February 7th, 994 Domina Solaria

A cool breeze blows through the hospital room as Nurse Redheart opens the door. The white unicorn shudders slightly, but not from the cold; she dislikes having to come into Herd Apple's room. She feels uneasy around Doug, the human sire in Herd Apple, though she knows he doesn't really deserve it. She has gotten to know Doug quite a bit better since he has spent the previous two days at the hospital and mentally berates herself. She is a professional and she should act like it!

Nurse Redheart forces a smile on her face as she steps into the room. She looks around at each of the mares fussing over their foals as she continues dragging in her cart loaded with medical supplies and tests. She turns around and busies herself, making sure the last set of tests are ready. Satisfied everything is in order, she turns towards Applejack, the lead mare of Herd Apple, and her foal, Apple Bloom.

The orange earth pony is trying to get Apple Bloom to sit still but the foal is far more interested in figuring out what her sisters are up to than what her dam wants. Applejack is slowly growing more impatient, especially once she realizes that Nurse Redheart is waiting on her. Applejack grits her teeth before grabbing Apple Bloom with a hoof and setting her down in front of the nurse. Apple Bloom immediately bursts into tears, bawling loudly as Nurse Redheart gives Applejack a knowing smile.

Applejack gently rubs Apple Bloom's mane as Nurse Redheart prepares her equipment. The nurse babbles at the foal as she moves to take a few measurements. She then pulls the wand for the thaumometer out and tests Apple Bloom. Applejack gives a hopeful look as Nurse Redheart checks the reading but frowns when she shakes her head. Applejack sighs and gathers Apple Bloom in her forelegs, wiping away the tears that threaten to form in her eyes.

Doug moves over to Applejack, inquiring to the results. Rainbow Dash, the third mare in Herd Apple, shakes her head as she slowly wakes up from her nap, looking around the room for the source of the crying as well as her foal, Scootaloo. Spotting the pegasus foal next to Sweetie Belle she lays back down, drifting again to sleep. Sweetie Belle awakens, startled by Apple Bloom's cry. The unicorn foal nuzzles into her dam, Rarity, second mare in Herd Apple, who comforts her foal as Scootaloo also gives a tired yawn.

Nurse Redheart places the wand back on the cart, pushing it over to Rarity's bed. Nurse Redheart smiles to Rarity in greeting, asking, "So, are you ready to head home today?"

Rarity smiles back, "Oh dear me, yes, I am ready. While the three days we have spent here has not been bad, per se, I am ready to get back to the Boutique. Celestia knows how much of a backlog I will have waiting for me." Nurse Redheart nods, holding the wand to Sweetie Belle and then Scootaloo. Rarity looks at the reading, frowning much like Applejack. "That is... not very encouraging."

Nurse Redheart shakes her head, giving Rarity a sad smile, then returns to her cart. She looks back, saying to nopony in particular, "Well, let me know if you need anything else. Otherwise, I'll be at the nurse's station when you are ready to check out." She exits the room, her cart following behind.

As Doug finishes comforting Applejack he looks around the room, making sure everything is packed away. The three days in the hospital has been a very trying time. The foaling itself for each of his mares had gone well but the news that each foal has a severe magic deficiency has hit all of them very hard. It is still unknown how their condition will progress; Doctor Horse, the unicorn assigned to their case months ago when they all realized they were pregnant, simply didn't have any previous cases to draw from. While they aren't the first foals born to a mixed race couple (even if those couples are extremely rare) they are the first born to a race with no magic. And, seeing as Doug is the only human in Equestria, Doctor Horse's prognosis ranged from somewhere between bad to the doctor shrugging his shoulders and popping a pain-killer.

The tests they have done so far have, unfortunately, been consistent. The doctor wants the foals to return to the hospital weekly for a check-up and magic test, but his acerbic personality has given the herd little hope. Doug certainly respects the doctor's expertise but his focus on the negative grates on Doug and the mares.

Doug remarks to Applejack, "I don't know about you, but I'm certainly ready to head home. Two extra days here certainly is getting to me too." He pets Apple Bloom's mane as she nuzzles Applejack, the foal slowly quieting down. He chuckles as Apple Bloom again tries to escape her dam's clutches and go exploring around their hospital room.

Applejack sighs, lightly pushing Doug away. "Ah'll keep an eye on this rascal, you go and make sure we have everything ready to go. Ah'll be happy as a hog once we get back home."

Doug scratches Applejack's ears before he gets up again, moving to double check their bags. Applejack's brother Big Mac had brought over some supplies from the farmhouse for the mares but there isn't a whole lot of gear to gather. He moves over to Rarity, lightly petting her mane. Rarity looks at him appreciably before her attention turns back to the two foals. Sweetie Belle is falling asleep next to Scootaloo, who has barely stirred from the commotion.

Doug grabs the two bags, slinging the straps over his shoulder. He lightly taps Rainbow's withers before whispering in her ear, "Time to wake up, love," and heads back to Applejack. He gently picks up Apple Bloom, keeping the squirming foal in one arm. Rainbow yawns again, slowly getting to her hooves. Rarity lifts Scootaloo, placing the foal on Rainbow's back between her wings. Rainbow gives a sleepy nod to her herdmate before falling in line behind her. The somber mood still hasn't lifted as the seven exit the room, Doug holding the door for each before bringing up the rear.

