“Surprise!”
There were ponies spread out across the living room. All smiling to the soon to be family, many have been waiting for this announcement for years.
Pinkie brought everyone who knew the couple. Even managing to get Willows parents out of the nursing home so they could meet their grandfoal. Nobody was exactly sure how Pinkie knew all of these connections to them but they let it go so their heads didn’t hurt.
“Mom? Dad?”
“Ahhhh-hh-hh-hh!” Chitter yelled out, now full on crying.
“Pinkie Pie, a foal was attending this party, remember?” Shield asked as Willow tried to calm their soon to be son.
“Awwww, I’m sorry little guy. This party was just to welcome you to your new home.” Pinkie said sadly.
Willow's mother made her way slowly over. “Outta da way young'n, I gots myself a grandfoal to see.” On her approach she hip checked Pinkie out of her way.
“Oof!”
“Mom, there's something you need to know about him.”
“Yeah yeah, he's adopted. Big deal.”
“No mom, it's not just that. He's a changeling.” Willow nervously added.
“Whoopdie do! I gots a grandfoal after all this time. I cou' care less if he were a brick. Lemme see em!”
“Ok mom, just calm down, you aren’t as young as you used to be.” She picked up Chitter, who was still sniffling, and passed him over to the older mare. “Oh be careful mom, he has a bit of a cold.”
“I raised an airhead like you didn’t I? I think I have some experience.” The rest of the onlookers watched the two without much sound.
Achu
“Celestia bless you small fry.”
Chitter stared at her for a long while before seemingly putting two and two together. This wasn't his food giver and that upset him immensely. “CHIIIII,” he struggled against this earth pony’s grip, getting a hoof caught in the temporary pendant containing the now enchanted sapphire and diamond.
“You stop that right now little colt!” She handled him firmly but again with the experience of a mother. “Let grandma get you free and well go get some candy.”
The colt calmed down a bit as he nibbled on the affection being given to him.
“Elm, he doesn’t eat food like that exactly.” Shield stepped up beside her. “As a changeling they feed on positive emotions, mostly love and affection.”
“Well he and I are gonna make some cookies anyway!” She placed Chitter on her back and just started to walk away. “Let’s go bake some treats!”
“Ma'am if you wait just a second I have a bit of info for all of you.” Twilight added to the small amount of chaos going on as she trotted up to them.
“Oh, hello Twilight! Did I forget something there?” Willow asked while trying to sneakily take back Chitter from her mother.
THUD
“Did I not teach you manners when you were a child? You bow to your princess and address them by their title.” Elm bowed without disturbing the now amused changeling, a feat made possible only by the fact she's a grandmother now. “Pleased to meet you Princess Twilight.” Her voice completely changed to address royalty.
Willow rubbed the lump on her head.
“Ma'am I told her to call me Twilight.” Twilight told her.
Elm didn’t apologize or miss a beat when she replied, “Don't matter much Princess. You’re never too ol’ to be re-taught a lesson.”
The gathered group laughed a bit and a mare at the back called out, “Yeah that’s Elm!”
“Now pardon me Princess,” she said borderline sarcastically, “I’ve got a grandson to show off.”
Willow just stood there in shock, “So this is what Princess Celestia was talking about. The older the mare the less they care.” Twilight gave a little chuckle at the memory. “So Willow, I came to see if Pinkie had heard the change of plans and make sure she didn't think Shield was skipping out on her. Now I’m here to deliver some information for you.”
“Huh, what?”
“I said I have some information for you about Chitter.”
Willow smiled broadly, “Oh that's wonderful!”
“Keep your hooves on the ground for a minute, you won't like what I’ve been told. The guards found the remains of at least one male changeling. Tests shows that was the father. The mother wasn’t found, but by the scene encountered and her own ichor, was pronounced dead. The father had a small chain wrapped through his hoof.” She took a moment to collect herself.
“Oh that’s horrible, …h-how?”
“Manticores. Zecora replied back to me saying that last night there was quite the commotion in the forest. She didn't see it but heard the roars.”
“There well… wasn't much to be found. But the chain stated “To my Family: Be Kind”. We're going to leave it to you to reveal to him what happened and give him this.”
“Thank you Pri- Twilight.” She took the small gold chain with a plaque on it. She held it close like it would shatter if she let it go. “Was there anything else?”
“Oh, yeah. Princess Celestia and I decided to give you a copy of everything we know about the maturity of changelings.” Twilight produced a stack of papers in a flash of magic. “This is very incomplete and we wish to check up weekly on him to get more info. Would you be ok with that?”
The pegasus thought it over for a minute, “I guess that’s ok, on one condition. He get’s to call you Aunt Twilight, it should be easier to explain why he goes over there every week.”
Twilight’s brilliant mind stumbled for a moment. “Aunt Twilight? Me?”
“It would be more of a formality than anything. Just a better way to explain when he's older than saying time to be studied again.”
“I guess I could live with that, I’m already an aunt once. Why not again?” She asked rhetorically.
“I’m not looking for you to actively participate in his life, it’s just an excuse.”
“Yes I understand that, but it could be fun!” The gears in Twilight's head turned smoothly as a plan was pieced together.
