Where... is it...

My eyes are shut, trying to ignore the harsh morning glow peering through the curtains. It might be start of a new day, but that doesn't mean I have to acknowledge it just yet. The day only begins when the eyes open.

Until then, my hand fumbles around the sheets, reaching across the bed, looking for something in particular. My alarm clock quietly chirps its morning alarm, trying to keep me from drifting back to sleep. Despite it's best efforts, it goes ignored like the new days glow; I've no intention of any more rest.

Because there's another Glow I'm searching for. I can hear her muttering to herself. I think she's reading something... probably the draft to the document she's submitting today. Something about tax rates, I think, but I'm still too groggy to remember properly. Plus, I'm a little distracted, as my fingers slowly creep through the sheets.

She should be right... around...

"Wh--Hey!" I hear a disgruntled yelp, as my fingers dig into something meaty and plush. There she is, a smile creeping across my face.

I can feel the bed lurch as that squishiness is pulled away -- and the mattress shifts, bringing the full weight of the familiar mare into my side with a loud creak.

I can feel hot breath on my face, chuffed at me in irritation. Maybe if I keep my eyes shut, I can avoid the consequences of my actions.

...

Nope, I can feel her hoof digging into my side. I doubt keeping my eyes shut will help me escape my fate much longer, unless I'm partial to a bruised stomach.

Slowly, the bulwark to my self-imprisoned darkness gives way, one of my eyes cautiously opening.

It's bright, and I'm not talking about the sun. There's my morning Glow, the ivory freckles that contrast her pink fur scrunched by that perpetual frown she's grown oh so fond of wearing. I'm not complaining, either; it's a look that works for her. Or maybe I just like angry women. Probably both.

Her cerulean mane is a complete mess, just like it always is when she wakes up. Wavy and tangled in contrast to her usually well-managed, rolled curls that bounce with every step. A few minutes with her curling iron would fix that, but I loved seeing this natural, disheveled side of her before she has a chance to touch up.

Her nose is inches from mine, those brilliant orange eyes sparkling in the days sun, half-hidden under her scowl as she stares at me, lip curled. She's still half-covered in the blankets of our bed, but they do little to hide the curve of the motherly hips tucked beneath them. Her hooves dig into my side with annoyance, and she's staring at me expectantly.

I slowly crack a smile, opening my other eye.
"Good morning, beautiful." I whisper playfully.

Not the answer she was looking for, apparently -- she chuffs air in my face, making me squint as her brow furrows even further.
"Good morning? Maybe it was, before you interrupted my proof-reading, asswipe. I told you yesterday..." She starts scolding me, her lip twitching as she pokes me in the side with a hoof, over and over.

I know she's chastising me, but... god, I love her voice. I could listen to it for hours -- there's this adorable tinge to her tone that she gets when she's 'upset', but only when it's with me. It's probably why I keep goading her, honestly.

She's still going, talking about how she warned me that she couldn't do with any distractions today, and that she needed to get up early and focus. She has to meet with Mayor Mare early, so she can handle her submission and tackle a reform they're working on... I'm doing my best to listen, of course, but... watching her plush lips move is devastatingly distracting. I wouldn't mind a morning kiss.

My fingers slowly crawl from the blankets beside her, ever so carefully traveling up her side. Her words suddenly pause with a sharp inhale, Cozy's back instinctively arching as my fingers start to trace just above her flank, digging through her bedraggled morning-fur with my nails.

Her lip twitches in anger, glare redoubling on me.
"Are you even listening to me, you bucking horndog? Honestly, you only --" She starts up again, but I cut in.

"You've got forty-five minutes to get to the Courthouse, which gives you thirty minutes to get ready. My classes don't start for another few hours, and the kids need to be in school in about an hour. So, I'll handle the kids and their lunches, while you focus on being the prettiest damn mare in that courtroom, and sweeping them with not only your new reform, but with the new alteration you're lobbying." I respond simply, making claw-like motions through the fur on her back, working my way up from her flank, to her withers, and slowly back down. I'd wink at her, but it's more like a blink until I actually open both eyes.

