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// 127 - The Herd Swells 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
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Silver roused to a noise of effort, or was that pain? Before he could get his bearings, the door suddenly slammed open, revealing Samantha.

She bee-lined for their bed even as Rough and Trixie began rousing from their own sleep. "It's time."

Time? Silver sat up, his wits coming to him. "What do you need me to do."

Samantha raised a brow at him. "Stay out of the way, mostly." Her magic wrapped around Night and hefted the grunting lunar pony into the air. "I'll return her better than she left, promise."

Silver slid to the ground, only to find that he was far from the only one. His parents were there. With silent consensus they followed after Samantha as one.

Trixie rolled her eyes. "As if we'd abandon her in her moment of need."

Rough bobbed his head. "Trixie would never forgive me."

"No she would not." Trixie thudded against his side as she walked. "Fortunately that will not be needed."

In single file, they entered the infirmary. The doctor and nurse were already there and looking ready to go. They helped move Night to a padded cradle and began talking her through it. Silver let out a little breath. Having the other medical professionals made things a lot less tense.

He reached with his magic and gently pet through her mane and around her ears. "We're here for you, Night. The whole family."

Night forced a little smile. "G-great, so we can take turns making a foal happen?"

A little polite clop came from the door before Sunny Days entered, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "I came as quickly as I could."

Rough nodded at her. "You barely missed anything. Thank you for coming."

Silver had felt what it was like to push a new life into the world, though Night had to do it twice. He didn't know magic to help with that, and feared to experiment at such a delicate time. No, he could be a good husband. He remained within her reach, spoke gently, and stroked her.

Night was a healthy pony, physically active and whole of body. As the doctors guided her through the process, she met the challenge with grim determination. She didn't cry until her first foal began to come into view, then she wept, but they were tears of relief and joy. Silver shared them with her, pressing close. He felt an urge to just... reach in there and help extract the foal, but that felt immediately like a childish and impulsive idea, so he quelled it.

They were soon proud parents of two little foals. One he immediately recognized. "Morning Glory," he whispered out when his eyes first fell on the lunar unicorn colt.

Night twitched an ear at that. "What was that?" Her eyes rolled suddenly. "Do you have a name for both of them?"

Silver fixed his eyes on the other. She was a larger foal with no wings or horn. A lunar earth pony. They were both unique in different ways. However, the female was not the Clear Twilight of his dreams.

As if she could see his thoughts, Sunny approached and leaned in, whispering into an ear, "It won't always match up."

He nodded to her, then pointed at the filly. "I called dibs on one. It seems proper you have the naming rights to this one. What will our adorable little filly be called?"

Night seemed to become pensive a moment. "Clear Twilight."

Silver tensed a moment before he nodded.

"Don't like it?" Night huffed. "I'm a little tired. If you re--"

"No, no, it's fine." Silver leaned in and kissed her. "It's a lovely name for a lovely filly. You did it, Night. You're a mother. We're parents."

Night smiled gently. "We did it..." She spread her wings and drew Silver closer.

Trixie sniffed softly, dabbing a few tears from her eyes. "Her husband will be just as supportive when her time comes, of course."

Rough nodded with a renewed determination. "Of course." He twitched an ear towards her. "How soon is that?"

Trixie smiled. "Soon." She looked over the happy couple. "You realize this means the foals Trixie has will be uncles or aunts of your foals, despite being younger. They will also be sisters and brothers in-law to you." She flashed a smile at Silver and Night. "Our family is as interesting as we are."

Sunny stood up. "How do you feel, Night? Do you need space to relax?"

Night looked around at her family, even including the pony that wished to join her herd. "No..." She carefully slid up to her hooves and began her morning stretch, if measurably slower than usual. "Everything did as it should. I feel a little tired, but I'm not hurt." She moved to nuzzle her little bundles. "I'm torn between wanting to hide them away forever and showing them to the world, screaming from the highest point."

Trixie giggled at that. "She would recommend more of the latter and less of the former. Why shouldn't you be proud to display your foals?" She put a hoof to her chest. "And now your Generous and Caring parents will make themselves available to you. You won't hurt for a foalsitter until at least my own joins them."

Samantha suddenly let out a little manic giggle. She was looking over some papers with the other doctors looking over her shoulder.

Silver raised a brow at the crowd and dared to approach. "Did you find something?"

The doctor shook his head. "You don't see it? Two lunar sub-species, and neither of them pegasus."

Samantha clopped her hooves. "It's even more fantastic than I thought!"

Night reached for her glasses, setting them properly on her snout. "My foals are not your experiment."

The nurse was quick to raise her hooves. "Oh no! Of course not."

"They aren't?" Samantha looked baffled.

