Showing His Place: Sacrifice

Two Days Later

“Mmmnnnnghhhh… Wh… W-What the…”

Shining Armor could barely open his eyes, and let out an exhausted groan as he stirred from a dreamless sleep. His head felt like it was stuffed to the brim, leaving him reeling with a numb pressure. In fact, even as his mind began to stir awake, it soon became evident that he was feeling numb all over. More specifically, he couldn’t feel much past his waist.

“Hmmm?” Shining eventually tried to pull his hind-legs up, despite feeling too groggy to even lift his head. Fortunately, despite how lethargic he was feeling all over, he was able to feel the slight sensation of the bedsheets trailing across his hooves. He may have been numb, but at least he wasn’t paralized. Or at least, Shining seriously hoped that wasn’t the case. Considering how he felt just before passing out, that certainly seemed like a possibility at the time.

His body writhed stronger on the bed, and he clenched his eyes tightly shut while his memories began to flood back. Shortly after his impromptu re-gelding ceremony before the Princesses -- a statement Shining would’ve never thought he’d have to consider a possible reality less than a year ago -- the Royal Bedroom turned to an absolute dwelling of debauchery when Celestia and Luna left. Since Shining fulfilled his duty of impregnating Luna -- yet another thing that Shining would’ve never thought he’d have to do in his life -- the Royal Sisters left him be so he could recontinue his services for Princess Cadance, and her legal husband Sombra. The mood may have been fairly awkward overall, since enough horrifying things had occurred over the course of the night to leave Shining in an absolute whirlwind of shock and stunned realization; but at the same time, Sombra didn’t hesitate to get his slave right back in place under his and Cadance’s hooves.

“Nnnnghh!!” Shining squirmed harder in his bed, recalling just how brutally Sombra and Cadance cucked him for the rest of that night. Despite all of the horrible things Sombra did, both to Shining and the Crystal Empire’s leadership as a whole, he somehow managed to get away with most of his atrocities with little consequence. Sure, he was left infertile by the Princesses (which was likely why he dommed Shining so hard afterward), but it wasn’t like that was a huge detriment in the end; after all, since he managed to impregnate three of the closest mares in Shining Armor’s life, that “punishment” by Celestia and Luna may have been too little too late.

It was difficult enough to stay well-composed on most nights in Sombra and Cadance’s presence, since the two didn’t show much mercy while their perverted cuck was squirming in his little chastity cage. But much to Shining’s horror and disdain, that cage turned out to be way less intense than the gelding band Sombra tightened around his scrotum. His stallionhood may have been able to grow erect, which was a long-missed sensation that Shining wanted to appreciate as best as he could; but alas, as soon as he was given that tight plastic band to keep constrained around his balls, any pleasing throbs from his member were greatly overshadowed by the incessant, painful sensations that came from his balls bulging in place.

He could still remember every hungry moan that belted out of Cadance’s muzzle as Sombra rammed into her from behind; even though his cock was tightly locked up in a chastity cage of his own, he was easily still able to please his wife with the aid of a strapon, which had a dildo molded after his erect cock. The Ex-Prince was left totally helpless as he watched Sombra overcoming his bondage with no issue, filling Cadance with more girth and rigid ferocity than Shining never could’ve envisioned.

He could recall that piercing stare in Sombra’s blood-red eyes, that bore down at Shining with a lecherous grin that made his fur stand on end with a shudder. He could recall every taunting remark that both ponies were giving him all throughout that cuckolding, which were equally as painful as arousing while his cock continued to throb hopelessly in his Private armor. But most of all, Shining doubted he could ever forget how badly his balls were aching the longer that night went on, like a looming clock that was continuously ticking towards the end of his very masculinity as a whole.

“How is the view on your end, Former Prince? Do you think you’ll be able to enjoy it long enough before losing those useless balls of yours?~”

“Hehehehe~ Oh, come on, Som--Nnnnnffffff… O-Oh GODDESS!!~”

“Yeaaaahhhh… Look at how badly she’s melting in my hooves, Shining. It’s almost a shame you won’t be able to appreciate that kind of pleasure yourself tonight~ Or from now on...”

“AAAHHHH!! Take me, Sombra!! TAKE ME, PLEASE!!!~”

“Oh, don’t you worry, my sweet… I won’t stop until I know that cuck will be done for~”

True to Sombra’s word, Shining was forced to stand idly in place in his clunky armor, and watch as Sombra railed Cadance in every way possible all throughout the night. During that time, Sombra made sure to remind his Slave of all the things he was able to take from him prior to that moment: his wealth, his marriage, his family… even his respect and Royal lineage to name a few. But most of all, Sombra never let him forget that he also took one of the most sacred things a stallion could carry to identify himself as a man. Shining was left in a truly hopeless state as he stood in agonizing pleasure, while his Owners continued to ravish one another and flaunt their victory without the slightest hint of remorse. For most ponies, they likely would’ve seen Shining’s sorry state that night to be worse than any of his previous defeats, both by Chrysalis and by Sombra before reformation.

But for Shining Armor himself, that first night post-resignation was the fiery inferno of passion that resulted from the months spent feeding Sombra’s sadistic flames.

“NnnnnNNNGHHH!!!~” Shining continued to writhe and groan in bed, his eyes unable to open while his teeth gritted tightly. He couldn’t stop thinking about how long he had to stand in that humiliating state, even as his knees were buckling from the ever-growing strain he felt from his balls. He was grateful he was wearing all his clunky armor throughout that final cucking session, since it kept him from trying to sneak any glances at his backside. He could only imagine how badly his testicles must’ve swollen up from that suffocating gelding band, or how significantly the color must’ve changed all throughout. Before too long, every hard throb of his cock was sending sharp pulsations of stinging pain to every nerve in his body, like his brain was trying to warn him of the severe damage that was going to occur if he didn’t do something about his predicament. But alas, since Sombra and Cadance kept going at it in various positions for his perverted viewing, Shining eventually succumbed to his afflictions around the time his vision started getting blurry.

Shining Armor had no idea how long he lasted before he passed out, but he recalled the sun rising by the time his mind was becoming cloudy and numb. He also couldn’t tell how long he was passed out; but considering how he was alone in the bed without any pain, he could only assume that it was long enough for Cadance and Sombra to finally finish. Shining was also sure of what else must’ve occurred during the time he was out, which caused his heart to race in dread while he was still bed-ridden. And despite knowing that his fate was nothing short of inevitable, he tried as long as he could to keep his eyes closed so he could avoid that realization.

“... Shining, honey?”

Shining’s ears perked up when he heard Cadance’s voice, which sounded just as sweet as it did concerned. During that final night of blissful torment, the Princess was willing to act just as mean as her husband between her countless orgasms; heck, even with how pissed she was at Sombra for that impromptu resignation, she was quick to jeer her Ex about it while taking her husband’s superior cock. But despite all the cruel remarks about Shining’s inferiority, as well as pointing out all the same facts about his losses that Sombra made, it seemed that she was back to her natural, nurturing self as she walked over to the bed.

“Shining, are you alright?” The Princess had her horn lit as she floated a tray beside Shining’s bed. Along with several bottles of water and pain killers, she also made sure to have some soup in a thermos in case Shining was hungry. The Ex-Prince was still squirming under the covers with a faint grimace, and brief groans escaping from his clenched muzzle. But despite how overwhelmed he may have looked, Cadance tried to speak optimistically in hopes of him being able to listen. “J-Just so you know, I… I took the liberty of clearing your schedules for the rest of the week. That should give you more than enough time to, errr… recover.”

Shining’s muzzle tightened even more, and he tried not to whimper at that last inflected word. He may have known the truth just as clearly as her, but that didn’t mean he was too keen on having it verified so soon. Fortunately for the Ex-Prince, Cadance could understand his worries fairly well from her perspective. Even without knowing the stallion’s affliction in a personal manner, she still sighed through her nostrils in sympathy. She leaned down to nuzzle the side of Shining’s neak, and said in a soothing voice, “It’s okay, Shining… I promise you, everything is just fine.”

“Nnnnghhh…” Shining appreciated hearing his Ex’s calming voice, but his ears still slumped down to the sides of his head regardless. Even though he could tell she was being as truthful as she could, it didn’t change the fact that it happened…

It happened.

