When the morning broke, Matt and Applejack get ready for a work filled day. The plan was to head to Sweet Apple Acres for a few hours of applebucking with Big Macintosh, followed by an impromptu trip to Canterlot Castle. What Applejack said last night stirred things up in Matt’s head, thinking that it would be nice for his parents to come over and see Applejack in the flesh…or in the fur, rather than stick with the pictures. Also, so that they could be around for the day the foal is born. Matt’s hopes aren’t extremely high that Celestia would agree to such a proposal, half expecting a lecture about how they can’t allow more humans in the world, but he still wants to take the chance, even if it’s a small one.

The two also figured that they can visit Twilight to see if she has any books about parenting, and to catch up. She took the library of books with her, when she moved out of the house after becoming a Princess, leaving her former home without a tenant for the time being. She even took the entire series of Daring Do books, and Matt was only halfway done with the series. Twilight fully expects to be back in Ponyville when she’s done with her Princess Training, so the house is only for rent, rather than for sale.

Once they are dressed, and have eaten their breakfast, they are ready to go.

“You sure you want to go applebucking today?” Matt asks.

“Ah told you, I’ll be alright. Don’t worry so much.”

“I’m just making sure, that’s all.”

Applejack opens the door, and the two exit the house. It’s a bright day out, and the weather is perfect for a calm stroll.

“Honestly Matt, I’m not some frail flower.”

“I know, but…”

“Look, we’ll deal with this when the time comes. Right now, ah just want to have a normal day at the fa…”

POOF!

In a bright flash of light, Matt and Applejack see Shining Armor and Cadance materialize right in front of them. All four are surprised to see one another, but for different reasons.

“Oh! You two are already outside!” Cadance gasps, “I was expecting you two to still be in the house.”

“No, we were just on the way to Sweet Apple Acres for work.” Matt regains his composure, “Is everything okay?”

“Of course it is!” Shining Armor shifts in his hooves.

“If everythin’ is okay, why are ya’ll here?” Applejack asks.

“Well…it’s just…” Cadance pauses. Suddenly, she squeals with delight, grabbing Applejack for a hug. “We just got the news! We’re so happy!”

“Ya just got the news? How?!”

“Twilight sent the letter just a few minutes ago.” explains Shining Armor, “Once we read it, we just HAD to see you two.”

“That means Big Mac must be at the Castle right now.” Matt says, “I thought we were working today.”

“Ah guess he was going to run a little late.” Applejack turns back to Cadance, “A letter would have sufficed, Princess. Ah bet you have some important duties to do.”

“Oh, not today. I’m on a bit of a vacation. In fact, a mare like you should be too.”

“Come on now, ah ain’t THAT pregnant. Why does everypony think ah need extra care? We really should be heading to work.”

“Nope. It’s already done.” Cadance says, “I informed Granny Smith that I am taking you out for a special treat.”

“How did she react to that?”

“Rather frightening at first, but she agreed after good long while of convincing.”

“Look, that’s sweet of you, Princess. But…”

“No buts! We’re going to have a fun filled day, just us girls!” she looks to Matt, “You can hang out with Shining Armor, and have a boy’s day.”

“Uh…” Matt looks at Shining Armor, who is giving him a friendly grin, “Thanks…I guess.”

“Great.” Cadance lifts Applejack up with her magic, “We’ll see you boys later.”

“Matt…” Applejack says, worried.

“It’ll be okay, AJ. I’ll go see the Princesses, and tell you what they say.”

“I…okay…” she says, disappointed. “Be careful, alright?”

“I will. You do the same.”

“No promises.” she chuckles. “See ya tonight.”

Matt waves her off, as Cadance gallops towards Ponyville for activities unknown. Matt stands there, looking back at Shining Armor, whose expression of excitement turns into one of curiosity.

“You’re seeing the Princesses?” he asks.

“Yeah. Still want to hang out with me?” Matt chortles.

“Of course! It’ll be great to see Twily again!”

