Dinner with Dream Pop's family had been enlightening, both as her friend but especially as a parent. It amazed me to look at where Pretty Palette and Doohickey had started and compare it to where they ended up. I could also tell that my wife was wholly enamored with their love story.
Crystal was sitting on the couch next to me, her hooves wrapped around mine, with a vacant stare off into the horizon. It was a look I'd seen hundreds of times. She was writing in her mind. At this point, she was probably halfway through the story.
I sipped my tea and smiled as Sweet Tart finished telling everypony about her achievements for the year. She then turned to Dream Pop. "Do we want to know what all you've done, Miss Overachiever?"
Sugar popped in and chirped a long string of noises that were still unintelligible. The others giggled.
Pop Rocks nodded. "Yes, I'm just waiting for the year she comes home and tells us that she saved all of Equestria from a catastrophic event."
My ears shot up and I lifted a hoof, "Well—" That is when my eyes met Dream Pop's and she was shaking her head no and waving a hoof.
"Well?" Doohickey asked.
Dream Pop evidently did not want to upstage her sisters more than she already did. I smiled and said, "Well, this has been a lovely day. We'll need to be getting the foals home soon, though."
Pretty Palette softly patted the arms of her chair. "What is your hurry? They can always sleep here."
Crystal softly laughed and shook her head. "Oh, no, ma'am. These two are a hoofful on a good day. It is best to have them in their own beds," she said absently, her mind clearly still on the story.
Toast nodded knowingly. "Foals like routines and consistency. They'll be better off at home."
Sweet Tart waved a hoof dismissively at her brother. "Fine, but not until Dream Pop tells us if she is seeing anypony."
"Oh, yes, please. Can you stay just long enough for that? I've heard a rumor that she finally saw somepony," Bubblegum put in happily.
Pop Rocks snorted. "You mean Sweet Tart was gossiping."
Sweet Tart set a hoof on her chest. "I do not gossip. I share the facts as I receive them."
Sugar tittered and chirped in reply, eliciting a gasp from Sweet Tart.
Dream Pop squeaked and held up a hoof. "It was just a few dates, that is all. There isn't anything to tell."
Crystal's brow arched, finally pulling her from the fantasy she was writing in her mind. "What's that, now? You haven't said anything to us about a few dates."
"Intriguing," Sweet Tart said with smug satisfaction in her voice.
Dream Pop tried to wave off the suspicions. "I guess it is. Honestly, though we just went to a few museums and one cart pull."
The last bit yielded giggles from all of the sisters.
"A cart pull, really? What kind of stallion are you seeing," Toast asked.
Dream Pop's ears wiggled and she corrected, "A mare, actually. She's a little younger than me and likes to pull, so I went and watched."
Crystal and I exchanged glances. We hadn't heard a word of this, but it wasn't really our business.
Coral stretched out her lanky limbs and looked up at me. "Colonel, are we going home soon?"
"We are," I replied, petting along her back.
Bubblegum peered at her sister. "Do you even like mares?"
Dream Pop shrugged. "I don't not. I'm still figuring all of that out. They don't exactly teach it in school."
Doohickey chuckled. "You take your time on this one, sweetie. You certainly didn't with anything else."
The others laughed, Sugar tittered, and all was well again.
"Now, I'm sure Silent Knight and his family need to be on their way home," Doohickey said, standing up.
Dream Pop perked up. "Me, too!"
Pretty Palette sighed as she stood. "It always goes so fast. You can't stay, Dream Pop?"
She shook her head no, "I'm sorry Momma, I'm due to meet a group of students in the Everfree Forest tomorrow to look at all the new growth."
"I understand, dear. We'll miss you, though." Pretty Palette then turned to Crystal and I. "It was a pleasure to meet y'all. Perhaps Dream Pop can bring you again next year."
"That would be lovely," Crystal replied as she gathered Clement up and nestled him between my wings. He was sleeping soundly.
