> Surprises For Shiny
>  by FabulousDivaRarity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Surprise!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’m four today when I wake up. I’m gonna be all growed up soon, like Mama says. I lay in bed, all wiggly ‘coz I wanna get up but I’m not s’posed to when Mama and Daddy are still sleeping. So I stay in bed and try and stay as quiet and shushie as I can so I don’t wake Mama and Daddy. They get grumpy when I wake them like I do when Mama wakes me from my nap. I don’t like naps ‘coz they make me miss lots of things I wanna see, but Mama says I need them to grow up big and strong like Daddy. I wanna be like him a bit, but still me too.

I lay in bed for forever until the sun is in the sky super high and I can’t stay still no more. Brutus Force is laying next to me in bed, and I give him a good morning hug. I talk to him on mute since Mama and Daddy are still sleeping. Brutus knows what I mean anyways, and talks to me in my head a lot. Sometimes we tell each other secrets on mute when Mama and Daddy are there, and it makes me wanna giggle ‘coz Mama and Daddy don’t know I know things and have secrets. 

I stick my hoof in my mouth and suck on it. That’s one of my secrets. Mama tried to help me not do that no more but sometimes I still do ‘coz it makes me feel nice and not scared or wiggly. I feel all floppy, like Brutus when I’m playing with him and he bounces on the bed. He’s a good bouncer but he doesn’t know how to stay on his hooves like I do. I try and teach him but he doesn’t listen very good to that. I think it’s ‘coz he knows teaching is boring. 

Mama says I’m gonna have ponies teach me magic someday when I’m big and can go to kindergarten. I ask her why I gotta go ‘coz she and Daddy know all the things there are and they could teach me. But Mama just smiles and says I’ll have fun. I can have fun here is what I tell her, and she laughs. I like her laugh. It’s better than chocolate. But what I like most with Mama is when she gives me cuddles and tells me a story. Mama makes up stories for ponies, fillies and colts, but none of them know the stories are really for me. I like that. It’s mine and Mama’s secret.

Daddy’s work isn’t very fun. He showed me once. He counts lots of bits all day. I wanted to ask him why he does it over and over again, but Mama says I’m not ‘apposed to say things when other ponies are working, so I stayed shushie until Daddy stopped counting, and by then I forgotted my ask. But Daddy is really fun to play with, specially when we play pretend and I’m a knight protecting princess Mama from King Daddy’s army of monkeys. When I get him with my sword he gets all wiggly on the floor before he goes still and it makes me giggle lots.

I sit up in bed. I need the potty now. I’m still learning how to know when I need it. Lots of other fillies and colts already know when they need the potty. I asked Mama once why I didn’t know yet and she said that ‘coz I came out of her tummy before I was s’posed to, it’s okay. I’m just doing it slower to take a rest after coming out of her tummy so quick. I never knowed you could do that too fast ‘till she told me. But Mama knows everything, so I don’t worry ‘bout it.

I have guard rails on my bed. I have to climb over them to get out of bed. Mama says they’re there to keep me in bed while I’m sleeping. But I’m already asleep, so why do I need them? I asked Mama that. She says they’re protecting me. I dunno how I like that. Brutus already does that and Mama and Daddy do that and I do it too so why do I need it more? I don’t know, but I pat them anyways once I’m out of bed to say thank you. That’s nice manners. Mama and Daddy are teaching me them too. Saying please and thank you and ‘scuse me. But that one is for when you burp and when you’re zooming past somepony. Manners are funny. I take Brutus on my back and open my door slooooow to make sure Mama and Daddy aren’t up, and I creepy crawl to the potty. 

Using the potty isn’t hard like knowing when I need to potty. When I know, I can do it really good and Mama gives me any sticker I want. I wonder what sticker I get today. It has to be extra special ‘Coz it’s my birthday. I turn the sink on until it drip drips slow. I don’t wanna make big splashy noises if Mama and Daddy are still sleeping. How else can I play explorer in the living room without them saying no? I’m not s’posed to be up out of bed yet, but since I had to be up to potty AND it’s my birthday, Mama and Daddy can’t get mad at me. 

