It was a beautiful day in Canterlot, the great city and capital of the kingdom of Equestria and the residence of its sovereign Princess Celestia, the one that began and ended the day and night, doing up and down the king star of the day, the sun, and the pearl of the night, the moon.

The alicorn princess was very powerful and ruled her kingdom with wisdom and kindness. She was highly respected by all her subjects, and she respected them equally. But like all great rulers, Celestia had good advisors to help her to make importante decisions and the one she trusted most was Night Light. He was a unicorn with a soft blue coat and a dark violet mane. His Cutie Mark consisted of a large yellow waxing crescent with a small white waxing crescent next inside.

He was a hard worker and very determined in what he was doing. But in those last few weeks, he has been very anxious because his wife, Twilight Velvet, was pregnant with their first foal, in the last weeks of pregnancy. She had already given a few days off to Night Light so he could be with his wife for the rest of the pregnancy, but he always refused.

One morning , he came to the throne room, where Princess Celestia was sitting on her throne. He arrived there in a hurry way and said nervously, as he bowed:

"I'm so sorry for the delay, princess, but Velvet needed my help and..."

"You don't need to explain anything to me, Night Light" Celestia replied with a slight smile. "I know that being father for the first time is always a time of great nervousness and something that only happens once. Therefore, I offer you again my offer for you stay home with your wife and take care of her until the foal born and then you come back a few days after the birth."

"Your Highness, is a generous offer, but I can't accept" said Night Light. "I have a commitment to you, plus there's a lot to do and you need my help..."

"I can fend for myself here" said Celestia. "Now, I want you go home and take care of your wife and your foal."

"But ..."

"Night Light, don't make me order you. I don't want force you."

There was a pause in which Night Light tried to get some argument to refuse Princess Celestia's offer, but the truth is he had a strong desire to return home to be with Velvet.

"Well, if you insist, I'll acept the offer, princess" Night Light said, bowing.

"Good" Celestia said. "Now go home and good luck."

"Yes, princess" Night Light said, bowing again. "Thank you again."

And having said that, he left the throne room at a brisk pace. He left the castle and went running to his house where he lived with his wife. Catching his breath, he advanced and entered, saying:

"Honey, I'm home. Where are you?"

"Here, in the living room" she said.

Night Light just went there and found his wife lying on the couch. Twilight Velvet was a unicorn like her husband. Her coat was in a very soft blue, like Night Light's, but in a much lighter tone, almost light gray, and a slightly desaturated blue mane with very pale blue streaks. Her Cutie Mark was three mostly desaturated dark violet stars. She was at the height of her pregnancy with her ​​huge belly. She, seeing her husband, sat on the couch gently and asked:

"Are you back now? But you just leave to the bit."

"Yes, but the princess gave me a few days off" he said, kissing Velvet's forehead, sitting beside her and putting his foreleg over her shoulders, while she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Did you have accepted the Princess's offer?" Velvet asked, impressed. "Well, I'm amazed."

"She managed to convince me" he said, doing after caresses to Velvet's belly. "Now, I have time for you and for our son."

"Or daughter" Velvet said. "It can be a filly."

"You know, personally, I would like our foal was a colt" Night Light confess. "When I imagine myself as a father, I find myself playing hoofball with a son of mine."

"I think in that aspect, we disagree, Night Light" Velvet said. "I liked that our foal was a filly."

"Well, how about a friendly bet? The loser is the responsible for changing diapers for a month."

"Agreed."

The two then beat their hooves to seal the bet and then they gave a laugh and hug each other.

"So what have you been doing during my short absence?" Night Light asked to Velvet, when they finishied the hug.

"Well , since I'm on maternity leave, I thought I could give a progress in my book" she said, motioning to the mountain of paper at the table, where there was also a quill and ink jars.

"You're not overworking yourself, are you?" Night Light asked, worried.

"Honey, I'm a unicorn" she said. "I can do magic."

"Oh, yeah, sure" he said, embarrassed.

"Oh, do not be like that" said Velvet, snuggling closer. "I think it's dear the way how you treat me me and our little baby."

That made Night Light blush a little. He then asked with a smile:

"What if we take advantage of my vacation for a little fun?

"It seems to me great" Velvet replied.

Night Light smiled and approached his muzzle at hers, but Velvet put a hoof in front of his lips, stopping him.

"But first, I gotta go to the bathroom" Velvet replied.

"Really?" Night Light asked, helping Velvet to rise. "Now?"

