Winter. An amazing time to be in Ponyville. The little town had grown quite a bit over the years, but still loved to do things the old fashioned way. Of course, with a Princess living among them, certain things had been changed beyond anyone's control.
Not too much of a fuss was made over the existence of 'The Friendship Castle', all things considered. Ponyville had seen weirder things in its time. From a Thousand year old grudge match to the world being flipped literally on its head and almost all residents of Equestria losing their magic...Next to that, a castle growing out of the ground was just your average day.
This of course wasn't the big change to Ponyville. The biggest change was the Royal Family. Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and her wife Rainbow 'Danger' Dash along with their three children. Violet, Comet, and Crimson Bolt. Comet was the eldest of the bunch and Twilight's first son, a unicorn like his mother before her transformation. He was quiet and awkward for most of his life, struggling to come out of his shell until his sister Violet was born. After Comet had been so much like Twilight, many ponies had expected Violet, born a pegasus, to be every bit of Rainbow Dash as possible.
Violet was a good mix of both her mothers. She was outgoing and outspoken, and while she liked to go fast, she never boasted about it and always slowed down to help her friends. The youngest of the bunch, Crimson Bolt, was everything his mother Rainbow Dash was.
Brash, brave, and bold. Born an earth pony but never letting his lack of wings slow him down. He always spoke his mind, but never really stopped to think before he spoke.
With Twilight being a Princess, the foals were afforded a different life than most, but Twilight and Rainbow had done their best to give them normal lives, not wanting them to be spoiled for being Royalty. And for the most part, they had normal lives, outside of Twilight's court and their mothers racing off to save Equestria every so often.
Today was one of those few normal days. For Rainbow Dash anyway.
"Don't forget, Violet can't be out in the cold for too long, her wings will ache again. And make sure Comet doesn't waste time making snow ponies, and please for the love of everything don't lose sight of Crimson Bolt. I swear that colt is turning more into you everyday Dash." Twilight fussed as she marched back and forth in her office.
"Twi...I've taken em out before. I think I can handle OUR foals alone for a day." Rainbow chuckled, letting out a squeak as Twilight's muzzle was smooshed against hers
"You spend a lot of time out of the castle Rainbow. You're a wonderful mother, and you are always here when I need you. But the last time I left you alone with them we almost had to replace the castle." Twilight argued gently.
Rainbow chuckled nervously. Truth be told she had just told them to have fun and to not break anything while she took a nap. Not her best decision...
"Okay, so, you're the experienced mom, I get it, you know all their buttons and little ticks and I don't. Sue me. I TRY to be around more Twi, I..." Rainbow's rant came to an end as Twilight gently kissed her. The Alicorn sighed and shook her head, her magic snatching up a cap and scarf.
"I never said anything like that Rainbow. I just know that you have a bit of a habit of...enabling them. I'm so focused on these peace talks and all these new Changeling Laws and how everypony is coming to terms with everything that I just don't have time for anything else right now and that worries me..." Twilight admitted as she placed the cap on Rainbow's head.
"Yea...I heard about some of that stuff...There's uh...been some locker room jokes 'round the 'bolts. Spitfire wasn't too happy to hear it." Rainbow chuckled. Twilight smiled at that.
"Then that means this isn't all for nothing. Now, Violet..."
"Can't be out in the cold, her wings are still hurt and they'll hurt more out there. Comet gets distracted by the snow, and Crimson...well he's more adventurous than Scoots, that's for sure." Rainbow chuckled. Twilight smiled, slipping the scarf around the Pegasi's neck and tugging her close, placing a smooch on her cheek.
"EWWWW! MOOOOOM!" two young colts whined, their sister rolling her eyes at them.
"Colts." Violet mumbled, smiling at her parents. Rainbow's face had turned several shades of red before she cleared her throat.
"RIGHT! Crimson! You stay by me, you leave my wing and you're in big trouble. Comet, you stay under my other wing and eyes front." Rainbow ordered.
"How come Vii doesn't have to stay close?" Crimson grumbled
"Because she's the responsible one," Rainbow argued.
"Real responsible jumping off her balcony and busting her wings" Crimson muttered under his breath. Rainbow turned her gaze on the colt but Twilight was already there, resting her hoof on his head.
"Crimson, when you run, when you race, it's important to you isn't it?" Twilight asked softly. The colt risked opening his eyes to look up at his mother. There was a smile on her face, it was gentle, but her eyes showed a burning anger that could not be conquered.
"Y-Yea. Feelin' the wind on my face and leavin' everypony else in the dust is pretty awesome." he beamed.
"Now, imagine your legs didn't work, and the only way to race again would be to crawl." Twilight said. Crimson's eyes slowly widened.
"That is what it is like to be a pegasus who can't fly. Who doesn't yet know how to fly. And the only way to learn...is to crawl, to jump, to hope. While she should've let me or your mother be there for her, or even Spike, she was only doing what pegasi are meant to do." Twilight finished with a smile. She lightly flicked his ear and placed a kiss on his forehead.
Next she kissed Comet's forehead, the unicorn smiling up at his mother. Finally she nuzzled Violet.
"Thanks Mother...next time I'll wait." she promised with a chuckle.
"That's my girl. Behave for your mother, okay?" she turned to the colts who both nodded.
Rainbow sighed softly, unable to stop herself from smiling. Even with her own kids Twilight had to give lectures and lessons. Solving yet another friendship problem before it could even really arise.
"Alright, let's get outta Twi's hair. We don't wanna miss Pink's party!" Rainbow laughed, placing one wing on Crimson's back, the other on Comet's. Violet snuggled her way underneath next to Crimson, giving him a smile as they marched out of the castle together.
"Please don't burn down the town..." Twilight begged under her breath, before turning her attention back to the several stacks of papers in her office. From Bills, to new laws, to complaints and even unfair treatment between races...She already had too much to worry about.
Rainbow could handle them for a day...right?