Running With Babies

by Tiaa OwO

Act 1: 04

Outside Ambitions

"Spike, I'm going to hang with Princess Luna and Discord for the afternoon. Do you think you can watch the kids until I come back?"

"Sure. It can't be that hard."

"Just remember that you have to burp them after you feed them."

"Alright."

"And to check their diapers every now and then."

"Okay."

"And to clean them up after they have their bottles."

"...Got it..."

"Oh, and don't forget to-"

"Alright! I get it! Seriously, Jazz, I got this. I'm fine, they'll be fine... we need to start splitting 'baby time' more evenly because it's starting to feel like you're the dominant parent here..."

"Oh, sweet heart... It's because I am the dominant parent."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"Oh, you know I'm teasing, love. Later! I'll tell Luna and Discord you said hi!"

---

Jasmine flapped her wings and looped into the air. She loved the feel of the breeze in her hair and especially enjoyed the warm rays of sunshine on her back. It was a great day for a fly, especially with her two friends. Luna was flying beside the female draconaquus, smiling and pulling a few stunts of her own. Discord watched the two with an amused expression.

Jasmine turned to him. "Do our loopdey loops amuse you, Dis?" Discord grinned.

"I haven't see you two play around like this in a while," Discord eyed Luna. "Especially you, Moon Head."

"You make it seem like I'm a bore," Luna said, flying in between the draconaqui.

"You are!" Discord exclaimed. Jasmine shot him a venomous look and he threw his arms up. "What?"

"Oh, Discord..." Jasmine shook her head and turned to Luna. "Princess, you're certainly not a bore."

"Thank you, Jasmine."

"You're just a little... moody." Luna's smile melted into a frown.

"Moody?"

"Oh, don't take it the wrong way..."

"Yea, don't take it the wrong way that you're moody and boring," Discord said.

"I'm just saying that ever since... you know... your sister... you've been..."

"Depressed. You've been really depressed and moody and boooring," Discord stated. Jasmine glared at him. "Jeez, what?"

"Jazz, am I really all that?" Luna asked.

"No, Luna. Discord is just being a goofball, as usual."

"Hey!" Discord grinned. "I'm a lovable goofball."

"Look! There's the Crystal Mines I was telling you two about," Luna pointed at a large cave in the distance surrounded by small trees and bushes. "That's where he crystal ponies find those rare gems you and Spike like so much."

"Awesome sauce!"

"Flying is boring me. Let's just-" Discord snapped his claws and they appeared in front of the caves large entrance. "-teleport there!"

"Okay, okay, we're here! First one inside is a rotten egg!"

"What do you have against rotten eggs? I call favoritism over fresh eggs!"

---

"Draven, get down here this instant! Sookie, stop jumping on Plateous! Bubble, please don't cry..." crash "Hey! Don't do that! Isn't it nap time?! Go to sleep! No, wait, don't move that from there-" thud "Not the lamp! Cherok, come here! Flo, what are you-?" crack "Jasmine's going to kill me... There's no way I'm going to be able to clean all this up before she gets back..."

The infants yelled happily together and threw another lamp on the ground. This was so much fun! Their mother not being home was like all the rules were just made to be broken. Sookie and Flo grabbed and lamp that was on the floor and started rolling it towards ther father. Bubble watched quietly while Plateous and Cherok giggled and made an even bigger mess. Draven jumped onto his fathers' head and clung to him with his tiny claws.

Freedom will be miiiiine!

"Draven, I am not a climbing post!" Spike didn't notice Sookie and Plateous push a fallen lamp behind him as he took an yep backwards. He stumbled over it and fell backwards, hitting the ground with a yelp. Sookie and Flo laughed, their other siblings joining in. "I'm really starting to rethink how this day is supposed to go." Spike groaned. Sookie hopped onto his chest and started jumping up and down triumphantly.

We have tamed the Daddy Monster! I'm the mighty adventurer!