"Hey, try telling that to my body" she said. "This is one of the big disadvantages of being pregnant. I would like to see you, stallions, go to the bathroom every hour."

She walked to the stairs and began to climb them carefully. Night Light sighed and sat again on the couch, leaning against the back of the it and put his hooves behind his head. On the one hoof, it was nice to have all those days off to be with Velvet and their future foal, but Night Light was the kind of pony that bored very easily. He then looked up and noticed the book Velvet was writing.

She had already spoken about the plot. It was about a treasure hunter pegasus mare called Daring Doo who ventures into all sorts of places in search of ancient relics. Despite knowing Velvet didn't like other ponies read her drafts before the she ends it, Night Light didn't resist to his curiosity... and to his boredom. He pushed away from the back of the couch, then picked up on the first pages and began to read them.

At first, he was not very willing to read, but as the story progressed, his enthusiasm also grew. Velvet really knew how to captivate with writing. The more he read about Daring Do, more obsessed he became to know what would happen to her.

"Night Light!" Velvet's voice called.

Upon hearing his wife calling him, and top it off with that tone, Night Light startled, making him lay the pages to the air. The blue stallion rushed to use his magic to get the pages and arrange them properly in place where they were and then asked:

"Yes, dear?"

"Please come here" she asked panting .

By the way she had asked, she seemed to be afflicted. Afraid, Night Light rose at a glance, and hurried up the stairs and get to the bathroom. He opened the door suddenly and asked:

"What's up, my love?"

He then found Velvet standing in the middle of the division and with a sort of puddle on the floor.

"Night, my... my water broke" she said.

"What?" he asked.

"My water broke!" she exclaimed. "The foal wants to be born right now."

That news made Night Light start saying:

"Okay, okay, don't panic!" exclaimed Night Light panicky. "Everything will be fine! We only need to stay calm...! What am I saying here?! We have to take you to the hospital right now...

But even before he finished, Velvet gave him a slap in the face that made him shut up.

"Night, calm down!" Velvet said. "Don't panic. We have a plan, remember?"

"Yes, sure... the plan..." he said.

He then helped his wife down the stairs to the bottom floor and was already preparing his wagon. Using his magic, Night Light placed Velvet carefully in the wagon, then hitched it to himself and he started running toward the hospital of Canterlot, while giving words of comfort to his wife.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the hospital and Night Light led Velvet to inside, while she tried to breathe like she learned in her pre-natal classes. They were soon met by the doctor who treated to lead Velvet to the delivery room. There, everything was ready to Velvet give birth. Night Light was beside her holding her hoof. She has moaned in pain, trying to breathe at all costs.

"Calm down, dear, everything will be fine" Night Light tranquilized.

"This... hurts... a lot!" Velvet said, between breaths.

"Calm down, Mrs. Velvet" the doctor, who was ready to help in childbirth, said. "It will all end in a moment. It's now. At my signal. Three... two... one... push!"

Mrs. Velvet screamed, while she was doing all the strength she could.

"Come on, we're almost there, I'm seeing the head, now" the doctor said.

"Come on, honey, you're almost there" encouraged Night Light. "Our son is about to be born."

"Three... two... one... push!"

Velvet made ​​one more effort and pulled with all the strength she had. It was then that all converged in a single moment: the cry of a foal. Upon hearing that, a smile appeared on the face of the two most recent parents.

"Congratulations" the doctor said. "It's a beautiful colt."

He then wrapped the newborn foal in a blanket and handed him to his mother, now relieved of her deliver pains. Velvet and Night Light then admired their first child. He was a beautiful colt with a white coat like snow and a mane that had a perfect combination of moderate sapphire blue, moderate cerulean and dark phthalo blue. A small horn appeared among his mane and with coatless sapphire blue hooves appearing in the blanket.

"He's so perfect" Night Light commented.

"Looks like you will not have to worry about changing diapers for a month" Velvet said, with a smile.

The two laughed and then they saw their little colt open his eyes and reveal a beautiful shade of moderate cerulean.

"Hei, little guy" Night Light greeted, passing his hoof for his son's mane. "Meet your daddy and your mommy."

"Finally this moment has finally arrived" Velvet said. "Our first son."

"The first of many, I hope" said Night Light.

Velvet made a laugh and then said:

"Maybe, but now everything is perfect."

And then they began to contemplate their baby.

Author's Notes:

I hope you have enjoyed this beginning. Now everyone will be able to see how Shining Armor's childhood will be. I hope you enjoy my work. Do not forget to comment.