Rarity and Applejack don’t let Dr. Sharps’ presence stop them from nuzzling Doug as he crouches down, one hand on each of their flanks. His ministrations merely spur them further, tails giddily swishing back and forth as they press head and muzzle against his chin.

Doug can’t help but feel particularly elated himself, his hands digging into Applejack’s firm flank and Rarity far more plush tush. The mares clearly enjoy it, too, working together to squeeze him like the filling of a particularly large s’more. He can’t help but pull their barrels against him, wondering when their bellies will start showing, unable to hide the product of their love.

And yet there is a pang of regret. It’s partly because of the cerulean pegasus who clearly wants to get in on the action, with the way she keeps leaning forward just the slightest amount, longingly staring, and yet she holds back. He wants her to join, to be a part of this family, but it’s a decision she has to make for herself. He couldn’t, wouldn’t force her to choose him, much as he wants her to be a part of her foal’s life.

Because he, too, is abandoning one dream for another.

And yet a pang of regret is all it is, quickly throttled and forced down like an unpalatable, mushy banana. His heart barely flinches as he makes the decision to stay instead of going to where he used to call home. A part of him wishes it was harder, that decision between two choices he cares deeply about, and that he might resent having to choose between them. But there is no regret, besides that pang, at choosing to stay. He knows, deep inside, that he might try to contact home. He would take the opportunity, if given to him. But it would no longer be something he strived for, sacrificed for, or made a priority.

Because a message is all it would ever be. Perhaps a visit if it was feasible. But beyond an introduction of the grandkids (grandfoals?) to the surprised grandparents? He would return home - home to Equestria, where his new family lives. Maybe it’s the magic of the place, or something in the water, but he knows he belongs. And won’t let anyone, or anypony, say otherwise.

It takes Dr. Sharps clearing his throat, bemusedly, for Rarity to pull away from Doug, the slightest hint of a blush on her cheeks. Yet he doesn’t let her go that easily, a firm grip on her rump keeping her next to him. She giggles at the overt display of affection, flicking her mane to the side as she tries to regain her composure.

Applejack, a bit more used to Doug’s physicalness, speaks first. “Anythin’ else ya can tell us, Doc? Fillies or colts? Are they healthy?” She glances back to look at Doug, her head unconsciously cocking to the side. She gulps, a hint of nervousness showing through. “Are they foals?”

Dr. Sharps smiles, but it’s the practiced and forced mask doctors often have to wear. “Unfortunately,” he says with a motion to his knife and needle cutie mark, “my specialty has more to do with getting foals out of dams in distress than figuring out what’s going on while they’re still inside. Well, that and other surgeries.” He clears his throat as a hoof goes to the tie of his lab coat, adjusting it slightly. “I have no compunction in declaring this outside my area of expertise.”

Applejack’s downcast expression is unmistakable, her nod slow and forlorn.

“You’re not going to send us to the vet, are you?” Doug asks, his voice hard and conveying exactly how insulted he would be if the doctor were to suggest such a thing.

“Not as such,” Dr. Sharps says with a sharp shake of his head. “There’s a specialist who practically lives for cases such as these. One of the best, if you can stand him. If you’d like, I can write up a referral for you for Dr. G. Horse.” His mouth sneers in something between disgust and a pitying smirk. “He specializes in pathology with a focus in etiology, but his interests vary with whatever he finds fascinating.”

“That’s the second time I’ve heard that doctor mentioned,” Doug remarks to himself. He’s more than a little intrigued, yet he doesn’t look happy about being studied. “And you think he’ll find us,” Doug motions between himself and the two mare’s bellies, “fascinating?”

Dr. Sharps nods. “Without a doubt.”

“Sounds expensive,” Applejack says worriedly. She glances between Rarity and Doug, then back at Rainbow Dash.

“...His service, like that of many specialists, doesn’t come cheap,” Dr. Sharps admits with a sympathetic smile. “And I’m afraid I’m not very good at navigating what services are eligible for assistance. I’m a doctor, not a bureaucrat; I cut through ponies, not red tape.”

Doug sighs to himself as he sinks down to his knees. He has an idea how expensive medical issues are back home, easily bankrupting even prepared individuals. How much worse is it here? Would going through the finances of Applejack or Rarity help, or could they set up some sort of payment plan?

“Well, we could always write a letter to Princess Celestia,” Applejack suggests.

Rarity’s eyes light up, sparkling as she stares at the majestic city of white. “Or, we could travel to Canterlot and appear in pony!” She glances at Doug. “Or, in human, however you say it.”