"...Alright, so maybe you were listening." She grumbles, though the stern frown remains. The hoof that had been poking my side rests on my chest, as a long sigh escapes her.
"Still, doesn't change how you still distracted me from my proof-reading. The one thing I asked you not to do, Arny." She notes coldly.

"You checked it front and back, tip to crack more times than I can count last night, Cozy. It's perfect, I guarantee it." I smile softly; my other hand comes to rest against the soft, short fur of her cheek, my thumb gently brushing across her freckles. If she's still using my nickname, that means she's still being playful.

She scoffs, raising an eyebrow in judgement. Waiting expectantly.

"But..." I continue, spacing my words out to goad her. She tsks impatiently, and it's pretty hard to stop myself from grinning.
"I am sorry for taking your attention... you know damn well just how easily you... captivate mine." I start to say quieter, throatier -- as my hands trails down her back, between the muscles of her wings, tracing a finger along her spine, until my hands lift with the curve of her flank. Cozy wasn't a particularly tall mare... but her hips didn't hear about that little detail. A shortstack through and through, and it was something that drove me crazy any time I could get my hands on her. Which, being my wife... was often.

She startles quietly, flinching as I help myself to another handful of her meaty rear, fingers sinking into the supple, furred flesh. Despite all her huff and puff, her scowls and frowns... she's yet to ever put her hoof down to my rampant teasing.

"What, are three kids not enough? How voracious are you?" She growls, looking down her nose at me disdainfully.

"You know I'd give you a fourth in a heartbeat." I retort without hesitation.

I see that soft red flush take her pink-furred cheeks, no matter how hard she tries to hide it by looking away. Her face is scrunching in frustration, and all the while, I'm slowly kneading her plentiful posterior, enjoying the handfuls it offers.

She grumbles to herself, cursing under her breath before looking back down at me.
"By that bitch Celestia, you... buck you." She mutters suddenly, before roughly grabbing my face with her hooves -- a throaty exhale escapes her as she presses our lips together hard, practically pinning me into the bed with her weight. She may be small, but she's got heft to her.

"It's... a good... thing... we got... you... snipped..." She mutters between passionate, messy kisses. Fuck, she's got such soft lips. She's irritated with me, frustrated even -- or so she acts. But her body tells a far more honest answer, the way she presses her barrel against my chest, pushing into me. Holding me to the wet smooches that I eagerly return, Cozy gasping heavily for breath as she refuses to let herself stop.
"Or we'd... have... a dozen... of the... little..." She keeps muttering.

The only thing that gets her to slow down, is when I give her flank a rough squeeze, pulling her cheeks apart, and letting them go. She arches again, wings twitching as she bites her lip.
"M-mm -- Buck you, Arny, you know I have to get ready. I don't have time, asshole!" She hisses, smacking my chest with a flustered hoof.

"Oh, I know." I admit, unable to keep the cheeky grin off my face. "Just... making sure I'm on your mind today."

"I'll cut your dick off while you're sleeping, I swear on any of those shitbag Princesses."

"I think you'd be more upset about that then I would be, honestly."

"...I despise you."

"Yet you proposed to me." I hum, planting a peck on her snout. "Think you've only got like, twenty minutes left now... you'd better hurry."

She growls, a loud grunt escaping me as she digs her hooves into my stomach, using me as a launchpad. Her wings unfurl, and she quickly bolts across the room, directly into the joint bathroom to freshen up for the day. I had it coming.

I wish we had time to shower together. Not in the cards this morning, though.

"Oh -- you want me to pack you a lunch?" I call out, slowly pushing myself up to a sit, swinging my feet over the bedside.

"Mm-mm -- lunch with Mayor!" I hear her mumble loudly a room over, her words muffled by the start of furious teeth-brushing.

Just the kids lunches, then. I slowly stretch, one arm in the air as I raise off the bed, a long sigh escaping me. Only downside of teasing the absolute shit out of my wife -- I wouldn't in be much better condition for the rest of the day. Tucking my stiffened member into my waistband'll handle the physical side, but... well, then again, not like I ever mind having Cozy pervade my thoughts.