Matt and Shining Armor sit on the train to Canterlot. Matt sits in his seat, slightly nervous about the encounter that is to come, but on the outside, he exudes a cool confidence. Shining Armor however, seems very skittish. Very much unlike how the Captain of the Royal Guard normally is. Whenever Matt would see him, he’s the finest example of a stallion that practically breathes confidence.

“Um, Shining Armor? “ He nearly jolts when Shining Armor swiftly turns his head to him. “Are you feeling alright, man?”

“What? Yeah. Never better. Why do you ask?”

“You seem…nervous.”

“Nervous? Me? No…not at all.” He looks around the train car, hoping to see something that can change the conversation. He finds none. “Nothing to be nervous about.”

“Come on. I’ve known you for quite a while. Whatever is on you mind, just…”

“Cadance is pregnant.” Shining Armor blurts out.

“Listen, it’s alright, you can tell me anyth…” Matt stops what he’s going to say next. The news hits him fast, and he freezes in place. Slowly, he looks back at Shining Armor, who has placed a hoof on his muzzle, ashamed at letting the news out the way that he did. “Wait, what?”

“Cadance is pregnant. I’m here to inform the Princesses about the news.”

Matt doesn’t know what to say. Another father to be sits before him. The two of them, heading to the castle to announce remarkably similar news. Shining Armor stares, hoping the next words out of Matt’s mouth are pleasant. A smile forms on Matt’s face, as he suddenly lunges in for what he calls in his dimension…a bro hug. Which is basically just a hug, only sounding slightly manlier.

“Holy shit, dude!” Matt shouts, “That’s awesome! When did you find out?”

“A couple weeks ago. She just passed her first month of pregnancy.”

“We visited you guys around that time! Why didn’t you tell us?”

“We didn’t know how to break the news. We’re so nervous about the whole thing. I don’t know the first thing about pregnancy!”

“Good news, neither do I.” Matt laughs, “Wow, this is just like the movie Nine Months. We’re going to go shopping for toys, guessing if the foal is going to be a boy or a girl, then fight a cartoon mascot…”

“I’m sorry, what?” Shining Armor raises an eyebrow.

“I…” Matt pauses, shaken from his thoughts. “Sorry, just thinking about some movie from my dimension.” He shakes his head with a smirk, “Congratulations, though. Looks like you won’t be able to throw her at threats to Equestria anymore.”

“Don’t be too sure. We still have ten months before the foal is born.” Shining Armor laughs.

Matt shares the humorous moment. After giving Shining Armor a congratulatory pat on the back, he looks out the window.

“Hey, we’re getting close.” he says.

Shining Armor looks outside to see Canterlot Castle not too far away. He swallows his saliva in one big and loud gulp, as he sweats a waterfall from his brow.

The two expectant fathers walk along the courtyard, greeting any passing guards on the way. Both have their own missions, yet both look at one another, making an unspoken vow to stick with each other. During Matt’s vacation in the Crystal Empire, he found that he and Shining Armor got along rather well, and became good friends with him. Back at Cadance’s kingdom, he and Shining Armor went to a bar with the other guards, and got pretty hammered from all the hard cider. Matt was usually careful when it came to alcohol, always wanting to stay aware of his surroundings, but he lost all realms of reality that night.

He woke up the next morning with Applejack at his side. As for Shining Armor, he awoke in bed with his wife…and Trixie, who always managed to be there when he would get drunk…sometimes even when he’s not drunk.

“So, how long had it been since you’ve seen Twilight?” Shining Armor asks.

“About…a month or so. After she became Princess. You?”

“A week and a half ago.”

“I still can’t get over it. Twilight Sparkle as a Princess.”

“I know, right? And an Alicorn to boot. I bet her powers increased dramatically from that transformation.”

“If I know Twilight, I bet she’s gotten used to the new powers by now.” Matt smiles.

BOOM!

A hole is blasted out from one of the towers from a strong beam of magic. Matt and Shining Armor hold each other in a comedic fashion, startled from the noise and sudden destruction of property.

“Then again…” Matt continues, “Maybe not.”

“Sorry, everypony!” Twilight yells from out of the hole, flying upwards to look at the shocked crowd. She sees the sight of Matt and Shining Armor holding each other. A wide smile stretches across her face in excitement. “Matt! Shining Armor! One second!” She dives back into the hole of destruction.