“Meeting your ruler?” Doug says, visibly shaken. A being with the power to move the sun, effectively immortal with powers potentially beyond imagination? What could possibly go wrong? “I’d kind of prefer to keep my head down.”

“Not gonna lie, but Ah expect the Princess already knows about ya.” Applejack shrugs. “Her guards have met you-”

“-her personal student,” Rarity adds.

“-the Mayor and the head weathermare of a town in sight of Canterlot,” Rainbow Dash finishes. “Each of which would have at least some duty to report something strange.”

Doug sighs. “Okay, fine, she probably knows about me. But I still don’t like calling attention to myself. If she’s aware of me, but hasn’t come to see me, she’s probably just figuring out what I’d do.”

“Apparently what ya ‘do’ includes knockin’ ponies up,” Applejack says with a wink. “Shoot, ya do that to Princess Celestia’n she’ll give ya half the country.”

“Really?” Doug says, taken aback slightly.

Applejack chuckles. “No, ‘probably not. But it’s worth a shot, right?”

“I thought I said ‘no’ to you pimping me out,” Doug says forcefully, pulling his hand away from Applejack to cross across his chest, “and that includes your Princess.”

Applejack looks a little hurt by the gesture; her eyes glisten as she pouts like the fashionista across from her, melodramatically rubbing her belly against Doug. He rolls his eyes, replacing his hand across her back and giving a light pat.

Rarity does not look enthused by this.

“Well, if that doesn’t work,” Dr. Sharps interjects, “you might be able to defray some of the costs by participating in a case study.” He smirks to himself. “Perhaps somepony else could figure something out.” He mouths the words, and earn that foal.

“Yeah, we’ll see,” Doug says noncommittally. “Anything else you can tell us?”

“About the foals?” Dr. Sharps purses his lips. “As far as we can tell, they are healthy foals. It’s worrisome they don’t show up on our best tests, but perhaps they just need… calibration. As their pregnancies progress, we’ll learn more.” He glances to Applejack, Rarity, then Rainbow Dash, lingering on each. “Be sure to tell us if you feel anything out of the ordinary. Now, this is each of your first foals, yes?”

They each nod.

Dr. Sharps focuses on Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “Then remember, no heavy lifting, no large exertions, especially of magic. Given their sire, they’ll probably need all the help they can get.” He glances to Doug. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Doug says, sighing to himself.

“Anything else?” Dr. Sharps asks the four. He looks relieved when they don’t say anything, walking back to the hospital with Nurse Tenderheart.

“How’re we supposed to do that?” Applejack asks frustratedly, her question mostly directed at Rainbow Dash. “Doin’ half’a what Ah do every day would still exhaust me!”

“I doubt I could coast to the Academy without straining myself,” Rainbow Dash commiserates, gritting her teeth. “I bet Doc Vac wouldn’t tell me no like that!” She stands up straight, her wings poofing out.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Doug advises the empty air as Rainbow Dash takes off. He closes his eyes, slowly letting out a long breath. “So,” he says eventually, turning to Rarity, “need help with those gems?”

“Applejack merely delivered the cart to the Boutique,” Rarity says, a sly smile coming over her muzzle. She glances to the farmpony. “Perhaps we need a little something to take our mind off that, yes?”

A smirk curls at the corner of Applejack’s muzzle. “Well, Ah do need to pick up the cart. Ah suppose Ah can come over for a spell.”

Rainbow Dash takes off, straight into the air, her wings pounding. Not as hard as she can, but close to it, her intensity gradually increasing. She’s always been one to push the limits of what is possible, especially with herself, and there’s no way some earthbound doctor is going to tell her what she can do!

She’s probably two sticks up, far higher than Canterlot far off in the distance, before the burning in her wings gets her to slow down. She grunts in frustration as she levels off, the spotty clouds far below difficult to tell apart. She has to keep beating her wings harder than she likes, the relatively thin air starting to chill her lungs.

She frowns as she starts to glide, slowly circling in a wide spiral. She should be better protected than this! A chilly hoof rubs at her chest, and she sighs as she glances down herself. As much as she likes to push her limits, there’s no telling what it’ll do to the little filly growing in her. She tucks her wings against her, nosing over, plummeting half a click until she’s level with the capital city.

The air is still a little cool here, but she’s easily able to compensate. Her wings beat again, the tiny flecks of ice breaking off and falling, drifting away to Celestia knows where. She lazily circles around, trying to pay more and more attention to what her body is going through, especially her magic.