Since I don't need to handle my classes quite yet, I'll throw on some light clothes, like shorts and a shirt -- I can get properly dressed in my usual Academia-brand fittings once the bathroom isn't occupied, and after I get back from loosing the kids. I'd call them little hellions as a joke, but it hardly applies; Cozy runs a tight ship, and our kids are damn well behaved as a result. She's a damn good mother, which is something that I'm sure surprised those that knew her previously.

She's also pretty fucking hot, and one of the main reasons I made her one thrice over. Never bumped into her in her more notorious days, funny enough, which probably gives me a little bias. I'd been studying in the Crystal Empire around that time.

Thinking about her again causes me to make a fatal mistake, however. I let my eyes roam towards where she slipped off to.

Since I'm tall, and she's short, our house is assembled to cater to my 'Obtuse Tallness' as Cozy puts it (like she's not into the size difference). That means things are almost to Human scale, since it's easier for a pony to step up on a stool or lean on a counter, then it is for me to hunch over down to a pony-sized one and throw out my back. We've got stools for the kids (and for Cozy... actually, mostly for Cozy), which means...

She's up on her hind legs, stood on a stool for some extra height, leaning against the sink. One of her wings grips her toothbrush, and she's furiously trying to multi-task, trying to sort her hair with a curler, her teeth, her fur. Twenty minutes is definitely pushing it.

I try not to let the way her Rook-Marked flank sways with her back-and-forth brushing motions distract me for too long. She'd have to curl her tail, too... The kids still have close to... probably forty minutes, if not more before they have to go. I can spare some time, for totally benevolent and helpful reasons.

She makes an alarmed, disgruntled noise of upset when she sees me appear in the doorway; worst part is, with her stood on the bathrooms step-stool, our waists are the same level. Tempting, but...

I smile softly, stepping beside her and plucking the curler from her grasp. She makes another confused, mouth-full-of-toothpaste mumble, before I start to slowly run my fingers through her unkempt mane. She's the only one in the house who curls her hair; so of course I learned how to.

"Let me? My way of making up for making you late." I offer playfully, leaning down to softly kiss her head.

The careful glare I get warns me I'm on thin ice... but she goes back to brushing, now using her freed hooves to prep a wash-cloth for her face. She takes a lot of pride in her appearance, and appreciates routine.

I click the curler on, as the internally-charged gem emanates heat through it, getting to it. Not too different from how they worked at home, just without a socket. I know how she likes to style it; I can get it close enough. Somehow, I manage to resist teasing her any further.

...

Can't be said for my other, however. I feel plush hips press against my crotch while I work, a few times too many to be coincidence. She's staring at me in the mirror, looking pretty damn smug.

And she ribs on me for being voracious.

Cozy and I own a two-story house nestled a short but comfortably distant length from Ponyville's center. Still doesn't take to long to get where we need to go, but we're far enough from most of the other abodes for our personal tastes. Considering Cozy's... history with the town, it's a way to provide peace of mind and a sense of privacy for her. For me, it's an excuse to have a sizable garden to sate my green thumb, and far enough from most ponies that I can partake in something vital for my species.

Grilling. Thankfully, Cozy nor the kids mind it, but the average Ponyville pony tends to be quite... vocal about the smell of grilled meats. Understandably so, but still something I appreciate the distance from town for. Griffonian imports are my saving grace out here, and were set up for me some time ago by Twilight in consideration for my dietary needs. At this point, they're just taken out of my pay from working at the Friendship School.

It's a good place; we've spent some time renovating it to fit our familial needs. Originally just my place, and a once-upon-a-fixer-upper to give me something to do while being stranded in small horse land, it felt like Cozy's arrival is what made it really feel like home.

It's a two-story cottage, foundation braced with cobble stone and wooden beams, right out of a cottage-core dream. Rough cobbled half-wall serves as our fence, looping around a hefty chunk of perimeter; I'm proud to say we've got a good bit of yard. Cozy and my bedroom is upstairs, as is the kids rooms. The sisters share the larger room, while Alexander gets his own; a bit small, but this way, they've each got their own personal space. Upstairs bathroom connects to our bedroom, while the kids use the downstairs one. Good sized kitchen and dining room, since both Cozy and I enjoy cooking, and plenty of living room space for family activities.

