded. Then, a new piece, different from anything Twilight had ever heard, exploded from the stage, as a laser light ball descended from above and began splashing broad, strobing swathes of multi-colored light all around the hall in a dizzying miasma which, bizarrely, seemed to be timed precisely to the music. As the brighter pulses of light illuminated the audience, she could see that every single pony in the seats was either her daughter or Lyra. The music and lights were strangely beautiful and frightening, and the surrealness of the hundreds of Star Sweepers and dozens of Lyras filling the hall made Twilight's mind list alarmingly to starboard on a stormy sea of confusion.
The music swelled to its loud, exuberant finale, with the strobing lights flashing more brightly and rapidly than ever. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut against the painful display as the thundering music shook her bones. When the bright pulses she could still see through her eyelids subsided, she opened her eyes.
One by one, every member of the audience dissolved into clouds of blood red sand. On stage, to Twilight's horror, the same thing was happening: within seconds, all but four of the Star Sweepers in the orchestra burst into sand, blowing away on an impossible wind.
The remaining four consisted of a drummer, two guitarists, and a bass player. Smiling evilly, they began to play a thundering, terrifying song. If the previous piece was like nothing Twilight had ever heard before, this may as well have been what the hordes of Tartarus played to pass the time in the pits of despair and damnation.
She felt something brush her side, and looked up.
Nightmare Moon stood beside her.
"This always was my favorite song," Nightmare Moon said, bobbing her head to the loud, pounding music.
"Mine too," King Sombra said from Twilight's other side.
"I should hire them to play my next wedding," Queen Chrysalis said from Sombra's other side.
Twilight cried out, then opened her eyes. She blinked at the feeling of warm, cozy linens enveloping her body. "Huh?" she uttered, muzzle wrinkling. "It was a dream?" The realization soothed her racing heart, and she let out a weary sigh.
The faint sound of music drifted up the stairs and into her ears. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks. "Oh no."
Scrambling out of bed, she scrabbled frantically on the floor, trying to race to the door. Her hooves refused to find purchase underneath her; belatedly, her mind registered the tingling pins-and-needles sensation of paresthesia. With an irritated snort, she teleported directly into the library, dreading what she might find.
As soon as the dizzying flash of teleportation faded, she blinked in confusion at the sight before her. Star Sweeper sat on the floor, giggling happily and merrily clapping her hooves. Before her sat Twilight's battered gramophone, from which issued the soothing sounds of chamber music. Owlowiscious sat perched on the carved wooden bust on the reading table, his unblinking gaze fixed on the foal.
Twilight's frame sagged with relief, and a warm, motherly smile lit up her face. "Aww," she cooed. She trotted over and lay down next to her daughter, gathering her up with a hoof and kissing her on the head.
"Mama!" Star Sweeper said happily, waving a hoof at the gramophone. "Wywa!"
Twilight laughed softly. "Close enough," she said. Looking up at her number two assistant, she whispered, "Thank you, Owlowiscious."
"Hoo." Owlowiscious saluted with one wing, then took off through an open window.
As the gramophone played on, mother and child slept peacefully on the floor of the library.