I sneaky sneak down the hall past Mama and Daddy’s door, trying not to giggle ‘coz I feel like a spy. Finally though, I get to the living room and have to try not and squeak with my happy. I never get to exploring when Mama and Daddy are awake! They always tell me I might get germs- tiny little bug things that will make me sick. I don’t like being sick but I think if they dunno I’m there I’ll be ‘kay. I wiggle down under the couch, and hunt for treasures. There’s a lint ball, and a bit, and a tiny balled up paper. Neat-o! 

I get those treasures, and I look under the couch cushions. They’re heavy, probably heavier than me. But I can lift them barely. I burrow under them, like a mole. Mama showed me them once when we were outside together on a trip. Their faces made me scaredy scared scared but I liked how good they were at digging. I pretend I’m a mole and wiggle like a worm to find things under the cushions. There isn’t much. Mama must have cleaned it early.

I pout, and pop my head up from the cushions, climbing out from them. I sigh a little, and pick up Brutus. I guess exploring can’t happen all the time. But, I got a bit! Maybe I can play pirate outside with Brutus as my first mate. But I’m not allowed outside without a grown up. I look out the window by the bookshelf. The sun is way way up in the sky.

It has to be late now! A bad thought comes in my head. What if Mama and Daddy miss my birthday?! I gasp. That can’t happen! No way! I start to gallop to Mama and Daddy’s room, but the rug on the floor is feeling tricksy and makes me fall flat like a pancake. Splat! My belly feels all hurty but I don’t cry ‘coz this is way more ‘portant. 

I run, run, run ‘till I get to Mama and Daddy’s door. The door is all heavy and it takes all my strong to push it open. Finally, it opens just enough for me to wiggle through. I never go to Mama and Daddy’s room much. Just sometimes in the night when I have bad dreams or in the morning when I want some cuddles. I never really saw it all lit up. There’s a treasure chest looking thingy toward the end of the bed. I can use it to climb up on the bed. The bed is as big as ten of me, and the covers are blue like the sea. It’s so big it makes me scared, but I can hear Daddy’s snoring now and that makes me unscared. 

Mama and Daddy are all covered up by their blankies. Kinda like how I used to cover myself up with the bink bink I had from when I was a tiny foal. I’m so glad I’m biggerer now. I wiggle-crawl between Mama and Daddy, and poke them to try and make them wake up. They make a noise and move a little, but they don’t wake. I try again, whisper-talking. 

“Mama, Daddy, wake up.” I say, and poke them again.

Mama finally pokes her head out from the covers. Her mane is all sticky-uppy. “What is it, Shiny?” She asks. Her voice sounds all weird, sleepy. I never knowed Mama could be sleepy this late. 

“Mama, it’s my birthday. I’m four.” I tell her. Has she forgotted?

Mama smiles slow, then picks me up and sets me on her to give me a big hug and kiss. “I can’t believe you’re four now. My little Shiny-Winey. You’re growing into such a big colt.” She says. I cuddle with her, curling up in a little ball on her. Mama says I did that when I was a baby. It’s still nice now. Then, I hear Daddy moving next to me and Mama. He pokes his head out from the covers and smiles at me, moving closer and giving me a big hug.

“There’s my champ.” He says. Daddy calls me that lots. It’s special, between just me and him. Daddy calls me champ or buddy or sport, and Mama calls me sweetie, or sweetheart, or pumpkin, or Shiny-Winey. I never knowed it could be different, but sometimes I hear other ponies’ Daddies call their fillies “Sweetie”. At least it won’t be different in my house. 

“Somepony has a birthday today, Daddy.” Mama says that to Daddy, grinning.

“A birthday, huh?” Daddy grins and picks me up. “I’m pretty sure that means you’re old enough to play pegasus!” He says.