A wistful, reminiscent sigh escapes me. I still remember when Cozy first burst in through my window those years ago, waving one of my kitchen knives at me. God, she took my breath away. Literally -- she landed on me when she came in through the window -- but also in a romantic sense. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way, and I think it's fair to say she thinks the same.

Cozy is touching up before she gets downstairs, which gives me a few minutes to work on the kids lunches. Looks like I'm the first downstairs, too. Living room is quiet, kitchen is quiet... rubbing my hands together, I set about making sure the kids have something proper. It involves my panini grill, and some fresh ingredients I bought from our grocery haul a few days ago.

Toast, buttered -- but not Lumie's, she prefers mayo. Then, slices of cheese, tomato, lettuce. For Ruby, add onions and drop the tomato, for Alexander, add mushrooms. My kids might have particular tastes, but I'm happy to oblige. As they're set to grill, I start bagging some smaller snacks as I hear hooves take the staircase.

Alexander, our eldest and only colt, aptly trots down the steps. I often joke that Cozy was 'saving ink for the others' -- he's almost entirely white, in fur and mane, with only brilliant gold-orange eyes to match him to his mother. Ruby got her mothers fur color as her mane, and Lumie's hair matches her mothers. All of our children came out as white-furred ponies, which I was somewhat glad for despite the surprise; the prospect of a half-breed didn't sound like the healthiest thing, and I was already surprised we could even have kids at all, so I was glad to take them however they came out.

The thing about ponies, is their names come to them like cutie marks, apparently. Pre-destined or something, which is why so many of them aptly fit the little colored mark on their butt. Alexander, though -- I named him. Cozy told me to, when we saw that he had a horn. The doctors were confused, some even whispering about infidelity, but those got shot down quick; Cozy and I hold absolute trust, and I didn't even consider the option. They'd mentioned something about how a Pegasi shouldn't be able to birth a Unicorn, but Humans can't normally have kids with Horses, so... I took the doctors skepticism with a hefty grain of salt, and named him something from my home, instead. Twilight even tried to make him a Case Study, but Cozy has always been very firm in her handlings of the Elements. Primarily with the phrase 'Buck off'.

"Father." Alexander greets aptly, nodding to me as though I were a dignitary in royal court. I'm not sure where he picked it up from, but Alexander always floats this air of regality around him. Even since he was young, he's always seemed to be in control of his emotions... or just generally not very interested in showing them. Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever seen him cry, even when he scuffs his hoof or something -- he's not the most physically adept member of our family. Huh.

"Morning, son. Your sisters up yet?" I float his way, lifting two kinds of juice-boxes for him to pick between. Grape, and Fruit Punch. He nods at the Fruit Punch, which is promptly dropped into his lunchbox. We don't do Apple Juice in this house. In fact, we don't do much Apple anything, at all. It's one of Cozy's principles related to how she feels about the Elements, and something I don't mind working around. I kind of got sick of apples pretty quick --they're like sweets, and the ponies devour both in unseemly amounts.

"Ruby is looking for something for her presentation, Luminous is doing her hair." Alexander dutifully reports, taking a seat on one of the stools that line the kitchen island. He watches me set up his lunch, clearly already set for the day.

Lumie takes after her mother in the hair department, while Ruby and Alexander tend to take after me. Ruby's hair is often messy, while Alexander's is nearly the same every day. I'm not quite sure how he does it, but he knows what he likes, and he's got it down pat.

"Right, Ruby's got that thing about the Crystal Empire. Got your bag?"

"At the door, Father. Packed yesterday."

"Teeth and Hooves brushed? Horn... horndled?"

"Yes, yes, and... if you're referring to if I'm up to date on my horn-care, I am, Father."

"Look at you, mister prepared."

"As you trained me."

"I think... raised, or taught, is the more socially acceptable word."

"What issue befalls being trained? I'm quite proud of you and Mother's regimen."

"Parenting." I softly correct, again. "Nothing inherently, of course. Being trained is often the first step to complex jobs, hobbies or tasks; but in the prospect of raising children, like you and your sisters, it puts a... sour taste in ones mouth, let's say." I explain. Another thing of Alexander's unique sentiments was his questions.

