"Hey look! It's blockhead!"
"Hello there, lover boy. Has Cadence actually looked at your fat face yet?"
"How's your egghead of a sister doing, eh? Too bad she's not here- We could hang you in the loser's hall of fame together!"
The same old, same old.
Shining Armor has been putting up with this for six months now. Ever since these jerks began harassing Twilight on her way back to school, he decided to stand up to them. Now they are not only targeting her more, he has found himself the target of bullying. Usually insulting his love for his younger sister and his growing relationship with Twilight's foalsitter. Of course, she never said such a thing around her- she was Celestia's niece, after all, and they didn't want to get on the bad side of Celestia- but whenever he was alone? He was a prime target.
Suddenly, a large, hoof sized stone slammed into his shoulder. He gave a squeak of pain and staggered. He could hear their voices taunting him as yet more projectiles slammed against him. More stones, the occasional stick from the tree that they sat in every day. He struggled to his hooves against the barrage and, quickly, cast a shield spell- a spell that would protect him, three hundred and sixty degrees. He had almost begged his teacher to teach him the spell, but he never revealed to him why- if the teacher knew, he would try and stop it himself, and that would almost definitely make it worse. He might even be ridiculed as a coward. For a pony inspiring to join the Royal Guard Academy, he didn't want to be known as a coward, even if by his rivals. And so, he was forced to put up with it. Day after day. Week after week. There was the occasional day when they went home to play video games together, but for the most part, he had to walk right by them, every day, on his way home from school.
But, as he put up a shield spell, he stumbled as he looked at his shoulder. It was quickly turning red, and it was hurting- badly. Trying not say anything, he stumbled along, his pink magical bubble protecting him- mostly- from the prolonged barrage of sticks and stones. Eventually- though it took him a while- he managed to make it to the other side of the block, when he was out of range of their projectiles, although the jeering laughter followed him for another dozen yards. Shining Armor slowly made his way deeper into the city, every step accompanied by a jab of pain.
He managed to stumble to his house before he stopped. Cadence was laughing, cheering on Twilight in the front yard, who was on the swingset, appearing to have the time of her life. Cadence turned to Shining Armor, smiling. "Hello, Shining Ar-" She then gasped and, helping Twilight down from the swing, she rushed over. "Shining? What happened?" She was looking at the angry red bulge on his shoulder.
"Nothing. I'll tell you later. Just... I need to get inside and lay down."
Cadence looked at him, looking concerned, then nodded and, putting her hoof around him, she guided him inside. A curious Twilight looked at him, confused, and followed him. "Big brother... why is your shoulder red?"
Shining Armor forced a smile. "Don't worry, Twilie. I was just clumsy. That's all. I'll be fine."
A few minutes later, he was laying down on the couch, sighing in relief from the ice pack that was laying on his shoulder. Twilight was having a snack in the kitchen- a small daisy sandwich- as Cadence and Shining Armor were having a conversation.
"Bullies?" Cadence asked, concern written clearly on her face. "Shining, you've never had a problem with bullies before... What happened?"
He blinked and stretched- and immediately regretted it, as it caused his shoulder to flare up again. "Actually, it's been going of for a while now. A few months at least."
Cadence looked at him in the eye. "Why haven't I heard of this sooner?"
"I don't know. Their the same jerks who used to bully Twilight. They seem to have changed targets when I defended her.
Cadence sighed. "I see..." Then, with a fire in her eyes that he had rarely seen before, she growled, "We have to put a stop to this! I mean, they hurt you. Pretty badly, to say the least. They went too far. This needs to end."
Shining shook his head. "No, it doesn't. Think of how they'll react when my girlfriend sticks up for me."
"Your 'girlfriend' as you put it, is a direct relative of the Princess. They'd certainly stop it."
"I don't think that the princess wants to be bothered merely because the Canterlot noble's kids are being jerks."
Cadence let out a huff. "Well, there must be something that I can do to help."
"Unless you can magically convince my mom to let me go the five mile roundabout way to school that goes through the slums, then not really. By the way, where are Mom and Dad?"
Cadence sighed. "They're at a work picnic for Mr. Night Light's job. They wanted me to watch Twilight on her day off. I had to promise Mr. Magolor that I would make considerable progress on my counterspell by Monday. But that's besides the point! You need to do something to deal with this!"
Shining looked at her. "What would you suggest? If I go the the teacher or have you stick up for me, I get called a coward. It's not like the princess is going to take time out of her day to deal with a case of bullying."
Cadence took a deep breath, probably to respond vehemently, but then a small voice spoke up. "Big brother?"
Shining immediately changed his tone. "Yes, Twilie?"
"Why are there bullies after you?"
He sighed and glanced at her. "Well... they're jealous."
"Why?"
"Because I have the smartest little sister in the world, that's why. And they all want a sister like you. But... they can't. Because you are special, and no one else is like you."
She glowed underneath the praise before looking back at Shining. "But... can't you stop it? They're being meanies, aren't they?"
He nodded. "They are. But I can't stop it... no matter how much I want to."
Twilight nodded and then sighed. She was silent for a minute. And then...
"Do you want to hear a rhyme?"
Shining looked at her as if she was mad, and then he remembered that she was a filly. He forced a smile. "Sure, Twilie. I would love to hear a rhyme."
Cadence smiled lightly. "How about you let your brother rest right now, Twilight? He can hear your rhyme in the morning."
Twilight shook her head. "No! I want him to hear it now!"
Cadence looked set to argue, but Shining Armor said, "I'd let it go, Cadence. I'm ready when you are, Twilight."
Twilight sighed. "I... I remember saying this to myself whenever I was bullied. It seemed to help me get through it."
She took a deep breath and said:
"Sticks and stones can break my bones,
But bad words don't hurt me."
Twilight smiled. "I hope it helped, my big brother." Then she galloped off into the kitchen to play with Smarty Pants.
For some reason, Shining was sincerely touched by the repetition of this filly's rhyme. He didn't say anything for a while. And then he turned to Cadence. "Perhaps I could have a talk with Mr. Magolor? I know he isn't my teacher, but I think I'd be more comfortable talking to someone who I don't see every day."
Cadence smiled. "Of course," she said, replacing the ice pack with a fresh one.
Author's Note
A short little one-shot inspired by DoctorWhoAreYouvian. Don't worry, everypony. I'm just taking a short break from my usual stories.