I smiled, offering my hoof to Doohickey. "It was a pleasure to meet you."
He bumped it and nodded. "The same. Remember, do not allow them to outnumber you."
We shared a chuckle and I replied, "I'll do my best. Thank you for your hospitality. Perhaps next year, we can host you all in our home."
Coral Knight marched up to Doohickey and offered him her little hoof. The two then bumped and she parroted, "Thank you for your hos… hospit… totally."
Doohickey looked down at her with a big grin. She could weaponized her cuteness. I hoped she didn't.
"Sure thing, little filly," the old stallion said.
Dream Pop helped Crystal onto her hooves and the two of them exchanged polite goodbyes with everypony else before all three of us and the foals found ourselves outside.
As we trotted towards the train station Coral chimed in, "Your family is really fun, Dream Pop."
"Well, thank you! They're super great, and I'm so glad that the four of you were able to join me. I've wanted you to meet them for a while," she replied.
My ear flicked. "Oh?"
Dream Pop flushed and actually looked bashful. That was new. "Of course! It is like bringing my two families together."
Crystal softly gasped. "Aww… that is so sweet! We love you, too, Dream Pop." Crystal slipped her hoof around our friend and squeezed her tight.
"Hey!" Coral pointed ahead of us. "There is the train! We'd better hurry."
She was right. The train was already at the station and getting ready to leave. Crystal groaned, "I can't hurry anywhere, sweetie."
"I'll stop it!" Coral shouted as she galloped off.
"Coral, wait!" I called before rushing after her. The jostling and bouncing woke Clem and I could feel his small hooves grab onto my mane.
When I arrived, the quick little filly was standing her ground in front of the conductor. I heard her say, "You're just going to have to wait! My dad is Silent Knight, Captain of the Canterlot Guard, and you can't leave without him and my mama."
The conductor was holding his watch and about to speak when I slid to a stop on the platform. "Coral, you know you're not supposed to gallop away from us," I admonished in my best stern father voice, but I was just glad she was okay.
"But, Colonel, this pony is going to send the train on without us! He doesn't know who you are," my daughter huffed.
I set a hoof on her head and softly patted. "I'm sorry, my daughter has not learned humility yet. If you can wait a moment longer, I would appreciate it. My wife is pregnant and can't move fast."
The conductor smiled. "I wouldn't want a pregnant mare to miss her train. We'll just top off the water tank and be on our way. That should give you another few minutes."
"Thank you," I replied with a grateful bob of my head.
Coral pushed at my hoof and glared up at me. "I don't understand."
"I know. I hope you will when you're older," I replied before scooping her up and trotting back down the platform to meet Dream Pop and Crystal. "All foals accounted for, Mom."
Crystal grinned, though I could tell she was immensely relieved. "Well done, Colonel. Now help me get onto the train, please."
Dream Pop squealed, "Oh, I'll do that! You just watch the foals."
"You've got a deal, doctor," I teased while Dream Pop led Crystal onto the train. I carried Coral close to my chest and Clem had already fallen back asleep.
My daughter was squirming in my grasp. She didn't like being carried. She never had. The filly wanted to do everything herself. Finally, enough was enough and she protested, "Daddy, stop. I won't run. I promise."
I set her down on the train and stepped across to board. "All right," I replied, looking to where the sun was setting out in the west. Hearts and Hooves Day was almost over, and my plan had fallen apart. Dream Pop was happy, however, and she never asked us for anything. I was grateful that I at least got to spend the day with my wife and foals.
Coral and I found the two mares already settled in when we entered the car. My beautiful wife patted the spot next to her while exchanging a glance with me. Before I could occupy it, Coral jumped up into the spot.
Crystal laughed and looped a hoof around the filly. "Did you have fun, sweetie?"
"I did! Dream Pop's family is nice." Coral looked between us with a serious face. "We should have a bigger family."