He was vehemently curious and adored discussions, already edging forward on his seat to listen. While some foals wanted to go play jump-rope or pretend, Alexander wanted to know why Saddle-Arabia horses looked different than Equestrian horses. I actually enjoyed researching that one so I could talk to him about it; something about the long-term effects of focusing Harmony and sub-species drifting.

"So it's merely more socially acceptable to lean on softer words?"

"That's a good way to look at it. Instead of saying that Your Mother rules this house with an Iron Hoof, say she's... Firm, but Fair. You want to soften others perspective, and not give them presumptions."

"I see."

...

"May I have a second pack of the chocolate crackers?"

"Sure, just don't tell your sisters."

"Tell us what, Father?" Another familiar voice chines in. Cozy's and my youngest, Luminous, floats down the stairs on flapping feathered wings. The only other Pegasus in the household, 'Lumie' as I liked to call her, lands at the foot of the stairs, head tilted as she approaches. She's wearing her little backpack, and her Bob is dutifully done. Like her sibling, she shares a near-stark white fur, but her mane much more closely matches Cozy's, with brilliant blue eyes to match.

"Sneaking your brother extra snacks. Want in?"

"Oh! Two juiceboxes, please." She smiles softly, hopping up on the stool beside her brother. Same process; I hold up two, she tells me which she wants. Looks like Fruit Punch is the popular pick today.

"Ruby still looking for her script?" Alex turns to his sister.

Lumie glances vaguely towards the wall, head tilted slightly upward, as if looking at Ruby's room.
"She is." Lumie states simply, before turning back to me, smiling.
"Good morning, Father. Why is Mother late?" Luminous greets, trotting in place.

"Still getting ready. She... woke up late, and has to rush. She's got a meeting, so she'll be out the door quick."

Lumie nods, leaning on the counter. She's tilting her head side to side, watching her Bob wobble softly. A little habit if hers when she's bored.

Luminous, like I'm sure all Pegasi are, is the excitable one of the family. Usually the one to come up with what games they play, or used as a little messenger through the house to give her an excuse to spread her wings. She's got an uncanny ability to find things, living or not, and I'll be the first to admit I've asked her where I forgot my keys. She loves knowing where things are or what's going on -- staying in the loop. She's far more accepting of things at face-value compared to her brother, enjoying watching things rather than engaging in a discussion. Staring at ponies, people, creatures, anything that falls into that blue-eyed gaze of hers. I've caught her staring at ants in an anthill, and snooping on peoples roofs. Second one wasn't quite so well received when she got noticed, and we had a long discussion about privacy. It's still something she's working on. One thing I've noticed though, is she never asks where some-pony or something is. She always seems to know.

I plop two packed lunches in front of two kids, respectively. Both chime in with a unison 'Thank you', setting about getting them stuffed into their bags.

Right on cue, here comes the third, hooves clodding down the steps, a big poster rolled up and tied off with a string which dangles in her mouth. Ruby, our middle-child, the other daughter, and the Earth Pony to our little tribal trio. Easily the sturdiest of our kids. Like her sister and brother, she shares in that white fur, but unlike Alexander, her mane is a vibrant pink that's a very near match to her mothers fur, and with deep, vividly blue eyes unlike Lumie's that we're not quite sure where they came from. Maybe something genetic, from an ancestor? She's got her pack on her back as well, like Lumie did.

"Morning, Ruby. Got everything you need?" I ask, leaning on the kitchen island.

"Yes, Father. I was trying to find my replica King Sombra horn, for my presentation today." She explains, quickly tugging it out of her bag to show me. Looks damn real to me.

"Good work on it, Kiddo, looks nearly one-to-one. How'd it escape you, it start rattling around clamoring for revenge?" I joke, chuckling to myself.

"Not yet. It rolled under the bed, but I've got it now." Ruby answers simply, smiling.

"Attagirl. Any requests for lunch? These two already doubled up on snacks." I thumb towards her siblings.

