It had almost been 8 months since Rainbow Dash found the foalized Wonderbolt Captains, and already, she had done so much with them. Over the past 8 months, the three foals grew a little, both in height and hairwise. They had learned to talk a little, but had trouble pronouncing big words that Dash liked to use, so they stuck to the short and sweet for now.
They weren't really certain about it at first, but their new foal minds were convincing them that it was their birthday tomorrow. First off, they had no idea how old they were to begin with, so they just assumed that it was going to be their first birthday tomorrow. That then raised them to ask a question to Dash
"Mama, what's a biwthday?" They asked, their voices a little more understandable at their current state. It had been a while since Dash legally adopted them, with the help from Twilight, of course.
"Oh, well, a birthday is this awesome event that happens every year on the day you were born." Dash began to teach them some more, since their foal minds were tossing out everything the Wonderbolts used to know back in the past. "Not only do you become a legal year older, but you also get a super sweet birthday party, complete with cake, balloons, and best of all, presents!!!"
"Pwesents?" They asked, clearly a sign to prove they were interested in the concept of a birthday.
"They're these boxes, wrapped with special coloured paper, and when you rip the paper off, you reveal the awesome stuff inside." Dash finished up her explanation, "Usually, Pinkie's presents are the best."
"And nopony knows what's in dese pwesents?" Spitfire asked.
"Well, nopony except the pony wrapping it. But they make sure not to tell another living soul until the present they're giving to somepony is opened on the exact day.
"Dat sounds weally exciting!" Fleetfoot leapt up and held her airtime with her wings. Since they had been aging a month at a time, they had also developed their skills of flight a lot faster than usual. "I wondew what we'd get on ouw biwthdays?"
"Pwobably foal things." Soarin decided to point out. "We awe foals at da moment, so it would only make sense dat we get stuff dat focuses on newbowns and foals."
"Soawin's wight, we'we gonna be tweated like foals for some time aftew dat. It'd make sense dat we get appwopwiate fow ouw cuwwent age." Spitfire decided to explain to Fleetfoot after she had landed.
"You'll no doubt get some new toys and foal clothes from most ponies." Dash decided to give them a heads up as that's usually what foals do get on their first birthdays. "But your presents from me and your aunties, that's gonna be a secret."
"Oh, otay." Fleetfoot said before running off to another part of the nursery/bedroom.
"Why did ya ask me on birthdays anyways?" Dash kneeled down towards the other two pegasus foals.
"Fow some weason, we tink it's ouw biwthday tomowwow." Spitfire decided to tell her. "I tink we used to have a biwthday befowe da Twiad Dwive took a bad tuwn, but someting in ouw minds is scweaming to us dat it's ouw biwthday tomowwow."
It must be another effect of the trick they pulled. Dash put a hoof to her chin and thought to herself again. This Triad Drive sure sounds powerful if it can also change your date of birth. I'd best stick with the tricks I already know for know.
"Mama? Hello, anypony in dewe?" Soarin flew up and clapped near Dash's ears, causing the rainbow-haired pegasus to lose her train of thought. "You looked pwetty bowed fow a second."
"Oh, sorry about that, Soarin. I was busy thinking." Dash said and held Soarin in her hooves.
"About wat, Mama?" Spitfire flew up into Dash's arms as well and proceded to snuggle into Dash's fur.
"Oh, nothing that would interest you." Dash looked down on her two pegasi and nuzzled them both. "You just need to be happy and healthy." Dash was close enough to hear a rumbling from her two foals. "Speaking of which, you should eat something."
Dash quickly swallowed two more of the yellow pills and let Soarin and Spitfire suckle away. The two foalish customers were once again wrapped in Dash's wings, only this time, it was for comfort. Closing their eyes with satisfaction, the two foals continued their breast milk feast.
Dash then sighed. That's the last time they're gonna breast feed She knew that foals could not live on breast milk forever and that tomorrow, she would have to introduce them to bottles, foal food and solid foods. But I can't let them drink something as vile as formula. Dash continued to ponder. I'll have to ask Twilight and Zecora for an alternative milk that the kids will be able to enjoy and keep down.
Just then, the two foals finished their breast milk and Dash proceeded to burp the two of them. Once that was done, Dash lightly flew up and cradled the two foals in her arms. The two foals were asleep already, but Dash wanted to make sure. She plopped their pacifiers in their mouths and the two foals didn't even flinch or toss. Dash then laid them down in the crib before dashing off to help Fleetfoot.
