Crystal Melody sat on Spikes back, her little arms wrapped gently around his neck while they marched through town. It was quite a spectacle to see. All of Ponyville knew about Spike and his mares, but seeing all of them together was a very rare occasion.
An occasion that drew the attention of some family friends.
"Well hey, what brings all of you out...at once?" Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered beside them. Spike chuckled nervously
"Well, ya'll know how hard headed Spike can be. We somehow finally got through t' him," Applebloom smiled, pressing up against his side.
"You uh...What about 'the dangers of dragon herds'?" Rainbow asked, making air quotes with her hooves.
"Dad's just scared we'll become monsters like in his stories," Tempest scoffed, shrinking into herself as Spike glanced at her in shock. Sweetie Belle cleared her throat gently, bumping her flank against his side.
"Yea I...Look, I've seen a lot, been through a lot, and done a lot. It's a sound fear," Spike argued his case.
"No one is saying you're wrong big guy, just that, maybe there's more pony than dragon here and we shouldn't judge a book by its cover," Scootaloo said softly.
"Never expected a book analogy out o' you Scoots," Applebloom teased
"Heh, not all books are bad, besides, I'm not that stuck up little filly anymore," Scootaloo shrugged
"Maybe not stuck up, but definitely stubborn..." Spike mumbled loudly, his children giggling around him. Rainbow landed in front of them, spreading out her wings which caused the sun to glint off her armor.
"Look, I'm really happy all of you are happy, especially you Scoots. But if this backfires..." She began. Spike stood up on his hind legs, spreading out his own wings. There was a reason Spike walked on all fours. When he stood up to his full height he towered over everyone like the beast he believed himself to be.
"If it backfires, I'll handle it, 'Captain'," Spike growled. Rainbow shook herself and flew up to look him in the eye.
"I'm still your friend Spike, I just gotta know I won't be fighting Dragons this week," Rainbow said softly. He smirked, Crystal still clinging to him and looking at Rainbow over his shoulder.
"Dash, do you think this adorable little thing could even harm a fly?" he teased.
"Spike, you were a ball of cute chub when you uhh....Right!" Rainbow Dash stopped herself as fear flashed across Spikes eyes, the mares below shaking their heads quickly. Spikes previous transformations were a touchy subject, one he had never really told his children about.
He walked about life with doubt and fear weighing constantly on his mind due to his changes. He couldn't put that kind of pressure of 'what if' on his children.
"It's just a story isn't it?" Tempest asked, flying up next to her fathers head.
"Y-Yea, I mean, there was this one dragon we bumped into a few years back...Come to think of it, it was your pops here that took that guy down," Rainbow chuckled, glancing at her wrist and gasping
"Oh wow! Is that the time?! I gotta go! Bye!" she said quickly and rushed off.
"But she wasn't even wearin' a watch..." Zephyr mumbled. Spike sighed and sat back down on all fours, smiling weakly as Applebloom and Sweetie Belle each put a comforting hoof on his shoulder. Scootaloo landed in front of him, rubbing her cheek against his.
"Um...okay, ew. Can you guys not do this in public?" Tempest whined.
"I mean, we could start kissing," Scootaloo smirked.
"Ponies are watchin'," Zephyr added, moving on past the group, until Crystal cried out, reaching a clawed hand out towards him. He paused in place and let out a sigh, heading back and standing beside Spike, letting the youngest dracony slip on to his back. She cooed happily as she nuzzled into his neck.
"Okay, lets get going," Spike chuckled, taking the lead. He glanced over his shoulder, feeling pride swell up within him as his mares and his children happily followed after him. He turned his gaze to Sweet Apple Acres, where the barn house was already visible. Applebloom really had put a lot of work into it.
"Sun's sake AB, THAT'S the barn house?" Spike asked. The Earth Pony beamed proudly as she leaned into his side.
"Well, ya'll know how Apples are when it comes t' family," she murmured, rubbing up against his side and causing him to blush.
"Heh heh...R-Right, Bloom, the kids are watching..." Spike mumbled under his breath.
"Mhm, its fine...Ah built a bunch o' rooms...all soundproof...'cept fer th' kids rooms o' course," Applebloom winked
"Why not the kids rooms?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Well ah gotta hear em when they cry now don't ah? Wouldn't do t' have em sit there sad without their mama,"
"Sweet Celestia you want another one," Scootaloo realized.