She's silent for a moment, stood at the bottom of the stairs. Ruby does this... thing, when she's asked questions sometimes. She'll pause, like she's buffering before she answers, kind of just staring into the distance. There's no point in trying to snap her out of it -- she doesn't budge or react until she's done. I've noticed her gaze even drifts a little when it's something complex, before she snaps out of it. Otherwise, she's fine. Never dropped her as a baby, and doctors said there isn't anything wrong with her, so I've never worried about it. Just one of my kids weird quirks that I love them for. Funny enough, she's arguably the most 'normal' of our kids, with an interest in helping me with the garden during weekends. I'm pretty sure that ties into the whole Earth-Pony thing, but since she's the only one who actually likes it, I'm not gonna spurn the help. Cozy, Alexander and Lumie don't have much in the way of a green hoof, they just like the bounty it produces.

"...Twizzly Twisters?" Ruby requests suddenly, ears twitching as she drifts back to reality.

I snap my fingers, rustling through the pantry. More of a treat than a school snack, but they're so well behaved, I can't justify not letting them dip more into the sugary side. As Ponyville households go, we definitely hold a record low for sugar consumption.

As I turn around to plunk the requested snackery into Ruby's lunch, I see Alexander trying to replicate my finger-snapping. I think his biggest gripe is he wasn't born with hands, the way he's always staring at mine.

"Need fingers for that one, buddy." I grin, watching him clap his hooves together in attempted mimicry. Not quite the sound, but I see that rare, perplexed scrunch on his face. I wouldn't be surprised if he figured it out, one day; my boy's a deviously clever one.

While Ruby rustles her loaded lunch into her pack, the last missing number to our family unit and my favorite pink-furred flank comes flying down the stairs, dressed in her usual. A bow-tie tucking back a chunk of her hair, while several large curls sit nestled on her head in her typical look. She hasn't changed her style in years, minus one thing. I think living with me has given her an appreciation for clothing; she's taken to wearing a yellow jacket I remember buying for her early into our relationship, which covers her barrel and forehooves. I said she looked cute in it one time, and now it's as regular as her hair tie or curls. I'm certainly not complaining, it's one hell of a look. Gives this air of maturity that matches her usual frown, since most other Ponies don't even bother with so much as an accessory.

All three kids perk up the moment she appears, excitedly turning to face her. Cozy lands hard just short of the door, wings fluttering to halt herself.

"Let's go, Mom's already late!" Cozy barks, waving a hoof towards herself as she spins around.

I watch in bemusement, leaning against the kitchen counter as the kids quickly file up, first come first serve. Just like the rules, she's iron-gripped on affection, too. Firm hugs, a kiss on the head, and well-wishes for their day at school to each. They're almost her size, which is just a reminder to how short Cozy actually is. Not something I'm keen to repeat aloud, since I'm partial to being in one piece, but hard not to notice.

Hug. Muah. "Be good, Alexander. Watch out for your Sisters." Cozy affirms, patting his shoulder.

"Of course, Mother." Alexander nods, before stepping aside.

Hug. Muah. "I look forward to hearing about your presentation, Ruby. Knock them dead." Cozy says with encouragement, grinning.

"Absolutely, Mom." Ruby says proudly, chest puffed. Lumie is quick to shoulder past Ruby, getting in place impatiently.

Hug. Muah. "Luminous, work on that staring problem. You're doing better, but we still got three complaints last week. Stop getting caught -- through your bangs, like I taught you." Cozy softly scolds... but not really.

"Right. Sorry, Mum." Lumie grins.

"Good girl. I'll be back late tonight, so tell your Father you can order pizza. Be good!" Cozy announces, turning to the door.

"Where's my kiss?" I huff loudly, pouting.

"You got yours. Quit whining." Cozy retorts without looking as she slams the door shut, already on her way. Fair enough, I did get one... or ten sloppy ones. I can see her flapping off down the path towards town through the window, making good time.

Alexander and Ruby look stoked for dinner, now, looking to each-other and at me with wide, excited eyes. Luminous, however, is staring towards the stairs with a distant, spacey gaze.

Forgot to mention; all of our kids were born with a Cutie Mark. Apparently, that's not something that happens, ever, but Cozy didn't seem surprised. Apparently, she was born with hers too.