It’s not something pegasi focus on, well, ever. Training your magic is as simple as training yourself. If you want to go fast, you just do. If you want to turn on a bit, you do. Sure, there are times when it’s more obvious, like napping on a cloud an earth pony would fall right through. But even that, and moving the cloud itself, are things that happen subconsciously. Without effort. It’s only when her magic strains, like it was when she was higher up - forced to lift against the thin air, to keep her warm against the cold, to keep her filly alive - that she even notices it’s missing.

Which makes it even more troubling that she can’t tell if her filly is distressed. She can’t feel her at all, yet she knows she’s there. She’d know if she wasn’t, right?

“Figured you’d hang up here,” a raspy voice calls, breaking Rainbow out of her reverie.

Rainbow Dash looks around, one yellow, one light blue, and one gray pegasus lazily circling around with her. Her eyes briefly go wide at the three ‘Bolts, only her breath catching in her throat keeping her from shrieking in delight.

Captain Spitfire squints at something far in the distance to the west. “I’d say it’s about the same elevation as the Academy. Right, Sights?”

“Just about,” Sight Seer responds coolly. “Still not giving up, aye, Dash?”

“Never!” Rainbow Dash manages to get out, still sounding far too enthusiastic for her own liking. Wonderbolts have to be cool, at all times!

“We were really impressed with your performance earlier today,” Captain Spitfire continues, smirking at Rainbow Dash’s eager smile. “And we know we can use more like it.”

“Really?!” Rainbow Dash exclaims, her hooves clapping to her muzzle. Her wings nearly seize, and she doesn’t quite know how she stays aloft. “Omygosh omygosh omygosh!”

“So, we thought of a deal.” Captain Spitfire hovers, seemingly effortlessly, as Rainbow Dash strains to match her. “You get two options, neither of which will be easy.”

“I’ll do anything!” Rainbow Dash shouts, snapping a crisp salute. “I’ll even eat Soarin’s pie!”

“Nopony touches Soarin’s pie,” Sight Seer cuts in, shaking his head. “Captain Spitfire’s orders.”

Captain Spitfire nod gamely. “And that’s only because he called dibs. Got it, recruit?”

“Got it!” Rainbow Dash says, nodding like a foal. She quickly stops herself, but not without a grimace.

“Option number one,” Captain Spitfire says, flicking her two tone orange mane towards Fleetfoot. Rainbow Dash turns to the unassuming mare, closely regarding her. “You beat Fleetfoot in a race, and you’re in.” She smirks to herself as Rainbow Dash takes a deep breath, “Well, we let you continue as a recruit. You go through the same trials as everypony else. And, if you make it, you’re in.”

Rainbow Dash gulps. Fleetfoot is one of, if not the fastest flyer in the Wonderbolts, at least as far as sprints are concerned. There’s no way she could beat her unless she went truly all out.

“Don’t worry,” Fleetfoot says with a flick of her snow-white mane. “I’ll only go as fast as the worst rookie we picked up last year.”

“A-and how far is this race?” Rainbow Dash asks tepidly.

“Back to the Academy.” Fleetfoot manages to hold her wings out steady, in the normal starting pose, while keeping her height from falling. “Ready?”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes go wide. An entire two hour race? At sprint speed? “And what’s the second option?”

“We really liked what you did at the practical.” Captain Spitfire flicks her mane towards Fleetfoot again, the mare going back to flying normally. “We realized we could use more of it. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a weatherpony join, especially one with experience as head weathermare. So, we have a proposal.”

“Y-you do?” Rainbow Dash says, glad she doesn’t need to race and probably lose against the best, even if she would have given it her all.

“You take over for Fluffy Clouds here in Ponyville as head weathermare. The officers have agreed to it, and you’d start immediately. Work here for three years, learn everything you can with an eye to putting it to use in a show, and we’ll see you then.” Captain Spitfire shoots Rainbow Dash a grin. “Which one will it be, recruit?”

Rainbow Dash deliberates for a long second. “And if I fail?”

“If you fail either one,” Captain Spitfire says pointedly, “you’re out.”

Rainbow Dash gulps. She barely knows her weathercrafting, just how to take the clouds where they need to go. She wants to race Fleetfoot, but with those kinds of consequences…

“I’ll be head weathermare,” Rainbow Dash says, a little bit of resignation in her voice. It’ll just be three years, a perfect amount of time to raise this filly, and then she’ll be flying with the Wonderbolts!

“Glad to hear that,” Captain Spitfire says with a smile. She nods formally to Rainbow Dash, the other two Wonderbolts waving. “See you around, recruit.”

Rainbow Dash waves back as they fly off to the west, letting herself free fall with her forelegs outstretched.

Next Chapter: Ch. 75 - Emberwake Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 45 Minutes