Iris

by Pliny

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life
Length: 2015

Cadence and Shining Armor decide to adopt after learning that they cannot have a foal together.

After having been told that they will never be able to have a foal, Cadence and Shining Armor decide to adopt. they choose a young filly from the Canterlot Orphanage, energetic, a bit shy, and elated at finally being adopted. Cadence and Shining take her home, agreeing upon the one month trial period for adoptions, and try their best to treat the filly like a daughter.

Though unknown to them, this filly is not what she appears to be.

Can they truly learn to love this filly as their own? How will they handle the horrible secret this filly holds? And can they protect her when the secret gets out?

current editors: Gandalf the Sparkle, ChromeMyriad

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-08 00:50:03 UTC

Chapter 1

Iris

Chapter 1

~

by Pliny

edited by: Gandalf the Sparkle, ChromeMyriad

~

Cadence and Shining Armor walked beside each other through the busy afternoon streets of Canterlot. Ponies gave the couple plenty of room on the street, many walking by without so much as a glance their way. Soon, a large but simple building came into view. The building had a large, gated yard and many windows. Cadence and Shining approached the building, passing under a sign that read "Canterlot Lunar Orphanage." They walked up to the single door and Shining grabbed the knocker in his magic.

"You're sure you want to do this, Caddy?" he asked.

~~~

The door opened on squeaky hinges as the doctor entered. A nurse followed behind him and laid a clipboard on the counter. The doctor levitated the clipboard before him and mumbled something to himself. He frowned and set the clipboard back on the counter. Cadence frowned herself as the doctor approached her. "Good afternoon, Princess," he said. "My name is Doctor Barley. I'll be taking care of you for the rest of the time you are with us today."

Cadence nodded and smiled politely. "Good afternoon, Doctor. Did the tests find anything?"

Doctor Barley's features dropped. "The tests," he gulped. "Yes, I've been reviewing the results in the absence of the doctor that was with you earlier..." He retrieved the clipboard with his magic, reviewing it once more. "It appears, based on these results, that you're... you won't... *sigh*... that you can't bear a foal, your majesty. I'm sorry." Doctor Barley moved the clipboard away to see Cadence looking away.

"Is there anything you can do?" she asked.

"N-no, Princess. I'm so sorry, but there's nothing I can do."

~~~

"Do you want to talk about it?" Shining asked quietly from his side of the bed.

Cadence signed and finally talked to him. "I'm the princess of love, Shining. It's my duty in life to be Equestria's greatest example of love and to spread it however I can. I love you, and I know with all my heart that you love me just as much... But I will out-live you, and that scares me," she whispered.

"And you're afraid that when I... when I'm gone, you won't have anything of me left."

"Yes."

Shining moved against her back and rested a hoof across her. "Don't be." Cadence immediately rolled over to face him. "Don't be afraid of the day when I leave you. By then I will have loved you enough to last a thousand lifetimes... And I'll be withered and tired. And you will be  the same beacon of love and beauty you always have been."

"But we can't have a foal together."

"It doesn't matter, Cadence." He sighed. "It doesn't matter. We love each other, and we don't need a foal to prove it to anypony else."

Cadence slowly turned over, facing away from him. "I know."

~~~

"I want to adopt."

Shining Armor spat milk and cereal across the table, coughing, and turned around to face his wife. "What!?"

"You heard me," she said from the doorway. Cadence sauntered across the room to sit down beside him. "I want to adopt. Today."

Shining looked at her with a sincere expression and sighed. "Cadence, I thought we talked about this."

"That's not what this is about. This is something I just feel that I have to do."

Shining sighed again and looked down at the remnants of his cereal. "Alright." Cadence smiled. "We can head to Canterlot later today if you want... You're sure you want to do this?"

~~~

Cadence took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Yes," she said, looking straight ahead.

Shining nodded and knocked. They waited a few seconds before they heard the sound of hoofsteps echoing throughout the building. A unicorn stallion opened the door, smiling politely and giving a slight bow. "Hello. May I help you, Princess?"

Cadence smiled warmly in return. "I believe you can. We're here to adopt."

The stallion's jaw hit the floor. "A-a... adopt?" he stammered. "I-I mean certainly! This is wonderful news! Please, come in." The stallion moved back and ushered them in. "My name is Tender Soul. I'm the primary caretaker here at the orphanage." Tender Soul lead them into the lobby and let them get seated. "Can I get you anything?"

Cadence shook her head. "No, thank you. So how does the process work here?"

Tender's face lit up. "Well there aren't too many foals here, thank Celestia, but usually we would just have you interview the foals until you decide on one you want to adopt. Is there anything you're looking for in particular?"

Cadence looked to Shining Armor and smiled. "A filly."

Tender nodded. "Alright, if there's nothing else, you can just wait here and I'll bring them out to meet you."

After interviewing five young fillies—some pleasant, others not—Shining and Cadence still hadn't decided. "So," Tender Soul said as he came back into the room. "Snow Cloud?"

Cadence hook her head. "No, sorry, Tender. It just... doesn't feel right. Is there anypony else left?"

Tender's hopeful smile dropped immediately. "No, that's everypo—wait. There's actually one more. She's a bit older but still of elementary school age. Are you ready to meet her?"

"Yes, bring her in."

Five minutes later, Tender Soul knocked on the door and opened it slowly. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes, we're ready."