I squeal. Pegasus is my favorite game with Daddy. Even more than pretend. I climb up so I’m standing on Daddy’s hooves, and he flies me around for adventures on them. He picked me up in his magic once to fly me for real, but I throwed up on the carpet. Mama told Daddy he can’t do that no more, but I wish he would a little, ‘coz it was really fun! I’m standing on Daddy’s hooves while he makes swooshing noises and Mama watches, smiling. I’m flying over the sea like a pegasus, all high up and happy. I pass by clouds and birdies that aren’t as quick quick as me. I fly for a super long time, and then Daddy says, “Time for a landing!” And he brings me down to give me hugs while I giggle lots. 

Daddy gives me a kiss, and says, “Happy birthday, Bud.”

I giggle, and say thanks, ‘coz manners again, but I dunno if I have to do them with Mama and Daddy. I should ask. 

My tummy is talking now. I look at Mama. “Mama I’m hungry."

Mama smiles and gets up a little. “What do you want for breakfast, birthday boy?” She asks.

“Cake!” I say. Cake is the best part of birthdays. That and presents. Mama and Daddy laugh. I made a funny even though I don’t know how. 

“You can have your cake later, Shiny. You need to pick something healthy for breakfast.” Mama says.

Uh oh. Healthy usually means gross. 

Mama must see my face, because she kind of smiles. “If it’s a breakfast food, you can eat it today, sweetie. Any kind you want.”

Oh! “Pancakes?” I ask.

“With chocolate chips?” Mama smiles.

I nod my head yes! Mama and Daddy both laugh. I think it’s ‘coz I’m excited. I dunno who wouldn’t be excited for Chocolate chip pancakes. They’re the best.

Mama goes to the kitchen, and Daddy asks if I went to the potty yet. I nod, and he gives me a big smile and tells me how good that is. 

“Do I get a sticker?”

“You sure do, Sport. You wanna pick one out since it’s your birthday?” 

I never got to do that before, I nod happily. Daddy gets me a sticker sheet so I can pick my favorite while he cleans up. There’s lots of ones I never seen before. I pick a star that’s really shiny like my name and I get to put it on a chart Daddy made for me. I have twelve now, Daddy says. Lots of the stickers are the same but not so sometimes it’s hard to count them all at once, even though I can count really high. Daddy claps for me and It gets me all wiggly inside. 

Daddy takes me to the living room and sees my treasure sitting on the cushion, with the cushions kinda messy. I tell him I went exploring and found treasure. He smiles, and tells me that since I found the treasure I get to keep it. I ask if we can play pirates later. He says yes and gives me a hug.

Mama’s pancakes are smelling yummy. My tummy talks again, and I want some now. Mama says they’re almost done, and Daddy asks me what I dreamed about last night. I tell him about how Brutus and I ran a race together, and he smiles and nods. I never asked Daddy what he dreamed before. I ask now. He smiles, and tells me he doesn’t remember anymore. But how can he not remember? First you’re in a dream then you’re out. It’s not like it just goes away like magic with a poof. He tells me it’s part of getting old. I frown. Maybe I shouldn’t have turned four. I don’t want to forget my dreams. Except maybe the bad ones.

Mama calls for breakfast. Yay! I run to the table. Daddy says I shouldn’t run in the house, I could get hurt. But I already did that today with the rug so it won’t happen again. Daddy helps me into my chair. I still have trouble getting up there ‘coz I’m small. Mama says it’s ‘coz I came out of her tummy before I was done so I was born lots smallerer than everypony else. I don’t mind it really. It means I can get into small places for longer.

Mama and Daddy sit with me at the table. There’s six chairs there. I counted once. Me and Mama and Daddy makes three. But sometimes if Grandmare and Grandpa come over that makes five. Still not enough to make them all full. I wonder if they ever will be full. Mama cuts up my pancakes for me and I eat them. They’re the yummiest they ever been today. Must be ‘coz they know it’s my birthday so they gotta be the best.

Mama and Daddy are acting kinda weird. Sometimes when they think I’m not looking, they’re looking at each other and smiling. What does that mean? Mama and Daddy know I don’t like surprises too much, even on my birthday. Maybe they have a secret? I dunno, but I wanna know what it is. 