Cozy's is a Rook. Alexander, a Bishop. Lumie, a Knight. And Ruby, a Pawn. All styled and colored exactly like their mothers, like they're all plucked right from the same chess set. Twilight tried to make a case study out of that, too; but no dice. Cozy wouldn't budge, and I wasn't really interested in being bugged about it either. I always knew Cozy was special, so figures our kids are, too. Plenty special to me, and I don't really care if they're different in the grand scheme of little-horse things.

"Well, we can decide what kind of pizza, now, or do you guys wanna decide it tonight?" I ask, now looking for something to do for breakfast. They've still got a few minutes... maybe cereal?

I don't get an answer, as the other two stare at their distracted sibling. She's still staring somewhere vaguely towards the second floor.

"Lumie? All good?" I call over, waving a hand to catch her attention.

"...Mum forgot her bag." Luminous states idly, blinking as her eyes re-focus, looking to me.

Ah, shit. Now that I think about it, I don't think I saw Cozy with it, either. She needs that, it's got her documents and shit, and today's an important day. If she doesn't have it, she's gotta come back and go down again, and then she's late, and then she's pissed, and then...

Well, there goes walking the kids, but I've got a darling pint-sized nuclear bomb of a wife to prioritize.

"Alexander -- make sure you and your sisters eat a good breakfast and get to school on time, alright? I've got to run your mom her bag." I quickly instruct, darting through the kitchen and pausing at the bottom of the stairs, pointing to him.

My son nods. He's the reliable sort, and we've had mornings like this before. Attaboy.

"Hanging off the bed post." Lumie states aloud. Right, her usual spot to hang it. I flash Lumie a thumbs up, hauling up the stairs, and flinging myself into our room.

Yep, there it is, packed full of her days stuff. I quickly sling it over my own shoulder, 'flying' down the stairs.

I stop by each of the kids, leaning down to plant a firm kiss on each of their little domes. I may be in a rush, but you can't put a rush on love.

"Be good, I'll see you at school later today! Lock up when you go!" I call out, as they watch me with rapt attention. Alexander nods, and I'm out the door, barreling down the path to Ponyville in my comfy clothes. No way I'm catching up to her, but I can probably intercept her before she starts heading back, if I'm quick enough.

The door to the Cozy household clicks shut, the three siblings staring at each-other in unison, left to their own devices.

"Lunch will suffice as our nourishment." Alexander notes, the sisters nodding at the same time. They both rummage the extra snacks granted to them out of their own lunch, hoofing them over to Alexander wordlessly, to help sate his appetite. The offerings are tucked away into his bag.

"Sister. Observe Mother and Father, please. Assure our solitude." Ruby asks Luminous, who nods. The youngest of the Glows trots go the window, peering through the curtains.

"Brother. It stirs." Ruby states suddenly, looking to Alexander. She produces the Horn of Sombra, seemingly not so fake after all, which pulses with a quiet power. "Might you contain it? You may swallow it once I have finished my schoolbound tasking."

Alexander's answer comes in the form of a long seam forming in his fur, from the tip of his chin to the center of his chest. It slowly splits open, his neck spreading open to reveal an impossibly deep maw, lined with jagged teeth, spittle and drool hanging from ivory daggers. A long, prehensile tongue slithers from the shadowy depths of his insides, tenderly wrapping around the remnant of the once-king, before it's subsumed into Alexander's gullet. His flesh slowly seals, the seam disappearing into his fur as the maw shuts.

"...He will behave." Alexander announces, after a tense pause. With the horn dealt with for Ruby's upcoming event, they turn their attention to the days question.
"Sister. How fare Mother and Father?"

Luminous slowly turns, her face completely split open beneath her blueish bangs. Like four split flaps, they reveal a singular, large eyeball in the center of her skull, which pulses quietly, bloodshot veins rounding its edges.
"We are undisturbed. Mother has yet to realize her folly, and Father did not partake in his stretches. He will take longer than he expected to catch up to her." She answers.

"Good. Then, the question. Today?" Alexander asks, tone turning grim on the final word. Luminous and himself look to Ruby expectantly, and their fur bristles with anticipation like a startled cat, hardly able to contain themselves.

