The Elements of Harmony had faced down many a deadly threat. From Tirek, Chrysalis, King Sombra and Nightmare Moon, they had time and time again throw themselves into moral peril to protect their home.
It had been collectively decided about seven months ago that newsponies were by far the most annoying threat they’d ever dealt with. A few late night talks in bed had lead Twilight and Applejack to conclude that it was because they weren’t allowed to friendship laser them away. An unfortunate situation since that meant they were relatively free to, for instance, crowd around outside the hospital trying to get a photo of the new baby.
It wasn’t long before Twilight and Sparkling were released on a clean bill of health. Rainbow Dash was already waiting for them in the lobby, pacing in front of the door and glaring out at the reporters.
“Simmer down, Rainbow. “Applejack murmured, already seeing the ruffling of the pegasi’s wings. “We knew this might happen, we have plan B. Big Mac?”
“Eeyup.” He nodded, and bent down a bit. Twilight climbed onto his back with minimal assistance from Applejack, and let Sugar romp take a seat in front of her. The rest of the group make a circle around them, creating a moving barrier between the reporters and the baby.
“OK y’all, lets get ‘em back home. Sooner the better.” Applejack started to walk, leading the group. The others followed suit as Twilight turned Sparkling snugly into her chest, blocking her face. Already newsponies were testing the new defense system, practically leaping in front of them.
“Has Equestria gained a prince, or princess-”
“Mrs. Applejack, if you would-’
“Has a name been decided on yet-”
“What time was the-”
“When will princess Twilight take ques-”
“When she’s good an’ ready to take yer questions, she’ll take em.” Applejack growled, swatting at a camera just a bit too far into her personal space. “Now get, before I start bulldozin’ ponies.”
Applejack was by no means a short mare, in fact she easily towered over most ponies. So that threat alone got rid of about half of them, a few more with a well placed glare. As she marched the group out of town and it became increasingly obvious that nobody was going to be annoyed out of secrets, the newsponies began to drop off one by-
“Oh for Pete's sake, will you vultures give it up already?” Big Mac gave a small huff at them. “It’s a filly. That enough for ya?”
Applejack’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks. “Big Mac-!”
But the damage had already been done. The reporters went into a frenzy, climbing and shouting over each other. Fluttershy was knocked into Big Mac, and Sparkling shrieked as it jostled her. Rainbow was suddenly breaking from the group and screaming at the newsponies, her face red and words barely intelligible. Applejack took the distraction to grab Big Mac by the ear and yanking, Motioning with her eyes back home. He took the hint, and began to gallop with her to the farmhouse.
“Lamb’s SAKES Big Mac!” Applejack yelled as they ducked inside the house. “You know how these newponies have been, you can’t-”
“All I told them was that she was a filly, Applejack. I’m sorry, but I thought that if they got some scrap to bring back to their bosses they’d leave. How was I supposed to know they’d go manic?”
“How about the fact that they’ve been doing that for EIGHT months, or was that not enough time for you to-”
“APPLEJACK, this isn’t calming the baby down.” Twilight interrupted, struggling to wiggle her way off of Big Mac. Applejack shot him a pointed “This conversation isn’t over” look, before taking the still wailing Sparkling while Big Mac bent down and let Twilight climb off him.
“Hey, no need to cry.” Applejack hushed, rocking Sparkling in her hooves. “You’re ok now, you’re home. They can’t get you here.” But Sparkling wasn’t convinced it seemed, because she kept crying.
Big Mac at least had the decency to look sheepish as he scooted towards his niece, scooping his hooves under his sister’s and helping her rock the baby. Sugar Rush, at least, had liked the extra support under her when she was a baby. Twilight took Applejack’s other side and leaned into her, rolling her head to the side and watching. She frowned as Sparkling refused to settle, even if she had traded her previous screaming fit for sniffling.
Applejack’s head jerked up in a grimace as she heard the floors start creaking from above in a slow wobble towards the stairs. Apparently, Sugar had decided to let her great granny know the baby was home. “Granny, you should be in bed. I told ya we’d bring the baby to you. “
“Nonsense, I ain’t gonna wait around all stuffed in my room, hopin’ ya’ll won’t forget poor old Granny upstairs.”
“Granny Smith-”
“A mare need sunlight, Applejack, and she damn well needs to see her newest great grandbaby.” The hoofsteps had come dangerously close to the stairs, and Big Mac moved to help her down. Celestia knew she’d already made up her mind on coming downstairs, and they’d rather her at least do it with some help.
Granny was soon cozied into her rocking chair, the grin of a child who’d gotten away with stealing cookies on her face. “Well, let me see ‘em.” She held out her hooves, making a “Gimme” gesture.
Applejack hesitated. “She’s kinda fussy right now, she got spooked on the way here. “Maybe we should wait until-”
“Applejack, I may be seventy two but I’ll still come over there and hog tie ya if you don’t let me hold my grandkid.” She broke into a grin. “Unless you’ve got a good reason, of course, but a bit of fussing ain’t one of them. She gets it from this side of the family after all.” Applejack just sighed, shifting Sparkling into one arm and gently passing her to Granny.