When breakfast is all done, and plates are clean again, I get to pick any game I want since it’s my special day. I choose trains. I have three trains in my room, and I like making them race. Mama and Daddy and I set our trains and they’re off. Woosh! My train wins by just a bit and I grin. Mama and Daddy are all smiley, even more than normal. They don’t look sad they lost. That’s good. I don’t like when they’re sad. We play trains again and again, and then we do bean bag toss outside in the backyard. We all try and get our bean bag in the basket. Daddy wins that one. He’s a good thrower. 

In the backyard I have a tiny playground that’s all mine. There’s two swings, and a slide, and a teeter totter. I like going down the slide when Mama catches me and when Daddy pushes me on the swings so high I think I’m flying but not really in the air. Mama puts me on the swing so Daddy can push me. Sometimes she sits next to me on the other swing, and when I woosh past her fast, I can smell her a bit. Today she and Daddy are both standing behind me. I’m up super high and giggling lots. Usually when I look at Mama and Daddy from backwards, they’re looking at me. But today, they’re smiling and whispering to each other all shushie. Are they talking about my presents? I don’t know, but I think I need to.

Then, Daddy asks if I want to play pirates, and I say yes and nod and get my treasures from inside. Daddy gets play swords from my toy box, and some pirate hats. We get our swords and say “En Garde!”. That’s pirate talk for go. In the end, I win our sword fight and get the treasure for me. Mama cheers while Daddy pretends to be still in the grass. By the time that’s all done, I forgotted again.

Mama and Daddy decide to surprise me by doing special gifts through my whole day instead of all at once. I remember my ask again, but they told me by saying that so it’s all fair. I get a small cart with a hitch on it. It’s for Brutus so he can be a bringer and bring me stuff. It’s neat. I get Brutus and put him with his new cart. He still can’t stand on his hooves. I promise to teach him later, but secretly I think he’ll think I’m stupid for trying when he doesn’t want to learn. I remember he might have heard me on mute and I take it back. Brutus forgives me and I give him a hug.

My next present is a costume, like for Nightmare Night but I can wear it when I want. It’s a toy helmet and a spear and shield, like the Royal Guards use at Princess Celestia’s castle. Mama and Daddy and I went for the summer sun celebration there once. It was real pretty. I like my costume ‘cept it feels all heavy. I’m not used to wearing it, Mama says. It will feel better later on. But when I see me in the mirror I feel zillions of times better ‘coz I look awesome.

Two presents and lots of games later, it’s time for lunch. Mama gets me baby carrots, my favorite. I ask her if she brung the Mama and Daddy carrots too, and she and Daddy laugh. I’m not sure why. It’s still yummy though.

After lunch usually I have quiet time before my nap, but ‘coz it’s my birthday today, we do it different today. I get to have a slice of cake the size of my head. Mama says something to Daddy about a “Sugar high”. I dunno what that is, but I don’t care ‘coz I just want to eat my cake. It’s chocolate with Vanilla frosting- my favorite. I get it on my face and Mama laughs and wipes my face with a washcloth while I try and get away. I hate when Mama washes my face, even at bath time. It’s not fun at all. 

“Shiny,” Mama says after cake. “I have a very special present for my special little colt.” She says it in a singy way that makes me excited.

“What?” I ask, bouncing a bit on my chair.

“Come with me.” She says, and offers me her hoof like when we have to cross the street together. Daddy is on the other side of me, and we go to my room. I have my bed, my toy box, my closet with my new costume in it, and a rocking chair still there from when I was a baby. Mama sits in the rocking chair, and puts me in her lap, while Daddy brings a square shape in his magic before he sits by us.

“Is that a present?” I ask.

Mama smiles. “One of them, yes. A very special one."

I grin. “What is it?!” Maybe this is why Mama and Daddy have been extra smiley today?

Mama smiles and takes the square. There’s red ribbon on it, and She pulls it off for me. It’s all smooth. I like that. “You know how Mama makes books for fillies and colts?” She asks.

I nod. “You write them stories.”

She smiles biggerer and nods. “That’s right. But this story is one I made just for you."

“They’re not all for me?” I ask. I thought they were and it was our secret.

“They all are for you, but only you will have this book.” She says. I nod. That makes lots of sense.