Ruby's head and neck begin to twist sharply. Her body stays stock-still as her neck, like the hand of a clock, begins rotating in jumpy motions. Each jagged motion makes a horrid bone-crunching snap, as Ruby calculates. Processes. Perceives. Predicts. It's a long moment, the two siblings waiting in tense interest, the quiet of the house interrupted by crude crunches, as Ruby's head nearly comes full circle. Then, it pauses -- and snaps back forward, undoing it's twisting. Her body reformed, as if nothing had happened.

"...No. Today's court is important to Mother and her progress. Father is excited for his class, as he's to speak on the Washouts, a topic he's had difficulty approaching due to their tendency to skip out on interviews. Additionally, I have my presentation; and you've a test today, Brother." Ruby lists off. "We do not wish to disappoint Father, nor Mother."

Luminous' face slowly re-forms, hiding the pulsing ocular organ from deep within her skull, the seams remerging like Alexander's flesh moments prior.

"Today is not the day. We delay." They say in unison, their fur standing down, calming themselves. They blink several times, before trotting to grab their bags, as if what just happened, never happened, carrying on from the moment their Father left.

"What test do I have, Sister?" Alexander asks, his horn glowing a soft orange as he nestles his own back up and around himself.

"...The Element of Kindness is quizzing about Animals. Your answers will be... Bears are Omnivorous, the Jerboah, and that Timber Wolves have never been found outside the Everfree." Ruby relays after a short pause. This time, her head only slightly tilts, rather than the morbid, grim crunching of moments prior.

"Thank you, Sister. What time is your presentation?" Alexander ponders. "So I might deliver the horn to you."

"... Just after lunch. When I'm done with the Horn, you should be able digest it. Luminous has assured me they are unaware of its disappearance." Ruby states, glancing to Luminous for confirmation before throwing her own on with her mouth, pulling a clasp taut. The youngest smiles, nodding.

"Yep, they don't have a clue." Luminous agrees, wriggling her pack on with her wings. "And nothing to trace it back to us."

"Good. Shall we delay and aim for another artifact?" Alexander offers, stood by the door.

"... I'll look into what they might not miss. After Mum's previous attempt, they've increased security measures in the school -- but I don't have any exams, so I should have time to see how thorough they really are." Luminous explains, trotting outside.

"Time circumvents all, and we have plenty of it." Ruby states, following her sister. "It's been years. They'll have relaxed their standards."

Alexander nods in agreement, locking the door behind them with his magic.

As the trio of white-furred siblings make their way to school, bags and lunches packed, a distant form watches them from the forest line that edges the field surrounding their home.

"....Getting around that blue-haired one sure is something. It's unnerving how observant she is." Equestrias' somewhat pacified Draconequus mutters to himself, body twisting around the trunk of the tree, face green to match the leaves. His eyes are distended like binoculars, fingers fiddling with them to adjust their length.

Ever since the entire Tri-Villain incident years ago, Discord has been loosely following a hunch. He and the Princesses got their power back from the Bewitching Bell... but something wasn't quite right. He didn't get all of it back, he swore. It was just a loose notion at first -- whatever was missing was so minor, it was almost unnoticeable. But, Pinkie Pie had dabbled in using the Bell on that day, and he could still sense loose traces of his magic on her, even to this day.

Which lead him to find out just who else dabbled in that same magic. With the trio still frozen, his suspicions were put on ice... until Cozy Glow came back. From the future. She'd evaded his observations for some time, but now...

Her and her children. Not the Human -- he was bone-dry as a desert dune when it came to magic. Completely empty. But Cozy and her offspring... there wasn't just hints of his own magic. He could sense something Alicorn-y about them.

"So that's where it went... normally, I wouldn't do much about it, but... perhaps a little warning." He mumbles, before snapping his fingers, disappearing.

Luminous pauses, head twisting suddenly as she stares out to the distant tree line. The other siblings pause, glancing back and waiting.

"Sister?" Ruby asks, tilting her head.

"...Nothing. Let's go." Lumie mumbles, quickly catching up.

Author's Note

(AI that served as the ref for the cover)
Cozy Glow

Ruby Glow

Lumen Glow

Alexander Glow