"So anyways, that's how Fluttershy and her mom look how they are now. Kind Heart is certain there is no way to reverse the effects, but I want to hope she's wrong," Twilight said.
"Well, I know you want your friend back Twilight, but have you ever thought that maybe this might be good for both of them?" Cadence asked as Spike was still nursing.
"What are you suggesting Cadence?" Twilight asked curiously.
"Well, just think about it. Kind Heart has been traveling all over the land. She barely got any time to spend with her daughter, even while she was growing up. Sometimes it can be hard for both a mother and her child to be apart for so long at a time. Now that Kind Heart is done going across the land and is settling down, with more then enough money to hold her and Fluttershy over 100 years or more, this would be a great chance for them to live the life they never got, and they get to start from Fluttershy's foalhood," Cadnce pointed out.
"Same could be said for Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust. They were very young and lost their folks. At the age they were before regressing, that can be a devastating blow. Now granted they were able to hold themselves strong. But they never got the chance to show their parents all they had accomplished. To be taken in and brought back to the age of foalhood, it gives them a family once more, and this time, they get a big sister as well. All the same, I don't want to separate your friends age from your own," Cadence continued.
"I guess I never thought about it like that. But what if I can't change them back? What if while their foals, we come under attack? What if they never age again and stay foals forever? What if...." Twilight was cut short from her meltdown as Cadence put a hoof on her mouth.
"Remember the breathing technique," Cadence said.
Twilight nodded and used the breathing technique. "Hmhm, you were acting like a little filly again. Oh, how I miss those days," Cadence said as she began to burp baby Spike.
"Well I definitely don't miss the one time she took a sip of my latte and was all over the place," Shining Armor butted in.
"Hey, I thought it was hot chocolate, and you shouldn't have left it where I was able to reach it," Twilight said.
"She does have a point honey," Cadence.
"Oh, come on. Is it gang up on the Captain of the Royal Guard day again?" Shining asked.
"Yes," the mares say in unison.
"Flash, care to join us?" Twilight suggested to her one time crush who was standing on one side of the doors to the bedroom.
"Flash Sentry, you stay right where you are, or I will demote you in rank," Shining Armor commanded with a bit of attitude.
Flash gulped. He didn't want to disobey either side, for he was Shining's second in command. "Come on Flash, you can't disobey a Princess of Equestria, even if the Captain tells you to. Come join us," Cadence said.
"Hey, I have prince status since we are married, and he has to obey his Prince," Shining fought back.
"Not when two princesses outweigh a prince in a decision," Twilight said.
"Actually your highnesses, I politely decline. I need to make sure crazy ponies, like those fog crystal ponies, don't break in to the room," Flash said.
Shining motioned his lips to say thank you. "Oh, fog crystal ponies are nothing but an old crystal pony's tale, but all the same you're right to stand guard, but I think it we are good for now with guards standing watch outside the castle, you two may take your leave. Look's like your off the hook with him this time my Shining Armor," Cadence said, as Flash Sentry and his fellow guard trotted off to turn in for the night and Cadence shuts the door.
"So, where were we?" Twilight asked right before she heard Spike burp.
"About to put this little one to bed," Cadence said as she showed him rubbing his tired eyes.
"Aw, he's so sweepy he can't even keep his wittle eyes open," Twilight cooed.
Spike buried his face in his hooves trying to block out the noise. Cadence used her magic to make a cute and comfy crib appear and after getting him in a new diaper, she gently placed Spike in the crib. Cadence kissed his forehead and said, "Sweet dreams my little Spike."
Spike made a cute little whimper and began sucking on his hoof. After putting up a sound barrier on his ears, Cadence suggests, "Well I don't want to leave him alone, so why don't we call in one of the castle servants to bring us some food and drinks for a nice little family dinner?"
"Sounds good to me," Twilight said.
"Me too, I'm starving," Shining said.
Twilight and Cadence laughed before calling in one of the servants to have their favorite dishes brought up. It did not take long to have the food delivered to their room and they all dug in. "So, have you met any nice stallions back in Ponyville or is Flash Sentry still at the top of the list as your boyfriend?" Shining teased.
"Shining, that's a bit of a private opinion. Besides, what if Flash is listening in and I say something that offends him?" Twilight asked.
"Seesh sis, I was only teasing," Shining admitted.
"Still, that's her private opinion," Cadence said.
"I, I just wanna make sure when my little sis decides to find some stallion to settle down with, it would be a stallion I can trust. So far the only two I trust are Flash and Big Macintosh," Shining Armor said.
"Hey, it's not like I'm gonna date that snob Prince Blueblood. *She shuddered.* That stallion gives me the creeps and frankly, he doesn't deserve me," Twilight said.
"Well there's something we agree on," Shining said.
"Well, I should be defending my cousin, but all the same, I agree with you two," Cadence added.
They all share a chuckle and soon finish their meal. "Well, it was a great talk tonight, so I guess your tired aren't you Twily?" Cadence asked.
Twilight nodded. "Well, I'll have one of our castle staff escort you to your resting quarters," Cadence said.
"Um actually, Cadence. I know this may sound a bit odd, but, could I sleep with you two tonight? You know, for old times sake, have a bit of a family cuddle?" Twilight asked, expecting the worst.
Cadence was a bit surprised but wasn't objective to the idea. She looked to Shining Armor to see what he thought. "Well, we may be a bit old to be doing this kind of thing, but I don't see why not," Shining said.
"I'm fine with it Twily, it would be nice to cuddle with the filly I loved to sit for the most and with my husband," Cadence said.
"Well, let me just grab my night gown and we'll have a family cuddle," Twilight said.