Matt and Shining Armor separate themselves from one another, as they wait for Twilight to come down. Eventually, she does, but she’s not alone. By her side is Big Macintosh, who has a look of embarrassment.

“Sorry, Big Mac.” Twilight apologizes, “I”ll try to be more careful, next time. I’ll see you next week, okay?”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac says, leaning in for a soft kiss. “I’ll see ya later.” He walks by the two, looking directly at Matt. “Mornin’, Matt.”

“Did you make her do that?” Matt whispers.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac slyly smiles, walking towards the castle gates, and on his way back home.

Matt turns back to Twilight, who immediately jumps up for a tight embrace. It’s been way too long since he last saw the energetic bookworm, and it shows in their hug. Their relationship had been a rocky one, since his arrival in Equestria. He lived with her in the Library for a few months, letting her study him for a research book. Overtime, unbeknownst to him, she developed a crush on him, and became jealous when she found out he had feelings for Applejack. It took a few weeks to reconcile, but in the end, she has been a good friend since. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss her when she moved into the castle.

“I’m so happy to see you.” she says, “It’s been a long time.”

“Careful, Princess…” Matt struggles to speak, “Any tighter, and I think you might break something.”

Twilight removers herself from him, brushing a hoof along her mane with a blush on her cheek. Matt regains his ability to breathe, taking in a deep breath.

“Sorry.” she says, “Don’t know my own strength sometimes.” She looks to Shining Armor, and gives him a hug. “BBBFF, what are you doing here?”

“We came to see you.” he says, “I have news.”

“You do?” she wonders, “What is it?”

“Well…you see…” he lets out another gulp, “Cadance is pregnant.”

Twilight’s eyes widen with surprise and energetic glee. She hugs him again, squealing what sounded like a long version of the letter E.

“That’s amazing! When did this happen?!”

“A month ago. We’ve been trying to break the news, but we didn’t know how to go about it. Matt and Applejack’s announcement are what pushed us forward.”

“This is so great.” Her eyes alternate between the two fathers, “You two are going to be like Father Buddies. Imagine if the foals are born on the same day…it would be so cute! And they’ll be best friends forever!” she hops in circles around them, screaming rapidly the word ‘yes.’

Matt and Shining Armor look at each other with a grimace. Despite the added wings, and the Princess title, she is still the same Twilight they know. After an extended series of hops and words of excitement, she stops in her tracks mid jump, realizing that her behavior isn’t exactly the very definition of “Princess-Like”. She brings herself back to the floor, chuckling out of bashfulness.

“So…” she changes the topic, “How are you, Matt?”

“Never better. You look good, Twi.” He looks at her royal garb, “Being a Princess seems to suit you.”

“To be honest, I prefer not wearing this stuff. It makes it difficult to maneuver around the castle. It gets in the way of my studies. Doesn’t help that Spike follows close behind, accidentally tripping me up.”

“Where is the little guy, anyway?”

“He’s putting the library in order, after Queen Chrysalis messed it up. Everytime she would read a book, she would always put it in the wrong section. It’s so aggravating!” Twilight calms down, using a series of breathing exercises that Cadance taught her a long time ago. “But…I’m over it…sort of.”

“Wait…Queen Chrysalis lives here, now?” Shining Armor asks.

“Yeah. Ever since she and Celestia made up, she’s been a permanent resident in the Castle.”

“What about her army?”

“You’ll have to ask her yourself. I’ve been a little busy with my duties to ask such a question.” She turns her attention from Shining Armor to Matt. “Anyway, what are you doing here, Matt? It surely wasn’t just to catch up, and I got your note.”

“It’s more of a spur of the moment kind of thing. I’m here to see Celestia. Is she around?”

“Of course. She doesn’t have many royal duties to do today, so you can normally find her in the study. You know the way? I have a few errands to do.”

“Yeah. I know the way. It’s good seeing you again, Twi.”

“You too. I’ll see you and Shining Armor later, okay?”

