This Day
As Twilight and Spike entered the library they both sighed with exhaustion as they put down their bags, it had been the most troublesome journey to and from Canterlot so far what with the blocking off the tracks, constant ponies trying to get close to a princess and then the actual task itself. If Twilight ever thought about it again it would be too soon.
"Okay Spike, we've got to re-organise the books, have something to eat then tell everypony we're back. Or we can go straight to sleep" Twilight sighed as she used her magic to left the bags up stairs
"We should get some sleep" Spike wearily said as he lay on the floor
"Good argument you've convinced me" scooping Spike up and putting him on her back she made her way slowly up the stairs to her bedroom. As she placed him into his small bed she tucked him in with his blanket, climbing into her own bed she stretched her legs and wings before slumping onto the bed and pulling her blanket tight around her "I'm not moving from this spot for anything less than a letter from Princess Celestia begging me to save the world"
Turning over Twilight closed her eyes and relaxed, letting her mind wander and feeling her body relax and start to gently go into a slumber. A sudden loud chirping in her ear made Twilight's eyes suddenly shoot open and her to sit up in bed "what. Do you. Want?" Twilight asked as she slowly turned to face the bird only to see it standing in front of a letter, sighing she used her magic to open and to float it in front of her face.
Reading it Twilight's eyes got wider as she started to struggle to get free of the blanket until she fell out of bed. Pulling it off herself she threw the blanket on the floor and shouted "Spike! We've Got To Go"
Grabbing him before he was fully awake and placed him onto her back "hold on" she warned as she opened the large glass doors that led to her balcony and charged at them, opening her wings and launching herself into the air as Spike grabbed her mane and cried out.
***---***
Pinkie hummed her cupcake song as she bounced around the kitchen in the cake shop, she currently had six big trays of cupcakes cooking and mixing up three different types of frosting, two for the cupcakes and one for herself. As she turned off the mixers Pinkie heard a bird tweeting and saw one standing in the window holding a letter in front of it.
"Hi there, is that for me?" Pinkie asked happily as she took the letter, opening it she read it quickly and gasped loudly, rushing to the front of the shop she grabbed Mrs Cake by the shoulders and stared straight into her eyes "Mrs Cake I've got to go, right now. Don't forget about the cupcakes."
Rushing back into the kitchen Pinkie pulled out her Party Cannon and aimed it at the open window. dashing over to the mixers she grabbed a bowl before going back to the cannon and climbing into it. Grabbing the string she shot herself out of the window, eating the bowl of icing as the flying pegasis had to dodge out of her way.
***---***
Rarity focused on her sewing machine as she stitched a dress together, she'd had the new inspiration during the last few days but it had taken a while to get all the different ideas down on paper, it wasn't her usual style but it seemed to work.
As she pulled the finished piece of clothing out of the machine she inspected it, as she held it up she heard the door banging open as Sweetie Belle ran into the room.
"Sweetie Belle, what have a told you about running into a room" Rarity placed down the clothing as Sweetie Belle skidded to a stop in front of her.
Placing a letter on the sewing table Sweetie Belle looked up at Rarity "Sorry Rarity, but this letter just arrived from a bird, I think it's important"
Rolling her eyes Rarity picked up the letter with her magic and neatly opened it. As she read it Rarity started squealing excitedly and rushed around the room, grabbing a saddle bag and placing stuff into it.
"What is it Rarity?" Sweetie asked as she watched her sister to continue squealing, as Rarity stopped in front of her and tried to talk Sweetie Belle had to cover her ears she was going so high.
Hugging Sweetie Belle tightly Rarity dropped her and ran out of her shop as fast as she could.
"Why does she get to run inside and not me?" Sweetie asked Opal, who continued to ignore her.
---***---
Dash enjoyed one of her many afternoon naps on a cloud, as she snored softly a bird flew up to her and landed on her mane, it jumped up to her ear and started chirping as loud as its little lungs would allow it but all it did was to make the ear twitch and knock it away. Jumping up to the ear it tried again only for the same results, thinking about what it could do the bird had an idea. Gripping some of the rainbow mane with it's feet it reared its head back and started to peck the top of Dash's head as fast as it could.