She soon took off to her living quarters and sees Cadence whisper something in Shining's ear. She brushed it off as some couples chit chat as she made her way into her room. She put on her night gown and upon looking in the mirror, it reminded her of looking like her old filly self, making her sigh, thinking about wanting to be young like her friends Rainbow and Fluttershy. She the made her way back to Shning and Cadence's room and they were waiting on the bed for her. "Okay, all ready for bed Twily? Cadence asked smiling.
"Mmhm," she replied.
She soon climbed onto the the bed and cuddled in close to Cadence and Shining kissed her before he said, "Good night little sis."
"Good night BBBFF. Good night Cadence," Twilight said.
"Good night little Twily," Cadence said.
Twilight was a little confused by her sister-in-law/foalsitter's statement, but she thought it was for old time sake. Soon she was deep in dream land as Cadence had wrapped her forelegs around her. She felt as if something washed over her, but she could care less as she slept....
Once Cadence knew Twilight was asleep, she cast a sleeping spell to make her stay asleep. "Are you ready to do this Shining?" Cadence asked.
"Are you sure we should Cadence? I mean, what if your sisters don't approve of this?" Shining asked in a worried tone.
"Actually, I had asked them a few days prior if it was okay, and they were fine with it. I didn't expect her friends to become foals. That was sort of a bonus that came out of the blue. Besides this is only for a few days sweetie. It's not like I am leaving her that way permanently. I'll bet your folks want to see their little Twily again," Cadence said.
"Hard to argue with that one, and if your sisters say it's fine, I'm okay with it too," Shining said.
"Okay, here we go," Cadence said.
She focused her magic on the spell and soon a beam of light shot onto Twilight. Her body soon started to become younger and smaller. "It's working," Cadence said.
She kept focusing on the spell when all of the sudden a bright flash engulfed the room. When they were able to see again. Twilight was nowhere to be seen. "Oh no, where is she?" Shining asked in worry.
"I-I don't know," Cadence replied, no less worried then him.
Neither of them had noticed her tummy had increased in size. "I'll do a scan for her magical presence," Shining Armor said.
When he use his horn to scan for his sister's magic, it came to rest upon Cadence's tummy. "C-Cadence, I-I think," Shining stuttered unable to finish his sentence as he looked at his wife's rounded midsection.
Cadence looked at her tummy and understood what he meant and soon pulled the book that she found the spell in off the shelf she kept it on and opened it to the page she found it on. She mumbled to herself for a bit before raising her voice saying, "What! Warning if spell is cast by a mare to use it for regression and it is not focused on a certain age, the pony the spell is cast on will be regressed to before they were born and the mare shall become the pregnant mother of said pony, in which case the spell will be irreversible once cast. Oh, horsefeathers, you would think the creator of this spell would have put that in fine, bolded print, but no, they had to leave that part in even smaller letters."
"Now why do I have a feeling Discord had a hoof, er, claw, I mean, talon, whatever, in doing that?" Shining asked rhetorically.
"Shining, this is serious, I've become pregnant with Twilight. What are we gonna do?" Cadence panicked.
"Cadence, take a breather for a moment," Shining said, trying to keep his head level.
Cadence used her breathing technique and calmed down. "Now, in all honesty, there is nothing we can do. I know this isn't what we wanted to happen, but it has happened. Now, we're going to have to send word to your aunts and my parents to tell them Twilight has become our daughter," Shining said.
"But, are you sure your parents won't freak out?" Cadence asked.
"Where do you think I got my level headedness from honey. Certainly not my Aunt Amethyst or Uncle Smoky Quarts. Even if one of my parents break down, I know the other will see reason and calm them down after reading our explanation for this. Also, I think they may approve of it rather then shun it," Shining said.
"Why do you say that honey, oh," Cadence said as she started to feel Twilight kick her from inside.
"Honestly, my parents have always been crazy about not wanting me and my sister, well in this case daughter now, they never wanted us far from each other for long periods of time. This spoke true especially when I started my training as part of the Royal Guard and again when she started school. Thankfully, Princess Celestia was able to set it up to where I was near the castle at all times so my sister didn't get too lonely. That's also how we kind of started dating because I was so close," Shining said giving her a kiss and rubbing her tummy to keep her calm and feel Twilight kick.
"Wow, I never knew that," cadence said.
"Yeah, and when my sister was sent to Ponyville and then was given a permanent stay there, my father nearly gave himself a stroke and my mother was in a state of rage for a bit, but they cooled off. If I tell them she is our daughter now, I think this will give them a feeling of joy for three main reasons. One, Twilight will be close to us at all times. Two they get to see twilight's cuteness again, you remember when you saw her at that age," Shining said.
Cadence blushed, for that was one of the reasons she wanted to regress Twilight temporarily in the first place. "Thirdly, they finally get to claim they are grandparents and their still looking young for their age group," Shining finished.
"Are you implying they are old," Cadence scolded him.
"Well, older then me at least," Shining said, saving his flank.
"Touche', but I think we could change that a bit," Cadence said.
"You're not gonna use that spell on them are you?" Shining worried.
"No, no, I would just suggest the Apple Tree of Youth Twilight mentioned to them," Cadence said finally calmed and sort of excited to be pregnant with Twilight.
"Oh, phew. Speaking of Twily, how is she doing in there?" Shining asked.
"She's a kicker, good thing that spell regresses the mind too. I can't imagine what would happen if she had her adult mind in tact while she was in my tummy. Looks like Rainbow, Lightning and Fluttershy have a new playdate on the way," Cadence said.
"Not sure Applejack will be too pleased to hear about this," Shining Armor said.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.