Starlight smiled across the table at Sunburst, hooves under her chin. "Good morning, teacher."

Sunburst colored gently as her tail swayed. "I like the sound of that. Um, the students seem to be warming towards me." She tilted her head towards Starlight. "Got some real questions today. They're thinking. That's good."

"That's the point of this place." Starlight watched Sunburst as she took up her fork, moving to cut into her meal. "Pebble is adapting." She leaned forward a little. "He'll be ready for school, but not now. He's just a little tiny foal. He'll be attached to us for a bit longer." She half-lid her eyes. "And that's okay. He's cute."

"Cute!" Pebble made himself known, seated in a smaller chair. He had just started spouting random words he found to be amusing, as if testing each in his snout and finding most to be quite tasty indeed.

"The cutest." Sunburst touched her hoof to the top of Pebble's head, which the foal leaned into. "Still no solid food, but better with regular food, at least." Which was mostly milk, with occasional daring attempts at other mashed food, which Pebble seemed to adore.

"I was dumb." Sunburst folded her arms. "No more artificial life."

"Sure, but, the one you did make? Not regretting it." Starlight reached to gently stroke over Pebble's back. "Speaking of which... While it's nice to have a magic baby and all, um." She colored as she tried to force herself forward. "If you're up for it, some day, it might be nice to have a biological one."

"Biological one." It took a moment for the ramifications of what was being asked to hit Sunburst. "Wait, really? That is a big deal! Um." She straightened up in her chair. "How long have you been thinking about this?"

"Weeks, at least. You're not the only one to take a good look at the little pebble, you know." Starlight smiled gently at that little colt. "And I do love him, entirely. But he makes me think I wouldn't mind actually making one of my own, the old fashioned way. I already know you'd be a great parent, you're doing it right now."

"Hah, um, thank you." Sunburst eased her ears back, looking to Pebble. "It's nice to have something simple to do. You know, he's not walking yet."

Starlight snorted at that. "Are you kidding? You must be looking away every time he does, but Pebble scoots around all the time, usually with a silly smile on his face. He loves exploring. Have no fear, Pebble can walk." She patted her chest. "He's an explorer like his mommy."

"Mommy!" Pebble jabbed at Starlight. "Tired?"

Starlight swept Pebble into her magic and lifted him into her hooves for a proper hug. "I'm just starting the day! Not tired, nope." She smooched his forehead. "I've heard ponies say raising a foal is tiring, but I'm not tired."

Sunburst chuckled at that. "Pebble skipped the first little part. If you have a real foal, you'll learn what they're talking about. I'd help, of course! Um, we're a team."

Starlight looked out at the dawning world through the window, eyeing the cool hues of blue and pink with warmth in her heart. "We're a good team." She laughed gently at herself.

Sunburst glanced where she was looking, but the source of her warmth was across the table and gently pressed her nose to Starlight's cheek. "Love you."

Starlight rumbled, her heart swelling. "Love you too."

Pebble squirmed in Starlight's hold until he could stand on the table. "I love my mommies!"

Sunburst perked his ears with a broad smile. "Oh, you're right, they are standing, um, and I think that was his first real sentence. I'm so proud!" She applauded for her child with a laugh.

Starlight bounced her hooves with her own laughter. "Come here you!" She lifted Pebble into her hooves to hug them close and shower them with kisses, enjoying their cute giggles.

Sunburst sat back gently. "It will be work, real work. I've read about it. Just making a foal, um, is a lot of work, for a mare." She glanced away and back. "Being a father, the first part, that's easy." She colored the more she talked about it. "No big deal, but the mom, she has to work pretty hard, to make a little pony. When they're born, then we both get to work hard together. Until then, I can only try to support you."

"And that's what you're good at, remember?" Starlight stretched out her legs and tipped her head at Sunburst. "You've supported me, so much. I'll try my best to do the same for you, okay?" She tilted her head. "But the question still hangs, and I'm not letting you get away with it. You're not just a mare. You have extras, but are you comfortable with using them, and can they make little ponies or not? They should be able to. But do you want them to? I'm not here to force that if you don't, but I need to hear it from your lips."

Sunburst eyed Pebble, who was engrossed in exploring his surroundings from the safety of Starlight's grasp. "I want to. I am scared, though. What if they end up like me?"