And unless he happened to know a time-travel spell, he knew there was no way it could ever be undone.

“Oh, honey…” Cadance pouted worriedly from her Ex’s uncomfortable writhing. She leaned in to give him a much-needed hug. “Shining, it’s all over now. You don’t need to worry about it anymore, okay?”

“Ugh...” That secondary remark was certainly not as comforting for Shining to hear. Cadance realized how that must’ve sounded herself, and winced as she pulled her muzzle away from Shining.

“Uhhh… S-Sorry,” she muttered while struggling not to cringe. “I-I didn’t mean to imply anything, I just…”

Realizing how pitiful any following remarks would’ve sounded, Cadance decided to just cut her losses and shut up for now. Meanwhile, Shining took a deep breath while savoring his Ex’s comforting embrace. As he took in deeper inhales that fully inflated his chest, Shining was grateful he no longer felt that searing pain up and down his hind-legs. In fact, compared to how he felt the previous night while “Standing Guard,” Shining could honestly say that he felt perfectly fine. No headaches. No aching limbs. No forced or straining breaths. And most of all -- most likely for obvious reasons -- he no longer felt any throbs of pulsating pain between his legs.

The realization as to why made his muzzle skew uncomfortably. But at the same time, he found it hard to complain while he was lying in his plush bedding.

Shining eventually breathed out slowly, and finally reopened his eyes. The morning light made him wince as he tried to adjust to the brightness, but he was fortunate to have the curtains mostly closed. When he finally found the strength to pull his head up, Cadance was standing right beside his bed with a warm and hopeful smile. “Well, you certainly look better than you had before,” she said with a carefree shrug. “You’ve actually been out for a while.”

“Ughhhhh…” Shining eventually tried to pull himself upward, making sure to stay careful and keep his legs wide apart. He almost looked like a revived corpse as he sat up on the bed, while his blanket remained firmly nestled over his lap. He lurched his head down and rubbed his eyes with both hooves, feeling like he just had a lengthy nap instead of any life-altering procedure. As soon as he put his hooves down, he saw a water bottle floating beside him from Cadance’s aura. “Oh, ummm… Thanks, honey…”

Shining took the bottle with a gracious nod, and ended up downing most of it in a single chug. He hadn’t realized how thirsty he actually was, but his greedy guzzling was amusing enough to make Cadance giggle beside him. As soon as he finished the first bottle, Cadance floated him another just in case. She also handed him a small plastic cup, which featured a couple white pills inside. “You, uhhhh… You might need to take a couple of these. It’s meant to keep certain things… numb for the time being.”

Shining was still panting heavily after drinking that first bottle. But when he heard her mention that last part, he closed his eyes again with a heavy exhale. “Right… Right…”

He didn’t even look at her as he took that second bottle, as well as the cup of pills. He didn’t try to ask too many questions, and just popped the pain-killers in his muzzle to ignore his lingering thoughts. As he washed the pills down with another swig of water, Cadance bit her lip to keep from looking too concerned. After Shining recapped the half-finished bottle, he looked back at his Ex and asked, “So, ummmm…”

His expression looked fairly blank, but there was a clear hint of worry as a faint blush grew across his cheeks. His eyes darted between Cadance’s wary gaze, and down towards his covered crotch. He waited a couple of seconds before asking, “What… What actually, like… happened?”

The pregnant mare looked away from him for a moment, obviously not comfortable with describing any details too vividly or overly-detailed. Nevertheless, she still tried her best as she looked away from him awkwardly. “Well, ummm… You ended up passing out at around eight am yesterday… Most likely from the pain or exhaustion…”

Cadance closed her eyes with a painful sigh, looking legitimately guilty while keeping her face pointed away from him. Shining bit his lip to stay silent; he may have wanted to console her, but he could still recall how intensely that gelding band was throwing him into thresholds of pain equally as strong as his arousal. He was fortunate to have something so distracting to keep the focus partially away from his aching balls; but in the end, the fact that he passed out was good enough proof that he couldn’t dispute his Ex by any means.

“Fortunately, I was able to get a full-body numbing spell on you pretty quickly,” she added with a meager shrug, even though she was still wincing in shame. “I mean, I know it was probably too late for that, but, you know… I was kinda distracted myself, heh heh…”

She cringed after that small chuckle to herself, and lowered her head while scratching the back of her neck. Fortunately, Shining was quick to say sheepishly, “I-It’s alright, Cadance… I was pretty, uhhh… d-distracted too…”

While the Ex-Prince readjusted himself a little on the bed (once again feeling grateful that he couldn’t feel much below his waist), Cadance nodded back at him gratefully. “Yeah, I suppose… A-Anyway, ummm…”

Cadance turned her head away from Shining completely, mostly so he couldn’t see her uncomfortable blush as she went into the grittier specifics. “By that point, he… Sombra was the first to notice how things were going, and… H-He kinda…”

Her words trailed off, as if the mere act of explaining what happened was as discomforting as the fact that it actually happened. During her awkward pause, Shining was able to glance past her and see the open doorway of the bathroom. He tried not to gasp when he saw several discarded towels littering the floor, which were stained with a dark red in various places. The instant Cadance took notice of where her Ex’s eyes were pointed at, she gasped even louder and lit up her horn.

“Ohmigosh!!” She quickly rushed over and floated the towels out of view, before closing the door shut. She covered her face with a hoof and lowered her head in embarrassment. “Shining, I’m SO sorry! I swear, I didn’t mean for you to see that!”

“Nnnnghhh…” Shining looked away from her as he crossed his forelegs tightly over his chest. He was trying his best to keep his composure while shuddering to himself. “Uhhh… A-Are you telling me that he… That he did that in…”

Cadance knew how bad that looked, but she couldn’t do anything but sigh with a shameful nod. She was sure that Shining would understand the reasons, but that didn’t mean it was any less sketchy. “Well, I mean… It wasn’t like we could take you to the hospital or anything. And, ummmm… Sombra happened to know how to do it himself…”

That confirmation caused Shining to cover his face with both hooves. “Oh, Goddess… H-He actually did that to me in the BATHROOM?!”

“Again, where else could we have done it?!” Cadance knew that question was pretty lousy in retrospect, but it was all she could say with both hooves raised. “We couldn’t exactly trust any doctors in the Crystal Empire to do it, could we? And even if we asked my Aunts for somepony, it was doubtful they’d get here in time, so…”

Shining kept a hoof over his eyes, and shook his head with a long exhale. He knew that Cadance and Sombra’s methods were their safest option, despite how questionable it may have been; also, Shining was fully aware of how well-cleaned and sanitized he kept the bathroom himself. Not to mention, every room in their living spaces were well-stocked with medical supplies and emergency items to keep them safe in a crisis; so if anything, the bathroom was likely just as safe and properly equipped as any nearby doctor’s office.

But at the same time, Shining blinked a couple times before looking back up at his Ex. “Wait a minute… How could he have done it himself?! His horn is just a prosthetic, it doesn’t work anymore!”

“Well, ummm…” Cadance shuffled her hooves while pointing her wincing muzzle away from Shining. “I may have possibly… a-assisted him with certain magical necessities…”

“UGH!!” Shining lurched his head down, looking absolutely mortified that Cadance of all ponies had to endure helping Sombra with… that.

“I swear, I didn’t see anything actually happen, okay?!” Cadance was very quick to set the record straight while speaking insistently. “All I did was float him the necessary tools, and provide the actual stitching. He made sure to keep your privacy as best as possible. I promise, he didn’t force me to do any of the… you know…”

Cadance couldn’t help shuddering uncomfortably, as did Shining back on the bed. While the Princess’ tone was enough to make him sigh in relief, Shining still shook his head while averting his eyes from her. “Jeeze… Well, at least it was somepony I can trust, I guess…”

Given the circumstances, Cadance was just as aware as Shining how hollow such a statement must’ve sounded. But at the same time, she could hear enough sincerity in Shining’s tone to know he wasn’t just trying to make her feel better. Before things could get any more awkward, she walked back towards the bed and said, “Shining… If it means anything, I meant everything I said when we first talked about this, alright? I already did the research to get you testosterone treatments, so you can still be able to… you know…”

Shining struggled to look back at her with a heavier blush, as his muzzle wrinkled up immensely. “You… Y-You mean, uhhh…”

Cadance nodded her head before her Ex could finish that clarification. “Don’t worry. Sombra already said it would be alright for you to be more… involved after you recuperate. Consider it one of your ‘rewards’ for everything you went through~”

To prove that point, Cadance leaned in from the side of the bed, and planted a deep kiss right on Shining’s lips. The stallion was surprised for a moment, but his wide-eyed look quickly turned half-lidded before he wrapped a hoof around her back. He pulled Cadance in to kiss her back properly, with both their eyes closing in contentment. Even though the blanket covering his lap didn’t tent up in the slightest, neither of them seemed too worried while sharing that brief moment together.

