I take a deep breath as Barbara appears on screen. She is greeted by polite applause, and by a handshake from the anchor.

"Hello, Doctor Fischer," the anchor says. "I understand you were recently examining these extraterrestrial ponies, and that you may have some information regarding how they would impact our lives."

Barbara nods, and takes out a folder. "Not wasting any time getting down to business, huh?" I smile, as she sounds exactly like I would.

"Why is the nice lady in the screen?" Twilight asks. I look down to see that all the thirteen other ponies are grouped around my feet, looking up at the screen. Derpy is still in my arms, and I'm still trying to cope with the fact that she has a brain tumor.

"She's in a news station," I tell Twilight. "A camera is recording her, and sending the image here."

Twilight nods, but I can see she doesn't understand. As the ponies begin to talk, I shush them, as what is said today may determine my family's incorporation into society.

"Firstly, as you can see, they are incredibly adorable," she says, taking out individual photos. A desk-top camera focuses on each of them, and all of the ponies gasp as their pictures appear on-screen.

"Daddy! Daddy! I'm on T.V.! Daddy, I'm on T.V.!" Twilight shrieks. I smile, and barely manage to hold Rainbow Dash down as she attempts to fly up to the television screen.

"What's going on!?" The cyan filly demands. "How am I on T.V. and here at the same time!?"

"It's okay," I assure her. "I'll explain later. Just sit down and watch."

Rainbow pouts, but sits down all the same with a response of "okay, daddy." I smile as I see the payoff of the respect I'd attempted to teach her.

Barbara proceeds takes out the x-rays, excluding the one that shows Pinkie's crazy bone structure. She explains how the bones are all normal, and then pulls out the print-outs of the MRIs.

"Do you see that, kids?" I ask. "That's what your brain looks like!"

They all watch on, intrigued, and I can't help but get wrapped up in Barbara's voice.

"You see, the brain activity shows that they are very capable of sophisticated thought," she says. "They can all think as we do, act as we do, speak as we do, and participate in society as we do."

"Daddy, can we watch Thomas the Tank Engine again?" Rainbow Dash asks.

"Daddy, can we watch anything but Thomas the Tank Engine?" Rarity requests.

"Daddy needs to watch this, okay?" I tell them. Celestia and Luna watch on, respectfully, as I explain. "This is very important for us. Not just for one or two of you or for me, but for all of us. Depending on what they say, you may or may not be able to have social lives."

"But it's boring!" Pinkie Pie protests. "I wanna do something fun!"

I frown, and struggle to make out what Barbara is saying over the din of complaining ponies.

"You see, they're perfectly capable of participating in society, and the only way they could possibly affect us is to benefit us."

"I see," the news anchor says. "Now, I understand that you were in direct contact with the man who will be their father. Would you mind supplying his name, as well as his attitude on this matter?"

"I'm not allowed to give his name," she says, sternly, "but I can tell you what he wants from all of this. Like any father, all he wants is for his children to lead a good, happy life. And he wants them to be very successful, and to be able to participate in society. He simply wants his children to be happy. And believe me when I say that he is a wonderful father, and his children are very respectful. While you may believe they can't learn respect due to their biology, they seem to have grasped the concept rather easily. The only one we had any problems with was Rainbow Dash, and that's because she panicked when we put her in the MRI."

"Oh, my," the anchor says, sympathetically. "Was she alright?"

"Oh, yes, she was fine," Barbara responds with a smile. "She was just a bit shaken, that's all. Peter got her to calm down."

The anchor nods, and looks back at the images with a newfound interest. "I believed that there were fourteen ponies, and yet...there are only thirteen x-rays, and twelve MRIs."

Barbara gulps, and I lean forward. "Well, one of them has a...condition, which would be...difficult, to tell the world about," she says, sternly. I can tell she's talking about Pinkie Pie. "And another one has a...growth, on their brain that would have been disturbing to some viewers."