"Alright then, come on in. They're ready to meet you," he said as he ushered in a young unicorn filly. She was white with a light-pink mane and tail. Her eyes were deep violet. She walked in slowly, head bent down. "This," said Tender, "Is Iris. Iris, this is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shining Armor." Iris's head immediately shot up at the mention of their names but turned away just as quickly.

Cadence smiled warmly. "Hello, Iris."

"I'll leave you to get to know each other," Tender said, leaving the room. "Good luck, Iris," he whispered.

Cadence, Shining, and Iris remained in their same positions. Nopony said anything for a few awkward seconds. "So... tell us about yourself," Cadence suddenly said. "Do you have any hobbies? What are you learning in school? Do you know who we are?"

"I like painting, we're learning about Equestrian history, and you're the prince and princess of the Crystal Empire."

"You said you like painting? What do you paint?" Cadence asked hopefully.

Iris sat down in her position before the door. "Ponies mostly, but I paint pictures of the city sometimes too."

Cadence smiled and hummed. "I used to paint too, you know. Celestia thought it very important that everypony knew how to paint and be creative. It helped some too that it was one of the few lessons she taught that didn't bore me out of my mind." Iris giggled. "Do you have any friends?"

Iris nodded. "Mhmm," she said. "Most of the ponies here are my friends, but some are new. So I don't know them yet."

"Do you like it here in the orphanage?" Shining asked.

"It's better than anything I had before. So yes, I guess I like it here," she said. "I've been to other ponies' homes too, but I never stayed long." Iris stared down at her hooves.

Cadence got up and began walking towards Iris. Iris yelped when Cadence wrapped her forelegs around her, but she remained still. "Don't worry, Iris. You'll find somepony that loves you."

The door suddenly opened, and Tender Soul trotted in only to stop when he saw the scene before him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll just come back—"

"No, I think we're finished," Cadence said while releasing Iris. "She can go back while we talk." Cadence looked to Iris, who was already walking out of the room with her head held low.

"I assume you've decided then?" Tender asked, watching Iris leave with a sad expression.

"Yes, I think we have."

"Alright then. You can leave whenever—"

"We've decided to adopt Iris," Cadence said.

"You have!?"

"We have!?" both stallions responded in sync.

"Yes, we have," Cadence said smugly.

A large smile formed on Tender Soul's face. "This is... this is wonderful! I'll get everything prepared right away. Iris will be so happy. I can tell; she really likes you. Oh! And I'll need to go over a few things with you two as well." Tender produced a slip of paper and handed it to Shining and Cadence. "Here at the Lunar Orphanage we have a system of ensuring that each and every foal adopted is loved and well taken care of. I know that Iris undoubtedly will be with you. Please don't take any offense. This is all just legal requirements. Anyway, in order to fully adopt Iris, you must take her home and live with her as your daughter. After one month, I will come in and check on her. If she's happy and you still want her, I'll just sign the papers and she'll be your legal daughter. When you're ready, you can read and sign those documents there, and I'll go get Iris."

"Thank you, Tender Soul," Cadence said.

"Iris will be so happy; she's been here so long. Thank you, Princess. I only hope you all end up happy from this." Tender Soul exited the room, leaving Cadence and Shining alone. Shining stared at Cadence through squinted eyes.

"What?" Cadence asked.

Shining stared back. "You could have at least asked me."

Cadence smirked. "I know, but you would've agreed with me anyway." Shining grumbled a bit and leaned back in his seat. "Lets take a look at this then." Cadence began reading through the document Tender Soul gave them.

~~~

A gentle knock rapped on the door. "Iris, are you in here?"

"Yes."

Tender Soul opened the door and came into the room. Iris was lying in her bed, one of many in the room. She had wrapped herself in the blankets and was turned away from Tender. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Have they gone yet?"

"No." Tender Soul smiled. "They're waiting downstairs to see you."

Tender chuckled giddily as Iris immediately shot up and shouted, "They are!?"

"Hehe yes, they want to adopt you, Iris."

A large smile grew on Iris's face. She jumped up and down on her bed like an excited puppy. "Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes!" Tender Soul laughed heartily as he watched the filly.

"Well?" he asked. "Aren't you going to go see them?" Iris stopped her hopping and bolted out of the room. Tender Soul chuckled and shook his head as he followed after her. "Finally, somepony is giving her another chance."

~~~

Cadence and Shining had just finished signing and going over the document, when the door burst open, and Iris grabbed Cadence in an hug. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!"

"I take it you're excited?" Cadence and Shining both chuckled at the scene.

Tender's smile widened when he entered. "Yes, she is. You're giving her a chance she hasn't had in a long while," he said.

"When can we go?" Iris asked.

Tender Soul retrieved the signed document from Shining and nodded when he scanned both their signatures. "Just as soon as I go over a few more things with these two." He placed the document on the coffee table behind him before turning to Shining and Cadence again. "Iris will be living in the Crystal Castle?"

"Yes," Shining answered. "We have a room already prepared for her."

"Perfect. And I don't assume food, school, or money will be a problem?"

"No, we made sure everything was ready before we left."

"Good. Don't hesitate to write or visit if you have any problems." Tender turned to face Iris, who was still in Cadence's forelegs. "And, Iris, I want you to be good for them, try your best in school, and don't forget to make friends."

"I will," she said.

Tender Soul scooped Iris up in his arms, wrapping her in a hug. "I'll miss you so much," he said and put her down. "Now, go gather your things. You've got a train to catch."