I snuggle up to Mama as she opens the book. There’s words on one side, and pictures on the other.

“Once there was a mare, and the mare fell in love with a stallion.” She says. I point at the picture.

“That’s you and Daddy!” I say. She smiles and nods, turning the page.

“The mare and stallion loved each other so much that one day they had a baby.” There’s a picture of her with her tummy big and Daddy smiling at her.

She turns the page again. “And they loved that baby more than anything.” 

“That’s me!” I say, wiggling. The picture has Mama and Daddy smiling and looking at me asleep. I never seen myself as a baby in a painting. It’s weird. 

“That is you.” Mama smiles, and her hoof makes my mane all messy while I giggle and try to get away. Then, she stops, and uses her story voice again.

“The mare and stallion loved their baby very much, and wanted to give him something special for his birthday.” There’s a picture of me blowing out a candle on a cake. I look almost like me now but smallerer. She turns the page again.

“When his birthday came, they had a very special present for him.” There’s a big bow on that page like the one the story came with. I wonder what the present is? Mama turns the page.

“They wanted him to have somepony to play with and love.” She reads, and there’s a picture of me playing. She turns the page again.

“So they decided to make him a big brother.” She says and looks at me.

I look at Mama. She and Daddy are both looking at me with big smiles. 

“Is this for real?” I ask.

Mama and Daddy nod. Mama speaks. “Yes, Shiny. Mama and Daddy are going to have another baby and you’re going to be a big brother.”

I do a big think. “Mama, you said babies come from Mama’s tummies, right?”

“That’s right, Shiny.”

“How does baby get there? Is it magic?” I ask her. She smiles at me, laughing a little.

“Something like that.”

That means Mama won’t tell. “Tell me.”

She smiles. “I’ll tell you when you’re taller.”

I bet I can be taller next week. Then Mama will have to tell me. She made a promise. She’s not allowed to break it. 

“‘Kay.” I say.

“What do you think, sport? You’re gonna be a big brother now.” Daddy asks.

“Right now?!” I never knowed that could happen that fast.

“No, not right now. The baby still has to get big in my tummy, remember?” She says. 

I forgotted for a minute. 

“When will baby be here?”

“Next year.” Mama says.

“How long?”

“A long time. But I’ll tell you when it gets close to time to meet them.” She says.

I nod. “Baby is in your tummy now?”

“Yep. Right now.”

“I can say hi?”

Mama gives me a big beautiful smile and nods. I touch her tummy. “Hi baby. Come out and play soon, ‘kay?”

Daddy laughs happy, and Mama has tears in her eyes. I think she’s gonna cry, but she’s not sad. Right? She gives me the biggest hug, and a big kiss, and then her and Daddy make me a Shiny Sandwich. Mama and Daddy are the bread, and I’m the middle part. They’re hugging me from both sides and giving me kisses. I like it.

After my story I do drawing. I make something for baby’s room even though baby won’t be here for a long time. I draw me and Mama and Daddy. Mama helps me write what I want to say on it. I have her put “Welcome Baby” on the picture. Mama gives me a kiss and she tells me that when baby comes, she’s gonna put it in baby’s room. It makes me smile. 

After that Mama and Daddy sit on the couch together and talk while I sit with Brutus. I tell him on mute all the things about baby I know, how baby is in Mama’s tummy and is gonna come out later, even though I don’t know how. Brutus nods, and is smiling at me in his way. Brutus promises he’ll protect me and baby from now on and I give him a big hug.

I think about baby lots until all my brain is used up and I need to turn it off a while. Mama says that means I’m ready for my nap. I never knowed that was why I took naps. 

Mama and Daddy both come tuck me in for my nap. Usually Daddy is working so this is special. I cuddle with Brutus, and they both kiss my cheeks like before bedtime and wish me a happy birthday and say night night. I smile and say night night back, and they go out my door.

I learned more things I never knowed in today than all of when I was three. But I’m four now, so I know all the things. I give Brutus his hug and close my eyes. Next year when I’m five, baby will be here, and I’m gonna teach baby all the things I know. I smile even when I’m getting sleepy.

This is the best birthday ever.