Tempo walked slowly along the polished floors of the Crystal Empire palace. Her metal hooves clicked gently with each step. She had a foal under either arm, Beat and Pulse having grown some. They were on their second shell, ambling along as confident foals. "Are you both comfortable? I know I was a little confused when I was first called. Don't be shy to share."

Beat, draped under Tempo's left foreleg, inclined her head. "Mother, are we dolls?"

Pulse, under Tempo's right arm, perked. "Beat! But also me. Are we?"

Tempo continued her walk along with them, making a musing noise as she went. "Yes, but that word can be misleading. We are dolls, in that we do not breathe, eat, sleep, drink, but are pony shaped. We are not dolls, because we think, we laugh, we cry, and we live. If a pony calls you a doll, listen to how they say it. As a compliment or fact, it is fine. As an insult, it is not."

Beat clung tighter to Tempo's foreleg. "Insult? Mother?" She wiggled gently. "Will foals insult us?"

Pulse hugged himself closer to Tempo. "Mother, will ponies bully us?"

Tempo delivered a soft nuzzle to the top of each of her foals. "They may try but you are strong. You are also together. You will protect one another, if needed. You will know you have a loving family behind you, and tell me if a pony refuses to see reason. Most foals are kind and curious. Enjoy that. Husband, are you around?"

Blueblood peeked around a corner, advancing at his wife's call. "Tempo? Beat? Pulse?" He let out a little giggle. "It still tickles, having such a lovely family." He intercepted Tempo, giving a chance to embrace all of them close. "Beat, Pulse, school is an exciting place. But it can be a little scary, for all that. If anypony bothers you, come see me right away!"

Pulse kicked with his forehooves and held up a hoof. "Okay dad! Can we go now?"

Beat bounced in Tempo's grip. "Let's meet foals! Please mother?"

Tempo shook her head fondly at them. "Now hold your horseshoes. School is tomorrow. Come along." She led the way with her family towards the court.

Cadance spotted them and waved them over with a smile. "What a lovely family visits today. Sister, what's on your mind?"

Tempo stretched in front of the throne, Cadance sitting on it. "Sister, we have some concerns about Beat and Pulse attending school. We wanted to know if there were any lingering issues they should be aware of."

Cadance hook her head slowly. "None that I'm aware of. The foals will be surprised, surely, but it shouldn't be anything more than introducing them and some getting used to. Organic ponies are rather curious creatures. A copper shelled golem isn't exactly normal for them, but nothing to panic over." She offered a reassuring smile. "The foals can handle this."

Tempo pondered Cadance's words as Blueblood swung around behind his children, coaxing them towards him with pets and attention. "I hope so. I had you, Sister, to hide behind." She leaned in and they met, nose to nose in a gentle nuzzling. "Thank you for that."

Cadance pet Tempo gently. "You're very welcome, sister. It's what sisters do." She rubbed under Tempo's chin with her hoof, "And I'm still here. If they have problems, let me know."

Tempo laughed at that. "My foals do not lack for supportive adults. Should a foal be foalish enough to attempt something, half of the empire will be knocking at their door."

Blueblood added with an adoring expression. "And half of Canterlot. Beat, Pulse, your mother is right. You'll make plenty of friends and learn much. But should anything trouble you, tell a teacher, or any other adult you know, and they will come find me." He looked at his children with a slow sigh. "You'll make me even prouder than I already am."

Beat and Pulse smiled at that, looking to each other with curiosity and excitement. They would both be nervous about school, but such were the best lessons for life. Nerves and stress were bad if endured alone, but wonderful when shared. With a shared neigh of excitement, they raced off into the palace.

Tempo let them go. "I have been distracted being a mother. Sister, do you require any aid from me?"

Cadance waved that away gently. "Tempo, sister, nothing in my empire is so dire as to need your attention. If it comes up, I'll let you know."

Tempo twitched her ears as she thought about that. "You know I am here to protect you."

Cadance waved Tempo forward into a warm hug. "Knowing you're here makes me so happy." The two nestled quietly a moment. "But I am serious. Keep right on being a mother. I'm a little jealous. My little one isn't growing nearly so swiftly. Mmm, your foals make me wonder how it'll be when Flurry is old enough to consider school."

Tempo bobbed her head slowly at that. "When your foal reaches that age, I will be ready to assist." She glanced away a moment. "They seem to be happy. I think." She was quiet a moment. "I think I am doing this correctly."

Cadance curled against Tempo with a laugh. "My dear sister, I am not worried about you being an ideal mother. But I am worried about you. How do you feel?"

Tempo let out a long, low sigh. "Worried? I cannot so easily undo any mistakes I make with my children. I want to be perfect."

Cadance nestled against her. "There there. Perfection isn't a thing any pony can reach, living or metal. But I know you'll love them and care for them, and that's all you need to be the best mother possible. It doesn't matter what they do, only how you feel about it. Be there for them, support them, love them, that is enough."

Tempo felt moisture build in her eyes, fogging her vision. "You are very wise, Sister." She kissed Cadance's cheek and started away. "I will see to their first day."