Applejack leads them to the nurse's station, slowly making their way through the hallways. Nurse Redheart gives Doug an envelope containing a copy of Doctor Horse's notes and the list of expenses before they all wave goodbye to each other. As they make their way to the entrance Doug pulls out three blankets from his bag. He tightly wraps each foal before placing them on their respective dam's back. He then pulls out a scarf for each mare, wrapping each scarf around their necks. Doug dons a knee length trench coat, boots, and gloves before opening the door to the outside.

Ponyville is still in the throes of winter. Snow lines the ground and rooftops, a chill breeze blowing through town. Overcast clouds are slowly making their way across the sky, though thankfully few seem to be on the herd's intended route. Standing close to the hospital is a yellow pegasus, the last and most junior member of Herd Apple.

Fluttershy meets them outside, giving a cheerful wave as the group nears. She flutters up to Doug, getting a quick kiss from her stallion. Her smiles broadens before she looks down, seeing each foal swaddled but now alert, awakened by the cold. She moves down the line, nuzzling each foal in turn, before taking her place next to Doug at the back. The procession slowly progresses through the streets of Ponyville; fewer ponies than normal can be seen, and the ones that are present pay them little mind.

The group nears the Carousel Boutique and Rarity starts to move away. She stops when Fluttershy says, "Oh, Rarity, wouldn't you like to come with us to Sweet Apple Acres?"

Rarity responds in a huff, "Fluttershy, darling, while I would normally love to, I must insist that-" before she turns and sees Fluttershy's face. The mare has the largest forced grin Rarity has ever seen on anypony outside of Pinkie Pie. Rarity sighs, turning back towards Sweet Apple Acres. She knows what would happen next, and she is far too mentally exhausted to resist Fluttershy's best puppy dog face. She would never want to cause her junior the sort of distress that would necessitate unleashing that particular weapon. And, she supposes, she could deal with Applejack for a little while longer. She sighs, "Very well, I suppose I have little choice. I will come with you to Sweet Apple Acres, if only for a short while."

Fluttershy's grin grows more natural as she mentally breaths a sigh of relief. Now that the hard part is over, all she has to do is not give away why she insisted Rarity continue with them. The only bolt left to dodge will be...

Fluttershy chances a look to the side. True to her expectations, Doug is giving her a questioning look. His mouth opens as she slowly shakes her head no; thankfully, he seems to catch her hint and his mouth slowly closes, though she can still see the question forming in his eyes. She forestalls his question by asking, "So, Doug, how has your job as the weather scheduler been coming along?"

Doug replies with a wry smile, "Much better than the start of winter, that's for sure. I was able to pick up a lot from working so many different regions, but I think I broke the record on most disgruntled letters in a season."

Rainbow breaks her silence, "Well, it wasn't completely your fault. A lot of those ponies just can't handle change; you knew it was going to be bad trying to get mares who can barely handle moving active rainstorms to move active snowstorms."

Doug responds, "Well, sure, but then I should have accounted for that. If I build a schedule that they can't keep to it's just as much my fault as theirs; probably more so if I knew beforehoof that they couldn't hack it."

Rainbow rolls her eyes, "Ya, I suppose not every pegasus can be as awesome as I am. Hey AJ, did you hear back from the mayor yet about me getting lead on the weather team?"

Applejack doesn't bother looking back, responding with an exasperated, "Yes, Rainbow, and Ah still can't believe you want this much responsibility so soon after having these three. Ah'm going to be plum tuckered out just watching Doug take care of them."

Rainbow gives an exaggerated sigh, growing more excited as she continues, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Well, what did she say? Did she say yes?"

Applejack sighs right back, "Ah'm sorry Rainbow, but she said no." Rainbow gives a loud sigh as Applejack continues, "She was thinking of offering me team leader of the plant team for Winter Wrap Up, but Ah passed. Ah'll need to focus on getting the farm ready."

"Yeah, I guess. There's always next year. Oh, speaking of next year," Rainbow looks back to Doug, "Think Pinkie Pie will throw you a party on the anniversary of you coming to Equestria?"

Doug winks at Rainbow, "Knowing Pinkie Pie? She might start it a little early. Just to get it out of the way so she could throw in more parties. For our herding anniversary, birth of the foals, anything under the sun."

Fluttershy gulps nervously; Pinkie will give her a very hard time if she lets slip what Pinkie has planned. It can't be helped if they figure it out on their own though, right? All she has to do is keep quiet about the...

Doug notices Fluttershy looking around nervously and asks, "Fluttershy, you okay? You seem a little distracted."

Fluttershy's eyes dart back and forth and she covers her mouth with her mane, "What, me? Oh, no, I'm just, um, excited at how close we are! Look, we are almost to Sweet Apple Acres!" The mare points her hoof with forced excitement as Applejack opens the gate, the dirt road leading towards the main house mostly cleared of snow. The group trundles along the road, finally reaching the door.

Applejack peers at the darkened house and closed blinds, remarking, "Ah'm surprised Big Mac and Granny aren't out here to greet us. It's almost like..." she trails off, looking at Fluttershy, "Now, you wouldn't happen to know what's going on here, do you?"

Fluttershy hides her face behind her mane, a quiet, "Who, me? Um..." escaping her lips.

Applejack sighs in resignation, "Fine, Ah guess we'll just have to get this over with. Alright y'all, let's head in."

Everypony heads inside the darkened farmhouse. As Doug enters, bringing up the rear, the room explodes into light and sound.

"SURPRISE!!!"