“Well, ain’t you the prettiest thing.” She cooed at the still crying filly, who opened her eyes. “Well that got your attention. Or are you just a curious little thing, had to know who this new crazy old mare is?” She began to rock the chair back and forth. “Well, I’m you’re great granny, lucky you. And you’re gonna have plenty o’ yarns spun to ya, because I have a backlog and you seem perfectly fine with sitting here and listenin’. Ain’t that right?” Sparkling gave a little gurgle in what was probably agreement.
“See now, Sugar Rush wouldn’t. She’s been wigglin’ around since she figured out how, which was when she was 'bout an hour old. That’s why I told em, I said, name that little spunkball Sugar Rush. Give ponies a warnin’!”
Twilight smiled at the duo, and Sugar wiggling around Granny’s hooves for attention. The door suddenly knocked behind her, and she’d be lying if she said her heart didn’t skip a beat when it swung open. But it was just Sugar Belle and Rarity.
“Fluttershy and Pinkie are still convincing Rainbow not to commit a homicide. They told us to go ahead.” Rarity said, answering the unasked question as they came in.
Applejack cringed a bit. “And I thought I was more riled up about them leeches than anypony.”
“One of them pushed Fluttershy, the poor dear. I think that’s what actually did it.”
“Ah.” Rainbow hadn’t exactly been the pony most overly concerned about the reporters these last few months, but her being mad that one of her wives got scuffed? That was Dashie. “I’m sure she’ll make her way over so she can whine ‘bout it soon enough.” She took a spot on the couch, next to where Twilight had climbed up. Twilight instinctively started to lean into her.
Suger Belle glanced at her husband, hold up a hoof and mouthing “Three, two, one.-” She smirked as Rainbow Dash swung the door open, earning a chuckle from Big Mac.
“I suppose that’s you’re version of keeping things quiet, so thank you Rainbow Dash.” Twilight stuck her tongue out when Rainbow glared at her.
“Hey, I was just telling those reporters off for stalking your kid. Have some respect!” The mood suddenly dipped, everypony freezing up a bit. “...What?”
Fluttershy inched in behind Dash, glancing around the room. “It’s not really stalking, is it? I-It’s a bit invasive, sure. But they’re just excited… right?”
“Of course, silly filly.” Pinkie Pie chimed in, bouncing past them both. “Who wouldn’t be? They’re just getting caught up in the moment, everypony does it!”
“Pinkie’s right.” Rarity nodded. “Let’s not put such a strong label on it, this’ll pass in due time. You just need to let the dust settle.”
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, her brows knitting together and her hoof tapping against the ground. “I don’t know, Rares. Those tabloid ponies can be… determined.”
“It’ll be fine, Rainbow Dash. Besides, a little extra attention never hurt anypony.”
Twilight had missed the sour expression Rainbow had given, butting in before Rainbow could. “Well, we’ll need to make sure the attention doesn’t go to her head. We don’t want another Rainbow Dash on our hooves.” She giggled
Dash suddenly took a deep breath, stomping towards the door.
“Dashie, honey, where are you going?” Fluttershy gasped as Rainbow suddenly took flight.
“Home. I’ll make dinner.”
“It’s eight AM, Dashie.”
“Then I’ll make breakfast.” Rainbow jerked herself away from Fluttershy’s outreached hoof, only offering a “See ya.” before taking off.
“Oh dear… Pinkie, I think she’s upset about something. We should go after her.”
Applejack shakes her head. “She’s probably just mad that somepony other than her’s gonna be in the newspaper for the next few weeks. She’s fine. You should stay, the Crusaders ought to be here before long. I’ll make ya some tea.”
Fluttershy inches her way out the door, flaring her wings and looking back. “I still want to be sure. Pinkie, you can stay if you want.”
“No can do, I’m coming with you!” Pinkie bounds out ahead of her, already rushing ahead. “Gotta make sure Dashie isn’t feeling like a grumpy grump, and she said there’d be breakfast!”
Rarity made her way to the door as Fluttershy hurried to catch up. “I’m afraid I need to take off as well, orders don’t wait on a delivery I’m afraid. Besides,” She nods towards Twilight, who was slowly nodding of on Applejack’s shoulder. “I think she could use some rest. The baby too, actually. Being born is a lot of work I’d imagine.”
Applejack nudged Twilight. “She’s right, Twi. Don’t try to argue me on that one, it won’t end well.”
Twilight gave a soft laugh. “No, I won’t. I feel like dropping dead for the next week, I need to sleep. Even I’ll admit that.”
A round of chuckles went through the room, and Applejack gathered up her daughter and wife and helped them to their rooms- a bedroom for the latter, and for the former a nursery that had been fussed over relentlessly for months. They’d settled on a pastel blue for the neutrality of it, since Twilight had wanted the baby’s gender to be a surprise. Soft quilts, overstuffed animals, colorful toys, even a music box that Fluttershy and Rarity had apparently spent months making from scratch- They hadn’t been spared anything at the baby shower, thus the nursery had been spared no shelf space.
Applejack set Sparkling down in her crib, rocking it back and forth a bit as her eyes fluttered shut. “You sleep now, sugarcube.” She chuckled. “You’re aunt’s will be by soon, and, well… you’ll see.”