Blueblood found his wife preparing a packed lunch for each of their children. "It's hard to believe they've grown this swiftly. I could swear it was only yesterday we welcomed them to life."

Tempo inclined her head. "Two moons," she corrected. "But that is very rapid for an organic foal." She squirmed a moment. "It's difficult to explain. When I became me. Tempo. When I woke up, I felt as if I had a life behind me. The idea of moving, acting, and even protecting Cadance came easily and swiftly to me, like they were things I was remembering, instead of learning."

Blueblood laid his chin on Tempo's shoulder. "Like your past lives? The ones you are a part of?"

Tempo bobbed her head. "Indeed. A vague impression, nothing more. But they shaped me, and blessed me, and our foals. That is why they are adjusting swiftly to this life. It isn't their first, just as it wasn't mine." She paused and took a deep breath. "Beat and Pulse are about to face the world. Do you think we've done well by them?"

Blueblood rubbed at Tempo's mane. "You did something none could imagine. You created two living children made of metal and brilliant souls. You can see it in their eyes. They are filled with joy and wonder. We've done what we can to get them this far. Now, they are their own ponies. The best we can do for them is to encourage them to be whatever they wish."

Tempo twisted to push her cheek into Blueblood's neck. "Husband? They're not adults yet. They will still need us." She stepped away. "But this is a big step. Let's celebrate it, when they get home."

Blueblood advanced around behind Tempo, hugging her gently. "If I'm not careful, I'll just smother them with my affection."

Tempo laid her hoof on her husband's arm. "Of all the things to smother with, affection is acceptable." She paused a moment. "Not that you could smother us."

Blueblood peered past his wife, spotting the young colt and filly entering the room. Each had a saddle bag with school supplies attached to them. "My little school foals! You look prepared for your first day, hm? How do you feel? Nervous? Worried? Curious?"

Beat bounced forward. "Yes!"

Pulse patted himself down with his hooves. "Can we go now? I want to meet all the other foals!"

Tempo extended their lunchboxes towards them. It was, in a way, a silly gesture. Neither of them needed to eat, but the boxes held tasty things for them to sniff or press to their lips, and, she hoped, would help them fit in with the other foals. The students of Equestria were always well fed.

Beat snatched up her box with glee. "Mother, is this food?"

Pulse perked curiously at his. "The color is pretty."

Tempo smiled at that. "I was hoping you'd like it. There are things in there to taste and enjoy during lunch." She hugged both of them close. "This is so exciting."

Blueblood advanced and gathered them up as well. "Tempo, darling, do relax. Beat, Pulse, we love you, we'll miss you, and we are very proud of you."

So they advanced as one through the streets of the Crystal Empire. They could see other foals headed for the same place. Their parents were there alongside them. Other children came with grandparents, or aunts, or some other friend or relative. It seemed every pony had somepony at their side, and Beat and Pulse were no exception.

The schoolhouse loomed above, a welcoming place of learning. A stallion was nodding at each pony, large and small, that came along. He spotted Tempo's family. "Ah, hello there." He waved at them. "I'll do my best to see to their, ahem, unique needs. I've never taught dolls before, but we can make it work."

Blueblood patted the shoulder of the teacher. "My children are made of the finest parts, and all foals deserve respect."

"Of course." He put a hoof to his own chest. "Each and every foal deserves that, and a chance to grow and learn! Now, little ones." He smiled at the two new golem students. "Head inside and pick empty desks. We'll be starting in about fifteen minutes. Settle yourselves."

Beat and Pulse swept past the stallion, taking seats near the front of the room, giggling and looking at each other with excitement. They were far from the only foals. The class poured full of foals both ahead of and after them. Many looked towards their new metal companions with different emotions. Many were nakedly curious, but others were uncertain. One even looked scared.

Tempo squeezed her husband's hoof as she gazed into the schoolroom through the window in the door. "They're doing it."

Blueblood let out a sigh. "My children, they are the bravest ponies I know."

A little colt walked up to Beat and Pulse and said something. The words were lost, the door in the way, but Beat and Pulse both perked. With smiles, they rushed off somewhere else in the large room.

Tempo covered her mouth with a hoof. "What was that? They moved so quickly. What happened?"

Blueblood drew in a sharp breath. "That colt spoke to them. Our children are about to make friends, Tempo." He inclined his head. "Rather, being foals, I think they already made friends." He bumped against her. "We should go. We have more to do than watch our foals at school. Though I will admit, I am tempted."

Tempo only pulled away reluctantly. "Cadance is right. When Flurry Heart is ready for school, we'll know." She dared a smile. "I look forward to that magic day, when we can watch another foal have their very first day. I hope hers goes as pleasantly. They do deserve happiness."

Blueblood put an arm around his wife and tugged her gently along the street. "Happiness? Certainly. As if any foal of our family deserves less. Now, dear, we are alone for the first time in a while. I say we get some well-deserved rest, and then enjoy one another's company."

Author's Note

I was almost late with this one. Late! To the first day of school! Unacceptable...

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