The city was becoming a better place. Our living, as a people, had risen above subsistence, and with that came people with free time, and with that came people doing things because they seemed like fun things to do, for themselves or others. We had power, we had food, and we had water. All the basic things were taken care of, and things were looking like they were improving over time. Spirits were high, which was the perfect environment to start a performance.

I walked hand-in-hand with Cindy through the growing crowd. We were still uncollared and potentially dangerous. This had some drawbacks, but it always meant we had some space in crowds, at least until the pony population decided to get in close and settle around us.

Neon and Sandra were there, as well as Crystal. Our entire herd had been invited formally with a hand drawn letter, like the days before computers, or even typewriters. Our infrastructure was healing, but it wasn't back to the point where you could 'just' order some paper and ink to make a printer work, let alone buy a replacement printer if the one you had was having any issues.

"Princess, did you hear?" The voice came from a pony with purple fur and bright yellow mane and tail. She was quite the bold mark on my eyes. "In another city they're going to get a steel mill running again." She must have noticed my slight confusion. "The people in charge and working in it are a mixed force of humans and ponies. It's really nice to see people pulling together."

Cindy nodded at her. "That's great to hear." I could feel more meaning through our touching hands. The fact that the steel mill was doing so well was another sign that things were moving beyond survival. People would start getting jobs in higher-minded things, creating a better world for themselves and those around them. "Whoever decides to make building materials will become rich."

The pony laughed at Cindy, without malice in her voice. "Who would pay for it? Money's been a little out of fashion for a while now. Do you think that'll change?"

I turned my attention to the other members of the herd. Crystal was looking absolutely rounded. She had come in a slow waddle, and even laying down she was a little overfilled and unwieldy. She was surely due to pop any day now. I reached over with my free hand and stroked along her side. It relaxed her and she began to give a sort of purr under the brushes.

Neon tried to get between Cindy and I, but Sandra gently nudged her away, before she slid in instead. Neon didn't accept that and hopped up on Sandra's back, leaving Cindy truly separated, but that was OK. We nuzzled our herdmates gently before the show began.

The show began with a dapperly dressed human welcoming the crowd, and it quickly went downhill from there, in all the good ways. It was a lighthearted show, meant to make us smile at the antics of the mixed-tribe performers. They'd clearly practiced and were quite familiar with each other. Pretending to be clumsy took more skill than most people realized. Their jokes were also well-timed and poked fun at little things our new society had butted heads against.

"Ever notice," said a woman with a frilly skirt, "all the ponies are just high enough to see what they shouldn't?" She leaned forward a little and one of the other pony performers behind her went dramatically wide-eyed and wolf-whistled her. She ended up 'angrily' running after him while comedic chase music played, and it led right into the next joke.

Not every joke was a hit, but the performance as a whole seemed well-received by the crowd, two or four legged. Clapping, clopping, and ground stomping was their reward. Though the pony ahead of us had said money was dead, that seemed inaccurate, as rationing coupons were dropped in little trays as thanks and payment for the show.

With the show completed, I pushed up to my hooves. Sandra and Cindy also stood up, with Neon casually riding Sandra. The only one that hadn't stood up was Crystal. Thinking she was tired, I wrapped magic around her and moved to gently help her to her hooves, but she slid back down and shook her head quickly. She wasn't tired, she was entering labor. Karen had apparently waited patiently until the show was over, but not much more than that.

Crystal's soft whine caught the attention of ponies around her. Some fled, while others pressed in closer. Curiosity and comradery worked to make them want to be as close as possible to the birthing female. They were saying very nice and supportive things, but I didn't think Crystal wanted to be that crowded. I put a shield around her and expanded it out, gently nudging away the other ponies and giving her some room. "Thank you, everyone. Crystal appreciates your support, but she needs room, and would like her herdmates closest."

When the bubble was let down, Sandra and Cindy moved in to take up the space, gently snuggling with Crystal and whispering to her.

One of the pushed back ponies looked to me with a distinct pout. "She was our princess long before you were, Will. We won't leave her this one time she needs us more than we need her." Similar statements rose from the others, clopping the ground and looking to Crystal with hopeful expressions. It seemed some of Crystal's old herd was there and I wasn't going to shoo them away again, knowing who they were. They were a part of Crystal's life.

Crystal groaned and kicked her legs up in the air. She huffed and grunted, pushing that foal down inside of herself. That foal was no ordinary foal, however. Awake, conscious, and aware, I felt certain that Karen would do everything he could to make his birth as smooth as possible.

