Almost Parents

"What is that?!" 


Shining's question tumbled out as he opened the door to the spacious bedroom he shared with his beloved wife. The pale pink princess was currently lounged in front of the fireplace, a pillow propped beneath her forelegs as she studied a neatly rolled, recently unrolled, scroll of paper. Before her stood a gigantic package, a sturdy brown box that was nearly as tall as Shining Armor himself. 


Cadance continued to read the parchment before her, wearing a smile of loving exasperation. She turned to the white stallion as he nudged his way into the room, hoof wrapped around a cup. "Three guesses as to who its from," Cadance quipped up to her husband, turning the parchment over so he could see the familiar insignia. 


"Ho gosh. These are all books, aren't they?" Shining said with a huff, studying the huge box. It must have taken at least three mailponies to even get it up into the room. 


"Dear Shining Armor and Princess Cadance - I am thrilled to let you know that I've done a bit more research on the current development of my future niece or nephew. I know that you are only four months into the pregnancy, but its best you know everything as early as you can. Anyway, I took it upon myself to research the effects of reading to foals in utero - with a very booksmart aunt and a father with such a huge comic book collection, of course they'd love to read. My examination of several medical papers dictates...well, you get the idea." 


The father-to-be rolled his eyes with a chuckle. Twilight had practically sent them a whole library of nothing but baby books - both early learning books for when the foal was finally born, and huge, thick textbooks on every single aspect of pregnancy, birthing, parenting, foals...and somehow, she just kept finding more. 


"So. More books. What are we going to do with this bunch?" Shining asked as he deposited his saddle bag beside the large canopy bed at the other end of the room. 


"Mmmm," Cadance said as she unwrapped the package, her magic delicately peeling the tape off the top which she remained stretched out on the floor. A small piece of chocolate levitated its way into the princess' mouth. She chewed absentmindedly as she read the covers.


"Looks like we've got...Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Your First Pregnancy, with a note stating to specifically read the third, fourth, and fifth paragraph on page two-hundred and fifty-four...So Your Foal is a Colt! What To Expect For the First Four Years - oh, no, I hope she didn't pay for this one. Well, at least we know Pinkie hasn't let her know about the reveal party...OH! Aww!" 


Cadance suddenly cried out, and Shining Armor immediately stopped pouring the hot liquid in the cup into his wife's favorite mug. He ran over, turquoise eyes wide with terror. 


"Honey?! Are you alright?! What happened -" He questioned fervently, only to find her smiling, touching her lips with the tip of her hoof. Her lovely violet eyes brimmed with tears. 


"Look! Its some of my favorite books from when I was a filly! Oh, Twi." Cadance cooed, looking over a few of the books her sister-in-law had sent. Shining let out a huff of relief. 


"Oh gosh, I remember this one. Frog and Toad by Arnold Lopel. And Peter Rabbit? Beatrix Trotter used to be one of my favorite authors. The Velveteen Rabbit, Jamberry..." 


Cadance rattled off the titles, looking at the books with fondness. After a moment she glanced up at Shining and wiped her eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry for being so weepy. Its just -"


"Heh-heh, I know dear. Its just the baby." Shining Armor said empathetically as he walked back over to the counter, picking up the foam cup and the mug. The princess rolled over and shifted her position, working carefully around her round, taut tummy. She grinned as she felt her future daughter shifting with her. She opened one of the books, glancing at the old, but well-kept pages. Suddenly, a cloud of sparkling magenta magic lowered her favorite mug in front of her, filled with steaming hot chocolate and topped with marshmallows. 


"Aw. Have I told you that you're the best husband ever today?" Cadance said with a smile as Shining tucked in his forelegs and lay beside his beloved. He offered her a peck on the cheek before picking up the nearest book. "Awe, Ma used to read this to me and Twilight. Hmmm..." Shining glanced at his wife's round tummy. "D'you think she'd like this one?" 


"Why don't we find out?" Cadance said, taking a small sip of her hot chocolate, smiling at its sweetness. "Starbucks, even? What a lucky wife I am." 


"Only the best for you love," Shining said, before peeling back the cover. "Once upon a time, there were four little rabbits. Their names were - Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. They lived with their mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree. 'Now, my dears,' said old Mrs. Rabbit one afternoon-"


"Oh!" Cadance gave a small gasp of surprise, and Shining immediately stopped reading. He looked over at her in concern. But she didn't wear a look of pain. Instead, her whole form seemed to glow with her smile. She looked down at her stomach, before back at her husband. "Keep reading. She likes your voice." 


Shining beamed as brightly as his wife before lifting a hoof and gently resting it on her belly. As he continued to read, his heart flipped and fluttered as he felt his little baby move and shift in response to his voice. 


"You may go into the fields, or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden..."


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okay so was I like the only one who was super excited during season 5 for an episode with Shining fussing about Cadance while she's preggers and ended up getting nothing but a....very weirdly-designed baby in the Season 6 premiere (while I've gotten more used to Flurry's design I still am disappoint)
  

So here is just some absolute sap for you guys. I just imagine these two as the corniest, cutest couple that probably has a joint Instagram account. All the books mentioned are just own books from my early childhood that I remember quite fondly (and I was too lazy to think of some other MLP-themed equivalent ) 



Character featured (kinda, sorta): 





MLP:FiM, Characters (c) Hasbro, Lauren Faust 
Art (c) 2018 
Frog and Toad (c) 1970, Arnold Lobel
Peter Rabbit (c) 1940, Beatrix Potter
The Velveteen Rabbit (c) 1922, Margarey Williams
Jamberry (c) 1982, Bruce Deagan