“Aha! I see that you’re awake~”

Shining quickly pulled his lips away from Cadance’s with a wet pop, like a teenager caught doing something inappropriate by their parent. Fortunately, as Sombra walked into the bedroom freely, all he gave was a warm chuckle while closing the doors behind him. “Oh, don’t worry. I think you earned a good smooch from her after what you went through~”

Shining lowered his head timidly, looking like a turtle wanting to sink into his shell. Meanwhile, Sombra carried a prideful grin as he stood beside his wife. Cadance didn’t hesitate to nestle herself closer beside Sombra, accepting his presence far more naturally after everything that happened. Since the Royal Sisters were fully aware and (somewhat) accepting, neither of them felt much apprehension about staying close as a “couple” of sorts.

“So, I take it that Cadance brought you up to speed on things?” Sombra wrapped a hoof around Cadance’s back to keep her close to his side. “We figured it would be easier for her to explain the specifics after you awoke.”

“Ummm… W-Well, uhhhh…” Shining had to take a breath to calm his nerves, since it was hard for him to trust that seemingly-warm smile of Sombra’s. Considering what all happened the past week, he knew how easily Sombra could spring something sinister like a jack-in-a-box in a horror movie. But after seeing Sombra and Cadance standing side-by-side like a couple of prideful parents, Shining eventually shrugged his shoulders and said, “Yeah, she… she told me that everything went, ummm… smoothly.”

“Hmph~” Sombra’s smile turned to a cheekier smirk before he glanced back at her. “Did you really say ‘smoothly,’ Cadance? That could’ve easily been a pun~”

“Oh, stop it!” Cadance tried not to chuckle as she gave a playful smack to Sombra’s chest. “And for your information, I didn’t say that. I told him that everything went fine, which it did.”

“Oh, of course, of course…” Sombra looked back at Shining with a smile, looking genuinely impressed by the stallion in his bed. “And I couldn’t agree with her more, Shining. I’ll admit it was a little daunting to do the procedure with hooves only, but… I can’t say I can argue with the results~”

The very instant he saw Sombra’s muzzle grow to a more domineering grin, Shining’s ears slumped down in fearful realization. His cheeks blushed profusely, and he had to bite his bottom lip. Cadance’s muzzle tightened as well, and she looked between the stallions to make sure Sombra wouldn’t go too far. Although, given all that happened, that was probably a ship that already sailed long, long ago.

“S… S-So…” Shining’s voice instantly grew meeker as he averted his eyes from both of them, and also away from himself. “You… Y-You mean that you actually… like… did it?”

Shining knew that was a supid question to ask, since it was already confirmed by Cadance herself. But with the way Sombra’s grin was widening on him, there was no way for the Ex-Prince to escape the truth anymore. And even without looking at his Owner, Shining could practically feel him nodding his head when he spoke pridefully.

“Yes, Shining Armor…” Sombra leaned in with a hoof extended, and grabbed a corner of the covers at the foot of the bed. “I’m pleased to say that as of now…”

Before Shining could try to grab the covers himself, he gasped when Sombra ripped them away with one effortless tug. With the former Prince seated bare on the bed, Sombra stated with lecherous pride, “You are officially a Gelding~”

“NNNGHHH!!” Shining clenched his eyes shut for a moment, not wanting to look down and see the aftermath of his procedure. Even though he knew that it actually happened, he was dreading the idea of actually seeing part of his stallionhood missing from his body. His muzzle trembled a little, and he had to take a couple of deep breaths while his nostrils were flaring. Fortunately for Shining, neither Cadance nor Sombra tried to say anything; instead, they waited patiently for their slave to settle down, so he could witness the results with his very eyes.

“Okay… O-Okay, I can do this… I can do this…” After one last shivering breath, Shining Armor reopened his eyes to look down at himself for the first time. His teeth were clenching, and his muzzle was tensed up as he veered up the length of his writhing legs. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he was anticipating the worst when he finally reached his--

“Huh?!”

Shining reeled back with his eyes fully opened, and his head tilted in confusion. “Wh… What the…”

Just beneath his flaccid cock, his ballsack was hanging just as it had before. Both of his balls were clearly visible, and looking healthy as could be between his legs. From the position he was seated, he couldn’t see any evidence that he had any surgical procedures done within the confines of the Royal bedroom. For a moment, the Ex-Prince’s eyes blinked repeatedly before gawking up at the smiling couple.

“Wait, did…” Shining didn’t want to get his hopes up too soon, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that this all felt like some sick setup. He looked back down at his visible balls, and reached a hoof down carefully. “Did you guys actually…”

Shining bit his tongue, and closed his eyes before giving a light tap to his sac.

Click~

No sharp sensations of pain. No instantaneous jolts that went down the length of his legs. No feelings that would’ve indicated that he just tapped his own balls with a hoof. Instead, all that Shining heard was a distinct, metallic tap within his ballsack.

“Huh?” Shining stared down at his privates in puzzlement, unsure of whether or not Cadance’s pain-killers were causing such a strong effect. He tapped his thighs a couple times to test his sense of touch, but he could clearly feel his hoof there. But when he gave another tap to his balls, he didn’t feel a thing! Just another light clack, like a couple of marbles nestled in a coin purse.

Shining’s eyes started to widen, with the gears in his head slowly turning. Meanwhile, Sombra gave a teasing chuckle before asking, “Oh, what? Did you really think I was going to let you walk around with nothing but a garish scar between your legs!? Even if you’re not the Prince anymore, I can’t have the Crystal Ponies seeing something like that!”

Shining looked back up at Sombra and Cadance all bug-eyed. “W-Wait, you… Y-You mean they’re… They’re not…”

Cadance could only give a lighthearted shrug of her shoulders while smiling nervously. “Yeah, ummmm… Sombra suggested an alternative to make sure ponies wouldn’t get suspicious, so…”

The Princess lit up her horn, and floated out an item that had been lying out of sight. Shining immediately recognized what it was, and his eyes remained wide-open in stunned surprise. He was quick to remember the last time he saw the novelty item, since Sombra had it present as a metaphorical visual aid when he suggested the procedure in the first place. The Newton’s Cradle was still dangling from its metal wires as it hovered in Cadance’s aura, but with one notable difference that Shining was quick to notice…

Instead of four metallic balls hanging from the cradle’s frame, there were now only two. While the remaining balls dangled idly without contact, there were two metal wires hanging bare between them. Shining quite literally put two and two together, as he slowly looked back down at his visible balls. He gave them another tap -- this one slightly harder than before -- only to be met with a more audible clacking noise instead of any pain. His brows raised up immensely, and his muzzle almost went agape in shock. “Oh, Goddess… I-I-Is that… Is that actually…”

“Indeed it is~” Sombra looked rather proud of himself as he took the Newton’s Cradle from Cadance’s aura to hold up with a hoof. “The balls themselves are stainless steel, so they were perfectly safe to use medically. And since they have the same overall size and weight, it seemed quite fitting to use them as a replacement~”

Shining reeled his head back, while his eyes remained glued to his fake balls. Cadance floated over a mirror, which Shining hesitantly took with a hoof. After taking a breath, he carefully reached down so he could get a view of the ballsack from underneath. Much to his dismay, as soon as he got a good angle from the mirror, he was able to see several stitches of black medical string just above his taint.

“Think of it like this,” said Sombra, who was keeping an optimistic smile that matched his chipper tone. “From now on, you can say that you have literal balls of steel! That’s one heck of a noble thing to possess as a Guard~”

Shining put down the mirror, and leaned back so he was lying against the pillow once more. Cadance looked worried when she saw how distressed his expression became, with his bug-eyed gaze pointing up to the ceiling. She quickly pulled away from Sombra, and crawled up into the bed to make sure the Ex-Prince was okay. “Shining? Shining are… are you alright?”

