It had been a couple of weeks since new years had passed by as Canterlot went back to it's normal routine. Everypony was taking it easy and going about their normal routines. After making sure that his enchantments and spells were working properly through Canterlot, Midnight had made his way back to Ponyville with not only his son Starlight, but also his adopted daughter Marina. Having spoken with Celestia about the whole war thing had really upset her to the point where she was having trouble concentrating on the tasks at hoof and worrying about the well being of her foals.

After some convincing however, Midnight had managed to convince the solar princess to let him take the foals with him for a week long visit in Ponyville, thereby giving her free time to do the things she thought necessary. However, upon arriving in Ponyville, Midnight suddenly regretted taking the two foals along with him.

"What the hell?! MARINA! STARLIGHT! Get your tails back here!" Midnight shouted as he took chase after the two foals as they ran around to look at everything. Starlight taking flight above his sister as they looked at all of the decor the small town had to offer, as well as peeking into some of the shop windows to see all types of oddities that they had never seen before.

After a minute of galloping after the two foals, he had finally caught them just as they were going into Sugar Cube Corner. Because, yeah, what foal wouldn't be attracted to a giant gingerbread house in the middle of a small town filled with normal buildings.

The two foals made a quickly entry into the shop, shaking what little snow they had on them off and onto the floor near the door. They stopped and gawked in amazement at all of the confectionery treats that littered the cabinets and display cases throughout the shop. After a moment though their father appeared behind them, his horn lit up as he captured the two in his magical grasp.

"HA! Thought you two could get away didn't you?!" He chuckled softly but stopped as they didn't respond. They were just drooling at the sight of all the sweet treats around them.

"Midnight?" Came a cheerful voice from the kitchen as a certain pink earth pony pressed through the doors, giving a loud gasp as she saw the two foals smiling at her with glee. "OMIGOSH!" Is all that was said from Pinkie as a pink blur busted past Midnight taking the foals from his grip and placing them into a big hug.

"How are you two doing? Have you come to play with Pound and Pumpkin Cake?" Pinkie asked with a big smile. Starlight giggling loudly while nodding while Marina just gave a confused expression causing Pinkie to gasp. "OH! That's right, Marina hasn't met them yet! Hang on a minute and I'll go get them." She smiled as she vanished in a puff of pink smoke, reappearing with the two laughing foals bouncing on her back before jumping to the floor and coming over to Starlight with a smile. Stopping for a moment as they saw Marina sitting next to him. The two foals looked up to Pinkie then to Midnight as they introduced the changeling in the guise of a pegasus to them.

"Pound Cake, Pumpkin Cake, This is Marina, She's Star's older sister." Midnight smiled as he rubbed his cheek lovingly to the side of her face causing her to giggle. The two foals smiled widely as the pounced onto her bowling her over and hugging her playfully. After a minute of playful leaps and bounds they rushed up the stairs into the Cakes foals, room to play.

"Good grief." Midnight sighed as he released a breath he wasn't aware that he was holding in.

"What's wrong Night?" Pinkie asked cocking her head slightly with a smile.

"Those two are a hoof full, mixed with the twins though means they are going to be a ball of energy for the rest of the day." He chuckled.

"Yea, but isn't it great to see them smiling all the time? Who wouldn't want to have happy foals?" She giggled.

"I still can't wait to have one with Applejack, and Rarity. Maybe Twilight as well when she's ready." He smiled thinking of what they would be. Since he is an Alicorn, The chances of him having a unicorn with Rarity were very high. Applejack would have a one of three chance to have any type of foal, while Twilight would most certainly have a unicorn.

"Sound's like someone is going to be busy." Pinkie grinned to the now furiously blushing Alicorn before her.

"PINKIE!?" He spoke in shock causing her to giggle loudly at his expense. She stopped however as he snickered. "So how are you and Braeburn coming along?"

Pinkies cheeks turned a rosy red as she traced her hoof in circles on the floor.

"We're doing gooooooood." She smiled, but not her normal smile, this is one that one would give upon finding true happiness. The feeling of finding that one being you would want to spend your life with.

