Two days later, the couple prepares for another gathering of their friends at their house. This time though, the main reason they were all coming, was the tiny pink filly now toddling after Gel or Rhino no matter where they go. The couple had sent the letters out yesterday and were sure that all their friends would be attending so they could meet their newest family member.
The parents have finished cleaning up the house and are now doing the final touches on cleaning up themselves in the bathroom. Ruby sits on the counter, simply watching them with curiosity as they freshen up.
Gel dries off her mane, looking at the stallion next to her. "You really are warming up to the idea of parties, aren't you?" She giggles, playfully sticking her tongue out at him.
He chuckles. "Well, definitely not a certain pink pony's definition of 'party' but I am getting used to gatherings of more than five ponies." He sets down his mane brush and tickles Ruby's belly. "Let's see if you feel the same way, huh?"
She giggles, grabbing his hoof and gumming it.
The nymph smiles at this, shaking her head. "It's official. She loves her daddy very much." She picks up the brush and starts running it through her mane. "Yea, I'm not so keen on Pinkie's parties. Especially after that 'mirror pool' incident." She winces as the bristles tug on a knot.
"Speaking of parties though," he looks over at Gel, "How do you think the Apple Reunion went yesterday? I bet Luster and Tavi had a blast."
She taps her chin, thinking a bit. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out later today." She finishes straightening out her hair and picks up her emerald earrings.
Rhino smiles as he sees the symbols of their marriage. "You know, those always look lovely on you."
Gel blushes, playfully pushing him. "Flatterer." She carefully puts them on before glancing around the countertop. "...where's your necklace?"
He simply points to their daughter, who has taken it as her new thing to suck on.
She stares at Ruby for a moment before turning to her stallion. "...would you be willing to take it from her, love?"
"Umm..." He looks at how much Ruby is enjoying his own symbol of their marriage. After a moment he leans down and blows a stream of air onto her belly. As she falls over laughing, he takes the necklace quickly and nuzzles her so she forgets all about it.
His wife smiles, gently kissing his cheek. "You handled that expertly."
"Why thank you." He dons the necklace and looks himself over in the mirror. "What do you think?"
"Stunning, as usual." She giggles, grabbing her frameless glasses and putting them on. "Do you think they'll be here, soon?"
"I'm not sure... why? Still feeling the female obligation to try and half your wardrobe?" He sticks his tongue out at her.
She quirks an eyebrow at him. "No, I was going to wear this and nothing else." She rolls her eyes, smirking slightly. "Besides, you know most of my clothes aren't suitable for public wearing."
He blushes lightly as he responds. "Right... but why the glasses?"
“Because I like them." She laughs brightly, picking up their daughter and placing her on the floor, but the tiny filly walks over to Rhino and nuzzles his leg. "Are you completely sure everything's ready?"
"Let's see..." He picks Ruby up as they head downstairs. "Living room's clean, snacks are out, everyone's clean, pets are fed... is that it?"
"I can't think of anything else..." She observes the foyer. "...I guess that's everything. Unless something we don't expect happens."
"Which, knowing this town, it very well may." They head to the living room and sit on the couch. "Any idea what to do to pass the time until they arrive?"
She blushes softly, squirming in place. "...could we cuddle?"
"Always."
***
The guests soon arrive, and all of them are gathered in the living room with Rhino while Gel waits outside of it. The father addresses everypony. "Alright, is everyone ready then?"
A goldenrod drone speaks up. "Yea, we are. Are we finally gonna see the little one, Doc?"
Rhino nods. "Yep." He turns to the door. Come on in, love.
Gel walks in the living room, watching the tiny filly toddle along behind her. She turns to face everyone with a warm smile. "Everyone," she gently strokes the pink unicorn's head as she stops next to her, "meet Ruby Pinch of the Nexus family."
The wall of 'aww' that comes from the collected ponies is practically tangible. At seeing so many ponies in front of her, Ruby presses herself against her mom, but doesn't whine.
She leans down and nuzzles her daughter. "It's okay, Ruby. They're our friends."
Ruby eases up a little at the physical contact, still looking at the assembled ponies with curiosity and wonder.
Rhino chuckles as he looks to them all. "So, who wants to hold her first? I know you all want to."
The drone nods at the pegasus at his side. "We would. Isn't that right, Silk?" He grins widely at her.
