"Mum? Dad?! What in the name of Celestia are you doing here?!" Shining Armour asked his parents with his mouth hanging open.
His mother and father walked around the room while his father sent him an annoyed look. "That's no way to talk to your parents now is it Shining?"
Shining Armour sighed. "No, but why did you two decide today of ALL days was a good day to pop in on me and Cadance?"
His mother sat down on one of the plush chairs near the fireplace. "Oh we just had this feeling we needed to be here, that's all. And can't we visit or son and his alicorn wife when we want to?"
"But... alright, it's fine, but what are you two planning to do here?" Shining Armour asked them getting off the floor.
"We were hoping you and Cadence could give us a tour of the Crystal Empire while we're here. Your mother and I only plan to stay a few days because I need to get back to work and she wants to start a new book for her publisher." Night Light said with a smile.
"Shining? Who are you talking to?" Cadance called from the kitchen.
"Uh... mum and dad decided to have a surprise vacation in the Crystal Empire for the next few days, sweetheart." He said nervously to his wife.
I bright blue glow emitted from the kitchen before Cadance walked into the lounge room looking clean and with a carrot free mane. She had a bright cheery smile plastered on her face as she walked through carrying Allia in her magic. "Hello Night Light and Velvet how are you?"
"Good as every dearie! Now who is this little cutie? Shining, we know you've kept things from us in the past but not saying you and Cadance have had a foal, that an all-time low!" Velvet gasped looking at the foal giggling in Cadence's aura.
Cadence looked shocked at Velvet's accusation "Oh- oh no she's not ours, we're just babysitting her for a little while until her parents are better. I would have thought you would recognize one of Shiny's cousins?"
Velvet looked as confused as Cadence. "I've never seen this little foal before. I didn't know Pink Petal and Heavy Metal had finally had a foal?"
Shining Armour plastered a fake smile on his face as beads of sweat rolled down his face. "Um... well... she's the daughter of one of our distant cousins, no one close like Pink Petal and Heavy Metal. I think its Aunt Yellow Petal and Uncle Soft Pillow! They weren't feeling well so Twily took on the task until Princess Celestia sent one too many reports for her to do and she gave us... the task?" Shining tried to see if his parents bought the lie.
Both his parents nodded their heads in understanding. "Well I hope they feel better soon! Wonder where their hospital is, we could go visit after our visit here!" Night Light said to his wife.
"NO! I mean.... no you can't see them; their disease is very, very contagious. No visitors allowed. At all. No question about it." His mother's eyes squinted at Shining, scrutinizing his words. Night Light cut her off
“Aw, that’s a shame; it would have been nice to see them. So what’s this little cutie’s name?” Night Light asked cooeeing over the small foal which was now on the ground sucking on her hoof.
“Her name is Allia. She’s a real cutie isn’t she?” Cadence said nuzzling Allia, who in turn booped Cadence’s nose. Sighs of the overwhelming cuteness came from his parents as they watched their daughter-in-law with this little foal.
Shining wiped the sweat trickling off his brow with his hoof and awkwardly smiled picking Allia up in his magical grip.
“I think it might be nap time for one little filly. I’ll just go put her to sleep!” Shining dashed into the spare room with Allia’s crib and placed her behind the bars. “Okay, um… stay? Oh it sounds like I’m speaking to a pet! I’m sorry baby girl for all this kafuffle* and everything, I’m just so nervous about being a dad! It’s not like you came with a manual or anything! Oh I sound like one of those obnoxious teen dads off of 16 and with Foal!”
Allia stared at her dad blabbing on about his troubles to her. Allia looked around her room again thinking of a new fun thing to do. A short sharp scream emitted from the living room and Shining ran outside to see his mother and Cadence crying while his father was smiling like never before.
“What- happened?!” Shining panted.
“Oh it’s just wonderful! A new addition to the family, I wonder what the civilians of Equestria will say?!” Cadence squealed.
“What… what do you mean?”
A letter was shoved into is arms by his loving wife and he carefully read the parchment’s words.
Dear family of Twilight Sparkle,
You are cordially invited to the coronation of the newest princess of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle. The coronation service will take place tomorrow afternoon at the time of three o’clock with a ceremonial banquet to celebrate Twilight Sparkle’s new alicorn hood.
Sincerely, the Royal Pony Sisters, Princess Celestia and Luna.
Shining stood with his mouth open in shock.
He felt the urge to run and scream with joy and surprise. Twily was a PRINCESS?! The feeling of pride had never been higher than at this moment for his sister.
“I… I can’t believe it… our little Twilight’s a princess!” Night Light cried into his wife with joy. Sobs and tears of joy was all Velvet managed to get out showing her joy for her daughter’s new status.
“I… I never realised that Celestia would have… have plans like this for Twilight… did you ever know she would become an alicorn like you Cadence?” Shining asked his wife.
“No, never, ever! I would have thought Celestia would have said something but I guess she wanted to keep it a secret or it could have been like my turn, her destiny, uncontrolled by either sister.”
“Well we better get packing for this coronation tomorrow!” Shining said with a grin.