//------------------------------// // Surprise! or not... // Story: Baby blues (literally) // by splash626 //------------------------------// "I can't understand it." Shining Armor shook his head at the thought, "She's up and ready to go one moment and then her self esteem seems to just crash." He was talking to one of the higher unicorn guards on duty with him as he nodded his head in understanding, "Sure she isn't pregnant?" "I asked how the doctor appointment went and she said it was.. fine, she didn't mention anything extra and went straight to bed, maybe the doctor was wrong or maybe she's starting to feel a little under the weather?" Shining Armor spoke in concern. The brown built stallion thought for a moment, "When my wife was pregnant, she withdrew from conversation a lot and stayed home, almost in isolation, no friends, no parties, nothing. When she had our foal she was back to normal, kinda." "Kinda?" "Well, with the baby in all and the stress of the newborn everything didn't even out for awhile, She's completely fine now and our colt is old enough to go to school, he wants to try for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns." he let out a proud smile. "That's nice, my sister got into that school when she was a filly too." he also smiled, "Think the doctor could have been wrong? should we get a second opinion?" "I would recommend it if you want my opinion, I suggest going to Canterlot, they have the best doctors there. My wife was seen by Dr. Caress Alot she does fantastic work." "Thank you, I'll talk to my wife about it and see if we could get an appointment scheduled, I wonder if she's doing okay right now." "Maybe you should take the day off to check on her and talk with her, remember, Family first." "First lieutenant your in charge, thanks for the advice." "Anytime." Shining Armor walked off into the distance crossing the halls and heading toward the castle throne room, as he entered Cadence was nowhere to be found, he entered the bedroom, nothing, he finally found her snacking in the kitchen eating "Pickles and Icecream?" In shock of the unexpected company Cadence jumped almost knocking over the bowl chuck full of icecream and pickles. "Honey! your home early, heh heh..." "Is there something you should tell me?" "Yeah it's just.." the alicorn looked at her afternoon snack, "Ice cream and oats and pickles taste really good, topped with hot fudge and salted whipped cream sprinkled with pickled hay." she gave him a sheepish smile. "Salted whipped cream? Pickled hay? Cadence." he put a hoof on her shoulder and she returned a concerned look, "You have been acting strange lately and I'm worried the doctor may have been wrong and we need a second opinion." the smell of the pickles and ice cream sickened him and churned his stomach. "You think so? I could go see that other doctor within the city." "I was thinking more like Dr. Caress Alot." "Dr. Caress? She's in Canterlot, well I guess I can plan a trip there." check out the shopping too. "Great! I'll be there right by your side this time." he gave a hearty smile "By my side?" she thought, "Oh, there's no need for that." She waved a hoof, "I'll be fine by myself." "No no, I've been given time off, we can go today! I'll make the appointment." "Today?" Cadence thought aloud "Is there something wrong with today?" "I.. Uh.." the alicorn put a hoof to her cheek, "Think Cadence think!" she tried to come up with an excuse, "Will it really be that bad if I told him about my insecurities?" "I've really been concerned, have you been stressed lately, I'm sorry I didn't notice, maybe I should slow down the overtime and have the lautenate take my place to spend more time with you." The thought really did appeal to Cadence but she knew the royal guard needed him, She was tempted to outright lie to him but, her own husband? was it really worth it to get out of this tight space all because she was scared of not being a good parent and feeling vulnerable, this was the important bond between them but, it was hard knowing your exposing an open wound to another person, even if you trusted them. "It isn't that its just, I need some space right now." she looked at him almost desperate, she didn't want to give up her secret, not yet. "Ok, if there is anything you need, anything! Tell me, alright?" "Alright." He wasn't sure if he was convinced of her answer, "Is she ok?" he wondered but he didn't want to push her uncomfortably. Something is going on and he's going to get to the bottom of this for her own safety and emotional health. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So has Cadence talked to you lately or perhaps your last visit?" Shining Armor decided to meet with his sister in Ponyville early the next day before work, it was a long ride but it was worth it, besides, Cadence and Twilight are close sister-in-laws. "Well of course, we talked about Star Swirl the bearded and his amazing achievements and, wait why do you want to know what our personal conversations were about?" she took a bite out of her daisy and dandelion sandwhich, they decided to stop at the nearest cafeteria for breakfast. "I'm not trying to pry however, She's got me concerned, I think she may be in foal but don't tell anypony about this." "What!? You think Mi Amore Cadenza is in-" Shining Armor stuck a hoof in her mouth. "Don't tell anypony about this, remember we're in public, gotta keep the volume down." Twilight pulled her mouth away from his hoof and stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Okay okay, but you didn't have to do that, but why would you think she would hide that from you?" "That's why I came to ask if she may have talked to you about this, she hasn't been acting like herself lately." "what do you mean?" Shining Armor took a bite out of his french toast sprinkled with oats before he answered, "Well, one example, the other day we had a picnic near the crystal pond and we noticed two baby ducks playing together, she began to cry and when I asked what was wrong she replied they are 'being so nice to each other.' Strange? Don't get me started on the pickles and icecream." "Pickles and icecream?" she gave a disgusted look. "Yes, and she also has been having mood swings and random low self esteem moments." "Has she been checked by the doctor?" "She went a couple days ago and she said it went alright but she didn't say anything further than that, because of these symptoms these last few weeks, we were suspecting and we have been getting routine checks because, you already know we have been trying for awhile." "Yeah, awhile now. I can talk to her if you like?" Twilight offered poking her hoof in the air. "That would be appreciated thank you." "I'll contact her as soon as I get the chance, ooh! I can give her a tour of my castle!" she clapped her hooves together, "Since we haven't seen each other since you know , Tirek." she said in a lower voice, the thought sent chills down her spine. "I understand, thank you for this I'm sure it will help her unfold." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So why can't I come again?" the little dragon had started to feel left out. "Don't worry Spike, I'll be back with Cadence to take a tour of the place, besides, the castle could use a little shine up." Twilight was about ready to head to the train station, " I sent Cadence a letter already and she should be here any minute now if she left as soon as she got it." she trotted toward the door eager to meet her sister-in-law. Spike slowly walked toward the broom and sighed, "'It's not like the place wasn't clean in the first place." he said in a low voice. Twilight had just put her hoof on the dirt road when she heard a very loud *THUMP! chips of crystals fell to the ground and she looked up to see Derpy rubbing her head, it was a wonder how this pony isn't in the hospital all the time. "Uhh.. sorry about that Princess." "It's ok it will just grow back, over time, It's crystal. Are you alright?" she offered a hoof to the embarrassed pegasus who fell on the ground afterword. "I had no idea crystal grew back, here's a letter for you!" she grabbed her bag and dumped all its contents onto the ground and scattered the pile searching for the envelope, she picked one up from the middle of the pile. With alicorn magic she quickly opened the letter, "Dear Twilight, I'm afraid I won't be able to make it for the trip, I would love to meet with you again soon just maybe not today. -your favorite sister, Cadence." she sighed and headed back into the castle but then realized Derpy was still there picking up the mail, she used her magic to put all the contents back in the proper more organized state in the mail bag, Hovering with the filled totes Derpy thanked the princess for her assistance. Spike was humming as he was sweeping the entry hall floor, he had not made much progress when he noticed Twilight at the crystal doors, "She wasn't at the train station?" he stopped sweeping and lifted a brow. "*Sigh, we'll have to go to the Crystal empire ourselves, Spike, pack for the trip because I'm not gonna let a letter get in the way of our time together. If she can't come meet me here then we will meet her there." she said almost authoritively with wings spread. "Come again?" he scratched his head confused. Twilight walked around the little dragon, "Spike, Cadence hasn't been herself lately and I'm afraid that whatever it is she's bottling up maybe serious, Shining Armor came all this way to tell me himself he was so worried. So I don't want travel, letters, or schedules be the reason we postpone our visit." she spoke in a more gentle tone. "So this mean's I get to go too!?" his eyes lit up when he let the broom drop to the floor. "We can't go if we don't pack our things, we'll be there for as long as she needs us." "Consider it done!" he solute and in a flash was gone, Twilight giggled as she began toward her room.