Starlight broke into sudden laughter. "Then I'll be very happy? And we'll raise them without throwing crazy magic at them." She smiled at Sunburst, still holding their foal. "I want us to have a family together, of our own flesh and blood. Pebble is ours now, no matter what." She ruffled the little colt's hair. "But, if we can make another little life, then I want to try, at least."

Sunburst watched as Pebble settled down on Starlight's hooves. "I admit, part of me was worried about you." Starlight perked at that. "I wasn't sure you'd be, you know, mom material?" She leaned in. "But watching you with Pebble? You look pretty ready to Mom to me."

Starlight let out a peal of laughter. "Oh stop, you're going to make me blush."

"I hope I do." Sunburst reached over to touch Starlight's cheek. "I like a lot of ponies, and love a few, but none of them as much as you."

Starlight colored vividly even as she battled laughter. "Did you just rhyme? You adorable little dork!"

"So what if I did?" Sunburst looked away with her own blush. "You mean the world to me, Starlight. You're a great mom, and you'll be a great partner, in any task, big or small." She let her hoof wander downwards, across Starlight's chest to her belly. "If you want me to do my part, I will. I can't think of a pony I'd more want to, or trust to. Starlight, let's make a child, together."

Starlight colored, almost stuttering with surprise. "Sunburst! Oh my gosh!" She tilted her head down at Pebble. "Not in front of the baby!" She turned away to hide her own giggling and coloration. "Um, but, shoot. Yes!" She ruffled Pebble's unknowing head. "Something to work on after school, hm? We both have work today, and calling in sick because we're making a foal would be more than a little rude."

"You have a good point." Sunburst watched Starlight with a gentle smile, completely unfazed by the teasing. "I will look forward to the next vacation, though."

Starlight puffed her cheeks. "It, um, doesn't take that long, in theory. Just a weekend should do. And we can try again the next weekend if the first isn't good enough. For as long as we need, until a little pony enters the family. Now, hm." She flashed a smile at Sunburst. "Hoping for a filly, or a colt?"

Sunburst bit her lip gently. "The traditional choice would be a filly, but—"

"Oh please, like either of us are traditional." Starlight shook her head. "I don't care what they are, so long as they're healthy. Besides, trick question. They might be both if they take after you, and I consider that the bonus option. Why pick one if they might be two?"

Sunburst sighed. "Ahh, I think that'd be really bad for them. Um, Pebble only seems to be a colt. One is easier than two. And if we can have a foal that's simple, that'll be better for them."

Starlight reached over to gently rub a hoof along Sunburst's left arm. "Don't say that. You're still hurting, I get it. You had to fight to get to where you are. If we have a child that's both, we will shield them, and support them. We'll let them grow as they are, and not hide anything. They'll grow up and be happy. We won't allow anything else."

Sunburst looked to her arm with surprise. "That's been bothering me, since... I mean..." She closed her eyes. "Thank you. I'm, I guess I'm still afraid. I don't want to hurt them."

Starlight huffed gently. "You wouldn't be. Any child you make just is what they are. Love yourself, Sunburst. You're a great pony. Love all of you, because I do. So if some of that is inherited, that's just something to love just as much, not to regret. Not a single part of you is broken, or bad."

Sunburst was quiet, chewing her lip as she thought. "...Thanks." She closed her eyes as she reached for Starlight's hoof with her own. "I'll think about it. But you're right. If we have a child that is... Um, both, then we'll raise them to be proud of themself." She dared a little smile. "And to be all they can be."

"That's the spirit!" Starlight patted Sunburst's shoulder with her free hoof. "But there is time yet. Even if we got lucky, it takes a mare time to finish churning a little pony off that production line." She rolled her eyes, amused at her own metaphor. "You'll have to give me a minute! Or about a year."

Sunburst slid to her hooves and grabbed their plates and utensils in her magic. "I'll clean up." She trotted for the kitchen with it all floating along with it. "You get yourself and Pebble ready to go."

Starlight leapt up with Pebble still under her magic, swinging him around until they were giggling together. "Yes sir, Ms. Glimmer!"

Pebble giggled about something, which Starlight figured out quickly. "Woah! Your breakfast went right through you, huh?" She took Pebble off for a diaper change with some laughter.

Such little messes were a natural part of being a parent. It was the mark of a new age, and that new age was one Starlight was ready to stride into.

She had good company.

Author's Note

I feel this is a soft and gentle landing for our new family, and with it, the story.

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