Neon thumped the ground. "If you're all so eager to help, raise a hoof if you're volunteering some energy for the mother." Hooves went up, and Neon began harvesting. She may have taken longer than technically necessary with the mares, but she did the job quickly enough, and brushed one of her brilliantly glowing tongues against Crystal. Crystal relaxed at the touch and her crystal coat shone with given power.

A snout poked free of her and the crowd erupted in cheers and celebration, but we weren't done yet. Pushing through that crowd, a pony with a red cross worn around her neck quickly approached. "Excuse me, pardon me. I'm a doctor, let me through." She popped through the last of the ponies and nodded to each of us. "They would have sent a unicorn, but we're fresh out at the moment, and the humans know you're infectious..."

She sounded legitimately ashamed to be what she was, an earth pony doctor. I gently pet over her head. "You'll do just fine. Go ahead, she's already showing."

The doctor smiled and trotted to the patient. She pulled on some plastic coverings for her hooves and began helping out, guiding the foal and joining the chorus of encouragement for the mother. Crystal was in fine hooves, as was Karen. With a loud grunt, the snout became a head. "That's the way. Once you get the shoulders through, the rest's downhill," encouraged the doctor.

~I've never been born before,~ came Karen's thoughts. His eyes were open, but he was staying still.

Cindy replied quickly, ~Most are only born once. Will doesn't remember her birthing, but I do.~

With another soft cry, Crystal bore down, and Karen's shoulders popped through. The doctor gently eased the foal free of Crystal and began to inspect and clean the little colt. "He's healthy!" she called out, to the cheer of the crowd. "He's big, and bushy tailed. Look at him, already smiling."

~I'll need practice to talk. This body is still too young to get it all right.~

Crystal sagged with relief, only to blush as the doctor set Karen down at her belly. Karen found a teat quickly and began to fill himself with that warm milk. The crowd gave soft coos and awws at the sight. The two were bonding and all was clearly well. They wanted to come closer and greet the new colt, so we let them, one and two at a time.

They welcomed Karen, and congratulated Crystal and the rest of us. "This was the best evening I've had in a long time," said one pony. "We came for a show, and ended with the miracle of life, and seeing some of our heroes, together. Thank you." They bowed and scampered off to let the next pony in.

Soon, the crowd had expended itself, and we were relatively alone. The doctor was still there. "Pardon me, but your foal, are they... larger? I'm certain of it..." It was true, Karen had grown from the feeding. This also gave me a chance to look him over properly. He had the brilliant shining pelt of his mother, but it was a soft purple in hue. He also had wings. He was a pegasus. The mouth he nursed with had the bisected jaw of a 'parasite', or Tatzl, as Neon had coined the phrase. His mane and tail were softer shades of blue.

Sandra nodded at the doctor. "We expected that. He's fine, and so is she. You did very well."

The doctor let out a soft sigh. "I'm glad to hear that." She held up her hooves. "I wasn't born with these, not like him. I still miss my hands when it comes to being a doctor. All those years, mastering a steady hand, just for it to go away. It's a cruel joke." She shook off the plastic coverings on those hooves and tucked them away. "Sorry, didn't mean to complain to you. I'm glad everything worked out. You didn't really need me."

I cut off her escape with a hoof. "Hold it up there. Thank you, for helping." I could feel that her gift had gone, but... "We could return you to human, if you want?"

She stopped and looked at me curiously. "That wasn't just a rumor? There are so many of those... My husband's a stallion, and I... guess I'm a little used to it, but I could do so much more..." She seemed genuinely conflicted.

Neon rolled her eyes. "Your husband was with you as a human?" The doctor nodded. "He'll be fine, but go ahead, ask him first, just to be sure. We live over there." She pointed at the building we were in. The doctor left with a hopeful smile on her snout. Whichever way she decided, I felt certain other ponies would hear about it, and we'd get a few ready to ditch their tails and get their hands back.

Karen rose up on wobbly hooves but began prancing around soon enough. His bright eyes found Neon and he smiled at her. She noticed despite looking the other way and shuddered. She wheeled towards him just in time for him to bump noses with her. "Soon."

Neon backpedaled quickly. "Karen... why? Why did you have to be a stallion?"

Karen lifted his ears at her. "Because I want to challenge you, because I want to fill you with a foal, and because you're adorable when you're off-balance."

Neon grunted. "Didn't I show you how great mares have it?"

Karen nodded. "And I've seen how great stallions have it too. This body was a stallion first, meant to be. I could have been happy either way. I am a stallion, and I will be your stallion, and you will be my mare."

Neon stomped the ground. "I will not be claimed by a little foal!" She stormed off in a huff, but Karen just smiled.

Author's Notes:

Karen, stop making this weirder than it already is! He's got his target set quite clearly.

Crystal's a mom!

And the performance had few typos in its production. Everyone wins!