“Gleaming Shield - I mean - Shining Armor,” Sweetie Belle said, once again taking on the position of master of ceremonies. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders would like to thank you for your dedication to helping us in our attempts to get our cutie marks.”

Shining Armor stood before the girls, an amused look on his face. They’re being awfully formal about this, he thought with a chuckle.

The scene was surprisingly ritualistic, with the Cutie Mark Crusaders seated in front of their treehouse, a small pyre, burning next to them, with a very confused looking Applejack on standby in case the fire needed to be put out. Pinkie Pie (who Shining Armor was surprised to find out knew about him being Gleaming Shield since day one), had come with the rest of their friends, and decorated the clearing with red and gold streamers and balloons.

“What the hay is going on here?” He heard Rainbow Dash ask Twilight.

“It’s a very long story,” Twilight said.

Shining Armor ignored the sudden laughs that erupted from their direction as his sister quickly summarized the past week’s events, and gave the Crusaders an exaggerated bow, which made the young fillies giggle.

“You are very welcome,” he said.

“Now,” Apple Bloom, continued for her friend, “if you would please present your cape.”

Cape? For a second Shining Armor had forgotten the had been gifted an identical cape to those currently being worn by the Crusaders.

“Oh, uh, just a second.” With a quick spell, he transported himself to his room in Golden Oaks Library, and grabbed the cape, which he’d folded, and placed in one of his suitcases, before poofing back to the clearing. “Here you are.”

Apple Bloom took the cape, and trotted back to her spot.

“When you first arrived here, we gave this to you to show that you were a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and now that you have your cutie mark, we would like to present you with this.”

Right on cue, Scootaloo brought forth a new cape. She unfolded it for Shining Armor to show that it bore his cutie mark. She attempted to put it on Shining Armor’s shoulders, but found it difficult now that he was much taller than she was.

“Princess Celestia, would you please do the honor?” She asked.

The princess smiled, as she lifted the cape in her magic, and secured it around Shining Armor’s neck.

“So, what does this mean?” Shining Armor asked, still a little hazy on the details of the ceremony.

“It means that even though you’ve got your Cutie Mark, you’re still a Crusader,” Apple Bloom explained.

“Which means we won’t need this one anymore,” Sweetie Belle said, taking the old cape, and holding it over the fire.

“NOOOOOOO!” Came a shriek from behind.

“Rarity, this is one of the new ones that doesn’t have your precious gold fabric sewn into it.”

“Oh, well,” said Rarity, embarrassedly. “Still, it would be best to save it darling; you never know when you might need another one.”

“Fine,” Sweetie Belle said, taking the cape away from the fire.

“And with that,” Apple Bloom went on, “your graduation is complete.”

The fillies cheered, and hugged Shining Armor in turn, congratulating him on achieving his cutie mark.

“Thank you all,” he said, “although, technically I earned my cutie mark years ago, it was still an honor joining you for a week.”

“Just promise us you’ll keep in touch,” Apple Bloom said.

“Of course I will.”

“And that you’ll come back to visit us,” added Sweetie Belle.

“Whenever I can.”

“And that you’ll give us ideas for things we can do to try to get our cutie marks,” finished Scootaloo.

“As long as they’re safe, you’ve got it.”

“Well then, I guess there’s just one last thing to do. Pinkie?”

From out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie produced a record player.

“Let’s paaaartay!” She shouted.

As the music began to play, everypony got up, and began dancing, except for Shining Armor, who settled down in the grass next to his wife. Cadence wrapped a wing around her husband, and nestled against him, the two content in watching the others enjoy themselves while they rested for a while.

“It’s good to have you back, sweetie,” Cadence said, planting a kiss on her husband’s lips.

“It’s good to be back,” Shining Armor sighed, as he leaned against Cadence. For a while they just lay there, enjoying each other’s company, not saying anything. Shining Armor watched the Crusaders; Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo dancing with Rarity and Rainbow Dash, and Apple Bloom begrudgingly giving Applejack a small satchel which he assumed was the bits that she lost in the bet. “I want a foal.”

It felt like somepony had bucked him in the gut; he hadn’t expected the words to escape his mouth. But as the words sank in, the more he realized that it was exactly what he wanted.

“I want a foal,” he repeated, giving his wife a warm smile.

Cadence just giggled, and gave Shining Armor a peck on the cheek.

“About that,” she said in a low voice so nopony else could hear, “remember how I said that there was something that I wanted to tell you?”

“Yeah…” Shining Armor’s eyes went wide with realization. He wanted to kick himself; how hadn’t he seen it before. The signs were there; the morning sickness, the weird food cravings, they all pointed to one thing. “Cadence, are you…”

“Yes, I am,” she said.

Shining Armor was torn between fainting out of surprise, and elatedly jumping in the air in celebration. Instead of either, his body settled for chuckling nervously.

“Of course,” he said. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice.”

“It’s understandable,” Cadence said, scooching closer to her husband, “we’ve both been so busy trying to resettle the Crystal Empire, and preparing for the Equestria Games. If I hadn’t gone to the doctor, I probably wouldn’t have known myself until the games were over, and I had a little more time to concentrate on our life.”

Shining Armor stared at his wife, dumbstruck, and then a smile spread across his face. Wow, he thought, as he leaned in for another kiss, I’m going to be a father. It was almost hard to believe that in one day he had gone from being a foal, to being the expected father of one. Both ideas were equally nerve wracking, and exciting.

“It’s too bad you had to change back though,” Cadence joked. “If you were still a filly, I could have used you to practice on.”

“Please don’t get any weird ideas,” Shining Armor groaned. “One week as a filly was long enough.” Still, he couldn’t help but think that what he had learned from his time with the Crusaders, or his experiences with Snails and Diamond Tiara, could be useful in the future.

“So what do we do now?” He continued. “Should we tell everyone? I’m sure Twilight would love to hear that she’s going to be an aunt.”

Cadence just shook her head.

“I think you revealing your true identity was enough excitement for the day. Also, I don’t think Twilight would hear anything that you have to say at the moment.” She gestured with her head towards Twilight, and Shining Armor looked to see his sister also hunkered down near Princess Celestia, sound asleep despite the ruckus that was happening just a short distance away. “Let’s wait until after the Equestria Games to tell everyone. That way we have enough time to get our lives on track first.”

Shining Armor nodded his agreement.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too, my wonderful prince.”

“Hey, Shining Armor, Cadence,” Sweetie Belle called over the music, “come dance with us.”

“What do you think, sweetie,” Shining Armor said, rising from the ground, and extending a hoof to Cadence, “care to dance?”

“It would be my honor,” Cadence said, taking her husband’s hoof in hers, allowing him to pull her up, “Gleaming Shield.”

Shining Armor rolled his eyes, but grinned widely, as he and Cadence joined the others. He closed his eyes, thankful for his new friends, for his time as being a filly finally ending, and for his journey into fatherhood about to begin. With one last smile, and a whispered “I love you” to his wife, he, Cadence, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, danced well into the night.