Shining continued to stare up at nothing, while his pupils shrunk to reveal a more fearful look. “... they’re gone… they’re actually gone…”

“Oh, honey…” Cadance made sure to give him a strong hug out of sympathy. “Shining, I swear to you, this doesn’t change how I see you at all.”

“Yeah, the slavery documents did that~”

“SOMBRA, ZIP IT!!!”

Sombra instantly reeled back with both hooves raised, not wanting to deal with his wife snapping at him so angrily. Cadance glared at him for a couple seconds, and then sighed before returning her attention to her Ex. “Shining, please… Please don’t freak out right now…”

Shining breathed out heavily, and closed his eyes to keep himself from doing just that. He may have been fully aware of what he was doing from the beginning; and as much as he’d hate to admit it, some demented part of his masochistic side was downright anticipating the actual moment to happen for real. But now that the deed had been done, and he was lying with a couple of useless metal balls hanging between his legs, the realization hit him like a cinderblock to the face. After all the planning and anticipation he had to endure, Sombra actually went through with his plans in full.

“Ummm… Shining?”

Sombra’s question prompted Cadance to stare back at him warningly. Fortunately, Sombra kept a hoof raised to make sure she wouldn’t yell at him again. “It’s alright, Cadance. I promise I’m not going to make any jokes. I just want to help him, okay?”

Both Cadance and Shining could hear the sincerity in his voice, which prompted the stallion to lift his head up and stare back at him. Sombra reached in to extend a hoof, and asked, “Shining? I want you to do something for me…”

Cadance looked worried, but she slowly pulled herself out of the bed to assist her husband. She lit up her horn when Shining nodded meekly, and tried to get himself in a seated position. With the Princess’ help, Shining was able to float up from the mattress, and carefully land on his hooves to the floor. Cadance made sure the stitches were firmly in place as she followed Sombra’s lead, who walked Shining over towards a large full-sized mirror.

“Trust me, this will help far more than any speech…” Sombra was careful with Shining as he placed him before the mirror, and pulled away so he could stand on his own. Shining winced when he looked back at himself, and saw those fake balls hanging between his legs. Cadance was standing to the other side of Shining, and keeping a hopeful smile on her face. Meanwhile, Sombra pointed to the mirror and said, “Shining Armor… I want you to look at your reflection in the mirror for me, please…”

Even though it wasn’t an order, Shining nodded to his Superior’s request before glancing back at the mirror. Shining took a deep breath, and stared at his reflection with a slight skew of his muzzle. Aside from his disheveled mane, Shining could admit he didn’t look too bad for somepony that just got out of bed. However, he still tried not to look so remorseful while staring back at himself.

“Keep your eyes on the mirror,” said Sombra with a firm, but reassuring tone like a true mentor. “And when you’re ready, I want you to tell yourself who you are.”

Shining’s muzzle wrinkled up a little, and he breathed out through his nostrils in a sharp huff. But after taking a calming breath, he relaxed his face so he didn’t look so uncomfortable in the mirror. Cadance and Sombra shared a hopeful look, and made sure not to be visible in Shining’s reflection. Because of that, all that Shining could do was focus on himself as he tried to speak naturally.

“M… M-My name is Shining Armor…”

“Alright then,” said Sombra with an approving nod. “Now say that with a smile.”

Shining only needed a quick exhale before doing as he was told, and gave his reflection a slight smile. “... My name is Shining Armor.”

“Very good~” Sombra and Cadance were both smiling as well. “Now, without breaking that smile, I want you to repeat what I say, alright?”

Despite his muzzle twitching a little bit, Shining Armor breathed out and nodded his head without looking away from the mirror. “Ummm… a-alright then…”

Sombra made sure to look back at his wife, who gave him an accepting nod for him to continue with his plan. He then turned back to Shining with his expression remaining firm. “Now then… while keeping a smile, I want you to repeat after me…”

Shining kept his eyes on the mirror, and kept his smile while hearing Sombra speak.

“... ‘My name is Shining Armor’...”

“... My name is Shining Armor…”

“... ‘And I am a prideful stallion’...”

“... And I am a prideful stallion.”

Cadance smiled warmly as she saw her Ex’s smile in the reflection, which was already looking more natural.

“... ‘I’m the best Guard that Sombra or Cadance could ever have.’...”

“... I’m the best Guard that Sombra or Cadance could ever have.”

“... ‘and they’ll always love me, no matter what’...”

“... And they’ll always love me, no matter what.”

Sombra wasn’t showing any malice or taunting in his smile, and was instead keeping his utmost focus on the Guard he made as his own. His tone remained studious, but as reassuring as a true mentor should. He could see how confident Shining was looking already, as he stared at his reflection with a proper smile as natural as could be. And with that, Sombra felt no hesitancy to keep him reciting his words.

“... ‘I will always be the best stallion for Equestria’...”

“... I will always be the best stallion for Equestria.”

‘... ‘And nothing can ever change that.’...”

“... And nothing can ever change that.”

“... ‘So with that being said’...”

“... So with that being said…”

Shining took a deep breath, and kept staring at the mirror in wait for what Sombra would tell him to say next. However, that was when his Superior leaned in close to his ear, and whispered the remaining part out of Cadance’s earshot. Shining reeled back with a jolt, his smile faltering quite a bit in worry. However, Sombra was quick to say insistently, “Everything you just said to yourself has been the utmost truth. And saying that won’t change any of it. I promise.”

Sombra pulled in Shining to give him a proper kiss on the lips, which was only a light peck that lasted for about three seconds. Regardless, Cadance still tilted her head curiously by the time Sombra stepped back, and allowed Shining to resume his personal pep-talk. Shining needed a moment as he looked back at his reflection, and shuddered with a bitten lip. Sombra kept a caring smile as he said to the stallion, “It’s alright, Shining… Just say it with a smile~”

Shining took a deep breath with his eyes closed, and exhaled before doing as he was told. His smile came back up as naturally as could be, and he looked at himself in the mirror to say:

“M… M-My name is Shining Armor, and… a-and I…”

Even though he paused for a bit in apprehension, Shining was able to say those last four words with a blush growing across his cheeks.

“... and… I-I’m a Gelding…”

Shining breathed out hoarsely, clearly flustered by admitting that out-loud. His muzzle tightened shut as he looked away from the mirror, and looked back up at his Superior sheepishly. Sombra gave a strong nod of his head while smiling proudly. “Excellent work, Private! Do you think you can say it to us now?~”

Cadance walked over to stand beside Sombra, but not before giving Shining a much-deserved hug after that admission. As the Prince and Princess stood side-by-side, giving their lowly Guard a couple of loving smiles, Shining Armor felt a strange sense of contentment after everything he just said. Much like what Sombra told him to say, Shining did feel a strong sense of accomplishment as a stallion. Heck, he’s already done more than most stallions would ever dream of; and as far as most of Equestria was concerned, he was still considered one of the best stallions in living history. Nothing could ever change that, despite how hard Sombra may have tried. And even now, after giving nearly everything he had for these two, he still felt just as much of a stallion as he had before Sombra came into their lives.

And with that, Shining Armor smiled up at Prince Sombra and his loving wife, and said with a more natural tone of voice:

“M… My name is Shining Armor… a-and I’m a Gelding~”

Two and a Half Weeks Later

Of all the things Cadance could’ve done to help Shining out following his procedure, clearing his schedule for the week following his resignation was likely the smartest move for his well-being. The news of his sudden departure from the throne was nothing short of shocking, and spread across Equestrian news outlets like wildfire. Journalists and political figures from all over were curious to hear more details about Shining’s reasons, but the gelding was busy healing in private before making any public appearances. Meanwhile, Princess Cadance kept the utmost professionalism and poise as she spoke on her Ex’s behalf; much like what he said in that impromptu speech, Cadance reiterated his reasons as simply as she could: Shining Armor wanted to dedicate his time as a father for their foals, and considered such a stepping-down a noble sacrifice for the sake of having a healthy family.