Matt and Shining Armor wave, as they make their way inside the castle. Like always, the atmosphere in the castle was calm and collected. Guards standing at attention, giving the two friends a salute whenever they would pass by, like they were royalty. Shining Armor certainly was, but Matt couldn’t get enough of the attention. Sure, he contributed to some things during his time in Equestria, but he always felt he was more known for getting hurt every step of the way.

Going up what felt like a long spiral staircase, the two finally made it to Celestia’s study. Matt wished that there were more elevators, like the abundance of them in Las Pegasus, but the exercise was always good for the legs. The two collect themselves from the little hike they just had, and Matt knocks on the door.

“Come in.” the voice of Celestia says.

The door opens, and the two see Celestia sitting by the fireplace, reading what is no doubt a letter about the magic of friendship. She turns to see them, and gives out a gentle, loving smile.

“Matt, Shining Armor, how lovely to see you two.” She stands, giving them a brief hug. “It’s been a long time, Mr. Williams. I have heard the news about you and Applejack, I must say, congratulations are in order.”

“You knew all along, didn’t you? That we would be able to conceive a child together?”

“Not for a while. I didn’t find out until around the time King Sombra arrived. After that, I decided to hold my tongue, and allow you and AJ to be surprised.”

“Well, it was a hell of a surprise. But, we are very happy.”

“That is good to hear.” She turns to Shining Armor, “And Prince Shining Armor? I did not expect to see you here so soon after your last visit with Cadance.”

“I have news too, Princess.” He says, bowing down. “My wife is also with child.”

“Oh my, this is surprising news. I must say, this is a long time coming.” she grins, “I am happy for you both. This is truly a momentous day. I will make the necessary preparations and announcements for your new foal. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

Matt and Shining Armor bow their heads to her, happy about her reaction. Shining Armor turns to leave, but Matt stays. Celestia raises an eyebrow, but not out of annoyance, more out of curiosity.

“Matt? Is there something else you would like to say?”

“Yes. I have a bit of an important matter to discuss.”

“Do you want me to leave?” Shining Armor asks.

“No.” Matt says, “You can stay; I don’t mind.” He sees Shining Armor sit down, awaiting what Matt has to say to Celestia. “It’s about my parents.”

“Oh? Are they sick?” Celestia asks out of concern.

“Nothing like that. It’s just…I don’t know how the foal would adapt to going between dimensions, being that AJ becomes a human when she comes with me. So, for the foal’s safety, I decided to keep her from coming with me to see my parents. Unfortunately, that means they won’t be able to see her as she develops, and from what I understand, equine pregnancies last for over ten months.”

“Yes, it is a very long time, compared to your human pregnancies. And you’re right to not allow Applejack to come with you. My bands do not compensate for pregnancies.”

“That’s what I thought. The thing is…I want my parents to see her, and maybe to be there when the foal is born. What I’m asking is…do you think it’s possible to make something for them to come here?”

Celestia thinks for a moment, tapping a hoof against her chin.

“Hmmm…that’s questionable. I do not know your parents. I’m not sure if I can trust them using such devices.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry. They’re very careful. No one there knows who I’m really married to. They have a picture of AJ when she’s human, in their living room.”

“I see. I’m just not sure if having more humans in Equestria is a good idea. The sight might shock them, considering how different it is from there world.”

“I turned out okay.”

“Yes, but you’re still young. Do they have a history of health problems?”

“I don’t think so. Maybe a headache once or twice, but nothing serious. Please, Princess, I want to know if there’s a small chance, at the very least.”

The Princess paces around the room, thinking of what to do. Matt’s pleading eyes seem to manage to get through to her, but doubt settles it. There’s no telling what might happen if she agrees to such a thing. Making those devices were difficult to do; powering it with such strong magic, that the slightest slip up would doom anyone or anypony that wore them. Crafting the ones for Matt and Applejack drained her of a lot of her magic, weakening her for a couple weeks, to the point where she struggled to do basic tasks.

Still, it would be good for Matt’s parents to see the birth of their grandchild. They have been so approving of his new lifestyle thus far, that allowing them to see the beginning of a new chapter in their son’s life couldn’t be a bad thing.