"Look, Mama. I built a castle fow us to play in!" Fleetfoot said as she turned back to reveal the large block castle that was, indeed large enough to fit all three foals in.
"Wow, Fleetfoot, that's very impressive." Dash had to admit, she could never have bulit something that complex, even as a foal she always used to shake or suck on most of the blocks she used. "You keep that up in the future, and you'll be back on the Wonderbolts before ya know it." Dash could hear another rumble from Fleetfoot this time. "Oh, and ya gotta make sure to eat once in a while, I got this."
Dash cradled Fleetfoot in her arms and let her suckle down on Dash's teat once more. Fleetfoot could only make little noises of satisfaction as her mouth was already in use. Once Fleetfoot had finished, Dash decided to burp her and rock Fleetfoot to sleep. Fleetfoot was very satisfied with the rocking motions that Dash made and made nothing more than foalish gurgles before falling asleep altogether. Dash helped her to go all the way by giving Fleetfoot the 3rd pacifier and setting her down inbetween Spitfire and Soarin. Then, Dash tucked them all in and kissed their foreheads, enabling the foals to begin their hour-long nap.
Dash knew the foals would be out for an hour so she tiptoed out of the room and shut the door gently. She pressed her ear on the door to see if the foals hadn't been awoken by her exit. They weren't, so Dash flew down the stairs quietly before flying out of the front door.
Dash arrived in Ponyville and flew towards Twilight's house. Sure enough, Princess Twilight was in, and from the looks of it, she was talking to Zecora about some things. Dash knocked on the door and waited until Spike opened it up for her.
"Oh, hey, Rainbow Dash." Spike said as Dash walked into the house. "Twilight will be with you in a minute, she's busy with Zecora at the moment."
"Yeah, I know, I could see it all from the windows." Dash said as she took a seat on a nearby stool and put a hoof on her chin again.
There was some inaudible mumbling coming from upstairs once Spike had left Rainbow to it, it was muffled so Dash had to fly up and press her ear against the ceiling. It was faint, but Dash could still make it out.
"You sure they'll like this?" Twilight said as Dash continued to press against the ceiling like the eavesdropper she was. "I mean, Spitfire, Soarin and Fleetfoot might not even know what a birthday is, for Celestia's sake."
"Twilight, you know all foals must learn. And to learn, they also need to earn." Dash recognized that voice very well. It was Zecora, and by the sound of things, they had their presents to the foals already to go.
"I know, I know. I'm just worried if they're ready for onesies. What if they wet themselves whilst they wear it, Ohhhh, Dash would really have a hard time trying to get them off before they start wailing about it!" Twilight seemed panicky. "She'd never forgive me if that happened!!!"
"Well, I know what the foals are getting from Twi and Zecora." Dash said quietly, so as not to disturb the talking pony and zebra.
"Twilight, it an adventure to begin, everypony loves the feel of satin. Even when I was a baby myself, satin kept me happy and in good health." Zecora decided to continue on. "Satin is the best kind of clothing around, when foals wear satin, they never frown. For satin gets softer and softer, you see, until it's as soft as soft can be."
"Are you sure about it though, Zecora? I mean, it could take a while to get it off when they wet themselves, and if you say it's only gonna get softer, they may not even want it off at all."
"I will not argue anymore, they'll get satin onesies, nothing more. If one present if our budget to use. Then out of everything, it's satin I choose."
"Fine." Twilight and Zecora began to walk downstairs into the library. Dash could hear them walking down and decided to sit on the stool again.
Once Twilight and Zecora walked into the library part of Twilight's house, they immediately saw Dash, sitting on the stool.
"Oh, Hi, Rainbow Dash, we were just talking about you and your family." Twilight waved and flew down to Dash's side.
"Yeah, I could hear everything." Dash said in a weirdly bored tone. "Just promise me you'll keep it a secret okay. I said to Spitfire, Soarin and Fleetfoot that our presents would be secret. It'd crush their beliefs and happiness if we told them what we were getting them before they even got it."
"You heard us?" Twilight looked a little surprised. "Why did you want to eavesdrop on an important matter that would be-" Twilight suddenly realized that the foals weren't with Dash. "Where are your foals anyways?"