Fortunately for Shining, Cadance, and especially Sombra, not too many ponies were overly suspicious for hidden meanings in the Ex-Prince’s reasonings. Even the most callus paparazzi news groups could only assume half-baked theories, like a hidden illness or Changeling infiltration. Sombra may have been in the limelight a little, but that was more in regards to his gracious pardon than anything else. Even though he should’ve been given more interest in relation to the Ex Prince-- especially since he was technically the last stallion Shining spoke with beforehoof -- he was thankfully overlooked by most of the common public. If anything, the biggest shock ponies had was that following Sombra’s granted freedom, his official statement was to stay at the Crystal Castle to “better improve relations with the public.”

In just a couple weeks, Sombra’s reception around the Crystal Empire had improved quite significantly. He tried his best not to go out in public unless necessary; but whenever he did, he was grateful that the worst reactions he received were a few wary glances and uncomfortable avoidances from Crystal Ponies. Since Sombra had forgiven the castle staff who attacked him so viciously, and also granted major reparation funds to the ponies he abused in his past, his reformation was going about as well as expected. Sombra was sure that it would still take years, or even decades to fully atone for his past in the Empire’s eyes; but much like figures including Discord, Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, and even Tempest Shadow, Sombra was determined to stay on the righteous path with Cadance and Shining by his side.

But most of all, Sombra knew of one particular pony he needed to work things out with more than anyone else.

“Flurry Heart, please!” Sombra was seated in the middle of Flurry Heart’s plush bedroom, which was adorned with every toy imaginable across its spacious crystallized walls. The Prince stood out like a skidmark in the middle of the playplace, especially while Flurry was sitting across from him with a silent glare. The toddler-sized Princess was nestled in a bouncy chair, but she hung from it silently with a death-stare on Sombra. It had been over ten minutes, but the little foal hadn’t moved an inch as she stared at him like an enemy.

“Ughhhhh…” Sombra knew how uncomfortable this interaction would be, especially since he insisted on talking with her alone. He tried to give her an oversized teddy bear as a gift when he first entered; but as soon as Flurry Heart saw who was behind it, the plushie was left lying by the wall in a scrap of tattered fabric and stuffing strewn across the floor. Sombra didn’t dare try to get any closer after that, since she was the only one between them with usable magic from their horns. But even as he stayed at a respectable distance, and kept himself as non-threatening as possible, he was carrying a remorseful wince the longer Flurry gave him the silent treatment.

“Flurry Heart, I’m trying to make things better between us, alright?” Sombra didn’t want to sound too snippy, even though he felt like an idiot for trying to reason with a baby. However, he could only assume that she was smart enough to understand what he had to say. “Listen… I’m not the same stallion I used to be. I’ve been here for over a year, and I never once hurt you, have I?”

That may have been an honest point, but all that it got him was a strong eye-roll from Flurry. Sombra groaned with his muzzle tightly shut, mostly to keep the foal from seeing his gritting fangs. After exhaling through his nostrils, he calmed himself down enough to say, “Flurry, I am sorry. I’ve been sorry for what I did for a very long time, and both your Mommy and Daddy know that very well. Why can’t you?”

Before Sombra could assume he was just talking to a brick wall, Flurry Heart lit up her horn to give a silent response. A golden glow of her aura picked up a small stack of papers beside her crib, and she floated over a single drawing for Sombra to see. The instant she held up the paper with her magic, Sombra winced painfully and averted his eyes. “Ooooffffff…”

The drawing may have been poorly made with crayon, but it was clear as day what Flurry Heart drew. Sombra was drawn as a giant stick-pony on one side of the page, with giant fangs and blood dripping from his gaping maw. On the other side of the picture were stick-figures of Flurry and her parents, all with large metal cages over their muzzles. Chains were wrapped around their necks, while Shining and Cadance had their heads bowed to Sombra’s hooves. Their eyes were closed, but Flurry made sure to add several oversized tear-drops of blue to indicate how sad they were.

Sombra covered his shameful face with a hoof, unable to look at a drawing that traumatizing. “Oh, God… I’m not gonna lie, I was hoping you’d be too young to remember that…”

Flurry Heart narrowed her eyes on him to intensify her glare, and gave a silent shake of her head.

With another harsh sigh, Sombra put down his hoof to stare back at her more pleadingly. “Flurry, I swear to you that I’m sorry! I would never, EVER do that you or your parents again!”

Sombra then looked away from her venomous glaze for a split second, and muttered under his breath, “At least, not like that...”

SMASH!!!

“GAHHH!!!” The moment Sombra looked away from her, Flurry used her magic to chuck a pile of wooden blocks towards his head. The impact wasn’t enough to cause any injury, but it still hurt like Tartarus as Sombra clutched his head with a wince. “Nnnnnghhh!! Flurry, come on! I’m trying to be sincere here!”

Flurry’s glare remained unchanged, and her horn stayed lit in preparation of throwing something else. Upon seeing how few shits the foal was giving him, Sombra groaned impatiently and rolled his eyes. “Okay, that’s it! Is that all you wanna do to me?! You wanna hit me?! HUH?!?”

Sombra angrily reached over into Flurry’s toy chest, and pulled out a miniature wooden bat. It was bright blue and covered with autographs from the Wonderbolts, but Sombra didn’t seem to notice as he held up the item with a hoof. “What, would using this on me make you feel better!? If I gave you this bat, would you--”

Flurry used her magic to snatch the bat before Sombra could finish his statement, or even get any second thoughts about such an impulsive idea. Sombra couldn’t even gasp before Flurry flung the bat around furiously, repeatedly whacking at him like an oversized pinata.

“AAAAHHHH!! What the!? Flurry, stop it--OUCH!! OWW, THAT HURTS!!” Sombra was thrown down to the floor while Flurry kept swinging that little bat, making sure to hit him wherever he wasn’t protecting himself. She may have been a little filly, but her fury no bounds as she stuck him in the face, his shins, and especially his groin.

“AAAHHH!! FLURRY, PLEAS--OWWW!! GAHH!!! S-STOP IT!! OUCH, OWWWWW!!! FLURRY STOP IT, STOP IT!!!”

Sombra desperately tried to fling his hooves around in an attempt to catch Flurry’s bat; but much like a pesky mosquito trying to get some blood, Sombra was flailing around helplessly while Flurry kept whacking him. It may have not been nearly as brutal as the beating he experienced in the Dining Hall that one day; but considering how many times Flurry was whacking at his legs and the back of his head, he was legitimately getting hurt by the merciless Princess. After a few minutes of continuous hitting, Sombra finally got a break when he snatched the bat from her aura. “G-GIVE ME THAT!!”

Flurry Heart yelped out in terror as the bat was pulled from her magic, and Sombra threw it back in the toy box. The stallion groaned with a cringed expression, and tried to stand on his hooves while rubbing various bruises on his body. “Nnnnngggggg… You know, for someone who still wears a diaper, you can certainly leave a mark…”

Flurry reeled back in her bouncy chair, her expression suddenly becoming more fearful. Sombra took a minute or so to calm himself down, not wanting to yell at Flurry for what she just did. After all, since he was the one who made that suggestion, he had nopony to blame for his injuries but himself. In fact, by the time he was able to take a soothing breath, he kept himself distanced from Flurry Heart while standing non-threateningly.

“Okay… Flurry Heart?” Sombra’s voice and expression may have looked stern, but he made sure his hooves were raised to indicate he wasn’t going to do anything. Despite how upset he may have felt, he only needed a quick breath before stating honestly, “You know what… I deserved that. That was totally fair, and you had every right to do it. I don’t blame you, okay?”

While he didn’t want to give a baby a pass for acting out so violently, he knew that he wasn’t one to talk about getting away with atrocious actions. Heck, given how he put Flurry Heart in that same bondage as her parents during the takeover, that light batting was likely the least-severe punishment a stallion could’ve faced. Because of that, Sombra waited for Flurry Heart to look back at him, her expression softening the slightest bit.

“Now then…” Sombra kept his distance from her, and spoke in a natural tone. “Now that you hit me a bunch of times, I want to ask you something… Do you feel better after doing that?”

Flurry’s brows rose up a little, and her eyes slowly averted away from Sombra. She didn’t say anything, but her silent look of apprehension said quite a lot. After a couple seconds, the foal shrugged her shoulders the tiniest bit.