The yellow pegasus walks slowly up to the filly and picks her up, her eyes shimmering. She gently holds her to her chest as she turns to Flick. "I want one."
He nods, laughing a bit. "I figured you would!" He leans forward and gingerly kisses her, a warm smile on his lips. "Don't worry. I'll make sure we have one." He holds his hoof up, glancing at the filly. "You won't be upset if they're this tiny, will you?"
Silk looks at him incredulously. "Are you joking? It's less painful when they're tiny, and who wouldn't want an adorable little foal like this..." She nuzzles Ruby affectionately.
He chuckles, shaking his head. "If you say so." He smirks slightly, draping a wing across her back. "We can try for one the next time you're ready."
Manila is practically vibrating in her seat. "Can I see her next? Please?"
Gel giggles, turning to her best friend. "She did say please, Silk."
The pegasus reluctantly gives the filly to the earth pony. Manila squeals in joy as she tries to tickle the filly's belly. The foal's giggling only serves to make her happier.
The navy nymph watches this with a small smile, glad that everyone was enjoying time with her daughter. She notices a couple off to the side, simply sitting together. ...well, that's odd. She walks over to them, smiling softly. "Hello, you two. How was the reunion, yesterday?"
Octavia smiles. "It was very interesting, to say the least, but in the end, the family did what we enjoy best: spending time together."
Gel nods, smiling warmly. "That's always a good thing." She glances over her shoulder a second. "Is there any reason you're in a corner by yourselves, though?"
The grey mare's smile wavers a moment. "Oh, no reason. We just wanted to let the others have their fun with Ruby, first."
The navy nymph blinks, confused by this. "...even so, there's others you can chat with..." She hesitates momentarily, feeling how heavy the air is around them. "...is something wrong? You...seem to have a dark cloud hanging over your head..."
For the first time since the new-mother talked to them, the indigo nymph next to the mare puts a hoof on said pony's shoulder, concern clear on her face.
Octavia fiddles with a strand of her mane. "It's... really it's nothing to concern you about..."
Gel sighs, rubbing the back of her neck. "...well, if you're absolutely sure..." She turns to leave but stops, looking back over her shoulder at them. "If there's anything we can do - anything at all - don't hesitate to ask, okay?"
The grey mare looks at her for a moment, tilting her head before slowly nodding. "Yes... I'll keep that in mind."
She smiles and waves at them before returning to the others.
The nymph quirks an eyebrow, silently asking her what she was thinking.
"Just something that just occurred to me..." She looks at Rhino and Gel as they fawn over Ruby. "Maybe we could work something out..."
She follows her line of sight, wincing and looking at the gray mare in confusion.
Octavia looks quickly to the mute nymph as her question goes through her mind. "No I'm not sure! The idea is crazy, and not something you normally ask friends!" She calms down a little. "Would you even be willing to do something like that?"
The indigo changeling turns her gaze to the happy couple, and the tiny filly in the stallion's arms. She inaudibly sighs and turns to her mare, tenderly nuzzling her.
Octavia nuzzles her back, but her smile is still worried. "Are you sure? I don't want to force you into this, especially since you're the one that has to do it..."
She simply pecks her cheek, smiling softly and nodding.
"Okay..." The mare leans against the nymph, sighing softly. "I guess he would work, judging from what I've seen and what you've told me... How would we ever go about bringing something like this up, though? And when?"
She shrugs, shaking her head. After a moment of thought, she taps the cellist's chest.
Octavia sighs. "Yes... I know... doesn't mean the conversation is going to be any less awkward..."
The nymph appears to chuckle, wrapping her foreleg around the mare and holding her close.
The cellist nuzzles Luster again. "You're right of course... again..." She looks over to the other ponies. "Do you want us to go see the little one? She is adorable after all..."
She smirks, gesturing towards the crowd.
The two walk over to where Ditzy is just letting Pinchy toddle back over to her parents. Octavia looks to the blue nymph. "Are we too late for time with her?"
Gel looks up at them and shakes her head. "Not at all." She turns back to her daughter, gently nuzzling her. "This is Octavia and Luster. They're good friends of ours."
The nymph behind the cellist taps her shoulder, tilting her head to one side.
Octavia looks to her lover so Gel and Rhino would know she isn't talking to them. "I have no idea what we're considered, but we could always treat her that way, right?"
She nods and gestures to the stallion, smiling softly.
The mare looks to the parents. "Sorry if this is out of the blue, but Luster wonders if we are considered her aunts, considering how close all of us are."
