It had been a long seventeen hours for Twilight, who was wide awake despite it being four in the morning. Though she wanted to drop asleep for roughly twenty years.
But, that wasn’t important right now. Right now, her eyes were focused on the tiny bundle the doctor held in front of her. Twilight's iron grip on her wife’s hoof tightened as the doctor’s eyebrows knitted together.
“Doc?” Applejack asked from her side, confusion and worry clear in her voice. “Is there somethin’ wrong?” His eyes jumped up at the mothers, a hint of panic in them. “What’s wrong with our baby?” She demanded, her body tensing.
Twilight was almost hanging onto her now, her eyes glistening and her chest hammering as she looked up at him. The doctor hesitated, before setting the blanketed heap onto Twilight’s chest. She immediately pulled it closer, letting Applejack lean over her to get a better look. They were a soft purple, even lighter than Twilight's own coat until it was a pastel. Their hair was golden, with ribbons of purple flowing through it. They opened their eyes -a beautiful shade of indigo- and cooed at their mothers, wiggling a hoof at them. Tears pricked Twilight’s eyes as she cradled them, looking up at the doctor who still held a troubled expression.
“I don’t understand.” she gulped, forcing her voice not to crack. “They look okay...”
“She looks okay.” Applejack added, taking a peek under the baby’s blanket. She tried to grab her mothers hoof, bringing a smile to her face when she began suckling on it.
The doctor shuffled on his hooves. “I, well, that is… You have a perfectly healthy filly Princess Twilight, Applejack. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
Applejack frowned. “What are bothered about, then?”
He sucked in a breath. “Well, I was just… she’s an earth pony.”
Twilight looked down, mostly on reflex. He wasn’t wrong; there was nary a horn or wing on the little bundle of joy.
Applejack narrowed her eyes at him. “And what’s the problem with that, exactly?”
“Nothing! I was only surprised is all, I know everyone was expecting an alicorn-” he sputtered, moving to the door. “If you’re ready for your friends, they’ve practically been banging down the door for the past hour. I’ll go get them!” He slipped into the hall before either of them could say anything, leaving Twilight to shake her head.
“Really, the nerve of some ponies… You know he’ll be bragging about being the one to deliver the newest princess.”
Applejack smiled, giving her a peck on the cheek as she huffed. “Well, I’m gonna be braggin’ about being the mama of the cutest thing on four legs, so I suppose I can’t judge to harshly.” Her smile only widened as Twilight swatted at her. “Should I distract the girls for a bit, or are ya ready to take visitors?”
“You can say Rainbow Dash, it’s okay.” Applejack smirked at that. “But they can come in, I won’t keep them waiting-”
“Ya will if you need to rest-”
“Well, I don’t. So it’s a mute point.”
Applejack was about to object, but she was interrupted by a raspy voice bursting into the room. “Twilight! How’s-” Fluttershy was right behind her it seemed, given how quickly she had been able to cover Rainbow Dash’s mouth.
“Dashie, we need to be quiet.” She hushed, pointing towards the baby. Rainbow offered a sheepish grin in response. Flutters gave Pinkie Pie a somewhat pointed look when she began to bounce in after them, who took the hint and planted her hooves on the ground. That didn’t shake her enthusiasm, though.
She squealed, squirming herself right up against the bed. “She’s such a cutie!”
“...we never told ya if it was a boy or a girl.”
“Well, my Pinkie Sense said she’d be a filly silly!”
“Darling, didn’t your Pinkie Sense say that Sugar Rush would be a boy? It’s not… reliable, on that front I’m afraid.” Rarity had strolled in next, likely going slower to avoid being trampled by the other three.
“Eeyup.” Big mac agreed, coming in with Sugar Belle by his side. Along with a squirming pink filly on his back, no more than three. Maybe four.
“Well, she was right this time. We’ve got ourselves a little filly.” Applejack let her chest puff out just a bit, a mighty grin across her face. Twilight tilted the baby in question towards her friends, who immediately packed themselves together to be as close as possible to her and the baby.
“Oh, she is just the sweetest thing!” Rarity cooed. “Aren’t you? Oh, I already have some of the cutest outfit ideas for you! Maybe I can shake enough of your mother’s influences to get you to take care of those golden locks of yours.” The filly smiled and giggled at her, having no idea what she was saying but liking her vanilla perfume.
“Well, we can’t have that. I’ll have to mud wrestle with her at least twice a week, compensate for your meddlin’." Rarity huffed at Applejack, and the smirk she wore.
“That all sounds great.” Rainbow dash butted in, hovering just overhead looking like it didn’t sound particularly great. “But what are you two gonna name the squirt?”