“Let me rephrase that,” added Sombra while keeping himself respectful. “Flurry… did it feel good hurting another pony like that?”

With that question, Sombra could see Flurry Heart’s little ears slumping down to the sides of her head. She squirmed a little in her bouncy chair, and her muzzle could be seen skewing in discomfort. She exhaled softly through her nostrils, and she shook her head before lowering it.

“That’s right,” said Sombra with a firm nod. “That didn’t feel good, right? Because it didn’t change how upset you still feel about me.”

Flurry kept her head lowered, not wanting to look Sombra in the eye. However, she still gave a faint nod of her head in response.

“Well, that’s how I feel when I look back at what I did in the past…” Sombra looked down at his hooves as well, his expression looking just as guilty. “I may have been under Dark Magic, but… I still feel really awful about how I acted. And… I feel especially bad that I involved you and your parents so personally.”

Sombra closed his eyes, and took a solemn breath to keep himself from getting too overwhelmed. He may have been under reformation for over a year, but that didn’t mean he was able to forget any of the horrid things he committed in his past. And worst of all, he couldn’t blame Flurry Heart for how badly she saw him, even after he had been living in the Crystal Castle for so long. If anything, she probably saw him as some nasty boogie-man for the longest time.

“Flurry Heart, I…” When Sombra looked back at the foal, she was staring at him with a less intense glare than before. She still looked upset, but it appeared more out of confusion and frustration than anything too direct. Sombra wasn’t sure what else he could say, but he knew he couldn’t just end their little talk like this. So after exhaling deeply, Sombra closed his eyes, and pointed his prosthetic horn towards her with a respectful bow.

“Princess Flurry Heart,” he said cordially, addressing the foal with the utmost respect as nobility, “On behalf of your parents Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance, I wish to extend my deepest, most sincere apology to you. I am so, so sorry for how I treated you and your family. None of you deserved to be involved in my actions, and there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by where I haven’t been ashamed of myself. I wish nothing more than to prove myself as a changed stallion, but I know that it won’t be something I can instantly receive. But you have my word, both as a stallion, and as a close friend of both your parents, that I promise to be as good as I possibly can for you, from now on…”

While the stallion kept his head lowered in front of her bouncy chair, Flurry’s eyes were widened with a legitimately stunned look on her face. She had recalled Sombra giving a similar decree a long time ago, shortly after he began to live in the castle under her parents’ guidance. Back then, he publicly acknowledged that Shining and Cadance were the true leaders of the Crystal Empire, and that he would never try to repeat his actions again. Flurry may have understood the gist of things, but she still felt left-out when her parents accepted his apology without issue. But now, with the former Tyrant giving her such a respectful and private apology, Flurry Heart felt a small twinge of appreciation for finally being heard.

The little Princess’ muzzle quivered a bit, but she was able to give a small smile by the time Sombra pulled himself back up. He stayed respectfully distant while standing across from her, just as a Guard would act around her Mom or Dad. The image was almost a little funny for her to think about, and she had to keep from giggling in front of the fanged stallion. Sombra was able to see how much better she looked, and grew a small smile of his own in response.

“Heh~” Sombra huffed to himself as he glanced back down at his hooves with a shrug. “Well, that’s something I never thought I’d have to do for a baby…”

Flurry’s smile flattened quite a bit, and her eyes narrowed on Sombra with a clear, “Are You Kidding Me?” expression on her face. Luckily for Sombra, he saw that quickly enough to reiterate his sincerity.

“T-That doesn’t mean it was fake or anything, okay?” Sombra kept a hoof raised while staring back at Flurry respectfully. “I know that it’s still going to take a lot of time to change things between us. But believe me, the last thing I want is to have you hate me forever. I fully acknowledge you as a Princess, and I promise I’ll respect you as one.”

That truthful statement was enough to make Flurry Heart smile again. Sombra looked grateful himself, and made sure to add with great insistence, “And just so you know… No matter what might happen, I swear that I’ll protect you and your family from now on. Just like how your Daddy protects the Crystal Empire, I’ll make sure that you and your brother will always be safe.”

He gave another noble bow with that last part, and added with more inflection, “And that’s a promise I will always upkeep as a stallion of honor!”

Flurry tilted her head with the slightest hint of confusion, but she didn’t say anything about how passionately Sombra gave that last plea. Meanwhile, Sombra lifted his head back up with slight worry, hopeful that she wouldn’t assume anything too telling about him or her soon-to-be little brother. But before she could get too suspicious, Sombra said with a more timid smile, “B-But, ummm… Just so you know, I’ll completely understand if you still need some time to adjust to being around me so much. All that I ask is that you at least consider it, alright? It… It would really mean a lot to me…”

Sombra lowered his head after that last part, which sounded a lot more vulnerable than his earlier statements. He may have wanted nothing more than to spend time with his son; but at the same time, he didn’t want to keep that massive wedge between himself and Flurry Heart forever. Even though he felt hopeful that things would get better, the last thing Sombra wanted to do was overstep his boundaries with Flurry Heart too soon. Luckily for the stallion, Flurry Heart bit her lip pensively, before giving Sombra a small smile with a nod.

“A-Alright then…” Sombra sighed with a relieved look on his face. After thinking it over briefly, Sombra’s eyes darted back and forth before looking back at her with a blush. “Would, uhhh… Would it be alright if I gave you a hug or--”

Flurry Heart instantly shook her head, her expression turning as serious as a heart attack. Sombra raised his hooves without offense. “Fair enough, fair enough. One step at a time…”

Sombra didn’t try to push his luck, and accepted their mutual understanding as it currently was. Fortunately, before the moment could get too awkward between the two, somebody else appeared to direct the awkwardness towards themself.

“SURPRIIIIISEEE!!!~” Discord, who suddenly appeared in the room by unzipping part of the ceiling like it was made of fabric, climbed down a rope while wearing a mountain-climbing outfit. “Whoo! I must say, you certainly overcame a big obstacle there, Sombra~”

Flurry was too freaked out by the draconequus’ presence, and started to cry in her bouncy chair. Sombra winced with a bitter scowl up at Discord, and carefully walked up towards Flurry. “Oh, look what you just did! And I was just getting on better terms with her!”

“Hey, at least it was me who made her cry instead of you.” While Sombra went to try and console the upset foal, Discord used his magic to repair the teddy bear she destroyed earlier. “My goodness, that’s just disturbing!”

Luckily for Flurry Heart’s sake, Discord didn’t turn the teddy into some Lovecraftian abomination; instead, he merely floated the stuffing back inside the plush, and stitched up the fabric until it looked brand-new. Meanwhile, Sombra tried his best as he awkwardly shook a rattle in front of Flurry. “Hey, looky here! Coochie-coo! Coochie-COO!~”

“NNNGHHH!!” Flurry stopped crying, but she reeled back from Sombra with a very unnerved look on her face. Sombra instantly stopped, and stepped back so he wouldn’t scare her any further.

“It’s alright, Sombra…” Discord handed her the teddy, which she was able to accept with a somewhat calmed expression. The teddy was so large, the only thing that could be seen on the foal was her wriggling legs underneath. While the Princess was distracted with that massive toy, Discord took the opportunity to whisper to him, “If it means anything, I’m glad you’re trying to make amends with her. Trust me, you’re going to need all the parenting experience you can get~”

Discord shot him a sly wink, while Sombra huffed and looked away from him with a blush. “Yeah, I know… To be fair, I would’ve done that regardless of Cadance’s foal.”

“That’s good to hear.” Discord nodded with a prideful smile, before his face lit up excitedly. “OOH! Speaking of which, Twilight wanted you to know that Cadance is having the baby as we speak~”

“WHAT?!”

“HUH?!” Flurry dropped her teddy to gawk up at Discord as well.

“Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time~” With a snap of his avian claw, Discord transformed Flurry Heart’s bouncy chair into a stroller with a poof of magic. The filly was already safely nestled inside, and the device was rolled over towards Sombra. “There you guys go! I’d teleport you two there myself, but I think the roll across the castle will help you guys better--”

“GOTTA GO!!!” Sombra grabbed the handles of Flurry Heart’s stroller, and the two zoomed out of the room like it was on fire. Flurry used her magic to throw the doors open, while Sombra barreled through to start the hasty journey. “THANKS FOR TELLING US, WISH ME LUCK!! WOO-HOO!!!~”

“YAAAYYYYYY!!!~”

There was still just blowing in the air from their quick exit, while Discord stood by himself with a surprised expression. “... bond…”

Considering how excited Sombra and Flurry were looking about the arrival of that little colt, Discord smiled to himself and crossed his arms. “Well then… I have a feeling those two will get along just fine~”

Just outside the medical ward of the Crystal Castle, Twilight Sparkle was standing by herself with an antsy look on her face. The very moment Cadance’s water broke, Twilight was informed quickly enough to do an immediate teleporting spell to the Crystal Empire herself. The other Elements of Harmony, as well as Spike, were all taking the train together like they had when Flurry Heart was born. However, given the unique circumstances of this birthing, Twilight knew she would likely be needed if anything awkward arose. More specifically, she already had several checks written out for the doctor and nurses overseeing Cadance’s foal’s birth, just in case she needed to bribe them if the baby ended up looking too similar to a certain Tyrant.

Fortunately for the Princess and upcoming Ruler of Equestria, she only heard strained screams from Cadance instead of any of the medical staff behind the closed doors. The only other pony present inside the room was Shining Armor, who was staying by her side the whole time. Even though a lot of things had changed since Flurry Heart was born, Twilight couldn’t have been prouder of her brother for supporting Cadance’s birthing like he had before. Even if the foal wasn’t biologically his own, Twilight had no doubt that he’d give the colt just as much love and adoration as he had shown for his own daughter.

Twilight closed her eyes with a relieved sigh, feeling eternally grateful that she didn’t need to intervene during the birthing process. Celestia and Luna may have been more paranoid about how the outcome would go (especially since they were aware of how unpredictable Cadance’s pregnancies could get), but Twilight remained optimistic that things would go along smoothly. Surprisingly enough, despite how quickly she arrived at the castle to assist with overseeing things, it seemed that Cadance was able to give birth at a quick rate. Because of that, Twilight had a warm and contented smile by the time she heard a couple of voices shrieking from down the hallway.

“CADANCE!! Cadance, are you alright!? IS SHE ALRIGHT!?!”

“Goooooo!!! Hehehehehehe~”

Twilight’s brows rose up in surprise when she saw Sombra zooming down the hallway at a lightning pace, pushing Flurry Heart’s stroller like the world’s fastest foalsitter. Flurry was giggling excitedly to her heart’s content, absolutely loving how quickly Sombra rushed her across the castle. When the Prince saw Twilight Sparkle, Sombra dug his hind-legs as hard as he could into the ground to skid them to a grinding halt. The two actually slid with a sideways stop before the Princess, looking like an overzealous finale fit for a drift-racer. Flurry Heart squealed with delight, clapping her little hooves with a cheerful grin.

“Well then!” Twilight looked especially happy as she raised her brows to the sight of the two together. “Sombra, you seem to be getting the hang of Flurry Heart, aren’t you?~”

Flurry’s smile lessened a little, but she still gave a brief shrug in agreement. Sombra was clutching to the handles of her stroller while panting heavily, since he went on a full-blown sprint across the castle and scaring half the staff. But even while breathing in strained, heavy wheezes, he was quick to point out, “W-We… We’re still tr… t-trying to get along… a-as best as we… we can…”

“Aaawwwww!~” Twilight looked legitimately touched by that sentiment, and leaned down to coo into Flurry’s stroller. “Are you making a new friend, Flurry Heart? I’m really proud of you~”

Flurry cooed sweetly with a blush, and looked away from her Aunt bashfully. By the time Twilight looked back up at Sombra, he was looking equally as timid with his eyes pointed elsewhere. Despite how sheepish the two were looking, Twilight looked nothing short of proud. “Well, better late than never, I suppose. I’m not gonna lie, I was worried you two would never get along.”

“Well, that’s probably more my fault than anypony else’s…” Sombra skewed his muzzle awkwardly while scratching the back of his mane. “I mean… if I was in Flurry’s position, I would’ve acted way worse around someone like me. If anything, it just shows how well she was raised by her parents.”

Flurry Heart smiled more genuinely in her stroller, clearly appreciating that compliment from the former villain. Meanwhile, Twilight’s smile turned more piqued as she said, “And speaking of Parents… I think you two came just in time to see the new baby~”

Sombra and Flurry Heart gasped with identical-looking grins of elation. Twilight tried her hardest not to giggle from how similarly they looked, just the doors behind her finally opened. Several of the medical staff ponies walked out with blushing smiles, whispering amongst one another so they could leave the happy couple undisturbed inside. As they walked past Sombra and Flurry’s stroller, a couple of the nurses made cutesy remarks to the filly.

“Ooh, you’re so lucky, widdle Princess~”

“Looks like somepony’s gonna be a big sister~”

“Oh, I wish I could see her face…”

Doctor West was the last pony to exit, as he gave Twilight a congratulatory hoofshake for her help. He also nodded in approval back at Sombra, happy to see how well he was able to heal from his injuries less than a month ago. But instead of lingering around for too long, the doctor exited alongside his staff so Sombra and Flurry were given some much-needed privacy. By the time all the non-Royal ponies were gone, Sombra was looking downright giddy as he bounced on the tips of his hooves antsily.

The medical doors opened up once more, with Shining Armor stepping out himself. He had heavy bags under his eyes, but his tired expression didn’t hide the prideful smile on his face. He was already looking teary-eyed, and was quick to give his sister a hug after the successful birthing. Twilight looked equally as emotional while hugging him back. When the two pulled apart, all that Shining needed to do was nod his head before speaking in a faint whimper. “D-Don’t worry, Cadance is alright… Both of them are~”

“Oh my gosh,” said Sombra with an overly excited creak, which was jarring enough to make Flurry glance up at him confusedly. Shining took notice of his daughter being there, so he kept his muzzle shut to refrain from saying anything too telling. But given how happy Shining and Twilight were looking, it wasn’t like Sombra was the only teary-eyed pony outside the room. Sombra’s muzzle was quivering, and he was looking downright elated when he tried to ask, “You… Y-You mean… H-He…”

Shining couldn’t help letting a couple tears roll down his face, and he smiled back at Sombra with a simple nod. “He’s… He’s a beautiful, healthy colt~”

Sombra had a hoof over his mouth, but it did nothing to hide how overwhelmed he looked from that confirmation. Twilight didn’t hesitate to go up to her husband, and give him a strong hug in preparation. Shining used his magic to pull Flurry Heart from the stroller, and held her comfortably in his embrace. He also motioned his head towards the door for Sombra, and said, “Go ahead… I’ll let you see him first.”

Sombra was already crying, but he was smiling wide with a nod back at Shining. After Twilight let him go, he walked over towards the doors to see his son for the first time. He paused briefly enough to look back at the teary Guard, and gave him a strong salute of respect. “Shining Armor… I am eternally grateful to you~”

Even with all the intense and horrifying things Sombra may have done -- both before and after his reformation -- Shining showed nothing but the purest look of respect towards his Superior. “It’s alright, Sombra… You deserve this moment.”

If Flurry Heart wasn’t nestled against Shining’s chest, Sombra would’ve likely pulled him in for a strong bear-hug. But instead, Sombra nodded when Shining returned the salute, before finally walking into the room where his first wife was resting. As the Prince went to see the fruit of his loins, Shining saw how pridefully Twilight was smiling back at him. Without saying a word, the Princess leaned in to give Shining a caring nuzzle. “I have to say… That is the most generous gift you could’ve ever given somepony.”

“Aww, come on…” Shining didn’t want to be praised so much for letting somepony like Sombra knock up his former wife. But with Twilight’s affection as genuine as could be, he blushed profusely in her embrace. “Jeeze, you’re making me sound like the next Rarity.”

“Oh! That reminds me…” Twilight pulled back from her brother to light up her horn. With a flash of her magic, she conjured up a scroll to hoof to him. “She’s actually holding a charity fashion event in a couple weeks. You and Sombra are both scheduled be there together~”

“Oh, COME ON!”