“Oh, there was one more thing to give you.” Twilight lifted a rather large gem the size of a can of soda. It looked to be a ruby, maybe a garnet. “This gem is very, very special. It will passively gather positive emotion and store them.” Twilight sat down, lifted the gem, and gestured at it. “As you can see right now it's dull like something took some of its color. As it fills with energy it will steadily grow brighter. When full it'll be approximately the same brightness as a glowstick.”
“What's it for?” Willow questioned, keeping an eye on her mother and baby. Elm trotted group to group showing off her new grandson. Most ponies were happy to see Chitter as she carried him around. A few though, looked at him with contempt.
“Well as he grows up you won’t always be there to feed him love. So think of this as his bagged lunch.”
“That makes a lot of sense actually.” A grin spread across Willow's face, “Well put Twilight!”
“I do have my moments. Now why don’t you go talk with your friends and steal back your colt.”
“That obvious?”
“I’ve watched you track him across the entire party. I want to let you know, you'll make a wonderful mother.”
“Thank you Twilight,” Willow turned and tucked the two new items and the stack of papers in a drawer under a side table. After they were stored she started the chase of her own mother.
Shield watched from his little conversation group as his wife snuck up behind Elm and tapped her left shoulder while sneaking on her right. Elm turned left to show whoever it was her new grandson but Willow picked him up from her without Elm even knowing. Shield chuckled as he watched his wife.
“How did someone like you get someone like that?”
“You watch you mouth Spear Tip or I’d think your trying to steal my wife.”
“Oh please, and upset mine? She's already hormonally emotional.”
“Rub it in why don't you.”
Spear Tip actually wilted a bit, “Look, that's not what I meant and you know it.”
“Yeah I know but the look on your face!”
“Oh buck you! Jerk!”
“You better believe this is a lucky stallion to get my baby.” An old stallion meandered up to them.
“Look Glider, I’ve said it time and time again. I’m about the luckiest I’ve ever been.” Shield sighed, “There are still mornings after these ten years I expect to wake up to an empty bed because of my condition.”
“Dear, this story again?” Shield nearly leapt out of his fur as his wife managed to sneak up on him next. “Tell it if you must but watch him for a moment. I need to use the bathroom.” She placed Chitter on his back and left without a word more.
“She runs the house doesn't she?” Spear asked jokingly.
“They all do.” Came the defeated response of Glider. “Anyway, what's the deal with the bug?”
“We found him on our porch last night. Willow brought him in, cleaned him up, and brought him to bed. After all these years of wanting, I think she just latched on to him as he did to her.
Glider watched the little pony lookalike look around for something. He didn’t fuss much now that he was back with Shield but that was probably just recognition. He took a good look at the changeling as this was going to be his only grandchild.
“Well hello! What's your name?” He asked knowing full well the question was directed towards Shield rather than the changeling.
Chitter just sat there but watched him curiously.
“His name is Chitter, or according to the letter I was shown Love Bug.”
“How fitting.” Glider vaguely watched as Elm moseyed over after realizing she no longer had her grandson.
“Glidey have you see-” Elm nearly gasped as she finally found Chitter again. “Shield! How could ya steal ah foal from an old mare?”
Shield grinned a bit playfully, “First, I didn't steal him. I took something that already belonged to me, well Willow. Secondly, you’re not a mare, you’re now grandma.”
“Damn straigh, now I want ‘im back!” Elm replied loudly.
“Oh no you don't mom!” Willow trotted up and snatched Chitter back up. “I've only so many years left to baby him and I want to do so.”
“You an’ me both sister!” The two wandered off to the kitchen leaving the stallions behind to chat.
......
Willow flipped through the checklist they were given for the inspection.
In regulation: The physical requirements for adoptive homes include, but are not limited to, the following:
• The home must be clean, safe, free of obvious fire and other hazards, and of sufficient size to accommodate comfortably and appropriately all members of the household and the approved number of adopted foals.
• The home shall have adequate lighting and ventilation, hot and cold water supply, plumbing, electricity, and heat.
• The home shall have sufficient furniture to allow each foal to sleep in a separate bed and to have adequate storage space for his or her personal belongings.
• The home shall be equipped with smoke detectors in working order.
• If the home uses well water, it shall be tested and determined safe.1
Shield and Willow have done every single possible thing they could possibly do or imagine to the home. Plug guards were installed, cabinets proofed, certain doors locked, foals room prepared with things they wouldn't even use due to having an unorthodox case.
The two prospective parents were leaning against each other in the foals doorway. Panting slightly as they had set up the foals room. Both were super grateful that Pinkie Pie cleans up after her parties like they never happened. Chitter slept in the new crib, breathing deeply as his lips buzzed with each exhale.
Shield looked over the little bug and allowed the thought to sink in that he was about to be “dad”. Sometimes he’d imagine a genderless, subspecies-less pony foal looking to him for guidance and protection, but he was never as satisfied. This little colt needed himself and his wife to continue to live. That alone was infinitely better than those dreams, he just wished it was his foal.
Chitter twitched in his sleep, achu. The sneeze itself startled him but he dozed back off. “I'll take him in tomorrow.”
“Mhmm,” Shield mumbled in exhaustion.
“Come on, let’s go to bed. Who knows how long he'll let us sleep.” Willow grabbed the receiver end of the monitor and guided her husband back to their bed for a hopeful good night’s rest.
1 Actual adoption requirements per my state government, edited slightly to fit their world.