****
Canterlot University
Spike

With a sigh I scratched at my scales, which were seriously in need of a bath after days in a library. Well, I lived in a library but this one was different.Twilight had been running around like a mad mare for days now and that of course meant that the latest issue of power ponies and things like basic hygiene went out the window.

This craziness was all to help for the Princess’s most troubling scientific announcement or a 'dozy' as Pinkie Pie put it. The “Male to Female Fertility and Birthrate Study” had just been conducted for the first time in five hundred years and the results had shown some troubling conclusions. Perhaps it should have been done much sooner as the study had shown startling low birthrates, staggering differences in filly to colt births, and an embarrassing reduction in stallion fertility...Really, I’m so glad dragons don’t have that problem. Well, I think we don’t anyway. Twilight won't let me read up on that, saying I'm too young for the birds and the bees. But I never ask her about that, just about dragon stuff.

Right, suffice to say that the mad mare behavior was completely called for in Twilight’s opinion.

A book enclosed in purple magic went flying to a growing pile in the University's library.

“Twilight?” I asked tentatively, already tensing as the lavender mare muttered something absently, one ear twitching in my direction.

I shouldn't have opened my big mouth! The distraction sent a new book sailing over my head causing me to duck, more out of practice than necessity. I mean, I kept my scales hard and ready for a fight...When I wasn't forced to stay in strange library that didn't even have a bath much less a shower.

“AH!…Twilight!”

My reaction didn't help.

Two more books flew off the shelf behind me and I barely had enough time hug the floor. Really, those princesses gotta send a tranquilizer with their letters; if one thing needed fixing then EVERYTHING needed fixing according to Twilight. Once she even made problems because there wasn’t anything happening! It was sort of her thing though, but I still could do with a little more tranquilizers in my life…

When in doubt -“IT'S ONE ‘O'CLOCK!”- mention the time.

It was instantaneous, “WHAT! Spike I am not ready and you were supposed to let me know when it was twelve thirty! I *GASP* have SO much to do!”

And there she went again, dashing back and forth between the tables she had confiscated from those poor students. I like to think that those fillies ran away to get to class and not away from a twitchy-eyed Twilight, however their screams suggested otherwise.

I will be glad when the princesses arrive, Twilight can get all this information to them and I can get a decent sleep. I really should get paid for this.

The doors were encased in gold magic and opened revealing the ladies of the hour. Celestia and Luna had come alone, which, while strange to see it wasn’t completely unlike them. I mean what could take out Celestia…Wait never mind, that happened just couple of months ago at the wedding. But, I know for sure nothing could take out both princesses at once at least.

“Hello princesses! Twilight’s a little busy still...” I trailed off as I joined them watching the chaos that was hurricane Twilight. A swarm of lavender encased books had risen from their piles and preceded to shelf themselves. I stepped behind Celestia’s nearest foreleg, this was crazy. They shot at their respective place on the shelf, many crashed as they crossed paths, all the while Twilight was simultaneously reading a book she levitated, and her hooves were busy adding to her report. It was at twenty pages last time I checked...She was still just on herbal remedies. No, I wasn't kidding, and she still insisted on searching for magic enchantments, cursology, virology, and many more topics that I had tuned out.

Her teacher was unfazed though, not even a ear twitch at the mess the library was becoming. “Hello Twilight, how has the research gone so far” Celestia asked in her calm, motherly tone.

I still don’t know how she stayed so calm when Twilight went all mad mare on us.

****
Princess Luna

Internally I was face hoofing at my sister’s student. Here was a bright, magically gifted unicorn and she was reduced to this, this lunacy over a simple request. All she had to do was provide some logical starting points for the research team to divide among themselves to explore. But my darling sister didn’t mention to twilight that she wasn’t to be part of said research team, the team that would take several days to weeks to gather. And now my sister's immature actions have turned her student into a one mare research team. I honestly believe my sister did this on purpose.

My sister’s greeting went unanswered, which I’m not terribly surprised at with all the focus Twilight was putting into her magic.

But the air was so thick with her magic, it drove me up the wall. A thousand years with only your own magic to contend with and you forget the magical hum that society has. “QUIET THYSELF TWILIGHT SPARKLE!”

Like a wrench had been through in her gears the books dropped mid-flight, Twilight Sparkle's concentration broke as she blinked. I quickly put a hoof in front of my muzzle to hide the grin I felt coming on, and sister says that the Canterlot voice wasnt’t needed anymore.

Only a slight widening of her smile indicated my sister's amusement.

“What topics have gathered for the team miss Sparkle?” I glanced at Tia just in time to see her nod at me, looks like she was letting me deal with her student.

She reminded me of fish the way she gaped at me. I almost laughed at her until a hair sprang free from her mane. Then the chaos resumed.

I blinked and missed it. Twilight Sparkle popped up right in front of me so quickly that my wings sprang up in surprise, my feathers standing on end.

Was that a snicker dear sister?

As if she was channeling her friend Pinkie Pie, Twilight opened her muzzle and fired off at a rapid pace.“ImsoosorryprincesslunaididntseeyouandCelestiathere.Pleaseforgiveionlyjustfinishedmynotesonthebontanical-,” and so my sister’s student continued on and on about the fertility enhancing properties of the Tribulus fruit versus the Palmetto berry. My stomach felt a little queasy at some of her in depth descriptions to the processes, I can assuredly say that I never wanted to know exactly how mobile sperm needed to be, nor the optimum consistency of ejaculation. I mean, I have known about rutting for a thousand plus years, but I knew only what was expected as a ruler and mare. My eye twitched as she went into depth on the benefits of Viago root for flaccidness of the penis.