Fortunately for Sombra, Shining’s griping whine was unheard after the soundproofed doors were closed behind him. The Prince’s steps were slow and shaky, mostly due to how weightless he felt from the realization of his accomplishment. It may have not been an accomplishment any of the public could know about, but it was still something that left him feeling boundlessly blessed. As of that day, Sombra could actually say he was a father.

Cadance’s hospital bed was in the middle of the spacious room, while the Princess was lying tiredly in a mixture of exhaustion and pure bliss. Much like Shining outside, Cadance looked extremely tired with her mane disheveled, and heavy lines under her eyes. However, she still looked radiantly content as she held a small swaddle cloth cradled against her chest. Sombra froze when he saw that bundle of cloth, which was moving ever so slightly in Cadance’s forelegs. The Prince’s heart skipped a beat, and he covered his muzzle with a hoof while tears trickled down his face.

“Mmmmmm… H-Hey, Sombra…” Cadance sounded just as exhausted as she looked, but that didn’t keep her from smiling warmly up at him. “Guess what, big guy? You have a special somepony who wants to meet you…”

Sombra’s legs were already buckling, as he remained frozen at the spot with his eyes growing more teary. It was clear how overjoyed he was feeling, but he also looked like he was about to start bawling at any moment. He slowly walked up to his wife’s hospital bed, where he was able to see the little foal for the very first time. His fur was a dark blue, almost looking black compared to his father’s charcoal coat.

When Sombra leaned in to see his son, he let out a gasping sob to the beautiful colt he and Cadance had created.

The little foal looked just as adorable and precious as Flurry Heart did when she was born. The colt had a small, slender horn like his father’s, which was just barely able to stick out from his shaggy lavender mane. He had his mother’s eyes, which were shimmering with a nearly hypnotic shade of bright blue. His little hooves already had bushy fetlocks, which revealed the matching bright blue keratin just underneath. When the foal looked up at Sombra, the stallion froze in stunned silence. Meanwhile, Cadance held their child with a truly content smile, and chuckled weakly from her husband’s smitten response. “Heh heh heh… So, Sombra… what do you think?~”

Sombra’s tear-matted smile said far more than any loving words ever could. He reached down with both hooves, and carefully lifted up the little colt from his wife’s forelegs. The foal squirmed a bit at first, but only let out a light coo as he stared up at his trembling father. Sombra was beyond grateful to have a moment this special, without any other ponies around to interrupt the married couple. As he stared down at the dark blue foal, with his red eyes meeting with the colt’s powdery blue, it was almost like an unexplained force kept them connected for that brief, tender moment.

“He… H-Hello there, son…” Sombra choked up from hearing himself say those words out-loud. The foal gurgled with a cute little smile, which made Sombra’s smile widen immensely. Even with his long, intimidating fangs, the colt still looked up at him with pure, adoring love that made Sombra’s knees wobble in joy. After a shaky exhale, Sombra added with loving conviction, “I swear… M-More than anything in the world… I’m going to be the greatest father you could ever have… And I’m going to be a good pony from now on… For you~”

Sombra leaned in to kiss the tip of his son’s horn, while the foal wriggled in his hooves and tried to reach up. The colt’s tiny hooves clung to his Dad’s jet-black mane, which made him chuckle lovingly in response. “My goodness… Already wanting to start trouble, aren’t you?~”

“Hmph~” Cadance smiled up at the two tiredly. “Seems like he already takes after his Daddy~”

Sombra looked back down at her, and leaned down to give her a loving kiss on the lips. It wasn’t anything too sexual or lewd, and was merely a tender peck between husband and wife to celebrate their greatest accomplishment. Fortunately for the couple, just as their lips pulled apart, and Sombra placed the foal back in Cadance’s care, the doors reopened for the remaining ponies to come in.

“You guys alright?” asked Shining carefully, making sure to enter the room slowly and make sure he wasn’t interrupting anything. He was holding Flurry Heart in his hooves, who was staring wide-eyed in amazement at her new brother. Twilight was walking behind the two, looking just as enamored and happy as the tearful parents. Shining stood beside Cadance on the other side of the bed, allowing Flurry to lean in and get a good first-look at the newborn colt. “Yeah, that’s right,” said Shining sweetly down at his daughter. “That’s your little brother~”

Flurry smiled as wide as could be, already loving the new addition to their family in an instant. Sombra kept a respectable distance from his wife while Flurry was present, but he still shared a prideful look with her while the filly was distracted. Twilight was trying not to cry tears of joy, and fanned her cheeks with a hoof while speaking shakily. “S-So, ummm… Do you guys have a name thought out?”

Sombra and Cadance looked back at each other for a moment, unsure of how to answer that question. Usually for parents, the first name was something that came out of instinct when they first see their newborn for the first time. However, Sombra was the first to take a deep breath, and look back at Shining with a warm smile. “Well… I think that’s the father’s department on this one~”

Shining looked back at him wide-eyed, only to see Sombra shoot him a sly wink and motion down to his daughter. “It’s okay,” he whispered assuredly. “It’s only fair you get this.”

The Ex-Prince gave Sombra a touched, quivering smile while struggling not to cry. After letting out a shaky breath, he looked back down at the colt in Cadance’s hooves. “I… I-I actually had an idea for a name… A-Although, it was partially based on my father’s astronomy background…”

He looked back at the married couple with a hopeful smile, and asked, “What do you guys think about… Star Shade?”

Both of their eyes widened in unison, mostly due to how obvious the true meaning could be. Sure, the Star part was fitting enough for the colt’s dark coat, which matched Night Light’s color and name as well; but considering how Sombra literally translated to “Shadow” in certain languages, the addition of ‘Shade’ was a clear nod towards him. The two looked back down at their foal, whose coat and varying colors all matched such a name perfectly. After only a moment of contemplation, Cadance was the first to give an approving nod. “I… I think that Star Shade is a perfect name~”

Shining leaned in to give his Ex a sideways hug, making sure not to disturb the baby. While Flurry Heart was leaned in close, she gave her new brother a loving peck on the cheek to make him giggle. Twilight went up close to Sombra’s ear, taking advantage of the moment to whisper cheekily, “Heh~ It’s probably a good thing she has Cadance’s eyes, huh?”

That was when Discord’s voice boomed down from above, “Oh, most definitely!~”

Everyone yelped out in shock, and nearly freaked out the newborn when they glanced up at the ceiling. Discord was dressed in some weird Viking-like getup, with tight red pants and a metallic vest over his thin torso. He was also holding an oversized hammer, while his horned helmet had locks of blonde hair streaming down beautifully. “Oh, I hope you guys don’t mind my brief intrusion. I promise, I’m not trying to steal your guys’ thunder or anything~”

Star Shade whimpered a little from the sight of the Nordic-donned weirdo, which prompted Cadance to hold him closer and shoot Discord a warning glare. Twilight groaned flatly at her acquaintance’s antics. “Discord, what did I tell you about making references to other universes?!”

“That I should pay copyright fines first?”

“No!” She snapped, making sure to keep her voice hushed for the baby’s sake. “Discord, what are you even doing here?! This is a private moment!”

“Well, excuse me for wanting to make a memorable entrance for some exciting news!~” Without trying to ask permission, Discord unscrewed one of the horns from his Viking helmet, revealing it to be an oblong-curved scroll. He unfurled it to decree, “First of all, congratulations on Star Shade! He’s a beautiful boy, and there’s no doubt he’ll grow up to do great things. Secondly, you all will be pleased to hear that as of today, Princess Luna’s pregnancy has officially been confirmed as well~”

All the adults gasped in surprise, while Flurry and Star Shade just sat there confused. Discord made sure to shoot an especially pleased-looking smile at Shining in particular. “And don’t worry, Luna already plans to make the official announcement later this month when it’s confirmed to be healthy. She was intending to announce it as being from an anonymous donor, which should probably be the safest bet for a certain other Princess~”

That was when Discord glanced over at Twilight, who blushed profusely and looked away from the draconequus. Discord didn’t try to be too overt with the details he knew, since he was just as aware of Flurry Heart’s keen listening skills as Sombra did. However, that didn’t stop the former baddie from leaning down close to Sombra’s ear, and whispering, “Oh, and by the way, don’t forget to ask for that cage to be unlocked later~”

“DISCORD!!”