Gel blinks, tilting her head to one side. "Why wouldn't you be?" She giggles. "Like you said, we're all really close. If I didn't know any better, I'd say we're all one big happy family!"
Rhino nods along. "I always thought it would be easier for the foals if they had a more personal connection besides 'friends of parents'. Besides this way they can come up with cute and silly things to call you."
Luster blinks, staring in undisguised surprise.
Flick laughs, waving to get attention. "Did you mean that about all of us? Even Mane, who isn't here?" He looks to Manila, his smile faltering. "Where is she, anyways?"
The mare answers with a small smile. "Sis said she was really sorry, but she already had a date planned for today. I hope it works out for her, she goes on enough, but they never seem to click..."
"Oh. Well, I hope it turns out well for her, too." He turns to the pegasus next to him. "She needs more love than that of her patients." He pauses, silent for a minute before holding a hoof up. "That came out wrong."
Silk lightly shoves him playfully. "Just a bit."
Gel giggles, shaking her head. "Oh, Flick...to answer your question, though, yes. We consider all of you as part of our family."
Rhino lifts up Ruby and walks over to Luster. "Would you like to hold your 'niece' then?"
She smiles and nods, carefully taking the filly with a forehoof.
Ruby, seeing someone so close in appearance to her mother, coos and starts trying to gum Luster's hoof.
She silently giggles, turning to the mare beside her. She holds the filly close, letting her do as she pleased with her hoof.
Octavia's eyes are soft as she gently strokes the foal's mane. "So precious..." Her eyes grow worried as she continues rubbing Ruby's head. "Wait..." She turns to the parents. "I thought you said she was a unicorn?"
Gel blinks, stepping forward and looking down at the filly. Instead of surprise, she sighs quietly and turns to her stallion. "She did it again, love."
He sighs, putting a hoof to his head. "What is she this time?"
She leans closer to the tiny pony, taking notice of the lack of feathers attached to her side. "Earth pony."
"Ah." Rhino looks to the confused couple. "She apparently has the ability to alter the presence of her horn and wings, she seems to do it on whim right now. She'll grow her horn back when she wants to."
Luster tilts her head to one side, confused. She turns to the mare next to her, hoping she could express what she wants to ask.
Octavia translates. "Luster wants to know if Ruby is an alicorn, or if she's just a special unicorn."
Rhino is the one to answer. "We think she's a unicorn, since she goes back to that most often, and we haven't seen her with both horn and wings yet. We're fairly certain it's just her changeling blood. How much else that affects... we're not sure yet."
The indigo nymph slowly nods, looking down at the filly cradled in her foreleg. She smiles warmly and gently boops her nose.
Ruby blows a raspberry in response while she puts her tiny hooves against Luster's.
Gel giggles, nodding slightly. "She's definitely warming up to you, 'aunt' Luster."
The nymph blushes and turns to Octavia, offering to let her hold her, now.
The grey mare takes the foal, leaning over her and smiling. As Octavia's mane hangs down over her shoulder, it tickles Ruby's nose. The pink filly scrunches up her nose before letting out a high-pitched sneeze.
As the filly rubs her nose, Rhino chuckles. "Well, I'm glad she reacted so well to her first sneeze."
"So am I." The navy changeling tenderly nuzzles his cheek before turning to everyone else. "So, who's hungry?"
***
After the gathering, the couple consisting of the goldenrod drone and the yellow pegasus take off to head to their home. Silk breaks the silence fairly quickly, always being one to speak her mind. "Ruby was quite the cutie, wasn't she?"
"Yes, she was. I can't wait to see what ours will look like." He playfully winks at her, grinning widely. He stops at the treeline and glances around quietly before being enveloped in a gold flame. He comes out in his primary disguise, a tan pegasus stallion. He sighs quietly and brushes a bit of dust off his shoulder. "Maybe they'll look like you, or like their fine father."
She giggles. "Considering we're both yellow, or at least the true you is..." she gives him the look she always does when he disguises himself instead of going about as he normally looks, "but then again, green and blue went and made pink, so what do I know?"
"Who knows?" He shrugs, staring up at the clouds above them as they walk. "Personally, I think purple is a nice color...maybe she'll have your mane?"
"I'd like that." She tilts and flies on her side for a bit. "How are you so casual about this, by the way? Usually ponies as a bit more hesitant, but you're all for it."