I sigh, and look down at Derpy Hooves, who smiles up at me. You would never have guessed that she had a brain tumor...

I pick her up, and smile back at her, feeling myself choke up as she playfully reaches for me, her eyepatch snugly fit over her cocked eye. I hug her close, feeling tears well up as I rock her back and forth.

"I love you, Derpy," I whisper to her. "I love you, baby..."

I begin to cry. My baby has a brain tumor, and I can't do anything about it. And it will continue to get worse until she...she...

Oh, God, I can't think about this right now! I need to focus on the television, it's the only thing that can get my mind off of it! Besides, I need to see how the news anchor reacts...

"Daddy, why are you crying?" I look down to see that Fluttershy is frowning up at me, her hooves pressed against my leg for support as she stands on her hind legs. I smile, and pick her up with one hand, placing her on my lap.

"I...I'll tell you when you're older," I whisper. "For now, daddy needs to see what the nice lady on the television has to say, okay?"

She nods, and snuggles against me as I watch the television. Oddly enough, it makes me feel more...secure.

As I watch, I feel a warmth on my side, and see that a few of my children have joined me on the couch of their own accord, and are pressed up against me. On the floor, some ponies are pressed up against my legs, and a few ponies are joining Fluttershy on my lap.

"Don't cry, daddy," one of them begs. I look down to see Rarity, sitting on my lap. "Don't cry. Please."

I smile, and place a hand on her back. "Alright," I tell her. "I'll try. Thank you," I say, now turning to address all the ponies that are pressed up against me in my time of need, "thank you, all..."

"You're our daddy," Rainbow Dash says from my shoulder, her wing wrapped around my neck for support. "We can't let you be sad!"

I smile, and rub my cheek against Rainbow Dash. Pinkie joins her on my other shoulder, and wraps her forelegs around my forehead in a hug.

"Nope!" The pink pony cries. I smile, and scratch her under the chin a bit, turning back to the television with a warm feeling in my heart as my ponies comfort me.

As I look down to look at my ponies again, I see that Trixie is simply resting a hoof on my side, a guilty look on her face. I smile as I put down Derpy, on my lap, and pick up the young unicorn.

"Hey, there, Trix," I say, softly. "What's with the glum face?"

"I'm mean to you," she says, just as softly. "But you're my daddy, and now, you're crying, and I can't make up for being mean..."

I smile, and hug her. "My sweet, sweet Trixie, you don't have to make up for it. I will always love you. I will always love all of you. And you never have to be afraid of me shunning you." I kiss her on the side of the head, and she reciprocates the hug.

"I love you, daddy."

I smile, and kiss her again. "I love you, too, baby."

She pulls away from me, and smiles up at me. "So...are you done crying yet, daddy?"

I smile, and nod. "Yes, sweetheart. I'm done crying."

I look down at Derpy, and I realize that I've just lied.

"Now, onto the origin of these ponies...They have a resemblance to-"

I panic, and fumble for the remote control. I turn off the television before they can reveal anything about the show to my ponies and panic their poor hearts. I sigh in relief, but realize that there are two ponies staring at me in suspicion.

I look to Celestia and Luna, and they frown at me. "Why'd you turn that off? We wanted to know where we come from."

I take a deep breath, and look at them very seriously. "As your father, all you need to know is that I am trying to protect you. Do you understand?"

They nod, and I pat them on the sides. "Good."

I sigh, and look down at the ponies. A few of them have fallen asleep on the couch, and Celestia and Luna are conversing silently just besides my knee. I scratch Derpy behind the ear, and she tilts her head so my finger can get to the spot between her ear and her skull more easily. I smile, and continue to scratch her behind the ear for a good hour and a half.

Just then, I hear the door to the office open, and close. I turn to see Barbara.

"We'd better get the ponies back to your home," she says with a sigh. "Don't want them to be sleeping in an x-ray, do you?"