The other infants decided to join in on the fun so they climbed onto their fathers chest and stomach and began to jump together, giggling all the while. Spike grunted and rubbed his head. "Well, at least you're not breaking anything else." crash "Nevermind..."

---

"I found a big purple one! I can totally give this to Spike as a gift!" Jasmine yelled and she eyed and especially large gem. Luna swiveled her head in the female draconaquus' direction to get a glimpse. She smiled and nodded.

"It is beautiful indeed."

"You should taste it first, so you know how good it is before you give it to your little boyfriend," Discord said, an odd note in his voice. Jasmine glanced at him before looking away. Luna watched them with a puzzled expression.

"I'll just wait until he gets it for him to tell me what it tastes like... better yet, I know he'll most likely share," Jasmine glared at Discord. "Because his kindness is one of the many things I love him for."

"Such a night in shining armor you have."

"Comrades..." Luna's eyes darted from either draconaquus and she put up a hoof. "Can we talk about Spike later? You guys shouldn't-"

"Of course, Princess. I should be talking about friendship stuff with my friend, right Dis?" Jasmine folded her arms.

"Exactly, friend."

"Speaking of friendship topics, I have so much to tell you about the gossip I heard..." Luna began saying. Jasmine and Discord listened intently, picking up gems all the while.

---

George and Cadence galloped down the hallways and skidded to a stop in front of one of the many doors. They looked around, unsure if Spike was still home. There was a loud bang followed by a crash inside and they immedietly knew he was still there. George leaned forward and knocked several times.

"Spike? Are you okay in there?" George asked. There was some shuffling before the door opened to reveal a very tired and stressed dragon.

"Do I look okay?"

"Wow, what did they do to you?" Cadence asked, inspecting Spike from head to claw. "You look like...well..."

"Hell," George finished for her. Spike and Cadence gave him odd looks.

"Hell...? What's that?" Cadence cocked her head to the side.

"A bad place where I'm from," George answered. Spike was about to ask a follow-up question but sighed and shook his head instead.

"Please help me clean up this mess and put these younglings to sleep before Jasmine comes back!" Spike gestured wildly to the out-of-control infants making a mess in the room.

"Alright, but you owe me after this," George trotted past the distressed drake and picked up a cracked lamp off the floor. "Jeez, these little cuties did all this? What did you do, give them a bag of sugar?" Spike rubbed his neck sheepishly. George and Cadence stared at him. "You didn't give them any sugar, did you?!"

"Well, not sugar as in, well, sugar. I gave them some...ice-cream..."

"We have to calm them down before Jasmine gets back. She's gonna freak!" George picked up all the damaged objects off the floor while Cadence gathered up the infants and tried to put them to sleep.

"Good thing Jasmine's not here, huh?" Cadence said.

"Why is it a good thing I'm not here?" Jasmine asked from behind Spike, who was standing right in front the open door. He froze and turned around slowly, a nervous smile plastered on his face.

"Oh...hey...Jazz..."

Jasmine looked around the room, her expression switching from confusion to shock to irritation. "Spike..." she growled.

"That's my cue to dash!" George bolted past them and into the hallway. He ran into Princess Luna and Discord and said to them, "It's a mess in there. If I were you, I'd stay back. Spike's about to get his ears nagged off."

"What?" Luna raised a brow. Discord grinned.

"If there's one thing I know, it's that you stay far away from a mare when she's mad." With that, George continued down the hall. Princess Luna and Discord went to the door and inspected the room for themselves.

"What a riot! Spike isn't so perfect after all!" Discord laughed. He stopped immedietly when Jasmine glared at him.

"I'm not even going to say anything... I'm just going to walk away and pretend the room isn't a mess and the younglings aren't bouncing off the walls," Jasmine sighed and walked away. Spike sighed in relief.

"I think we should clean this up while she's doing that," Spike suggested.

"We?!" Discord was about to fly away but Luna grabbed him.

"Where do you think you're going, mister?"

"Oh, you're no fun."