The family was together again, all three foals babbling about their day at school. "Miss Acorn says we're doing so good!" Spruce cheered, hopping up and down. "She says I'm the smartest one in the class!"

Winter nodded along with that. "Those are big words. A pony can be all kinds of smart. Did she say what kind of smart you were showing off?"

Spruce shook his head. "She didn't, but she said I was smart. So I must be smart!"

Dawn was just as excited, though she had to show off her own way. "I got to play with a new friend today!" She jumped up and down. "She was nice! She wanted to play with me, and we played on the swings, and then we played with the blocks, and then she wanted to play with my hair, but I didn't want to, so we played tag instead!"

Summer smiled. "That sounds like a lot of fun. Did you get her name?"

Dawn nodded. "Her name is Missy, and she's my friend."

Maple looked to Dusk. "And how did your day go?"

Dusk was quiet, not saying anything. He was thinking about the day. He had made a new friend, but he didn't know what to think of him. He was different, and he wasn't sure what to make of that. "There was a pony." He pointed up at his ornate kirin horn. "I think he liked this. He kept looking. He asked a lotta questions."

Winter tensed with concern. "Were they bad questions?"

"No." Dusk hummed gently. "Just questions, a lot of them. I think he likes me, but he asks a lot."

Maple nodded. "It's okay to have a friend who asks a lot of questions. It's a good thing. It means he wants to know more about you."

Dusk nodded. "I asked him a question. He seems nice and odd."

Summer giggled. "We all seem odd to somepony else. Ah'm sure you'll be great friends."

Dusk smiled. "I hope so." He sat up and looked to his siblings. "Tomorrow, we all play, together?"

Spruce and Dawn nodded, and the three ran off to play together.

Summer sighed, leaning against Winter. "Ah can't believe they're growin' up so fast. They're not babies anymore."

Winter pressed back gently, one hoof waving Maple to join them in a warm pile of pleased parental bodies. "It's so good to see. Oh, I got this, in the mail." With his glowing horn, he pulled over a letter, floating it in the air before them all. "There's a kirin festival, and they thought to invite me. I don't have to go, but they'd like it, if I want it. They said you two are invited too, as my plus ones"

The three looked at the paper, considering. "Sounds kinda nice." Summer rubbed a hoof over her belly, smirking at Winter. "Get to celebrate bein' a kirin parent for a while. Seems the kirin folks think you're part of the herd, if they sent you an invitation."

Winter smiled at that. "Do you think the kids would like it?"

Summer laughed. "Please? Of course they would. Seeing more kirin than just their dad? Dusk especially will be beside himself. We done told 'em about other kirin, but actually seein' 'em?" She rolled a hoof. "Ah bet he'll want to go with you, even. Bet he'll wanna learn all about it."

Winter chuckled. "That's true, isn't it?" He looked at Maple, who shrugged.

Maple propped her head against a hoof. "Our little family's made of tough little love balls. They'll get along." She bumped her head against Winter. "So consider us on-board."

"Excellent." Winter telekinetically put the letter away. "We'll have to prepare. Get new clothes."

Maple glanced at Summer, and Summer grinned back at her. "Oh, we'll get some fine things to wear." She bumped against Winter. "Soon as you tell us what kind of 'ritual' this is. Won't do to show up wearin' the wrong kinda thin'."

Summer clopped her hooves together suddenly. "Actually, why don't we just wait on the clothes until we're there? The kirin'll have the right duds, and they won't mind gettin' a few bits either."

Maple laughed, and Winter smirked. "A fine plan."

Summer nodded. "See? I know a few things myself." She smiled at Maple and Winter. "I am happy. I got you both here. We have the little ones. The family's together, an' we can be ourselves. This is my heaven." She hugged them both, and the little family cuddled together, just enjoying each other's company.

Each parent ensured they had the time off to make the trip. Cherry Jubilee perked when asked. "Shoot, ain't fair." She threw a hoof, likely to snap fingers, if she had any. "Ah wanna see this town of kirin. Are they like Winter at all?"