He blinks, turning to look at her. He stays silent for a moment before sighing softly. "Honestly, I'm a little nervous, too...but I feel that having a foal would also be quite nice..." He faces forward, letting his sentence trail off.
She angles her flight and ends up flying just underneath him to give him a long kiss. As they break it, she speaks. "I'm nervous too, but look how happy they are with theirs. I think it's more than worth it, hun."
He smiles warmly down at her. "I'm glad we agree." He glances up at their cloud home, a flash of concern crossing his face. "I just hope the foal doesn't change species randomly."
Silk nods as this thought occurs to her as well while she reorients heself to fly next to him. "Oh dear... well, who knows, maybe ours will be completely different. As far as we know, there's no way to tell how our genes will combine, so I guess we'll see." She pauses before adding. "Maybe we could look into wood flooring or something so they can't fall through."
"Good idea." He lands on the front step and pulls out a key. "I'll go out and find someone who does that this weekend."
As they walk inside, Silk immediately looks at Flick expectantly.
He looks back at her blankly. "...what?"
She snorts and crosses her forelegs. "We're in our home, and I don't recalling marrying a tan pegasus."
He chuckles nervously, quickly removing the disguise. "Sorry, I forgot." He stretches out, grunting quietly as the joints in his chitin pop. "Definitely feels good to be back in my own form, though." He moves forward and gently tilts her chin up, kissing her with a display of tenderness that only she will ever get to experience.
Her wings flutter as she catches her breath afterwards. "Now that... was the husband I know and love..."
He smirks, moving back from her. "I wouldn't let you forget, would I?" He slowly walks towards the couch, laying down upon it and closing his eyes. He doesn't try to fall asleep. Rather, he lets his mind wander, imagining the design of his next piece of art. "...definitely going to need more water color..."
Silk lightly pouts that he didn't do more, but smirks as she comes up with a plan to at least spend a little more time with him before he goes into one of his art zone-outs. She saunters over and runs a hoof along his wings as she passes him. "Oh Flick? Would you mind if we talked a little before you start on your art thoughts?"
The drone tenses, jolted from his thoughts by her actions. He turns to her, sheepishly smiling. "Of course. What's on your mind, Silk?"
She plays with a bit of his membrane-like mane as she speaks, a small pout on her face. "How come ponies never get to see me with my husband?"
He grimaces, lowering his head. "I don't want you to be hurt because of me. The very idea is painful..."
She lowers her head so that their eyes meet. "And what exactly do you think might happen?"
"...ponies trying to discredit your restaurant. Harassing you in the streets." He sighs, shaking his head. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just being paranoid...but with all that's happening to Gel and Doc, I can't help thinking about these things..."
She nuzzles him affectionately. "I understand, dear... but honestly... I think it would be worth it. If ponies discredit my restaurant, then I don't want them there. Remember, my restaurant appeals to a stronger impulse than petty suspicion. A few ponies leaving won't cripple us. As for the harassment... well, we can deal with them our own way."
He tilts his head to one side, curious. "...I suppose you're right. As always." He chuckles, shaking his head. "I'm lucky to have married you, aren't I?"
She gives him a single lick on his cheek. "Yes, yes you are. I can't say that I wasn't pretty lucky myself though." She squeezes next to him on the couch and looks up at him, fluttering her eyelashes.
"...do you have something in your eye?" He chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his neck and averting his gaze.
"No..." She takes one of her wings and turns his head back to her. "But maybe..." she pushes him lightly onto his back, "I want to spend as much time with you as possible..." Her wings spread out as she looks down at him. "Perhaps I was touched by how much you care..."
He lays quietly beneath her, taking in her radiance. The sun shines through the window, its light lending to her appearance with a magnificent halo effect. He slowly smiles, a hoof rising to stroke along the unbelievably soft fur of her side. "Are you sure about this? You know I love you deeply...and I'd do anything to prove it. To make you happy."
"I know that very well..." She leans down, her eyes lidded as she pecks his lips before suddenly jumping off him. "And that is why you'll be going around town as yourself from now on." She caresses his face with her tail. "So I can be as affectionate as I want, anytime."
He grabs her tail in his teeth and gently tugs on it. "Fine, Miss Tease. I'll do it. However," he grabs her and pulls her close, "I want to kiss you some more. Does that sound fair?"
"More than fair." She crawls back onto the couch with him while wearing a sultry smile.