She has made her decision. She turns back to Matt, her stern looking transforming into a nice smile.

“Okay.” she says.

“Yes!” Matt says triumphantly.

“Wait. I cannot get to work on them immediately, though. There’s one thing I must ask of you.”

“Anything.” Matt says, the gratefulness in his voice coming through in full force.

“I need samples of your parents DNA. Hair, skin flakes, blood. Whatever you can get.”

“Oh…” Matt cranks his head in confusion, “How come?”

“The bracelets are made for a specific individual. Yours is made only for you, and Applejack’s is made only for her. Nopony else can use your bands for themselves. The reason is that all DNA has a specific magic aura, even human DNA, surprisingly. It is coded only to you. If you can get something from your parents, I can get to work on making bands for them. Will you be able to do that?”

“Yes, yes of course. Thank you Princess. I’m in debt to you forever!”

“Let’s not get too dramatic here, Matt.” Celestia chuckles, “Let me just say ‘You’re Welcome’, and leave it at that.”

Matt runs up to her, and wraps his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. She is surprised, but not unwelcoming to the embrace. A smirk forms across her face.

“Thank you, Celestia. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“It’s my honor. Now, you two run along. I’m sure your wives are waiting for you.”

Matt left the room full of hope. Celestia’s answer to his request was more than he thought he would get. In actuality, if she said no, he would have been disappointed, but understanding. Even as he was asking the question, he made plans in his head, should she say no. Instead, she replied with a highly positive maybe. He’s sure his parents would comply with her orders. They would no doubt not want to miss the chance to see the birth of their grandchild, even if the origin of its conception isn’t exactly how they imagined it would be.

“There’s something I want to ask…” Shining Armor said, as they walked through the halls of the castle, “In your letter, you said that Twilight found out that you were genetically compatible with our species.”

“That’s right.”

“I was wondering; how exactly is that possible?”

Matt scratched his head. For a while now, he’d been dodging the explanation, saying that how such an important scientific find was only a bunch of mumbo jumbo. This time, he wasn’t in much of a hurry. Applejack is probably having a nice time with Cadance, so he doesn’t have to wave the question off. He takes a deep breath in, ready to explain.

“Okay, I probably won’t say it as good as Twilight would, but here it goes. Humans have twenty three pairs of chromosomes, forty six in total. When Twilight did some studies of my blood, which she obtained when Spike attacked me…”

“Heh.” Shining Armor chortled.

“It really hurt!” Matt thinks back to the event, giving his shoulders a nostalgic rub. “Anyway, because I was going to be the only human in Equestria, I guess Twilight wanted to see if there were any species in your world, that I could….*ahem*…have relations with, to continue my bloodline. So, she compared the blood of all the species she could find, and found that ponies, your kind, have the exact same amount of chromosomes as a human being. Thus, the discovery of how we are genetically compatible was made.”

“That’s…incredible…and kind of weird.” Shining Armor thinks, “I mean, we walk on four legs, have fur, and are…in your eyes...very much akin to the animals of your world. How could we possibly have the same amount of chromosomes as your species?”

“You got me. We’re not completely the same, though. Considering that Applejack will be giving birth to a foal, rather than a human child, but I suppose that we’re pretty damn close.”

“I guess so.” Shining Armor prepares to move forward. In an instant, he pauses, looking at something not too far behind his friend.

“What is it?” Matt asks. Shining Armor doesn’t respond, continuing to look at whatever is behind him. Matt turns to see a black door. It sticks out from the beautiful décor of the castle. Instead of concern or fright, Matt smiles. He walks to the door.

“Dude!” Shining Armor says, “Don’t open the door! I don’t want to see her right now!”

“Don’t be such a filly.” Matt chuckles, “I haven’t seen her in ages.”

Matt opens the door. The light pours into the room. The inside looks like an insect hive. The walls and furniture are shiny and slick. Touching it would make one feel like they’re going to slide right off it. Matt keeps on walking, while Shining Armor treads carefully.

They stop. On the bed, lies Chrysalis, with her back turned, wearing a fetching white robe, perfectly formed around her body. She laughs with that air of evil seduction.