Summer shook her head with a patient smile. "Only a little. They have the horns, the hooves, and the fancy tail. The fellas look a little girly, but not so extreme like Winter has it, ya know?"

"No, ah don't. That's why ah asked." Cherry came around her desk to hug Summer gently. "You go an' have fun. Ah'll just be jealous back home."

Summer laughed. "Good to hear! We'll have a great time, feel certain ah that."

The two waved and parted. Summer headed home to report that was handled, and the family could focus on preparing for the trip.

On the other side of Dodge Junction, Winter was busy seeing to the last details of the journey.

"Aww." Miss Acorn gave Winter a sweet pat. "The kirin would love to see you, Mister Winter, and you can bring the foals to see other kirin! We're all learning, together."

Winter smiled, considering the situation a quiet moment. "It will be nice, I think, for them all to meet more kirin. Thank you, for being such a good teacher."

"Of course, that's my job, after all!" Miss Acorn paused, looking past him to where his foals were happily playing together. "Besides, Spruce has really taken to the other children, and it's been good to see Dusk opening up more."

Winter looked to Dusk, the foal that matched him most closely. "He is not closed, just that he only says things when there are things that need to be said. He shook himself gently. "I can understand that."

Miss Acorn smiled, knowingly. "Oh yes, I am quite aware of how that can be, Mister Winter. But it is my duty to ensure that he comes out of his shell, so to speak. I am always proud when my students take those first steps towards a better, brighter tomorrow."

"You are a truly gifted teacher." Winter bowed to her, a low, graceful bow, before straightening up again. "I'll have them take notes about the fun, to share with the other students when they get back."

She smiled warmly, cheeks going faintly rosy. "Well, I look forward to hearing about it, as well as telling the other foals too." She waved as he turned away and trotted over to his foals to join them in play.

Confident his foals were in good hooves, Winter headed home to join the others. With everything taken care of, they were soon gathered at the train station and stepping on board the train. Winter sighed gently as he sat, Spruce in his lap. "The last time I was on a train, I was very confused."

Summer frowned as she settled next to him with Dusk on her lap. "It was scary for me, but I thought I would do my best."

Dusk blinked up at the adults, curious.

Maple nuzzled little Dusk. "That was before you all even existed past a sparkle in our eyes. We were all kinda confused, but Winter most of all. He didn't know how to be Winter, especially the kirin part. We made this trip to help."

Summer smiled at her foal, giving his head a little rub. "Maybe you'll be more confident than Daddy was, if'n you ever want to travel by yourself."

Winter squeezed Summer's shoulder gently with his magic. "Dusk, you've already raced ahead of me." He swayed his tail against the bench he was seated on. "You like being a kirin?"

Dusk thought for a long moment, then nodded. "It's neat."

They all burst into laughter at the understated affirmative. "I agree." Winter rubbed the tufted end of his tail gently, remembering a time where he had struggled to accept the very idea of having a tail, let alone one so fancy compared to the ponies around him. "Being a kirin is neat."

Dusk leaned over, eyes on Spruce. "What do you want to see there?"

Spruce's ears danced as he thought. "Everything! I bet the kirin have all sorts of neat things! Like new toys! Or new food! Or maybe they have new friends there!"

Dawn giggled at the outburst of ideas. "Of course they'll have new friends. We just have to make them."

"I would like new friends." Dusk leaned against Maple. "How do you make so many so quickly?"

Spruce inclined his head. Dawn tilted the other way. "We just talk to ponies."

"Oh." It was a simple thing, and yet felt complicated. "Oh."

With a lurch, the train started its journey towards the kirin lands, chugging beneath them all with smooth movement. "We should have brought something to eat." Winter murmured. "At least they have sandwiches for sale on trains."

Maple's stomach grumbled audibly, and she flushed dark. "I've got this." She hopped down, leaving the foals with the others, at least until she heard little steps following her. She looked back to see Dawn trailing after her. "Ah said ah got this."

Dawn nervously shuffled. "Ah wanna help."