"We're gonna have another sibling?!" Tempest gasped
"Is it a boy? Is it a girl?! It's a girl right?!" she continued excitedly.
"No, we are not. No one is pregnant...Right?" Spike asked, three mares suddenly silent around him. Scootaloo was the first to give in, not wanting him to panic any longer.
"No big guy, no one is pregnant. I mean, I'm not," she shrugged.
"I'm not," Sweetie Belle added, "How could I be? We haven't seen each other in two months Spike," she pointed out.
"We saw some of your shows," he offered. She rolled her eyes.
"I was surrounded by security, those times don't count and you know it," she scoffed. All eyes turned to Applebloom.
"Ah'm not. Not yet," she grinned.
Zephyr smiled as they entered the barn house. It began as a long hall, leading up to a staircase that split off to the left and right. On the bottom floor was the kitchen, a large playroom, a sitting room, Applebloom's personal library and her lab which remained locked.
Up above were the bedrooms, many of which were empty save for some furniture. They were considered guestrooms right now, but Zephyr knew his mother wanted another foal, if not another three. It was almost all she talked about while he had helped her fix the place up.
Though she had gone about it in ways such as asking if he would like to have a little brother or sister to take care of. At first he had answered that he already had two sisters, which had disheartened her a little. Zephyr was quick to pick up on her message soon after that though. She had waited a while to bring it up again, this time simply asking if he'd like to have a little brother.
Knowing the answer she wanted to hear, he had taken a moment to really think on his answer. Did he want another little sibling? He was the oldest, first of their little clan. His duty was to his family and something about being an Apple made him say yes.
"Wow...is there a room for everyone in here?" Spike wondered, amazed that he could actually stand up to full height without bumping his head or having to duck. Of course, Applebloom had built this place, why not keep her husband in mind?
"Well ah had to plan for everythin'. This way, if ya'll feel like yer rules still need t' be in place, we'd all still be under th' same roof together and be able to see each other. Ah ain't askin' ya'll t' leave yer homes, jus' t' consider this home too..." Applebloom explained. Scootaloo chuckled, sitting beside her and placing her wing over her, Sweetie Belle on her other side and claiming her other wing.
"Its amazing AB. You've got a game room in this place right?" Scootaloo chuckled. Applebloom rolled her eyes.
"It ain't no fancy arcade but ah do still have some of those games ya bought me set up in the second room right there," Applebloom pointed with her hoof. Tempest gasped and zipped about.
"It's like we have a mansion!" she squealed. Spike smiled and sat down, casting his gaze about the barn house.
"I love it..."
Applebloom had gone to extreme lengths to make everyone comfortable, even setting up maps on a few walls in case anyone got lost. She left Zephyr with Spike, claiming a kiss from the drake and bidding them goodbye, leaving to go run her stand in town.
"Zee, doesn't she let you run the stand on your own?" Tempest asked, holding Crystal Melody in her lap. The youngest dragon pony happily playing with some blocks, a few hovering around Tempest in Crystal's magic. Zephyr lightly tapped them as they went by, earning a few happy squeals from his sister.
"Yea, but Ma likes to run things herself sometimes, 'sides this way she gets Pa to herself when she gets home," Zephyr chuckled. Tempest raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"What do ya mean?"
"Huh, well uh..." Zephyr scratched his chin, wondering how best to explain to his hotheaded little sister what went on with their parents.
"My mom, Mama Belle an your Ma take turns having Dad all to themselves, like how we take turns playin' a game," Zephyr explained.
"Ohhh, so they fuck in turns," Tempest blurted out in realization, Zephyr choking on his own spit and going into a coughing fit. Crystal found it hilarious, reaching her arms out to him. Tempest let her go, letting her crawl into his lap, reaching her claws up to him.
"Ah mean, yea, but really Tempest?" Zephyr sighed after finally catching his breath and pulling Crystal up onto his back, laying on his stomach. She curled up on his back and let out a loud yawn before dozing off.
"You're...really good at that," Tempest realized. Zephyr was more than thankful for the subject change.
"Ya know, ya'll were just like her when you were her age," he teased, earning a blush.
"I was not!" she argued, poking his snout with an accusing claw. He only smiled up at her as he spoke.
"I have pictures,"