Twilight and Applejack shared a look, the former worrying her lip.
“You two haven't decided on a name yet?” Sugar Belle asked incredulously.
“We wanted to wait until she was born to decide on anything.” Twilight admitted. “But I suppose it wouldn’t have hurt to throw some ideas around.”
“Well, what better time then now then!” Fluttershy piped up. “She’s surrounded by her family, we can all help!”
Rarity glanced around the room with a sigh. “Barring the Crusaders, Spike, Smolder, Shining Armour, Cadence and Flurry anyway. They send their condolences that they couldn’t make the delivery by the way, but everyone will be here by noon.”
“Apparently Smolder was having a fit over being late, too.” Rainbow said with a click of her tongue. “So, uh, maybe don’t mention they missed getting to name the little fella.”
“Noted. Okay, y’all. What’ve we got?”
“She’s pink!” Pinkie Pie chirped.
“I think she’s lavender, actually.” Rarity countered, looking over the filly. “Hmm… I suppose there’s always family names?”
“She doesn’t really strike me as an “Apple”. And she doesn’t have much Twilight to her, either.” Applejack hummed, letting her eyes close.
“Well, what about Sparkle? She’s plenty pink enough to get away with that.” Rainbow suggested.
“Lavender”
“Fine. She has plenty enough Lavender to get away with that.” Rarity narrowed her eyes at her. “Besides that, you could name her after things made of apples! Pie, cobbler, jam, cider-”
“We are NOT naming our daughter after alcohol.” Applejack cut in.
“Hey, I’m just spit-balling! I listed like, a bunch of other things! Besides, cider is the best thing on that list!”
“Rainbow Dash-”
“Hold on, Jackie.” Twilight’s eyes hadn’t left their daughter the entire time they were choosing names, deep in thought as she simply took her in. The next part came slowly. “I think she might be onto something.”
Applejack stared at her, taking a deep breath and placing her head in her hoof. “Twi. I know you’re tired, but cider really isn’t-
“Sparkling Cider.” Twilight interrupted, seemingly not hearing a word of what she’d said. “That’s a soda. It can be pink-
"Lavender"
“-and It’s certainly gold, like her mane. Plus, it mixes both our family names.” She continued, looking to her wife. “And… It just feels right.”
Applejack cast a skeptical glance first to Twilight, then towards their daughter. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, her brows knitted together, before finally she closed her eyes in thought.
“I… Don’t have any better ideas.” She admitted. “And you are right, that’s technically naming her after a soda.”
“A soda she will, of course, absolutely hate.” Sugar Belle added, which got a laugh out of the room.
“Well… Okay then. Sparkling Cider it is.”
“Whoohoo! Ooh, now I can finish the banners for her “Happy being born” party!” Pinkie exclaimed, already starting to bounce back into the hallway.
“Oh dear.” Fluttershy mumbled, flying after her along with Rainbow Dash. Another round of chuckles went through the room.
Sugar Rush, upset with her lot of not being the center of attention, began to kick and squirm her way off of her father’s back. Sugar Belle levitated her up and off. “Oh Rush, I can’t believe we forgot about you!” She gently set her at the edge of the bed, still holding her in her magic.
Rush leaned over Twilight as much as her mother’s grip allowed, now focused on the mysterious bundle of blankets she was holding. “Was’sat?” She asked, trying to reach out to it.
“That’s you’re new cousin.” Belle smiled. “You can meet her” -She glanced at Twilight for confirmation, who nodded back- “But you must be quiet, and gentle. She’s a very small thing right now, and very sensitive.”
Sugar Belle dispelled her magic, and Rush wiggled a bit further up the bed. Twilight showed her the baby -though, she kept her in a noticeably firm grip. Sparkling Cider stared at her cousin, who in turn stared back.
She looked up at Twilight after a long pause. “Where’d she come from?” Twilight looked to her parents for… whatever their PG version of events were going to be.
“Your aunt Twilight has had her growing in her belly for the last few months, remember? Gave her a safe place to get a bit bigger until she could come on out.” Big Mac told her plainly.
“Oh.” Sugar Rush continued to staring at the baby for a good, long while. Maybe she was having her first taste of contemplation, over this new life in front of her. Or maybe she was just wondering how she was supposed to kick-box with this thing, it was so small. It was anyone’s guess really.
“How did it get in her bel-”
Fluttershy crept into the room right before Rush could leave her parents sputtering, who were glad for the interruption for all of about 5 seconds.
“Um, Twilight? I think news of you going into labor got out, and, um… there’s a lot of reporters outside.”