"Huh? Wha-HEY stop that" Dash cried out as she woke up, trying to push the bird off her head "what they hey you do that for?"
Chirping the bird showed Dash the letter handing tied to its leg, opening it Dash gasped loudly "ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh it's happening, its really happening"
Jumping off the cloud Dash flew through the sky as fast as she could, jumping through clouds and dodging high tree branches as she did so
"Hey Twilight you hear the news?" Dash shouted as she saw a familiar pony come into view, in less than a second she was by Twilight's side
"Why do you think I'm flying as fast as I can after being awake for so long?" Twilight panted as she flapped her tired wings.
"Your too slow egg-head, grab my tail and glide, I'll drag you along" Dash moved in front of Twilight and as she got a firm hold of her tail Dash beat her wings harder shooting herself and Twilight forward.
"Spike you're gripping my mane too hard" Twilight cried as she she tried to keep her eyes open, but the quick winds was making her eyes water
"If I ease up I'm going to be left behind" Spike warned as he flailed through the air.
"Hold on guys we're nearly there" Dash called behind her as she suddenly dived, as the ground got closer she slowed down and let Twilight fly with her own wings again.
"Girls, have you heard?" They heard someone shout as they landed, looking around they saw Rarity running at them as fast as she could
"Why else would we be here?" Twilight asked as Spike jumped off her back and ran inside "anyone seen Pinkie?"
No sooner had Twilight finished talking that Dash pointed to the sky and shouted "INCOMING!!!"
Looking to where she was pointing Rarity and Twilight saw Pinkie flying towards them holding an empty mixing bowl with a big grin on her face.
Unable to get out of the way in time Pinkie crash landed into her friends causing them all to roll over each other and into the hospital, only stopping when they banged into the front desk and startling the nurse. All four tried to stand up and speak over each other as the nurse went front shock and surprise to confused and annoyed.
"Enough" she yelled over them silencing them in one go "what are you doing here?"
"Our friend Fluttershy was admitted not so long ago, can you please tell us where she is?" Twilight begged before anyone else could talk.
Scanning the sheet for the latest arrivals the nurse found Fluttershy's name along as two others marked as visitors. "She is one floor up, room 20A"
"Thank You" Twilight called out as they scrambled away, running down the halls and grabbing Spike as he stepped out the toilet wiping his mouth with some toilet paper.
As they ran down the halls and up the stairs the group dodged, jumped and flew over anything and anypony in their way in a desperate attempt to see their friend. As they approached 20A they all skidded to a halt as they saw Big Macintosh pacing back and forth in front of the door, who looked up but didn't stop pacing as they approached.
"Big Mac, are we too late?" Dash asked
"Nnope" Mac shook his head as he continued pacing as a collective sigh was given.
"Thank fashion for that, is Applejack in there with her?" Rarity as she and the others gave Mac a hug
"Eyup" Mac simply said as he went back to his pacing.
"Oh man, I can't really believe this is happening" Spike said with disbelief as he sat down "it is happening right? I'm not dreaming?"
"Yes Spike it's really happening, but why are you out here and not there with Fluttershy?" Twilight asked
"The doctor's kicked the big lug out, kept getting in everyponies way and wouldn't shut up" Granny Smith called as she walked down the hall with Applebloom smiling broadly and bouncing by her side "now he was to wait outside just like the rest of us"
"How long do you think it'll be Granny?" Applebloom asked excitedly as she bounced around the hall
"Hard to say young'un, sometimes it can be quick and sometimes it can take a while. Yerself took several hours, didn't wanna leave your mama, and Applejack was quick and couldn't wait to come meet the world" Granny Smith smiled as she remembered the birth of her grandkids and started chuckling to herself as she looked at Twilight and the others "when Big Mac was born Doctor was surprised, said he'd never seen a pony born with five legs before. I just laughed and told him to look again"
As Granny laughed everyone blushed as Big Mac started to bang his head against the wall as he said in his slow deep voice "Granny, please"
"Aw lighten up you big lug, I'm just tryn' to make you relax a little. Ain't no sense in worryin', she's bringin' an Apple into the world and ain't never been any complication when it comes to an Apple been born, can jus' take a while is all" Granny sat in a chair next to the door as she felt her legs get tired, she'd never tell anypony she'd felt tired but she was of a, higher, age and it was expected of her to sit down now and again.