I settled Clem onto a pillow next to Dream Pop and flopped down onto the floor between everypony, since there wasn't anywhere else left for me. "We're doing that already, Coral. You'll have a new sibling soon."
"When? I'm ready!" Coral chimed.
Crystal stroked her belly. "Very soon. A month or so."
Coral's nose wiggled. "That isn't soon!"
Dream Pop chimed in. "It is, though! You can enjoy counting the days. We can even make a game out of it."
That caught my daughter's interest and for the rest of the train ride she was thankfully occupied with discussing the rules of the game with Dream Pop. My eyes were on Crystal. She was as beautiful as the day I'd met her. Older, sure, but our love had grown stronger as we shared our life together.
She was a great wife who had supported me through so much, and an even more amazing mother to our foals. There's a saying that ponies don't repeat the mistakes of their parents and Crystal made sure she was no exception. Where her mother had pushed her to walk a certain line, she allowed Coral and Clem to be who they wanted to be.
She caught me staring and her cheeks flushed. She always knew when I was looking at her, and she always knew it meant I was thinking of her fondly.
The door to the car slid open and a conductor stuck his head in. "Next stop, Canterlot, folks!"
"Time to go," I said softly, my eyes still locked with Crystal's. I stood and helped my wife to her hooves. "Come, my love."
"Of course, Mr. Knight," she replied, taking my hoof in her own.
Once the train came to a halt, Dream Pop scooped up Clement and started to herd Coral out the door. "Okay, little foals, let's go together!"
We walked hoof-in-hoof to our home, soaking up the remaining spirit of the day. All of Canterlot was decorated for Hearts and Hooves Day, and the pink-and-silver decorations sparkled in the light of the setting sun.
Dream Pop unlocked the door with her key when we arrived and walked the foals in. Crystal and I lingered outside of the door a moment. Our eyes met and I leaned in for a soft smooch. My wife met me and our lips pressed softly together.
A rush of fond memories washed over me and I grinned against her. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day," I whispered.
"Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, my love," she replied.
We trotted in together to find Dream Pop on the couch snuggled up between our foals. They were asleep, which was a small miracle.
Dream Pop whispered, "Thank you for coming with me. It meant a lot."
"Our pleasure," Crystal replied.
"Why don't you two go to your room? I'll put these two to bed and keep an eye on them. That way you can have a little of your holiday alone still," she said.
Crystal and I exchanged glances. That was far more like my plan had been. And yet…
Dream Pop hugged herself and continued in a whisper, "I know it wasn't convenient, but it just meant so much to me. You two have been a big part of my life in Canterlot. I just couldn't imagine being so far from you on such an important day. Getting everypony together is like nothing else."
Crystal set a hoof over her heart, her ears wiggling.
"Go on, you two, I've got this," Dream Pop said, looking up at us with a smile.
I took one look at my wife and knew what was going through her head. How could we go off alone now?
My head turned back to Dream Pop. "It is Hearth's Warming, isn't it? We couldn't imagine being separated on such a special day. Not even a few rooms away. Why don't we take the foals and call it a night together?"
"Really?" Dream Pop gasped. "That would be super great!"
Crystal nodded. "Of course. Come along, let's go."
We headed into the bedroom and nestled onto the bed. Crystal scooted up against me while Dream Pop curled against her. Coral snuggled into my hooves, and Clem perched himself on our sides.
Today was meant for Crystal and me to be alone together. This morning, it had felt like all I wanted was just one day away from my foals so I could be with my wife. Now, I realized they were going to grow up someday and head off on their own paths without us.
I also realized how much my friends were a part of my family. It was easy to take that for granted, especially when you become a parent. Dream Pop was as much a sister to me as Runic was a brother, but I didn't spend enough time with of them. I was going to do my best to fix that starting tomorrow.
I couldn't imagine being apart from my loved ones. No matter what, while I still could, I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible. All of them.
After all, that's what Hearth's Warming is really about: not the day it happens or the gifts that are exchanged, but the ponies you spend it with.