"Napping." Dash calmly said. "They should be sleeping like foals for another 40 minutes or so."
"Ok, Dash, but if you really want to leave your foals, you should at least consider a foalsitter next time." Twilight decided to give her a little tip to use later on.
"I don't really trust foalsitters after a few... Traumatic experiences in the past." Dash shuddered at just bringing the memory back up. "I mean I could probably get Fluttershy to keep a close eye on them, but she's probably busy with Angel Bunny and everyone else who she cares for."
"I don't know about that, Dash. Fluttershy's always willing to take care of Spitfire, Soarin and Fleetfoot. Just say the word and she's ready and waiting."
"Anyways. I wanted to talk to you about my kids anyways." Dash leapt off of the stool and decided to speak. "I think they're getting a little too old for breastfeeding. And as much as I love to let them drink, I can't bear the thought of giving them that despicable bile they call formula." Dash's emotions were perfectly accented to what she was talking about now. "I was wondering, Zecora, is there an alternative to formula?"
"There is one thing, but it's quite complex. A special brew that I can mix. It will give them the nutrition they need to grow, but with an actual flavour, their satisfaction will show." Zecora decided to explain. "I can concoct bottle milk for your foals. A drink that satisfies their hungry souls. A milk with a flavour that they will adore, by taking one sip, they'll definitely want more."
"Huh?" Dash looked a little confused.
"Basically, It'll be a special kind of milk that's designed for foals and will not only provide the exact same nutrients and vitamins as formula would, but it will also actually have a delicious taste that regular formula doesn't have." Twilight decided to explain. "Think of it as a special follow-on milk, for when mothers decide to stop breastfeeding and want to move on to bottle feeding their foals."
"Soooo, how long do you think it'll take to make, Zecora?" Dash decided to ask with a raised ear.
"I can create up to 10 litres a day, for you to pick and and then take away. 10 is the maximum I can make, for more litres, it would be a lot of work to take."
"OK. so basically that's umm... let's see, 10 divided by 100, um carry the 3..... Help me out here, Twi."
"Basically, Zecora will be able to make 30 bottles of milk a day." Twilight said as she finished the equation in her head. "Just come on down and speak to her when you're ready to pick it up."
"Since you're desperate to move on, today it's free. Don't fret about bits, the first batch is on me." Zecora said before Dash got up. "But each time after, it will be 5, 5 bits to keep your foals happy and alive."
"OK, OK! Don't make it sound so grim!" Dash said before opening the door. "Let's just get the first batch and get on our way." Dash said as she lead the alicorn and the zebra out of the house.
Dash flew back to her house, with a crate full of Zecora's special milk strapped to her back. She flew carefully, so as not to drop the milk to the world below. The crate itself was full of milk jugs you would usually see in the stores, but each and every one was held down by the straps with another set of straps holding down the crate itself.
"Just 3 more minutes before they wake up. I've gotta be fast."
Dash opened the door and walked into the kitchen, she unstrapped the crate and quickly put all of the milk in her fridge. There wasn't much on the top shelf anyways so Dash put all of her milk there, to let it cool down for a while.
Then she flew up to the nursery to see that the foals were waking up from their hour-long nap. Each of them made cute little yawns and rubbed their eyes before being lifted out of the crib by Dash.
"Afternoon, kids. Did ya have a nice nap?" Dash cooed as she nuzzled the foals gently.
"Oh, Mama. It was a beautiful nap we had. We wewe playing and flying and you wewe thewe." Spitfire said as she snuggled into Dash's coat and gurgled gently.
"But best of all, you wewe a foal as well, we wewe all playing togethew and hugging and sucking on ouw pacis. It was wondewful." Soarin said as he cuddled Dash.
"Glad ta hear it." Dash lightly said as she rocked her foals, causing them to coo and gurgle happily. "It's nice to hear you're healthy and happy."
The three foals were then set down and all split up to play again. Spitfire and Fleetfoot were playing with pony dolls, all the while making cute little foal noises and cuddling each other. Soarin decided to test out his flying skills by jumping off of a padded shape and buzzing his wings to see how long he could hold it.
As all three of the foals were playing, they looked happy, happier than they'd even been before in their lives. It was clear to them now that they never wanted to go back, they just wanted to be foals forever, so they could always play like this. A dream that they hoped would become a reailty someday.