I chuckle lightly, and nod. We pick up the ponies, and bring them, two at a time, down to the van that had brought us here. We load them in, and then step into the compartment with them. Barbara knocks on the pane of glass between us and the driver, and we're off.

"So," Barbara says, smiling as Rainbow Dash pokes her, "I told them that the ponies would be beneficial for society."

I nod. "I know. I saw. But I turned it off when they spoke about...That."

She nods, and we pass the rest of the ride talking about either the ponies, or our personal lives. I find out that she was born here, in Kansas, and that she went to college in New York. I tell her that I'm from New York, and her interest is piqued. We talk about our hometowns-her about the farm she grew up on, and me about Brooklyn. As we speak, I get to enjoy her southern drawl, and as I learn more about her, I find myself admiring her more and more. In case I haven't me mentioned, she has a distinct southern drawl, and one that Applejack has started to imitate.

Looks like I've got my cowgirl pony after all, eh?

As we approach my home, we get the ponies ready for the transfer from truck to crib. We stop, and within fifteen minutes, we have them all peacefully(?) napping in their cribs.

When we go downstairs, I notice that it is not a simple nap, but is actually bed time. It looks to be about eleven or something, which would make Barbara's drive home treacherous...

"I think you should stay here tonight," I say as she prepares to leave. She turns to face me, rather surprised.

"Mr. Mactylan, I thought you knew better than this," she remarks. I raise an eyebrow, and she sighs. "Our relationship is purely professional, and I expect you to-"

"I don't want you to stay because of that," I defend myself. "What made you think I would ever lower myself to an action of that standard? I said you should stay because of how dark it is out. I don't want you to get hurt on the ride back."

"Oh," she says, relieved. "Oh, okay..."

I nod, and she chuckles lightly. "I'm sorry, Ah'm used to people trying to use me," she says, softly. I smile as her southern drawl drags out her "I", which occurs once in a while. She lost it during her ten year stay in New York, but her accent sometimes creeps back in for a visit.

"So, where would I sleep?" She asks, putting her bag down on the table by the door. I smile, and lead her to Charles' bedroom.

"Charles and Agent Tratno are currently in Washington," I inform her. "They'll be speaking at the UN on my behalf for a little while. I couldn't leave my children for that long..."

Barbara nods, and sits down on the bed. "Peter?" She asks as I leave.

"Hm?"

"Thank you," she says with a small smile. "You're a truly good man."

I smile back at her. "I would beg to differ," I say, before turning the lights down, and closing the door behind me. I don't want to get into a conversation as to my morals right now, so I'm just going to check on my kids, and go to sleep.

When I enter their room, I see that they're all awake, and looking to me expectantly.

I chuckle, and tuck each of them in, give them a kiss on the forehead, and lightly clear my throat as I begin to read a story aloud, not stopping until they've all fallen asleep.

Except for two.

"May I speak to you, daddy?" I turn, and smile at Celestia and Luna.

"Of course."

"Why did you turn off the television today?" Luna asks. "We would like to know where we came from."

I smile, and pick up the both of them, cradling them in either arm. "You two are incredibly mature for your age," I tell them. "It isn't exactly a good thing, but...alas, it is the way it is.

"Now then, I would like to tell you where you come from, but I honestly do not know."

They frown at me, and I shrug. "I wish I did, my dears, but I do not."

The nod, and I assure them that, if I ever do find out, they will be the first ones to know.

The two heavenly sisters simply nod to me, and lie down, somewhat disappointed.

Disappointment is far better than insanity, which I'm us they would plunge into should they know about the show...

I enter my own bedroom, and see that there is a pink pony standing on my bed.

"How did you get from in there," I ask with a smile, "to in here, without me noticing? Are you a ninja, my dear?"

She giggles, and I scoop her up as I lay down.

"Or do you just wanna snuggle with good ol' pops, eh?"

She smiles, and nods. I place her on my chest, and she immediately snuggles up to me, resting her head in the crook of my neck as we fall asleep.