Maple couldn't stay frustrated by that cute little face. She waited patiently as Dawn joined her, and together the two mares went off to grab a little food.

As they walked away, Winter smiled at the sight. He leaned against Summer, the other adult left. "They'll be back soon." He said it as much for the other little foals as anypony else. "Meanwhile, you can tell us what you're hoping to see at the kirin event."

Spruce bounced with excitement. "I'm gonna make lots of kirin friends, an' they'll tell me stories an' we'll play games an' we'll eat cake!"

Dusk inclined an ear. "Do kirin eat cake?"

Winter leaned in to nose at Dusk. "Kirin eat what they like, but not too much cake, or you'll have fat kirin."

Spruce pouted, but Dusk nodded, accepting the information. "Then I'm going to make some new friends, and we'll play games."

Maple returned, both she and Dawn with a bag on their back. "Nothin' fancy, but it's nice enough they got anythin' on a movin' train as it is."

They spent the ride eating the sandwiches, and talking about the day that awaited them.

They arrived at last in the village of Kirins, and stepped out onto the platform, followed by several other travelers, each carrying a piece of luggage. There was a garbage pail there, so Winter casually dumped the remains of their sandwich bags in it before they stepped off into the town.

"Wow!" And they ran right into their first kirin, who had come rushing up at them the moment she saw them. "Look at you!" She grabbed Winter by the cheeks, turning their head curiously to see it from all angles. "Woah. I didn't believe them, but you really are the most kirin mare stallion I have ever seen."

Dawn turned up her snout. "Mama ain't no stallion." She had her arms crossed over her chest and she looked indignant, and maybe a bit confused.

Spruce wrapped his forelegs around one of his mother's, as if daring the other pony to try and steal Summer.

The new kirin pointed at herself. "Oops, forgot to say hi. Hi! I'm Autumn Blaze, and it's super nice to meet you all. You're Winter, right? Summer? And--" She clucked her tongue in thought. "--Maple!"

Spruce gasped in delight. "You are Autumn! I am Spruce, and these are my sibs, Dawn an' Dusk. An' that's Mommy Summer, and Mama Maple." He proudly pronounced each name carefully. "An' ah'm really excited to meet you."

Half of those had already been stated, but Autumn nodded along, patient with the little foal. "Same here. Did you all come for the Springtime Tailshake?!" She stood up straight and tall, her own long tail standing out stiff from her flank. "We are celebrating the coming of spring by holding a dance of tails."

Dawn stood up straight, eyes wide. "Tails?" Her voice sounded a bit horrified, and her ears folded back. "Why? You can't do nothing with yer tail except wrap it around yer legs and sometimes--" She turned pink.

Dusk suddenly nipped Dawn's tail and she squeaked, though it turned into a riot of giggles. "That," she finished. "I guess that."

Summer laughed and nudged Winter, "Oh, now, ah reckon that sounds interestin', right?"

Autumn laughed brightly. "Oh yeah, the kids do this, and the grown ups are a bit fancier about it." She turned back to the village. "Come on! I'll show you to a house you can stay in while you're here. This is so exciting." She didn't just walk, a merry skip in her motions. "I can't believe you came! We're gonna have so much fun!"

The little family moved as one to follow her, the five of them finding the sights of the kirin settlement both strange and familiar. Dusk's eyes went from one kirin to the next with clear wonder at all the other creatures that were a kirin, just like him. Coming from a town that was all ponies, it was quite an adjustment.

Their accommodations were a lovely house, full of cushions and fluffy blankets. It was also empty. "Will it be just us?" Winter asked curiously as they trooped in. "Where is everypony?"

Autumn waved over it. "We already knew that if Winter came, he'd be a whole family!" She turned to nod at the family Winter had brought. "And he did. You'll need a whole house to yourself. No fun being cramped, is there?"

Author's Note

We can't keep talking about kirin without Autumn showing up eventually.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own here at atreon!

Don't want to do an ongoing thing? You could

Join my discord to chat!