“Here so soon, Pri….” She stops as she turns around, rose in her mouth. Her jaws snap shut, crushing the rose into oblivion. The two stare at her, in this stunningly awkward moment. “Matt.”

“Chrysalis.”

Chrysalis looks to the other, saying, “Shining Armor.”

“Chrysalis.” Shining Armor replies.

Another bout of silence.

“How are you doing?” she asks.

“Good. Applejack is pregnant. So is Cadance.”

“Matt!” Shining Armor whispers in disapproval.

“She was going to find out eventually.”

“Applejack is pregnant?” she ponders at the revelation. “Cadance I understand, but AJ…are you sure it's yours?”

“I certainly hope so.” Matt chuckles, remembering that his Dad asked that very same question.

“Interesting.”

“So, what’s with the robe and rose, Chrysalis?”

“Oh, this little thing? It’s nothing.” she removes the robe in a hurry, tossing it into the unlit darkness, “Just some…little…proje-SO!” she changes her tone, getting up from the bed, and onto the slick black floor. “Matt, it’s been quite a while since we last spoken. I was afraid you’ve forgotten about me.”

“I’d never forget a pretty face, Chrysalis.” Matt goes in for a welcoming hug.

“Oh, you charmer. I missed you too.” she grins with pleasant thoughts, before looking at the nervous Shining Armor. “Why so nervous, Prince? You can’t still be sour after what happened at your wedding.”

“Well…you did pose as my wife for a good while.”

“And those couple months leading to the wedding were rather exciting, don’t you think?” she gets closer to him, “Remember? Those nights when you were so stressed, and I…comforted you so lovingly.” Chrysalis gets to his ear, whispering “Just between you and me…you were spectacular.”

Shining Armor’s eyes roll into the back of his head, and falls over, fainting at her words. Chrysalis and Matt share an amused look, before laughing.

“Oh man, even I was getting goosebumps.” Matt smiled.

“It’s so fun messing with him. I never get sick of it.”

“How have you been keeping?”

“I’ve been on top of the world.” she chuckles, “Having my own room in the castle; no longer being free or hunted. Even the Guards have taken a fancy to me. I see them looking at me from time to time. I’ve never had that happen before. It’s quite…nice.”

“Well, if it helps…I always thought you were attractive.”

“Believe me, I’m well aware of that.” she smiles, before the expression turns to a grimace, “By the way, I really should be mad at you right now.”

“How come?”

“Because I read that ridiculously long letter you gave to Celestia. You talked about our…time together.”

Shining Armor suddenly stands; broken from his fainting spell.

“What?!” he shouts.

“Yeah. I wrote it with the intention that you wouldn’t see it.”

“Well I did. You really aren’t the greatest of writers. Not horrible, but I’ve read better. Nevertheless, I have to know…did that really happen between us? We just hugged and then…bam?”

“Yep. You don’t remember?”

“I remember what we did, but how we came to get to that point was a bit of a blur. I was a little disappointed that you told Celestia to burn the pages of our night. How detailed was it?”

“Very detailed.”

“You must have a good memory.”

“Considering it was my first time…”

“Ah, understandable.” She looks over at Shining Armor, whose mouth has been agape the entire time, listening to the two talk about the night they had together. “Jealous, Shining Armor?”

“What? Me? Jealous? No!” he scoffs, “I’m married…” he looks at Matt with disdain, “…and so are you!”

“To be fair, what happened between us was way before Matt had romantic feelings for Applejack. So, don’t worry your dark blue mane sweetie.” she pats the Captain of the Royal Guard on the mane, “You’re very cute when you’re all judgmental.”

“I…uh…” Shining Armor stammers. Soon, he turns, running out the door. Chrysalis shakes her head with a giggle.

“Seriously though, I am happy for you, Matt. Where is the beautiful bride, anyway?”

“She’s out with Cadance, celebrating their pregnancies together.”

“Well, I wish you both the best.”

“I never thought of you as the sentimental type.”

“I can be when I want to. Now, you must go. I have an appointment, and I mustn’t dawdle.”