"Uh huh, he better be treating my favorite party pony right, or I might just have to bop him upside the head." Midnight chuckled.

"He is great! I never thought a pony could understand me like he does. It's like he knows..............." She trailed off as a peculiar look came over her face before being replaced with a smile. The thoughts of Braeburn being a spy falling from her mind. "Anyway, we've spent a lot of time together, we even met each others parent's." She giggled thinking of the event and how it unfolded.

"Meeting the in-laws already?" Midnight laughed seeing Pinkie's face burst into a bright shade of red at the comment.

"W-well, I don't know if he feels that way about me or not. I stay at his house sometimes when I can, but most of the time I have to stay here and take care of the foals for the Cakes. So traveling back and forth aaaaaall the way across Ponyville is a chore in itself." She sighed.

"I understand Pinkie, and maybe I can help you out with getting back and forth a little quicker." He smiled as he headed to the stairs, making his way up and into her room. After looking around the room he smiled as he saw a mirror on the far wall, trotting up to it with his horn lit up. After a second of concentrating, he hit it with a beam of magic.

"What did you just do to my mirror Midnight?" She asked, clearly confused. He gave her a wink while nodding.

"Just watch, I'll be right back." He smiled as he teleported away. After a few moments of looking at the mirror it began to ripple slightly like water after a pebble had been dropped into it. She inched closer for a second just before.

"BOO!" Midnight pressed his head through the mirror scaring the pink pony to near death. She fell over with a horrified expression across her face before bursting into laughter as she watched Midnight step through the mirror the rest of the way. She stopped laughing however as a certain earth pony followed behind the Alicorn.

"BRAEBURN!" Was all that the young stallion heard before being bowled over in a hug from Pinkie.

"Well howdy sugar." He chuckled as he hugged her tightly. "This big guy done said ya missed me and wished ya could save some time goin back'n'forth. So he done made us a lil portal we can go back and forth through teh save some time." He chuckled giving a knowing wink to the Alicorn.

"So does that mean it's a two way portal?" Pinkie asked with a smile.

"You bet." Midnight smirked seeing her beam before bowling him over and giving him a hug.

"THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" She shouted while hugging tighter.

"GCK! No....... problem..........Pinkie.......... need..........air!" He spoke as she finally release him so that he could take in a much needed breath.

"Sorry." She giggled but stopped for a moment. "What If the foals come in here and try to go through?" She asked giving a worried glance to the mirror.

"They won't be able to go through without you having go through with them. It's just for you and your stallion." He chuckled. It also has an alarm in case Mister or Mrs. Cake need you. They can tap on the mirror a few times for the alarm to go off to catch your attention, and don't worry, it not an actual alarm, its magic based so you hear it in your mind. But only once so you won't have to endure it constantly." He smirked.

"Awesome!" Marina spoke up from the doorway as she bounded over after hearing the comment about the mirror. "So this mirror is linked to where?" She asked.

"To my home in jes outside of town, lil filly." Braeburn smiled down to her.

"Wow." She smiled as she tapped a hoof onto the mirror.

"Daddy?" Braeburn spoke up rather confused.

"Braeburn." Midnight spoke in a monotone as his mental link connected with the stallion. 'Marina is adopted, she is also a changeling, so don't worry if you ever see a young changeling within my presence.' He smiled down to the stallion who just smiled back giving a nod.

"Right then, now that ah got some time with my mare, ya mind watching the lit'lins?" Braeburn asked giving a knowing wink to the Alicorn.

"I guess watching these four won't be a problem." He smiled as he looked down to them giving a warm smile.

"Great! Be back later." Was all that Midnight heard before seeing the mirror ripple, and the sheer lack of a certain two earth ponies. He then heard a giggle then a crash from downstairs, turning his head quickly back to the spot where the four foals had been sitting, then finding it vacant, he quickly teleported downstairs and rushed into the kitchen only to get a face full of flour as a large bag pelted him over the head. Giving a loud snort and blowing some of the flour out of his nose, he sighed.