Why did my sister ask for her help again? Exactly the same reason she let me address her manic pupil now: Tia was avoiding the problem through distraction. She never could handle pressure, not healthily anyway. While Twilight was extremely expressive under pressure Tia was the polar opposite. She bottled it deep down inside herself, the more stressed she was the more she smiled and focused on others...In fact, that is probably why Twilight was the perfect student for Tia; the neurotic unicorn was the mirror image of the 'internal' Celestia. How do I know that? Well, after nearly two thousand years together we have seen each other at our worst. Celestia’s happened to be when she had just reached adulthood which also coincided with when our parents died. Mine was but a thousand years ago when I fell to my darker emotions.

“I’m sorry Twilight. We appreciate your research but it wasn’t necessary; you see we already have a team arriving here in couple hours.” Celestia spoke up, ears somehow not moving as she looked contritely at the stack of papers Twilight held up with her magic.

I wished my ears would stay still like that, they were such easy tells.

Fluffy bunnies, Tia was looking to me now. What had I missed? I may have tuned out Twilight...But I really didn’t need to know about fertility nor did I want to thank you very much.

“Wa…Wa…Wah” Oh no, now her ears were quivering as they splayed out, Twilight Sparkle looked like she was going to burst into tears. I sighed and gave my sister a pointed look, this whole mess could have been avoided if Tia wasn’t so immature.

I let Tia counsell Twilight and explain that we may have a different job for her in the operation...Wait, What? Just what are you on about Tia?

There wasn’t-

“And that is why I trust you to help coordinate sex education classes with Mayor Mare and the School. You know many different aspects of fertility already after just three days of research." Twilight's ears slowly perked up, and her eyes blinked away the tears. "I trust that you can help the ponies of Ponyville get the best education on that matter.”

Hurricane Twilight Sparkle started to recover speed, her head held up as lavender magic began humming, grabbing a thick stack of papers and a protesting dragon from behind my sister.

Dear Faust Sister, what did Ponyville ever do to you?!

Twilight was beaming now as my sister continued, “-Now I if will please excuse us. Luna and I must make the announcement.”

I really should be sleeping sister, thou are very lucky that we love thee so.

****

Celestia

I could tell that Lulu was not happy with me but I couldn’t bring myself to face my ponies alone.

How do you tell the ones you care for that they must change their believes? Change their very lifestyle? The ramifications of our decision won’t be over for a couple of years at the soonest, more likely not for ten years. In fact, I almost miss Luna’s Cake Prohibition of 1859 in the face of today’s announcement; it had all been started on the claim that the cake was a magical inhibitor… And now I had to bring back a law that had not seen the light of day since even longer, the year 1610, our father himself had ousted the law then. He was right to though, it wasn’t necessary then anymore as he and mother had harnessed the elements and stabilized Equestria. But now it looks like it is needed. I can only hope they will understand.

I went to my happy place and brought a smile from there before stepping forward onto the balcony. Luna brushed her withers to mine. Thank you, Lulu. I know I will need you for this.

“My little ponies I stand before you with concerning news and an even harder answer. As you may know since my sister’s absence there have been many things put on hold as I was only one mare. Now with Luna’s return we have started to hear and continue with some of those matters.”

I paused and Luna stepped forward as they cheered for her, I could practically feel her happiness from her subject’s support. Once Luna stepped back I held a hoof up for silence.

“One such matter was our annual birth and fertility census. It was last done five hundred years ago and Luna wisely brought forth support to it again. Although it was successfully completed it brought to light some concerning facts. We have fewer foals born today than ever before and of those precious foals very few are colts.”

A low buzz started and I tensed my ears to keep them forward.

“The low birth rates when combined with a lower stallion fertility and extended time between estrus have forced-“

Luna pressed as close as the buzz grew louder and I swayed a little.

“-Us to re-enact an old law that once existed before Luna and I were even born. From a time when ponies had little sway over the seasons and weather, a time when they faced exactly we now face.”

I paused and raised my hoof to regain some quiet, the worried murmurs had grown and I hadn’t even gotten to the most shocking part yet. They grew quiet again but only just and with a heavy tension.

“With the great difference in stallions to mares standing as it is we, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna do reinstate the Law of the Herd. The Law of the Herd allows a stallion to have as many mares as he can effectively provide for-“

The silence was deafening now.

“- and requires that all single stallions be matched with available mares.”

I paused and closed my eyes as my little pony's fear grew to a crescendo of voices. We, no, I had caused their fear. If I hadn’t dismissed the study based on a nobles pride we might have caught this pattern sooner. Allowed for more time, so I wouldn’t have to go to where we are now.

A quiet hush had fallen and I dared to open my eyes, beside me Luna held up her hoof and spoke in her Royal Canterlot voice, “CALM THYSELF PONIES, THE LAW OF THE HERD SHALL NOT BE FOREVER AND WHILE IT IS NEEDED WE SHALL HAVE EQUESTRIA’S BRIGHTEST MINDS STUDYING WHY THIS HAS OCCURRED AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO REVERSE IT. THE ROYAL CANTERLOT UNIVERSITY WILL BE OPEN TO ALL PONIES THAT WISH TO HAVE FERTILITY TESTING DONE, FREE OF CHARGE OF COURSE.”

Although my ears were ringing from Lulu’s help I couldn’t help but feel relieved, now it was time to deal with the chaos.

“I understand that many of may have concerns and question regarding the re-enactment of such an old law, we are more than happy to answer them during court. As a reminder to all I will be holding court from eight am to noon and one pm to five pm. My sister’s night court, which is usually less busy and always open to those that can't make it during Day court, is open from six pm to midnight.”

And with that we left the balcony and headed to court, for this first day Lulu had agreed to stay through the late day court to support me.