Matt gives her a goodbye pat on the neck, before leaving her to her own devices. It was nice seeing her again. While everypony else saw her as a terrifying creature of darkness, he thought she was a funny, charming Queen, who was evil…but still charming. He’s glad that she had settled into the role of a slightly kinder individual. Deep down, he kind of misses her more evil side.

Shining Armor waits for his friend to emerge. As Matt walks out the door, he doesn’t look very much pleased.

“Were you flirting with the Queen?” he asks.

“What? No. It was just playful banter. We’re just friends.”

“You seemed awful close to her.”

“Look. It’s not what it looks like. I admit, me and Chrysalis had a bit of a one night stand, but that was it. Like she said, what happened between us was WAYYYYYY before me and AJ were even a fraction of a thing. We're strictly friends now, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing's wrong with that. I found it weird, that's all."

"What’s with the suspicion all of a sudden, Shining Armor? Are you okay?” Matt asks. He hadn’t seen Shining Armor like that, which concerned him. He places a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, we were only messing with you back there. There’s no need to be angry. Plus, it was kind of funny to see you fall over like that.”

“If you experienced what I did, you’d faint too.”

“That good, huh?”

“Oh sweet Celestia, like you wouldn’t believe.” he reminisces, "I should have known something was off with Cadance those nights, but dear me...she was...." Before he could go any further, he snaps out of it. “B-But it’s all in the past now.”

"I'm sure it is."

"What was it like for you?"

"Well, at the time, considering this whole inter-species relationship business was a brand new thing for me, it was pretty much the strangest thing that ever happened to me up to that point. I'm just going to leave it at that."

Shining Armor looks over at Matt, a little let down at him not delving into the details. After a little while, though, he smiles in acceptance, giving Matt a playful push, followed by a friendly laugh. Matt pushes him too, and the friends get into a little shove fest, before bursting out into more laughter.

“I’m sorry, Matt. I didn’t mean to be suspicious. I know how much Applejack means to you. I guess I’m just a little nervous about what lies ahead.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, having a foal isn’t going to be easy. I have a few books, but they haven’t been preparing me. There’s going to be all kinds of craziness. Mood swings, strange eating habits, plus it’s going to be expensive.”

“Expensive?”

“Yeah. Having a foal and raising one isn’t going to be cheap.”

“You’re a Prince and a Captain, I’m sure you’re fine with all your bits.”

“I’m mainly talking about you.”

Matt thinks about this. He never considered the financial side of raising a foal. Back in his world, whenever he saw someone trying to take care of a child, it looked to be a stressful experience. He can only imagine what it’s like in Equestria. The food, the toys, even the hospital bill must be insane. Thinking about the subject of money, he and Applejack are pretty well off, considering the sales they make off of Sweet Apple Acres. Still, having a few extra bits on the side, just to be sure, can’t hurt.

“I…haven’t thought about it.” Matt admits, “How much do you think it’s going to be?”

“I don’t know. It could be quite a bit. If you're worried, I can help out if you…”

“No, I think we’re fine. Thanks for the offer. You uh…wouldn’t mind if I borrow your books, would you?”

“Not at all. Maybe they'll serve you better than they did me.” Shining Armor looks behind Matt, and he smirks. “Oh, hey Princess Luna, surprising to see you up in the day.”

Matt turns to see Luna looking at them with an expression of surprise that they’re there. Both Matt and Shining Armor’s welcoming smiles turn into looks of confusion, as they notice that Luna is wearing a see through negligee, holding a box of chocolates up with her magic. A bead of sweat drops off her brow, as the look that she is giving them indicates that she wants nothing more than to end this awkward moment, and get past them to her destination.

“Greetings, you two.” she says, “What art thou doing outside thine Queen’s chambers?”

“We were just saying hi.” Matt answers. “What are YOU doing outside Chrysalis’ room? Is that chocolate?”

“Yes.”

“Can I have some?”

“No.”

“Is…is Chrysalis going to have some?”

“Yes.”

All three pause. They stare in silence, wondering just where this moment is going to go. Slowly, Luna inches past them, carefully opening the door to Chrysalis’ room, and closing it. Matt and Shining Armor glance at each other.