"Yep, this is going to be a long day." He sighed as he he came into the kitchen to fix the aftermath of four playing foals who had just ransacked the entire kitchen.

"Come on Twilight, you've been fawning over that thing Midnight got you for Hearth's Warming since you opened it. You haven't even picked up a single book since then." Spike groaned as he lay sprawled out on the floor in boredom.

"This 'thing' as you put it contains over a billion words collected within almost two hundred thousand books. I don't even think I could read all of them before I turn into a grandpony." She giggled. "But I sure will try." She beamed.

"Well, don't you think studying is more important?" The young dragon smirked, thinking he hit a soft spot in the lavender mare.

"Celestia gave me a month off of studying to relax and prepare for the oncoming war. She want's me to read up on some more defensive and offensive spells, along with helping Midnight to train in hoof to hoof combat as his armor." She smirked seeing the young dragon facepalm. "But that doesn't mean that you have to stay inside and be bored. You have plenty of free time to yourself as well." She grinned toward him seeing him think that over for a minute before smiling and rushing out the front door of the library.

"Yep, knew that would work." Twilight giggled as she continued reading through one of the physics books Midnight had put onto the tablet. Her face contorting into several different expressions as she read them. "Boy, these books are completely wrong." She chuckled before finishing them up and moving onto the next piece of literature.

In the boutique however, there was a little commotion between two sisters as they argued over a certain burnt lunch.

"Sweetie, I know you enjoy trying to make me my meals, but you simply must stop burning everything, I wasn't aware that you could even burn an already burnt piece of toast." Rarity sighed as she floated the solid black piece of smoking toast to in front of her before placing it into the garbage.

"I'm sorry sis, but everything just burns to easily." She sighed, lowering her head.

"It's ok Sweetie, Just remember to let me handle the cooking when you are hungry and everything will come out smashingly." Rarity beamed at her self compliment.

"Alright......." She trailed off looking a little sad. However, all of those feelings were put aside once they heard the bell ring signalling someone coming into the boutique. Rarity and Sweetie quickly making their way into the parlor of the shop to see four foals bouncing around Midnight who was looking a little ragged.

"Heeeeeeeelp meeeeeeeee!" He said as they all giggled loudly at him. Rarity coming up to him and suddenly garnering the attention of the foals. They giving her an evil grin as they slowly began to close in on her, smiling.

"Wow, uncle Midnight, your foal sitting all of them?" Sweetiebelle smiled widely as they looked over to her and bounded over playfully. Rarity coming over to the Alicorn as he sprawled out onto the floor giving a sigh.

"Darling, why are you taking care of four foals?" Rarity asked as her eye gave a little twitch.

"Pinkie gave me a sad story about her and Braeburn, long story short, I made a portal through her mirror to his house and back so they could visit each other and save a lot of time in the process. She is spending some 'quality time' with him while I babysit the Cakes kids. She sits for Star and Marina all the time, its the least I could do for her." He chuckled before hearing a crash in the kitchen. He covered his head with his hooves giving a long groan.

"Seriously, if our foal is going to be this bad, I am going to have to give having more kids a second thought." He groaned louder as he got to his hooves following Rarity into the kitchen but stopping as she let out an ear piercing scream. He looked to the counter to see a bolt of clothing being unceremoniously eaten by the garbage disposal.

"Oh for the love of......" He began as he rushed over to stop the menacing disposal gorging itself on the cloth.

Rarity glared daggers at the Alicorn as the foals all jumped down and ran into a different room giggling loudly. Sweetiebelle giving a worried glance to her sister, knowing that she would be in trouble soon enough. Midnight gave a sigh as he followed the foals into the next room.

"I'll keep an eye on them." He sighed but stopped, turned, then ran by Rarity screaming as several bolts of cloth were following him and smacking him repeatedly. The foals in hot pursuit as he ran out the back door. Rarity blinking as everything happened so quickly.

"What just happened?" She asked as the door closed behind them.