"Granny, Big Mac's only got four legs" Applebloom spoke up, causing the older mare's around her to snort and chuckle while Big Mac just blushed again
"I'll explain it when you're older" Granny smiled as she patted Applebloom on the head
"Come now Big Mac, Granny Smith is right." Rarity spoke up as she opened her saddle bag "there's no sense in worrying, she's in good hoofs and being well taken care of" using her magic she pulled out a small tin and a box with fancy gold letters on it's front saying 'Jelly Fruits'
"In times of stress I find a nice mint can help calm me down, please try"
Opening the small tin she revealed it had humbugs inside it, floating it to Big Mac he simply shook his head and started pacing again. He could swear that time was slowing down, seconds becoming minutes and minutes becoming hours. He watched as the others moved around him at impossible speeds, talking to each other and sharing what few treats Rarity had brought with her until finally, after what felt like days of just standing in the hallway, the door opened and Applejack stood there looking at him with a large grin on her face.
Saying nothing Applejack just nodded at Big Mac who suddenly found his body frozen, his mind suddenly blank, he didn't know what to do, to think or to say. He felt a gentle hoof on his shoulder and as he looked he saw it was Granny Smith with the smile of a parent and a grandparent.
"Go on in sonny, they're waiting for ya" she said kindly as she encouraged him on, watching as he took small steps into the room.
As Mac stepped in he saw the doctor talking to Fluttershy, his mind not really focusing but catching a few word, such as "did very well" and "no complications". As he stepped closer the doctor stepped aside and let him see Fluttershy and as he looked at his wife he froze.
"Big Macintosh" Fluttershy gave a tired smile and spoke in her soft voice "meet your son, Fuji Apple, a pegasis"
Big Mac stepped closer and looked at his new born son, who was red like he was but a touch lighter and though his mane was the same colour it had a small streak of pink in it, he could see the small wings twitching as his son slept.
He then turned to the yellow filly being held on Fluttershy's other arm, her own shade matching Fluttershy's perfectly and like her brother, her mane matched Fluttershy's accept for the streak of light brown in it, he watch as she whimpered slightly as she fidgeted under the blanket.
"And meet your daughter, Apple Blossom, an earth pony"
Saying nothing Big Mac stepped closer to the bed and kissed Fluttershy before giving her a gentle one-legged hug.
"Can we come in yet we're dying out here" Dash's strained-whispered voice said from the door, looking up Fluttershy laughed as she saw her friends and family straining to look in from the door but not actually be in the room.
"Of course everypony, come in" Fluttershy watched as everypony piled into the room, Applebloom at the front and jumping into the chair next to Fluttershy's bed so she could see her new nephew and neice better "say hello to Fuji Apple and Apple Blossom"
"They're so small and cute" Applebloom looked between the two babies and felt excitement growing within her, she couldn't wait to tell Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
"That's right Applebloom, and we're going to need your help to look after and protect them" Fluttershy smiled, everyone in the Apple family had been quick to accept Fluttershy but Applebloom had accepted her into the family before she and Big Mac even got married.
"No worries sis, I'll protect them from anything" Applebloom smiled proudly
"This calls for-" Pinkie was stopped before she got started, Applejack placing a hoof over her mouth to keep her quiet
"Ah know what you're thinkin' Pinkie but don't, both the babies and Fluttershy need some rest understand?" Applejack removed her hoof as Pinkie nodded
"Surely we have time for one family photo?" Rarity asked as she pulled out a new collapsible camera "doctor, if you'd be so kind"
As Rarity handed the camera to the doctor everypony got around the bed, the doctor giving a confused look for a second before Applejack said
"Take it doc, we're all family here"