“Okay…” Matt breaks the silence, “This was an…interesting day.”

“Did…did Luna just go into Chrysalis’ room with a box of chocolates and a negligee?”

“Yes she did, Shining Armor...yes she did.”

“I see…” He pauses, before saying, “One quick peek.” He heads for the door.

“Oh no you don’t!” Matt grabs Shining Armor, using all the strength he accumulated working at Sweet Apple Acres to pull the Prince across the hallway to the exit.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!” Shining Armor shouts in an overly dramatic fashion.

The ride back to Ponyville was as uneventful as they come. Matt and Shining Armor did a little bit of catching up, planning on having more visits, so the four of them could prepare for the birth of their foals. Maybe go shopping for cribs and toys as the days get closer and closer to the delivery dates. Matt doesn’t know the exact date for his foal, but Shining Armor predicts his is set for the winter time.

They get off the train just as the sun began to set. Night was approaching, and the two expectant fathers couldn’t wait to reunite with their beautiful wives.

“Well…” Matt says, “That was eventful.”

“You should have let me take a look.”

“Oh please, you get enough action as it is. I have no idea how you managed to talk Cadance into letting Trixie join you two on some nights.”

“Cadance is more adventurous than you think. Have you seen Trixie, by the way? I haven’t seen her in awhile.”

“She’s working on that movie, remember? She’s an actress now.”

“Oh? Really?” he says in a suggestive manner.

“Not THAT kind of actress. Geez, Shining Armor. I’m the human married to a pony, and somehow I’M the normal one.”

“I’m just kidding.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yeah, I’m not.” The two laugh. “It was good hanging out with you. I’d offer to buy you a Cider, but I bet Cadance and Applejack are worried about us.”

“I’m sure they’re fine.”

As if on cue, they hear the sounds of fighting and shouting. One of the voices sound very familiar to them.

“Call me plain lookin’, will ya?!” It’s Applejack!

Matt and Shining Armor run out of the train station, to see a crowd of ponies shouting at Applejack to get off the one she’s assailing. Rainbow Dash is there too, yelling the loudest.

“AJ!” she yells, “Get off him!”

Shining Armor spots Cadance in the crowd. He waves to her, and she notices.

“Shining Armor, I’m sorry! She just won’t stop!”

Matt pushes through the crowd of ponies, when he sees her. Applejack smacking around a light blue Pegasus. She’s not hitting him enough to cause any bleeding, but she’s on top of him, slapping him in the face. He cowers at her wrath.

“If you weren’t a Wonderbolt, I’d smash you into oblivion!” she shouts.

“Please! I said I was sorry!” the Wonderbolt says with a whimper.

“AJ?!” Matt yells.

She stops. Turning her head to him, Matt sees that she has a completely new hairstyle, than the one she usually has. Her ponytailed mane has been fashioned into a fancy looking bun, with a lock of hair running down in front of her face. It’s a very pretty look for her, and he would love to complement her on it, but the situation is a little more important.

“Matt?” she says with surprise.

“What exactly is going on here?”

Applejack gets off her victim, as he takes off to the skies like a highly panicked rocket, and the other ponies scatter. Rainbow Dash stays behind, walking with Applejack, but with a look of worry on her face for her cowpony friend.

“Are you okay, AJ?” Rainbow Dash asks.

“Yeah…I’m fine. Sorry, RD. Ah didn’t mean to assault your idol.”

“Nah, I’m more of a Spitfire mare myself. But seriously, you kind of freaked me out.”

Matt kneels down in front of her, moving the lock of Applejack’s hair around her ear, looking into her big gorgeous eyes.

“I really like your mane.” he says.

“Ya think so? It was Cadance’s idea.”

Matt turns to Cadance, saying “Nice work.”

Cadance nods with a smile, but the worry still on her face to the incident only seconds before.

“So…why were you beating up a member of the Wonderbolts?” he asks.

Applejack looks to Rainbow Dash, then back to Cadance, before facing Matt once again. She takes a deep breath.

“Well…you see…”