Silver put a fetlock over his face. "No they are not. Sorry, they're members of our family, and will be raised properly and with love, not under investigation."

"That doesn't mean I can't see them, does it? They still need a doctor, right?" She smiled hopefully. "I was a good doctor for Night Watch, was I not?"

Night shook her head a little. "You were fine, Samantha, just remember you're here to serve and save lives."

"Serve and save, right."

Sunny smiled at her would-be family. "If you're sure you're alright, Night, perhaps we could celebrate the day? There certainly is enough to be in good cheer about."

Night suddenly snorted and smiled brightly. "Surprise would never forgive us if we didn't go to her place first."

It was quickly agreed on. With the foals bundled up securely, they proceeded as one family unit to Just Desserts.

As they went, Silver turned an ear towards the others. "Where I came from, this would be basically impossible. The very idea of moving a baby this soon?"

Trixie raised a brow. "Are human foals so delicate? She's glad ponies are a little more durable than that, though it is not unusual to let foals be still and recover for several hours after the 'event'."

Night gently nuzzled each of the bundles at her side. "They're sleeping now. That's normal, but they'll wake soon and then we'll wish they'd go back to sleep." A fanged smile spread over her snout. "They'll get into everything, twice if it's something we'd rather they didn't. Welcome to being a parent." She thrust a hoof at Silver. "And your little Morning Glory's a unicorn, sharing the proud heritage of Trixie Lulamoon and Silver Watch. I have no doubt he'll get into trouble at the earliest convenience."

Trixie only seemed tickled by the warning, beaming proudly as she walked with her eyes closed. She absorbed the praise, double-sided as it was. "Trixie will take great pride in training him and her own foal."

Rough nudged against her gently. "Yours might not be a unicorn."

"What?" Trixie waved it off. "As if Trixie would make something else. Don't be absurd."

Silver flinched a little. "You're jinxing it, mother. Whatever tribe your foal is, we will welcome him or her with open hooves."

"But twice as much if they're a unicorn," grumbled Trixie.

Night tilted her head a little. "You could check beforehoof?"

Trixie waved off the idea as strongly as the idea of not creating a new unicorn. "Trixie does not believe in such things. Destiny does not like peeking. If we were meant to know ahead of time, mares would come with a window."

Rough stuck out his tongue a little. "That would be interesting..." He advanced and opened the door to Just Desserts for the others.

"Are those new babies?!" Surprise emerged from the building, leaving a crowd of curious ponies that peered out behind her. "Awwwwww! Look at them!" She giggled with the same manic energy of Samantha, but it was one born of pure positivity. "You two must be so proud! Oh! You two are grandparents now! Oh oh oh, so many things!" She thrust her hooves against her cheeks. "Come in come in come in!" Giggling non-stop, she bounced back into her eatery, leaving the family to trail after her.

"Attention everypony!" Surprise threw her forehooves wide. "Happy birthday to..." She looked to Silver and Night.

Night cleared her throat. "Morning Glory and Clear Twilight."

Surprise bobbed her head. "Morning Glory and Clear Twilight, newest citizens of Equestria and cutest little foals in here!"

The crowd clopped in applause, which was enough to rouse the foals. Morning Glory began to wail, but Clear Twilight seemed calm and collected, looking around placidly.

Silver plucked up Morning Glory carefully in his magic and nuzzled the little colt. "It's alright. Sorry for the noise." The crying quickly stopped, as if he were understood, and soon he had a foal attached to his snout instead of sobbing. Silver giggled with delight. "That's my boy..."

Night took Clear Twilight in her wings, nuzzling and cradling the filly even if she didn't seem to need calming. Her affections were returned with a few little happy coos.

Rough let out a little happy sigh. "Look at them..."

Trixie smiled. "We'll be just as adorable with our own." She held up a hoof. "She hopes you'll be happy with just one. Trixie is already behind in her plans."

"Plans?" Surprise tilted her head at Trixie curiously. "Are you gonna be a big huge star?"

Trixie put a hoof to her chest. "She already is! It's just a matter of letting the rest of Equestria know that."

Sunny began gathering party hats that Surprise had tucked behind the counter. Each hovering, she placed them on ponies' heads one by one with a little smile. "Let the party begin."

Surprise gasped with surprise. "You're taking my job! Oh hey, I don't think we met." She thrust out a hoof. "I'm Surprise."

Sunny met the hoof with a hoof. "Sunny Days. Nice to meet you, though I'm certain we did meet once?"

"Oh sure, but I was way too busy planning like a kajillion parties." Surprise waved it off. "So it's nice to meet you properly this time."

They celebrated the newest members of the family, and all was well.